Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 17th June, 1887
Complete Left, 27th Jan., 1888
Complete Accepted, 2nd Mar., 1888
I AMOS HERBERT CARPENTER of West Waterford in the County of Caledonia,
State of Vermont United States of America, Attorney at Law, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows :-
My Invention relates to improvements in feathering blade wheels, in which
transverse rock-shafts on the main shaft, carry blades which are thrown alternately
into and out of action by cams operating the blades in their rotation; the object
being to ronder wheels of this character peculiarly adaptable as propellers.
In the case of a propeller, the main shaft could be arranged transversely to a vessel
at a distance below the water line sufficient to totally submerge the wheel. The
transverse rock-shafts of which there may he two, arranged at right-angles with each
other, are mounted in the main-shaft nearly in contact with each other, a rotary disc-
like frame only being interposed there between to form bearings for the rock-shafts at
a distance from the main shaft, and thus stiffen the rock-shafts. The blades on the
several rock-shafts, thus revolve nearly in the same plane, and the inner corners of all
the blades when facing in the direction of rotation, are adapted to come successively
in contact with the curved approach of one and the same cam-way and be thereby
thrown edgewise. As each blade is thrown edgewise, its diametrically opposed blade
is faced, so that the blades at the bottom of the wheel, for example, are in action
while those at the top are out of action. To better enable the inner ends of the blades
to withstand the shocks of contact with the cam-way approach, I may extend them
laterally to form transverse stiffening ribs. The approach of the cam-way terminates
in a segmental guide way arranged in the plane of rotation of the blades whereby the
latter are held in their edgewise position after being thrown thereinto by the approach.
A curved shoulder at the terminus of the guide-way is arranged to release each blade
and allow it to be faced by the action of the approach upon its counter-blade. Each
blade is provided on its inner end with a central stop-shoulder projecting inward over
the edge of the disc-like frame from the side of its stiffening rib, and adapted to strike
the side of the disc-frame when the blade is faced and thereby limit the swing of the
blade.

page_text: In order that the cam way may be adjusted, so as to regulate the point at which the
blades will be thrown in and out of action, I fix it upon a sleeve mounted to turn
upon the main-shaft. As one method of turning said sleeve and locking it in position
when adjusted, a worm gear is connected by a bevel gear with a crank handle, by
turning which, the cam-way may be adjusted to turn the blades into the plane of
rotation at the upper part of the wheel and at an angle thereto at the bottom thereof,
to propel the vessel in one direction or vice-versa, to propel the vessel in the opposite
direction, all without reversing the motion of the propeller. In lieu of the cam-way
shoulder, which releases the blades abruptly, I may employ a curved retreat similar to
the approach, for releasing the blades gradually.
Where the feathering blade wheel is to be used horizontally in a wind-mill, a vane
may be connected in any ordinary way to the cam-way to keep, the same constantly
in position to cause the blades to face the wind at one side of the mill, and be turned
into the same at the opposite side thereof.
A. H. CARPENTER.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London,
Patent Agents.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Feathering-blade Wheels.
1, AMOS HERBERT CARPENTER of West Waterford in the County of Caledonia,
State of Vermont, United States of America, Attorney-at-Law, do hereby declare
the nature of this 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 improvements in feathering-blade wheels in which the
blades are carried by transverse rock-shafts on the main shaft and are thrown
alternately into and out of action by cams operating the blades in their rotation; the
object being to render wheels of this character peculiarly adaptable as propellors.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
specification, in which figure 1 is a plan view of a wheel with feathering-blades
embodying my improvements. Figure 2 is a sectional side view of the said wheel,
on the line 2-2, figure 1. Figure 3 is a sectional side view of the same, on the
line 3-3, figure 1. Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all
the figures.
