Improved Method and Means for Propelling and Manoeuvring Navigable Vessels.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Jan., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 4th Oct., 1898-Accepted, 25th Mar., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Method and Means for Propelling and Manoeuvring
Navigable Vessels.
I, JOHN GJERS, of Bournewood, Bournemouth, in the County of Hants, Engineer
and Ironmaster, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to effect the propulsion and manoeuvring of
navigable vessels in an efficient manner by simple means.
For these purposes
in a convenient and suitable position in the vessel's length I provide at each
side of its longitudinal centre line or keel two pipes or passages (straight or
curved) whose outer ends terminate under the water level in a horizontal or
approximately horizontal direction or in a passage or passages having such direction
whilst the inner ends of the said first mentioned pipes or passages are at a higher
level and within the vessel where they are connected by and through a cylindrical
or other appropriately formed vessel or chamber which constitutes the head or
bend of the siphon and wherein there is or are located a device or devices adapted
to impart motion to water in such wise that assuming the said chamber to be
charged with water as it will be if the top of the siphon bend is below the level of
the water in which the ship floats then by the said device or devices water can be
caused to flow in a practically continuous manner up the one pipe and down the
other whence it will be discharged below water level. the two pipes or passages
constituting two siphon legs forming respectively suction and delivery pipes whose
general direction in relation to one another is such as to make a more or less
obtuse angle.
Usually the legs will terminate at a common level and the syphons
will be located with their heads in that part of the vessel having the largest cross
sectional area.
In one arrangement the chamber is a cylinder in the end covers
of which there are bearings that carry a shaft driven by reciprocating engines
having the speed multiplied by friction or other gear or it may be coupled to a
steam turbine, or other suitable motor, so as to be thereby driven at a high speed
according to requirement, provision being made for lubricating the bearings of
the shaft.
On that shaft there is an appliance in the form of a screw (which may be of
any suitable construction and may have one or more blades) adapted when the
shaft is driven to rotate with it and impart motion to the water as already men-
tioned. In one form this screw resembles a worm whose blade extends once round
the boss or thereabout and at its extremities is gradually reduced and tapered off
to the boss itself. The form should be such as when in motion to impart the
desired direction to the water whilst otherwise disturbing it as little as possible.
Arrangements are made for the propelling engines to be reversed when the
water would flow in the opposite direction and the vessel could be caused to back
practically at or nearly at the same speed as it could go ahead. Or one engine
might be reversed and the other driven at the same speed ahead so as to cause the
vessel to turn practically as on a centre.
There may be in the leg connecting chamber (the head of the siphon) more than

page_text: one shaft furnished with means for imparting motion to water as aforesaid. Thus
according to one such arrangement the chamber instead of being made cylindrical
is of greater width than height; its sides as seen in vertical section are of semi-
circular form, and it is fitted with two shafts arranged with their axes parallel
to one another, adapted to be rotated in the same directions and each furnished
with a suitable screw or equivalent device for imparting motion to the water for
the purpose mentioned. In this way tendency of the column of water to rotate
(as when driven by a single propeller) might be counteracted.
Sometimes in lieu of the arrangement just described. I connect the upper ends
of the legs by and through a suitably formed chamber and provide in conjunction
therewith apparatus adapted to project into the siphon a jet or jets of steam in
the direction of the delivery leg so directed as to impart motion to the water
within the siphon so as to cause or promote the flow up the suction leg and down
the delivery.leg. By providing in such an arrangement also apparatus adapted
to project steam the reverse way the propelling action would be made reversible.
With a complete apparatus arranged at each side of the longitudinal centre line
or keel of the vessel, the steering or manoeuvring of the vessel will be greatly
facilitated and in cases of emergency would to a great extent serve in lieu of the
rudder.
In some cases my apparatus may be centrally arranged only one set being
used. In such a case the single suction and delivery tubes may respectively be
branched into two before passing through the skin of the vessel one branch at
each side of the keel.
+
More than two sets of my apparatus may in some cases be provided in one
vessel. The suction pipes in such cases will usually enter the water forward of
the greatest mid section and the delivery pipes on the sternside, and in both cases
not too far from such greatest mid section and at as low a level as practicable.
