IMPROVED MECHANISM OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE PROPULSION OF VESSELS
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Williams, of the Limes, Leytonstone, in
the County of Essex, for the Invention of "IMPROVED MECHANISM
OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE PROPULSION OF VESSELS."
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Charles Williams at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 26th November 1873, pursuant to the 9th
Section of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
WILLIAMS, of the Limes, Leytonstone, in the County of Essex, send
greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVED
MECHANISM OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE PROPULSION OF. VESSELS," and have
petitioned Her Majesty to grant unto me, my executors, administrators,

page_text: and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent for the same, and have made
solemn Declaration that I am the true and first Inventor thereof.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Charles Williams, do hereby declare
that the following Complete Specification under my hand and seal, fully
describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed in and by the following statement :-
This Invention consists in an improved propeller for ships or vessels
which I term the cycloimatic-hydro-dynamic or water column propeller
constructed in the following manner :-I construct two cylinders closed
at their ends, one of these cylinders part revolving within the other, the 1
one end of the outer cylinder is made to be removed, or both.
The inner cylinder moves loose on an eccentric or crank on the main
shaft of the engine or driving power, hence has imparted to it an
eccentric and continuous rolling and cycloidal action round the inner
periphery of the outer cylinder, which it always touches at one line of
such inner periphery.
The outer cylinder has two openings one of which I term the outlet,
the other the inlet, and between these two openings I have what I term
a stop which is connected to the inner cylinder and slides up and down
a groove formed for the purpose in the shell and cover of the outer:
cylinder, such stop cutting off the inlet from the outlet sides of the said
outside cylinder. The said inner cylinder is of peculiar form as will be
hereafter explained.
The action of the propeller is as follows:-Water or other fluid being
conveyed through the inlet enters between the two cylinders, and the
inner cylinder being kept revolving by means of the driving power,
which may be steam, air, or gas engine, electricity, or other suitable
motor, the before-mentioned stop diverts the flow of water and the water
is driven round the inner and within the outer cylinder, and the accumu-
lated power is thereby imparted to it, and by the time the water or fluid
reaches the outlet situate on the other side of the said stop, the water I
have found will issue from the outlet with a force imparted to it by the
arrangement equal to a leverage which has half the outer periphery of
the inner cylinder as its length, and by continued action the stream of
water issues. through the outlet and is conveyed by suitable pipes with

page_text: which such vessel floats, and by its dynamic force and reaction thereof
propels the ship or vessel.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, I will by the aid
of the accompanying Drawings proceed to more fully and particularly
describe and ascertain the nature and object of the said Invention, and
the manner in which I carry my Invention into practical effort
Fig. 9, view of slide or stop showing how the outward clasticity under
various pressures is secured by a minimum of friction...
Fig. 10 is an end view of a modified form of slide stop, which I
generally use for large size of propeller or cycloimatic.
Fig. 11, rings or discs showing how the openings in same are cut.
In Figs. 1 and 2 A represents the cylinders of steam or other driving
power; B represents the piston rods secured on the main shaft C of the
engine; to the other ends of such piston rods are secured the pistons
working in the cylinders, as in an ordinary steam engine. The main
shaft C runs through the propellers or cycloimatics D and actuates the
inner cylinder in the cycloimatic, as will be hereafter more fully
explained. E represents the platform on which the whole machinery is
supported; F represents the pipes or ducts for conveying the water into
the inlet of my propeller, and issues out at the stern of the ship or other

