Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 30th July, 1887.
Specification Accepted, 16th Sept., 1887.
I, JOHANN BAPTIST MERKL, of the City of Nuremberg in the Kingdom of Bavaria
and German Empire, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of my invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to the construction of an improved flap paddle propeller
mechanism for steamships of all kinds, said construction consisting of one or more
paddles arranged in groups, said paddles being caused to alternately reciprocate in the
horizontal plane.
The paddles of one and the same group are connected with each other by means
of a suitable frame. The connecting rod of the crank shaft of the engine, or when
compound engines are employed, the piston rods of the same, are geared or attached
to the said frames.
The movement of the single paddles or groups of paddles is effected in such manner
that a number of the same are making their forward stroke whilst the others make
their return stroke.
In this manner I attain not only a continuous, but a considerably increased
movement of the ship.
The flaps of the paddles are provided with hinges, which have their fulcrum on a
horizontal axis, so that they act automatically with either the stern or the bow
movement in the same manner as Venetian blinds are opened and shut.
The paddles are arranged on bent, rearwardly forked tapered bearings, so that the
same when closed, present a concave attacking or resisting surface. On the return
stroke, the paddles in Venetian blind fashion, are in a horizontal position, so as to
present a minimum surface for the action of the water and consequently reduce the
loss of power to a minimum.
The forked bearings for the paddle flaps end in threaded shafts or spindles of
requisite length which serve to equalize the depth to which the paddles are immersed
so as to correspond with the draft of the vessel. In order to effect the rapid
manoeuvering of the vessel without putting too great a strain on the engine, some
of the paddles can turn on their vertical axis. This vertical gyration is regulated by
the steersman by means of suitable steering rods which will be described further on
in this specification. The paddles are so constructed that their higher or lower
immersion is not affected by the rotation of the same. In order to ensure a rapid and

page_text: effective closing of the flaps of the paddles, when the engine works at high speed and
the stroke is changed, the said flap paddles are somewhat inclined by a special
mechanism so that they are automatically closed by the force of the water during the
forward movement. The said single or grouped flap paddles can be fitted to either or
both sides of the vessel in elongated channels or water ways, open at the lower side,
or they can be applied to the stern.
In the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1 represents a side view partially in vertical section of the flap paddle
mechanism attached to the stern of the vessel.
Fig. 2 a top view and horizontal section on the lines CD and E F in Fig. 1.
Fig. 3. an end view and vertical cross section through the flap paddle mechanism.
Fig. 4 a top view of three groups of flap paddles, each group containing 2 paddles
operated direct by means of the pistons of a compound three cylinder engine.
of
Fig. 5 an elevation and a diagramatical view of the above-mentioned 3 groups
paddles, each group being affixed to the sides of the vessel and are set in motion
through the rotation of the engine. The separate groups are shown as being
immersed at various depths and the position of the flaps of the paddles shows the
different phases of the paddle groups.
Fig. 6 a partial top view of Fig. 5 and
Fig. 7 a view of single paddles applied to the side of the vessel and brought into
action by the movement of the piston rod of the compound cylinder of the engine.
Here also the paddles are immersed to various depths to show their vertical adjust-
ment and the paddle flaps in different positions.
The single paddles consist of the rearwardly sword-blade shaped bent forked bearings a,
to which the flaps 6 are movably attached. Towards the upper end the prongs of the
forked bearings a, of each paddle are united and made to form a screw spindle or
shaft c, which carries over the base plate d, the nut e and the counter nut e¹, in order
to enable the vertical position of the paddles to be varied. The lower or base plates
which move or glide simultaneously with the paddles run on the guide rails of the
framework of the paddle mechanism (Fig. 1-4).
The spindles c of the paddles move up and down in the cast iron sleeve-bearings g
surrounding said spindles C.
For paddles of one and the same group these cast iron sleeves 9 are rigidly
connected by means of suitable stays so that they form a perfectly firm, rigid
framework. At the upper and lower ends of each frame I employ rollers i, which run
on the rails ff, said rails being firmly fixed to the body of the vessel.
The forward and backward movement of the frame containing a group of flap
paddles is effected by means of the connecting rod of the crank shaft k of the engine
or by means of the force exerted by the piston rods 'm² m² and m³ of the cylinders n¹ n²
and n³ of an engine with expansion gear (Fig. 4).
To steer, turn, manoeuvre or back the vessel, the paddles as above mentioned are
arranged to turn on their vertical axis. This movement is effected by means of the
toothed wheels o, which are provided with noses or projections p, which gear into
grooves of the screw spindles e of the paddles so that the said movement can be
carried out without affecting the depth of immersion of the paddles. The cogged or
toothed wheels o, are also in gear with the racks ». Each group of flap paddles is
provided with one common rack, so that all the paddles of one and the same group
can be simultaneously turned.
The racks rare provided at the tops and sides with small rollers s, which run on
rails and serve as guides to the said racks r. These said racks are continuously in
gear with the toothed wheels and move backwards and forwards with the same, the
framework of said racks being so arranged that the one rack stands at a distance in
advance of the other equal to one half of the periphery of the toothed wheel. To
effect the movement of the paddles on their vertical axis, the rear walls of the paddle
rails (Fig. 3,) are provided with specially constructed bearings t, in which the slides u
move up and down, said slides being each connected to a balanced three armed lever v.
The object of the slide u is, to limit the forward movement of the racks and prevent
?'

