New or Improved Motor for Propelling and Manoeuvring Vessels.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Mar., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 29th Dec., 1896-Accepted, 27th Mar., 18.97
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
New or Improved Motor for Propelling and Manoeuvring
Vessels.
I, JOHN GEORGE PINKERT, of 46 Wiesenstrasse, Hamburgh, in the German
Empire, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to a new or improved motor operating by the explosion of
combustible material for the propulsion of all kinds of vessels, in which motor
the gaseous products of combustion are made to act directly upon the water to
effect the forward movement of the vessel by re-action, without the employment of
any other propelling means.
The invention is illustrated in the accompanying two sheets of drawings, in
which
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the complete motor,
Figure 2 a section taken at right angles to Figure 1,
Figure 3 a back view of a vessel with motors applied thereto, Figure 4
partial side view of same,
a
Figure 5 a section of the apparatus for loading the motor with explosive
material and Figures 6, 7 and 8 respectively a cross-section, a side and a frout
view of same.
This motor acts upon the principle of causing the force of the explosion to
act direct upon the water in order to obviate the use of the ordinary propelling
means such as screws, paddle wheels and so forth, and to avoid the loss of
power caused by their use. Any suitable explosive may be used in the motor
such as coal-gas, hydrogen gas, gasoline vapour, or gas produced from petroleum,
benzine, acetylene and so forth, made explosive by mixing it with air or the
like, as also gunpowder, melinite, gun cotton and so forth, and the method and
manner of producing, measuring, mixing, introducing and igniting the quantity of
gas necessary for each explosion can be varied according to the nature of the
material employed; but the peculiar propelling motor that is to say the explosion
chamber, and the pivotted discharge pipe which projects through the ship into the
water remain the same whatever explosive material may be employed.
The motor consists of three principal parts, namely the explosion chamber A, the
discharge pipe B, and the regulating or governing motor C.
The explosion chamber A consists of a cylinder of cast steel or other suitable
material, and is made of a diameter suitable for the power required. The said
chamber terminates at a in a smaller cylinder b, which inay be arranged vertically
or horizontally, and must be bored out to enable the piston c of the regulating
motor C to move gas-tight within it. The cylinder A is provided at its contracted
part a with the inlet passage g, through which the explosive mixture produced
in the vaporizer M, and the necessary air for the explosion pass into the explosion
chamber. The vapourizer M consists firstly, of the peculiar vapourizing body h
provided with heating ribs, secondly, of the inovable cone i which forms a back-
pressure valve, and serves to spread out the fluid hydrocarbon flowing thereto,
thirdly, of the pipe k leading the fluid to be vapourized to the vapourizer and
fourthly of the air openings arranged round the upper part of the vapourizer.
The entire vapourizer is surrounded by the mantle m beneath which is placed the

page_text: heating lamp n. At the side of the vapourizer is arranged the air pipe o, so placed
that the hydrocarbon vapor produced in the vapourizer, and mixed with a small
quantity of air, carries along with it the air entering at a, and both enter the
explosion chamber together. Below the vapourizer is placed the exploding tube p
which is heated to a red heat by the lamp n. The smaller cylinder b extends into
the explosion chamber A, as shown at g, so as to make the said chamber of annular
shape at its upper part. The retaining valve of the mixture inlet g may be
arranged to act automatically, or to be worked from the shaft N of the regulating
motor, and the devices i, k for admitting hydrocarbon liquid to the vapourizer may
also be operated from the shaft N. The cylinder b is surrounded with a jacket D
through which cooling water E is circulated, such water entering through the pipe F
and leaving by the pipe G.
