Improvements in or connected with Electrically Propelled Controlled Vessels, and or We
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Feb., 1899-Accepted, 17th June, 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Electrically Propelled
Controlled Vessels,
and
or
We, RICHARD BENJAMIN PAINTON, of 1323, Pennsylvania Avenue, Williams-
port, in the County of Lycoming, and State of Pennsylvania, United States of
America, Inventor, and WILLIAM HERBERT BAINBRIDGE, of 16, Ashburn Road,
Highburth, Liverpool, England, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be par-
ticularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to ships, and more particularly to ship propulsion, and
the main and primary object of the invention is to provide an improved system
of marine propulsion especially adapted for naval ships such as cruisers, battle-
ships and torpedo boats, and which is also well adapted for use for fast passenger
and freight vessels.
The present invention contemplates primarily a system of propulsion for ships
involving the substitution of electricity as a motive power in place of steam,
thereby dispensing with the numerous and heavy steam engines usually employed
in large ships so as to secure great economy in space, and also lightening the ship
and rendering it possible to utilize a greater number of propellers to secure a
maximum speed for the power expended.
A further object of the invention is to obviate the many disadvantages to the
long ponderous propeller shafting forming a part of the propelling mechanism
of steam war vessels and other large steam ships, such shafting ordinarily extend-
ing a great length into the body of the ship, so as to be coupled with the engines,
and weighing many tons. This heavy shafting not only greatly increases the
weight of the vessel, but requires an excessive amount of power to operate the
same, besides requiring many heavy braces and bearings for supporting the
same at different points between the engines and propellers. The present invention
entirely dispenses with the use of these long propeller shafts and provides means
whereby propeller shafts of a minimum length may be employed, thereby render-
ing it possible to use a greater number of propellers, while at the same time
involving a great saving in power and in fuel. In this connection, the invention
also provides a separate electric motor for each propeller shaft, which motors are
lighter, smaller, and equally as effective as a steam engine, and possess the
further advantage of being readily controlled from a single switch board, whereby
any one propeller may be manipulated or controlled independently of the others.
or any number of propellers made to act in unison, so that the ship may be under
perfect control.
A further important object of the invention is to provide a new and useful

page_text: form of propeller for each propeller shaft, which propellers entirely dispose of the
back-water and surge, while at the same time completely balance and buoy the ship
so as to facilitate the speedy passage of the same through the water.
Another object of the invention is to provide the ship with an improved rudder-
controlling mechanism operated entirely by electricity, and in carrying out this
object of the invention, the latter contemplates simple and improved means of
applying electrical power to the rudder of a ship, whereby space and weight may
be greatly economized, and by a suitable system of wiring to switch boards at
desirable points throughout the ship, the rudder may be accurately and quickly
controlled.
With these and other objects in view, which will readily appear as the nature
of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction,
combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illu-
strated and claimed.
In the drawings:
Figure 1 is a side view of a ship embodying the improvements contemplated by
this invention.
Figure 2 is a bottom diagrammatic view of the ship on a line of section including
the propeller shafts.
Figure 3 is a detail in perspective of one of the propeller shafts and the pair
of screw propellers carried thereby.
Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the construction illustrated in
Figure 5.
Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3 showing a pair of screw propellers with
inverted blades, and especially designed for use at the bow of the ship for rotation
in an inward direction toward the hull.
Figure 6 is a diagrammatic sectional view of the stern of the ship or vessel,
showing the rudder equipped with the controlling-mechanism contemplated by
this invention, and also showing, in diagram, the switch board circuit for reversing
the direction of the current in the leads for the electric motor.
Figure 7 is a sectional view on the line 7-7 of Figure 6.
Referring to the accompanying drawings, the numeral 1 designates the hull of
the ship, which is constructed on lines to present the least possible resistance to
the water, and thereby insure its rapid propulsion through the medium of the
propelling mechanism contemplated by the present invention. To insure a
successful operation of the propelling mechanism, it is preferable that the hull 1
of the ship be tapered at the prow and stern ends thereof, and also made full at the
water-line, but will, of course be understood, that the specific lines of the ship's
hull may be left to the discretion of the ship builder, in adapting the same for use
in connection with the peculiarly arranged system of propellers which are employed
to propel the ship through the water.
