IMPROVEMENTS IN PROPELLING VESSELS
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Aaron Benfield, of Rotherhithe, in the County
of Surry, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PROPELLING VESSELS."
Sealed the 22nd January 1856, and dated the 27th July 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Aaron Benfield at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
27th July 1855.
I, JOHN AARON BENFIELD, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PROPELLING VESSELS" to be as follows:-
I propose in small craft (where desired) to dispense with the use of oars,
giving, by my apparatus, to a single man more power to propel a boat than is
possessed by the usual crew using oars. My Invention is applicable to craft
of any size, and may be used with or without the screw, as at present fixed in
a vessel. I take (for example) a ship's boat, and behind the seat usually
occupied by the officer in command I fix an apparatus which turns (by hand
power) a horizontal shaft; such shaft will be made to communicate rotary
motion to a vertical rod or shaft placed immediately contiguous to the inside of
the stern of the boat. The upper end of this rod or shaft is, by means of two or
more cogged wheels, made to cause another vertical rod placed on the outside

page_text: of the stern to rotate, and a pair of radiated wheels will cause a screw pro-
peller fixed in the rudder blade to work. The operator sits in the stern sheets.
In boats the advantage by using my Invention will be great, as not only the
labor of many will be saved, but the noise of the oars will no longer endanger
the success of night enterprizes, such as cutting out, buoying channels, &c.
Steam power can of course be used when desirable.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Aaron Benfield in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
25th January 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
AARON BENFIELD, of Rotherithe, in the County of Surrey, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of July, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself,
Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said John Aaron
Benfield, Her especial license that I, the said John Aaron Benfield, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
Aaron Benfield, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN PROPELLING VESSELS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said John Aaron Benfield, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, 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 John Aaron Benfield, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described-and-ascertained-in-and-by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, on which
Figures or Diagrams illustrating the said Invention are designed, and similar
letters of reference are placed upon and denote similar parts in each of the
Figures respectively :-

page_text: My Invention is applicable to propelling vessels of various kinds, and can
be put in operation either by steam or hand power. One of its uses, where
motived by the latter power, I would particularly allude to. In time of war, or
whenever or wherever it may be found desirable to approach a place or object
in the dark and with silence, it will be found most useful; as, in approaching
a ship to cut her out, only one man would be required to manage the boat
and to propel her, and that so silently (the mover being deep in the water) as
to insure success when such success is at all dependent upon the silence of
approach. Again, the whole of the crew or equipage are available for instant
use (oars being dispensed with), and consequently the strength of the armament
is materially increased. One man can take the boat off shore, or lie off, and
bring her up again with great velocity, if required. My Invention is applicable
also to vessels of large size, to barges on rivers and canals, more particularly
the latter, as the guarded floats or screw blades fixed in the rudder will
prevent that disturbance of the water, so injurious to the banks or beds of
canals as to have prevented the introduction of steam power (otherwise so
desirable) in navigating canals. My propelling power or apparatus, while
securing a rate of speed more than equal to that of horse power, will be used
without greater disturbance of the water than is caused by horse draught.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shews a longitudinal section of the stern of a boat, showing the
entire working of the Invention; Figure 2, a top plan view of the same;
Figure 3, a cross section, taken through the line A, B, at Figure 2; Figure 4,
view of stern of a larger craft; Figure 5, plan view of stern of such larger
craft; Figures 6, 7, and 8, views of parts of the screw framing; Figure 9, plan
view of top of rudder, shewing rollers; Figures 10 and 11 shew enlarged views
of the boss which encircles the shaft. It will be seen at Figures 1, 2, and 3,
that athwart a portion of the boat, commonly termed the stern sheets, (or in
any other position that may be found most convenient,) is placed a metal
frame a, screwed or otherwise secured to the bottom and sides of the boat.
Another frame b, for supporting the wheel work, is also fixed and secured at
the ends to the frame a; between these frames are placed toothed wheels, as
shewn. I have shewn three, but the number may be increased or diminished,
according to power of propulsion required; the first of these wheels being set
in motion by turning the handle c (placed either fore or aft the framing),
gears into and imparts motion to the middle, and that wheel to the third
(when three are used), which makes the shaft d revolve. The shaft d passing