The explosion cylinder A is connected at its lower end with the discharge
pipe B, a gas-tight joint being formed between the two by means of a fillet d on the
explosion cylinder A taking into a groove on the discharge pipe B, and retained
therein by the annular flange e. The joint thus formed is not only gas-tight but
enables the discharge pipe B to be turned round on the explosion cylinder A. The
annular flange e is provided with a toothed rim f the teeth of which gear with those
of a toothed wheel H by rotating which the discharge pipe B can be turned into any
required position. The discharge pipe B is bent at so that the discharge of the
gases resulting from the explosion in the explosion chamber A are forced to take
a horizontal direction through the discharge opening K. The discharge pipe B is
carried through the ship's bottom with a water-tight joint, so that the part K can
be rotated outside the vessel, and it should be made so long that the discharge of
the gases of explosion always takes place at a proper depth below the surface
of the water, dependent upon the size, and draught of the vessel.
discharge pipe B always passes in a vertical direction through the ship's bottom,
and the water-tight jointing must stand exactly horizontal to enable the discharge
pipe to be easily turned round, the said discharge pipe is preferably surrounded
with a casing or mantle L fitted outside the ship. The size and form of this
casing must be arranged to suit the form of the ship, and it serves also as a sheath
or fender to protect the discharge pipe B from injury.
As the
The regulating motor C is constructed like an ordinary gas engine, it takes no
direct part in the propulsion of the ship and only receives so much of the pressure
of the explosion as is necessary to keep it in regular motion. It serves only to
effect the distribution of the gas and air mixtures, the measurement of the substance
to be vapourized, and the opening and closing of the valves necessary for those
purposes. The regulating motor may be arranged vertically or horizontally
according to the character of the space in which the apparatus is placed; it
may also be made entirely independent of the propelling motor, and may be
made to effect the distribution, regulation, and ignition for two or more propelling
motors. In this case the propelling motors are closed at the top, that is to say
at a, by a fixed cover, and are only provided with the necessary opening for the
admission of the explosive mixtures, igniting devices, and, when vapourizers are
required, with the valves belonging thereto; the actuation of such valves may be
effected, in some cases, by means of small electro-motors driven by a dynamo
coupled to, or combined with the regulating motor. This arrangement will be
readily understood by a competent workman and does not require any special
description. The igniting devices may consist of incandescent tubes, open flames,
or electric sparking apparatus; and the explosion can also be effected partly by
the compression of the explosive mixture in the vapourizer. For war vessels and
all ships which carry gunpowder or other similar explosives the propelling motor
may be provided with fixing apparatus of the kind shown in Figures 5 to 8, which
in all cases renders it possible for a vessel to proceed after the ordinary explosive
material, such as vapourized petroleum and so forth, has been exhausted. This
firing apparatus consists of a case 1, a cartridge-drum 2, a breech plate 3, a
striking-bolt case 4, a striking bolt 5, and a striking bolt spring 6.

page_text: The case 1 is fixed to the wall of the explosion cylinder A and the latter is
provided with an opening 7 the centre of which corresponds exactly with the axis
of the cartridge to be fired and the size of which must be exactly equal to that of
the cartridges to be employed. The cartridge drum 2 is provided with four, or
other suitable number of cartridge chambers 8 which are open at the periphery of
the drum and are furnished with rounded edges in order to facilitate the entrance
into and exit from the cartridge chambers of the cartridges 10 which are fastened.
on a cartridge belt 9 at, distances apart corresponding to the distance apart of the
cartridge chambers of the drum. The axis 11 of the cartridge drum 2 turns at one
end in a bearing in the wall of the explosion chamber A, and at the other end in a
hearing in the breech plate 3. The said axis is provided at its outer end with a
ratchet wheel 12, which is rotated by the pawl 13, and is provided from turning
backwards by the retaining pawl 14. The actuating pawl 13 is hinged at 15 to a
sliding rod 16, and both it and the retaining pawl 14 are pressed against the ratchet
wheel 12 by springs 17. In the striking bolt case 4 is pivotted a disc 18 which is
rotated by a connecting rod 19 connected to a crank pin 20 fixed eccentrically in
the disc. To this disc is fixed the tappet 21 which acts upon the shoulder 22 of
the striking bolt 5, and presses the latter so far back, at each half revolution of the
dise 18, that the spring 6 is put into sufficient tension to force the striking
bolt 5 forward immediately the shoulder 22 is released by the tappet 21, so that the
point of the bolt enters the corresponding hole 23 of the breech plate 3, and fires the
cap of the cartridge 10.
