AN IMPROVED ATTACHMENT FOR AND MODE OF ACTUATING SHIPS' PUMPS
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer,
for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED ATTACHMENT FOR AND MODE OF
ACTUATING SHIPS' PUMPS."-A communication from abroad by Almon
Roff, of Southport, in the State of Connecticut, United States of
America.
Sealed the 18th September 1869, and dated the 14th June 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 14th June 1869.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery;
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED ATTACHMENT FOR AND
MODE OF ACTUATING SHIPS' PUMPS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a new apparatus for automatically working
pumps on sailing and other vessels without requiring the crew to operate
the same. Heretofore the pumps on ships without steam engines

page_text: had to be worked entirely by muscular power, and in cases of danger
when the ship sprung a leak in cases of fire or in a heavy sea, the
crew were apt to become exhausted and many vessels were lost because
the pumps could not be properly worked.
This Invention consists chiefly in the application to the vessel of
a detachable paddle wheel which will be revolved by the motion of
the ship through the water and which will by suitable gearing operate
the ship's pump. The wheel can be readily removed when the pumps
are not to be used and as readily replaced when needed. The device
can be applied to all kinds of vessels, even to those which are propelled
by steam, and will prove a great aid in all cases of danger from fire,
storm, or leakage.
In carrying out the Invention a hole is made through each side of
the ship for the purpose of allowing a shaft to be passed through.
This hole is bushed to form a bearing for the shaft, on the outer end
of which is mounted the paddle wheel whereby it will be driven as
the vessel passes through the water. On the other end of the shaft
is a toothed wheel whereby the gearing of the ship's pump is driven.
When the paddle wheel and shaft are no longer required they are
removed, and the hole is closed by a dished plate, plug, or stopper
which will be held in place by a spring or wedge.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 14th December 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in
the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Edward Newton, Her special
licence that I, the said William Edward Newton, executors, adminis-

page_text: trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Edward Newton,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter 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
"AN IMPROVED ATTACHMENT FOR AND MODE OF ACTUATING SHIPS' PUMPS," being
a communication to me from abroad by Almon Roff, of Southport, in
the State of Connecticut, United States of America, upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said William Edward Newton, 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 calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Edward Newton, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the Drawing here-
unto annexed and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is
to say)
This Invention relates to a new apparatus for automatically working
pumps on sailing and other vessels without requiring the crew to operate
the same.
Heretofore the pumps on ships without steam enginės had to
be worked entirely by muscular power, and in cases of danger when the
ship sprung a leak, in cases of fire or in a heavy sea, the crew were apt
to become exhausted, and many vessels were lost because the pumps
could not be properly worked.
This Invention consists chiefly in the application to the vessel of a
detachable paddle wheel which will be revolved by the motion of the
ship through the water and which will by suitable gearing operate the
ship's pump. The wheel can be readily removed when the pumps are
not to be used and as readily replaced when needed. The device can be
applied to all kinds of vessels even to those which are propelled by steam
and will prove a great aid in all cases of danger from fire, storm, or
leakage.

page_text: The Invention consists also in the arrangement of the various details.
of construction, as herein-after more fully described.
In the accompanying Drawing Fig. 1 represents a stern view of a
vessel provided with the improved automatic pump attachment; Fig. 2
represents a vertical transverse section of the same; Fig. 3 is a plan or
top view of the same; Fig. 4 is an inside elevation of the same; Fig. 5
is a plan view of the adjusting shaft; Fig. 6 is a vertical section of
the upper part of the shaft, and Fig. 7 is a vertical transverse section of
a portion of the side of the vessel; similar letters of reference indicate
corresponding parts.
A, A, are two horizontal crank axles which have their bearings in any
suitable part of the vessel, and which have their cranks a connected
with the piston rods of two pumps to operate the same when revolved.
The two shafts A carry toothed wheels b, b, as shewn; B is a sliding
shaft having its bearings in the vessel between the shafts A, A, and
carrying a toothed wheel c, which when the shaft B is moved outwards
will be in gear with the wheels b, b. The shaft B can be projected
through an aperture in the side C of the vessel, which aperture is lined
with a bush d so as to form a water-tight packing. On the outer side of
the vessel is secured (so as to surround partly the aperture in the
side of the ship) a U-shaped plate D, which has a groove on the inner
side to receive a flange e that is formed on the hollow shaft or shank fof
a paddle wheel E. The shaft B is squared at its outer end and the
hollow shank has a corresponding square aperture. When the wheel is
to be used it is placed with its flange e in the groove of the plate D, as
seen in Figs. 2 and 3, the plate D being open at top to allow the insertion
of the wheel from above. The shaft B is then moved forward to fit
into or through the hollow shank f of the wheel, and to bring its pinion c
into gear with the toothed wheels b, b. As the ship moves through the
water the wheel E whose paddles reach into the water will be rotated
automatically and will revolve the shaft B, and thereby also the shafts
A, A, thus operating the pumps. The shaft B may also be square where
it passes through the bush d, in which case a sleeve g is fitted into the
bush around the shaft, as shown so as to revolve with the shaft. When
the pumps are not to be worked the wheel E is removed and the shaft B
drawn in. The aperture in the side C is then closed by a spring plug h
which is a doubled plate (with rubber or other packing between it and
the side of the vessel) placed in the groove of the plate D, as is clearly

page_text: shewn in Fig. 7. The device for throwing the shaft B in or out may
be of any suitable construction. It is preferred to use the apparatus
shown in the Drawing. In this an arm i suspended from the shaft B, or
being a sliding support of the same is connected with a slotted crank j
of a vertical shaft F which shaft has its bearings in the vessel, as shown.
The upper end of the shaft F carries a cross head K which is placed in a
countersunk box G arranged on the deck H, as shown. The box can be
closed and the cross head concealed by means of a cover I. When the
cover is removed the cross head can be turned so as to swing the shaft F
to either move the shaft B inward or outward, as may be desired. The
cross head can be locked in either position by means of a pin l, fitted
through it, and through one of two apertures in the bottom of the box G
as indicated in Figures 5 and 6.
Instead of two pump shafts only one or more than two may be
thrown in gear with the operating shaft B.
Instead of being a paddle wheel the driving device may be a screw to
be arranged at either end or side of the ship.
Having now set forth the nature of the Invention of "An Improved
Attachment for and Mode of Actuating Ship's Pumps," as communicated
to me from abroad, and explained the manner of carrying the same into
effect, I wish it to be understood that under the above in part recited
Letters Patent, I claim,-
First. An automatic pump attachment to vessels consisting of the
removable paddle wheel or its equivalent, arranged on the side of the
vessel to operate the pump or pumps, substantially as herein shewn and
described.
Second. The sliding shaft B when arranged in a vessel so that it can
receive a paddle wheel E, or its equivalent, for the purpose of auto-
matically operating the pump or pumps, as described.
Third. The grooved U-shaped plate D, when arranged at the side of a
vessel opposite the aperture through the same substantially as herein
shown and described.
Fourth. The spring plug h, placed in the groove of the U-shaped
plate D, for the purpose of closing the aperture through the ship, as
described.
Fifth. The vertical shaft F having the crank; and cross head K,
when arranged in combination with the sliding shaft B, countersunk

page_text: box G, and cover I, all arranged and operating substantially as herein
shown and described.
Sixth. The sliding shaft B carrying the wheel E, or its equivalent, and
fitted through the box d, when arranged to operate the pump shaft or
shafts A, substantially as herein shewn and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, the Fourteenth day of December, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
W. E. NEWTON. (L.S.)