Improvements in Means for Propelling Marine and Aerial Vessels.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means for Propelling Marine and Aerial Vessels.
I, FEDOR BRIX, Engineer, of the Russian Imperial Navy, St. Petersburg
(Wassily Ostrow, 2nd Line, 55) do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows;-
When a vessel is in continuous movement there is always produced a back
flow of the water which is displaced by the fore part of the vessel and tends to
fill up the space which has been left by the rear part of the ship. This main
movement of the water is accompanied by many other movements which take
place all around the vessel in every possible direction, and extend to a very cou-
siderable distance. As the action of the propeller is the sole cause of all these
movements, the eis viva of the water set in motion by the vessel and the propeller
must equal at each moment the corresponding amount of work performed by the
propeller.
Now the propeller hereinafter described has for its object to reduce the
above mentioned movements of the water to a minimum, and thus to decrease as
much as possible the work performed by the propeller.
The accompanying drawings illustrate the different modes of using
the propeller, in each case arranged at the fore part of the vessei.
The direction of the motion of the vessel is indicated by the arrows marked V,
and that of the water is indicated by arrows marked . For vessels of usual shape
the propeller consists of two back flow passages BC BC as will be seen from
Fig. 1 (side elevation) Fig. 2 (front elevation) and Fig. 3 (sectional plan) arranged
on the fore part of the vessel. Each passage is provided internally with a pump-
ing device which has for its object to draw the water which is met with in the
path of the vessel through the front passage openings BB and to force the same
in a backward direction and with a greater velocity through the narrower open-
ings. The pumping device may be of any desired type. In Figs. 2 and 3, it is
shewn on the starboard side as consisting of an ordinary ship's screw D, and on
the larboard side as a turbine screw D. Also double screws 1), D, may be em-
ployed as shewn in Figs. 4 and 5 (plan and end view); or pumping devices I
may be arranged inside the vessel (as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3) and be
connected with suction and delivery openings B and C respectively of the back flow
passages, thus producing the same action of propulsion.
In the case of small vessels, the back flow passages BC, may be formed by
bending simple metal plates, but in the case of large vessels these metal plates
must be stiffened by strong forged or cast frames F F and angle irons G, and
the intermediate spaces must be filled with wood or any other material suitable
for the purpose with the object of producing as smooth an internal surface as
possible in order to minimise resistance.
Since the mechanical action of the water upon a passage through which it
flows depends only on the initial and final conditions of the entering and issuing
water, and not on its condition inside the passage, the obvious consequence is,

page_text: that the external resistance of the water to which the vessel is subjected, has no
influence whatever upon the surfaces of the vessel which are covered over by
the back fiow passages. From this it will be seen that this propeller has the
remarkable property of reducing the resistance of a vessel. In order to obtain
the maximum useful effect possible the action propeller must comply as much as
possible with the following conditions.
a) The back flow passages BC must cover over as large a part as possible of the
wetted surface of the vessel, it must therefore extend as much as possible over
the entire length and the entire draught of the vessel. When shorter back flow
passages are employed, for practical reasons, they must always be arranged at the
forepart of the vessel and should begin if possible at the prow E, as indicated in
dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 3. An arrangement of this kind might be found suit-
able for vessels navigating calm waters. For the purpose of obviating in-suction
of atmospheric air, the back flow passages must deviate somewhat from the most
favourable construction and should be arranged at a greater depth. If pitching
of the vessel is to be expected, the back flow passages must deviate to a still
further extent, and should be arranged at a certain distance BB from the prow E
(Figs. 1 and 3) in order to prevent uncovering of the suction openings B, B.
b) In order that the back flow passages shall not produce any unnecessary
movements in the surrounding water, the outer surface of these passages must be
as nearly as possible parallel to the line of movement of the ship.
c) The cross sectional areas of the passages must be made as large as possible
in order not to uselessly increase the velocity of the water flowing through them.
The propeller and passages should be so arranged that the whole of the
water meeting the vessel is acted upon.
When used for submarine vessels or torpedoes having a conically tapering fore
part, the back flow passage consists of a hollow cylinder BC (Figs. 4 and 5) which
s concentric with the axis of the vessel and is carried by several ribs E and in
this cylinder there is arranged the pumping apparatus, in this case having the
form of a double screw. Balloons may be provided with propellers of this kind.
