IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING, TURNING, AND CHANGING THE DIRECTION OF SHIPS, BALLOONS, AND OTHER BODIES
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Michael Henry, of 84, Fleet Street, in the City of
London, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE
OF AND APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING, TURNING, AND CHANGING THE DIRECTION
OF SHIPS, BALLOONS, AND OTHER BODIES."-A Communication from abroad
by Louis Coignard, of 33, Boulevard St. Martin, Paris, Artist.
Sealed the 23rd October 1860, and dated the 3rd May 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Michael Henry at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
3rd May 1860.
I, MICHAEL HENRY, of 84, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent
Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING, TURNING, AND CHANGING THE
DIRECTION OF SHIPS, BALLOONS, AND OTHER BODIES," communicated to me from
abroad by Louis Coignard, of 33, Boulevard St. Martin, Paris, Artist, to be
as follows:-
According to this Invention it is proposed to effect the propulsion of the
ship or body to be moved by pumping, driving under pressure, or forcing a
fluid into a tube or channel, or tubes or channels connected to the ship or
other body to be propelled, and so shaped that the fluid in its passage to its

page_text: exit may be driven, act, or press forcibly against the internal side of the tube
or channel opposite to that corresponding to the direction of discharge, and
thereby impart to the whole tube or channel, and hence to the ship or body to
which it is attached, motion in a rectilinear direction opposite to that in which
the fluid is ejected. The tubes or channels, which I call the propeller
tubes or channels, may be of any curve or configuration suitable for this
purpose, and may be employed singly or in any convenient number, and
may be placed in any convenient part of the body to be moved; for
example, in ships, one on each side of the rudder, or at the sides, stern, or
forepart of the vessel, or otherwise (but not so as to discharge against
the keel), and they may have their exit orifices submerged or not. The
propeller tubes or channels may be so constructed as to turn on their axes
wholly or partially round, in order to turn or change the direction of motion
of the ship or body to which they are attached, causing it to turn, veer back,
or move sideways, or generally vary the direction of motion; this may be
effected in various modes, for example, the tube may be formed in two parts,
the upper a fixture to the vessel, but the lower moveable when required on
friction rollers in a bracket, so that it may be turned more or less in either
direction by driving it through a toothed flange or collar, which it carries by
means of a toothed wheel on a spindle, to which motion is communicated as
desired; or two or more of the propeller tubes may be driven by a pinion
acting on them through a train of wheels; or the object may be effected in
any other suitable manner so as to vary the direction of the exit, and hence
the direction of motion of the ship or other body. The water or fluid may be
supplied to the propeller tubes in a continuous or an intermittent flow, and
pumped in through one or more pipes preferably of larger bore than that of
the propeller tubes, and in a plane at right angles to the plane of the latter;
the pumps and pipes may be emptied by opening air taps or valves in
or in any part of them above the line of flotation, or if the whole be below it,
then by taps or valves contrived for closing the passages, but allowing air to
enter; the water or fluid discharged may be received in tanks and pumped
away.
The Invention is particularly applicable to propelling ships or bodies moving
through or under water; it may be applied to balloons or vessels for aerial
navigation, using air as the fluid to be forced through the propeller tubes.
The tubes need not be of equal diameter throughout, but may spread into a
conical or bell-mouth shape towards the exit, and may be coiled spirally.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Michael Henry in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
3rd November 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MICHAEL
HENRY, of 84, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent Agent, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Michael Henry, Her special licence that I, the said Michael
Henry, my exccutors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Michael Henry, 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 Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING, TURNING, AND CHANGING
THE DIRECTION OF SHIPS, BALLOONS, AND OTHER BODIES," communicated to me
from Louis Coignard, of 33, Boulevard St. Martin, Paris, Artist, upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Michael Henry, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument 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 Michael Henry, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, as communicated to me, reference being had to the ac-
companying Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is
to say:-
The object of this Invention is an improved method of propelling ships,
rafts, and other vessels and structures floating or moving on, through, or under
the water, which method is also applicable to the propulsion of balloons and
aerial vessels.

page_text: According to this Invention it is proposed to effect the propulsion of the
ship or body to be moved by pumping, driving under pressure, or forcing a
fluid into a tube or channel or into tubes or channels connected to the ship or
other body to be propelled, and so shaped that the fluid in its passage to its
exit is driven, acts, or presses forcibly against the internal side of the tube or
channel opposite to that corresponding to the direction of discharge, and thereby
imparts to the whole tube or channel, and hence to the ship or body to which
it is attached, motion in a rectilinear direction opposite to that in which the
fluid is ejected. The said tubes or channels, which I call the propeller tubes
or channels, may be of any curve or configuration suitable for carrying this
purpose into effect. They may be employed singly or in any convenient
number, and may be placed in any convenient part of the body to be moved;
for example, in ships one may be situated on each side of the rudder, or at the
sides, stern, or fore part of the vessel, or otherwise, but they must not be so
placed as to discharge against the keel (as that would prevent the propulsion of
the vessel); they may have their exit orifices submerged or not. The pro-
peller tubes or channels may be so constructed as to turn on their axes wholly
or partially round in order to turn or change the direction of motion of the
ship or body to which they are attached, causing it to turn, veer back, move
sidewise, or generally vary its direction of motion; this may be effected in
various modes, for example, the tube may be formed in two parts, the upper
part being a fixture to the vessel, but the lower part moveable when required
on friction rollers running in a bracket, so that it (the tube) may be turned
more or less in either direction by means of a toothed flange or collar which it
carries, and which is actuated by a toothed wheel on a spindle, to which motion
is communicated as desired; or two or more of the propeller tubes may be
moved by a pinion acting on them through a train of wheels so as to vary the
direction of the exit, and hence the direction of motion of the ship or other
body; or this object may be effected in any other suitable manner. The
water or fluid may be supplied to the propeller tubes in a continuous or in an
intermittent flow, and pumped in through one or more pipes, preferably of
larger bore than that of the propeller tubes, placed in a plane at right angles
to the plane of the latter, the pumps and pipes may be emptied by
opening air taps or valves in them or in any part of them above the line of
floatation, or if the whole be below that line, then by taps or valves, which are
so contrived as to close the passages but yet allow air to enter; the water or
fluid discharged may be received in tanks and pumped away.
The Invention, though more particularly applicable to propelling ships or

page_text: structures moving through or on water, may also be applied to balloons or
vessels for aerial navigation, using air instead of water as the fluid to be forced
through the propeller tubes. The tubes need not be cylindrical or of equal
diameter throughout, but may spread into a conical or bell-mouth shape
towards the exit, and tubes coiled spirally may, it is thought, be employed with
advantage for air.
The Invention is based on the principle of employing the force of reaction of
a fluid, which, when seeking to escape, presses against the stationary sides of a
tube or channel through which it passes, and thereby moves it in a rectilinear
direction opposite to that of the fluids own motion; the motion of the tube or
channel is, of course, communicated to the vessel or structure to which it is
attached.
The phenomenon or principle which has served the Inventor as his starting
point has been long known and indeed already applied in the arts, but under
entirely different conditions; for example, certain turbines are driven by the
force or effort produced by water reacting on short channels or passages which
are driven round a central axis under the pressure so derived, and carry the
water with them but in a direction contrary to that of the latter's own flow.
whereas in the method of propulsion which constitutes the subject of this
present Invention Monsieur Coignard avails himself of the same action of the
fluid, but under totally different conditions, because he causes it to act in
passages, tubes, or channels which are only capable of motion in a rectilinear
direction, which motion actually aids the action of the fluid. The object of this
Invention then is to utilize under the best possible conditions the power of a
fluid acting by pressure or reaction on the sides opposite to the opening through
which it is to be discharged, and provided only that the principle of the
Invention be adhered to, the shape, dimensions, proportions, direction, and
inclination of the propeller tubes or channels may be varied.
Suppose a stream of liquid caused to flow or circulate through a curved
tube or channel A, C, B, Figure 1, of prismatic, cylindrical, or other con-
figuration, such stream entering by the end A (Figure 1) for example, and
escaping through the end B, it necessarily passes along the curved part or
bend C of the tube, and moves from one element of the curve to the next
consecutively. Now its tendency by reason of its inertia would be to
continue to move in a straight line in the direction of the last element of the
curve along which it passes. If then it be inflected or forced to diverge in
order to take the direction of the next following clement, the cause is the
resistance which the bend or curve C presents to its constant tendency to move