The propelling motor acts as follows:-
Assuming that the motor is driven by vapourized liquid such as petroleum for
example, and that the last explosion has driven up the piston e of the regulating
motor C, whereby liquid petroleum is pressed through the inlet pipe k, simul-
taneously and air through. The petroleum flows over the cone i thereby forming
iteelf into a thin sheet or film, and the air issuing from strikes this film of
petroleum, pulverises it, and throws the petroleum mist thus formed against the hot
walls of the body h whereby the vapourization of the petroleum is effecte i. In
the meantime the inlet valve r has been opened by the rotation of the shaft n,
a strong stream of air comes through the air inlet o, and carries the vapourized
petroleum mixture with it through the inlet y into the explosion chamber A,
whereby the air is mixed with the petroleum vapour and forms an explosive
mixture, which presses the burnt gases of the last explosion downwards; the
annular form of the upper part of the explosion chamber favours the formation of
a powerful vortex, and thereby an intimate mixture of the air and vapour.
return stroke of the piston e produces a small excess of pressure in the explosion
chamber which suffices to force explosive mixture into the red hot igniting tube p
causing the explosion of the mixture to take place at the moment when the
piston e has reached its lowest position. The explosion acts for the most part
downwards, as the small cross section of the cylinder & only allows of a corre-
spondingly small exercise of power in an upward direction, and the inlet valve r
closes at the moment of explosion, whereupon the whole operation is repeated.
The downwardly acting force of the explosion exerts a powerful pressure or push
through the discharge pipe 15, and opening K on the water, whereby the forward
movement of the ship is effected.
T'he
As this action is repeated 80 to 300 times per minute, according to the size of
the motor, a similar number of pushes takes effect on the outer water, each of
which pushes acts like the stroke of an oar. All other propelling means, such as
screws, paddle wheels and so forth are thus dispensed with, the forward motion of
the vessel being effected solely by the direct pressure of the explosions on the
outer water. There should generally be at least two motors in a vessel, but it is
indifferent whether they are placed at the bow or at the stern. By the arrange-
ments above described the steering rudder may be dispensed with, because the
steering of the vessel can be effected by using only one of the motors when a slight
change of direction is wanted, and when the vessel is required to turn quickly, or

page_text: within a short distance, one motor can be worked forwards, and the other sidewise
or backwards. The effect of the motor on the vessel is alway dependent upon the
direction towards which the discharge opening K is set, and as this can be set in
any direction by turning the wheel H, or by means of other suitable apparatus, the
motor may be made to act in any required direction, even backwards if the
discharge opening K be turned round 180 degrees, so as to stand in the position
directly opposite to that of the normal motion of the vessel. As probably it is not
advisable to employ motors of this kind of greater power than 100 horse-power
each, all vessels which require more than 100 horse-power may be fitted with a
number of motors which may be arranged at the sides of the vessel one behind the
other, and by this sort of arrangement the steering capacity of the vessel may be
materially increased, it would indeed be possible by such means to turn a vessel on
her own centre, or to press her sidewise out of her normal direction, which
capability would be of great importance for avoiding collisions. As the regulating
motor C is, in most cases, larger than necessary for the mere purpose of regulation,
its superfluous power may be utilized for other purposes such as for the production
of electric light for example.
For war vessels the propelling motor may be provided with the cartridge-firing
apparatus shown in Figures 5 to 8 as well as with its ordinary apparatus, and the
said firing apparatus may be employed when the ordinary driving material
is wanting and cannot be obtained. Explosives such as gunpowder, gun-cotton
and so forth are however always available on board war-ships, and in this case
can be substituted for the ordinary driving material such as petroleum for
example.