page_text: the same from exceeding their movement and thus effecting a turning or moving of
the paddles by means of the toothed wheels during the forward movement of the
mechanism. The slides are so arranged that when one is lowered or depressed the
other is correspondingly elevated and vice versa.
The lowered slide does not allow the rack to overrun the opening in the rear part of
the frame so that all paddles of the group are turned equal to an angle of 180°.
The end of the rack then strikes the part u' of the slide.
"
If the lever is so adjusted as to place the arms which carry the slides in a
horizontal position, the rack then strikes the recesses u³ (Fig. 1) of the slide and
which is so arranged that the racks r gearing into the toothed wheels o only allow the
paddles to be given a quarter revolution, that is a movement equal to 90°.
Each lever is operated by means of another w, the fulcrum of which is extended
and provided with a crank, levers and treadles or other equivalent devices so as to be
within ready access of the steersman who therefore has full command of the mechanism
and consequently of the course of the vessel.
The fulcrum of the levers w is provided with the weighted levers z' by which the
slides automatically recover their first position as soon as the steersman liberates the
lever.
The latter can also be arranged to be operated by means of the treadle as above
mentioned. Should the paddles be turned to an angle of 90° the steersman pushes a
block under the treadle with his foot, so that the are described by the lever wand also
by the lever is proportionately reduced.
If one of the outer groups of paddles is given a quarter revolution or turned at an
angle of 90° (see Fig. left hand side), the vessel will correspondingly alter its
direction; if however the said outer paddles are given a semi revolution or turned 180°
a rapid turning of the ship is effected, the ship turning on its own centre.
Should stop her " or hard a' stern" be commanded then all the groups of the
paddles must be reversed or given a half revolution corresponding to an angle of 180°.
A reversion of the engine is not necessary.
To prevent the involuntary turning of the paddles when the vessel is in motion
stops (Fig. 2) are placed on both sides of the rack r, which come into gear with the
toothed wheels o when the same have completed a semi revolution or been moved 180°
(Fig. 2).
The appliance for compelling the flaps 6 of the single paddles to rise or open is
shown in Figures 5 to 7, but in these figures the representation of the device for the
turning of the paddles or groups is not given for greater clearness sake.
The general arrangement of the paddles having already been described in the
foregoing and demonstrated by the accompanying drawings, I will now proceed to
describe the construction of the single flap paddles or oars.
The separate flaps bare hinged to the rod 6', which is bent at an acute angle at its
upper end.
Shortly prior to changing the stroke of the paddles this part runs under the rollers
which are attached to the suspension rods y connected to the frame, so that by
changing the stroke the rod b' and also the flaps b of the paddles are inclined to such
a degree that the resisting force of the water completely closes the paddles when they
make their rearward stroke.
The angle of inclination of the flaps can be altered by extending the part b² or
changing its inclination.
The suspension rods y of the rollers are vertically adjustable, so that the rollers
can be placed in the vertical position corresponding to that of the paddles as above
described. Figures 5 to 7 represent the corresponding position of the paddles and
the rollers for effecting the inclination of the paddle flaps.
I do not confine myself to the application of single paddles or groups of paddles as
the number is determined by the size and tonnage of the vessel, the desired rapidity
and displacement, the density of the water, etc.
This appliance can also be arranged in such manner that the paddles are inter-
changeable, so that for instance in steaming against the stream, extra paddles can

page_text: be employed and in driving with the stream, the paddles can be removed or set out of
operation.
Neither do I confine myself to the use of any particular motor to set the paddle or
groups of paddles in action, as any motive power that suffices to move the paddles
in the necessary horizontal direction can be advantageously employed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim and
desire to secure by letters patent is :—
1. A paddle apparatus or mechanism for steamships consisting of single flap paddles
or groups consisting of any desired number of paddles provided with venetian-blind
like flaps and alternately reciprocated in the horizontal plane, said paddles or groups
of paddles being arranged laterally of the vessel or in longitudinal channels or water-
ways at the lower part of the ship or at the stern of the same, substantially as described
in the foregoing specification and shown in the accompanying drawings.
2. The raising and lowering of the paddles without turning the same around their
vertical axis, substantially as described in the foregoing specification and shown in
the accompanying drawings.
3. Turning or operating the paddles for steering, turning, backing or otherwise
manoeuvering the ship from the quarter-deck by means of automatically returning
slides which limit the movement of the racks gearing into the wheels of the paddles
without reversing the engine, substantially as described in the foregoing specification
and shown in the accompanying drawings.
4. Making the forked bearings for the paddle flaps at the rear surface sharp and
the prongs or single bearing arms of such form that when the flaps hinged to the
same are closed, they will form a concavo-convex surface, substantially as described
in the foregoing specification and shown in the accompanying drawings.
5. The forcible inclination of the flaps of the single paddles in changing the stroke,
which is effected by hinging the flaps to a rod b, the inclined part 2 of which, is
guided beneath a fixed roller x, substantially as described in the foregoing specification
and shown in the accompanying drawings.
6. Stopping the wheels on their completing a movement equal to 180° by means
of suitable toothed stops ¹, on the racks r, which gear alternately with the wheels o
on the paddle spindles, substantially as described in the foregoing specification and
shown in the accompanying drawings.
7. Driving the alternating paddles or groups of paddles by the direct action of the
piston rods of expansion steam engines, substantially as described in the foregoing
specification and shown in the accompanying drawings.
8. The general construction, combination, arrangement, application and employment
of my improved flap paddle mechanism for steamships, the parts of the same or any
mere modification of the apparatus and the parts of the said mechanism, substantially
as described in the foregoing specification and shown in the accompanying drawings."
oil
CT11007
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicant.