IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION PROPELLING AND STEERING OF SHIPS AND OTHER VESSELS
Year: 1882

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Robert Atkin at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 16th June 1882.
ROBERT ATKIN of Clapham in the County of Surrey
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION PROPELLING AND STEERING OF SHIPS AND OTHER VESSELS
"
The primary object of this invention is to increase the speed of ships combined
with safety and improved steerage power.
The first part of the invention relates to the construction of the stern portion
of the ship. Heretofore it has been customary to make the stern portion with one
deadwood or stern post and rudder, now according to this portion of my invention
I make two deadwoods with stern post to each and rudder to each stern post The
two deadwoods may be made in ope piece or casting, or singly if preferred, or
built in pieces if desired. The two rudders are placed further forward than in the
usual construction of ships and are operated simultaneously from one power.
There are preferably three propellers, the central propeller is placed between the
two stern posts either before or abaft the rudders as found most convenient
The shaft of this central propeller is preferably placed at an angle with the keel
of the ship in order that the propeller itself may be below the keel of the ship. The
shaft works or revolves in a tube made in two sections secured together by bolts
and made watertight; the stuffing box is provided at the inner end of the shaft
and the propeller shaft revolves on or in friction roller bearings in the aforesaid
tube the same being lubricated by water entering by the sternpost end of the
tube. On the outside of each stern post I provide propeller shaft and propeller
similar to the central shaft and propeller but instead of the shafts running parallel
to the ships keel as is sometimes the case with the central propeller I prefer to
spread them out at an angle at the after end of the ship and to keep the propellers
themselves well forward of the central propeller or to extend them abaft the
central propeller or the three propellers may be arranged abreast of one another,
but of course the three propeller shafts may be placed parallel to one another and
of the ship's keel. I prefer that each propeller shaft shall be driven by separate
engines although they might be coupled together and driven by one engine. The
propellers should be driven one in one direction and two in the opposite or
contrary direction. The position of the propeller shafts are adjustable that is they

page_text: may be extended outwards or brought inwards so as to regulate the position of
the propellers themselves under the stern of the ship according to the depth of the
water in which the ship is being propelled; thus in shallow waters I am able to
bring the propellers above the ship's keel which in their normal position should be
considerably below same. Sometimes it may be convenient to construct the
engines on rails rollers or guides in order to be able to vary the position of same
according to the position it is desired the propellers should occupy in respect to
the stern of the ship or vessel.
The form of ship which I prefer for the purposes of my invention has the
bottom somewhat of a wedge shape that is she will draw much less water forward
than aft and by this construction she may be said to skim the water, the beam of
the vessel is carried much further aft than usual and the stern of the vessel is by
this means capable of being shaped so as to form a protection to the propellers
from the action of wreckage, ice, or other obstacles.