Improvements in and relating to the Propulsion and Manoeuvring of Vessels.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Dec., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 28th Aug., 1897-Accepted, 16th Oct., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to the Propulsion and Manoeuvring
of Vessels.
I, CONRAD ODINET, Manufacturer, of 257, West 116th Street, New York City,
County and State of New York, United States of America, do hereby declare the
nature of this Invention to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to improvements in vessels and more particularly to the
construction of a propelling device.. The object of the Invention is to so shape the
bottom of the vessel's hull and to so locate a series of propellers at that point that a
maximum of speed will be obtained without employing much more power than at
present and whereby the vessel will be able to turn as upon a pivot, the propellers
being capable of acting substantially as a rudder when necessary. A further object
of the Invention is to thoroughly ballast the vessel at the lowest possible point and
add stability to the hull and provide a means whereby the propellers will be
constantly in the water, working just as well in rough as in calm weather, the
propellers being likewise protected from shot or shell and adapted to vessels of any
tonnage. A further object of the Invention is to supply a brake in connection with
the propelling device whereby the vessel may be stopped quickly.
According to this Invention a housing is erected in the central portion of the
bottom of the hull extending from stem to stern and a preferably central keel is laid
longitudinally along the bottom of the housing the bow end of the keel forming a
portion of the cut-water. A channel is thus formed at each side of the keel in each
of which is mounted a shaft provided with a number of propeller blades, in addition
to which the ordinary stern propeller may be used. The propeller shafts may be
driven by any suitable means and either by steam or electricity. Near the forward
end of each channel, a gate is hinged close to the keel, said gates being attached to
shafts which extend upward through the housing and are provided at their upper
ends with handles or levers in order that the gates which are normally folded along
the keel inay be made to extend across the channels and by affording resistance to
the forward movement of the vessel check its progress or entirely stop said vessel.
Dated this 15th day of December 1896.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53 Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to the Propulsion and Manoeuvring
of Vessels.
I, CONRAD ODINET, Manufacturer, of 257, West 116th Street, New York City, in
5 the County and State of New York, United States of America, 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:-

page_text: My Invention relates to improvements in vessels and more particularly to the
construction of a propelling device.
The object of the Invention is to so shape the bottom of the vessel's hull and to so
locate a series of propellers at that point that a maximum of speed will be obtained
without employing much more power than at present and whereby the vessel will be
able to turn as upon a pivot, the propellers being capable of acting substantially as
a rudder when necessary. A further object of the Invention is to thoroughly ballast
the vessel at the lowest possible point and add stability to the hull and provide a
means whereby the propellers will be constantly in the water, working just as well in
rough as in calm weather, the propellers being likewise protected from shot or shell
and adapted to vessels of any tonnage. A further object of the Invention is to supply
a brake in connection with the propelling device whereby the vessel may be stopped
quickly.
The Invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several
parts as will be hereinafter fully set forth and pointed out in the claims.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
Specification in which
Figure 1 is a transverse section through a hull of a vessel, the section being
taken on the line 1-1 of Figure 2.
Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the hull of a vessel; and
Figure 3 is a partial side elevation of the forward bottom portion of the hull.
Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.
In carrying out the Invention, a housing B is erected in the central portion of the
bottom of the hull extending from stem to stern and a keel 10 is laid longitudinally
along the bottom face of this housing, preferably at a central point; the keel extends
from the stern and its forward end is carried to the bow, forming a portion of the
cut-water, as illustrated in Figure 3. The keel extends a pre-determined distance
below the bottom horizontal line of the hull and a channel 11 is consequently formed
at each side of the keel. In each channel a shaft 12 is mounted to revolve in
suitable bearings and the shafts are nearly as long as the channels, each shaft being
provided with a pre-determined number of propeller blades 13 and in addition to
these bottom propeller blades the ordinary stern propeller 14 may be employed, if
desired. The shafts 12 may be driven in any approved manner and steam or
electricity may be the motive power. In the drawings each shaft is shewn as
provided with a bevelled gear 15 and these gears mesh with similar gears 16
secured upon shafts 17 extending upwards a pre-determined distance in the hull,
preferably to a point above the lower deck. Each vertical shaft has a gear 18
secured to its upper end, the gears being of equal diameter and in mesh, one of
the said gears being driven by a smaller gear 19 located on the power shaft 20.
Near the forward end of each channel 11 a gate 21 is hinged close to the keel, as
shewn in Figure 2, said gates being attached to shafts 22 which extend upwards
through the housing B and are provided at their upper ends with handles 23, or
levers may be attached to these shafts, in order that the gates which are normally
folded along the keel (as shewn in positive lines in Figure 2) may be made to
extend across the channels (as shown in dotted lines in the said figure) and by
affording resistance to the forward movement of the vessel check its progress or
entirely stop said vessel.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A propelling mechanism for marine vessels substantially as herein shewn and
described.
2. In the construction of the hulls of vessels, a channel formed in the bottom of
the same at each side of the keel, propeller shafts located in the said channels, and
means for driving the said shafts substantially as and for the purpose specified.
3. In the construction of hulls of vassels, a housing constructed longitudinall

page_text: within the hull at the central portion of its bottom the said housing being open to
receive the water, a keel laid along the central portion of the under face of the said
housing forming two channels, a propeller shaft located in each channel, and a series
of propeliers secured upon each shaft as and for the purpose specified.
4. In the construction of the hulls of vessels, a housing erected longitudinally in
the central portion of the hull forming a depression in the said bottom of
substantially rectangular shape in cross-section, a keel laid centrally along the under
face of the said housing dividing the depression into two longitudinal channels, gates
located in each channel operated from the interior of the hull, propeller shafts
journalled in each channel extending substantially the length of the same, propellers
secured to the shafts, and a rudder located within the vessel's hull being in direct
connection with the propeller shafts as and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 90th dox of August 1807
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53 Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53 Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.