CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OD ADDANAMIACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING VESSELS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Sager, of Seacombe, in the County
of Chester, Merchant, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY OD ADDANAMI
Sealed the 1st July 1853, and dated the 22nd April 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Sager at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 22nd April 1853.
I, WILLIAM SAGER, of Seacombe, in the County of Chester, Mer-
chant, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING VESSELS" to
be as follows:-
My Improvements apply to the propelling of boats and other vessels
upon water, being adapted either for marine or inland navigation, and
may be actuated by steam or other power. My improvements consist
principally in a certain novel and peculiar adaptation of mechanism
to be employed for such purposes, in place of the ordinary paddle-wheel,
or other propeller. In the first place, 1.employ a series of "floats," or

page_text: paddle boards, similar to those employed in an ordinary paddle-wheel,
or of any other suitable form; and to these said "floats," I apply a
propelling motion, and at the same time "a feathering" action. The
propelling motion is conveyed to the "floats," by attaching them by a
swivel joint to a crank, the revolution of which will cause the "floats,"
(which are supposed to be in a vertical position) to dip, press backward
in the water, rise, advance, dip again, and so on. But in order to
cause the "floats" to enter the water at an angle inclining forward, and
to leave the same at an angle including backward; a "guide rod is
attached to each side of the float. These said guide rods work through
a swivelling socket, above the centre of the crank, so that, in whatever
position the "float" may be as regards the crank and the water, it is
always inclined towards the centre of the swivelling socket. Thus it
will be evident, that the "float" will enter the water in a suitable
oblique direction, will remain almost at a right angle to its line of
motion, whilst acting against the water, and will leave the water at an
angle exactly opposite that at which it entered the same. Having thus
imparted the desired motion to "floats," it is to be conveyed to any
required number of "floats," by means of suitable parallel links. I
would here remark, that the number and dimensions of the floats must
be suitably proportioned to the size and weight of the vessel to be
propelled.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Sager, in the Great Seal Patent Office,
on the 19th October 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME; I,
WILLIAM SAGER, of Seacombe, in the County of Chester, Gentleman,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her, inost Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day, of April, One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the sixteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself; Her heirs. and successors, give and grant unto

page_text: me, the said William Sager, Her especial licence that I, the said
William Sager, my executors, administrators, and assigns, and such
others as I, the said William Sager, 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 "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MA-
CHINERY OR APPARATUS, FOR PROPELLING VESSELS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said William Sager, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascer-
tain 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 William Sager, do hereby de-
clare 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 and accompanying drawings.
"
My improvements in machinery or apparatus for propelling vessels,
relate to the propelling of boats, and other floating vessels upon water,
being adapted for both marine and inland navigation, and may be
actuated by steam or other motive power. My improvements consist
principally in a certain novel and peculiar adaptation of mechanism to
be employed for such purposes, in the place of the ordinary paddle
wheel or other propeller. In the first place, I employ two or more
floats
or paddle boards, similar to those employed in an ordinary
paddle wheel, or of any other suitable form, and to each of the said
"floats" or paddle boards I impart a propelling motion, and at the
same time a "feathering" action, by the following means:―The pro-
pelling motion is conveyed to the "float," by attaching it to a revolving
crank. As the said crank revolves, it causes the float to clip, press
backward in the water, rise, advance, dip again, and so on. But in
order to guide the "floats," and to cause them to enter the water at an
angle inclining forward, and to leave the same at a similar angle,

page_text: "
inclining backward, a guide rod is attached to each side of the float.
These said guide rods work through swivelling sockets, placed above the
centre of the crank, so that in whatever position the float may be, as
regards the crank and the water, it is necessarily always inclined towards
the centre of the said swivelling socket. Thus it will be evident, that
as the crank revolves, the "floats" will enter the water, in a suitable
oblique direction inclining forward, will remain almost at a right angle
to their line of motion, whilst acting against the water, and will leave
the water inclining backward, at an angle exactly opposite that at which
they entered the same. Having thus imparted the desired propelling
and feathering action to one pair of "floats," it may be conveyed to any
suitable number of "floats," by coupling them by means of parallel
links or rods, or in any other suitable and convenient manner. I would
here remark, that the number and dimensions of the "floats must be
suitably proportioned to the size and weight of the vessel to be propelled.
In order more clearly to illustrate the application of my said In-
vention, and to describe in detail the practical construction thereof, I
have annexed hereunto a sheet of drawings, representing several views
of the same, and have marked thercon figures and letters of reference,
corresponding with those in the following description thereof. Fig. 1,
represents a side elevation of a single "float" or paddle, with my
improved apparatus applied thereto. The "float" is shewn in the
position which it assumes when about to enter the water. Fig. 2, is a
similar view representing the "float" in full perpendicular action against
the water. Fig. 3, is a similar view, shewing the "float" in the act of
receding or withdrawing from the water; and Fig. 4, is a similar view,
representing the "float" as passing over the surface of the water, in
order to commence a fresh stroke. Fig. 5, represents a front elevation
of the "float" and its apparatus. a, a, represents the "float" or
paddle board; and b, b, are the guide rods. These rods are provided
with eyes at c, c, by means of which they are connected to the cranks
d, d. The guide rods b, b, pass through the sockets e, e, which swivel in
suitable bearings attached to a fixed rail, f, f. The rail f, f, is bolted or
otherwise secured to the paddle box g, g, and the side h, h, of the vessel
(see Fig. 5.) The inner crank d, is keyed on the main driving shaft,

page_text: and the outer crank d, revolves loosely upon a pin attached to the
paddle box. It will be evident, that as the crank d, revolves in the
direction of the arrow, the float will dip in an oblique direction, as
represented at Fig. 1; press backward against the water, as represented
at Fig. 2; leave the water at an inclined direction, as shewn at Fig. 3;
and pass forward above the surface of the water, in order to take a fresh
stroke, as represented at Fig. 4. The repetition of this movement,
caused by the continued revolution of the crank, will have the effect of
propelling the vessel forward, whilst, owing to their oblique direction in
which the "floats" are withdrawn from the water, they offer the least
possible amount of resistance to it, and have no back water to lift, on
leaving the same. Fig. 6, represents a plan view, and Fig. 7, a side
elevation of a vessel, shewing the adaptation thereto of four sets of
"floats" or paddles, that is to say, two sets upon each side thereof. a, a,
represents the driving or crank shafts. b, b, shews the position of the
boiler or steam generator; and c, c, the position of the steam engines
(see Fig. 6.) Each set of paddles or "floats" is coupled by means of
links or rods d, d, (see Fig. 7.) and they are so arranged with regard to
the steam engines, that the foremost "floats" or paddles are acting
against the water, whilst the hindmost "floats" or paddles are out of the
water, and vice versâ, in order to keep up a continuous propelling force.
Having thus fully described the nature and object of my said im-
provements in machinery or apparatus for propelling vessels, together
with the manner of carrying the same into practical effect, I would
remark in conclusion, that I claim as my Invention, first, the peculiar
action of the "floats" or paddles; and secondly, the novel arrangement
of machinery or apparatus for effecting the same, as shewn in the
drawings, and above particularly described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Sager, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of September, One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
WILLIAM SAGER. (L.S.)