CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN PROPELLING VESSELS, AND ALSO CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN CONSTRUCTING VESSELS SO AS TO BE USED IN COMBINATION WITH CERTAIN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR REMOVING SAND BANKS AND OTHER OBSTRUCTIONS TO NAVIGATION, PART OR PARTS OF WHICH. MACHINERY OR APPARATUS MAY BE USED ON RAILWAYS OR MAY BE ADAPTED AND APPLIED TO CARRIAGES ON COMMON ROADS
Year: 1846

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
NEEDHAM TAYLER, late of Chelsea, in the County of Middlesex, but now of
Carlton Cottages, New Cross, Deptford, Captain in the Navy, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Twenty-fifth day of March, in the ninth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, 'the said
Joseph Needham Taylor, Her especial license, full power, sole privilege and
authority, that I, the said Joseph Needham Tayler, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, and such others as I, the said Joseph Needham Tayler,
my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times during the term of years therein
mentioned, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN PROPELLING VESSELS, AND ALSO CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS
IN CONSTRUCTING VESSELS SO AS TO BE USED IN COMBINATION WITH CERTAIN
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR REMOVING SAND BANKS AND OTHER OBSTRUCTIONS
TO NAVIGATION, PART OR PARTS OF WHICH. MACHINERY OR APPARATUS MAY BE
USED ON RAILWAYS, OR MAY BE ADAPTED AND APPLIED TO CARRIAGES ON COMMON
ROADS;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso, obliging me,. the
said Joseph Needham Tayler, by an instrument in writing under my hand' and

page_text: seal, particularly to describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed; and to cause the same to
be inrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters
Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully 5
and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso; I, the said
Joseph Needham Tayler, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, is particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following description thereof, reference
being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures
marked thercon (that is to say) :-
My Invention of Certain Improvements in Propelling Vessels, and also
certain Improvements in constructing Vessels so as to be used in combina-
tion with certain Machinery or Apparatus for removing Sand Banks and other
Obstructions to Navigation, Part or Parts of which Machinery or Apparatus
may be used on Railways, or may be adapted and, applied to Carriages on
Common Roads," has for its object, in the first place, the adaptation and appli-
cation to the sides of the vessel of one or more paddle wheels constructed to
work horizontally under water, instead of the ordinary paddle wheel working
vertically and fixed above the water line. The Invention under this head
consists in the construction of a wheel fixed on a vertical or nearly vertical
shaft, and furnished with paddles parallel or nearly parallel thereto (to work
horizontally under water), each paddle turning on an excentric axis so as to
present little or no obstruction to the passage of the water when not in action
for the purpose of propelling, but presenting a rigid and unyielding surface to
the water when acting thereon for the purpose of propelling the vessel.
Now, in order to explain more fully the mode of carrying my Invention
into effect, I would refer in illustration thereof to the accompanying Drawings,
in which Fig. 1 represents a plan or horizontal view of a portion of a vessel
with one of my improved paddle wheels applied to, each side, thereof; Fig. 2
is a side elevation; and Fig. 3, a cross section of the same. Fig. 4 repre-
sents on a larger scale an elevation of the paddle wheel detached; and Fig. 5
is a plan view of the same. In all these Figures the same letters of reference
indicate corresponding parts. a is the upright or nearly upright shaft of the
paddle wheel, turning in suitable bearings at b, b, which are supported by
strong plates or bars and tie pieces, as represented in the Drawing, or in any
other convenient manner, so as to be secure. c, c, are the paddles, mounted
on axes or pivots at d, which pivots are fixed at their upper and lower ends

