IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING VESSELS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent, for an Invention of "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR
PROPELLING VESSELS." A communication from abroad by Auguste Figge
and Le Comte Stanislas Julien Ostrorog, both of Paris, France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Clark at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th August 1880.
WILLIAM CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Patent
Agent. "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING VESSELS." [A communication
from abroad by Auguste Figge and Le Comte Stanislas Julien Ostrorog, both of
Paris, France.]
This Invention relates to improved apparatus for propelling vessels, and the
essential feature of the Invention consists in the employment of a single or of a
series of propellers mounted in openings in the keel of the vessel, and each
composed of either one or a pair of horizontal blades rotating upon a vertical
axis, and arranged so as to feather, or present alternately their flat sides and edges
to the water.
In order that the Invention may be more readily understood, I have in the
accompanying Drawing illustrated an example of the application of the apparatus.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section taken on the line of the keel; Figure
is an underside view or section on line 1-2, Figure 1, of one of the propellers;
Figure 3 is a perspective view of the propeller and mechanism for rotating same
on its horizontal axis; Figure 4 is an elevation of a propeller driven direct by
a rotary engine.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the Figures. a is
the hull of the vessel, and b the main propeller shaft, which may be operated in
any suitable manner, and is for the sake of simplicity here shown as receiving
motion from a vertical shaft & and hand wheel e, through the bevel gear wheels c;
f is a screw propeller mounted upon shaft b, and g the rudder, which is free to turn
upon a vertical axis. The motion of shaft b is transmitted to the screw by means
of friction cones h, i, and intermediate cone k, the latter being raised or lowered to

page_text: throw cones h and i in and out of gear by a hand wheel or lever l. A series of
bevel pinions m are mounted upon shaft b, which transmit motion by means
of pinions n to a series of vertical shafts o, upon which the propellers are mounted.
The blades are mounted upon a horizontal shaft p, which passes through the lower
end of shaft o, and they are turned on their horizontal axis by means of two
rectangular pieces attached to the propeller blades, and moving over rings or cam
surfaces s, 8, fixed to the keel of the vessel. The outer ring s acts upon piece r,
and the inner ring s¹ upon 1, the first being interrupted from 1 to 2, and the
other, from 3 to 4, so that the piece acting against the rings or projections each
in turn moves the blade q through an arc of 90° upon its axis. The blades, it will
thus be seen, are always at right angles to each other, the one of a pair presenting
its flat side, while the other presents its edge to the water. It will be seen in the
arrangement of the gearing, shown in Figure 1, that the shafts o turn in pairs in
opposite directions, so that there will be two fins or blades acting at one time at
each side of the vessel. There may be either one or two blades mounted on each
shaft p, but a larger number would be objectionable.
The backing of the vessel is effected by simply reversing the motion of shaft b.
Although the propeller blades are shown as combined with a screw-rudder, it will
be evident that they may be employed alone or in connection with paddle wheels
or other means of propulsion.
Figure 1 merely shows the principle of the apparatus, but in practice it would
be preferred to drive each propeller blade by means of a rotary engine, as shown
at E, Figure 4, mounted on the shaft of the propeller. In this case a is a pipe for
conducting steam to the engine through branch pipe v, x being a pipe for conducting
the exhaust steam to the condenser. The propeller blades may, however, be
operated in any other suitable manner. In practice the size of the propeller
blades should be as small as possible to avoid making too large an opening in
the keel for their reception.
This improved fin propeller being placed at the bottom of the vessel presents
an especial advantage for ships of war, where the screw is so liable to be injured
by a shot from the enemy, whereas in the present case the propellers are protected
by the depth of water in which they are submerged.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 19th February
1881.
"
WILLIAM CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Patent
Agent. 'IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING VESSELS." A communication
from abroad by Auguste Figge and Le Comte Stanislas Julien Ostrorog, both of
Paris, France.
This Invention relates to improved apparatus for propelling vessels, and consists
essentially in the employment of one or preferably a pair of feathering blades or
paddles revolving in a horizontal plane in an opening in the keel of the vessel.
