Manoeuvring Marine Vessels.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 26th June, 1888
Specification Accepted, 27th July, 1888
Manoeuvring Marine Vessels.
I, WALTER MARSH JAOKSON, of 21 Jane Street. New York City, New York,
U.S.A., Mechanical Expert, 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:
My invention relates to Marine Propulsion, the object being to provide a novol
method for propelling marine vessels and one which will ensure greater speed and
economy than can be attained by any heretofore known. As is well known, whon
marine vessels are propelled by an artificially produced force acting on the water of
flotation as a fulcrum, a certain quantity of water is driven backward while the vessel
is driven forward. The distance this certain quantity of water is driven backward
in a unit of time compared with the distance the vessel is driven forward in the same
length of time, is called the slip. The amount of slip in methods heretofore applied,
depends upon the shape of the propelling agent; on the area of the cross section of
opposing water which is to serve as a fulcrum; upon the rigid nature of the propelling
device upon the velocity of the impact with which said propelling agent acts upon
said water fulcrum; upon the loss of primary energy by friction of articulating parts;
upon waste work expended in churning the water and causing peripheral currents
and in overcoming the inertia of the machinery.
Heretofore innumerable attempts have been made to revolutionize the accustomed
mode of propulsion know as screw and paddle wheel propulsion. Such attempts have
resulted in the use of water, air, gas, steain, steam and water mixed, air and water mixed,
gas or the products of combustion and water mixed, ejected from the vessel above or
below the water line, into the water or into the air, the motion of the vessel in each
case proceeding from the inertia of the discharge on the one hand and the inertia of
the resistance on the other, thus it was a question of relative specific gravity of
material discharge and that discharged against, in estimating the difference between
the outward thrust and reaction. Power cannot be transmitted effectively through a
shaft which has tortional, lateral and direct flexibility, and as such a shaft is an
indifferent transmitter so too must it be equally insufficient as a conductor of
Den 271

page_text: reaction; it can only be rendered semi-efficient or approximately effective when it is
made so large that its component particles stiffen it by their collective inertia, there-
fore the theory of action heretoforo has beon with all juts to secure great cross
sectional areas to press against and cover such areas by equally extensive cross
sectional areas of discharge, thus the sole cause of action and reaction applied by an
indifferent conductor of both, was inertia. It requires the application of a highly
concentrated power to start a heavy body from a state of rest into rapid motion, hence
the heavy body makes an excoedingly good fulermm. Now if the body be solid liko
iron, steel or stone, the fulerum is much increased, if it be soft and yielding like the
atmosphere or water, its bulk must be proportionately increased to afford similar
resistance, specific gravity governing the size of the fulerum relative to value for
reflex action. If we push from a vessel with a column of air the cross sectional area
of which is equivalent to one square foot against the atmosphere we shall press against.
a cross sectional area of fulcrum exactly one square foot, and as a cubie fout of air
weighs only five hundred and thirty live grains, we should have a resisting fulcrum so
etherial that the reaction against the vessel would do nothing toward overcoming the
resistance of the water of flotation to her progress; if we pushed against the air with
a column of water our fulcrum would be the same, therefore our reaction the same.
The same would be true of steam thrown against the air or anything else employed as
the netive agent, against such a fulerum. Therefore it will be seen that to secure a
fulcrum for reaction and a shaft for conducting both action and reaction in air, we
would require enormous cross sectional areas, for thus only could be provided the
necessary inertin to secure that rigidity which is necessary to gain a fair proportion of
our power for actual use.
To understand my invention the first thing in preparation, is to discard the cross
sectional theory, and proceed to a contemplation of the true generical reason why
the thrust is reflected upon the vessel at all.
I conceive of but two ways to secure this condition, one by stiffening the conductor
and fulerum by a great mass of material, thus securing the result by inertia, the other
by stiffening the same by great concentrated energy, and thus getting the values of
inertia by impact or the suddennoss of the blow.
To illustrate the two methods I will give the following examples.