page_text: into a horizontal plate e, suitably keyed on to the shaft a. This axis or pivot
is not equidistant: between the inner and outer edge of the paddle, but is what
I have termed excentric, that is, nearer to the one point than the other. The.
effect of this is, that during the time the paddle remains liberated, and as
the wheel revolves, the force of water itself carries the paddle continually to
that point at which it offers the least resistance to the free passage of the
water. In each of the plates e are formed curved slots f, f, as shewn at
Fig. 5, through' which the pins or rods g, g, at the outside part.of the paddles
are passed. It will be seen that these slots are enlarged in the centre in the
form of a square; this is to allow of the free passage up and down of a corre-
sponding enlarged portion of the pin or rod g. On the upper end of the
axes or pivots d, d, are fixed forked pieces h, h, which as the wheel revolves
are acted upon by a stationary pin i fixed to the end of a lever p, and
turn the pivots d successively. in the manner herein-after more particularly
described; is a small wheel or roller fixed into the carrier piece k, for the
purpose of acting upon the upper end of the pins or rods g, g, as they pass in
rotation, and causing the enlarged square portion of those pins or rods to fall
into the corresponding square cavities formed in the slots f, f, in each horizontal
plate e, in the manner also herein-after more particularly described.
In adapting my improved paddle wheel to new vessels I would let it partly.
into the vessel's side, having a guard projecting therefrom to about the centre
of the wheel; or in adapting it to existing vessels, or to vessels in which it
might not be desirable to let it into the side, I would increase the size of the
guard. The working is as follows:-The shaft a working on a collar or other-
wise, has rotary motion imparted to it from the steam engine or other first
mover on board the vessel. The particular mode in which the communication is
formed constitutes no part of my Invention, since it would be found convenient
to vary it in vessels of different sizes or constructions; but one mode may be
mentioned as that preferred. It consists in the employment of an upright
shaft inside the vessel, to each paddle wheel on which is fixed a pulley, another
pulley being fixed in the vertical shaft a, and an endless chain passing round
each. By this arrangement the paddle wheels could be used separately, and
made to turn in contrary directions, if required. The shaft a, thus receiving
rotary motion from the engine, the paddles care carried round with it.
Forasmuch, however, as their simple revolution under water would; if the
paddles were fixed, produce no propelling effect upon the vessel, it becomes
necessary to form and arrange the paddles so as in their combined action to
constitute a propelling wheel; I proceed, therefore, now to describe such
arrangement.

page_text: It will be seen, on reference to Fig. 5, that the paddles c, shewn in dots,
occupy different positions in relation to the shaft a (that is to say), three of
them c', c, and c', are shewn in a radial position, and the other c³ at an angle
to that position; it is also to be observed that the three paddles marked c', c²,
and c', which are radial in their position, are fixed by the square part of the
pin or rod g being within the cavity made to receive it in the slots f, both in
the upper and lower horizontal plate e. Now, supposing the wheel to revolve
in the direction of the arrow, these fixed paddles are in a position to act upon
the water, resisting the effort of the water to change their position. When,
however, the paddle c' arrives at or near to the point where it would begin to
act prejudicially to the progress of the vessel, it is released from its hold by
means herein-after to be described, and left loose for the smaller part of its
pin or rod g to traverse in the curved slots f, f, and so allow the paddle to
turn on its eccentric axis d, and taking continually the angle of inclination to
the shaft a, which the pressure of the water would impart to it, restrained only
by the limits of the curved slots f. f.
I would here remark that I have represented in the Drawing (by the curved
slots f) the degree of the paddle's liberty to turn on its axis, as restrained
within a limit which I have found by experiment to be an approximation to
the angle to which the paddle would be carried by the natural operation of the
water, and would offer the least resistance to the water's passage; but I do not
intend to confine myself to the precise range afforded or allowed to the paddle
by the extent of the slots f, as represented. The angle of inclination may.
alter as the wheel revolves, and I have merely assumed the particular extent
of range or extreme angle, as shewn in the Drawing, to form the datum for
the subsidiary mechanical arrangements as a convenient mode of illustrating
my principle of alternately fixing and liberating the paddles for the purpose
operating upon the water on one side of the wheel, and at the same time
allowing the water to pass out at the other side.
of
I return now to the description of the wheel's progress in revolving. On
reference to the Drawing it will be seen that as the wheel proceeds in the
direction of the arrow, the paddle arrives at a point where it is again brought
into a radial position, and fixed (that is to say), supposing the paddle c' to
have passed the point where it was liberated, it continues as at c, and is
eventually brought again into the position shewn at c², where it is again ready
for action, and advances to the point shewn at c', whence it started.
I proceed now to describe the means by which the alternate fixing and
liberating of the paddles is effected. The pin or rod g is passed through
staples formed at the outer extremity of the paddle board, as shewn. This pin

