proved Means for Propelling and Steering Vessels.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL DICITIATION
Improved Means for Propelling and Steering Vessels.
I, HUBERT ANTON BOES, of No. 116, Maasstrasse, Kevelaer, in the Empire of
Germany, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be aš
follows:-
This invention relates to improved means for propelling and steering vessels.
Hitherto, when propelling vessels through the water by the aid of paddle wheels
or stern propellors, the advance of the ship has been greatly impeded by the dis-
placed water rising in front of the bows. It is now proposed to remove this diffi-
culty by the following means:-
I mount at the bows a pair of rotary or Pappenheim pump propellors, consisting
each of a drum carrying on its periphery screw blades, and set vertically in front
of a partially enclosing case. This case forms also bearings for the vertical pro-
pellor axles, the blades of which interlock, and serve, as the drums rotate, to part
the water at the bows, and form, so to speak, a trough or lane for the vessel to
travel in. The masses of water thus displaced are swept toward the rear of the
vessel, there to fill up the depression in the surface of the water caused by the
forward motion of the vessel's hull.
The case which receives the indraught of water connects with a channel which
divides into two channels extending to the stern of the vessel, the purpose being
to deliver, in two streams, the water which is drawn in by the screw propellors.
These propellors are rotated through suitable gearing by any approved motor
engine.
The longitudinal channels will be provided at front and rear with valves for
regulating the discharge of water therefrom, and these channels may form part of
the hull of the vessel, in the skin of which they will be enclosed, and they will
thus serve to add strength and stability to the hull. The streams discharged from
these channels will act efficiently as propellors, and, by stopping off one or other
of these streams, and opening side valves opposite each other, not only will
efficient means of steering be provided, but the vessel may be made to turn upon
its centre of gravity, an advantage hitherto impossible with existing means of
propulsion, and which, under certain circumstances, is of considerable value.
To increase the propelling power, two or more pairs of screw propellors of the
type above described may be applied to the stern of the vessel, and the partially
enclosed cases which serve to carry the axles of the propellors may be fed with
water from a central channel open at its forward end.
These stern propellors will be actuated, like the forward propellors, by the
steam or other motor with which the vessel is provided, gearing being suitably
arranged to ensure the discharge of water supplied to the propellors, at a rate
commensurate with the speed desired to be obtained.
191 dow of June 1898
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: improveu esfo
I, HUBERT ANTON BOES, of No. 116, Maass-Strasse, Kevelaer, in the Empire of
Germany, Engineer, 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 ;-
It is a matter of common observation to anyone looking at a vessel in motion,
that large masses of water are piled up at the bows of the ship, while at its stern
a hollow depression on the surface of the water may be seen, and a considerable
backward inclination of the whole body of the ship is visible; and if this latter
were not present, the two first appearances would be of necessity all the more
noticeable.
It is therefore manifest that the forward motion of the vessel would be consider-
ably facilitated if, on the one hand, the piling up of the water at the bows, and,
on the other hand, the hollow depression of the surface of the water at the stern
of the ship were prevented, or in some way reversed; in other words, if the
depression of the water could be in front, and the heaping up of the water behind.
In this way there would be provided, some measure, in front of the bows of the
ship, a flat sloping surface, which would offer but little resistance to the motion
of the vessel.
The present invention has therefore for its object, means by which the above
mentioned novel effects may be attained, and the desired end reached, and this is
effected without the use of the present method of propulsion by propellers, paddle
wheels, etc., in the following manner;-
In front of the bows of the vessel there is mounted an apparatus, the action of
which is like, or similar to, that of a centrifugal or rotary pump. In employing
such a rotary pump, the general effect produced results from a number of separate
effects to be more fully described hereafter, which, although according to prin-
ciple, are diametrically opposed to each other, however all tend to one common
end, namely, the forward motion of the ship, and in this way they so facilitate
the latter, that the degree of efficiency possessed by the new devices is greater
than that of the present propellers and paddle wheels.
