CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR ACQUIRING POWER IN RIVERS AND CURRENTS
Year: 1831

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, OLIVER
ST GEORGE, of Great Cumberland Street, in the County of Middlesex, Esquire,
send greeting.
WHEREAS His present most Excellent Majesty King William the Fourth,
did, by His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing
date at Westminster, the Twenty-eighth day of September, One thousand eight
hundred and thirty-one, in the second year of His reign, give and grant unto
me, the said Oliver Saint George, Ilis special licence, that I, the said Oliver
St George, my exors, adñiors, and assigns, and such others as I, the said
Oliver St George, my exors, admors, and assigus, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during the term of
years therein mentioned, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my
Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR ACQUIRING POWER IN
RIVERS AND CURRENTS," communicated to me by a certain foreigner residing
abroad; in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that I, the said
Oliver St George, shall cause a particular description of the nature of my said
Invention, and in which manner the same is to be performed, to be enrolled
in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent,
as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at
large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Oliver St George, do hereby describe the manner in which my said Invention
is to be performed, by the following description thereof (reference being had
to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the letters marked thereon, that
is to say:
I construct a strong frame of wood or other suitable materials of sufficient
length, width, depth, and strength, according to the power wanted, of pieces of
timber or other suitable material, laid longitudinally and across these other
pieces laid transversely, the whole well and strongly fastened and bolted
together. The top and bottom of this frame are similar, and also the two
sides, except that the top describes the segment of a circle of about a foot
high in the middle; the frame is formed with circles at the ends to fit an
iron circle, on which the flanges move. On the lower part of the frame I fix
two grooves of plank or other suitable material, the whole length, to support the
ends of rods fastened to the chains, to prevent the swag of the chains on the
lower side of the frames; and to the ends of the rods I fit a roller to work in
these grooves. At each end of the frame I fix a shaft of iron, extending from
one side of the frame to the other, and the ends of the shafts resting upon
plummer blocks fixed to the frame. Upon each of the shafts I key two cast-
iron wheels in such a manner that the two wheels on the shaft at one end of
the frame shall stand in a line with the two wheels on the shaft at the other
end of the frame. These wheels are similar, and cast with knobs or projections
at certain equal distances upon the perifery to receive endless chains con-
structed so as to fit the knobs upon the wheels. The chains are made flat and
with open links alternately, intended to fit the knobs upon the wheels, and the
flat links to bear upon the wheel between the knobs to prevent the chains
from slipping upon the wheels. The chains extend completely around the
frame, revolving over and under, and passing also over the two wheels at each
end of the frame in a line with each other. The two chains are similar and
run parellel to each other at a certain distance. On the frame are fitted at
intervals, friction rollers for the chains to run upon in the direction the chains
travel, at certain intervals of about six feet. Upon the chains I affix iron
hinges moveable at a joint on the end. When they are connected with the
chains to these hinges, the propellers are bolted from the centre of these
hinges on the front side; a supporting brace with joints extends to the chain,
and is fixed about eighteen inches from the bottom of the hinge. In the
middle of this brace are holds and a regulating boat to hold the propellers
vertical to the action of the water. To the chain close behind the hinge
I fix a perpendicular bar, about one and a half the height of the hinge;

page_text: near the top of this bar is a hole to permit a short curved rod on the back side
of the hinge to pass through; this rod as holes in it for a key, and is
intended to regulate the distance the hinge shall move upon the joint on
the chain, and also to keep the propellers from falling down upon the
chain.. The propellers being fastened upon moveable hinges permits them
to pass round the wheels, and avoids the backwater as they leave the water.
I next construct propellers (or paddles) of such size as may be wanted; they
are screwed fast to the hinges opposite to each other upon the two chains, and
stand perpendicular upon the chains, with the exception of such motion
as may be given by the hinges and regulating rod. In the circles at one end
of the frame are fitted iron flanges, that are raised and depressed in grooves
fitted in the timber by means of pulleys and chains in order to raise the
frame and paddles out of water. When I wish to stop the machinery, or to
diminish or increase the power, the back part of the frame is raised and
depressed in a similar manner, but without the flanges. The chain for raising
the frame is attached to a bar across the frame under which the propellers
pass in revolving. The whole of the machinery is supported by strong timbers
resting on a vessel or pier. The plummer blocks of the front shaft rests upon
the centre of the flanges; the back shaft rests on the plummer blocks upon the
side of the frame. The quantity of power depends upon the number and size
of the propellers and the velocity of the steam.
The Drawing represents a vessel about one hundred feet long, the frame.
about forty-three feet from shaft to shaft, and the propellers seven feet six
hinges long and three feet wide, and the explanation refers to the different
parts described in this Specification.
The Patentee claims as original the application of the wheels with the knobs
upon them, and the form of the chain acting upon the knobs in connection with
the wheels.
He claims also the application of the upright hinge acting upon the chain to
which the paddles are fixed. Also the construction of the regularity rod, and
the brace to the centre of the hinge, in connection with each other.
He also claims the multiplication of the paddles all acting with or without
chains upon the same shaft to form a horizontal moving power acted upon by
the force of the steam as the impetus, and giving, by means of the small
wheels, a rapid velocity on the first motion, the paddles being fixed upon
hinges.
He claims also the application of the frame supporting the wheels, chains,
propellers, and also the mode of raising and depressing the same. Remarks:-
The objection to the ordinary water wheel is the back water; the only efficient

page_text: Is a section of the Frame showing a side view
of a wheel and three of the propellers, Nº I
over the top, No II entering the water, & N°III
in action in the water: the whole moving in
the direction of the arrows.
A bird's eye view of a section of the frame,
showing three propellers, two wheels, with the
shaft and form of the chain.
Wheel with knobs.
The propellers.
Frame supporting the Machinery, and resting
upon the Boat (or a Pier).
The braces.
Hinges and propellers.
The fixed upright bar.
The sliding rod to regulate the propellers.
The wheels and pulleys with blocks for
raising the Machinary.
Gross bar to which the chains are attached
for raising
The friction rollers.
Iron flanges supporting the Shaft
and plummer blocks and raising
in grooves.