A Means for Reducing Friction Between the Sides of a Ship and the Water.
Year: 1894

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A Means for Reducing Friction Between the Sides of a Ship and
the Water.
I, JOHN THOMAS, of 2142 N. 9th Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United
States of America, Superintendent of Stone Yard, 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 :-
My invention has reference to means for reducing friction between the sides of
a ship and the water through which it is passing and consists of devices fully set
forth in the following Specification and accompanying drawings forming part
thereof.
The specific object of my invention is to facilitate the passage of a steam ship
through the water, and whereby the resistance offered to a ship is reduced to a
minimum.
With the minimum of power thus speed is augmented.
In a previous Application No. 4737 of 1894 I show a series of longitudinally
moving plates and moving in a direction contrary to the motion of the vessel.
The invention described in the following Specification differs from the invention
shown in the above designated application in having a series of laterally positioned
rotating cylinders, instead of the longitudinal plates.
In the drawings like parts are referred to by marks or figures of a corresponding
kind in the different views.
Fig. 1 is a horizontal section of the ends of a ship having my improvement,
A being the fore end and B the aft end thereof.
Fig. 2 is a one half vertical transverse section of a vessel having my improve-
ment, showing the connecting mechanism between my cylinder and the propeller
shaft of the ship.
Fig. 3 is a plan of a ship with my cylinders applied to one side thereof.
Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a ship, with the position of my cylinders indicated
by the dotted vertical lines. The cylinders themselves are not shown in this
view.
Fig. 5 is a part side elevation and part longitudinal section of one of the
cylinders.
Fig. 6 is a plan of the metal ring which supports one end of the peripheral
plates forming the cylinder proper.
Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the ring shown in Fig. 6.
Figs. 8, 9, 10 and 11 are diagrams explaining the principle involved in the
invention.
Fig. 12 is a plan of a portion of my invention showing the manner in which
the power and motion is communicated to the cylinders.
Fig. 13 is an end view of one of the parts forming the universal joint between
the cylinders.
1 is the propeller shaft of the ship. To this shaft is fixed the propeller 2
in the usual manner of steamship construction. The shaft 1 is operated rotatively
by the engine of the ship in the well known way. I do not, however, show any
engine connection to this shaft in the drawings. To the shaft 1 is rigidly fixed..a
bevil gear 3, shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4. This gear transmits its power for and
through intermediate bevils 4, 5 and 6, and the shaft 5', to the belt wheel 7.
This wheel 7 carries the endless belt or chain 8, and communicates motion to all
the cylinders on the side of the ship on which it is located. 9, are a series of