Each blade or pair of blades is rotated in a horizontal plane by a vertical shaft,
and each blade is free to turn partly round on its own axis, and is feathered or
caused to present its broad surface and its edge alternately to the water by cams
arranged as hereafter described. There may be a series of such blades or pairs of
blades in a series of openings in the keel, and driven in opposite directions from
one main longitudinal shaft, with which may be combined a steering screw propeller
mounted in the rudder and driven from the same shaft. Instead of driving the
feathering propellers from a common shaft, each may be driven froin an independent
engine preferably of the rotary class.
In order that the Invention may be more readily understood, I have illustrated
it in the accompanying Drawing, and will proceed to describe it with reference
therewith; Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a vessel provided with propellers
of this Invention; Figure 2 is an underside view or section on line 1-2, Figure 1,
of one of the propellers, and Figure 3 is a perspective view of the same showing
the feathering mechanism; Figure 4 is an elevation of a propeller driven direct by
a rotary engine.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the Figures. a is
the hull of the vessel, and b the main shaft, which is for the sake of simplicity
here shown as receiving motion from a vertical shaft d and hand wheel e through
the bevel gear wheels c; f is a steering screw propeller mounted in an opening in
the rudder g, and driven from the shaft b by means of bevelled friction wheels h, i,
and intermediate wheel k, which is capable of being raised and lowered to throw
cones h and i in and out of gear by a hand wheel or lever ; m are mitre wheels
keyed upon shaft b, and driving pinions n keyed on the vertical propeller shafts o.
Each pair of propeller blades or paddles q, q, is mounted loose upon a horizontal
The blades
shaft which passes through the lower end of the vertical shaft o.
are turned on their horizontal axis p by means of two cross arms or tappets r set
at right angles to each other and attached to the root of each blade, and moving
respectively against concentric cam surfaces 8, 8¹, fixed to the keel of the vessel.
The outer cam s acts upon the arm r, and the inner one s¹ upon the arm 71. There
is a depression or interruption in the outer cam 8 from 1 to 2, and in the inner
one s¹, from 3 to 4, which respectively permit the corresponding cross arms to turn
a quarter round, and as the projecting segments or cams s, s', alternately act upon
the arms r,, the blade is turned through an arc of 90° upon its axis at each
revolution of the shaft o. The two blades of each pair are therefore always at
right angles to each other, the one presenting its broad surface, and the other its
edge to the water. It will be seen by the arrangement of the gearing, shown in
Figure 1, that the shafts o, of which there are four (or any other even number)
turn, the first and third one way, and the second and fourth the opposite way, so
that there are two blades acting at one time at each side of the vessel. There may
be either one or two blades on each shaft p, as above mentioned.

page_text: The propulsion astern is effected by reversing the motion of shaft b. Although
a steering screw propeller is shown combined with the above described apparatus,
it will be evident that the feathering blades of this Invention may be employed
alone or in connection with paddle wheels or other means of propulsion.
Figure 1 merely illustrates the principle of the apparatus; in practice it would
be preferable to drive each feathering propeller by means of a small rotary engine,
as shown at E, Figure 4, applied directly to the shaft o. In this case all the
engines may be supplied through branch pipes v from one main steam pipe u, and
exhausted through branch pipes x connected to a main exhaust pipe leading to the
condenser. Although an independent engine is considered most simple, the propellers
may be driven by gearing from a common shaft, as in Figure 1, or in any other
suitable manner. In practice the thickness of the blade should be as restricted as
possible to avoid making too large an opening in the keel. This improved
propeller being placed below the bottom of the vessel is especially suitable for
war ships, as it is not exposed to the enemy's fire like the ordinary screw
propeller, but is effectually protected by the depth of water in which it is
submerged.
Having described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same,
I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
herein before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
1st. A propeller for vessels, consisting of a blade or pair of blades q revolving
in a horizontal plane, and caused by cams to feather or alternately present
the broad surface and edge to the water, substantially as shown and described.
2nd. The employment and application in a vessel, of one or a series of feathering
propellers, each composed of one or a pair of blades as herein specified, and each
driven by a separate rotary engine or other motor, substantially as described
and shown in Figure 4.
3rd. The combination in a vessel of a number of feathering propellers driven by
one main shaft, one half the number in one direction, and the other half in the
opposite direction, as and for the purpose specified.
4th. The combination with one or more feathering propellers, as herein described,
of a steering screw propeller mounted in the rudder and driven by friction gear
from the same main shaft, substantially as described and shown in Figure 1.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Clark, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Eighteenth day of February, A.D. 1881.