IMPROVEMENTS IN PROPELLING AND STEERING. VESSELS
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Daniel Spink, of Weston-super-Mare, in the
County of Somerset, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN PROPELLING AND STEERING. VESSELS."
Sealed the 31st July 1866, and dated the 5th February 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Daniel Spink at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
5th February 1866.
I, DANIEL SPINK, of Weston-super-Mare, in the County of Somerset,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN PROPELLING AND STEERING VESSELS," to be as follows:-
My improvements consist in propelling and steering ships or vessels by
the impulsive action of water forced out of the vessel in the direction
required for propelling or steering through suitable pipes or passages.
furnished with valves, which water is driven by the action of air (heated or
otherwise), the air in its turn being propelled by means of steam directly
acting upon it or by means of the intervention of one or more pistons or
plungers as may be found. most advantageous, the apparatus being so
arranged that the vessel or ship is propelled or driven or steered in the
direction required, not only during the interval of the water being forced
out of the passages or pipes, but by the unbalanced pressure also during
the time such passages or pipes are being filled.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Daniel Spink in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 3rd August 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, DANIEL
SPINK, of Weston-super-Mare, in the County of Somerset, Gentleman,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the twenty-ninth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Daniel Spink, Her special licence that I,
the said Daniel Spink, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Daniel Spink, 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 PROPELLING AND STEERING
VESSELS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Daniel Spink,
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 Daniel Spink, 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, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings
hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is
to say):
:-
My improvements consist in propelling and steering ships or vessels by
the impulsive action of water forced out of the vessel in the direction
required for propelling and steering. The water is ejected through

page_text: suitable pipes or passages furnished with valves by the action of air (heated
or otherwise), the air in its turn being propelled by means of steam acting
directly upon it, or it may be by means of the intervention of one or more
pistons, plungers, or diaphragms to separate the steam from the air and
water, as may be found most advantageous. The apparatus is so arranged
that the vessel or ship is propelled, driven, or steered in the direction
required, not only during the intervals of the water being forced out
of the passages or pipes, but by the unbalanced pressure also during the
time such passages or pipes are being filled, as will be understood by
reference to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings and the following
description, which shows clearly the method of carrying my Invention into
Figure 1 represents in outline a longitudinal section of a ship fitted and
furnished with apparatus according to my Invention and system of propul-
sion; the Drawing also shows the apparatus in longitudinal section, which
is sufficient to illustrate the principle of working; Figure 2 represents the
same apparatus, but with the necessary valves in an altered position ;
views of the apparatus I deem unnecessary, as an external view will show
nothing in addition to the section Figure 1, while a cross section of the
parts consisting principally of tubes or passages, which may be of varied
form, would not add to its elucidation.
other
A is the boiler for the generation of steam, which I also furnish and
arrange with air flues for heating air which passes into the hot-air pipe B;
C is the tube or channel for the discharge of water at the stern, whereby
propulsion of the vessel is induced; and D, D, the supply water pipe or
channel which leads from the bow of the vessel; they are each furnished
with a valve, the one E, the other F; the one E closes to prevent the
ingress of water at the stern, that is to say, opens outwards; the other F
to prevent the egress of water at the bow, and opening inwards. The
passages C and D meet in a chamber H, furnished with a double valve I,
which is either in position to stop communication between C and D, and
open communication between passage C and an elbow pipe K above, or to
open communication between passages C and D, and close communication
between C and said elbow pipe above, the different positions of the parts
being shown in Figures 1 and 2. L is the steam pipe from the boiler con-
veying steam into the large elbow chamber or pipe K, which steam is
admitted at intervals only, and is controlled by a stop tap or valve N, which

