A MACHINE OR ENGINE FOR WORKING AND CAUSING THE PROGRESSIVE MOTION OF SHIPS AND VESSELS OF EVERY DE- SCRIPTION, AND OF EVERY OTHER VEHICLE IN OR ON WHICH MEN OR GOODS ARE. CARRIED ON THE WATER, AS WELL ON THE SEA AS ON LAKES AND INLAND NAVIGATION OR CANALS, WITHOUT THE ASSISTANCE OF SAILS OR OARS
Year: 1800

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD,
SHORTER, late of Newington, in the County of Surrey, but now of Great Wild.
Street, in the Parish of Saint Giles in the Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Mechanic, send greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Third did, by
His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Fourth day of February, in the fortieth year of His reign,
give and grant unto me, the said Edward Shorter, His especial licence that.
I, the said Edward Shorter, during the term of years therein mentioned,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales,
and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and also in all His Majesty's Colonies
and Plantations abroad, my Invention of "A MACHINE OR ENGINE FOR WORKING
AND CAUSING THE PROGRESSIVE MOTION OF SHIPS AND VESSELS OF EVERY DE-
SCRIPTION, AND OF EVERY OTHER VEHICLE IN OR ON WHICH MEN OR GOODS ARE.
CARRIED ON THE WATER, AS WELL ON THE SEA AS ON LAKES AND INLAND NAVIGATION
OR CANALS, WITHOUT THE ASSISTANCE OF SAILS OR OARS;" in which said Letters
Patent there is contained a proviso obliging me, the said Edward Shorter, by
an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, to cause a particular de-
scription of the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is!
to be performed, to be inrolled in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery.
within one calendar month after the date of the said recited Letters Patent,
as in and by the same, relation being thereunto had, may more fully and at
large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Edward Shorter, do hereby declare that my machine or engine for faci-
litating the progress of vessels when becalmed at sea, and when disabled by
loss of rigging, or in going in and out of harbour when the wind is unfavor-
able, and to prevent them being driven on shore by a current in a calm, and
Iso every description of craft or vehicle, as well for pleasure as burthen, to be
navigated in rivers, lakes, and canals, with or without the assistance of horses,
that in the construction and application of my machine or engine, are as
follows:-
First, I construct a frame to be placed at the stern or any convenient part
of the vessell, so as to be taken to pieces occasionally, to which frame I place
a crank or cranks that may be made on any mechanical principle, so that it
operates like a crank. On the crank is placed a wheel so constructed as to
admit an endless chain or band of any description to be conected to a wheel
placed on the capstan for that purpose, and on each throw of the crank or
cranks I place occasionally paddle or propeller, to the upper end of which I
connect a lever with a joint at each end, so applied to the stern of the vessel
as to admit of one end to raise and fall with the motion of the crank. The
annexed Drawings, to which the following letters will refer, further explain
the above Specification.
Figure 1-A, A, one side of the frame; B, the crank; C, the wheel on the
crank; D, D, the propellers; E, E, the levers conected to the upper end of
the propellers; F, the wheel on the capstan; G, the endless chain leading
from the wheel F to the wheel C; H, a jointed lever with a friction roller,
and a tackle at one end of the lever, to set the chain tight.
Figure 2, a frigate with part of her side laid open, to shew in what manner
the machine is put in motion by the capstan. It also sheweth the upper end
of the propellers with a space for a roller to act in, which may be applied
instead of the levers E, E, in Figure 1. A, the capstan; B, the space.
Figure 3 is the stern view of Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a first-rate vessel, with the machine constructed of cogg wheels
and shafts instead of a chain, to be set in motion by the capstan.
Figure 5 is a perpetual sculling machine having two blades or more similar
to the sails of a windmill set in the same angular direction, one spar or shaft
being emerged in the water somewhat below the surface, having a floating
buoy to prevent it sinking to deep, and a universal joint to admit its giving
way to the motion of the vessel, the spar or shaft being put in motion by
means of a wheel and chain connected with the capstan, as before described
in Figure 1. It will have the effect of an endless screw, and, by guye ropes

page_text: made fast to a ring or collar near the outer end of the spar, one end of each
rope on board the vessel, and by pulling either of those ropes, will cause it to
have the effect of a rudder. A, the spar or shaft; B, B, the two angular
blades; C, the floating buoy; D, the universal joint; E, the wheel to receive
the chain; F, F, the guye ropes.
3
Figure 6, a side view of Figure 5, with the sculling machine fixed to the
stern of a vessel. A, the spar or shaft; B, the buoy; C, the universal joint;
D, the wheel; E, the chain; F, the guye rope.
Figure 7, the ground view of a barge, shewing in what manner the crank
and the propellors may be applied, with a wheel on the crank to admit an
endless chain or band of any description, or otherwise the wheel may be so
constructed as to be conected with a cog-wheel and shaft, to which may be
applied a steam or vapour engine, or any other mechanical power constructed
for the purpose of working my machine. A, the crank; B, the wheel;
C, C, the propellors; D, D, two friction rollers for propeller to act upon.
Figure 8 is a side view of Figure 7.
Figure 9 is a propellor of a barge so constructed as to have the effect of a
rudder by means of a pinion being placed on the axis of a paddle, and a lever.
with a rack so situated on the stern as to act in the pinion. The lever, being
moved like a tiller, will put the paddle on an angle, and cause it to steer the
craft. A, the stern; B, the paddle; C, the pinion; D, the lever. A much.
easier method may be made use of to steer the craft by the paddle, which is
by having two ropes made fast one on each side of the paddle, by pulling
either rope will cause the paddle to have the effect of a rudder.
Figure 10, the ground view of a barge, with part of her bottom laid
open, forming a well with a crank at each end of the well.
A wheel upon
each crank of equal diameter, two parallel beams, the ends of the beams
conceted with each throw of the cranks, each beam having a number of
paddles or propellors placed in a perpendicular direction; and an endless
chain, having a connection with each wheel, will cause the cranks to act
uniformly with each other when put in motion by any mechanical machine or
engine. A, A, the cranks; B, B, the wheel; C, C, the parallel beams;
D, the chain.
Figure 11, a crank made so as to be taken to pieces.
Figure 12, one arm of the crank.
Figure 13, a propeller so constructed as to be discharged from the crank.by
the pull of a rope.
Figure 14, a front view of Figure 13, made so as to be taken to pieces
occasionally for the easy stoage in the vessel.

page_text: Figure 15, the lever to be placed at the upper end of the propellers.
Figure 16, a jointed lever with a friction roller, and a tackle to set the chain
tight occasionally. A, the roller; B, the tackle.
Figure 17, a sprocket such as are fixed in the grove of the wheel to prevent
the chain from slipping.
Figure 18, a wheel to be placed occasionally on the capstan, so constructed
as to be taken to pieces, as in Figure 1.
To every description of craft where man or cattle are employed for the
purpose of towin on rivers, lakes, and canals, and likewise to such ships as
carry but few men and have room, a steam or vapour engine, or any other
machinery or other substitute for them, may be applied.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Shorter, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of February, in the year of our