IMPROVEMENTS IN UNDULATING PROPELLERS FOR STEAM SHIPS AND OTHER VESSELS
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Fisher Alexander, at present residing at
the City of New York, United States of America, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN UNDULATING PROPELLERS FOR STEAM SHIPS AND
OTHER VESSELS."
Sealed the 13th May 1870, and dated the 9th December 1869.
.Alexander at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 9th December 1869.
I, JOSEPH FISHER ALEXANDER, at present residing at the City of
New York, United States of America, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN UNDULATING PROPELLERS FOR
STEAM SHIPS AND OTHER VESSELS," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in the arrangement of a bucket or blade
working below the water line, and by preference in a chamber which is
[Price 8d.]

page_text: open at both ends, and extends in the direction of the keel of the vessel
to be propelled. The said blade is connected at its ends with two
cranks situated at an angle of about 90 degrees to each other in such a
manner that by revolving the crank shaft an undulating motion is
imparted to the said blade, whereby the water in the propeller chamber
is displaced and expelled at one or the other end of the said chamber
according to the direction in which the crank shaft is turned, and the
vessel is thereby propelled either forward or backward with com-
paratively little expenditure of power. If desired the chamber can be
dispensed with, and the undulating blade arranged below the water line
in the open water, its action then being substantially the same as
above described.
If desired two or more propeller blades constructed as above described
can be applied either at the sides or at the stern of the same vessel, and the
propeller blade or blades can be applied either in a vertical, inclined, or
horizontal position to any part of the vessel, either inside or outside below
the water line. The propeller blade can be made of sheet iron or of any
other suitable material, such a wood secured by irou bands, or cast iron
strengthend by suitable ribs, and the motion of the propeller shaft can
be produced by a steam engine or by any other motive power. By the
action of my propeller blades the water is forced principally in the
direction of the keel, even if the said blade is not enclosed in a
chamber; and as nearly as possible the full force of the propeller is
rendered effective to propel the vessel to which it is attached in the
required direction.
My propeller produces no lateral waves, and is therefore particularly
applicable for propelling canal boats, but it can also be used with
advantage for propelling seagoing vessels and other large craft.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Joseph Fisher Alexander in the Great Seal Patent 3
Office on the 13th May 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
FISHER ALEXANDER, at present residing at the City of New York,
United States of America, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors
give and grant unto me, the said Joseph Fisher Alexander, Her
special licence that I, the said Joseph Fisher Alexander, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Joseph Fisher
Alexander, 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 inake,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
SHIPS AND OTHER
"IMPROVEMENTS IN UNDULATING PROPELLERS FOR STEAM
VESSELS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Joseph
Fisher Alexander, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and
in what mauner 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 Joseph Fisher Alexander, do hereby
declare 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 (that is to say):
This Invention consists in the arrangement of a bucket or blade
working below the water line by preference in a chamber which is
open at both ends, and extends in the direction of the keel of the
vessel to be propelled; said blade being connected to two cranks
situated at an angle of about 90 degrees towards each other in such a
manner that by revolving the crank shaft an undulating motion is
imparted to said blade, whereby the water in the propeller chamber is
displaced and expelled either at one end or at the opposite end of said
chamber according to the direction in which the crank shaft is turned,
and thereby the vessel is propelled either forward or backward with
comparatively little expenditure of power. If desired the chamber can
be dispensed with; and the undulating blade arranged below the water