B is a main shaft which is journaled in bearings A and which, in the case of a
propellor, could be arranged transversely to a vessel at a distance below the water line
sufficient to totally submerge the wheel. The transverse rock-shafts C, of which I
have shewn two arranged at right angles with each other, are mounted in the main
shaft B nearly in contact with each other, a rotary disc-like frame Donly being
interposed between the two rock-shafts to carry bearings D' for the rock-shafts, at a
distance from the main shaft, and thus stiffen the rock shafts. The blades E E' on
the several rock shafts, thus revolve nearly in the same plane, and the inner corners of
all the blades when facing in the direction of rotation, are adapted to come successively
in contact with the curved approach F' of one and the same cam-way F' and be thereby
thrown edgewise, as most clearly shewn in figure 1.
As each blade E is thrown edgewise, the diametrically opposite blade E' is faced,
so that the blades at the bottom of the wheel, for example, are in action while those
at the top are out of action, as shewn in the drawing. The rotation of the wheel, by
gearing connected with the main shaft B, in the direction of the arrow a figure 2,
will, in the case of a propellor, thus cause the vessel to which it is attached, to move
in the direction of the arrow b figure 2. To better enable the inner ends of the
blades E and E¹ to withstand the shocks of contact with the cam-way approach F³, I
may extend them laterally, to form transverse stiffening ribs E2, as shewn. The
approach F1 of the cam-way, terminates in a segmental guide way ³ arranged in the
plane of rotation of the blades, whereby the latter are held in their edgewise position,
after being thrown thereinto by the approach F. The curved shoulder F3 at the
terminus of the guide way F2, is arranged to release each blade and allow it to be
faced by the action of the approach F¹ upon its counter-blade. Each blade is provided
on its inner end with a central stop shoulder G projecting inward over the edge of the
disc-like frame D from the side of its stiffening rib E, and adapted to strike the side

page_text: of the frame 1) when the blade is faced, and thereby limit the swing of the blade, as
most clearly shewn in figure 3.
In order that the cam-way F may be adjusted so as to regulate the point at which
the blades will be thrown in and out of action, I fix it upon a sleeve H, mounted to
turn upon the main shaft. As one method of turning said sleeve and locking it in
position when adjusted, 1 have represented a worm gear I connected by a bevel gear J
with a crank handle K which, in the case of a propellor, should be arranged in a
water-tight compartiment of the vessel. Thus, by simply turning the crank handle K,
the cam way may be adjusted to throw the blades out of action at the top of the wheel
and in action at the bottom thereof, as shewn, to propel the vessel in one direction, or
to throw the blades in action at the top of the wheel and out of action at the bottom,
to propel the vessel in the opposite direction, all without reversing the motion of the
propellor. In lieu of the cam way shoulder F3 which releases the blades abruptly,
I may employ a curved retreat similar to the approach F¹, for releasing the blades
gradually.
Where the feathering-blade wheel is to be used horizontally in a wind mill, a vane
may be connected in any ordinary way to the cam way to keep, the same constantly
in position to cause the blades to face the wind at one side of the mill, and be turned
into the same at the opposite side thereof.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that want I
claim is ;-
1. A feathering-blade wheel of the character described, having the blades on the
several transverse rock-shafts all arranged to be operated by one and the same cam-
way substantially as described.
2. A feathering-blade wheel wherein blades on transverse rock-shafts mounted on
the main shaft, successively come in actual contact with a cam-way for swinging them
through an arc of 90°, substantially as described, whereby intermediate tappets or
similar devices are rendered unnecessary, as set forth.
3. In a feathering-blade wheel, the combination of a main shaft, transverse blade
carrying rock shafts journaled thereto in close proximity to each other, and a rotary
disc like frame interposed between two adjacent rock shafts and formed with bearings
for the same, at a distance from the main shaft, substantially as described.
4. In a feathering-blade wheel, the combination of a main shaft, [transverse rock
shafts journaled therein, a disc like frame adjacent to the rock shafts, blades on the rock
shafts, and a stop-shoulder on the inner end of each blade projecting over the edge of
the disc-like frame, substantially as described.
5. In a feathering-blade wheel, the combination of a main shaft, transverse rock
shafts carried thereby, blades on the rock shafts, a cam way acting on the blades, and
mechanism, substantially as described, for adjusting said cam way and locking it in
position, as set forth.
Dated this 27th day of January 1×OR
A. H. CARPENTER.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London,
Patent Agents.