page_text: or rod is also passed through the slots f in the upper and lower horizontal
plates e, e, and it will be seen on reference to Fig. 4, that the said pin or rod,
besides having enlargements of a square form to fit loosely the square cavity in
the centre of the slot, extends through the slots in each plate above and below,
terminating at the upper end in a kind of hook, as shewn (which may have a
small anti-friction roller on its under side), and at the lower end in a nut or
collar to prevent it from being raised too high. On the paddle advancing
from the point shewn at c³ in Fig. 5, towards that at c³, the forked end h of
its axis or pivot d comes in contact with the stationary pin or stud i on the
end of the lever p, and is drawn into the position shewn in Fig. 5, thereby
drawing the paddle into the position shewn by dots at c³, and bringing the
square part of the pin or rod g into a line with the square cavity in the slot f,
into which it immediately drops by its own weight, and thus holds the paddle
board for the period above described; again, the pin or rod g is liberated by
its upper hooked end passing over the small wheel or roller fixed into the
carrier piece k, the hooked end of the pin or rod being thereby raised until its
square enlarged portion leaves the cavity in the slot of each horizontal plate c,
and its smaller portion is immediately free to traverse, and by the pressure of
the water on the surface of the paddle is made to traverse the slots, the water
itself continually carrying the paddle to the angle at which it offers the least
resistance, until it ultimately brings it into the position shewn dots at c³, in
Fig. 5, or thereabouts, as the water may control. It will be perceived that
the pivots or axes d, d, of the paddles are what I have already termed excentric,
that is, are placed so as to have more length of board or metal on the outer
than the inner side, in order that the pressure of the water may bring the
paddles into the position just referred to.
Thus far I have described only the arrangement for alternately fixing and
liberating the paddles at the required periods when the wheel is propelling the
vessel forward; it is necessary, therefore, here to observe that the lever pis
made to turn upon a fulcrum or centre, so as to allow of its position being
changed by the engineer in such a manner as to remove the pin i out of the
way of the forked ends h of the pivots d, on which it was before required to
act, and bringing another pin i, by means of another lever p, to a ctupon the
said forked ends, in a similar manner at the proper periods on the direction of
the paddle wheel, motion being reversed for the purpose of backing the vessel
astern.
On reference to Fig. 4, it will be seen that the pin i to the left hand of the
shaft a is raised out of action by the lever p; it is right also to mention here,
that the engineer or attendant has to fix the lever P in the required position

page_text: for moving either forwards or backwards, by means of a pall or lever of any
suitable form.
I proceed now to describe à modification of the above mode of alternately
fixing and liberating the paddles; it is represented in Figs. 6 and 7. On the
upper plate e (see Fig. 7) is fixed a sliding piece m, for each paddle; this
sliding piece being pressed inwards by a spring n; fixed to the edge of the
plate, is caused to take hold of the top of the paddle by means of a notch or
cavity cut in the part under the 'plate, as seen in Fig. 6. Now, the upper
part of the paddle is brought into this notch or cavity by the peculiarly formed
cam or fork h, on the end of the axis or pivot d óf the paddle, working round
the periphery of the small horizontal wheel or roller l, on the carrier piece k.
In case it should be found desirable another sliding piece, as at m, with its
spring n, may be fixed also on the lower plate e, to retain the bottom of the
paddle, in the same manner as at the upper part. In this manner, the paddle
is held, and advances, pressing the water behind it, until it arrives at the point
where it is requisite to liberate the paddle. This is done by the tail piece o
of the slide m passing over the periphery of the wheel or roller t*, fixed' to
the carrier piece k on the other side of the horizontal plate e, by which it
is pressed out, so as to take the notch or cavity out of the way of the paddle,
which immediately yields to the pressure of the water to the extent limited
by the fixed pin p, restraining the cam or fork h on the upper end of its axis
or pivot, just as in the former case it was limited by the extent of the curved
slot f. In this manner it proceeds until the cam or fork h arrives at the
periphery of the wheel or roller l, when the notch or cavity of the sliding piece
m is brought forward and the paddle is fixed as before, so as to be capable of
When the paddle wheel is
exerting an impelling action upon the water.
required to back the vessel astern, the engineer or attendant turns the carrier
piece k on its centre, so as to bring the wheel /* into the position for acting
upon the cam or fork h nearest to it, and the wheel or roller into the position
for pressing out the tail piece o of the slide m, on the opposite side of the
horizontal plate e; and the carrier piece k is kept in its position by a pall or
lever as before. In each of the two modes just described of working my
improved propeller, it will be seen that I have described four float boards or
paddles, but I do not mean to confine myself to that number.
I proceed now to describe another modification of the mode of alternately
fixing and liberating the paddles, so that they may resist the pressure of water
on the acting side of the wheel, and yield to it on the other side. The mode
now to be described is represented at Figs. 8 and 9. The wheel is shewn with
six paddles, but is not limited to that number. In this case it will be seen, on

