AN IMPROVED METHOD of PROPELLING VESSELS BY CENTRIFUGAL FORCE, TOGETHER WITH APPARATUS FOR EFFECTING THIS PURPOSE
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Léon Ségond civil Engineer of the city of Paris
in the Republic of France for an Invention of AN IMPROVED METHOD of
PROPELLING VESSELS BY CENTRIFUGAL FORCE, TOGETHER WITH APPARATUS
FOR EFFECTING THIS PURPOSE
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Léon Ségond at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th August 1883.
ALFRED LÉON SEGOND civil Engineer of the city of Paris in the Republic of.
France "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF PROPELLING VESSELS BY CENTRIFUGAL
FORCE TOGETHER WITH APPARATUS FOR EFFECTING THIS PURPOSE "
The means employed for propelling vessels by centrifugal force are as follow,
below the water line and under the deck of a vessel a pipe is fixed, the ends of
which are of unequal length, this pipe is arched in the centre, and communicating
with it at its longest end is a Giffard injector or other similar apparatus for
forcing water by the action of steam into this pipe in the following manner
The injector which is worked by steam sets the water in motion and forces it
from rear to front through the straight part of the pipe (which portion merely
serves to regulate the action of the apparatus)
On reaching the curved part of the pipe the water meets with an opposition to
its advance in a straight line and is compelled to take a circular course, and the
centrifugal force thus produced and exercised within the pipe ten is to burl the
water from the centre and striking this part of the vessel to which the pipe is
attached consequently urges it forward.
The injector is enclosed in a case to prevent condensation of the steam and is
fixed to the side of the vessel.
A modification of the same principle consists in having a simple partition or side
in lieu of the pipe, the centrifugal force developped by the curvilinear motion of
the water tends to project the water from the centre on which it turns and the
water forced against this side impels the vessel in a precisely similar manner, the
only difference between the two being that the steam from the injector is not
driven into a solid pipe.
The vis viva of the injector in both instances is transformed into available
working power.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Alfred Léon Segond in the Patent Office on the 28th February
1884.
ALFRED LEON SECOND Civil Engineer of the city of Paris in the Republic of
France "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF PROPELLING VESSELS BY CENTRIFUGAL
FORCE TOGETHER WITII APPARATUS FOR EFFECTING THIS PURPOSE
"
The centrifugal propeller forming the subject of the present invention is an
apparatus for propelling vessels by utilizing the centrifugal force produced by the
compulsory circulation of a mass of water-The apparatus may be any convenient
form and dimensions, and as illustration of the principle, the following description
will suffice to explain the nature of the invention.
The propeller is represented by the accompanying drawings Fig 1 being an
elevation Fig 2 being a plan partly in section, and it consists first of a tube A. B. in
an arched or bent form, and secondly of an injector of the Giffard or other type
enclosed in a case I.
The two ends of the tube A B. are open so that the water may pass freely
through it, the ends being below the water line so that they are immersed.
The water which should by its motion produce the centrifugal force traverses
the tube in a current running from A to B. The injector I. sets this water in
motion and being thrown from rear to front first runs through the straight part of
the pipe A. D. which portion merely serves to regulate the working of the
apparatus. On reaching the bent part of the pipe, the water encounters the side C
which opposes its advance in a direct line and compels it to describe a circle. The
centrifugal force tending to throw the water from the centre on which it turns, the
water is forced against the side of the pipe, and pressing forcibly against this
part C, consequently impels the vessel to which it is fixed. The direction of the
force developed by the curvilinear motion of the water is represented by the
line R. F.
The case I encloses a steam injector of the Giffard or other description, it also
contains the pipes. which conduct the stream as well as the mechanisin necessary
to regulate the working of the injector. This case is intended to prevent con-
densation of the steam which should reach the orifice of the injector dry. By
giving it a suitable form the loss of power may be diminished by the displacement
of the water that this part of the apparatus occasions.
Centrifugal force is not the sole power which influences the propulsion of the
vessel, the impelling force arising from the pressure exercised by the water on the
part of the apparatus outside the vessel must also be taken into account.
It should be observed that the force produced by the reaction of the injector
acts in an inverse sense to that of the centrifugal force and would interfere with
the latters action if it were its equal, it is however nil, the centrifugal force largely
exceeding any opposing forces.
The arrangement shown Fig 3 is based on the same principle, it consists
essentially of a solid arched partition A. B. and of the steam injector, enclosed in
the case I. This apparatus is fixed to the sides of the vessel and immersed in.the
water which is thrown in form of a jet from rear to front by the injector and
encountering the side. C or partition which hinders its course in a direct line
compels it to describe a circle. The centrifugal force developed by the curvilinear
motion of the water, tends to hurl it from the centre on which it turns and forces
it against the side which it pushes and so impels the vessel to which this partition
is connected.
It will be seen that the results of this arrangement are identical with that

page_text: previously described the only difference being that the stream set in motion by the
injector is not surrounded by a solid tube or pipe which is characteristic of the
first method. The resultant forces of the water are the same.
Where a saving in expense is a consideration the Giffard injector may be
replaced by any other apparatus producing a like result. The effective force of
the propeller is such that the vis viva furnished by the injector is almost wholly
utilized. Whilst the force supplied by an engine must be transformed into
working power by means of a screw or paddle wheels with a loss of 80%
The transformation of the vis viva of the injector into available working power
does not occasion a loss of more than 2%. This loss is due almost entirely to the
friction of the water on the sides of the tube and case of the injector. As example
the water passing through the apparatus for producing the centrifugal force is
not thrown outside the vessel until the vis viva communicated to it by the injector
has been transformed into working power.
When the working of the apparatus is well regulated the velocity of the water
leaving the end of the tube is nil, as the vessel in its advance leaves the water
behind it perfectly calm. It has been previously observed that the centrifugal
propeller may be of various forms; as example the tube or pipe A. B. may be
replaced by a simple partition or side.
In apparatus where the tube is employed it may be of various shapes. The arc
described by the water is undetermined since every curvilinear motion produces
centrifugal force. This simple fact would indefinitely vary the shape of the
propeller. When the latter is of sufficient dimensions to admit of so doing the
injector may be replaced by several of a smaller type, this would insure a more
regular movement of the water in the tube A. B.
Finally the steam injector may be replaced by a water injector producing nearly
the same results. In an apparatus of this description the water forced by some
convenient method spurts up the orifice and produces a result analogous to that of
the steamijet.
The centrifugal propeller may be placed in any part of the vessel. The only
indispensable condition being that one at least of the ends of the tube or pipe
should be immersed so as to allow the injector to act. The apparatus may be
placed horizontally, vertically or obliquely without any inconvenience. The
characteristic features of the apparatus are that the water used for propelling the
vessel being first thrown from rear to front, then takes a circular course inside a
curved pipe or partition, and after its active power has been transformed by the
centrifugal action into available working power, this water makes its exit from
front to rear.
Having thus described the invention and the method of carrying it into effect
what is claimed is the new method of propelling vessels, based on the principle of
employing centrifugal force by aid of a bent or arched tube or a partition through
which a mass of water is forced by means of an injector or other apparatus having
a similar effect
In witness whereof I the said Alfred Léon Segond have hereunto set my hand
and seal this twenty seventh day of February in the Year of Our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty four.
-
-ז תרז!
זגAווא. זוr6d