AN IMPROVED PROPELLER FOR PROPELLING SHIPS OR Other Navigable VESSELS.” PROPELLING Ships or other NavigaBLE VESSELS.
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Thomason, of Liverpool, in the County
of Lancaster, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED PROPELLER FOR
PROPELLING SHIPS OR Other Navigable VESSELS.”
PROPELLING Ships or other NavigaBLE VESSELS.
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Thomason at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
2nd October 1873.
I, JAMES THOMASON, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED
PROPELLER FOR PROPELLING SHIPS OR OTHER NAVIGABLE VESSELS," to be as
follows:-
!
"
-
This Invention relates to a novel apparatus to be used for propelling
ships and other navigable vessels, and consists of a box, case, or trough
open at both ends. Within this box, case, or trough is fitted a valve.or
valves, by preference of that form known as butterfly valves or clack
valves. The valve.or-valves are-by-preferenco.mado-of-springs-or-elastic-
material.

page_text: The valve or valves are so arranged in the box, casing, or trough, that
when the box, casing, or trough is drawn through the water the valve
or valves collapse or fold together, and when the return stroke is made
the valve or valves open out and close the box, thereby forming a cup
or receptacle which contains the water and acts as a propeller.
Tho valve or valves may be hinged or pivoted in the centre of the box,
casing, or trough, folding together in the centre; or they may be
hinged or pivoted at each side of the box, case, or trough, closing in the
centre. Where ono valve is used it must be pivoted at the side of the
box, case, or trough.
The box, case, or trough may work in suitable guides attached to any
convenient portion of the ship or other navigable vessel below the water
line, and they can be worked or driven by any suitable system of cranks,
levers, and rods, or their mechanical equivalents.
5
1
The boxes, cases, or troughs may be arranged one, two, or more on 1
each side of the vessel to be propelled; they may be so arranged that
their action is continuous by, for example, fitting two on each side of
the vessel, which alternately take the strokes fore and aft.
The boxes, cases, or troughs can be manufactured of any suitable
material, and the working gear can be fitted outside the vessel or inside 2
as circumstances may require.
In some instances the boxes may be dispensed with and the expanding
valves or wings used alone, fitted to suitable working gear.
For reversing, in either instances the valves or blades may be so
arranged that they will lock when open, and shut by any suitable 2
mechanical contrivance, as will be well understood, or the valves may
be fitted double, one set being used for going ahead, and the other for
going astern.
The advantages attendant upon the use of this propeller will be great
effectiveness, as all power exercised will be utilized as no slip can take a
place. The propellers also being kept low down in the water will
always work in solid water and not be effected by the rolling or pitching
of the vessel.
The propellers are light and simple of construction, and can easily be

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Thomason in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 26th March 1874,
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
THOMASON, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Second day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said James Thomason, Her special licence
that I, the said James Thomason, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said James Thomason, 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
PROPELLER FOR PROPELLING SHIPS OR OTHER NAVIGABLE VESSELS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said James Thomason, 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 James Thomason, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
This Invention relates to a novel apparatus to be used for propelling
ships and other navigable vessels, and consists of a box, case, trough, or
slide, open at both ends. Within_this_box,_case, trough, or slide-is-
fitted a valve or valves, by preference of that form known as butterfly
_valves_or_clack_valves. The valve_or_valves.are_by_preferenco-made-of-
3 springy or elastic material.