page_text: in a straight line. Now according to the principle of reaction of forces, action
and reaction being equal, the stream exerts against the side C an effort or
pressure equal to the inflecting power which that side C exerts and in a
contrary direction thereto, the power of this pressure and reaction is propor-
tionate to the velocity, volume, or mass and density of the current of fluid, and
increases in proportion to the sharpness of curve or shortness of the radius of
curvature. As, however, if the curve were too sharp the velocity of the fluid
passing along it would be perceptibly slackened, this shortening of the radius
of curvature must not be carried too far; and I have obtained advantageous
results in taking for this radius lengths equal to twice or to five or six times
the diameter of the tube. On the hydraulic principle before referred to,
deduced from the general principles of the reaction of forces, Monsieur
Coignard states that he has principally based his improved mode of propulsion.
Reaction will ensue whatever the plane in which the bend or curve of the tube
is situated, and as the direction of the resultant of the combined forces of all
the reactions exerted by the fluid against the inflecting curve is in the same
direction as that of the radii of curvature, and is at right angles to a lino
tangential to the top of this curve, the best propulsive action will be obtained
by directing this said normal line, or the line representing the said resultant, in a
direction parallel to the axis of the motion to be communicated to the vessel
where there are two propelling tubes of equal power, or else in the very line of
the axis of motion where only a single propeller tube is employed.
When a fluid of a certain density, such as water, is used, it appears advisablo
to place the propeller tubes in a nearly horizontal plane, as shown in Figures
2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, imparting to the tubes a trifling inclination from their
ends E or D to their exit orifices, in order that the stream may be somewhat
submerged and kept from striking against any vessel or body following in tow
a little behind.
In Figures 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, the line A, B, represents the axis of the vessel,
the arrow indicating the direction of the forward motion; C are the pumps
whence the water passes through pipes D into a forked or branched pipe E,
which conveys it to the propeller tubes F; G are other pipes branching off
the pipes F, the direction of curvature of which said pipes G, as well as the
direction of the discharge of the fluid is opposite to that of the propeller tubes;
by these pipes and their valves a, a, a, the direction of the fluids' discharge may
be varied, and both streams may be discharged in a forward direction through
these pipes G, or the stream on one side may be discharged in a forward
direction, while that on the other side still discharges in a backward direction;

