IMPROVEMENTS IN PROPELLING APPARATUS FOR VESSELS IN WATER AND IN AIR
Year: 1884

page_text: I FRANK WIRTH of the firm of Wirth and Company, Patent Solicitors at
Frankfort-on-the-Main in the Empire of Germany, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PROPELLING APPARATUS FOR VESSELS
IN WATER AND IN AIR" (A communication to me from Eduard Göhrung, a person
resident at Stuttgart in the Empire of Germany) to be as follows :—
This Invention relates to apparatus for propelling vessels in water and air.
I will first describe it as applied for propelling ships and submarine vessels,
reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this speci-
fication.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the paddle wheel separately, and Figure 2 a
similar view of the wheel in its casing. Figure 3 is a plan, and Figure 4 an end
view of the same when provided with means for adjusting the position of the casing.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
The apparatus consists of a cylindrical spherical ellipsoidal or other suitably
shaped strong metallic casing A with a sector shaped opening ohi, phk (one
quarter more or less of its perimeter) wherein rotates a wheel whose shaft Ċ is
mounted in bearings in the ends of the casing and having any suitable number of
equidistant blades D of a plain, wavy or bent form-corresponding to the internal
dimensions and form of the casing A so as to almost touch the ends and sides of the
casing from which they protrude at the opening in order to act on the water.
This casing A must be fixed to the vessels' hull as low as possible below, the water
line, the wheel axle C being carried through a stuffing box in the vessels' side and
connected with the engine for driving it. The wheel axle C may be placed in a
vertical, horizontal or inclined position at both sides or with vertical or horizontal
axles at the back and at the front part of the ship for reversing. The position of
the casing must be such that the water can flow in and out at the front and sides
of the opening without hindrance. The action of the paddle wheel when completely
immersed is as follows:-
The wheel revolving in the direction of the arrow Figure 2 when emerging at i k
from the opening in the casing forces out the water which was confined within it

page_text: against the free water thus creating a pressure which reacts against the paddles
and propels the ship. The portion of water nearest the axle which has been
expelled from the casing is again carried into the casing, more water flowing in at
the ends of the opening to fill up the space between the blades, the quantity of
water rotating in the casing remaining nearly always the same. The direction of
the water on leaving the casing is centrifugal and parallel to the side h h, o p
of the sector shaped opening towards which the blades are moving. If the
direction of the paddle be reversed the outward pressure of the water will be
exerted in a direction parallel to h i, hk. The position of the shaft being vertical-
the pressure is in a fore and aft direction which can be changed into a side pressure
by altering the direction of rotation as represented in Figures 3 and 4. The
casing A may be so mounted on a frame projecting from the ships' side as to be
itself capable of partial rotation on the wheel axis whereby with half a turn of the
casing the relative position of the opening can be so altered that the direction of
propulsion will be reversed without reversing the engine and paddle wheel.
For aerial navigation the principle of the propelling apparatus is the same as
above described, the construction only being modified to combine the necessary
lightness and strength. The speed of fan however must be greatly increased to
have any effect on the air.
The casing is provided as shown in Figures 3 and 4 with hollow journals H
resting in bearings 6 on a horizontal or vertical frame R fixed to the vessel to be
propelled, these journals H forming the bearings of the fan shaft C so that the
casing A can be turned on its axis without interfering with the rotation of the
fan D. Any suitable means of adjustment may be employed, for instance, a spur
wheel c on one of the journals of the casing A may gear into a spur wheel d
mounted on the frame R and provided with a crank or other arrangement for
turning it whereby the casing can be adjusted circularly in any required position
and locked in that position by a latch a or other suitable arrangement. By so
adjusting the casing A the pressure of the air, which as before described in the case
of water acts perpendicularly to the plane of the blade emerging from the casing,
may be made to act either vertically, horizontally, or otherwise to vary the angle
of the direction of motion at will.