When this firing apparatus is to be put in action the arrangements for feeding
with gas, petroleuin etcetera are put out of action, but the air valve r is left in
action. Then the bars 16 for the pushing forward mechanisın, and 19 for the
striking bolt mechanism are connected with the fly-wheel shaft N, and the
cartridge band 9 is so placed on the cartridge drum 2 that the first cartridge lies
in the left hand open cartridge chamber 8: the fly-wheel shalt N is now rotated
once, whereby the first cartridge is drawn into the case and exploded, after which
the motor goes on working automatically, and it is only necessary to look after the
renewal of the cartridge band when that on the cartridge drum is exhausted. This
cartridge firing apparatus operates in the following manner :-The sliding bar 16
moves forward the ratchet wheel 12 by one tooth, the fly-wheel shaft N by means
of the pawl 13, so that after each revolution of the shaft a cartridge is brought
between the striking bolt 5 aud the opening 7, whereby the cartridge band 9 is
caused to pass between the upper cover of the case 1 and the cartridge drum 2.
At the same time the disc 18 is caused to make a revolution' by means of the
connecting rod 19 whereby the tappet 21 is caused to cock the striking bolt 5. At
the right moment the tappet 21 releases the striking bolt 5, and the latter is then
propelled forward by the spring 6, and effects the firing of the cartridge 10. The
air drawn in at each operation through the inlet passes r serves to increase the
effect of the explosion, because the gases produced by the explosion, and entering
through the opening 7 meet with air already compressed so that those gases are
not weakened in their action by having to fill the chamber A before exerting their
effect upon the water.
Dated this 28th day of March 1896
J. G. PINKERT,
Per W. H. Beck,
115 Cannon Street, London, E.C., Agent.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
New or Improved Motor for Propelling and Manoeuvring
Vessels.
I, JOHN GEORGE PINKERT, of 46 Wiesenstrasse, Hamburgh, in the German
Empire, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the sanie is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement: -
This invention relates to a new or improved motor operating by the explosion of
combustible material for the propulsion of all kinds of vessels, in which motor the
gaseous products of combustion are made to act directly upon the water to effect
the forward movement of the vessel by re-action, without the employment of any
other propelling means.
And in order that the said invention may be fully understood I will proceed to
describe the same with the aid of the two sheets of drawings filed with my
Provisional Specification, and of the two further sheets of drawings accompanying
this present specification.
In the said drawings
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the complete motor,
Figure 2 a section taken at right angles to Figure 1.
Figure 3 a back view of a vessel with motors applied thereto, Figure 4 a partial
side view of same,
Figure 5 a section of the apparatus for loading the motor with explosive
material, Figures 6, 7 and 8 respectively a cross-section, a side and a front view of
same,
Figure 9 a side view of a closing device for the propeller pipe, Figure 10 a back
view of sanie, Figure 11 a longitudinal section of same with the device in the
closed position, Figure 12 a similar section with the device in the opened position,
Figures 13 and 14 longitudinal sections showing modified forms of the said closing
device,
Figure 15 a cross section taken on the line Y-Z of Figure 13, and
Figure 16 a section similar to the upper part of Figure 2, but drawn to a larger
scale.
This motor acts upon the principle of causing the force of the explosion to act
directly upon the water in order to obviate the use of the ordinary propelling
means such as screws, paddle wheels and so forth, and to avoid the loss of power
caused by their use. Any suitable explosive may be used in the motor such as
coal-gas, hydrogen gas, gasoline vapour, or gas produced from petroleum, benzine,
acetylene and so forth made explosive by mixing it with air or the like, as also
gun-powder, melinite, guncotton and so forth, and the method and manner of
producing, measuring, mixing, introducing and igniting the quantity of gas necessary
for each explosion can be varied according to the nature of the material employed;
but the peculiar propelling motor, that is to say the explosion chamber, and the
pivotted discharge or propeller pipe which projects through the ship into the water
remain the same whatever explosive materiul may be employed.
