Improvements in and connected with the Propelling and Steering of Ships, Boats, and the like.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Apr., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 10th Jan., 1898-Accepted, 9th Apr.,
1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with the Propelling and Steering
of Ships, Boats, and the like.
I, THOMAS GILBERT BOWICK, of 7, Great Winchester Street, London, Merchant,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in and connected with the propelling
and steering of ships, boats, canoes and other vessels, and its object is to reduce
vibration generally attending the same when propelled by an engine or motor as
hitherto constructed. It consists essentially in the provision of means for
mechanically, electrically, pneumatically or hydraulically controlling the engine
or motor from the ship, boat or other vessel propelled thereby, the steering being
determined by guiding either the float or boat carrying the engine or motor, or
part of the gear thereof or the ship, boat or canoe; or the ship and float may both
have steering attachments and if desired, both ship float may be steered by
any suitable means.
and
or
With this end in view I attach the motor or engine and a portion-or in some
cases the whole of the gear to a separate float. The motor or engine and a por-
tion or the whole of the gear thereof may be arranged upon this separate float or
partly on or attached to the ship or boat it is intended to propel. The paddle,
screw or other propeller may be fixed either on the vessel or boat to be propelled,
or upon the separate float carrying the motor or part of the gear thereof, or partly
on both. The float carrying the motor or part of the gear thereof, need not be in
direct connection with the passenger or goods vessel, boat or canoe, but may be
held in place by a framework provided, if desired,-with suitable springs or
buffers.
The passenger or goods vessel, or boat, may be steered in any convenient manner
either by its own rudder, or by the float carrying or partly carrying, or connected
with the motor or part of the gear thereof, or the ship and float may both have
steering attachments.
The speed of the passenger or goods vessel, boat or canoe may be regulated or the
latter stopped, by suitable retarding devices which may be fixed in any convenient
position, either on the passenger or goods vessel itself or connected with the float
carrying, or partly carrying, the motor or part of the gear thereof, or on the attach-
ment or frame between the float and passenger vessel.
The motor may be operated by steam, oil, electricity or in any other convenient
manner and is controlled from the vessel, boat or canoe by any suitable mechanical,
pneumatic, hydraulic or electrical contrivance, and as before stated. The oil
reservoir, batteries or other appliances for generating the motive power may be
stored wholly or partly on the vessel boat or canoe, or on the float carrying the
motor part of the gear thereof, or partly on both.
The passenger or goods vessel or boat may be pulled or be driven in either direc-
tion in any convenient manner, preferably by a frame (which may be hinged) and

page_text: attached at either end of the passenger or goods vessel or boat, or at either end of
the separate float carrying the motor or part of the gear thereof.
The connection between the frame and the boat and float may be made by a
rope, link or other device capable of sustaining a tensile strain, or in any other
convenient manner. When steam is used, the boiler for generating the same
may be fixed in the passenger or goods vessel, boat or canoe and the engine or motor
upon the float, the control being effected from the passenger vessel.
The retarding devices may consist of one or more flaps or rudders which may be
hinged and be also utilised for steering purposes.
"
Improvements in and connected with the Propelling and Steering
of Ships, Boats, and the like.
:
I, THOMAS GILBERT BOWICK, of 7, Great Winchester Street, London, Merchant,
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 relates to improvements in and connected with the propelling and
steering of boats, canoes and other similar vessels and its principal object is to
reduce the vibration generally attending the same when propelled by an engine or
motor as hitherto constructed. It consists in connecting the passenger boat to a
small independent boat or float fitted with a motor and a screw or other propelling
device (the whole being controlled from the passenger boat) by means, of two
coupling rods of special construction and hereafter described, and in arranging
for the steering of the boats to be effected by reins, maintained within reach of
the passenger boat, which reins are connected to the propelling boat and thence
return to the steering gear of the boats as I will now fully explain.
"
Upon the accompanying sheet of drawings illustrating the application of my
invention to a small pleasure boat,-Figure 1 shews diagrammatically and in
longitudinal elevation this boat connected to a smaller boat or float fitted with a
motor and a screw propeller.
Figure 2 being a plan view of the same.
1
Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of one of the coupling devices.
31
I. '
A represents the passenger boat and a the independent float, carrying any suitable
motor actuating a screw propeller a¹. "This independent float is in the shape of a
small submerged boat and may be suitably painted or colored so as to be practically
invisible. Upon this may be erected the representation of a swan and the effect
of this design is particularly graceful, although I may use other suitable subjects
as a dolphin, mermaids, a lion rampant and the like. The float a is decked or
covered over so as to be watertight, in any suitable manner: BB are the couplings
connecting the boat and, in the event of an electrical motor being installed in the
propelling boat and driven by means of storage batteries situated in the passenger
boat, a suitable cable connection C allows of the passage of the current as required
and this is controlled by a suitable switch e situated within reach of the passengers.
The cable connection is wrapped and is waterproofed or otherwise rendered water-
tight and passes preferably below the level of the water. In the subsequent portion
of the specification I shall refer to a "water-horse" and by this term I wish to
convey the idea of a small boat provided with a motor and one or more screw, or