page_text: through a stuffing box e, terminates with an universal joint f, by which means
it communicates with the short shaft g, passing through the centre of the
screw. The screw h being, according to my Invention, placed in the rudder
of the boat, it will appear evident that without the aid of an universal joint the
screw and rudder could not work simultaneously. To unship the screw of a
small boat it is only requisite to draw the centre pin of the universal joint,
then the rudder can be lifted, the short shaft g pulled out, and the screw is
then freed. As it is occasionally desirable to fix the rudder in one position for
an uncertain period, a loose box of metal i is placed over the end of the tiller.
Beneath the tiller is a quadrant-shaped piece of metal j, with a groove or slot
cut through nearly its entire length. The lower part of the box i working in
the groove has affixed to it a plate with spring and screw c, Figure 1, which
serves to hold the tiller tight to the quadrant-shaped plate, thereby resisting the
vibration of the rudder. At Figure 4 it will be seen that in larger and heavier
craft the screw is again placed in the rudder, as before; but instead of using
the universal joint, a hook and schackel is applied for the sake of strength.
If the corners of the connecting shaft be removed, the cup will be greatly
strengthened in its weakest part, and the shipping of the screw rendered much
casier (see Figures 10 and 11), where r is the boss which encircles the shaft
when fixed, part being in the frame with the screw; s is the dovetail, which, used
instead of the solid piece hereafter mentioned, receives the end of the frame, as
marked in one of the sections; t is the collar which holds the short piece of
shaft. A fly wheel and break may be used when the machinery is worked
by manual labor. At Figure 4 will also be observed a brace 7, made in one
piece with the outer frame of the screw, which passes and is fixed on each side
the dead wood or stern of the vessel to assist in supporting the weight of the
rudder and screw. Other braces (m, Figure 5,) are introduced on the top of
the rudder, furnished with small rollers to allow of the free motion of the
rudder; and when these rollers one one side are worn, the plates can be
unbolted and turned, so that they may be changed for those which have sus-
tained the least friction; Figure 5 shewing the top plate taken off the roller;
and Figure 9, the plate replaced. Figure 7 shews the inner frame or casing
of the screw, in which the screw is centred. At the top of this frame a piece
of solid metal from one to two inches in thickness is inlaid in the rudder, over
which the fall passes and enters a catch. The tumbler is then turned over
and enters a catch in the fall, which secures the frame and machinery in
position. In the outer frame are cut grooves half way down (Figures 6 and 8),
with two openings at the top, to allow the two ends of the short shaft through

page_text: the screw to enter and slide down into its place. The end o of the short
shaft, Figure 7, is formed either square or dovetailed, so that when it is dropped
down it falls into a recess in the hook made for its reception, and makes it as
it were one solid piece. The dovetailed piece at the top of the frame (when
used) is then forced into its place, and the fall and tumbler p covering it, the
whole remains in its place (see Figures 7 and 4); or the solid metal piece
is used as before described. When the screw is required to be unshipped,
a boat-hook is to be passed over the side of the ship to lift up the fall and
tumbler; the top of the inner frame can then be drawn out. The semicircular
hole g, Figure 4, in the blade of the screw is to fasten a hook and and fall,
which passing over the side through the outer frame, guides the shaft of
the screw into the side of the outer frame, and the frame and screw can
then be taken on board. Should the screw not be required (when sails
are used), a piece of timber to fit in the outer frame is made with dowels
at the bottom so as to fit and be covered at the top, in the manner before
described, thereby forming a solid rudder. To prevent the lifting of the
rudder, and consequent disarrangement of the hook and schackel, a nut
screwed on one or both of the hinge pins will be effectual.
At Figure 1
will be seen in red dotted lines a method of checking the commotion of
the water on canals, by fixing on the rudder a forked piece of metal, having
arms fixed thereto, with graduated holes therein; two wings (curved if
required) are placed on each side and above the screw, to prevent the
action of the water on the banks of canals. These can be raised or lowered
or otherwise adjusted by means of pins placed in the various holes; but to
unship the whole it will be merely necessary to draw the two pins which
pass through the forked piece and rudder.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in which
I carry the same into effect, I desire it to be distinctly understood that I lay
no claim to the exclusive use of any of the parts or portions of machinery or
apparatus herein-before named, described, or illustrated in the Drawings, when
such parts of machinery or apparatus are taken or used seperately, or as parts
or portions only, and not in combination for the purposes of my Invention.
And I further declare that I do not confine myself to the precise disposition of
the parts forming my apparatus or machinery, or to the relative proportions
of the parts, as such parts may, and in fact must, be varied to suit particular
circumstances, as the size or capacity of vessels, to which my Invention may
be applied, or in other manner without in any way departing from the principle
of my Invention; which I declare to be, and I claim the exclusive use of, the

page_text: general combination and arrangement of the parts of machinery or apparatus
herein-before described, and illustrated in the Drawing, forming when so com-
bined or arranged "Improvements in Propelling Vessels."
In witness whereof, I, the said John Aaron Benfield, have hereunto affixed
my hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
JOHN A. BENFIELD. (L.s.)
Witness,
JOHN GEDGE, Patent Agent,
4, Wellington Street South, Strand, London.