The motor consists of the explosion chamber A, the discharge or propeller
pipe B, the regulating or governing motor C, and the closing device or obturator V
for the discharge or propeller pipe B.
The explosion chamber A consists of a cylinder of cast steel or other suitable
material, and is made of a diameter suitable for the power required. The said
chamber terminates at a in a smaller cylinder b, which may be arranged vertically
or horizontally, and must be bored out to enable the piston c of the regulating

page_text: motor to move gas-tight within it. The cylinder A is provided at its contracted
part a with the inlet passage g, through which the explosive mixture produced in
the vaporizer M, and the necessary air for the explosion pass into the explosion
chamber. The vaporizer M consists firstly, of the peculiar vaporizing bolyh
provided with heating ribs, secondly, of the movable cone i which forms a back
pressure valve, and serves to spread out the fluid hydrocarbon flowing thereto,
thirdly, of the pipe leading the fluid to be vapourized to the vapourizer, and
fourthly of the air passage arranged round the upper part of the vapourizer.
l
The supply through the passage k of hydrocarbon liquid to be gasified is
regulated by means of the regulating screws k 2. The air pipe surrounds the
passage at the upper part of the vapourizer and is provided with a suitable number
of downwardly directed openings for the admission of air. The air entering
through these holes strikes directly on to the thin film of hydrocarbon liquid
formed on the cone i, breaks it up, and throws it in a finely divided form against
the heated walls of the vapourizer h.
The entire vapourizer is surrounded by the mantle m beneath which is placed
the heating lamp n. At the side of the vapourizer is ari auged the air pipe o, so
placed that the hydrocarbon vapor produced in the vapourizer, and mixed with a
small quantity of air, carties along with it the air entering at o, and both enter the
explosion chamber together. Below the vapourizer is placed the exploding tube p
which is heating to a red heat by the lamp n. The smaller cylinder b extends into
the explosion chamber A, as shown at 7, so as to make the said chamber of annular
shape at its upper part. The retaining valver of the mixture inlet g may be
arranged to act automatically, or to be worked from the shaft N of the regulating
motor, and the devices 1, k for admitting hydrocarbou liquid to the vapourizer may
also be operated from the shaft N. The cylinder b is surrounded with a jacket D
through which cooling water E is circulated, such water entering through the
pipe F and leaving by the pipe G.
The explosion cylinder A is connected at its lower end with the discharge
pipe B, a gas-tight joint being formed between the two by means of a fillet d on
the explosion cylinder A taking into a groove on the discharge pipe B, and retained
therein by the annular flange e.
The joint thus formed is not only gas-tight but enables the discharge pipe B to
be turned round on the explosion cylinder A. The annular flange e is provided
with a toothed rim the teeth of which gear with those of a toothed wheel H, by
rotating which the discharge pipe B can be turned into any required position.
The discharge pipe B is bent at J so that the discharge of the gases resulting from
the explosion in the explosion chamber A are forced to take a horizontal direction
through the discharge opening K. The discharge pipe B is carried through the
ship's bottom with a water-tight joint, so that the part K can be rotated outside
the vessel, and it should be inade so long that the discharge of the gases of
explosion always takes place at a proper depth below the surface of the water,
dependent upon the size and draught of the vessel. As the discharge pipe B
always passes in a vertical direction through the ship's bottom, and the water-tight
jointing must stand exactly horizontal to enable the discharge pipe to be easily
turned round, the said discharge pipe is preferably surrounded with a casing or
mantle L fitted outside the ship. The size and form of this casing must be
arranged to suit the form of the ship, and it serves also as a sheath or fender to
protect the discharge pipe B from injury.
The outlet opening K of the discharge or propeller pipe B is provided with an
automatically acting closing or obturating device (see Figures 9 to 15 inclusive).