page_text: I FRANK WIRTH of the firm of Wirth and Company, Patent Solicitors, at
Frankfort-on-the-Main, Germany, do hereby declare the nature of the said
invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PROPELLING APPARATUS FOR VESSELS IN WATER
AND IN AIR."-(A communication to me by Eduard Göhrung of Stuttgart,
Germany) and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
4
This invention relates to apparatus for propelling vessels in water and air.
I will first describe it as applied for propelling ships and submarine vessels,
reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this speci-
fication.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the paddle wheel separately, and Figure 2 a
similar view of the wheel in its casing. Figure 3 is a plan and Figure 4 an end
view of the same when provided with means for adjusting the position of the
casing. Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
The apparatus consists of a cylindrical spherical ellipsoidal or other suitably
shaped strong metallic casing A with a sector shaped opening ohi, p, h, k (one
quarter more or less of its perimeter) wherein rotates a wheel, whose shaft C is
mounted in bearings in the ends of the casing and having any suitable number of
equidistant blades D of a plain, wavy or bent form, corresponding to the internal
dimensions and form of the casing A so as to almost touch the ends and sides of
the casing, from which they protrude at the opening, in order to act on the water.
This casing A must be fixed to the vessel's hull as low as possible below the water
line, the wheel axle C being carried through a stuffing box in the vessel's side and
connected with the engine for driving it. The wheel axle C may be placed in a
vertical, horizontal or inclined position at both sides, or with vertical or horizontal
axles, at the back and at the front part of the ship for reversing. The position of
the casing must be such that the water can flow in and out at the front and sides
of the opening without hindrance. The action of the paddle wheel when completely
immersed is as follows:-The wheel revolving in the direction of the arrow
Figure 2 when emerging at ik from the opening in the casing, forces out the water
which was confined within it against the free water, thus creating a pressure which
reacts against the paddles and propels the ship. The portion of water nearest the
axle which has been expelled from the casing is again carried into the casing, more
water flowing in at the ends of the opening to fill up the space between the blades,
the quantity of water rotating in the casing remaining nearly always the same.
The direction of the water on leaving the casing is centrifugal and parallel to the
side hh, op of the sector shaped opening towards which the blades are moving.
If the direction of the paddle be reversed, the outward pressure of the water will
be exerted in a direction parallel to hi, h k. The position of the shaft being
vertical the pressure is in a fore and aft direction, which can be changed into a side
pressure by altering the direction of rotation, as represented in Figures 3 and 4.
The casing A may be so mounted on a frame projecting from the ship's side, as to
be itself capable of partial rotation on the wheel axis, whereby with half a turn of
the casing, the relative position of the opening can be so altered that the direction
of propulsion will be reversed with reversing the engine and paddle wheel.
For aerial navigation, the principle the propelling apparatus is the same as
above described, the construction only being modified to combine the necessary
lightness and strength. The speed of the fan however must be greatly increased to
have any effect on the air.

page_text: The casing is provided as shown in Figures 3. and 4 with hollow journals H
resting in bearings 6 on a horizontal or vertical frame R fixed to the vessel to be
propelled, these journals H forming the bearings of the fan shaft C so that the
casing A can be turned on its axis without interfering with the rotation of the
fan D. Any suitable means of adjustment may be employed, for instance, a spur
wheel c on one of the journals of the casing A may gear into a spur wheel d
mounted on the frame R and provided with a crank or other arrangement for
turning it, whereby the casing can be adjusted circularly in any required position,
and locked in that position by a latch a or other suitable arrangement. By so
adjusting the casing A; the pressure of the air, which as before described in the
case of water, acts perpendicularly to the plane of the blade emerging from the
casing, may be made to act either vertically, horizontally, or otherwise to vary
the angle of the direction of motion at will.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1st The method of propelling vessels in water and air, by means of a fan or
wheel, which rotates in a chamber the greater part of which is closed and the lesser
part open.
2nd In combination with the above, the method, by reversing the rotary motion,
of altering the direction of the pressure of the air or water into a side pressure.
3rd The method of determining the direction of motion by turning the chamber,
containing the wheel, on its axle. (a.) Horizontal position of the axle a vertical
motion for vessels, both fore and backwards. (b.). A vertical position of the axle-
a horizontal movement.
4th The apparatus for propelling ships, submarine or air vessels consisting of
(a.) A hollow chamber A having one quarter more or less of its perimeter open;
attached to air or marine vessels, in such a manner that the air or water can flow
freely into the spaces at the sides or relatively from it. (b.) A horizontal, vertical,
or slanting axle or shaft C, which is rotated from the vessel, and passes through
the imaginary axis of the hollow chamber being supported in flying journals, or
carried in journals, either at one or both ends. (c.) The paddles D, any number
more or less, being either in one piece with the shaft C or firmly attached to the
same, and extending almost up to the inside of the chamber A in all directions,
which said paddles can be given any desired shape.
5th The hollow axles H. H situated at the center of the sides of the hollow.
chamber A through which the paddle shaft C passes, the whole arranged in such a
manner that the chamber A can be turned in any direction without altering or
affecting the rotation of the paddle shaft; the apparatus being substantially the
same for air and water navigation.
All substantially in the manner and for the purpose as described and shown in
the drawing.
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