IMPROVE- MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING VESSELS AND PUMPING OR RAISING WATER
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Walter Watson Hughes, of 14, Queen's Gate,
Hyde Park, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING VESSELS AND PUMPING OR RAISING
WATER."
Sealed the 31st January 1868, and dated the 3rd August 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Walter Watson Hugbes
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
3rd August 1867.
I, WALTER WATSON HUGHES, of 14, Queen's Gate, Hyde Park, in the
County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING VESSELS AND PUMPING OR
RAISING WATER," to be as follows:-
My improvements relate to an hydraulic pressure wheel to be driven by
steam or other power for propelling vessels on seas, rivers, and canals by
forcing the water on which the said vessels float through a tube or tubes
having outlets at their sterns or sides below the surface of the water as near
to the line of the keel as may be found most convenient. Besides propelling
the apparatus is applicable for turning or stopping the vessels, as may be
required, and also for pumping and raising water.
In order to effect the objects I have in view a wheel is constructed, with a
rim, the breadth or depth-of-which-is-proportionate to the number_of_blades

page_text: used, and it is made to revolve in a fixed ring.. The blades that are used are
curved, their curve being formed from a centre taken at a distance of half the
diameter of the rim from the true centre of the wheel and proceeding from
the inner to the outer edge of the rim; these blades are attached at one end
to the inside of this rim, their other ends being attached to the disc of the
wheel in such a manner that they shall not overlap each other, but the end
of one blade shall terminate on the same diameter line at the periphery where
the next blade commences on the inner edge of the rim, by which means the
blades will on being made to revolve act like long thin circular wedges
pressing the water against the inner side of the casing in which I propose to
work the wheel. The casing of the wheel is provided with channels or pipes
leading (when the wheel is used for propelling) to the bow sides and stem of
the vessel. The wheel is used most efficiently with its axis in a line with the
keel of the vessel as the larger supply of water can be obtained from its
working close to the bottom of the vessel, and the wheel can be made of any
required length along the axis. The wheel when used for propelling vessels
is driven by a large spur wheel on a shaft connected with the engine, and one
or more small pinion wheels placed and acting on the spindle attached to its
disc, but when used for pumps or water lifts it can be driven by either wheels
or belts as most convenient. The water enters the wheel from a channel having
an opening or openings at the vessel's bow, and other openings in the botto in
or sides of the channel. The wheel has an internal opening large in propor-
tion to the width of the rim or periphery. In this opening, extending the full
length of the wheel, are fixed four blades round which the wheel revolves,
which blades will prevent the churning of the water. This constitutes one
peculiarity of the Invention.
Another peculiarity of this 'Invention consists in the-particular-construction
and position of the blades attached to its rim; so that they act as wedges,
producing with the least amount of resistance in their passage through the
water the maximum amount of external pressure.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Walter Watson Hughes in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 3rd February 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WALTER
WATSON HUGHES, of 14, Queen's Gate, Hyde Park, in the County of Middlesex,
send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS 1ler most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Walter Watson Hughes, Her special licence, that I, the said Walter Watson
Hughes, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Walter Watson Hughes, 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
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING VESSELS AND PUMPING OR RAISING
WATER," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Walter Watson
Hughes, 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 montbs next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Walter Watson Hughes, 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 thereof, that is to say :-
My improvements relate to an bydraulic pressure wheel to be driven by
steam or other power for propelling vessels on seas, rivers, and canals by
forcing the water on which the said vessels float through a tube or tubes
having outlets at their sterns or sides below the surface of the water as near
to the line of the keel as may be found most convenient.
Besides propelling
the apparatus is applicable for turning or stopping the vessels as may be
required, and also for pumping and raising water.
In order to effect the objects I have in view a wheel is constructed with a
rim, the breadth or depth of which is proportionate to the number of blades
used, and it is made to revolve in a fixed ring. The blades that are used are
curved, their curve being formed from a centre taken at a distance of balf the
width of the rim from the true centre of the wheel, and proceeding from tlie
inner to the outer edge of the rim. These blades are attached at one end to
the inside of this rim, their other ends being attached to the disc, of the wheel
in such a manner that they shall-not-overlap each other, but_the_end_of_one
blade sball terminate on the same diameter line at the periphery where the