page_text: part, as desired, through the pipes or ducts G. These pipes F and G
I prefer should be provided with Kingston or other valves or sluices, and
if necessary may be fitted with gratings. The column of water entering
at the fore end or other part of the ship or vessel is conveyed through
said pipes F to the inlet of the propeller or cycloimatic D, and after
being acted upon in the cylinder of the propeller is forced out through
the outlet with an accumulated force, and conveyed through the outlet
pipe G to the stern or other part of the ship or vessel with the force
necessary for the propulsion of the ship or vessel, such accumulated
force acting as circumstances in the different vessels admit against the
most solid part of water in which the vessel floats; but to understand
more clearly the action of my improved propeller or cycloimatic whereby
the power is given out to propel the ship or vessel, reference should be
made to Figs. 3 and 4. In these Figs. 3 and 4, a represents the external
cylinder of my improved propeller or cycloimatic, 6 is the main shaft of
the engine or driving power to which is keyed or secured an eccentric c,
(or to which is fitted a crank). The inner cylinder d composed of a
solid ring of metal, and moving loose with the rings c³ on such eccentric
'c (or crank) has an eccentric action, as is clearly shown in Fig. 3.
Running loose on this part c is the inner cylinder above mentioned
(shown separate in Fig. 7) such cylinder being formed with recesses (as
shown) into which fit rings or discs e split down their whole length as
shown; g is the sliding link or stop which is connected to the inner
cylinder d by means of a knuckle joint, and slides up and down in the
grooves ; F is the inlet in the outer cylinder, and G the outlet, or F and
may be reversed by reverse action of motor.
G
The action of the propeller or cycloimatic is as follows:-The column
of water from the fore end (for forward motion of the ship or vessel) is
conveyed through the pipes (shown in Figs. 1 and 2), and enter the
cycloimatics through the inlet. The engine or driving power in the
meantime is kept revolving, and consequently the internal arrangements
of my propeller are kept in revolution. The water entering the inlet is
prevented by means of the stop or sliding link g from going direct
through the outlet, and is thereby driven round the internal surface of
the outer cylinder until it arrives at the outlet, and the water by means
of the pressure exerted upon it issues out through the outlet G with a
force greatly in excess to that of its entrance into the cylinder. But in

page_text: order to obtain that force necessary for the propulsion of the vessel with-
out waste of power, the arrangement of the mechanism is of peculiar
construction and form. The internal mechanism is shown in Figs 3
and 4.
The part keyed to the main shaft 6 of the engine or motor (which may
also be shaped as a crank) revolves as will be seen but the inner cylinder
d being loose. will not revolve but move with an oscillating part rolling
motion. The stop or sliding link g being attached to said inner cylinder
will be actuated and have a reciprocating motion up and down the slot as
in the ordinary piston rod of a steam engine. The rings or discs e are
held in the circular grooves formed in the inner cylinder. As the
internal mechanism revolves and oscillates, the eccentric action forces or
moves successively outwards the outer periphery of the inner cylinder
which does not touch the internal surface of the outer cylinder, but only
the split rings or discs e touch the internal surface of the outer cylinder,
and the pressure of the water on the internal surface of the split rings or
discs is such that the force is always slightly in excess to that of the
water in the outer cylinder, and by this means the revolution of the
internal mechanism is secured water-tight, and the said rings are held
as much as possible in equilibrium, the whole giving a minimum of
friction. This slight excess of pressure on the internal surface of the
rings is secured by having them split as shown, and made elastic out-
wards, allowing the water with its accumulated force to enter and pass
freely. The sliding link or stop is also made with slots or slits (as will
be seen by referring to the Drawings) which accomplish a like purpose
as the rings or discs, and give the necessary elasticity to meet the
different pressures of the water. The inside of the cylinders is by pre-
ference to be grooved and wood or lignum vitae let into said grooves
forming in the inner one a bearing on to the eccentric, and in the outer
one a bearing for the split discs; also the bearing for the shaft passing
through or into the cylinder ends as in Fig. 5; also wood linings may be
used (by grooves) in grooves wherein the discs or rings in cylinder
travel. The entrance and exit of the shaft into cyclomatics to be pro-
vided with boxes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature and

page_text: described Invention of "Improved Mechanism or Arrangements for the
Propulsion of Vessels," as the same is herein-before described and illus-
trated by the Drawings, it being understood that I do not bind myself to
use the exact details shown and described, as they may be varied without
departing from the principle of my Invention.
In, witness whereof, I, the said Charles Williams, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of November, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
three.
Witness,
C. PALMER,
CHARLES WILLIAMS: (L.S.)
Inventors' Patent Right Association, Lª.,
21, Cockspur Street.