IMPROVEMENTS IN PROPELLING
Year: 1851

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
BARLOW, of Chancery Lane, London, Esquire, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent, bearing date at Westminster, the Eleventh day of
January, in the fourteenth year of Her reign, did give and grant unto me, the
said Charles Barlow, my exors, admiors, and assigns, Her especial license, full
power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Charles Barlow, my
exors, admors, and assigns, and such others as I, the said Charles Barlow,
my exors, admors, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
during the continuance of the said agreement, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within that part of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland called England, the Dominion of Wales, and Town of
Berwick-upon-Tweed, an Invention communicated to me by a foreigner residing
abroad, namely, by Abner Chapman, of Fairfax, in the County of Franklin and
State of Vermont, in the United States of America, for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PROPELLING;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso, obliging
me, the said Charles Barlow, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
seal, particularly to describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and to cause the same to be enrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of
Chancery within six months from the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said condition, I hereby
do declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference
being had to the annexed Drawings forming a part of this Specification, in

page_text: which Figure 1 is a side elevation, and Figure 2 a front view. The same
letters of reference indicate like parts on both Figures.
The nature of this Invention consists of two parts: first, having the paddles
or buckets of a curved winding form, set obliquely between the two rims of
one section of the paddle wheel; second, in forming the wheel of two sections
with paddles exactly alike, but set opposite to one another on the two sections,
leaving a space between all around the circumference of the wheel, all of which
is more fully explained hereafter.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
A is the main driving shaft constructed in the usual way; B, B, B, B, are
the rims constructed in the usual way; C, C, are radial arms secured to rims
by bolts and the collar plates D, D, by the same means; E, E, are circular
bands; F, F, are the propelling blades or buckets or paddles; they are made
of any material most suitable; each blade or paddle is made of a curved
winding form as represented, and of the same breadth from end to end; each
blade is turned up at each end, forming flanges, by which it is (the blade)
secured to the radial arms by the bolts b, b, passed through the flanges and
the arms; each blade is placed at an equal distance from its fellow, and set
obliquely between the rims at the angle represented by the red lines and
figures in Figure 2. There are four collar plates D, and four collars G, keyed
on the main shaft by wedges in the usual way to secure the wheel on the said
shaft.
The paddle wheel is composed of two sections, first and second; both are
constructed and secured on the shaft alike; the paddles of each section are
alike, but set opposite to one another on the whcel, with a space O between
them all around on the circumference of the wheel; the two inside rims may
be braced together by bolts to strengthen the wheel in the most approved
manner.
The advantages of this wheel and the points of difference between it and
others are,―
First, the curved and winding form of the buckets or blades set obliquely,
which enables them to enter the water edgeways, thus preventing jarring;
also enabling them to act effectually on the water, to propel while passing
through it, and then leave the water, avoiding what is termed "water left."
Second, the two sets of paddles, as placed opposite to one another, with a
space between, act upon the water while passing through it to gather the
water towards the middle part of the wheel, where the water is not acted on
by the paddles, thus forcing a portion of the water forward, while some is

page_text: forced behind, and thus, by the action and reaction of the water, a solid or
firm fulcrum of water is presented for every blade or paddle to act upon to
propel the vessel, and prevent what is termed the "slip" of the paddle.
Having thus explained the Invention, I claim, first, a paddle wheel con-
structed with winding blades or paddles set obliquely between the rims of the
wheel for the purpose specified.
Secondly, I claim the paddle wheel formed with double sets of curved
winding blades set obliquely and opposite to one another on the two sections
of the wheel, with a space between the sections all around the circumference,
as represented and described for the purposes set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Barlow, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eleventh day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-one.
CHARLES (L.S.) BARLOW.
Signed, signed, and delivered by the within-named
Charles Barlow, in the presence of
JAMES MASU, Witness.