This closing device consists of the obturating cone S, cross bars T, and guide
rods U. The obturator S is of a more or less pointed conical shape, as shown in
Figures 11 to 13, of sugar loaf shape as shown in Figure 14, or it may be of
paraboloidal shape. It should be ground into its seating at the end of the walls K
of the discharge pipe opening K in order to form a water-tight joint therewith
when in the closed position. The obturating cone S prevents, on the one hand,

page_text: when closed, the entrance of water into the discharge or propeller pipe B, and on
the other hand, when opened, distributes the discharge of the gases resulting fron
the explosion over a larger cross section. In order to divide the issuing gases into
a more jet-like form the cone S may be ninde star-shape in cross section, as shown
in Figures 13 and 15. It is obvious that in this case the seating K¹ must be
shaped to correspond. The one S is guided in the guides B of the pipe B by
means of the cross bars T and guide rods U. On the guide rods U are placed
springs W bearing at one end against the collars X of the guide rods U and at the
other end against the guides B". These springs should not be made strong
enough to offer any appreciable resistance to the pressure of the issuing gases,
but only just sufficiently strong to ensure the closing of the obturator S. The
closing of the obturator is however normally effected automatically by the pressure
of the outer water.
The closing device V acts in the following manner :-
The explosions in A produce an excess of pressure in B which presses outwarls
the easily moved cone S. The gases of explosion can then pass out through the
annular opening thus formed between the cone S and the walls K' of the discharge
or propeller pipe opening K, as shown by the arrows in Figure 12, whereby the
pressure of the issuing gases is distributed on to a comparatively large quantity of
water and is thus effectively utilized. When the pressure produced in A and B by
the explosions reases, the external water assisted by the springs W, closes the
cone S against the end of the opening K, and the entrance of water into the interior
of the motor is thereby prevented.
The regulating motor C is constructed like an ordinary gas engine, it takes no
direct part in the propulsion of the ship, and only receives so much of the pressure
of the explosion as is necessary to keep it in regular motion. It serves only to
effect the distribution of the gas and air mixtures, the measurement of the substance
to be vapourized, and the opening and closing of the valves necessary for those
purposes. The regulating motor may be arranged vertically or horizontally
according to the character of the space in which the apparatus is placed; it may
also be made entirely independent of the propelling motor and may be made to
effect the distribution, regulation, and ignition for two or more propelling motors.
In this case the propelling motors are closed at the top, that is to say at a, by a
fixed cover, and are only provided with the necessary openings for the admission
of the explosive mixture igniting devices, and when vapourizers are required, with
the valves belonging thereto; the actuation of such valves may be effected, in
some cases, by means of small electro-motors driven by a dynamo coupled to, or
combined with the regulating motor. This arrangement will ne readily under-
stood by a competent workman and does not require any special description. The
igniting devices may consist of incandescent tubes, open flames, or electric sparking
apparatus; and the explosion can also be effected partly by the compression of the
explosive mixture in the vapourizer. For war vessels and all ships which carry
gun-powder or other similar explosives the propeiling motor may be provided with
firing apparatus of the kind shown in Figures 5 to 8, which in all cases renders it
possible for a vessel to proceed after the ordinary explosive material, such as
vapourized petroleum and so forth, has been exhausted. This firing apparatus
consists of a case 1, a cartridge-drum 2, a breech plate 3, a striking-bolt case 4,
a striking bolt 5, and a striking bolt spring 6.
The case 1 is fixed to the wall of the explosion cylinder A, as shewn at the left
hand side of Figure 1, and the said cylinder is provided with an opening 7 the
centre of which corresponds exactly, with the axis of the cartridge to be fired, and
the size of which must be exactly equal to that of the cartridges to be employed.
The cartridge drum 2 is provided with four, or other suitable number of cartridge
chambers 8 which are open at the periphery of the drum and are furnished with
rounded edges in order to facilitate the entrance into and exit from the cartridge
chambers of the cartridges 10 which are fastened on a cartridge belt 9 at distances
apart corresponding to the distance apart of the cartridge chambers of the drum.