Dth th
CT
1000
For the Applicant,
W. LLOYD WISE,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Chartered Patent Agent.
Improved Method and Means for Propelling and Manoeuvring
Navigable Vessels.
I, JOHN GJERS, of Bournewood, Bournemouth, in the County of Hants, Engineer
and Ironmaster, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:-
-
"Hydraulic Propulsion" for ships has repeatedly been attempted of late years,
but such attempts have in no case proved thoroughly successful or economical,
and the speed attained has always been deficient although the system contains all
the elements of a great success. The cause for this want of success has, so far as
I know, never been pointed out, but has entirely been overlooked, and is due,
firstly, to the ship having to pick up an enormous quantity of water from the
stationary state and give to such water a forward speed corresponding to the
forward speed of the ship itself, thus seriously retarding the ship, and, secondly,
when the water which has been picked up and has the same forward motion as the

page_text: ship, is to be ejected, it has to be sent back at double the velocity that need have
been given to it if the same water has been ejected from a state of rest.
·
Now the object of my invention is to obviate the foregoing disadvantage and
effect the hydraulic propulsion and manoeuvring of navigable vessels in an
efficient manner by simple means. For these purposes, in a convenient and suit-
able position in the vessel's length, I provide at each side of its longitudinal centre
line or keel, two pipes or passages (straight or curved whose outer ends terminate
under the water level in a horizontal or approximately horizontal direction, or in
a passage or passages having such direction, whilst the inner ends of the said
first mentioned pipes or passages (hereinafter called pipes) are at a higher level
and within the vessel where they are connected by and through a cylindrical or
other appropriately formed vessel or chamber which constitutes the head or bend of
a siphon pump and wherein there is or are located a device or devices adapted to
impart motion to water in such wise that assuming the said chamber to be charged
with water, as it will be if the top of the head or bend is below the level of the
water in which the ship floats, then by the said device or devices, water can be caused
to flow in a practically continuous manner up the one pipe and down the other whence
it will be discharged below water level, the two pipes, constituting two siphon
legs, forming respectively suction and delivery pipes whose general direction in
relation to one another is such as to make a more or less obtuse angle. Usually
the pipes will terminate at a common level and the syphons will be located with
their heads or connecting chambers in that part of the vessel having the largest
cross sectional area.
In one arrangement each connecting head or chamber is a cylinder in the end
covers of which there are bearings that carry a shaft driven by reciprocating engines
having the speed multiplied by friction or other gear; or the shaft may be coupled
to a steam turbine, or other suitable motor, so as to be thereby driven at a high
speed according to requirement, provision being made for lubricating the bearings
of the shaft. On the shaft there is an appliance in the form of a screw (which
may be of any suitable construction and may have one or more blades) adapted
when the shaft is driven, to rotate with it and impart motion to the water as
already mentioned. In one form, this screw resembles a worm whose blade extends
once round the boss or thereabout and at its extremities is gradually reduced and
tapered off to the boss itself. The form should be such as when in motion to
impart the desired direction to the water whilst otherwise disturbing it as little
as possible.
Arrangements are made for the propelling engines to be reversed, whereupon the
water would flow in the opposite direction and the vessel could be caused to back
practically at or nearly at the same speed as it could go ahead. Or one engine
might be reversed and the other driven at the same speed ahead so as to cause the
vessel to turn practically as on a centre.
There may be in the leg connecting chamber (the head of the siphon) more than
one shaft furnished with means for imparting motion to water as aforesaid. Thus
according to one such arrangement, the chamber instead of being made cylin-
drical, is of greater width than height; its sides, as seen in vertical section, are of
semi-circular form, and it is fitted with two shafts arranged with their axes parallel
to one another, adapted to be rotated in the same direction, and each furnished
with a suitable screw or equivalent device for imparting motion to the water for
the purpose mentioned. In this way tendency of the column of water to rotate
(as when driven by a single propeller) might be counteracted.
Sometimes in lieu of the arrangement just described, I connect the upper ends
of the legs or pipes by and through a suitably formed chamber, and provide in
conjunction therewith, apparatus adapted to project into the siphon, a jet or jets
of steam in the direction of the delivery leg so as to impart motion to the water
within the siphon, and so as to cause or promote the flow up the suction leg and

page_text: down the delivery leg. By providing in such an arrangement, also apparatus
adapted to project steam the reverse way, the propelling action would be made
reversible.
