IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF AND MODE OF PROPELLING NAVIGABLE VESSELS
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for
Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OF AND MODE OF PROPELLING NAVIGABLE VESSELS."-A communication
from abroad by Benjamin Talbot Babbitt, of the Oity and State of
New York, United States of America.
Sealed the 24th November 1871, and dated the 5th September 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 5th September 1871.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
AND MODE OF PROPELLING NAVIGABLE VESSELS," to be as follows :—
This Invention, which is applicable to navigable vessels for both broad
and narrow waters, including canals, rivers, and seas, relates to vessels,

page_text: the propulsion of which is effected by a current or currents of water
drawn in by a pump or pumps through the bow of the vessel, and
forcibly expelled along a conduit or conduits out through its stern. The
Invention consists in forming a chamber in the forward end of the vessel
in advance of the conduit or conduits into and from which the water is
taken and discharged by the pump or pumps. This chamber forms a
reservoir to supply the pumps and conducts the water thereto. It is
covered by a grating in front of greater area than the conduit or
conduits in its or their transverse section, so that a free supply of water
is kept up even in case of a portion of the grating being choked by sea-
weed, drift wood, or other obstructions. This arrangement forms a
hollow bow of a flat or blunt description cut up or divided by the bars
, of the grating. This construction of bow reduces resistance. In com-
bination with the conduits there is a stern chamber open in the rear.
but closed at the sides and bottom, and having an upward and rearward
inclination to its front side, forming the stern of the hull proper: The
area of this chamber is equal to or in excess of the aggregate area of
the conduits in their transverse section. By means of this chamber, with
which the conduits connect at their rear ends, the water, discharged
from the conduits is expelled in an unbroken stream, and. effectual
provision is made for the filling up of the vacuum formed behind the
stern by the forward movement of the vessel.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 4th March 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of September, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Edward Newton, Her special

page_text: licence that I, the said William Edward Newton, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Edward
Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF AND MODE OF PROPELLING
NAVIGABLE VESSELS," being a communication to me from abroad by
▸ Benjamin Talbot Babbitt, of the City and State of New York, United
States of America, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
William Edward Newton, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Edward Newton, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement, reference being had to the
Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked
thereon (that is to say) :-
1
This Invention, which is applicable to navigable vessels for both broad
and narrow waters, including canals, rivers, and seas, relates to vessels,
the propulsion of which is effected by a current or currents of water
drawn in by a pump or pumps through the bow of the vessel, and
forcibly expelled along a conduit or conduits out through its stern. The
Invention consists in forming a chamber at the forward end of the vessel
in advance of the conduit or conduits into and from which the water is
taken and discharged by the pump or pumps. This chamber forms a
reservoir to supply the pumps, and is so shaped at its back as to conduct
the water properly thereto. It is covered by a grating in front of greater
area than the conduit or conduits in its or their transverse section, so
that a free supply of water is kept up even in case of a portion of the
grating being choked by sea-weed, drift wood, or other obstructions.

page_text: -
This arrangement forms a hollow bow of a flat or blunt description, and
is cut up or divided by the bars of the grating. This construction of
bow reduces resistance. In combination with these conduits. thero is
a stern chamber open in the rear but closed at the sides and bottom,
and having an upward and rearward inclination to its front side, form- ¿
ing the stern of the hull proper. The area of this chamber is equal
to or in excess of the aggregate area of the conduits in their transverse
section. By means of this chamber, with which the conduits are con-
nected at their rear ends, the water discharged from the conduits is
expelled in an unbroken stream; and effectual provision is made for the 1
filling up of the vacuum formed behind the stern by the forward move-
ment of the vessel.
5
In the accompanying Drawing, Fig. 1 represents a vertically central
longitudinal section of a vessel constructed in accordance with the
Invention. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section thereof through the bottom
portion of the vessel showing the interior construction of the lower
portion. Figure 3 is a front or bow view of the vessel, and Figure 4
is a transverse section taken immediately in rear of the grating arranged
over the forward end of the vessel, as shown at Fig. 3.
A is the hull of the vessel, which may be built of metal plates, 2
and be made with straight sides a flat bottom and square ends.
Arranged to run longitudinally through the vessel immediately over
its bottom are a series of parallel conduits B, B, extending from bow
to stern, and open at their ends. Theso conduits are bent, and are
connected with or form a pump chamber at or as close to the forward 2
end of the vessel as it is practicable to arrange the same. Within this
chamber a rotary pump C. of any suitable description is placed for tho
purpose of drawing in the water through the bow of the vessel, and
expelling it by the conduit or conduits through its stern. Each conduit
B may be provided with a separate pump O, and the latter may be.
driven by a separate engine or pair of engines, or a single pump may
be made to answer for two or more or all of the conduits, or two or
more pumps may be driven by one engine.
D is a chamber at the forward end of the vessel, and preferably made
to extend over the whole area of the end; the advance ends of the a
conduits B, B, communicate with this chamber at or near its bottom.

page_text: This chamber forms a supply reservoir of water to the pump or pumps,
and its back is set inclining to conduct in a gradual or easy manner the
water to the pump or pumps. The water is admitted to the reservoir
through a front grating E, the area of which exceeds the aggregate area
of the conduits in their transverse section. This grating extends across
(both in height or depth and width) the whole forward end of the vessel
or front of the chamber D formed therein. This chamber and its grating
constitutes a hollow bow of a flat or blunt description, and is cut up or
divided by the bars of the grating to reduce resistance. By means of
the enlarged area of the grating E relatively to the conduits B, B, a
copious supply of water is at all times insured to the latter through the
chamber or reservoir D, even though a portion of the grating be fouled
by sea-weed, drift timber, or other obstructions, which the grating
effectually excludes from entering the pump or pumps.
G is a chamber or space formed in the stern of the boat, and with
which the discharge ends of the conduits B, B, are connected. This
chamber, which is open in rear but closed at the bottom and sides, is of
such height or depth and width that it is equal to or exceeds in area the
aggregate area of the conduits B, B, in their transverse sections. The
front portion of this chamber constitutes the actual stern of the hull,
and has an upward and rearward inclination to facilitate the discharge of
the water from the conduits B, B, and the filling up of the vacuum
formed behind the stern by the forward movement of the vessel.
are desnibed the Tawaution which has he

page_text: Third. The combination of the front chamber D and grating E with
the rear chamber G, the conduits B, B, and the pump or pumps C, as
herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, the Fourth day of March, in 5
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
two