Improved Means and Apparatus for Propelling Boats and other Vessels.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Feb., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 25th Oct., 1890-Accepted, 29th Nov., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means and Apparatus for Propelling Boats and other
Vessels.
I, GUSTAVE WAUTERS of Grimberghen. Vilvorde Proprietor Belgium do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improved means and apparatus of propulsion for boats and
other vessels which consists in applying to each side of the vessel a set of reciprocating
propeller blades, so arranged as to offer large surfaces exercising a propelling action
for the propelling stroke but which offer a minimum amount of surface, and con-
sequently of resistance to propulsion during the return stroke, which is also performed
under water. This result is obtained by the use of articulated or pivotted blades, the
pivots being so arranged that the blades can turn from a position at or about right
angles to the direction of propulsion which they assume during the propelling stroke,
to a position parallel thereto, which they assume during the return stroke.
The accompanying drawings shew by way of example some arrangements of the
propelling apparatus by which my invention can be carried out.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a boat shewing a perspective view of the propelling
blades.
Fig. 2 is a plan shewing part of the propelling blades in the active or propelling
position, and the other part in the position for the return stroke.
Fig. 3 shews a plan of a boat with the propelling blades in the extreme backward
position ready to commence the propelling stroke.
Fig. 4 shews the same view with the blades in the act of performing the propelling
stroke.
Fig. 5 shews an elevation and plan of the mechanism for effecting a change of the
direction of motion.
From these drawings the action of the propeller mechanism will be readily
understood.
Each propeller is by preference constructed of an open rectangular framing C in
which are pivoted the blades P, which may be two or more in number, and the one
side of each of which is provided with pivots turning in the framing while the other
side is free and bears against stops t fixed in the framing at any desired point. It will
be readily seen that if the frame be turned in the direction in which the stops are
covered by the blades P, these will be pressed against such stops and will consequently
offer a rigid surface acting against the water in the direction in which the frame is
being turned and consequently will effect the propulsion of the boat, while if the frame
is turned in the contrary direction, the blades, not being held by the stops, will turn on
their pivots in passing through the water and in opening out will only present their edges
to the current; and as the frame also only presents its edges, it will be seen that
only a comparatively slight resistance to the forward motion of the boat will be offered
by the propeller during the return stroke.
Any suitable number of such frames with their swivelling blades are hinged to each
side of the boat, with their free outer sides connected together at top and bottom by
pivotted connecting bars B, as shewn, and a reciprocating motion is imparted to both
sets simultaneously by any suitable driving mechanism. In the arrangement shewn
on the drawings the motion is imparted by means of toothed gearing E on vertical
spindles carried in bearings on the gunwales of the boat to which gearing a recipro-
cating rotary motion is imparted by means of crank handles M, worked by the person
or persons in the boat in the same way as oars are worked. The toothed wheel E
gears with a pinion p fixed on the upper pivot of one of the frames C, so that a to and
fro movement imparted to this frame, and consequently also to all the other frames,

page_text: corresponding to the movement of the crank handles. For larger vessels the actuating
mechanism will of course require to be modified so as to afford the requisite propelling
power, and a variety of well known arrangements may be adopted for this purpose,
such actuating mechanism forming no part of my present invention.
If it is desired to propel the boat astern instead of ahead, it will be evident that
means must be provided for holding the blades in the propeliing position in the frame
during the return stroke, that is to say, to bring stops to bear on the opposite side to
that on which the stops t bear for the forward propulsion. For this purpose the stops t
are fixed to rods t¹ sliding in the frame C and having rack teeth at their ends engaging
with toothed wheels E', which also gear with racks so that on moving these and
with them the wheels E by means of levers L L' the rods t' can be shifted so as to
bring the stops t opposite notches in the blades, so that these can move past the stops;
upon then sliding these back into their original position, it will be seen that the blades
will be held thereby in the propelling position during the return motion of the propeller,
and will swing free during the forward propelling stroke, so that the boat will now be
propelled astern.
It will be seen that with the above described mode of propulsion, the rower is made
to face in the direction in which he propels the boats, and not with his back to such
direction as in ordinary rowing; and he is enabled to work the rudder by means of
pedals worked by the feet.
As the set of propellers on one side of the boat are capable of being actuated
independently of that on the other side, it will be seen that the bcat can be manœuvred
as easily as with rudders, and that the forward motion of the boat can be readily
arrested by holding the propellers in a more or less extended position.
Dated this 21st day of February 1890.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means and Apparatus for Propelling Boats and other
Vessels.
1, GUSTAVE WAUTERS, of Grimberghen, Vilvorde, Belgium, 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 improved means and apparatus of propulsion for boats and
other vessels which consists in applying to each side of the vessel a set of recipro-
cating propeller blades, so arranged as to offer large surfaces exercising a propelling
action in the one stroke but offering a minimum amount of surface and consequently
of resistance to propulsion during the return stroke, which is also performed under
water.
This result is obtained by the use of articulated or pivotted blades, the pivots
being so arranged that the blades can turn from a position at or about right angles to
the direction of propulsion which they assume during the propelling stroke, to a position
parallel thereto, which they assume during the return stroke.
The drawings accompanying the Provisional Specification show, by way of example,
some arrangements of the propelling apparatus by which my invention can be
carried out.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a boat shewing a perspective view of the propelling
blades.
Fig. 2 is a plan shewing part of the propelling blades in the active or propelling
position, and the other part in the position for the return stroke.
Fig. 3 shews a plan of a boat with the propelling blades in the extreme backward
position ready to commence the propelling stroke.
Fig. 4 shews the same view with the blades in the act of performing the propelling
stroke...