page_text: by these arrangements the ship may be backed or turned quite round, or its
direction of motion altered.
It is obvious that without departing from the principles above laid down,
the arrangements of the propelling tubes may be considerably modified; it
must therefore be understood that the arrangements and curves shown in the
Drawings are merely presented by way of examples, and I do not restrict
myself to these particular modifications. The single general pipe D may be
dispensed with, and where there are two or more pumps the water from each
may be forced directly into its own tube, without uniting it to that from the
others (Figure 5). The curve or bend of the propeller tube may also be dis-
pensed with when centrifugal pumps are employed for supplying the propeller
tubes or channels with water, as shewn in Figure 6, as in that case the
inflection or curvature of the stream will be obtained by and the required re-
nction exerted against the portion of the round channel in the circular
casing of the pump. The propeller tubes are generally constructed of equal
section from end to end, i.e., from where they fork or branch out at E to their
exit orifice; the exit end may, however, have fitted to it a short truncated
cone-shaped piece, Figure 7, the sides a, b, a', 6', of which converge or slope
inward, and contain between them some angle of from 12° to 16°, the
intervening angles being those which afford the largest and most rapid outflow,
and hence the largest amount of vis viva. The suction arrangements aro
important in respect of the power to be obtained, as that may be increased by
employing continuous action pumps, whose suction pipes are directed towards
the fore part of the ship as nearly parallel as may be to the ship's axis; and
they may be straight, as shewn in black lines, Figure 8, or curved in the same
direction as the propelling tubes, as shown in red lines in same Figure 8.
When the pumps employed are certain rotary gear pumps or centrifugal pumps
worked by gearing (pompes françaises) which act without valves, and which
raise and force water in either direction, as may be required; connecting and
disconnecting arrangements are employed, whereby the pump's action may be
reversed, and the stream of fluid itself reversed or thrown back through tho
suction pipes, so that the vessel may be backed and turned by these means
without requiring the pipes G, Figures 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.
For river navigation, where there is only a single pump, a very short saddle
suction pipe is employed, placed in the longitudinal axis of the ship, but where
there are more than one pump, one pipe for each pump is used on each side of
the axial line. When the draught of water allows, the suction pipes are
placed symmetrically on each side of the ship and towards the fore part. In

page_text: all cases the openings through which the water is drawn in, wherever situated,
should be presented obliquely to the direction of motion, and opposite to the
direction of the water, as this facilitates its introduction. The suction pipes
may be of the same section or nearly so, as the propeller tubes. The suction
and force pipes are furnished with taps or valves which may be closed in case
of accident to prevent the water from getting into the ship. Figures 9 and 10
shew an arrangement for turning and backing the ship and altering its direc-
tion of motion. The propeller tube A is constructed in two parts A', A,
connected by a cone joint, the upper part A' is fixed in the bracket G connected
firmly to the ship; the lower part A is supported on a bracket G', it runs on
friction rollers H travelling thereon, which allow of its moving in all directions
when a toothed collar L fixed upon it is turned by a toothed wheel J in gear
therewith. This wheel J is on a shaft M, stepped in a socket N, on turning
which shaft in either direction, the tube A will be moved in the corresponding
direction, and thus work the ship accordingly.
Two propeller tubes at the stern, one at each side of the rudder, is thought
an advantageous arrangement; the water may be pumped in either in a
continuous or an intermittent flow, though the former is preferred.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same may be performed, I declare that the configuration, proportions,
inclinations of curvature, and details of construction of my propeller tubes or
channels, may be varied, provided that the general character of the Invention
as herein set forth be retained; also the means combined with my propeller
tubes or channels for turning and otherwise varying the direction of motion of
the ship or vessel to which they are attached may be varied; and I declare
that I claim,-
First, the combination with ships, submarine vessels, rafts, and other floating
vessels, structures, or bodies of the propelling tubes or channels constructed
and arranged as herein described, and operating or effecting propulsion in the
manuer herein-before described by means of fluids driven through them with
more or less velocity, and which in escaping, communicate their action to the
internal sides of the tubes or channels opposite to the exit orifice as described.
Second, the application to and combination with balloons and vessels or
structures for aerial navigation, of propelling tubes or channels, constructed and
operating in the manner herein-before described.
Third, the application for propelling of fixed tubes, through which fluids are
forced, and which are so curved and arranged, that the fluids forced into them
sball, in the course of their passage to their outflow, act or press against the
sides opposite the exit or discharge, as described.

page_text: Fourth, the combination with propelling tubes or channels, constructed and
arranged in the manner herein described, of the arrangement and combination
of apparatus represented in Figures 9 and 10, for turning and altering the
direction of motion of the vessels or structures propelled by means thereof.
In witness whereof I, the said Michael Henry, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Third day of November, in the year One thousand
eight bundred and sixty.
Witness,
S. E. A. NEWSOME,
Patent Office,
84, Fleet Street, London.
M. HENRY. (L.S.)