The present invention involves the use of a plurality of short propeller shafts 4,
which project through the hull and may be properly described as having a dis-
position longitudinally of the hull, although some of the propeller shafts neces-
sarily have a greater obliquity than others, according to the distance of the same
from the vertical centre of the hull. While the invention preferably contem-
plates the employment of a large number of the short propeller shafts 4, it is
essential to the proper propulsion of the ship or vessel that a pair of said shafts 4
be arranged respectively at the front and rear ends of the hull. Since it is neces-
sary that a pair of the short propeller shafts 4 be arranged respectively at the front
and rear ends of the hull, I shall now proceed to describe the propelling
mechanism, with special reference to these front and rear pairs of the shafts, and
will then make further reference to the other propeller shafts which act in an
auxiliary or supplemental capacity with reference to said front and rear shafts.
The propeller shafts 4 are disposed in a direction longitudinally of the hull and
are preferably braced by means of exterior brace bearings 5, fitted to the exterior
of the hull and receiving the shafts 4 directly adjacent to the point where they

page_text: enter the hull, and said shafts are only of a sufficient length to enter the hull
and be directly coupled at their inner ends, by means of any suitable coupling
designed for the purpose, to one extremity of the armature shaft, of an electric
motor 6, it being understood that there is one electric motor for each of the
propeller shafts. By reason of coupling the inner end of each propeller shaft with
the rotary shaft of an electric motor, the propeller shafts practically form exten-
sions of the motor shafts and receive their power directly from the motor without
the interposition of gears, cranks or other intermediate connections, thereby
entirely obviating lost motion, while at the same time the movements of the ship
cannot affect the free and unimpeded rotation of the shafts by their motors.
The electric motors 6, are of course specially constructed according to the power
required and so as to be adapted for the particular space where they are arranged
within the hull of the ship at the front and rear thereof, and at this point it will
be observed that the arrangement of the propeller shafts and the manner of con-
necting the same with said motors entirely dispenses with the long ponderous
propeller shafting now commonly employed in ships, while at the same time the
location of the short propeller shafts and their motors at opposite ends of the hull,
serves to provide for an even ballasting of the ship, thereby economizing in space
which can be utilized for extra storage purposes, instead of for the usual purpose
of storing ballast.
The several electric motors have circuit wire connections with a generator or
dynamo arranged in a convenient location within the body of the hull, and while
a separate dynamo or generator is preferably employed for each pair of motors
for the propeller shafts, all of said motors have separate wire connections with a
special switch-board 7, which switch-board may be of any approved construction,
whereby each motor may be independently controlled, and by the use of this
switch-board, it will be obvious that the starting, stopping and reversing of any
one propeller shaft may be controlled independently of all the other propeller shafts,
thereby rendering it possible to control the entire propelling mechanism of the
ship from one point. Furthermore, the invention contemplates carrying out the
electrical feature of working the ship from one point by locating motors wherever
necessary for loading and unloading purposes.
Each of the short propeller shafts 4, is increased in size toward its connection
with the shaft of the electric motor for turning the same, and is provided at an
exterior point intermediate its ends with a squared key portion 11, and also has
its extreine outer end portion squared, as at 12, to form a separate key portion,
the squared portions 11 and 12 of each propeller shaft respectively receiving
thereon the duplicate screw-propellers 13, arranged one in advance of the other.
The extreme outer tip end of each propeller shaft is formed with a bolt stud
portion 14, to receive thereon the locking nut 15 for removably securing the pair
of propellers on the shaft.
Each of the screw-propellers 13, essentially comprises a central hub portion 14ª
having a squared opening or bore 15ª therein to register with the squared key
portion of the shaft on which it fits, and a scries of three blades 16, projecting
radially from the hub. The three blades 16, of each propeller are twisted at such
an angle as to easily enter the water and at the same time present a broad face
thereto, it being observed that the outer rounded tip portions of the propeller
blades are broadened so as to secure a firm purchase on the water, while at the
same time being angled sufficiently so as not to interfere with the screw action of
the propeller to provide for either pushing or pulling the ship in a forward
direction. In connection with the pair of duplicate propellers 13 that are spaced
apart one in advance of the other on each propeller shaft, is employed a removable
spacing sleeve 17, which fits on the propeller shaft 4, between the two propellers
and rests at its opposite ends respectively against the hubs of said separate propel-
lers so as to maintain the latter firmly fixed in their proper relative positions, while
at the same time permitting of the ready removal of the propellers whenever it
should be desired to repair or replace the same, it being understood that the

page_text: removing of the nut 15, provides means whereby both propellers and the inter
posed sleeve 17, may be slipped from the propeller shaft.