With a complete apparatus arranged at each side of the longitudinal centre line
or keel of the vessel, the steering or manoeuvring of the vessel will be greatly
facilitated, and, in cases of emergency, would to a great extent serve in lieu of
the rudder.
In some cases my apparatus may be centrally arranged, only one set being used.
In such a case the single suction and delivery tubes may respectively be branched
into two before passing through the skin of the vessel, one branch being at each
side of the keel. This arrangement however is not recommended except, for
example, for slow speed canal boats
More than two sets of my apparatus may in some cases be provided in one vessel.
The suction pipes in such cases will usually enter the water forward of the
greatest mid section, and the delivery pipes on the stern side, and in both cases not
too far from such greatest mid section and at as low a level as practicable.
C
An arrangement of apparatus for carrying out the herein described method of
propelling a ship, is shown by way of example in Fig. in longitudinal section,
in Fig. 2 in plan, and in Fig. 3 in two different cross sections. Fig. 4 is a view
of the ship's hull looking from the bow or stern. Figs. 3 and 4 show the pro-
pelling apparatus to a larger scale than Figs. 1 to 4, Fig. 3* being a longitudinal
section partly in elevation, and Fig. 4* a cross section partly in end elevation.
From the ship's bottom two groups of pipes arranged one on each side of the
ship's keel, lead to the propelling apparatus the driving shafts 1 of which are each
driven by means of toothed wheel gear 1" and cranks 1b from a steam engine,
indicated at A in Figs. 3 and 4^, or from an electric motor. 2, 2 are the suction
pipes, and 3, 3 the delivery pipes, each having their outer ends arranged horizontally
or nearly so. One suction pipe and one delivery pipe 3 situated in the same
plane, connect, after a slight curved rise of their inner ends, with a syphon head 4,
in which two worms 5, fixed on the shafts 1, are rapidly rotated, the two shafts
with worms being arranged with their axes parallel to each other and constituting,
with the head 4, a pump. The worms are mounted to rotate in the same direction
in separate cylindrical chambers, 4ª, 4b in the syphon head, as shown more clearly
in Fig. 4, the ends of the said chambers communicating with the enlarged flaring
inner ends 2ª, 3" (Fig. 3) of the pipes 2 and 3 so that any rotary motion imparted
to the two or more streams or bodies of water by the worms will be more or less
neutralized owing to the streams moving in a rotary sense in opposite direction
where they come in contact with each other. 4º, 4° are ribs or vanes fixed in the
chambers 4", 4b at the ends of the worms 5 for a like purpose.
The pumps, by means of the worms 5, cause water to flow upward through
the pipes 2, 2 and expel it through the pipes 3, 3, the water being forced against
the body of water surrounding the ship, whereby the ship is propelled in the direc-
tion opposite to that of the issuing water.
,
Each pump may, as herein before stated, have only one worm and driving shaft.
A longitudinal section of such a pump would correspond to Fig. 3^.
Whereas in the above described arrangement, shown in Figs. 1-3, the inlet
and outlet orifices for the propelling water are of the same cross sectional area,
the cross sectional area of the inlet and outlet pipes may be made of different
sizes, for the purpose of producing greater power by increasing the velocity of the
water issuing in the form of a jet. An arrangement of this kind, in which the
water passes out at the delivery side with a velocity greater than that with which
it enters on the suction side, is shown in Figs. 5 to 7 inclusive. Figs. 5 and 6
showing the whole apparatus in longitudinal section and plan respectively, Fig. 7
showing the outer end of the water inlet or outlet pipe, as the case may be, with
nozzle arrangement, to a larger scale than Figs. 5 and 6, and Figs. 7 and 7 being
sections on the lines and y y respectively of Fig. 7.
According to this arrangement there is inserted in each of the respective pipes 2

page_text: and 3, an intermediate piece 6 which is situated almost at the end of the former
and in which there is provided a nozzle 7 of small cross sectional area. This nozzle
is held by means of longitudinal ribs, centrally within the larger intermediate
portion of the pipe. The space 7" between the wall of the intermediate piece of
pipe 6 and the nozzle 7 is covered over by a ring S of leather, rubber or other flexible
or elastic material which is clamped in place and acts as a valve, and which opens
and allows the water to flow through the said space 7" when the said end of the
pipe is to serve as a suction pipe, but closes when the said end of the pipe is em-
ployed as a delivery pipe. By this means water can be caused to flow outward in
the form of a contracted jet through the nozzle 7 with a greater velocity than it
will enter the corresponding pipe. This increase of velocity depends entirely on
the ratio between the internal cross sectional area of the inlet pipe and the internal
'cross sectional area of the nozzle 7 inserted in the outlet pipe.
From Fig. 7 it will be seen that when the water flows through the pipe 2 or 3
towards the pump 1, the ring 8 will move over into the position indicated in
dotted lines, so that the water flows through the nozzle 7 and also through the
annular space 7" between the latter and the wall of the insertion pipe 6. But
when the water flows outward towards the water surrounding the ship, the ring
closes, as shown in full lines, and the whole quantity of water delivered by the
pump is compelled to flow through the nozzle 7, whereby its velocity, and its
pressure action upon the external water, is considerably increased.
Arranged on each side of each pump is a stop valve 9 (Fig. 5) for the purpose
of shutting off the external water in case of any repairs being required to be made
to the pump.
Fig. 8 is a side elevation partly in section, Fig. 9 a horizontal section on the
line of Fig. 8, and Fig. 10 a cross section on the line of Fig. 9, showing
a modified arrangement of propelling apparatus according to which there is pro-
vided within the pump head or chamber 4, steam jet apparatus comprising a
tubular body 10 composed of connected concentric pipes provided with oppositely
and centrally arranged steam nozzles or injectors 11 controlled by a hollow plug 12
provided with a handle lever 13, the arrangement being such that steam supplied
through a pipe 14 with valve 15 can be directed into one or other of the nozzles 11
whereby water will be caused to flow into the suction pipe 2 and out of the delivery
pipe 3 (or vice versa) by injector action, and the ship be propelled in one or other
direction according to the nozzle to which the steam is admitted.
By the arrangements hereinbefore described, it will be seen that as the ship
travels along, water will rise automatically in the suction pipes 2 and pass out of
the delivery pipes 3 without sharing in the motion of the ship and practically
without any work being done upon it, consequently when the pumps are in action,
a very large percentage of the power exerted thereby on such water can be utilized
in propelling the ship at a high speed. For example, if a ship, such as a torpedo
boat, say of about 120 feet in length, and a total weight of about 200 tons, be
required to run at the rate of 36 miles an hour, it ought theoretically to eject
about 200 tons of water every minute at double that speed, or at 72 miles an hour.
For a boat about 120 feet long and of 15 feet beam provided with two single
worm pumps, each worm may be about 18 inches in diameter and 9 inches pitch,
and be rotated at about 3000 revolutions per minute, the suction and delivery
pipes 2 and 3 being each about 12 inches in diameter and the nozzles 7 about 10
inches in diameter. With the above dimensions and rate of rotation of the pumps,
about 200 tons of water can be delivered at a velocity of about 6750 feet per
minute, equal to a speed of about 76 miles an hour, which, practically, would
propel a ship of about the same total weight, or 200 tons, forward at the rate of
about 34 miles an hour.
With previous arrangements in which the water is either picked up from under
the bottom or the side of the ship, or through the forward part of the ship, and
taken to the pump, which has usually been of the centrifugal kind, all this large
quantity of water would have had imparted to it the forward motion of the ship

page_text: viz. at the rate say of 36 miles an hour, before being ejected backward from the
ship at the rate of 72 miles an hour, which would be about the rate, necessary to
maintain the ship at the speed of about 36 miles an hour.
