Iм- PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING VESSELS
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Wheatley, Captain in the Royal Navy, of
No. 9, Glücks Strasse, Munich, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
Scaled the 20th May 1864, and dated the 12th January 1864,
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Wheatley at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 12th
January 1864.
I, JOHN WHEATLEY, Captain in the Royal Navy, of No. 9, Glücks
Strasse, Munich, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "Iм-
PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING VESSELS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for propelling
vessels. For this purpose I give motion to the propeller, whether it be a
screw or paddle wheel propeller, by apparatus similar to a windmill. The
axis that carries the sails of the windmill turns in suitable bearings carried by
a small table or bed that is supported at a suitable distance above the upper
deck by legs or supports that at their bottom are carried by a double circular
ring that is so supported by the deck that it can be turned on its centre, and
the axis of the windmill so turned in any desired direction. The ring is for
this purpose provided with cog teeth, and is supported by rollers or balls so
that it can be turned in like manner to a turntable. The windmill axis has
upon it a break and á crank, which by a connecting rod gives motion to a shaft,
that by toothed wheels or otherwise gives motion to the screw or paddle shaft,
the connecting rod is provided with a swivel joint intermediate of its length

page_text: in order to allow of the axis of the windmill being turned in any desired
direction.
Apparatus constructed as above described. may either be alone employed
for giving motion to the screw or paddle shaft, or it may be employed
together with steam power, the screw or paddle shaft having motion so trans-
mitted to it from the steam engine, and from the axis driven by the windmill,
that the screw or paddle shaft may either be disconnected from the windmill,
and driven by the steam engine, or be disconnected from the engine and
driven by the windmill. The main object is to enable ordinary vessels to
steer a course with any wind, and in steam vessels to save fuel without their
losing time when the wind is strong enough to give a speed equal to their
speed under steam.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Wheatley, in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
12th July 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
WHEATLEY, Captain in the Royal Navy, of 9, Glücks Strasse, Munich, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-seventh year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said John Wheatley, Her special licence that I, the said John
Wheatley, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said John Wheatley, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING VESSELS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said John Wheately, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their 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
calender months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Wheatley, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, reference being made to the Drawings, that is to say:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for propelling
vessels. For this purpose I give motion to the propeller, whether it be a
screw or paddle wheel propeller, by apparatus similar to a windmill. The
axis that carries the sails of the windmill turns in suitable bearings carried by
a small table or bed that is supported at a suitable distance above the upper
deck by legs or supports that at their bottom are carried by a double circular
ring that is so supported by the deck that it can be turned on its centre, and
the axis of the windmill so turned in any desired direction. The ring is for
this purpose provided with cog teeth and is supported by rollers or balls, so
that it can be turned in like manner to a turntable. The windmill axis has
upon it a break and a crank, which by a connecting rod gives motion to a
shaft that by toothed wheels or otherwise gives motion to the screw or paddle
shaft, the connecting rod is provided with a swivel joint intermediate of its
length in order to allow of the axis of the windmill being turned in any
desired direction.
Apparatus constructed as above described may either be alone employed for
giving motion to the screw or paddle shaft, or it may be employed together
with steam power, the screw or paddle shaft having motion so transmitted to
it from the steam engine, and from the axis driven by the windmill, that the
screw or paddle shaft may either be disconnected from the windmill, and driven
by the steam engine or be disconnected from the engine and driven by the
windmill. The main object is to enable ordinary vessels to steer a course
with any wind, and in steam vessels to save fuel without their losing time
when the wind is strong enough to give a speed equal to their speed under
steam.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
A, brake wheel, exterior smooth, interior cogged, with wheel C in gear
extends sails; B, double wheel, turns on axis loose, in connection with rollers
on vanes, contracts the sails as checked by a brake or driven with double speed
by wheel C; C, as above; D, winch for one or more hands according to the
size of the ship for extending sails in first instance, they may be replaced by
a capstan on deck, which driven by the revolving sails might be used to weigh
the anchor, set the other sails, &c.; E, E, driving wheels, cogged within and
without, double in paddle steamers when the paddles can be worked indepen-

page_text: dently; F, F, connecting wheels to paddle or screw shafts, turning ahead or
astern as in or out of gear; alternate wheels to have wooden cogs; G, clutch,
for connecting or disconnecting steam machinery; II, rotatory platform, above
or let into upper deck for turning vanes to wind.
The main object of this Invention is to save fuel without causing loss of
time in steamers when the wind is strong enough to give a speed equal
to their speed under steam and in other vessels to enable them to steer a
course with any wind.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Wheatley, have hereunto set my
band and seal, this Fourth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
JOHN WHEATLEY. (L.S.)