page_text: Fig. 5 shews an elevation and plan of the mechanism for effecting a change of the
direction of motion.
From these drawings the action of the propeller mechanism will be readily
understood.
Each propeller is by preference constructed of an open rectangular framing C
in which are pivotted the blades P, which may be two or more in number, the one
side of each being provided with pivots turning in the framing while the other side is
free and bears against stops t fixed in the framing at any desired point. It will be
readily seen that if the frame be turned in the direction in which the stops are covered.
by the blades P, these will be pressed against the stops and will consequently offer a
rigid surface acting against the water in the direction in which the frame is being
turned, and consequently will effect the propulsion of the boat, while if the frame is
turned in the contrary direction, the blades not being held by stops, will turn on their
pivots in passing through the water and in opening out will only present their edges
to the water, and as the frame also only presents its edges, it will be seen that only a
comparatively slight resistance to the forward motion of the boat will be offered by
the propeller during the return stroke.
Any suitable number of such frames with their swivelling blades are Linged to each
side of the boat, with their free outer sides connected together at top and bottom by
pivotted connecting bars B, as shewn, and a reciprocating motion is imparted to both
sets simultaneously by any suitable driving mechanism.
In the arrangement shewn on the drawings, the motion is imparted by means of
toothed gearing E on vertical spindles carried in bearings on the gunwale of the boat,
to which gearing a reciprocating rotary motion is imparted by means of crank handles M
worked by the person or persons in the boat in the same way as ours are worked. The
toothed wheel E gears with a pinion p fixed on the upper pivot of one of the frames C,
so that a to and fro movement is imparted to this frame, and consequently also to all
the other frames, corresponding to the movement of the crank handles. For larger
vessels the actuating mechanism will of course require to be modified so as to afford
the requisite propelling power, and a variety of well known arrangements may be
adopted for this purpose, such actuating mechanism forming no part of my present
invention.
If it is desired to propel the boat astern instead of ahead, means have to be provided
for holding the blades in the propelling position in the frame during the return stroke,
that is to say, to bring stops to bear on the opposite side to that on which the stops t
bear for forward propulsion. For this purpose the stops t are fixed to rods t sliding in
the frame Cand having rack teeth at their ends engaging with toothed wheels E', which
also gear with racks (so that on moving these and with them the wheels E by means
of levers LL, the rods t can be shifted so as to bring the shaft t opposite notches in
the blades, which can then move past the stops. Then on sliding the stops back to
their original position, the blades will be held in position to propel during the return
stroke, swinging free during the forward stroke, so that the boat will now be propelled
astern.
It will be seen that with the above described mode of propulsion, the rower faces
in the direction in which he propels the boat, and not with his back to that direction
as in ordinary rowing, and he is enabled to work the rudder by means of pedals worked
by the feet.
As the propellers on the one side of the boat can be actuated independently of those
on the other side, the boat can be manoeuvred as easily as with oars, and the forward
motion of the boat can be readily arrested by holding the propellers in middle position,
in which they offer resistance equivalent to their propelling power.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is :-
1. The means of propelling vessels consisting in the arrangement at the sides
thereof, below the water line, of blades pivotted in frames to which a circular to and

page_text: fro motion is imparted by suitable mechanism, and which are so arranged that when
moving in the one direction the blades present large surface to exercise strong pressure
upon the water, and when moving in the contrary direction the blades yield to. the
water, offering little resistance in the return stroke, substantially as herein described. :
2. For propelling vessels in the manner above referred to, the arrangement of
pivotted reciprocating frames (in which are pivotted plates or blades P bearing
during one direction of their motion upon stops t which are so arranged and actuated
that they can be brought from the one side of the blades to the other, according
to the direction in which the vessel is to be propelled, substantially as herein
described.
Dated thia 25th dor of October 1800
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.