page_text: line in the open water, when its action will be substantially the same as
above described, but less effective.
If desired two or more propeller blades constructed as above described
can be applied either at the sides or at the stern of one and the same
vessel, and the propeller blade or blades can be placed either in a
vertical, inclined, or horizontal position at any part of the vessel, either
inside or outside below the water line. The propeller blade can be
made of sheet iron or of any other suitable material, such as wood secured
by iron bands, or cast iron strengthened by suitable ribs, and the motion
of the propeller shaft can be produced by a steam engine or by any other
motive power. By the action of my propeller blade the water is forced
principally in the direction of the keel, even if said blade is not enclosed
in a chamber, and as near as possible the full force of the propeller is
rendered effective in propelling the vessel to which it is attached in the
required direction.
My propeller produces no lateral waves, and it is therefore particularly
applicable for propelling canal boats, but it can also be used with
advantage for propelling larger craft and seagoing vessels.
This Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, in which
Figure 1 represents a longitudinal vertical section; Figure 2 is a similar
view thereof showing the propeller in a different position from the
previous Figure. Similar letters indicate corresponding parts.
The letter A designates a shaft, to which a revolving motion is
imparted by a steam engine or any other motor, and which has its
bearings in suitable boxes in the interior of the vessel to be propelled,
said shaft being placed parallel to or in line with the keel of the vessel.
On this shaft are secured two cranks B, C, at an angle of ninety degrees
(or nearly so) to each other, and each of these cranks connects by a
rod b or c with a cross head e or f. These cross heads move in suitable
slides D, and they connect by rods' g, h, with the ends i, j, of a bucket or
blade E, which is enclosed in the propeller chamber F. This chamber is
situated below the water line, either in line with or parallel to the keel
of the vessel to be propelled, and it is open at both ends, as shown in the
Drawing. The edges of the blade E extend close to the sides of the pro-
peller chamber, and if the shaft A is revolved the water contained in said
chamber is displaced and forced out at one of the ends of the chamber
according to the direction in which the vessel is propelled. If the shaft

page_text: is turned in the direction of the arrow marked on it in Figure 1 the
blade will move from the position shown in Figure 1 to that shown in
Figure 2, and the water contained in said chamber is forced out in the
direction of the arrows marked in the chamber in Figure 1. If tho
motion of the shaft continues until the end i of the blade E reaches the
top of the propeller chamber the end j will be brought again to the centre
of said chamber, and the water will continue to be displaced in the
direction of the arrows marked in said chamber in Figure 1, and the
vessel will be propelled in the direction opposite to said arrows. If the
motion of the shaft A is reversed as indicated by the arrow marked
thereon in Fig. 2 the water in the chamber F will be displaced in the
direction of the arrows marked in said chamber in Fig. 2, and the
motion of the vessel will be reversed. The effect of the blade E to expel
the water from the chamber F, either in one or the other direction with-
out interruption during its entire motion is due to the position of the
cranks B, C, at right angles to each other. If these cranks were placed
at angles of one hundred and eighty degrees to each other the water
during one half of the stroke of said blade would be expelled at one,
and during the other half at the opposite end of the chamber F; and if
the cranks B, C, were placed in the same direction the water would be
expelled from the chamber F simultaneously at both ends; but by
placing the cranks at an angle of ninety degrees the blade receives an
undulating motion of such a nature that the water will be continually
expelled either at one or at the other end of the chamber F. The joints
of the ends and j of the blade are double as shown, so that the
blade E is free to accommodate itself to the positions of the rods g, h.
It must be remarked that two or more propeller blades can be applied
either in the sides or at the stern of one and the same vessel, and said
blade or blades might be worked freely in the water without any
chamber, and it or they can be placed either in a vertical or horizontal
position, and applied to any part of the vessel, either inside or outside
below the water line. It is obvious that the cranks might be replaced
by eccentrics or by other mechanical arrangements, whereby the required
undulating motion is imparted to the blades.
Having thus fully described my Invention, I wish to be distinctly
understood that I do not desire to limit myself to the precise arrange-
ment represented in the Drawing, but what I claim as new and desire to

page_text: secure by Letters Patent is, the blade E situated below the water line
and connected to two cranks B, C, situated at a suitable angle towards
each other or their mechanical equivalent, whereby the required undu.
lating motion can be imparted to said blade, substantially in the manner
herein shown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Fisher Alexander, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of March,
A.1). 1870.
Witnesses,
JOSEPH FISHER ALEXANDER. (L.s)
WILLIAM FERDINAND HAUFF.
ERNEST FREDERICK KASTENHUBER.