IMPROVEMENTS IN ADAPTING PROVISIONAL SPATION
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Louis Winans, of Dover Street, in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, and Thomas Winans, of Baltimore, in
the United States of America, but now residing at Dover Street
aforesaid, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ADAPTING
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Louis Winans and
Thomas Winans at. the Office of the. Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 22nd June 1863.
We, WILLIAM LOUIS WINANS, of Dover Street, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, and THOMAS WINANS, of Baltimore, in the United States of
America, but now residing at Dover Street aforesaid, Gentleman, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ADAPTING
PROPELLERS FOR PROPELLING SHIPS OR VESSELS," to be as follows:-
Our Invention of "Improvements in Adapting Propellers for Propelling
Ships or Vessels," relates to certain improvements upon an Invention for
which Letters Patent were granted 19th June 1858, No. 1887, to Ross and
Thomas Winans. The Invention therein patented is described as consisting in
a combination of a spindle-shaped hull formed of two separate water-tight
vessels united by a sleeve or framing with one screw propeller, but about
half immersed, operating in the space between the two portions of the hull

page_text: with a hub equal in diameter to the vessel at the part where it was connected
together.
Our present Invention consists in the combination of the spindle-shaped
hull, patented by Ross and Thomas Winans, June 19th, 1858, No. 1386, and
formed of three water-tight vessels, of which the middle one is much the
largest, united by a framing, partly or entirely above the water line, with
two propellers about one half immersed, constructed similarly and operating
like the one propeller, above referred to. By this means a greater amount of
propelling surface of blades can be obtained or an equal amount of propelling
surface with less draught of water than by a single propeller, as named in the
Patent of Ross and Thomas Winans.
Our Invention likewise consists in the combination of two propellers, as
herein described with the said spindle-shaped hull, as improved by ourselves,
for which improvements we have applied for Provisional Protection. The
engines for propelling the wheels we place between them, and in some cases
we use a shaft, common to both, for propelling them, and in others we propel
the two wheels by different engines, in which case the vessel could be turned
upon its centre by revolving the propellers in different directions.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Louis Winans and Thomas Winans in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 22nd December 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, WILLIAM
LOUIS WINANS, of Dover Street, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, and
THOMAS WINANS, of Baltimore, in the United States of America, but now
residing at Dover Street aforesaid, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-seventh year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
us, the said William Louis Winans and Thomas Winans, Her special license
that we, the said William Louis Winans and Thomas Winans, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said William Louis
Winans and Thomas Winans, our executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at
all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great

page_text: Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ADAPTING PROPELLERS FOR PROPELLING SHIPS OR VESSELS."
upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said William Louis
Winans and Thomas Winans, by an instrument in writing under our
hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date. of the said Letters
Patent.
:
⚫ NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said William Louis Winans and Thomas
Winans, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement, reference being had' to the
Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon,
(that is to say):-
:.
.
Our Invention of "Improvements in Adapting Propellers for Propelling.
Ships or Vessels" relates to certain improvements upon an Invention for
which Letters Patent were granted 19th June, 1858, No. 1887, to Ross and
Thomas Winans. The 'Invention therein patented is. described as consisting
in the combination of a hull, which may be represented by the two ends of a
spindle divided transversely near the middle or centre of its length, with only
one vertical propeller, occupying a space between the two portions of the
spindle, which are secured together by a suitable framing or sleeve attached
to their adjacent ends, and extending over the propeller, thus combining the
two ends, and completing the spindle-shaped hull of the vessel, the hub of the
propeller being equal to the diameter of the hull of the vessel at the part
where the two ends of the spindle were joined together and the propeller.
only about half immersed.
to.
Our present Invention of improvement 'upon the Invention patented by
Ross and Thomas Winans, June 19th, 1858, No. 1387, as aforesaid, consists
in the adaptation of two screw propellers, in combination with the spindle-
shaped hull, constructed in three parts. The spindle-shaped hull of the vessel,
constructed according to the present Invention in combination with two screw
propellers, is formed of three separate and distinct water-tight vessels or parts
of which the centre or middle part is much the largest. The two smaller end
parts of the spindle are united to the larger central part of the spindle by
framings, which are wholly or partly above the centre or water line of vessel.
The propellers are placed one at either end of the central vessel or compart-
ment, and occupy a space between the smaller end parts and the larger central
:

page_text: part of the vessel. About one-half of the propellers only is immersed, and
they are constructed similar to and operate like the one propeller shown in the.
Specification of the Patent of Ross and Thomas Winans, above referred to.
By this means a greater amount of propelling surface of blades or an equal
amount of propelling surface can be obtained with less draft of water than by
a single propeller, as described in the Patent of Ross and Thomas Winans,
above mentioned.
Our Invention likewise consists in the combination of two propellers as
herein-described, with a spindle-shaped hull, as improved by ourselves, and
for which improvements we have obtained Letters Patent. The engines for
propelling the wheels or propellers we place in the central compartment or
vessel between the propellers. In some cases the propellers are placed upon
one shaft, common to both, and actuated by the same engines, simultaneously;
in other cases the propellers are placed upon separate shafts, and are actuated
by separate engines, so that the propellers may be driven in the same
direction or in different directions. By this means the vessel could be turned
upon its centre by causing the propellers to rotate in opposite directions, and
one or both propellers may be used as required.
In the accompanying Drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one end of a
spindle-shaped vessel, and shewing our improved mode of adapting propellers
thereto. We have not considered it necessary to shew the other end of the
vessel with the second propeller, as precisely the same arrangement of parts is
employed at that end. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the propeller with the
conical end of the vessel removed, in order that the arrangements for support-
ing the several parts may be more clearly seen. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal
vertical section through the boss of the propeller and the bearings for
supporting the same. A represents the centre or main part of the spindle-
shaped vessel, or that compartment in which the engines are placed. B is part
of one of the smaller spindle or pointed ends of the vessel. The parts
A and B are connected together by wrought-iron struts or arms C, C¹, and C³.
A wrought-iron tubular support D extends down from the upper deck to the
compartment B, to the interior of which access may be obtained by means of
a ladder of iron struts placed inside the tubular support D. The lower
wrought-iron strut C serves also as a fin to prevent the propeller from pulling
round the end of the ship when she is intended to sail straight forward, it also
materially assists the steering of the vessel. The two side struts C¹ and C
are supported by the tie rods E, E, Figs. 1 and 2. The boss F of the
propeller is constructed as shewn in the Drawings, of cast and wrought iron,
and is stiffened and strengthened by internal struts and tie rods, as shewn in

page_text: Fig. 3. The propeller shaft G passes through properly packed water-tight
bearings H, which are so constructed as to admit of a little endway and
lateral motion. It will be seen that the propeller is entirely detached from
the compartment B of the vessel, and no access can be obtained to this latter
except down the wrought-iron tubular support D. This compartment may be
used either for the stowage of cargo, or may be fitted up with berths for the
It will be seen that if the outer compartment B be damaged, or even
if it be knocked away, such an accident would not necessarily affect the
stability of the main part of the vessel.
Having now described our Invention of "Improvements in Adapting
Propellers for Propelling Ships or Vessels," and having explained the manner
of carrying the same into effect, we claim as the Invention secured to us by
Letters Patent as aforesaid, the application of two large screw propellers
to spindle-shaped ships or vessels in the manner and for the purposes herein
set forth.
In witness whereof, we, the said William Louis Winans and Thomas
Winans, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Seventeenth day of
December, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
Wч. L. WINANS.
(L.S.)
THOMAS WINANS. (L.s.)