IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING BOATS
Year: 1879

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Moska Marichenski at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 4th December 1879.
_MOSKA MARICHENSKI, of Stainsbury Road, Poplar, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING BOATS."
My Invention relates to improved apparatus for propelling boats or vessels,
particularly small craft, the said apparatus being so arranged and constructed that
it may be readily and with facility operated or put in motion by the feet of a single
person, or by the hands or by both hands and feet in such a manner as to impart
great speed to the boat or vessel to which the same is attached with a minimum
amount of power. The said apparatus is moreover so arranged that the boat may
be steered or guided in any direction at the will of the operator without the
employment of a rudder or steering apparatus as heretofore generally employed.
In carrying the said Invention into practice I arrange within the boat or vessel,
and at any convenient part of the same, but preferably at the stern, two treadles or
cranks which may be readily and easily actuated by the feet of the operator. These
treadles are attached to a shaft which extends in a transverse direction in the said
boat, and the said shaft is provided with a bevel pinion which meshes with another
bevel pinion fixed upon a shaft which extends in a longitudinal direction in the
boat or vessel, and hereinafter termed the main driving shaft. This driving shaft
at its rear end is provided with a fly wheel of such dimensions and weight as to
ensure the regular and easy working of the propellers, as hereinafter described.
The said shaft at its front end is also provided with a gear wheel which meshes
with another gear wheel fixed upon the forward end of a shaft arranged below the
said driving shaft and hereinafter termed the secondary driving shaft. The latter
has attached to it at its rear end another gear wheel of small diameter which
meshes with a gear wheel of large diameter arranged to turn freely on the main
driving shaft. The last mentioned gear wheel is formed on or attached to a
friction wheel of suitable construction, and from which the power is transmitted to
the propellers as I will now proceed to describe.
In close proximity to the said friction wheel I arrange two friction wheels one
at each side of the same, the said friction wheels being fixed upon shafts arranged
below the main and secondary driving shafts above referred to. These shafts are
so arranged that the said friction wheels at the rear euds of the same may be
forced into or out of contact with the friction wheel on the main driving shaft for

page_text: the purpose hereinafter described. Each of the said shafts is provided at its front
end with a gear wheel, the said gear wheels being so arranged as to mesh into
other gear wheels fixed upon other shafts arranged below the same. The front
ends of these last mentioned shafts extend through the body of the boat or vessel,
and into recesses formed in the under surface of the same, and are provided on such
outwardly projecting ends with gear wheels which gear with other gear wheels
fixed upon the propeller shafts. These propeller shafts are supported in suitable
bearings, one of the said propeller shafts being arranged on each side of the boat
and in the recesses in the underside of the body of the same, and the propellers
turn freely within the said recesses. The propellers consist of a series of spiral or
curved blades which are preferably attached to arms fixed upon the propeller shafts
which extend longitudinally in the direction of the boat, the said blades being so
formed and arranged that during the revolution of the same, the water which is
forced away from and leaves one blade, is caught and further impelled by the next
blade and so on so that the most efficient action of such blades is ensured. In order
to ensure the revolution of both the propellers at the same time when it is desired
to effect the propulsion of the boat, each of the aforesaid shafts carrying the small
friction wheels on each side of the large, main, or driving friction wheel attached to
the gear wheel running loosely on the main driving shaft is provided with a
pivotted lever or handle which is attached to each of the said small friction wheel
shafts, and extends up on either side of the operator, so that by actuating or moving
the same he can cause the said friction wheels to gear or be out of gear with the
driving friction wheel, thereby effecting the starting or stopping of the propellers
with facility; the above described mechanism is so constructed that the said
propellers revolve in opposite directions as is necessary.
When it it is desired to
steer or guide the boat this may be readily and easily effected by the adjustment
of one or the other of the aforesaid levers or handles so as to effect the engagement
with or release of one or the other of the small friction wheels from the main or
driving friction wheel whereby the rotation of one or the other of the propellers is
stopped whilst the other revolves. When it is desired to move the boat or vessel
backwards, this may be readily effected by reversing the movement of the feet and
turning the cranks or pedals in the opposite direction. By the above described
apparatus I am enabled to manoeuvre the boat in any desired direction without
the necessity of employing a rudder or the ordinary steering apparatus both
rapidly and with facility, and the power obtained by the gearing and propellers
above described, effects a rapid passage of the said boat through the water without
the expenditure of a great amount of power.
In applying my improved apparatus to boats or vessels of large proportions, I in
some cases drive the aforesaid main driving shaft by a steam or other engine
instead of by manual power or by pedals, and the said apparatus may be
advantageously employed in connection with boats or vessels provided with water-
tight compartments or otherwise.