We provide the stern of our vessel with a metallic thrust block, and against: this
block we place a bar of steel having a diameter of one inch, therefore its contact
surface is but one inch. We now apply in a direct line with the bar thousands of
pounds static pressure, and tho vossel readily moves, and following her up with the
bar and pressure, she goes on increasing her speed, until the resistance of the displaced
water and the atmosphere equals the thrust and this establishes her maximum velocity
for the power applied.
The action and reaction are complete, through so absolutely rigid shaft and fulcrum,
and the area of concentrated thrust is but ono square inch. We might make the
aron an eighth or a sixteenth of an inch, and still apply the action and ronction
as well.
Therefore, the fact is plain that cross sectional areas of great dinonsions are
unnecessary if we apply the power properly. The illustration is one extreme of the
problem. Now the other extreme consists in building the vessel's stern of immenso
cross sectional aron and covoring the entire stern, say fifty feet in diameter, with a
column of putty, now distributing the same power of the immense area of putty, the
column bocomes stiff and rigid as the little stoel bar, and the power is applied to
the propulsion of the vessel in the same ratio as before with the bar.
The first, an example of concentrated energy acting within a small space, the other,
diffused onergy scattered over a proportionate space, both containing the necessary
elements for the successful conduct of action and reaction, but reached by very different
methods.
The object of this invention by acting upon the water of flotation with such high
velocity, is to create an elongated fulcrum, closed at its oxtromo limit like a cul do sac,
the fulcrum being filled by the ejected water running at such high spood that tho

page_text: surface of the stream produces violent frictional contact with the surrounding water,
thus establishing a rigid horizontal elongated resistance, the length of fulcrum so
established increasing or diminishing as the speed of the water is greater or less.
Thus if I thrust five hundred pounds pressure to the square inch and secure a
steam speed of five hundred feet per second my fulcrum will be of stated length, and
if I increase the speed to one thousand feet a second by doubling my pressure my
fulcrum will be half as long again and proportionately more rigid.
In the accompanying drawings; Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of a
vessel showing my improved apparatus arranged in convenient order. Figure 2 is a
view showing an arrangement of parts for producing approximate results without
the receiver, a compound condensing pressure pumping engine being employed in
connection with the parts shown in figure 1. Figure 3 is a transverse section on
line - figuro 1. Figure 4 is a section on line y-y of figure 3. Figure 5 is an
elevation partly in section of the propelling and stooring device. Figure 6 is a
modified form of propelling and steering device, and Figure 7 is a vortical longi-
tudinal section of a sub-marine vessel showing the arrangement of mechanism for
submerging, turning, guiding, propelling and backing the vessol.
A represents a vessel, carrying pump B, a receiver C into which the water is
forced from the pump through pipes D controlled by a suitable valve a, and
engine E for operating the pump, and discharge pipes or conduits D¹ connected to
the receiver or directly to the pump or pumps and leading to the discharge orifices at
the bow and stern or other points of the vessel.
The pump B employed is preferably a compound double steam piston pump having
two pistons of (say for convenience in recording) six inches diameter while the pump
pistons also two in number are two inches in diameter, thus giving them together an
area of 6.2832 sq. in., while the steam pistons would together have an area of
56.548 sq. in., or about nine times the area of the pump pistons. Now supposing a
pressure of 80 lbs. per sq. in., to be exerted from the boiler upon these steam pistons
alternately to even the flow of pumped water, then the entire pressure on the steam
pistons (56.548 sq. in.) would be 4523.84 pounds, while the pump pistons having but
an area of 6.2832 sq. in. would receive the entire pressure amounting to (7.19.98)
nearly 720 lbs. to the sq. in., so that if the submerged ontlets were closed the water
would be under this pressure, and when open, the orifices being so exceedingly small,
the water pressure upon them would be nearly the whole 720 lbs. to the sq. in., in
other words the difference between 720 lbs. and the loss of pressure caused by the
escape through the submerged orifices, according to their size and number. This
pump can he employed for forcing the water without the intervention of a receiver
direct to the discharge orifices if desired, as it is obvious that the pressure obtained
from the pump is sufficient, but owing to the liability to injury from sudden shutting
off of the discharged water and probable inequality of action a receiver may be
employed to advantage or may be dispensed with altogether as shown in figure 2, and
the water driven from the pump directly to the submerged orifice.