page_text: reference to Fig. 9, the paddle is formed of two boards, or it may be of two
pieces of metal, connected by a hinge c, the axis or pivot d on the inner
board being fixed into the two intermediate horizontal plates e, e; the pin or
rod g, which is affixed to the outer board, extending through and working in
corresponding grooves formed in the two outer horizontal plates, as seen at f,
in Fig. 8. This pin or rod g also passes through radial slots cut or formed in
the two intermediate plates e. It will be seen that the groove f is concentric
with the shaft a for half a revolution, or thereabouts, and in the remainder it
is elliptical or excentric, so that the pin or rod g, in passing along it, keeps the
paddle in a radial direction during half the revolution of the wheel or there-
abouts; but as soon as the said pin or rod enters the elliptical or excentric
part of the groove, it causes the paddle to assume the position represented by
dots in the Figure, which continues until the pin again enters the concentric
part. It is to be observed that both the boards of the paddle are kept firmly
in their radial position (so as to resist the pressure of the water to change
their position) by the pin or rod g being confined not only in the concentric
part of the grooves, but also within the radial slots of the intermediate plates e,
but on entering the elliptical or excentric part of the groove f, it advances up
the slots towards the shaft a, and collapses the paddle in the way shewn.
Having thus described my improvements in propelling vessels, I would
here remark that I do not mean or intend to confine myself to the precise
modes explained for alternately fixing and liberating the paddles c, as indeed
various other contrivances might be adopted in order to bring about the
same result without departing from the broad feature or principle of my
Invention; but I have explained these several modes by which my Invention
may be carried into effect, in order to illustrate its practical character.
I would also remark that although I have described only one pair of paddle
wheels applied to the vessel, yet I do not confine myself thereto, as it might
be found desirable to employ an extra pair or more, in which case a pulley
might be fixed on each upright shaft, and an endless chain passed round them
to carry on the motion received from the steam engine or other first mover;
and I would further remark that one or more of my improved paddle
wheels might be placed at the stern instead of the sides of vessels, if found
desirable.
My Invention has for its object in the second place the peculiar construction
of certain vessels fitted with my improved propellers or other propelling
machinery, and the combination therewith of certain machinery or apparatus,
by means of which sand, soil, or ballast may be cleared or raised from the
bottoms of rivers and of the sea, by means of which also harbours may be

page_text: formed, and the earth which has been excavated during the progress of the
work may be conveyed to any required distance. Such being the object of my
Invention under this head, it consists in an alteration of the form and build of
the vessel, whereby great strength is secured for the after part thereof, as
well as extra support for the deck. To the stern of the vessel so constructed
is attached the upper end of an inclined frame, on the lower end of which is
worked an instrument or instruments for raking or gathering up the soil and
turning it into a bucket, or a series of buckets on an endless chain, which
pass up the inclined frame and empty their contents into a barge, large boat,
or lighter astern of the vessel, or into a carriage on board the vessel, which
carriage passes along a tram or railway formed on the deck, and the soil or
ballast is ultimately deposited in the hold or carried away from the vessel.
I proceed now to describe this second head of my improvements represented
at Figures 10 to 23. Fig. 10 is a side elevation of the vessel, fitted with
my improved paddle wheel, as above described, and adapted to be used in
combination with the machinery or apparatus, also shewn in the Figure in
elevation; Fig. 11 is an end view of the same; and Fig. 12 is a plan or
horizontal view, shewing the general arrangements on deck. It will be seen,
on reference to Figures 10 and 11, that the vessel is of such form as to give
great breadth and stiffness to the after part about the water line, the stern
being also straight up and down, instead of overhanging, as usual. At A there
is a hinged flap, which is capable of being let down when required. The
whole of the scantling of the vessel is much larger than usual, and the deck is
supported at the stern by large upright beams B, which are firmly bolted to
the timbers; it is also supported the whole of the distance immediately under
the tram or railway C, (see Fig. 11,) by resting upon longitudinal beams fixed
upon strong upright beams or pillars, which are held together and sustained
by iron stretchers placed diagonally or otherwise. The tram or railway C is
formed by fixing the rails in chairs as usual on railways, or by using a form
of rail with a lip at the bottom, which is bolted down firmly in its place by
strong bolts into the longitudinal beams, or for still greater security transverse
beams may also be used. D is an inclined frame, the upper end of which is
brought to the opening at the stern of the vessel at A, and can be adjusted
to any required elevation by the two derricks or cranes E, E, chains being
attached to it for that purpose, as shewn. This frame is formed of two
wooden side pieces, with a floor or platform between them, the lower end of
the said frame extending to the bottom of the river or sea, wherever the
operations of dredging, clearing, or excavating are to be performed, such lower
end being supported by the standards F, F. G is a shaft extending across