page_text: The axis 11 of the cartridge drum 2 turns at one end in a bearing in the wall of
the explosion chamber A, and at the other end in a bearing in the brevch plate 3.
The said axis is provided at its outer end with a ratchet wheel 12, which is rotated
by the pawl 13, and is prevented from turning hackwards by the retaining pawl 14.
The actuating pawl 13 is hinged at 15 to a sliding rod 16, and both it and the
retaining pawl 14 are pressed against the ratchet wheel 12 by springs 17. In the
striking bolt case 4 is pivotted a dise 18 which is rotated by a connecting rod 19.
connected to a crank-pin 20 fixed excentrically in the dse. To this disc is fixed
the tappet 21 which acts upon the shoulder 22 of the striking bolt 3, and presses
the latter so far hack, at each half revolution of the disc 18, that the spring 6 is
put into sufficient tension to force the striking bolt 3 forward immediately the
shoulder 22 is released by the tappet 21, so that the point of the bolt enters the
corresponding hole 23 of the breech plate 3, and fires the cap of the cartridge 10.
The propelling motor acts as follows:-
Assuming that the motor is driven by vapourized liquid such as petroleum for
example, and that the last explosion has driven up the piston e of the regulating
motor C, whereby liquid petroleum is pressed through the inlet pipe k, and, simul-
taneously, air through and . The petroleum flows over the cone i thereby
forming itself into a thin sheet or film, and the air issuing from I strikes this film
of petroleum, pulverises it, and throws the petroleum mist thus formed against the
hot walls of the body 4, whereby the vapourization of the petroleum is effected. In
the meantime the inlet valve has been opened by the rotation of the shaft N, a
strong stream of air comes through the air inlet o, and carries the vapourized
petroleum mixture with it through the inlet g into the explosion chamber A,
whereby the air is mixed with the petroleum vapour and forms an explosive
mixture, which presses the burnt gases of the last explosion downwards: the
annular form of the upper part of the explosion chamber favours the formation of
a powerful vortex and thereby an intimate mixture of the air and vapour. The
return stroke of the pisten e produces a small excess of pressure in the explosion
chamber which suffices to force explosive mixture into the red hot igniting tube p,
causing the explosion of the mixture to take place at the moment when the piston e
has reached its lowest position. The explosion acts for the most part downwards,
as the small cross section of the cylinder & only allows of a correspondingly small
exercise of power in an upward direction, and the inlet valve r closes at the
moment of explosion, whereupon the whole operation is repeated. The down-
wardly acting force of the explosion exerts a powerful pressure or push through
the discharge pipe B, and opening K, on the water, whereby the forward movement
of the ship is effected.
As this action is repeated 80 to 300 times per minute, according to the size of
the motor, a similar number of pushes takes effect on the outer water, each of
which pushes acts like the stroke of an oar. Ali other propelling means, such as
screws, paddle wheels and so forth are thus dispensed with, the forward motion of
the vessel being effected solely by the direct pressure of the explosions on the outer
water. There should generally be at least two motors in a vessel, but it is
indifferent whether they are placed at the bow or at the stern. By the arrange-
ments above described the steering rudder may be dispensed with, because the
steering of the vessel can be effected by using only one of the motors when a slight
change of direction is wanted, and when the vessel is required to turn quickly or
within a short distance, one motor can be worked forwards, and the other sidewise
or backwards. The effect of the motor on the vessel is always dependent upon the
direction towards which the discharge opening K is set, and as this can be set in any
direction by turning the wheel H, or by means of other suitable apparatus, the
motor may be made to act in any required direction, even backwards, if the
discharge opening K be turned round 180 degrees, so as to stand in the position
directly opposite to that of the normal motion of the vessel. As probably it is not
advisable to employ motors of this kind of greater power than 100 horse-power
each, all vessels which require more than 100 horse-power may be fitted with a

page_text: number of motors, which may be arranged at the sides of the vessel one behind the
other, and by this sort of arrangement the steering capacity of the vessel may be
materially increased, it would indeed be possible by such means to turn a vessel on
her own centre, or to press her sidewise out of her normal direction, which capability
would be of great importance for avoiding collisions. As the regulating motor Č
is, in most cases, larger than necessary for the mere purpose of regulation, its
superfluous power may be utilized for other purposes such as for the production of
electric light for example.
