An Improved Paddle-wheel for Passenger and other Boats.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Feb., 1892-Accepted, 26th Mar., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Paddle-wheel for Passenger and other Boats.
I, HENRY CHAPMAN BAGOT, of Glyn, near Conway, in the County of Carnarvon,
Mechanician, 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 :-
This invention relates to an improved paddle-wheel for passenger and other boats,
which is particularly adapted for use on craft having the paddle-wheel fitted at
the stern.
The objects of the invention are, first, to lighten the paddle-wheel by enabling
its diameter to be reduced, hus facilitating the navigation of shallow and winding
rivers, and, secondly, to enable the blades to feather as they enter and leave the
water.
A paddle-wheel constructed according to my invention is illustrated in the
accompanying diagrams, whereof Fig. 1 is a side elevation and Fig. 2 a corre-
sponding transverse vertical section.
A is the shaft of the paddle-wheel, B are the rims, B₁ are strengthening hoops,
C are the radial arms or spokes, and D are the hubs keyed to the shaft A and
to which the arms C are secured. The paddles or floats E are pivoted in the
arms C. They may, however, be pivoted in the rims B. On the pirot e of each
Hoat is an ellipse E', the circumference of which is grooved. A single rope F is
passed round and unites all the ellipses, and engages in one of the grooves in
each ellipse. This rope, which regulates the action of the floats, is furnished
with a suitable device for affording the requisite tension. For instance, its ends
may be united by a spiral spring, or it may bear against a sheave or sheaves the
position or positions of which can be adjusted. Each ellipse is also provided
with additional ropes F1 and F2, which work in the other grooves of the ellipse
and go round studs or pulleys G on the hoops B¹. Each pulley may be pivoted
in sliding bearings fitted with springs for regulating the tension. Only one
additional rope need, however, be employed. This system can be applied to
ordinary paddle-wheels.
The action is as follows:-Each float in its normal position forms a chord to the
circumference of the wheel. The rotation of the wheel causes each float on
entering the water to become vertical, that position being maintained by the tension
of the ropes and the action of the water until the float is forced into its normal
position again by the water acting on the lower part of the float just before it
leaves the water. It will thus be seen that each float makes half a revolution about
its pivot to each revolution of the paddle-wheel.
Each paddle-wheel is preferably made in halves; each half being constructed in
the manner above described. This enables the halves to be so placed on the shaft A
that the paddles or floats E on one half enter the water alternately with those on
the other half.
In stern-wheelers, twin wheels or a swivelling wheel may be employed.
An even kerl may be secured by having floats on this method secured to a shaft
connecting two spheres or other floating bodies, which would practically carry the
wheel at the stern, independently of the support of the vessel.
The wheel and floats may be of galvanized steel. The shaft A may be hollow.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I claim:-
-
1. The improved paddle-wheel having pivoted floats arranged and connected to
operate substantially as described with reference to the accompanying diagrams.

page_text: 2. In a paddle-wheel, the combination, with the pivoted floats E, of the ellipses E'
and the ropes F and F¹, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Dated this 13th day of February 1892.
G. G. M. HARDINGHAM,
191, Fleet Street, London, E.C., Chartered Patent Agent.