In close proximity to the pump, the tank F is located and into this tank the pump
suction pipe F extends. The tank F preferably has a slightly crowning top 6 with one
or more stand pipes G projecting vertically therefrom. Directly below these stand
pipes the tank F is provided on opposite sides of the keel H' with inlet ports H
through which water from below the ship is permitted to rise in seeking its level at
point c in the stand pipes. Valves J depend over the ports and have screw threaded
stems & registering with the threads or brackets e and extending through the stand
pipes G, out of which they preferably project, and terminate in a bandle f. The
valves J are similarly used to close the ports when the tank is being cleaned or
repaired. Adjustable covers g at the top of each stand pipe may be opened or closed
at will but ordinarily they are left open to allow the air which the vessel in its course
forces beneath her to be discharged through the stand pipes. Other objects of these
pipes is to receive floating foreign bodies of which it is desirable to free the water
before it enters the pump, and still another use of the pipe is to receive the stems of
the valves without the necessity of using stuffing boxes.

page_text: A partition K extends transversely across the tank to one side of the ports. On
the opposite side from the inlet ports and below the top of the partition the suction
pump pipes have their nozzles so that the suction is not made direct upon the water
on entering the ports.
Preferably at the bow to back the vessel as well as at the stern to force it forward,
a propeller and sterrer is located. This device consists of a casing M having un
enlarged ontlet i and an inlet to which the water is forced through pipe D' from
the receiver this pipe having a valve for controlling the discharge of water.
A plug constructed to closely fit the casing and provided with a passage way
for the water, is seated in this casing and can be rotated at pleasure to change the
direction of the issuing jet.
The inlet in the casing M is of suflicient size so that it will take in a full supply
of water irrespective of the position of the valve while manoeuvring the vessel.
By thus turning the cone or ping the vessel is guided or manipulated. The
plug Mis provided with a stem ( which projects through the projected portion of
the stern or how or through brackets or along the front and rear edge of the vessel
if desired, and it may be operated in the usual manner from the pilot house. At it
upper end the stem extends through a plate or bracket, having integrally formed
bosses mand n one smaller and above the other and both being screw threaded on
the exterior. A collar formed on the stem a little above the smaller boss n is
enclosed in a small cap n' which screws onto the collar o from above forcing the latter
down and with it the stem and plug M' into the hollow casing 3L so that any wearing
of these parts is compensated for by foreing them closely together. A second and
larger cap m' is adapted to screw onto the loss m thus holding the inner cap securely
in place against accidental working off the boss n.
In the modification shown in figure 6 the collar o is located between adjustable
nuts Pso that the cone or plug M may be forced down or up by the turning of the
nuts above and below the collar. The water after it leaves the pump can be forend
into the receiver if desired, or the pump or pumps may be connected directly with the
conduits leading to the submerged outlets.
In Figure 7 an elliptical shaped submerged hoat is shown, it having the usual water
compartments, and a pump B, a receiver C, if desired, engine E, tank F and con-
neeting pipes and valves as shown in figure 1. In this caso the covers of the stand
pipes are of course kept securely over the top of the stand pipes so that the water
therein seeking its level could not become discharged inside the vessel, and when the
vessel is submerged no air is forced under lor, and the covers may remain closed.
In this vessel propellers are located at the bow and stern and also on the upper and
lower surface of the vessel.
•
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declaro that what [
claim is:
1st. The herein described method of marine propulsion consisting of storing energy
by means of pressure upon water within the vessel, then discharging said "water in
the form of a submerged jot (oue or more) against the water of flotation at a pressure
exceeding that of the boiler.
2nd. The combination of a suitable pump or water forcing devico having water
inlet pipes and outlet or outlets, the latter being of smaller capacity than the inlet,
and water storage tank or reservoir adapted to contain air or other elastic medium,
the said tank being located between the pump or water foreing device and the
propelling or guiding ontlet or outlets.
3rd. Ln a device for propelling or handling a floating vessel, the combination of a
pump or water forcing device having a water inlet, an outlet pipe the submerged
outlet end of which is of smaller capacity than the inlet, a tank or receiver adapied to
contain air or other clastic medium and located between the pump and discharge
pipe and a valve for cutting off the water to and from the tank, substantially as set
forth.