A very important feature to be noted in connection with the pair of propellers
arranged one in advance of the other on each propeller shaft, is that the blades of
these propellers alternate, so that each blade of one propeller lies in a plane passing
through the space between a pair of blades of th other propeller, as clearly
illustrated in Figure 4 of the drawings. This arrangement provides means whereby
the blades of the rearmost propeller of each pair catches and works against the
water that is thrown back from the forward propeller of each pair, and in this
manner the retarding influence of the surging water from the foremost propeller
is counteracted and the full power of both propellers completely utilized, so that
the ship will be given a maximum rate of speed. It is to be further observed at
this point that it is also important to construct the propellers with three blades,
so that the blades can be made broader and stouter than the blades in propellers
in common use, and also that the alternate disposition of the blades may be
maintained with most advantageous results.
In the operation of the propeller shafts, the shafts at one side of the hull
necessarily rotate in an opposite direction to the shafts on the opposite side, when
all the shafts are rotating to provide for propelling the ship forward or backward.
By reason of this relative rotation of the shafts, the blades of the propellers at one
side of the hull are disposed at an opposite or reverse angle to the blades of the
propellers at the opposite side of the hull, and with all of the propeller shafts
rotating in a direction outward from the hull, the blades of the propellers will
have a pushing action against the water 80 as to propel the ship
forward at a rapid rate of speed, and when the rotation of the shafts is reversed,
so as to turn the propellers inward toward the hull, a similar pushing action
of the propellers will move the ship backward.
In order to obtain a maximum amount of speed from the power expended, the
present invention contemplates an alternative construction of propellers, such as
illustrated in Figure 5 of the drawings. In the alternative form of propellers the
blades 16", while having the same twist as the propellers illustrated in Figure 3,
are directly inverted so as to be disposed in positions exactly the reverse of the
positions of the blades in the ordinary propellers, and this alternative construction
of propellers, with inverted twisted blades, provides a construction of propeller
especially useful on the two propeller shafts at the prow end of the ship to provide
for not only increasing the speed of the vessel, but also for buoying up the front
end thereof. When the ordinary form of propellers illustrated in Figure 3, are
removed from the front propeller shafts and replaced by the inverted type of
propellers illustrated in Figure 5, the said forward shafts are rotated in opposite
directions so as to turn the inverted propellers inward toward the hull. By
reason of the inverted disposition of the blades 16", the rotation of said blades
inward toward the hull, causes the blades to press downward on the
water, thereby pressing the water downward and outward from the hull.
This action entirely relieves the hull from the surge and disposes of the
water in such a way as to greatly reduce the resistance offered to the passage of
the ship through the water. Furthermore, this action of the inverted propellers
tends to buoy up the ship at its prow and exerts a pushing force against the water
that greatly accelerates the speed of the ship.
Having described the construction and operation of the propelling mechanism,
with special reference to the front and rear pairs of propeller shafts, still, I desire
it to be understood that while the front and rear pairs of the propeller shafts are
essential to the proper propulsion of the ship, still in addition to these shafts,
other auxiliary and duplicate shafts may be employed, according to the required
speed of the ship, and in carrying out this feature of the invention the auxiliary
shafts, which are also designated by the numeral 4, are arranged in pairs
respectively at opposite sides of the hull, and in advance of the main rear pair
of propeller shafts. The entire set of auxiliary propeller shafts are preferably

page_text: grouped between the vertical center of the ship's hull, and the main rear pair of
propeller shafts, in order that the auxiliary propellers will exert their combined
influence for securing an exceedingly rapid propulsion of the ship through the
water. The auxiliary propeller shafts of each pair are arranged respectively at
opposite sides of the hull of the ship or vessel, and the several pairs of such shafts
are arranged one in advance of the other, and on account of the side lines of the hull,
are necessarily disposed at a greater obliquity than the main rear pair of shafts,
although it will be understood that all of the propeller shafts are duplicates in
construction and carry a pair of spaced propellers constructed and arranged in
the relation heretofore fully described. Each of the auxiliary propeller shafts, as
well as the main propeller shaft herein before referred to have an independent
electric motor for turning the same. While the switch-board and the dynamo or
electric generator have not been specifically described, it will be understood that
any preferred or desirable type of dynamo or switch-board may be employed in
carrying out the present invention, it being understood that the only requisite
with respect to this feature of the invention, is that the switch-board have suitable
circuit wire connections with the different parts thereof, so that by manipulating
the same each propeller shaft may be controlled independently or in unison with
any one or more of the other shafts.
To carry out the fundamental feature of the invention, that is to control every
part of the ship by electricity, I have provided an electrical controlling mechanism
for the rudder, which I will now proceed to describe.