page_text: the inclined frame D, on which shaft are fixed a pair of drums or pullies
H, H, over which, and a corresponding pair of drums or pullies I, I, on the
shaft K, two endless chains L, L, work. This shaft G would be fixed nearer
to or farther from the vessel according to whether the bucket or buckets were
required to be drawn up to the vessel or not. In the Drawing it is represented
as fixed for drawing the buckets to be emptied into a barge, large boat, or
lighter astern of the vessel. Attached to the endless chains L, L, are a series
of peculiarly formed buckets, each of which has a roller fitted on to the under
side, on which it rolls along the floor or platform of the inclined frame D as it
is drawn up by the endless chains L, L, towards the vessel. M is a shaft at
the lower part of the inclined frame D, at each end of which is a crank lever
N, with a pin at O, passing through a long slot formed in the carrier piece or
lever P on each side of the frame. These two levers P, P, have their fulcra
at Q. Q, and carry on their outer end an axis or pivot on which the instrument
or shovel R is fixed; and made to turn a certain distance for the purpose of
gathering up the sand, soil, or ballast, and turning it into the buckets in rota-
tion as they are severally presented under the instrument or shovel R at the
time when it is inverted. S, S, are two connecting rods or links, by which
the motion is communicated from the shaft G to the shaft K through the
crank levers on each of these shafts respectively. Now, on power being
applied to the shaft G, whether by hand or communicated from the steam
engine or other first mover on board the vessel, the series of buckets on
the endless chains L, L, and the instrument or shovel R, are set in motion, the
consequence of which is that the latter is made with each throw of the cranks
to dig into the sand or soil, and carry a portion up; when, however, it is
raised immediately over the bucket, which has been brought under it by the
motion of the chains L, L, the small fixed chain T causes the instrument or
shovel R to tilt and deposit its contents into the bucket, which is carried along
the inclined frame D towards the vessel at A, and in the same manner each
bucket in succession is filled. The bucket consists of a square or oblong box,
with one fixed and one moveable bottom, as shewn detached at Fig. 13, the
moveable bottom and one side turning on a hinge; this is for the purpose of
more readily discharging its contents into a barge or lighter astern of the
vessel, or into a carriage or truck U on board the vessel, which has now to be
described. The carriage or truck is constructed to run upon the tram or
railway C, conveying the sand, soil, or ballast from. the stern of the vessel at A
to the turn table at V, on which the carriage is turned and placed on the cross
rail, and taken to the open port on either side of the vessel, that its contents
may be landed by running down an inclined tramway from the side of the

page_text: vessel, or the carriage may proceed along the tram or railway C until it arrives
at the hatchway W, down which its contents may be thrown into the hold of
the vessel. The vessel may be fitted with a false bottom, as that used for
removing ballast or mud at Plymouth, or the hold may be as usual. The
carriage or truck is so constructed that it may cause as little vibration as
possible to the vessel; for this purpose it is formed with two frames, one over
the other, as shewn at Fig: 14, between which are. placed spiral springs and
cushions of india-rubber or other suitable substance. In order also to prevent
injury to the deck 'in case of the breakage of an axle, a frame, as at Fig. 15,
is attached in front and behind to the. under frame of the carriage, the wheels
of which X, X, are situated so as to come within the rails, and to be very
little above the deck; thus, in the event of a wheel giving way, they support
the weight on the deck, and prevent the carriage from falling and injuring the
deck. Again, when the machinery or apparatus is employed on extensive
works, such, for instance, as the formation of harbours, it might be required
to transport the material excavated to a considérable distance from the 'vessel,
in which case it might be convenient to form a railway on the shore, on to
which the carriage U might run from the inclined tram or railway connected
with the side of the vessel. In such case, in order to control the too rapid
descent of the carriage down such railway on shore, which would be inclined
at least on that part where it joined the inclined tram or railway from the
vessel, and might perhaps be inclined for a considerable distance, I employ
means for arresting the carriage, which are represented at Figures 16, 17, 18,
Fig. 16 being a back view of the truck or carriage; with the stopping
apparatus applied; Fig. 17 is a side view; and Fig. 18, a plan view of the same.
It consists of a heavy iron drag a, with teeth formed upon it, as shewn, fixed
at the back of the carriage, and turning on a centre at b. This drag, when
lowered, takes hold of the ground between the rails, and checks the progress
of the carriage. It is lowered by means of the long piece of iron 'c, to which
it is connected by the workman on the carriage turning the handled, and
with it the screw e, and is raised in like manner; or, if preferred, a rack and
pinion may be used for the purpose.
I have thus described the vessel and machinery or apparatus to be used
in combination therewith, for performing the work of clearing and raising
sand, soil, or ballast, where the ground is not hard. When, however, it
requires stirring or breaking up in order to be removed, I employ an instru-
ment such as that shewn at Fig. 20, which has on it a set of strong teeth
similar to ploughshares; this is fixed on a shaft or axis beyond the instrument
or shovel R, (which is merely a kind of scoop), seen. on a larger scale at

