Improvements in Steam Ships and Propelling Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 29th July, 1898-Accepted, 10th June, 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Steam Ships and Propelling Apparatus therefor.
I, CHARLES STERNER, Hatter, of Wheatland Avenue, Orang Valley, in the
State of New Jersey, 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:-
This invention relates to improvements in steam ships and propelling apparatus;
the object thereof being to utilize the maximum force of the water beneath the
boat, whereby the speed of the vessel is increased and maintained, without the
necessity of increasing the power of the engines. Thus producing an economical
and practicable structure adapted for the requirements of vessels of all sizes and
descriptions.
The invention will be hereinafter fully described and specifically set forth in
the annexed description and claims.
In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is
a longitudinal elevation of my improved vessel, having the front or bow portion
thereof broken away. Figure 2 is an inverted plan view of the bow of the boat.
Figure 3 is a front view thereof. Figure 4 is a cross sectional elevation taken on
a line a― of Figure 1, and Figure 5 is a similar view illustrating a modification.
In the practice of my invention, the hull A is provided with a longitudinal
groove A¹ extending from the stern to a point near the bow of the boat, where it
terminates rearwardly of the plough B, which is extended from the bow of the
boat below the bottom line thereof. Located beneath the arched groove A', is a
preferably hollow longitudinal shaft C, which has a propeller D mounted thereon.
This said propeller comprises a continuous worm D₁, and a series of blades D²,
the said blades being set at a greater pitch than the angle of the worm D¹. These
blades form an integral part of the worm, and they are welded to collars d, which
are secured rigidly to the shaft C by any suitable means. In the drawings the
worm is illustrated as being composed of a plurality of sections joined together
by means of rivets d', but I do not confine myself to any specific method of con-
struction. The shaft C is suspended by means of a hanger E, located beneath the
stern of the boat and a box E located back of the bow. The hollow shaft being
connected to solid sections e and e¹, the section e being journaled through a boxe²
of the hanger E, and the section e¹ being journaled through the box E.
The shaft section e has a sprocket wheel F secured to its forward end. This
said sprocket wheel communicates with a driving sprocket G, by means of a chain F',
whereby rotary motion is communicated to the shaft C and its connected propeller
by means of the crank shaft H, of the motor I. This said motor may be of any
suitable or adapted form, but in the drawings a simple steam engine is illustrated,
and a furnace and boiler J located amidships supplies the primary force.
In the operation and use of the device rotary motion being given to the pro-
peller, causes the vessel to move in a forward direction, whereby the plough B
cuts the water and throws it back beneath the vessel within the arched groove A¹,
where the propeller takes it up and utilizes its force until it finally leaves the groove
at the stern of the boat. In this operation, the blades D³ perform the initial work,

page_text: and the worm D¹ takes up the water after it leaves the blade and greatly assists
in propelling the boat whereby the same can be made to travel at a high rate of
speed.
I do not confine myself to the specific construction nor proportions of the pro-
peller as illustrated in the drawings, for it is obvious that under the scope of my
invention, I am entitled to structural variations; for instance, I may use either
more or less blades than are illustrated in the drawings, and the pitch of the worm
may be changed if desired. Also a plurality of propellers D³ and grooves A³
may be employed for large vessels, as illustrated by Figure 5 of the drawings,
the propellers being mounted on parallel shafts C, hung at the rear ends by
means of a hanger E.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is;-
1. A ship or other like vessel having a plough extended downwardly from
its bow below the bottom line of the vessel, the bottom of the vessel being grooved
longitudinally to contain propelling apparatus, substantially as shown and de-
scribed.
2. In a ship the combination of a hull having a longitudinally grooved bottom,
and a downwardly extended plough forming part of the bow thereof, with pro-
pelling apparatus operating beneath the said grooved bottom, and means for
rotating said propelling apparatus, substantially as shown and described.
3. In a ship the combination of a hull having a longitudinally grooved bottom,
and a plough extended downwardly from and forming part of its bow, with pro-
pelling apparatus comprising worms and blades located beneath said grooved
bottom, and a motor for rotating the propelling apparatus, substantially as shown
and described.
4. The combination with a ship having a groove in the bottom thereof and a
plough projected from the bow thereof below the bottom line of the ship, of a
propeller comprising a hollow shaft, a continuous worm and a series of blades,
and a motor for rotating the said propeller, substantially as shown and described.
Dated this 29th day of July 1898
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents.