New or Improved Mechanical Motion, and Application thereof to Paddle and other Wheels, Dredgers, and to other purposes.
Year: 1890

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
New or Improved Mechanical Motion, and Application thereof to
Paddle and other Wheels, Dredgers, and to other purposes.
I, JOHN THOMAS BARTLETT of 63 Powerscroft Road, Lower Clapton, in the County
of Middlesex, Architect, 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:-
As applied to paddle wheels this invention relates to that class in which the floats
are what are termed feathering but a distinction must be drawn between the move
ment imparted to the floats in the wheels constructed according to this invention and
that imparted to the ordinary feathering floats of paddle wheels as usually constructed.
I will describe the invention as applied to a paddle wheel and will then show its
application to dredgers and similar apparatus.
In the accompanying drawings:-
Figure 1 is a vertical cross section through a paddle wheel and paddle box
constructed according to this invention.
and
Figure 2 is a front elevation of a paddle wheel with the box removed.
Figure 3 is an elevation of a dredger constructed according to this invention
Figure 4 is a vertical cross section of one half of the same the dot and dash line
representing the vertical plane in which the wheel is supposed to be cut through.
Liko letters represent like parts throughout the drawings.
Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, A represents the framework of the paddle
wheel, B the shaft, C the plummer block or bearing and D the floats. As shown in
Fig. 1 these latter are carried upon horizontal arms or spindles E centrally held in
bosses or brackets F secured upon the framework A. In this arrangement each
float is divided as shown in Fig. 1 so as to clear the central framework but it will be
appreciated that if desired the invention could be carried ont with the framework A
instead of being central in the wheel as shown in Fig. 1 arranged at one side so
that tho floats D instead of being divided as shown could be complete throughout
their length. A wheel G is shown at the outside of the paddle wheel its centre having
the protruding shaft G which takes into the bearing G2 secured to the sponson Hof
the paddle box I. Each float is pivoted at D to this wheel the arrangement being
such that the floats hang vertically from their pivots upon the arins E of the paddle
wheel. This arrangement is clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.
The shaft G is also extended upon the other side of G towards the paddle wheel
where it carries a pitch wheel J around which and another pitch wheel K secured
upon the paddle wheel itself or upon its shaft passes a pitch chain L. These two
pitch wheels K and J are of the same diameter and pitch so that the speed of revolu-
tion of the two wheels A and G is identical, thus securing that the floats D shall
always retain the positions at which they started, thus always hanging vertically as
indicated in the drawings.
Instead
Upon the inner side of the paddle wheel against the skin of the vessel another
ring G is employed and to it the floats are pivoted as in the former case.
however of making the ring G in this case a complete wheel as at the other side of
the paddle wheel it is preferred to make it a simple ring and to cause it to retain its
proper relation to the paddle wheel by passing between a suitable number of anti-
friction rollers M arranged upon both the inner and outer periphories of the ring ;
the wheel G is thus able to revolve but compelled to retain its proper position while
doing so. The rollers M may be grooved so as to provide flanges M between which
the ring G can be retained and prevented from swaying laterally.

page_text: Though it may not be absolutely necessary in calm water that the wheels or rings G
should be positively driven nevertheless it is desirable that this should be done but so
long as the proper motion is imparted to one or both of these rings it is not material
that the pitch chain and pitch wheels previously described should be employed; spur
gearing for example could be used instead. In the arrangement shown in Fig. 1
the arms E instead of being fixtures in the brackets F may if desired be capable of
turning therein so as to impart to the non-driven side of the float D and to the non-
driven ring G the positive movement imparted to the one ring G and the one part
of the float D.
The application of this invention to dredgers or scourers and similar apparatus will
be understood by referring to Figs. 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings. The
dredging scouring or stirring wheel here shown is intended to be carried either upon
a floating barge or any suitable fixed or floating structure and to be provided with
any suitable form of mechanism by which the wheel can be raised or lowered as
may be needed to adapt it to the depth of water above the bank or bottom where it
is desired that the stirring up of the silt should take place. Dredgers of this
description are specially adapted for use in rivers and similar waters where the depth
is not very great and where the current is sufficient to carry off the mud and
sediment disturbed by the dredging wheel which is generally made sufficiently large
to enable it to reach and operate upon the bottom without being itself immersed in
the water above its centre line. The operation of such a wheel as this is that as it
is revolved by the action of the current of the water upon its floats the stirring or
digging attachments to those floats stir up the sediment which is then carried off
by the current as will be well understood the apparatus being slowly drawn along
against the current or allowed to slowly travel with the current revolving and
operating as it goes.
Upon referring to the drawings Figs. 3 and 4 the construction and operation of
this dredging wheel will be readily understood the previous description of the paddle
wheel being borne in mind. Substantially this wheel may be said to be the same as
the paddle wheel with the difference that it has more floats and that each float D
carries at that part which extending beyond the periphery of the wheel will come in
contact with the mud sand or other material to be removed a series of prongs spades
or other devices N whose function is to stir or dig up the material with which they
come in contact. Instead of a series or number of devices the float may carry a
single device of any suitable shape or may simply be extended sufficiently for the
purpose the object being to stir up the material which it is necessary to remove.
Thus each float consists of the float proper D carried upon the arm or spindle E
and pivoted at D₁ to the ring or wheel G and to this float proper is attached the
stirring device N to the precise shape or construction of which I do not limit
myself. In this case it is of course the water which operates upon the float and
which drives the wheel instead of as in the case of the paddle wheel the wheel being
positively driven and operating upon the water.
If desired the wheel itself may also carry any suitable device for stirring up the
mud. In the drawings Fig. 1 the floats, and Fig. 4 the prongs are shown cut away
so as to clear the central framework A of the wheel but it will be seen that by
varying the shape or position of this framework the need for this mutilation may be
overcome.
From the foregoing it will be seen that by means of this mechanical motion the
floats, blades or other portion represented in the present illustrations by the letter D
always remain in a plane of the same lenomination whether vertical, horizontal or
other wise throughout the whole of their revolution. In the illustrations above given
this plane is a vertical one but it may be in any other preferred or required
direction.
Generally speaking this mechanism may be employed wherever motion of this
description is required and it would be especially useful in for example those trades
where long lengths of fabric have to be moved along.

page_text: 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. The herein described mechanism or mechanical motion by which the floats or
other parts indicated in the drawings by the letter D are caused to remain always in
a vertical or predetermined plane during the whole course of their revolution
substantially as described.
2. In a paddle dredging or similar wheel the combination with the main wheel A
and with the floats D to all of which it is pivoted of a wheel such as G pivoted
eccentrically from the axis of the main wheel but in a plane therefrom identical or
parallel with that to be maintained by the floats substantially as described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
3. In a paddle dredging or similar wheel the combination with the main wheel A
of a supplementary wheel such as G eccentrically hung with reference to the main
wheel but positively driven therefrom and at the same speed thereas substantially as
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
4. In a paddle dredging or similar wheel the combination with the main wheel A
of a ring such as G to which all the floats are pivoted and so carried that while free
to revolve with the main wheel it retains unaltered its position of eccentricity thereto
substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
5. In a paddle dredging or similar wheel the combination with the main wheel A
and float wheel G of two pitch wheels J K and pitch chain L substantially as and
for the purpose described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
6. In a dredging or scouring wheel the combination with the floats G of prongs
spades or equivalent dredging or stirring devices such as N substantially as described
and illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.
7. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete paddle
wheel substantially as described and illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying
drawings.
8. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the completo dredging
wheel substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 18th day of Angust 1890
JOHN THOMAS BARTLETT.
W. P. Thompson & Boult,
Agents for the Applicant.