page_text: Fig. 19, and rotary motion is communicated to it by means of chains and
pullies, the drums or pulleys on the shaft K being doubly grooved for that
purpose. By this means the earth is first stirred, ploughed, or broken up,
and then scooped and raised by the instrument or shovel R, and carried
forward in the way before described. Again, when the earth to be raised or
removed is still harder than that to which I have hitherto referred, I employ
an instrument or apparatus such as that represented at Fig. 21, which may be
constructed for use either with or without the inclined frame D, (that is to
say,) it may be made to bring up the earth into the buckets on the endless
chains L, L, at the lower end of the inclined frame, or it may be lengthened
so as to be conveniently worked on board the vessel, and bring the material
gathered in it directly into the truck or carriage U. This instrument or
apparatus consists of a hollow metal tube f, within which is worked a spindle
or shaft, having a screw with a deep thread on its whole length, reaching
from end to end of the tube. The lower end of this spindle or shaft is
formed in a manner similar to the end of an auger, so that on rotary motion
being imparted to the spindle or shaft, it works into the hard ground, bringing
it up the deep screw thread, and discharging it out of the tube at the upper
end of the same. In this manner I operate upon very hard ground, which
could not be conveniently cleared, removed, or raised by either of the two former
plans. I would also remark that when moving very soft mud, a slide or cover
might be adapted to the instrument or shovel R, which may then be worked
over or under the inclined frame D. It is likewise to be observed that when
moving dirt from a harbour, and the tide is out, it might be convenient to
dispense with the whole of the three instruments or apparatus just described,
the workman simply bringing the material in barrows up temporary inclined
planes or gangway boards, and discharging it into the buckets to be carried to
barges, large boats, or lighters, or to the vessel.
Having thus described the particular construction of vessel, and the
machinery or apparatus to be employed therewith for dredging or excavating
purposes, I proceed now to describe the mode in which part or parts of such
machinery or apparatus may be used on railways, or may be adapted and
applied to carriages on common roads; the part or parts referred to consist
of the truck or carriage shewn at Fig. 14, and described as the vehicle for
transporting the sand, soil, or ballast from the stern of. the vessel at A to the
hold of the same, or to the side, to land the said material, and, if required, carry
it a distance when landed. It is formed, as shewn and described, with two
frames, one over the other, and an elastic bed between them to prevent or
reduce vibration.