For war vessels the propelling motor may be provided with the cartridge tiring
apparatus shown in Figures 5 to 8 as well as with its ordinary apparatus, and the
said firing apparatus may be employed when the ordinary driving material is
wanting and cannot be obtained. Explosives such as gunpowder, gun-cotton and
so forth are however always available on board war-ships, and in this case can be
substituted for the ordinary driving material such as petroleum for example.
When this firing apparatus is to be put in action the arrangements for feeding
with gas, petroleum, etcetera, are put out of action, but the air valve r is left in
action. Then the bars 16 for the pushing forward mechanism, and 19 for the
striking bolt mechanism are connected with the fly-wheel shaft N, and the cartridge
band 9 is so placed on the cartridge drum 2 that the first cartridge lies in the left
hand open cartridge chamber 8; the fly-wheel shaft N is now rotated once,
whereby the first cartridge is drawn into the case and exploded, after which the
motor goes on working automatically, and it is only necessary to look after the
renewal of the cartridge band when that on the cartridge drum is exhausted.
This cartridge-firing apparatus operates in the following manuer:-The sliding
bar 16 moves forward the ratchet wheel 12 by one tooth at each revolution of the
fly-wheel shaft N by means of the pawl 13 so that after each revolution of the
shaft a cartridge is brought between the striking bolt 5 and the opening 7, whereby
the cartridge band 9 is caused to pass between the upper cover of the case 1 and
the cartridge drum 2. At the same time the disc 18 is caused to make a revolution
by means of the connecting rod 19 whereby the tappet 21 is caused to cock the
striking bolt 5. At the right moment the tappet 21 releases the striking bolt 5,
and the latter is then propelled forward by the spring 6 and effects the firing of
the cartridge 10. The air drawn in at each operation through the inlet passage r
serves the increase the effect of the explosion, because the gases produced by the
explosion and entering through the opening 7 meet with air already compressed so
that those gases are not weakened in their action by having to fill the chamber A
before exerting their effect upon the water.
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 what I
claim is :-
First. A reaction propeller actuated by explosive gases, in which the force of
the explosion taking place in the explosion chamber A actuates the piston c of a
regulating or governing motor C, and at the same time exerts pressure on the
column of water in the discharge pipe B of the propelling motor, substantially as
described.
Second. In explosion motors of the kind herein described an automatically
acting water-tight closing device which consists of an easily moved obturator in the
form of a pointed cone, a sugar-loaf, or a paraboloid, placed at the discharge opening
of the propeller pipe, which obturator distributes the issuing gases of explosion on
to a comparatively large quantity of water, and prevents the entrance of water
into the propeller pipe, substantially as described.
Third. In explosion motors of the kind herein described, mechanism for
conveying explosive material of all kinds in the form of cartridges 10 automatically
into position between the opening 7 in the wall of the explosion cylinder A and
the breech plate 3, which consists of a cartridge band 9, and a cartridge drum 2
containing cartridge chambers 8; mechanism for operating the said cartridge drum
B

page_text: and band, consisting of the ratchet wheel 12, pawls 13 and 14, sliding rod 16, and
spring 17 and mechanism for firing the cartridges so brought into position, which
consists of the striking bolt 5, disc 18, connecting rod 19 and tappet 21; the said
mechanism for operating the cartridge drum and firing the cartridges being
actuated by the crank shaft N of the regulating motor C; substantially as described.
Dated this 29th day of December 1896.
J. G. PINKERT,
Per W. H. Beck,
115 Cannon Street, London, E.C., Agent.