In Figs. 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings there are shewn (the better to
illustrate what is above stated) two constructions of apparatus embodying my
invention in diagrammatic form, which will now be described as follows:-
At the bow of the hull of the vessel, A, is mounted an arrangement of wheels,
the rotating parts of which are similar to the Pappenheim rotary pump, and consist
of two screw-form helically-bladed cylinders a a', engaging with each other, and
which receive their motion from suitable driving gear transmitting the same from
motors in the vessel. The cylinders aa¹ are not entirely enclosed by the
casing m, as is usual, but the greater part of the same is left free, only a small
portion, preferably about the width of two teeth and a tooth space, being covered
throughout the length of the cylinders.
To the centre of this casing m, a pipe b is attached, which opens out into two
pipes 6161, passing beneath the vessel, the front ends of which are open, whereas
the back ends are closed by valves; if desired, flaps d or slides may be provided
on the sides of these tubes, both at the front and back ends, by which they may
be opened or closed. The rotation of the bladed cylinders a and a¹ is (as the
direction of the arrow shews) outward, and during their motion, the following
operations take place:-
(1) The water lying immediately in front of that part of the rotary cylinders
where their blades are just released from contact with each other, is forced into

page_text: the empty spaces between the blades, and a sucking action thus set up, by reason
of which a tendency immediately occurs to force the ship forward into the momen-
tarily formed opening in the water.
(2) From the point of contact to the point where the first appreciable deflec-
tion of the direction of the arrows takes place, the blades of the cylinders cause a
division of the foremost masses of water, an action which has the effect of enlarg-
ing and widening the passage or opening made in the water by the suction set
up, and so making room for the hull of the vessel.
(3) Over the whole length of the surface of the cylinders to the point where
the blades disappear into their casings, the latter set up a propelling action, and
so drive the ship forward.
(4) Inside the propeller casing, a pumping of the water carried along by the
blades of the cylinders is set up in the exhaust pipe b, and the water pumped
therein causes a re-action or rebound against the water in the pipe, and which
presses from the rear valves thereof, and which re-action also may be utilized for
propelling the ship forward.
In short, by operating the cylinders a and a¹, four essentially different effects
may be produced upon the water by the pumping apparatus, of which the first two,
viz., the suction and division of the water in front of the bows, materially assist
in driving to one side the masses of water thrown up by the motion of the vessel,
that is to say, forming a trough in front of the hull, into which it may glide,
while the two latter, viz., the propelling and resisting actions, further the object
of driving forward the vessel, thus on the one hand, dispensing with paddle
wheels, etc., &, on the other hand (more especially by the resisting action), also
serving to expel the water to the rear of the vessel, and thus to fill up, so to
speak, the hollow depression caused by the displacement of the ship. By reason
of the sloping formation of the working blades (screw-threads), an additional
advantage is secured, in that the division of the masses of water is facilitated, and
thus fresh (or, so to speak, dead) water is always presented to the blades.
Of course, in the practical application of the above described apparatus, I do
not intend to confine myself to the use of a single apparatus mounted on the bows
of the vessel; such apparatus may, for technical reasons, be erected at the stern,
as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawing. The water, in this case, will be guided
through two vertically disposed suction pipes g¹ (only one of which appears in the
drawing), which run underneath the bottom of the vessel, preferably between
the force pipes of the front cylinders, and, just before the point of contact of the
hindmost cylinders, merge into a double branch pipe g. The mode of operation
of the rear cylinders (when working in the same direction) is analogous to that
of the front cylinders. Thus, first a suction is set up, then a propelling action,
then, instead of the division of the water, the opposite effect, that is to say, a com-
pression of the water drawn in between the teeth of the rollers, the water being
compressed and driven out with great violence. Here, again, there is a reaction
set up between the two masses of water, that is to say, the column of water
thrown out strikes against the water lying in its path, and this also aids in the
forward propulsion of the vessel.
"
In the case of large vessels, instead of one pair of cylinders, a number of pairs
will be employed in the manner illustrated in Fig. 4, which shews three pairs
arranged in front of, as well as at the rear of, the vessel. For this purpose,
massive or solid cylinders need not necessarily be employed; so called "box
or hollow wheels can be used. The suction and force pipes may be constructed
from suitable trough-shaped iron girders rivetted together, and to the bottom of
the vessel, and, by means of a second bottom attached to them, and enclosing
them, they may also serve as longitudinal beams for the frame of the hull, and
impart additional stiffness thereto, and consequent protection against breakage
from lateral strains.
