Improvements relating to Paddle Wheels.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 6th June, 1893-Accepted, 29th July, 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Paddle Wheels.
I, RICHARD JAMES HAMMOND, of the Infant Orphan Asylum, Wanstead,
Essex, Fitter and Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
Paddle wheels in accordance with this my invention are made having, in addition
to the ordinary central flat floats, a number of curved floats extending from each
side of the wheel. These extending floats I form with a double curve in their
length so that one portion of the surface of the float is concave and the other portion
convex so as to permit of a good grip of the water as the float enters same, and an
easy fall off of the water as the float leaves it.
These improved floats may be of any suitable metal or material but preferably I
form them of thin cast steel, and they are attached to the frame of the wheel by means
of angle iron or steel curved supporting arms, to which they are bolted or otherwise
secured.
The floats as above described may easily be adapted to existing paddle wheels,
and they may either be connected to both sides of the wheel framing or to one
only.
Amongst the advantages accruing from the use of the curved floats aforesaid I
may mention that in cases when sailing without steam, the "drag" will be reduced
to a minimum; the floats being practically in "lead" with the vessel; and again
feathering" is practically obtained though the floats are rigid, and thus the
necessity of the rods, and levers, and other mechanism, now employed upon feathering
paddle wheels is entirely dispensed with.
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And in order that my invention may be fully understood and readily carried into
effect I will now proceed to describe same with reference to the accompanying sheet
of drawings, in which
Figure 1 represents a side view of a paddle wheel constructed in accordance with
this my invention, and Figure 2 is a plan of same.
A represents the framing of the paddle wheel, and a and b the extending curved
floats before referred to. These are respectively attached to the side framing A of
the wheel by means of the angle iron or steel arms a¹ and b¹. c in Figure 2
represents the ordinary flat floats as heretofore attached centrally to the side
framing A of the paddle wheel.
As will be particularly observed upon reference to Figure 1 of the drawings the
floats or blades a and b are formed with a double curve in their length, so that
their inner surfaces at the end to which they are connected to the wheel framing
are concave and at the other or free end they are convex, see respectively a² & a³.
Hence when the float as at x enters the water a good grip of same is ensured by
the concave portion, and as the float leaves, or emerges from, the water the latter
is thrown off easily and smoothly from the float by the convex portion thereof.
Hence, as aforesaid, all the advantages of feathering floats are obtained by this
my invention, without the employment of the ordinary feathering gearing and
mechanism.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this my inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
In paddle wheels the use of curved side floats substantially as and for the purposes
hereinbefore described and shewn in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 6th day of June 1893.
JAMES STEVENSON,
Gray's Inn Chambers, 20, High Holborn, W.C., Agent for Applicant.