Iniprovements in Propelling Apparatus for Steamships.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Oct., 1892-Accepted, 31st Dec., 1892
Iniprovements in Propelling Apparatus for Steamships.
A communication from GUSTAVE WAUTERS, of Grimberghen, in the Kingdom of
Belgium, Landowner.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
Member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, 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:-
The improved steamship propelling arrangement forming the subject of this
invention is based upon the principle of direct utilization of part of the masses of
water which the bow of tlie vessel meets, by causing such water to pass through a
central channel arranged at the bow in front of a screw-propeller adapted to draw
in the water and force it out again through lateral channels or tubes.
In the accompanying drawings,-
Fig. 1 is a plan of the hull of a vessel with the channels or pipes which are to
assist the propelling action of the screw shown diagramunatically.
AA are two such channels or pipes which join and form one common channel
at B within which the screw H is located.
"
The screw H should preferably be of the peculiar shape shown in Figs. 3 and 4,
it being mounted upon a double cone integral with the main shaft b. The blades
or paddles pof the screw H (Fig. 1) are arranged like the convolutions of an endless
screw or worm so as to offer but a minimum of resistance to the water which can
thus as it were screw itself between each pair of adjacent convolutions. When the
screw is driven at a speed corresponding to the section of the channel B, the
screw draws in the whole bulk of the water displaced by the forward motion of
the boat, and this water entering the central channel under a very high pressure is
forced without loss or concussion on to the channel C. This channel again is at a
certain point divided into two branches D D each of which is provided with a
closing valve KK pivotted at LL' respectively. These valves KK (Fig. 1) may
he operated either from the deck or from the engine-room, and by closing or opening
them as the case may be, the direction of motion of the vessel may be changed.
A short distance from its outward limit each branch D is in its turn sub-divided
into two branch-pipes F one of which is directed to the bow and the other
obliquely to the ship's side. By suitably operating the valves K K the water
from Dis discharged either through the orifice E or through the orifice F, according
as the boat is driven forwards or backwards. During the forward motion the
propelling channels alone come into operation, while the channels E are only
employed for backward motion. In order to turn the vessel to the right or left,
only those branch pipes E F are used, which discharge the water in a direction
opposite to the direction in which it is desired to turn the ship. An enormous
quantity of water being constantly drawn in by the two orifices A A, the effects of
the "swell" are considerably lessened. Besides water being constantly forced out
at the external orifices of the channels below the water-mark, there is no loss of
power such as occurs in connection with paddle-wheels.
Instead of dividing each channel D into two branches E and F, as represented
in Fig. 1, a modified arrangement such as is shown in Fig. 2 may be adopted. It
consists in inserting into the channel C, terminating at right angles to the wall of
the vessel, a device G pivotted on a horizontal spindle, having somewhat the shape
of a cap or dome, and in which an opening is made of a size and shape corre-
sponding to the section of the channel C (Fig. 2). By this arrangement the double
outlet E F of the first construction may be dispensed with, the channel C opening

page_text: into a passage M of the shape of a large funnel. When the dome or cap is turned
within the pipe C, the opening & discharges water under pressure towards the bow
and causes a backward movement of the vessel, whereas when the same opening is
turned towards the stern a forward motion is produced. The advantage of this
arrangement (Fig. 2) is that it is exceedingly simple and does not occupy so much
space as the first (Fig. 1); but on the other hand it has this inconvenience (which
the first arrangement does not share) that the water is thereby caused to strike
with a certain amount of force against the side currents coming from the bow.
This propelling arrangement has the advantage of allowing all parts of it to be
fitted up in a compact shape, concealed from view and therefore less exposed to
damage in rough weather.
The particular arrangement of the channels may be varied without departing
from the principle of the invention.
Another advantage worthy of mention is that the ordinary propelling screw may
be placed at the stern of the vessel as has been usual hitherto.
By closing the orifices of the channels at the bow by means of valves or doors,
these orifices may be entirely closed up and the whole system of pipes made
inoperative if required; in which case the ship will be propelled in the ordinary
manner.
It will be understood that if subsequently these valves or doors are opened
again, and the screw at the bow driven, the speed of the vessel may be increased
at once, which up to the present time no propelling device has effected.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is,-
1. The propelling arrangement for steamships substantially as described and shown
in two modifications characterized by the arrangement of a screw H adapted for
sucking and forcing action the paddles p of which are set upon a double cone within
a central channel B divided into two branches having their discharge orifices on the
right and left of the ship.
2. In combination with the propelling arrangement referred to in the preceding
claim the arrangement of movable doors or valves turning on fixed pivots within a
channel such as C and enabling the propelling channels to be closed or opened
alternately according as it is desired to travel backwards or forwards substantially
as described and illustrated by Figure 1.
3. In combination with the propelling arrangement referred to in the first claim
the provision of a cap or dome turning within the channel C and having its orifice
so arranged as to force the water towards the bow for backward or forward
motion according to its position substantially as described and illustrated in
Figure 2.
4. In combination with the propelling arrangement characterized in the three
preceding claims the peculiar construction of the screw H with paddles p mounted
upon a double cone a and assuming the shape of the convolutions of a worin between
which convolutions the mass of water forced into the channel at the bow as the
vessel moves forward is sucked in and forced out substantially as described and
illustrated in Figures 3 and 4.
Dated this 26th day of October 1892.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.