In my system I do not pick up the water, nor do I impart the forward motion of
the ship thereto, as in previous arrangements; I only eject the water, (which auto-
matically enters the pipes) at the rate of, say, 36 miles an hour, which, taken in
connection with the ship going forward at the same rate, makes the ejected water
and the ship part company at the rate of 72 miles an hour. Hence a ship propelled
according to my invention, in which no forward motion is given to the water to
be ejected, should attain the same speed with about one half the expenditure of
power as compared with the earlier arrangements. In the foregoing comparison I
have taken no account of friction of the water in the pipes, but I have taken no
account of the considerable forward motion which will be given to the ship by the
suction in the suction pipes when travelling at 36 miles an hour, at which speed
there will still be considerable suction to pull the ship forward, the sizes of the
pipes 2 and 3 and ejecting nozzles 7 and worms 5 being such that the water will
be forced through the nozzles at about three times the speed at which the water
would naturally flow through the pipes by reason of the motion of the ship. Nor
have I taken any account of the undoubted help to forward motion which the ship
will receive from so large a quantity of water being delivered under her stern.
There are many advantages to recommend the propelling of a ship by means of
water jets as described. Thus, there will be no agitation and commotion in a
large water area, or any great wake felt at long distances, such as is produced
by paddle wheels and ordinary screw propellers, and which undoubtedly means
great loss of power. With my arrangement, on the contrary, the whole of the
water on which power is expended, is bound to proceed as straight solid jets in
line with the line of motion. There will be little or no vibration, and barely
any sign of motion on the surface of the water, and the ship will glide along
smoothly and noiselessly.
The herein before described method of and apparatus for propelling ships, are
particularly suitable for torpedo boats and torpedo boat destroyers. If both ends
of the ship are of identical shape, special steering rudders may be provided, but
they are not essential, because the ship can be steered by means of the water jets
alone, by causing one pumping engine to work in one direction, and the other
pumping engine to work in the opposite direction, whereby the ship will be
turned about a centre or nearly; or the steering can be effected by causing one or
Besides torpedo
other of the engines to run at a higher speed than the other.
boats and canal boats, large mail steamers, and even the largest war vessels, can
be propelled in the manner stated.
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;-
1. The herein described method of propelling and maneuvring a navigable
vessel by causing water to flow longitudinally and in an upward direction by
suction from positions external to the vessel to a position or positions
within the vessel but below the external water level, and then, with-
out imparting to it any of the forward motion of the vessel, ejecting
such water at a high velocity and by means of one or more rapidly rotating
worms, or steam jets, through other longitudinally arranged pipes or passages
and against the body of water surrounding the vessel, substantially as hereinbefore
described.
2. For carrying out the method specified in the preceding claim, apparatus com-
prising suction and delivery pipes arranged longitudinally of the vessel and at a
more or less obtuse angle to one another, and having their outer ends terminating
below the water level in a horizontal or approximately horizontal direction, or
in passages having such direction, and their inner ends terminating at a higher

page_text: level and within the vessel and connected together by and through one or more
chambers or heads provided or each provided with a screw or worm propeller
adapted to be rotated at a high speed, the arrangement being such that when the
propeller or propellers is or are set in action, water will rise automatically through
the suction pipe or pipes and be ejected in a continuous manner through the
delivery pipe or pipes, substantially as herein described.
3. Propelling and manoeuvring apparatus of the kind specified in the preceding
claim in which each pump head or chamber is provided with two or more screws
or worms that are fixed upon parallel shafts and are rotated in the same direction
in separate cylindrical chambers communicating at their ends with the enlarged
inner ends of the suction and delivery pipes so that any rotary motion imparted to
the streams of water flowing through the apparatus by the screws or worms will be
neutralized or counteracted by reason of the streams moving in opposite rotary
directions where they come in contact with each other, substantially as described.
4. The modified construction of the apparatus specified in Claim 2 wherein the
screw or worm propeller or propellers is or are replaced by apparatus adapted to
project a jet or jets of steam in the direction of the delivery pipe or pipes, sub-
stantially as described.
5. Apparatus for propelling and manoeuvring navigable vessels, constructed
arranged and operating substantially as herein before described with reference to
and shown in Figs. 1 to 4* inclusive, or modified according to Figs. 5 to 7 inclusive.
or to Figs. 8 to 10 inclusive of the drawings annexed.
6. Propelling and manoeuvring navigable vessels substantially in the manner
set forth.
Dated this 4th day of October 1898.
For the Applicant,
W. LLOYD WISE,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Chartered Patent Agent.