For vessels navigating still waters, the propeller may be arranged under the
front part of the vessel as shewn in Fig. 6, (longitudinal section), Fig. 7 (front
elevation), and Fig. 8 (plan). The fore part has parallel side walls the extensions
of which carry the bottom E which is stiffened by the ribs F F. The back flow
passages BC, BC, BC, produced in this manner are provided internally, cach
with a pumping device 1) (in this case an ordinary ship's screw) which drives
the water (that is met with in the path of the ship and that is drawn in through
the front openings BBB), with a higher velocity through the rear openings CCC
under the bottom of the vessel. Fig. 9 (longitudinal section) Fig. 10, (front
elevation) and Fig. 11 (plan) illustrate a ship with an internal back flow passage.
This passage has in front the rectangular section HCCK (Fig. 10) then further
aft a segmental section HIK, converging to a cylindrical passage in which is
situated the pumping appliance D. Still further aft the outlet passages C are of
the approximately triangular form HCI, HCI. The back flow passage may also
partly rise above the water line, or it may also be replaced by a number of back flow
passages extending side by side, the arrangement being such that each of the said
passages may have a separate pumping device, or they may have a common
pumping device.
Notwithstanding the completely obtuse fore part of the last mentioned kinds
of vessels (Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9, 10, 11) they are capable of moving at a considerable
Speed without throwing up any appreciable waves which as is well known have
a very injurious effect upon the sandy banks of navigable rivers and canals.
Propellers of this kind have further an important property, namely that vessels
fitted with such propellers can move in the narrowest canals with any desired
speed, without being affected in the least by the increase of the resistance pro-
duced by the contraction of the canal, which resistance is unavoidable when using
ordinary propellers for the reason that with these propellers the back flow of the

page_text: water in the cross sectional area of the canal which is contracted by the hull of
the vessel, can only be attained by means of an increase of pressure of the water
in front of the vessel and a diminution of pressure of the water at the rear part
of the vessel.
The case however is very different with propellers such as described which
produce by the in-suction of the water situated in front of the vessel a diminution
of the pressure of the water, and by driving the water to the rear, produce an
increase of pressure at that part of the ship, so that a difference of pressure is
thereby produced which can only facilitate the movement of the ship.
Dated this 3rd day of August 1898.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Means for Propelling Marine and Aerial Vessels.
I, FEDOR BRIX, Engineer, of the Russian Imperial Navy, St. Petersburg
(Wassily Ostrow, 2nd Line, 55) 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:-
-
When a vessel is in continuous movement there is always produced a back
flow of the water which is displaced by the fore part of the vessel and tends to
fill up the space which has been left by the rear part of the ship. This main
movement of the water is accompanied by many other movements which take
place all around the vessel in every possible direction, and extend to a very con-
siderable distance. As the action of the propeller is the sole cause of all these
movements, the vis viva of the water set in motion by the vessel and the propeller
must equal at each moment the corresponding amount of work performed by the
propeller.
Now the propeller hereinafter described has for its object to reduce the
above mentioned movements of the water to a minimum, and thus to decrease as
much as possible the work performed by the propeller.
The drawings accompanying the Provisional Specification illustrate the different
modes of using the propeller, in each case arranged at the fore part of the vessel.
The direction of the motion of the vessel is indicated by the arrows marked V,
and that of the water is indicated by arrows marked v. For vessels of usual, shape
the propeller consists of two back flow passages BC BC as will be seen from:
Fig. 1 (side elevation). Fig. 2 (front elevation) and Fig. 3 (sectional plan) arranged
on the fore part of the vessel.
Each passage
is provided internally with a pump-
ing device which has for its object to draw the water which is met with in the
path of the vessel through the front passage openings BB and to force the same
in a backward direction and with a greater velocity through the narrower open-
ings. The pumping device may be of any desired type.. In Figs. 2 and 3, it is
shewn on the starboard side as consisting of an ordinary ship's screw D, and on
the larboard side as a turbine screw D. Also double screws D, D, may be em-
ployed as shewn in Figs. 4 and 5; (plan and end view) or pumping devices Du
may be arranged inside the vessel (as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3) and be
connected with suction and delivery openings B and C respectively of the back flow
passages, thus producing the same action of propulsion.
In the case of small vessels, the back flow passages BC, may be formed by
bending simple metal plates, but in the case of large vessels these metal plates
must be stiffened by strong forged or cast frames FF1 and angle irons G, and

page_text: the intermediate spaces must be filled with wood or any other material suitable
for the purpose with the object of producing as smooth an internal surface as
possible in order to minimise resistance.
