Steam Ships, Sailing Ships, and other Vessels.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 13th July, 1888
Complete Specification Left, 29th Sept., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 19th Oct., 1888
Steam Ships, Sailing Ships, and other Vessels.
I, ROBERT STEVENSON of San Francisco in the state of California one of the United
States of America temporarily residing at the First Avenue Hotel Holborn in the
County of Middlesex England Civil Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to increase the velocity of propulsion of torpedoes,
steam, ships sailing ships and other vessels, by reducing the resistance of the
water ahead.
The invention consists of a longitudinal shaft supported in suitable bearings
within the hull of the vessel, and passing through a suitable collar and watertight
stuffing box in the stern thereof and projecting any required distance ahead. The
projecting part of the shaft may in the case of large vessels, be supported in a bearing,
suspended from and stiffened by struts from the bows. This longitudinal shaft may
be of any convenient length within the hull and may be placed at any suitable
depth whether the vessel is wholly immersed as a torpedo or partially immersed as a
steam ship or other vessel.
Within the hull a pulley or motor of any kind is affixed to this shaft which is
intended to be revolved at a high velocity.
Outside the hull, the shaft is provided with any number of wing shaped blades
affixed thereto longitudinally which are radial to the said shaft and also to a disc
affixed to the rear ends of these blades. This disc is also affixed to the longitudinal
shaft close to the stem of the vessel. In some cases, however the disc may be
dispensed with.
The action is as follows:-
The longitudinal shaft is driven at a high velocity by means of any suitable steam
electric or other motor so that the centrifugal force of the blades, will produce a
partial vacuum in front of the vessel. The result of this will be that not only will
the resistance of the water be reduced but the vessel will be urged forward by two

page_text: forces first the force of the water running from the sides and stern of the vessel io
fill the partial vacuum so created, and carrying the vessel with it; and secondly the
ordinary propelling power; and further, the power of a screw propeller where such
exists will be increased by the greater quantity of water which will flow thereunder
and also by its velocity.
CASTLE SMITH,
Invention
Office,
54, Fleet Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION,
Improvements in and Connected with the Propulsion of Torpedoes,
Steam Ships, Sailing Ships, and other Vessels.
I, ROBERT STEVENSON of San Francisco in the state of California one of the United
States of America, temporarily residing at the First Avenue Hotel, Holborn in the
County of Middlesex England Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The object of this invention is to increase the velocity of propulsion of Torpedoes,
Steam Ships, Sailing Ships, and other vessels by reducing the resistance of the
water ahead.
It has been found that although a vessel going at a moderate speed has very little
resistance ahead, except that due to skin friction yet when that speed is increased up
to 18 or 20 knots an hour the skin friction decreases but the resistance ahead increases
enormously and this invention is intended to reduce that resistance when a vessel is
going at a high speed and also to reduce the skin friction when a vessel is going at a
moderate speed by means of the current of water which follows the ship fending to
force it into the partial vacuum which the centrifugal propeller forming my invention
creates, so much so, that a ship going at 20 knots an hour, would be increased in speed
another five knots per hour with an additional increase of fuel.
The invention consists of a longitudinal shaft, supported in suitable bearings
within the hull of the vessel and passing through a suitable collar and watertight
stuffing box in the stern thereof and projecting any required distance ahead. The
projecting part of the shaft may in the case of large vessels, be supported in a
bearing suspended from and stiffened by struts from the bows. This longitudinal