page_text: device for propelling and handling a floating vessel, the combination with
a tank or reservoir provided with an air cushion, a pump or other device for forcing
water into said tank or reservoir, and an inlet pipe leading to said tank, of a water
discharge pipe connected to said tank or reservoir at or near the bottom thereof, the
submerged outlet of said discharge pipe being of smaller capacity than the inlet,
substantially as set forth.
5th. In a device for guiding or steering floating vessels, the combination with a
pump having an inlet, of a storage tank into which the water is forcod under a
column of air or other elastic medinum, a pipe leading from said storage tank, and
a movable discharge pipe communicating with said pipe and having a submerged
discharge orifice of less capacity than the water inlet, substantially as set forth.
6th. In a device for propelling and guiding a floating vessel, the combination with
a pump or water forcing device, and inlet pipe leading thereto, of a storage tank into
which the water is forced under a column of air, a dischargo pipe, a section of which
is adapted to rotate and thus change the direction of the issuing jet of water, the
submerged outlet of said rotating section being of smaller capacity than the water
inlet and valves for cutting off the water to and from the tank, substantially as set
forth.
7th. The herein described apparatus for propelling or mancouvering a vessel, con-
sisting first, in a suitable boiler, second, in any suitable water forcing device, third,
in the employment of any suitable moans for taking the water in which the vessel is
wholly or partially submerged, throngh the vessel and into said water forcing device,
and fourth in discharging said water by means of suitable conduits connecting with
said water forcing device, said conduits having their discharge orifices opening into
the water in which the vessel is wholly or partially submerged, at a greater pressuro
to the square inch than that exerted to the square inch by the boiler, for the
purpose
of creating a rigid fulcrum by inertia in the water in which the vessel is wholly or
partially submerged, establishing intense reactionary quality in the stiff and rigid
conductor or thrust and attaining a grenter percentage of the energy of the boiler
for propelling and manoeuvring vessels than has heretofore been secured, substantially
as set forth.
8th. In an apparatus for propelling and mancouvering vessels, the combination with
a steam pump in which the steam piston is of greater area than the pump piston, of a
receiver connected with the pump and adapted to contain air or other elastic material
and the pumped water stored therein under dynamic compression and submerged
outlets (one or more) in communication with said receiver, substantially as set
forth.
9th. In an apparatus for propelling or manoeuvering vessels, the combination with
steam pistons of different areas, and pump pistons connected therewith, of a sub-
merged water discharge orifice for the purpose of propelling or maneuvering a vessel,
substantially as set forth.
10th. The combination with the differential pistons of a compound engine, and a
pump piston of a less area than the high pressure piston of the engine, of a receiver
adapted to contain air or other elastic material in which the pumped water is stored
under dynamic compression, and submerged water discharging orifices connected
therewith, the latter being of less area than the pump piston to create and maintain
a greater pressure to the square inch at the submerged outlets than the initial boiler
pressure for the purpose of propelling or maneuvering a vessel, substantially as set
forth.
11th. In an apparatus for propelling or maneuvering a vessel, the combination
with a water forcing device and a submerged discharge orifice connected therewith, of
a water supply tank having submerged inlet ports and a pipe connecting the supply
tank and water forcing device, substantially as set forth.
12th. In apparatus for propelling or maneuvering a vessel, the combination with a
water forcing device, and a submerged discharge of a water supply tank having
submerged inlet ports and an air and water separating chamber, and a suction pipe
leading from the tank to the water forcing device, substantially as set forth.

page_text: 13th. In apparatus for propelling or maneuvering a vessel, the combination with a
water forcing device, a submerged discharge and a pipe connecting the water forcing
device and submerged discharge, of a chambered water supply tank having submerged
inlet ports, valves for controlling the ports, olevatel air receiving and discharge stand
pipes and a suction pipe leading from one chamber of the tank to the water forcing
device, substantially as set forth.
14th. In apparatus for propelling or maneuvering a vessel, the combination with a
water receiver containing air or other elastic medium, and a foreing device for
supplying said receiver "with water, of a water supply tank, the latter having
submerged inlet ports, a pipe cummeeting the supply tank and water foreing device,
and submerged water discharge pipe or pipes leading from the receiver, substantially
as set forth.