page_text: The valve or valves are so arranged in the box, casing, trough, or
slide that when the box, casing, trough, or slide is drawn through the
water the valve or valves collapse or fold together, and when the return
stroke is made the valve or valves open out and close the box, thereby
forming a cup or receptacle which contains the water and acts as a
propeller.
The valve or valves may be hinged or pivoted in the centre of the box,
casing, or trough, or slide, folding togethor in the centre, or they may
be hinged or pivoted at each side of the box, case, trough, or slide,
closing in the centre. Where one valve is used it must be pivoted at 1
the side of the box, case, trough, or slide.
The box, case, trough, or slide may work in suitable guides attached
to any convenient portion of the ship or other navigable vessel below
the water line, and they can be worked or driven by any suitable system
of cranks, levers, and rods, or their mechanical equivalents.
The boxes, cases, troughs, or slides may be arranged one, two, or
more on cach side of the vessel to be propelled; they may be so arranged
that their action is continuous by, for example, fitting two on cach side
of the vessel, which alternately take the strokes fore and aft.
1
The boxes, cases, troughs, or slides can be manufactured of any 2
suitable material, and the working gear can be fitted outside the vessel
or inside, as circumstances may require.
In some instances the boxes may be dispensed with, and the expanding
valves or wings used alone fitted to suitable working gear.
For reversing in either instances the valves or blades may be so 2
arranged that they will lock when open, and shut by any suitable
mechanical contrivance, as will be well understood, or the valves may
be fitted double, one set being used for going ahead, and the other for
going astern.
The advantages attendant upon the use of this propeller will be great 3
effectiveness, as all power exercised will be utilized as no slip can take
place. The propellers also being kept low down in the water will
always work in solid water and not be effected by the rolling or pitching
of the vessel.
The propellers are light and simple of construction, and can casily be 3
annlied to be would be

page_text: The before-going being the nature and object of this Invention, I will
now proceed to describe more in detail the manner in which it may be
carried out into practical effect, and for that purpose I have hereunto
attached a Sheet of Drawings marked with letters and figures of
reference corresponding with those in the following explanation,
sufficiently describing my Invention so as to enable any practical
mechanic to put the same into operation. Like letters on the different
views shown in the Drawings denote similar parts.

page_text: mechanism, as will be understood.
Upon reference to Figure 3 it will be seen that the valve B is a single.
valve.
Upon reference to Figure 4, D is a valve for reversing, the respective
valves D and B being shown in dotted lines when in and out of action.
Upon reference to Figure 5 the valve D for going astern is shown
open, the valve B being shut.
The cases containing the valves may be placed in position, as shown
at Figure 8, or in any other suitable position on the sides of the ship
below the water line.
The cases may work in suitable guides and be actuated or driven by
any suitable system of cranks, levers, and rods, or their mechanical
equivalents driven by an engine or engines in the ship.
Upon reference to Figures 6, 7, and 9, it will be seen that the cases A
are dispensed with and the blades A are hinged or pivoted to a sliding
plate H. The blades D are for going astern, and when out of action lie
alongside the plate H; G, stop pieces attached to the blades B and D
respectively. The sliding plate H may work in any suitable guides I,
and be actuated by the shaft K, issuing through the ship's side through
a stuffing box L. The reverse action to the propeller may be effected by
the rods M, M³, and the levers N, N¹, which are actuated by the rod O
which passes through the shaft K and may be worked from the interior
of the ship, or any other suitable mechanical contrivance may be used.
Propellers as shown at Figures 6 and 7 may be fitted and worked on
the sides of a ship, as shown at Figure 9, and in position as shown
at R, R', Figure 10, or they may be fitted in any other suitable position
as found convenient and expedient in practice.
Having now described and ascertained the nature, object, and purposes
of this my Invention, and shown how the same may be carried out into
operation and effect, I would have it understood that I do not confine
myself to the precise details, relative dimensions, or proportions of the
propellers as shown in the Drawings, nor do I confine myself to any
particular mode of working or operating the same, or to any particular
position or place for fixing the propeller on the sides of navigable

page_text: vessels, but what I claim as the Invention secured to me by Letters
Patent as aforesaid is,―
Firstly. An improved propeller for ships and other navigable vessels,
substantially as shown at Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying
Drawings, worked and actuated as herein-before described and set forth.
•
Secondly. An improved propeller for ships and other navigable vessels
substantially as shown at Figure 3 of the accompanying Drawings,
worked and actuated as herein-before described and set forth.
Thirdly. An improved propeller for ships and other navigable vessels,
substantially as shown at Figure 4 of the accompanying Drawings,
worked and actuated as herein-before described and set forth.
· Fourthly. An improved propeller for ships and other navigable
vessels, substantially as shown at Figure 5 of the accompanying
Drawings, worked and actuated as herein-before described and set
forth.
Fifthly. An improved propeller for ships and other navigable vessels
substantially as shown at Figures 6 and 7 of the accompanying Drawings,
worked and actuated as herein-before described and set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Thomason, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of March, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
four.