page_text: other propellers, the motor being controlled-from the passenger boat-drawn thereby,
and the boats being suitably coupled together....
"
The relative position of the boats on the drawing is similar to that which they
occupy when the rear boat contains passengers. The boat carrying, the. motor
and propeller is intended to normally work, below the water level and a head piece
or figure may be erected thereon such as a swan or other appropriate device.
The coupling B consists of a socket 6 having a flange or face b¹ by means of
which it may be attached to the rear portion of the "water horse" or to the front
portion of the rear or passenger boat by screws or bolts passing through said flange
and secured in any ordinary manner. A cap d is screwed over the free end of this
socket, and in the cap is formed a vertical slot or recess e through which the rod f
passes. The one end of this rod is pivoted or secured to the bow or to the stern
of one of the boats and the other end passes through' the slot in the cap d and is
retained in the socket 6 by means of a knob.or ball head f¹ screwed upon or attached
to the rod f. This head is preferably of the shape shewn on Fig. 3 to facilitate
the play of the rod in the socket.
It will be seen therefore that either the "water-horse" or the rear boat may rise
or fall to a limited extent independently of the other. The connections B always
maintain the boats in the same longitudinal plane and this facilitates the steering
of the whole from the stern of the rear or passenger boat.
<
Upon the
water horse" I form a suitable bracket or other erection g having a
partially rotatable socket h provided with upper and lower yokes kl so that the
steering may be performed therefrom, the socket being revolved to the extent desired
by means of reins or other similar connections m controlled by one of the passengers.
The reins are connected to the ends of the upper yoke k, and from the ends of the
lower yoke lines or cords of a suitable strength pass to the steering gear at the
rear of the passenger boat. These lines or cords are crossed preferably over or
above the " water horse" and pass around the sides or gunwales of the rear boat
to the tiller head at its stern. The connection is so made that on pulling the right
rein the boat will be caused to swing round in that direction and when the left rein
is pulled the boat will travel in that direction.
In some cases I cause the steering lines to pass from the lower yoke of the
socket, which may be secured within the front boat, through the connecting rods b
formed hollow for this purpose, and thence around or under the seats of the
passenger boat to its steering gear the lines, where this is practicable, travelling
on and being guided by small pulleys.
The lines are connected to a tiller head in the ordinary way and it will be seen,
as stated above, that on pulling a rein the tiller will be caused to turn in that
direction and the boat accordingly steered.
Where I erect a swan or similar figure upon the " water horse," I may use its
neck to contain the steering lines connected at the mouth or beak of the bird to the
reins. The lines pass along through the front boat and the connections B, being
directed or guided by suitable pulleys or from the body of the swan, e.g. from under
the wings, along the gunwales of the passenger boat to the tiller head as before.
A washer or pad of rubber, dermatine or other suitable material may be fitted
on the rod f between its ball head and the slotted cap d and a plug of similar
material may be inserted at or near the flange of the socket to act as a buffer. In
lieu of an electrical motor being employed to actuate the screw or other propeller
on the "water horse" I may use a suitable gas or oil engine in which case the
engine will be situated in the front boat and the oil or other reservoirs may be stored
in the passenger boat. In this case the supply of oil or other agent will be effected
by means of suitable valves controlled from the passenger boat.
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:
1. A "water-horse" controlled as to speed from, and caused to be turned with

page_text: the vessel drawn thereby, in combination with, and connected to the said boat by,
hinged couplings capable of movement in only a vertical plane, substantially as
described.
2. A coupling connection between a boat provided with a motor and a passenger
or similar boat, consisting of two rods entering sockets attached to the rear of the
front boat or to the prow of the second boat, the other ends of said rods being
rigidly secured to the prow of the second boat or to the rear of the front boat, and
being ball-headed, the end plates of the sockets being slotted vertically and retaining
the rods therein by means of said heads, bearing against pads of rubber within
said sockets so that the boats may independently be capable of vertical motion
only, substantially as above described.
Dated this 10th day of January 1898.
For the Applicant,
GEDGE & FEENY,
60, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C., Chartered Patent Agents.