page_text: idlers, these idlers are located on the inner side of the cylinders and their function
is to guide the belt 8 so as to cause the same to engage with the belt pulley 10 on
the end of the shaft carrying the upper cylinder 10¹.
This pulley is designated by the numeral 10. In speaking of the upper cylinder,
it must be understood that there are a series of upper cylinders extending length-
wise of the ship. Through each of the upper cylinders there is a central shaft,
indicated only by the dotted line C, Fig. 2. The position of the central supporting
shafts is practically a parallel one to the sides of the ship but as the sides of the
ship curve when viewed from either end, it follows that the cylinders will have a
changed angular position when similarly viewed, therefore the central supporting
shaft for these cylinders have a like changed angular position. This change of the
angle in the position of the cylinders, when viewed as indicated as shown in Fig. 2,
where D represents the second cylinder, E the third and F the fourth. To
accommodate the requirements of this changed angular relation on the part of the
cylinders, the cylinder C, Fig. 2, operates the cylinder D through a universal
joint.
The
Cylinder D operates cylinder E and E operates F in a like manner.
particular construction of the universal joint is not material to my invention.
Though I show in Figs. 5, 7 and 13 such a construction as I could employ, to be
explained more at length hereinafter. 15, 15, 15 are the supporting bearings for
the cylinders. These bearings could be constructed in many different ways, but I
show them to consist of metallic rings held in a groove in a cylinder, shown in the
sectional part of Fig. 5, and rigidly secured to the side of the ship as shown in
Fig. 2. By this construction, they offer the least resistance to the water, 10 is an
inverted cone shaped end of the cylinder. This permits, the upper cylinder to
partially insert its head into that of its neighbour, as shown in Fig. 2.
forward wheel I can be provided with radial fans. When thus constructed it is
in effect a lateral propeller. A' Figs. 1 and 3 indicate the direction in which the
ship is moving; the arrow A', same fig. indicates the direction in which the
cylinders 10 rotate..
The
The shaft 1 is propelled in a proper direction to accomplish these results.
Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 13 refer to structural features of the lateral cylinders. These
cylinders, are all made substantially the same way and a description of one will
answer for a description of all. 21 is the central shaft. This shaft.is represented
by the dotted lines C/D,, E and F. At the upper end of the shaft 21 is secured
by pin or key the female portion of the universal joint. This portion of the joint
consists of two concave parts having integrally projecting laterally extending
slotted arms; one of these parts is shown end view, at 30 Fig. 13 and the other 31,
same fig. they are held together by bolts or rivets 32,, shown. only in. Fig. 13.
32' 32' Fig. 5, shows the holes in which these pins, bolts or rivets are inserted.
One of the, parts 30, forming the, female, portion. of the universal joint,, has a
cylindrical shaped integral stem shown at 35, to this stem is the shaft or rod 21
secured rigidly. The plate supporting ring 20 is in turn, supported by the afore-
mentioned stem, 35. 171, 17' are two. laterally projecting: stems of: the globular
portion of the universal joint. Fig. 7 shows an end view of these stems and
Fig. 6 a plan, view thereof. To the globular shaped head. of this male portion of
the universal joint 17, is also integrally fixed a hollow stem. 183 shown in section in
Fig. 5. The rod. 21 is inserted into. this, hollow.stem and pinned thereto. The
ring 18 is secured to this stem 18' and the plate 16 is riveted to the rings. 18
and 20. The globular shaped portion of the joint 17 is of a diameter and shape
to correspond to that of the hollow sphere and shown by the dotted lines 13, and
the slots 30 and 30% of the projecting, arms 30 form the oblong hole, when these
arms are united as shown in Fig. 13 this. hole, at its smallest. diameter, should
correspond to the diameter of the lugs 171, 117, as these lugs. 17', 17' play in
this oblong hole described. One of these joints intervenes between the driving
cylinder, and its. follower. or the driven one. Thus C becomes the driver for D,
D for E and E for E, in the manner described.

page_text: Figs. 8, 9, 10 and 11 are diagrams illustrating broadly the principles involved
in my invention.
HO, Fig. 8 represent a molecule of water. Now while the ship travels
from HO' to H° the cylinders rotate in a direction reversed to the normal motion
of the ship. This will have the effect theoretically and practically to deliver the
molecule from one cylinder to the other until it will have passed all cylinders
intervening between the points H° and H, which represent the actual movement
of the ship, and thus the molecule will have remained stationary.
It must of course, be understood that what is true of one molecule is also true
of all molecules composing the entire body of water in contact with the sides of
the ship. In Figs. 11 and 10 where a vessel with my improvement moves from p
to p' the molecule of water will be carried from H' to H.
I do not limit myself to mere specific details of construction, as I could make
many modifications without departing from the spirit of my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:
1st. A steamship provided with a series of laterally disposed rotatable friction
arresting cylinders.
2nd. A steamship provided with a series of laterally disposed rotating cylinders,
moving in a direction rotatively, contrary to the motion of the ship, substantially
as described for the purpose set forth.
3rd. The combination in a means to reduce friction between the sides of a ship
and the water of a propeller shaft, a series of laterally disposed rotating cylinders,
rotating in a direction contrary to the normal motion of the ship, and a connecting
mechanism between the said propeller shaft and the said cylinders, substantially
as described.
4th. The combination in a means to reduce friction between the sides of a ship
and the water of a propeller shaft, a series of laterally disposed rotating cylinders
with their axes parallel, a connecting mechanism between the said propeller
shaft and the cylinders aforesaid, substantially as described for the purpose set
forth.
5th. The combination in a means to reduce friction between the sides of a ship
and the water of a propeller shaft, a series of laterally disposed rotating cylinders
arranged in vertical banks or groups, and a universal joint interposed between the
cylinders composing the respective groups whereby the rotating of the propeller
shaft will operate all the cylinders of all the groups, substantially as described for
the purpose set forth.
Datel this 11th Iar of Luna 1001
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.