The vertical rudder shaft 30 may be joined to the rudder 31 in any suitable
manner to provide for the necessary swing or movement of the latter, but is forged
on the lines of an armature shaft of an electric motor, so as to form the armature
shaft of an electric controlling motor 32. The electric controlling motor 32 is
supported in position within the stern of the hull in any suitable manner and is
constructed essentially the same as ordinary electric motors, having the usual
fields 33 and the rotating armature 34 working between the fields. However, in
adapting the motor for use in connection with the vertical shaft of the rudder,
the said motor must be of a reversible type, and especially built to suit the
particular space and shafting designed for use in connection therewith, and the
motor must also be of a type that will run or turn slowly in either direction. To
provide for adapting the controlling motor 32 to the vertical shaft 30 the arma-
ture 34 is wound directly on the said shaft so that the latter will not only form
the rudder shaft, but also the armature shaft, as well, thereby obviating the
slightest degree of lost motion and rendering the rudder sensitive to the slightest
energization of the motor.
As already explained, the electric motor 32 may be of any approved type, but
must be specially wound for the purpose, so that the armature will move and
rotate at a slow speed in either direction. The only requirements, therefore, of
the motor are that the same be of a reversible type, and that the windings be of
such a character as to provide for the slow rotation or movement of the armature.
Any type of switch-board may be used which will provide for reversing the
direction of the current through the electric motor, and for cutting the current
off, and for the purposes of illustration a complete switch-board circuit is shown
in Figure 6 of the drawings. In this figure of the drawings the number 35
designates an ordinary dynamo or electrical generator which is arranged at any
point within the ship or vessel, and which dynamo or generator has included in
the circuit thereof an ordinary reversing switch-board 36. The reversing switch-
board 36 has suitable wire connections with the fields and brushes of the electric
motor 32, so that by shifting the position of the switch arms 37, which are
coupled together and move in unison, in the usual manner, the current will be
reversed through the leads of the electric motor, as plainly illustrated in Figure 6
of the drawings.
The reversing switch-board 36 is designed to be arranged in the captain's chart
room, or at any other suitable place within the ship, so that by a movement of the

page_text: switch arms or levers 37, in either direction the armature of the motor can be
caused to rotate in the proper direction. When the rudder of the ship has been
turned to the desired degree the switch-board is manipulated to immediately
reverse the current through the motor so as to instantly check the further move-
ment of the rudder, and then the current is cut off entirely, after which the rudder
will be held in its adjusted position by the friction arresting device which will
now be described.
The upper end of the combined rudder and armature shaft 30 may be con-
veniently fitted in a brace bearing 38, below which said shaft 30 has fitted thereon
a horizontal spur gear 39 spaced a slight distance from and arranged concentrically
with a stationary segmental rack 40, having teeth 4.1 on its inner edge and bolted
or otherwise secured in a fixed position within the stern of the vessel adjacent to
the spur gear 39. In connection with the spur gear 39 and the concentric rack 40,
there is employed a traveling pinion 42 interposed between said gear and rack,
and meshing with the teeth thereof.
The traveling pinion 42 is loosely journaled on an upwardly-disposed spindle
pin 43, upturned from one end of a horizontal brake-arm 44, the other end of
which brake-arm has fitted thereto a brake-band 45, frictionally embracing the
shaft 30 immediately below the spur gear 39, and providing means for checking
any tendency of the shaft 30 to turn, except under the influence of the electric
motor, while at the same time serving to hold the arm 44 in such a position that
the traveling pinion 42 will maintain its proper relation to the gear 39 and
rack 40, as it rolls or travels in the space there-between.
When the electric motor is energized to turn the rudder shaft 30, the spur
gear 39 and the brake-arm 44 will necessarily turn with such shaft, thereby
causing the pinion 42 to travel against the rack 40 toward either end thereof,
according to the direction of rotation of the rudder shaft, and by reason of the
band 45 frictionally gripping the shaft 30, the said band, in connection with
the gears 39 and 42 and the rack 40, will constitute an arresting-device for the
rudder to hold the same in its adjusted position and prevent it from being thrown
back in line with the keel of the ship, by the action of the propellers at either
side of the same. In other words, any tendency of the shaft 30 to turn back and
carry the brake arm 44 therewith, would be withstood by the interlocking gears
which hold the swinging end of the brake arm, while the other end thereof
frictionally grips the rudder shaft.