page_text: shaft may be of any convenient length within the hull and may be placed at any
suitable depth whether the vessel is wholly immersed as a torpedo or partially
immersed as a steam ship, or other vessel.
Within the hull a pulley or motor of any kind is affixed to this shaft which is
intended to be revolved at a high velocity.
Outside the hull the shaft is provided with any number of wing-shaped blades,
affixed thereto longitudinally which are radial to the said shaft and also to a disc,
affixed to the rear ends of these blades. This disc is also affixed to the longitudinal
shaft, close to the stern of the vessel. In some cases however the disc may be
dispensed with.
--
The action is as follows:-
The longitudinal shaft is driven at a high velocity, by means of any suitable steam,
electric or other motor so that the centrifugal force of the blades will produce a partial
vacuum in front of the vessel. The result of this will be, that not only will the
resistance of the water be reduced but the vessel will be urged forward by two forces;
first the force of the water running from the sides and stern of the vessel to fill the
partial vacuum so created and carrying the vessel with it and secondly the ordinary
propelling power and further the power of a screw propeller where such exists will
be increased by the greater quantity of water that will How thereunder and also by
its velocity.
And in order that my invention may be more fully understood and carried into
practice, I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying
drawings in which similar letters indicate corresponding parts throughout.
Fig. 1 is a parily longitudinal section of a ship fitted with my invention. A is a
shaft supported on suitable bearings B B within the hull and provided with any
suitable number of collars CC to minimise the longitudinal motion of the shaft when
working. This shaft passes through a watertight stuffing box D constructed similarly
to the watertight stuffing boxes fitted on the ordinary propeller shafts, and projects
any required distance ahead, according to the size of the vessel, the rate of revolution
of the shaft the velocity of propulsion required and to other circumstances.
The
Any number of wing shaped railial blades E are affixed longitudinally to the
shaft A by rivetting, forging, bolting or otherwise. The curvature of these blades is
such as will most nearly produce a perfect vacuum by their centrifugal force, when
rapidly revolved in the water on front of the hull of the vessel to be propelled.
end of the shaft is suspended in a bearing H suspended from and stiffened by struts J
from the hows in any convenient manner. The shaft beyond the bearing H
terminates in a solid cone K for the purpose of effectually displacing the water when
the shaft is rapidly revolving,
Fig. 2 is an elevation of the shaft and blades shewn in Fig. 1 but detached from
the ship.
Fig. 3 is a back view and
Fig. 4 a front view of Fig. 2.
To each end of the blades a circular disc L is affixed and keyed to the shaft A.
A similar disc or discs M may be placed in any intermediate position for the purpose
of strengthening and of assisting the action of the blades. If convenient and where
being constructed for a large vessel, the blades may be constructed
in sections each section having a disc rigidly affixed to its ends and two consecutive
sections being attached to each other by bolting or otherwise attaching the two
adjoining discs to each other.
the apparatus
Figs. 3. and 4 shew the invention with six blades but I do not limit myself to
this or to any other number.
Fig. 5 is a partly longitudinal section of a submarine vessel fitted with my
invention, in which the vacuum producing apparatus consists of one double blade P
constructed with a suitable recess into which the end of the shaft A is affixed in any
ordinary well known manner.
Fig. 6 is a back view of the double blade shewn in Fig. 5.
Fig. 7 shews another modification of my invention. On to the shaft A a curved

page_text: shell N is affixed and terminates in a solid cone shaped piece K. Any suitable
number of circular discs O are keyed upon the shaft for the purpose of supporting
the sides of the shell.
Fig. 8 is a back view of Fig. 7.
As a further modification of my invention, a solid cone curved or otherwise with
or without radial rings or blades may be keyed upon the shaft. A and made to
create a partial vacuum by the centrifugal force developed when rapidly revolved.
This invention is not a screw propeller nor is intended to act in any way as a
screw in front of the ship because instead of pulling the ship forward it simply
reduces the resistance ahead and acts in virtue of the centrifugal force of the blades
which are radial to the shaft.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1st. The combination with a shaft A driven by any suitable motor of radial blades E,
cone K and discs L with or without intermediate discs MI substantially as and for the
purpose hereinbefore set forth and illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4.
2nd. The combination with a shaft A driven by any suitable motor of a double
blade P substantially as and for the purpose herein before set forth and illustrated in
Figs. 5 and 6.
3rd. The combination with a shaft A driven by any suitable motor of a shell N
and cone K with or without a supporting disc or discs substantially as and for the
purpose herein before set forth and illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8.
4th. The combination with a shaft A driven by any suitable motor of a solid cone
curved or otherwise with or without radial rings or blades substantially as and for
the purpose herein before set forth.
Dated this 29th day of Santamber 1888
CASTLE SMITH,
Per F. W. Golby,
Invention Office,
54, Fleet Street, London, E.C
Agent for the Applicant.