page_text: tap or valve should be actuated by means of a steam engine or small first
mover having constant and regular motion, in order to open and close said
valve or tap at equal regulated intervals, which will depend somewhat on
the capacity of the apparatus and the speed at which it is desired to propel
the vessel; at the same time it may be observed that the length of time it
remains open may be short and the time closed may be comparatively long
depending on circumstances; a valve P is also applied to the hot-air
passage to prevent the return of steam or air by that channel towards the
boiler.
:
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-The vessel being immersed
in water to the water line 1, 2, as seen, the water will enter channel D, D,
by valve F, which opens freely, and will pass up through the lower part of
the double valve I, the upper part of which will close and fills the stern or
discharge channel C. On steam being admitted into the elbow pipe or
chamber K it will pass through the upper part of valve I, and force out
the water at the stern passage C on the steam being cut off by the action
of the driving gear, the steam remaining in the passage C and elbow
chamber K will be condensed, when the valve 1, by reason of the partial
vacuum so formed, will rise and close the upper passage, when water will
rush from the passage D into passage C, which it fills, at the same time
hot air will enter elbow chamber K through the valve P, whereby the
partial vacuum will be completely vitiated. The steam valve N now
opens again and forces the air in chamber K down through the upper part
of valve I, and with the water contained in passage C out at the stern
as before, a repetition of which actions induces the propulsion of the
vessel.
Figure 1 represents the valves in the position they occupy while the
steam is being admitted into the elbow chamber K, while Figure 2 shows
their position during the cessation thereof, and while water is entering the
bow channel D and the air through the air channel B, the several arrows in
each Figure indicating the direction of the steam, air, and water at such
times, as will be readily understood. Instead of hot air cold air might be
admitted, but I prefer hot air, which in a measure becomes interposed
between the steam and the water and prevents its too rapid condensation,
which is also the case with cold air, but this being cooler permits the
quicker condensation of the steam taking place than hot air will do.
It may be necessary in starting to keep the steam valve N open a longer
time than the duration of the intervals afterwards required, as a partial
vacuum must be first obtained to introduce the hot air, and as steam will

page_text: be in contact with the cold water, besides having to heat the elbow cham-
ber K. The valve I must slide on a central rod or be otherwise guided,
and should be of about the same specific gravity as water, so as to be easily
acted upon and quickly closed in either direction by the pressure of the
water in the one direction and the steam in the other. This valve, being
of metal, should be hollow, or counterbalanced in such way as to render
it of the gravity desired.
In the Drawings I have only represented one bow channel for the
admission of the water and one at the stern for ejecting it, which may be
sufficient, but it is preferable to have the parts in duplicate, so that they
exhaust (take in) and discharge alternately, and so keep up a continuous
action of discharge and equable motion of the vessel.
For steering by means of this apparatus it is simply necessary to direct
the current of discharged water towards one side or the other to incline
the motion of the ship in either direction, while if discharged in a line
parallel with the keel she will move straight ahead. This may easily be
effected by applying a movable nozzle to the discharge orifice to be operated
by the steering wheel as may be required, and may be in addition to the
rudder or as a substitute for it.
For backing the vessel a separate apparatus may be employed arranged
to admit and discharge the water in the contrary direction, or temporary
passages with sluices or valves may be provided, which will alter the
effect of the steam in the passages C and D, that is to say, convert
the passage C into the inlet and the passage D to the outlet or discharge.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, I declare that what I claim as my Invention to be
protected by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the
arrangement of apparatus herein-before described and represented in the
Drawings hereunto annexed, operating the propulsion and steering of
vessels by the means and as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Daniel Spink, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this First day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
DANIEL SPINK. (L.S.)

page_text: In hy. steam being admitted into the bent elbow pipe, passes through the upper spindle
valve into the stern pipe and drives the water in the stern pipe out at the stern in direction
of the arrow, a vacuum being formed in the stern pipe and also in the bent elbow pipe,
causing the valves to assume the positions shewn in fia 2
In fig a vacuum being formed in the bent elbow pipe and also in the stern pipe, the water
rushes through the head pipe past the lower spindle valve (which is open) and fills the stern pipe
while at same time hot air rushes from the boiler flues through the hot air pipe,through the air valve
(which is open as shewn) and fills the bent elbow pipe with hot air which in its turn is forced out at
the stern of the ship through the stern pipe,so propelling the vessel.