15th. In apparatus for propelling or maneuvering a vessel, the combination with a
water receiver containing air or other elastic medium and a forcing device for
supplying said receiver, of a water supply tank having submerged inlet ports and an
nir receiving chamber, a pipe connecting the supply tank and water forcing device and
submerged water discharge orifice or orifices leading from the water receiver
substantially as set forth.
16th. In apparatus for propelling or maneuvering a vessol, the combination with a
water receiver containing air or other elastic medium and a forcing device for
supplying water to said receiver, of a water supply tank having submerged inlet
ports, a pipe connecting the supply tank and water forcing device, valves for
controlling the ports in said submerged inlet ports, air receiving stand pipes
leading upwardly from the water supply tank, covers for said stand and submergel
water discharge orifice or orifices leading from the water receiver, substantially as set
forth.
17th. In apparatus for propelling or maneuvering a vessel, the combination with a
water receiver containing air or other elastic medium, and a forcing device for
supplying said receiver, of a water supply tank having submerged inlet ports, valves
for controlling the ports, and a partition extending transversely of the tank, pipes
connecting the water forcing device and supply tank, the ends of the pipe within the
tank being below the top of the partition on the opposite side from the inlet ports, and
submerged water discharge orifice or orifices leading from the receiver, substantially
as set forth.
18th. In apparatus for propelling or mano uvering a vessel, the combination with a
water and air receiving tank having water inlet ports and air chamber, of a water
forcing device having a submerged outlet and a pipe connecting the water forcing
device and tank, substantially as set forth.
19th. In a vessel, a water and air receiving tank having inlet ports, valves for
controlling the ports, air receiving stand pipes extending above the tank and in
communication therewith, and covers for the stand pipes, substantially as set
forth.
20th. In apparatus for propelling or mancouvering a vessel, the combination with a
water forcing device, a tank having submerged inlet ports and a pipe connecting the
tank and water forcing device, of a discharge pipo leading from the water forcing
device and means for controlling the direction of the water discharge, substantially as
set forth.
21st. In apparatus for propelling or maneuvering a vessel, the combination with a
foreing device, a water receiver partly filled with air or other elastic medium, and a
tank having submerged inlet ports, of a submerged fixed discharge orifice and an
adjustable plug adapted to enter the discharge orifice and open or close or change the
direction of the ejected water jet, substantially as set forth.
22nd. A propelling and maneuvering device consisting of a pump a discharge pipe
lending therefrom and a movable discharge plug located at the end of the dischargo
pipe, substantially as set forth.
23rd. A propelling and manoeuvering device consisting essentially of a fixed casing
having a water inlet and outlet located in or approximately in the same plano, a plug

page_text: having an orifice therein adapted to enter said casing, and a lock for locking the plug
securely in the casing, substantially as set forth.
24th. A propelling and manoeuvering device consisting essentially of a fixed casing
having water inlet and outlet for the free passage of water therein, a stem having a
perforated plug on its lower end adapted to enter and turn in the fixed casing, said
stem having a collar thereon, the movable caps at its uppermost end for locking tho
collar rigidly in place, substantially as set forth.
25th. In a vessel, the combination with a water forcing device, of submerged
discharge outlets for elevating the vessel to the surface of the water, and pipos for
connecting the outlets with the water forcing device, substantially as set forth.
26th. In a vessel the combination with a water forcing device, of discharge
outlets at or near both ends of the boat, which direct the discharged water upwardly
and pipes connecting the outlets with the water forcing device, substantially as set
forth.
27th. In a vessel the combination with a water forcing device and submerged
outlets at the stem for propelling the vessel, of the double discharge outlets for
directing the discharged water up or down, and pipes connecting the water forcing
dovice with the several outlets, substantially as set forth.
28th. In a vessel the combination of a water forcing device with submerged outlets
located at the sides and end of the vessel so that the vessel may be guided, propelled,
backed, rovolved, submerged, raised, up or down, or guided propelled and manoeuvered
beneath the water, substantially as set forth.
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
321, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.