Since the mechanical action of the water upon a passage through which it
flows depends only on the initial and final conditions of the entering and issuing
water, and not on its condition inside the passage, the obvious consequence is,
that the external resistance of the water to which the vessel is subjected, has no
influence whatever upon the surfaces of the vessel which are covered over by
the back flow passages. From this it will be seen that this propeller has the
remarkable property of reducing the resistance of a vessel. In order to obtain
the maximum useful effect possible the propeller must comply as much as possible
with the following conditions.
a) The back flow passages BC must cover over as large a part as possible of the
wetted surface of the vessel, it must therefore extend as much as possible over
the entire length and the entire draught of the vessel. When shorter back flow
passages are employed, for practical reasons, they must always be arranged at the
forepart of the vessel and should begin if possible at the prow E, as indicated in
dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 3. An arrangement of this kind might be found suit-
able for vessels navigating calm waters. For the purpose of obviating in-suction
of atmospheric air, the back flow passages must deviate somewhat from the most
favourable construction and should be arranged at a greater depth. If pitching
of the vessel is to be expected, the back flow passages must deviate to a still
further extent, and should be arranged at a certain distance B' B from the prow E
(Figs. 1 and 3) in order to prevent uncovering of the suction openings B, 1.
b.) In order that the back flow passages shall not produce any unnecessary
movements in the surrounding water, the outer surface of these passages must be
as nearly as possible parallel to the line of movement of the ship.
c.) The cross sectional areas of the passages must be made as large as possible
in order not to uselessly increase the velocity of the water flowing through them.
d.) The propeller and passages should be so arranged that the whole of the
water meeting the vessel is acted upon.
When used for submarine vessels or torpedoes having a conically tapering fore
part, the back flow passage consists of a hollow cylinder BC (Figs. 4 and 5) which
is concentric with the axis of the vessel and is carried by several ribs E and in
this cylinder there is arranged the pumping apparatus, in this case having the
form of a double screw Balloons may be provided with propellers of this kind.
For vessels navigating still waters the propeller may be arranged under the
front part of the vessel as shewn in Fig. 6, (longitudinal section), Fig. 7 (front
elevation), and Fig. 8 (plan). The fore part has parallel side walls the extensions
of which carry the bottom E which is stiffened by the ribs F F. The back flow
passages BC, BC, BC, produced in this manner are provided internally, each
with a pumping device 1 (in this case an ordinary ship's screw) which drives
the water (that is met with in the path of the ship and that is drawn in through
the front openings BBB), with a higher velocity through the rear openings CCC
under the bottom of the vessel.
Fig. 9 (longitudinal section) Fig. 10 (front elevation) and Fig. 11 (plan) illustrate
a ship with an internal back flow passage. This passage has in front the rectangular
section H C C K (Fig. 10) then further aft a segmental section HI K,,
to a cylindrical passage in which is situated the pumping appliance D).
converging
Still further aft the outlet passages C are of the approximately triangular form
HCI, HCI. The back flow passage may also partly rise above the water line,
or it may also be replaced by a number of back flow passages extending side by side,
the arrangement being such that each of the said passages may have a separate
pumping device, or they may have a common pumping device."
Notwithstanding the completely obtuse fore part of the last mentioned kinds
of vessels (Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9, 10, 11) they are capable of moving at a considerable

page_text: speed without throwing up any appreciable waves which as is well known have
a very injurious effect upon the sandy banks of navigable rivers and canals.
Propellers of this kind have further an important property, namely that vessels
fitted with such propellers can move in the narrowest canals with any desired
speed without being affected in the least by the increase of the resistance pro-
duced by the contraction of the canal, which resistance is unavoidable when using
ordinary propellers for the reason that with these propellers the back flow of the
water in the cross sectional area of the canal which is contracted by the hull of
the vessel, can only be attained by means of an increase of pressure of the water
in front of the vessel and a diminution of pressure of the water at the rear part
of the vessel.
The case however is very different with propellers such as described which
produce by the in suction of the water situated in front of the vessel a diminution
of the pressure of the water, and by driving the water to the rear, produce an
increase of pressure at that part of the ship, so that a difference of pressure is
thereby produced which can only facilitate the movement of the ship.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim
is:-
Propelling vessels by forcing fluid through passages formed on the sides or the
under surface of the fore part of the vessel, or, in the case of submerged vessels,
through a tubular passage at the prow, or through passages in the body of the
vessel, such passages when they are external having their outsides parallel to
the length of the vessel, substantially as described.
Dated this 1st day of May 1899
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.