Such a cylindrical pump employed as the motor apparatus for vessels, is also

page_text: capable of acting as a steering gear in the highest possible sense, and a special
steering gear may be dispensed with.
If the water be forced by the operation of the pumps into the force pipes b,
and expelled, say, from the left-hand branch at the front of the vessel, and from
the right-hand at the rear by suitably manipulating the valves d, a reaction is set
up between the out-rushing water and the body of water surrounding the outlets
of the pipes 61, and the vessel, by reason of the action of the two forces, is
rotated about its middle point or centre of gravity.
By suitable control of the valves governing the outlets, any desired direction
may be imparted to the vessel, and the apparatus may be so operated,
that the ship may remain stationary with respect to its advance, and
turn about its centre, an advantage hitherto impossible with existing
means of propulsion, and which, under certain circumstances, is of considerable
value.
By reversing the direction of rotation of the pairs of cylinders, the vessel will
naturally swing round in the opposite direction. Safety devices may also be
applied to this class of apparatus; for instance, it might happen that the rear valves
of the force pipes b remained closed, and the water pumped into the pipes be unable
to escape.
To prevent this, spring-pressed valves e may be provided in the
pipes b, close to the pumps, which valves will yield to the pressure of the water,
and allow it to escape.
As above mentioned, the depression of the stern of the ship into the trough of
the water is, by this novel propelling apparatus, rendered an impossibility, as the
water which is forced by the forward pumps and sucked down by the rear pumps,
all goes to fill up the depression caused by the displacement of the vessel. This
is of special advantage for vessels in preventing their running aground, as it
will be readily seen that when a vessel is down by the stern, the bows will much
more readily run up a sand-bank or a bar than if this inclination of the hull were
not present. If the vessel should run upon a sand-bank, the force pipes only
would probably be damaged, which mishap would not be so serious as being per-
manently stuck fast.
The arrangement of the pairs of cylinders may also be further varied in such
manner that a considerable number of them may be assembled in the form of a
circular group, engaging each other, either in front only, or behind only, or
both behind and in front of the vessel.
Furthermore, the construction of the cylinders may be so modified that within
the periphery of the same upon which are the blades," and which encloses a hollow
space, there is a special ships' screw employed, which screw intensifies the effect
of the action, and sucks up the water in front, and exhausts it behind through a
special system of tubes.
Further, in a ship provided with the new devices, and which has its main deck
shut off from the other decks, which latter decks can be connected in some suitable
way with the force pipes, the vessel may, in the event of a collision, by working
the pumps, be kept afloat for days together, without sinking provided it is kept
stationary. The advantages gained by fitting ships with this novel means of
propulsion, have not by a long way been herein fully described; for example,
the whole structure of vessels may be improved, as regards freight-carrying capa-
city, etc., and it is not improbable that a new era may arise in ship building.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. Means for overcoming the resistance offered to the passage of vessels in
motion, characterised by the employment of apparatus similar to a rotary pump,
situate either at the bows alone, or at both bows and stern of a vessel, which
means operate, on the one hand, to force on one side the masses of water which
hinder the progress of the vessel, and form, so to speak, a trough or lane in the

page_text: water for the vessel to travel in, and, on the other hand, to sweep away the
accumulated masses of water toward the rear of the vessel, there to fill up the
depression in the surface of the water caused by the motion of the vessel's hull.
2. A form of construction of the device claimed in Claim 1, characterised by
the arrangement of helical screw gear at both the front and rear of the vessel,
the bladed rotating drums of which are left uncovered, for the greater portion of
their periphery, by their casing, and, according to their direction of rotation, set
up a dividing, sucking, and rowing action upon the water lying within their
sphere of action, in such manner that each action shall tend to the propelling
forward of the vessel.
Datod this 2nd day of March 1800