page_text: next blade commences on the inner edge of the rim, by which means the
blades will, on being made to revolve, act like long thin circular wedges pressing
the water against the inner side of the casing in which I propose to work the
wheel. The casing of the wheel is provided with channels or pipes leading
(when the wheel is used for propelling) to the bow, sides, and stern of the
vessel. The wheel may be used either horizontally or vertically, but is used
most efficiently with its axis in a line with the keel of the vessel, as the larger
supply of water can be obtained from its working close to the bottom of the
vessel, and the wheel can be made of any required length along the axis.
The wheel when used for propelling vessels is driven by a large spur wheel on
a shaft connected with the engine and one or more small pinion wheels placed
and acting on the spindle attached to its disc, but when used for pumps or
water lifts it can be driven by either wheels or belts as most convenient. The
water enters the wheel from a channel having an opening or openings at the
vessel's bow, and other openings in the bottom or sides of the channel. The
wheel has an internal opening large in proportion to the width of the rim or
periphery. In this opening extending the full length of the wheel are fixed
four blades round which the wheel revolves, which blades will prevent the
churning of the water. This constitutes one peculiarity of the Invention.
Another peculiarity of this Invention consists in the particular construction
and position of the blades attached to its rim so that they act as wedges pro-
ducing with the least amount of resistance in their passage through the water
the maximum amount of external pressure.
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood and readily
carried into effect I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto
annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shows a longitudinal section and Figure 2 a transverse section
of an apparatus such as is above described, the apparatus being shown in a
form more especially applicable for forcing water for propelling ships or
vessels.
Figure 1 shows a longitudinal section and Figure 2 a transverse section
of an apparatus such as is above described, the apparatus being shown in a
form more especially applicable for forcing water for propelling ships or
vessels.
وس
is the cacing of the apparatus, having an indet 6 at the bottom through
which water is admitted from the exterior of the ship or vessel into the water
chamber a' at one end of the casing; at the opposite end of the casing is the
hydraulic wheel composed of four curved blades c, c, fixed at one end by
flanges c¹ to the rim d, and at the other end by similar flanges to the disc e.
The rim d revolves in the circular hole or ring f. formed in the partition a²,
which passes across the casing a; there is thus a free access of water from the

page_text: chamber a¹ of the casing to the large central space within the hydraulic wheel.
The disc e is supported by an axis g, which passes out through the end of the
casing, and has a toothed wheel g¹ fixed upon it by which it can be driven
from a large spur wheel fixed on the shaft of the engine; when the wheel is
revolved it draws in water from the chamber a' and forces it against the inner
sides of the casing, and the water passes off through the outlet pipes h, two, of
which are led to the bow and two to the stern of the vessel. One pair of
the outlet pipes pass from the end of the casing, and the other pair from the
partition a, as shown. Each of these pipes is fitted with a valve, by which the
passage through it can be opened or closed; the vessel may thus be driven
either ahead or astern, or may be turned in any direction. The blades c, c,
are portions of circles struck from a centre at a distance of half the width of
the rim d from the centre of the wheel, the blades thus proceed from the
inner to the outer edge of the rim and the width of the rim is so proportioned
to the number of blades that the blades do not overlap one another, but the
end of one blade terminates on the same radial line upon which the next
blade commences. k, k, are the fixed radial blades within the large central
space, around which the wheel revolves; these blades are fixed upon a bar,
one end of which is supported in a cylindrical hollow in the end of the shaft g,
and the other end is supported by a frame a³ fixed in the casing a. This end
of the bar is formed square in section to keep the blades from revolving.
These fixed blades are as before mentioned for the purpose of preventing the
churning of the water.
In witness whereof, I, the said Walter Watson Hughes, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Third day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
W. W. HUGHES. (L.S.)