page_text: Now, this mode of constructing carriages may be applied to those employed
to carry heavy loads on railways, or to the lighter passenger carriages, it
being of importance to prevent too great vibration in either case, whether as
regards the obviation of injury to the rails or goods, or annoyance to the
passengers. This arrangement of double frame may also be applied to
carriages on common roads, particularly carriages for public conveyance which
have to carry heavy loads, such as omnibuses. The truck or carriage shewn
at Figures 16, 17, and 18 is also furnished with a means of stopping it in
case of need, or descending an inclined plane. In adapting and applying this
part of the carriage, or adjunct thereto, to carriages on railways, for the pur-
pose of stopping them in any emergency, I render the heavy iron drag before
described self-acting, on receiving a blow from in front, by connecting there-
with a centre buffer g, applied to the carriage, in addition to the two ordinary
side buffers, as seen in Fig. 18, and its operation would be as follows:-
Supposing the tender or carriage in front of it to be suddenly stopped by
meeting with any obstruction on the line, the pressure of the train behind
(which with only the ordinary buffers would inevitably crush the carriage,)
would cause the ordinary buffers to be driven in to the full extent of the action
of their horizontal springs; the further pressure, however, would drive in the
centre buffer 9, and release the heavy iron drag a, by pushing out the piece h,
on the end of the centre buffer bar which supported it. This piece is shewn
by dots as it would appear when pushed out. The tecth of the drag a would
thus be caused to dig deeply into the ground, and retain the carriage from being
crushed on to the tender; and it is to be observed that this carriage is a heavy
luggage carriage, built on purpose of extra strength as shewn, to resist shocks.
It is also to be observed that one of these carriages should be placed before
and another behind each train of passenger carriages. When such carriage,
however, is placed at the hinder end of the train, I place the drag at the front
of the carriage, the centre buffer extending from behind to receive the blow.
At the same time, however, that the toothed drag a is thus brought to act upon
the ground between the rails, by the same action of the centre buffer bar, the
connection of the next carriage with that just described is broken by a pin,
(shown by dots in the back view, Fig. 16,) on the piece c, depressing one end
of each lever p, and raising the reverse end out of the hook or ring, in which
it is held as shewn at Fig. 16. The connection with the next carriage may
also be broken at the same time, with the dropping of the heavy drag a, by
the following means:-Connected with a collar on the centre buffer bar is a
bolt i, which, when the buffer bar is out of action, is passed through a ring on
the end of a chain k, which passes over a bolt 1, fixed on the upper part of

page_text: the carriage, but capable of being slidden sideways. When the buffer bar is
driven in against its spring m, the bolt i is carried past the ring of the chain k,
and releases that chain, the consequence of which is, that the weighted end
of the lever n, attached to the other end of the chain, is allowed to fall,
the reverse end rising and disengaging the connector o of the next carriage
(see Figs. 22 & 23).
Now, it is to be observed, that this self-acting movement of the parts, thus
described to take place on receiving a blow on the centre buffer, does not
interfere with the guard's necessary control over the drag; for instance, he
brings the drag into and out of action by means of the screw and handle, as
described before for the carriage in landing earth, &c., and he is also enabled
to break the connection with the next carriage by withdrawing the bolt 1, and
releasing the chain k; he may also raise the ends of the levers P simulta-
neously out of their hooks or rings by turning the cam or excentric q, by
means of the lever 2. At Fig. 14 is represented another plan by which the
guard is enabled to stop the carriages, viz., by lowering the pall or catch s on
to the teeth t, formed on the axis of the wheels by means of the chain u.
A chain vis also connected with similar palls or catches on the after carriages,
by which he lets them all drop into the teeth simultaneously, drawing them
out of gear also by the same chains.
Having thus described my Invention, I would remark that I do not mean
or intend to confine myself to the precise forms and arrangements of the parts
shewn and described; but I claim, first, the substitution for the ordinary
vertical paddle wheel on a horizontal shaft of a horizontal or nearly horizontal
paddle wheel, working under water on a vertical or nearly vertical shaft, the
paddles of which wheel are alternately fixed and liberated, acting upon the
water with impelling force on one side of the wheel where they are fixed, and
at the same time allowing the water to pass out on the other side through the
liberated paddles operating upon them, so as to carry them continually to that
point at which they offer the least resistance to the water.
Secondly, I claim the particular construction and adaptation of vessels in
the general arrangements described, and also the general arrangement and
construction of the machinery or apparatus described as adapted to be used
therewith.
And, thirdly, I claim the adaptation and application of part or parts of such
machinery or apparatus to the carriages, either on railways or common roads,
consisting of the carriage with a double frame and elastic bed between, con-
sisting also (for railways only) of the heavy luggage carriage, with a toothed.
drag to be brought into connection with the ground between the rails through

page_text: the intervention of an additional central buffer, whether by self-acting means or
by the agency of the guard, as described; and also the simultaneous disengage-
ment of the next carriage, as described; also the palls or catches, as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Needham Tayler, have hereunto
set 'my 'hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of September, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-six.
JOSEPH NEEDHAM (L.S.) TAYLER.
· AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the same Twenty-fifth day of Sep-
tember, in the year above mentioned, the aforesaid Joseph Needham Tayler
came before our Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the
Specification aforesaid, and all and everything therein contained, in form
above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according
to the tenor of the Statute in that case made and provided.
Inrolled the same Twenty-fifth day of September, in the year above
written.