While we have shown and described a particular arrangement of the controlling
motor and the arresting device for the rudder, it will be understood that these
or other parts of the controlling mechanism may be modified and arranged
according to the particular character and size of the space designed to receive
the same, without in any way departing from the spirit of this invention, and it
will also be understood that any well known system of electrical distribution and
switch boards may be employed for the purpose of energizing and reversing the
motor without affecting the essential feature of the invention, which is the idea of
applying an electric motor directly to the vertical shaft of a rudder, as we are not
aware that such application and arrangement of an electric motor has heretofore
been resorted to.
Changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be
resorted to, without departing from the principle, or sacrificing any of the advan-
tages of this invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:
1. In an electrically propelled ship, the combination with the hull, of a
plurality of short propeller shafts extended beyond the hull and each carrying
a pair of spaced propellers, an electric motor for each propeller shaft, having a
direct coupling between its armature shaft and the propeller shaft, and a switch

page_text: board system having wire connections with the electric motors to provide for
the synchronous or independent control thereof, substantially as set forth.
2. The combination with the hull of a vessel, of a propeller shaft extended
through the hull, and a pair of duplicate screw propellers fitted on the outer
end portion of the propeller shaft, one in advance of the other, with their blades
arranged alternately with respect to each other, substantially as set forth.
3. The combination with the hull of a vessel, of front and rear pairs of short
propeller shafts extending through the hull at opposite sides of the prow and stern
ends thereof, a pair of duplicate screw propellers of the same size fitted on the
exterior portion of each propeller shaft and arranged a distance apart one in
advance of the other, with their blades alternately disposed in staggered relation,
the rearmost propeller of each pair working against the surge water thrown back
from the propeller in advance thereof and serving to press such water outwardly
from the hull, means to space said propellers apart, and fastening means to hold
the propellers on the shaft in their spaced relation, substantially as set forth.
4. The combination of a propeller shaft provided with separate squared portions
spaced a distance apart, a pair of duplicate propellers having squared openings in
their hubs to respectively fit the separate squared portions of the shaft, means to
space the propellers apart, and a single fastening for detachably securing both
propellers on the shaft, substantially as set forth.
5. The combination of a propeller shaft provided at a point intermediate its
ends with a squared key portion and at its extreme outer end with a separate
squared key portion, duplicate screw propellers arranged one in advance of the
other and having squared openings in their hubs to respectively fit the separate
squared key portions of the shaft, a removable spacing sleeve loosely fitted on the
shaft and interposed between the hubs of the spaced propellers, and a fastening
engaging with the outer tip end of the shaft to lock the outermost propeller in
place, substantially as set forth.
6. The combination with the hull of a vessel, of a pair of short propeller shafts
extended through the hull at opposite sides thereof, a pair of duplicate screw-
propellers fitted on the outer end portion of each propeller shaft with their blades
alternately arranged with respect to each other in staggered relation, each of said
pair of propellers having their blades twisted in inverted positions, whereby the
same may be turned in a direction inward toward the hull to provide for propelling
the same in a forward direction, means to space the propellers apart, and fastening
means to hold the propellers on the shaft in their spaced relation, substantially as
set forth.
7. In an electrical rudder controlling mechanism, the combination with the
rudder shaft, of a reversible electric motor having its armature wound directly
on said shaft, and an arresting device also mounted on the rudder shaft and
operatively engaging therewith, substantially as set forth.
8. In an electrical rudder controlling mechanism, the combination with the
vertical shaft of the rudder, of a reversible electric motor having its armature
wound directly on said vertical rudder shaft, a brake supported by and engaging
with the rudder shaft, and a gear connection between the said brake and the
shaft, substantially as set forth.
9. In an electrical rudder controlling mechanism, the combination with the
vertical rudder shaft, of a reversible electric motor having its armature wound
directly on said shaft, and an arresting device also supported by the rudder shaft
and having a direct brake connection therewith above the plane of the motor,
substantially as set forth.
10. In an electrical rudder controlling mechanism, the combination with the
vertical rudder shaft, of a reversible electric controlling motor having its armature
coupled to the shaft, a horizontal spur gear fitted on the shaft above the motor, a
stationary segmental rack arranged adjacent to and concentric with said spur
gear, a swinging brake arm having a friction brake band connection at one end
with the rudder shaft, and a pinion loosely supported on the swinging end of said

page_text: arm and traveling between and in mesh with the spur gear and segmental rack
substantially as set forth.
1000
J. G. LORRAIN, M.I.E.E., M.I.Mech.E.,
Norfolk House, Norfolk Street, London, W.C.,
Chartered Patent Agent.