NEW OR IMPROVED MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR PROPULSION OF BODIES IN AIR, APPLICABLE ALSO FOR PROPELLING SHIPS OR OTHER VESSELS IN WATER "
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Hime, of the Junior United Service Club,
in the County of Middlesex, Major, Royal, Engineers, for an Invention of
"NEW OR IMPROVED MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR PROPULSION OF BODIES
IN AIR, APPLICABLE ALSO FOR PROPELLING SHIPS OR OTHER VESSELS IN
WATER "
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Hime at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd November 1880.
FREDERICK HIME, of the Junior United Service Club, in the County of
Middlesex, Major, Royal Engineers. "NEW OR IMPROVED MEANS OR APPARATUS
FOR PROPULSION OF BODIES IN AIR, APPLICABLE ALSO FOR PROPELLING SHIPS
'OR OTHER VESSELS IN WATER."
This Invention consists in the application of the wave motion of flexible surfaces
to the propulsion of bodies in air, or of ships or other vessels in water.
.
The wave motion is produced by the successive vibration of a series of levers
connected by a flexible material through arcs in planes at right angles to the
direction of the wave.
The successive movement is effected by connecting inner or short arms of levers
to cranks or eccentrics fixed spirally on a longitudinal shaft (or shafts), caused to
rotate by steam, compressed air, springs, or other prime movers..

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Frederick Hime in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 21st May
1881,
FREDERICK HIME, of the Junior United Service Club, in the County of
Middlesex, Major Royal Engineers. "NEW OR IMPROVED MEANS OR APPARATUS
FOR PROPULSION OF BODIES IN AIR, APPLICABLE ALSO FOR PROPELLING SHIPS
OR OTHER VESSELS IN WATER."
This Invention consists in certain mechanism for the production of wave motion
in flexible surfaces, and its application to the propulsion of bodies in air or in
water. And in order that my said Inventlon may be clearly understood, I will
describe same by reference to the accompanying Drawings, Drawing No. 1
showing the arrangements as applied for propulsion in air. Fig, 1, cross section;
Fig. 2, longitudinal section; Fig. 3, plan.
The apparatus consists of an oblong frame A made of steel rods or bars with
cross bars at equal intervals B forming bearings for a central shaft C made of
hollow steel, on which are fixed at equal intervals a number of cranks or
eccentrics D, all of equal throw. These cranks or eccentrics D are arranged
spirally on the shaft, so as to make one complete radial revolution; for example,
if there be twelve cranks, as shown, each crank would radiate from the central
shaft at an angle of 30° with the crank immediately preceding and following it,
the whole twelve turns completing the circle of 360°. On the steel rods or bars
which form the two sides of the frame are hinged a number of long tapering arms
or levers E, made of split bamboo or other light material with hollow steel butts.
The inner or short limbs of-the-levers-are-connected-in-pairs-(one-on-each-side of
the frame) by connecting rods F to the cranks or eccentrics D, or the latter may
work in slots in the butt ends of the levers. The levers outside of the frame are
connected by a light elastic material G, such as silk and india rubber combined,
thus forming wings. Now it will be seen that if the central shaft C be caused to
revolve, the levers E will move up and down consecutively, each following its
predecessor, and no two being ever in the same position except when they cross
each other, one on the downward and the succeeding one on the upward stroke,
or vice versa. .
By this means wave motion is imparted to the wings G, and the air is projected
backwards or forwards according to the direction of rotation of the central shaft,
and so the body is propelled.
Rotation may be given to the shaft in numerous ways, the motive power being
either steam, compressed air, springs, or other prime movers.
In Drawing No. 1 rotation is given to the shaft by means of springs and
clockwork. The body of the machine is covered with a light canopy, so that the
whole acts like a parachute.
The weight to be carried may be suspended from the machine in a car, and the
whole guided by a sail or rudder moving on a vertical axis between the car, and
the machine.
Drawing No. 2 represents the midship section of an ironclad, and shows how the
same principle may be applied to the propulsion of a body in water. In this case
the levers are made of wrought iron or steel, and project through water tight joints
in the bottom of the ship near the keel, as shown. Their inner limbs are connected
with cranks or eccentrics arranged spirally, as before described, on a longitudinal
shaft or shafts, to which rotation is given in the usual way by steam or other motive
power. The levers outside the ship are connected by wrought iron or steel floats
of segmental shape hinged to the levers, and to each other half way between the

page_text: levers, thus forming flexible surfaces resembling fins. These fins may extend the
whole length of the ship. The water tight joints consist each of a solid metal
cylinder working in a hollow metal cylinder fixed between the ribs of the ship.
The lever passes transversely through both cylinders and fits tightly in the solid
one, while a portion of the hollow cylinder is cut away to admit of the vibration of
the lever through a vertical arc.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed or carried out in
practice, I hereby declare that I claim the Invention of,-
"New or Improved Means or Apparatus for Propulsion of Bodies in Air,
Applicable also for Propelling Ships or other Vessels in Water," substantially as
hereinbefore set forth and described and illustrated by the accompanying
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick Hime, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twentieth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
Witness,
C. DEWAR,
Shoeburyness.
FREDERICK HIME. (L.S.)