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

page_text: Date of Application, 18th May, 1897-Accepted, 31st July, 1897
COMPLETE 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 Lereby 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:-
This invention relates to improvements in and connected with the propelling
and steering of ships, boats and other vessels and its principal objects are to
facilitate the steering and control of such vessels, and to reduce the vibration
generally attending the same when propelled by an engine or motor as hitherto
constructed.
The invention consists in the special arrangement, hereafter more fully
described, of seating the motor upon a separate float or vessel connected to, and
propelling or drawing the passenger or goods vessel, the steering and control of the
float being determined from the vessel; hinged or pivoted brakes are also arranged
upon the sides of the passenger or goods vessel or on the float (or on both) pre-
ferably above the water-line capable of being swung or lowered in the water, so
as to act as retarding devices.
In order that my invention may be better understood, reference is had to the
accompanying sheet of drawings, upon which,-
Figure 1, represents a side elevation of a passenger boat drawn by a motor
situated upon a float or separate vessel and connected thereto by a coupling.
Figures 2 and 3 are longitudinal sections of the coupling device.
Figure 4 shews the arrangement for connecting the same to the vessel.
Figure 5 is an end view of the stand described as attaching the coupling to
the motor-float, and Figure 6 is a plan of the motor-float.
Figure 7 is a side elevation of a suitable device for controlling and steering the
motor-float from the vessel.
In carrying out my invention I arrange the motor fitted with suitable gear and
one or more paddles or other propellers upon an independent float propelling or
drawing the passenger or goods vessel as will be hereafter explained. Such an
arrangement is illustrated upon the drawings, A being the passenger vessel and a
the float carrying the motor and fitted with one or more suitable propellers b.
Connection between the float and the vessel may be made by means of a coup-
ling B hinged or pivoted to the latter and linked to the former, the whole being
so arranged that either the float or the vessel may rise and fall to a limited extent
without the connection between the two being severed.
The float carrying the motor, gear and paddles or other propeller, (the first two
being preferably enclosed in a water-tight compartment) may be of any suitable
shape and is controlled as to speed and direction from the passenger vessel.
Any convenient motor may be used and it may be operated by steam, oil, elec-
tricity or in any other suitable manner, but preferably make use of oil or elec-
tricity in which case oil reservoirs or the batteries are stored upon the vessel or.

page_text: in the motor float (or partly in both) and oil supplied by a suitable pipe or the elec-
tricity supplied to the motor by means of cables. When I employ steam or oil
to drive the motor, I, of course, provide means for the escape of vapours, etc.
The coupling B consists of a rod c and a cylinder d as shewn on Figures 2 and 3,
the rod being provided with a loop or catch e at one end and a head f is screwed
or otherwise secured to the other; this head is held between pads of rubber (Fig. 3)
or spiral springs (Fig. 2) contained within the cylinder and a cap closes the end
of the cylinder. The rod is thus free to slide in either direction to a slight extent,
the rubber or springs acting as a cushion. The loop or catch is arranged to be
engaged by a pin supported in a wooden or other suitable stand provided upon the
float or on the vessel (see Figure 5), and the opposite end of the coupling is pivoted
to the prow of the vessel (or to the motor-float) so as to permit of a horizontal
movement and it may also be hinged to allow of vertical movement.
When not
in use the coupling may be detached from the vessels or be folded over so as to lie
on one or the other as shewn in dotted lines on Figure 1.
Or in lieu of the one above described, I may use a coupling consisting of bridged
or stayed rods forming a quadrilateral figure, one end of which is hinged and
pivoted to the float or to the vessel, the other end being connected 'by a strap or
rope to the vessel or to the float.
The sides of the vessel, or of the float (or both) are provided (preferably at the
bow or near the stern so as to avoid risk of injury) with retarding flaps or similar
devices C hinged or pivoted preferably above the water line. These are arranged
to act as brakes when required and are operated from the vessel in a vertical plane
by levers, reins or other connections. The brakes can be actuated independently
one of the other so that they can thus be utilized for steering purposes, and when
not in use they may be suspended above the water level by means of a spring catch
or otherwise.
I have illustrated on Figure 7, a suitable apparatus for steering and controlling
the motor-float from the vessel, which comprises a pivoted lever the upper por-
tion D of which is capable of turning on its axis through a predetermined arc;
this upper portion may also consist of a sleeve capable of turning upon the lower
portion of the pivoted lever.
Upon the upper portion D is rigidly secured a cross-piece E or the like arranged
to engage with the ends of rods F supported in suitable bearings and linked or
otherwise connected to levers secured to the hinged flaps or the pivots of the same,
for the purpose of operating these flaps.
The reins or ropes are attached to a head F¹ secured upon the upper portion of
this lever by means of which the lever can be caused to partly rotate in either
direction on pulling one or other of the reins.
The lower portion G of this pivoted lever carries, in the case of an electrical
motor, a suitable contact device II so arranged that the current from the storage
batteries may be switched on or off, and in the event of both reins being pulled
simultaneously the circuit will be broken; on releasing the reins contact is re-
made by means of an adjustable spring J operating the lever. In some cases I
may arrange for the lower portion of the lever to act as a graduated switch the
speed of the motor being thereby regulated.
In the case of oil or other motors the lower portion G of the lever is arranged to
operate the starting and stopping mechanism.
In lieu of controlling the motor and the flaps by the same pair of reins I may
arrange to control the flaps only by means of reins and the motor by means of
suitable switches 'situated upon the vessel within reach of the driver.
I prefer to assemble all the switches, and controlling and steering apparatus
upon the forepart of the vessel within easy reach of the steersman' and as shewn on
Figure 1, but the controlling mechanism may be arranged in any way found
desirable.
The passenger or goods vessel may be of any suitable shape, and, if desired, I
may arrange seats therein to resemble those of a waggonette, the driver thus occupy-

page_text: ing a seat in the front portion of the boat, the seat being provided with a back
which may be movable or otherwise.
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 I am
aware that hinged flaps have been used as brakes for retarding the speed of ships,
and also that vessels have been heretofore drawn by tugs or motor-propellers
placed on separate boats and I make no broad claim thereto, but what I do
claim is:
1. A motor-float provided with retarding devices and one or more propellers,
the whole being controlled from the vessel propelled or drawn thereby, for the
purposes and as described.
2. A motor-float for towing vessels, furnished with an apparatus such as is
shewn in Figure 7 (or equivalent apparatus) adapted to be operated from the pro-
pelled vessel and to effect the steering of the motor-float and to control its move-
ment and to operate suitable brakes or retarding devices simultaneously with the
stopping or starting of the motor-float, substantially as described.
3. In means for propelling and steering vessels the combination of a motor-float
as claimed in the preceding claims with a vessel furnished with brakes and a coup-
ling connection, substantially as described.
'
4 In a motor-float, the apparatus for steering and controlling the same from the
vessel propelled or drawn thereby, substantially as described and illustrated with
reference to Figure 7 of the annexed drawings.
100
ated this eighteenth day of May, 1907.
For the Applicant,
GEDGE & FEENEY,
60, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C., Chartered Patent Agents,