IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF PROPELLING SHIPS AND OTHER FLOATING VESSELS
Year: 1852

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Donald Beatson, of Mile End, in the County
of Middlesex, and Thomas Hill, of Southampton, for the In-
vention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF PROPELLING SHIPS AND
OTHER FLOATING VESSELS."
Sealed the 8th June 1853, and dated the 8th December 1852.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Donald Beatson
and Thomas Hill at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 8th December 1852.
We, DONALD BEATSON, of Mile End, in the County of Middlesex,
& THOMAS HILL, of Southampton, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF PROPELLING
SHIPS AND OTHER FLOATING VESSELS" to be as follows:
This Invention consists of a flange being fixed upon the end of
the fans or blades of screw propellers now in use, or of casting or
making others with the flange in one piece. This flange'is so placed,
that the water received upon the face of the blades is, to a very
great extent, prevented from being thrown off, but is forced from
the blades in nearly a parallel direction with the shaft; consequently
giving an increase of power.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Donald Beatson and Thomas Hill in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 8th June 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, wc,
DONALD BEATSON, of Mile End, in the County of Middlesex, and
THOMAS HILL, of Southampton, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her inost Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of December, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, in
the sixteenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto-us; the said Donald Beatson and
Thomas Hill, Her special licence that we, the said Donald Beatson
and Thomas Hill, our executors, adininistrators, and assigns, or
such others as we, the said Donald Beatson and Thomas Hill,
our executors, adininistrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed; should and lawfully iniglit
nake, use, exercise, and vend,-within the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF PROPELLING SHIPS AND
OTHER FLOATING VESSELS," upon the condition (amongst others) that
we, the said Donald Beatson and Thomas Hill, by an instrument in
writing under our hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the
Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and im-
inediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Hill, for myself and
on behalf of the said Donald Beatson, do hereby declare the nature
of our said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement (that is to say):
Our Invention relates to screw propellers, and consists of blades
or fans with flanged ends, which flanges may be either formed with

page_text: the said blades or fans in one piece, or they may be made separately,
and attached to the said blades or fans. Our Invention also includes
the applying the said flanges to screw propellers similar in form or
action to those now in use, the form of the flange being varied as
the shape of the end of the blade may require. We make or con-
struct the said flange, or apply the same as aforesaid, in a curved
line, so that the flange is at an equal perpendicular distance from
the centre of the shaft throughout. We form or affix the said
flange so as to project from the blade on the face thereof, such pro-
jection being greater at or near one end (or at or about the centre).
The object to be obtained by, and the purpose for which we con-
struct the said flanged blade, or apply the said flange, is for the
preventing or lessening the slip of the water, and increasing the
propelling power. We do not, however, confine ourselves to make,
fix, or apply the flange at any particular angle with the face of the
blade, neither do we confine ourselves to the curved form above
mentioned, as the angle or curve may be varied without departing
from the principle of this our said Invention. All modifications of
the aforesaid flange, applied for the purpose herein-before mentioned,
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Hill, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Seventh day of June, A.D. 1853.
THOMAS HILL T