CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN PADDLE WHEELS
Year: 1833

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
CARTER, of Mottingham, in the County of Kent, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS His present most Excellent Majesty King William the Fourth,
by His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing
date at Westminster, the First day of June, in the third year of His reign,
did, for Himself, His heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
George Carter, His especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority,
that I, the said George Carter, my exors, admors, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said George Carter, my exors, adñors, or assigns, 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 PADDLE WHEELS;" in which
said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that I, the said George Carter, shall
cause a particular description of the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be inrolled in His said 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
George Carter, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described and
ascertained in and by the following description thereof, reference being had
to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked
thereon (that is to say) :-

page_text: My Invention consists of certain valves added to the float boards of paddle
wheels, whereby the water against which such float boards are acting is per-
mitted to float through so soon as the float boards would no longer be acting
advantageously in propelling the vessel, and at the same time the water will
not be lifted by the float boards as they leave the water, and thus the surge
caused by the backwater will be in a great measure avoided. But in order that
my Invention may be most fully described and "understood, I will describe the
Drawing hereunto, annexed.
A
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 shows an edge view of part of a paddle wheel constructed according
to my Invention, there being only two sets of float boards shown; but as the
arrangement of the parts are similar-to-each set-of float boards, the Invention
will readily be understood by a competent mechanic.
Figure 2 represents the plan of one set of float boards, together with the
valve between them in the position at which they are when under water,
and exerting their most effective force in propelling the vessel. In each of
the Figures the same letters indicate similar parts, a being the main shaft or
axis driven by the engine; b, b, are float boards, which, it will be seen, are set
at an angle with respect to each other, leaving a space between the two inner
ends, which is to be close by the valve c, at the time the float boards are
exerting their force against the water; but the valve c turns on the axis or
spindle d so soon as the further holding the water would not be advantageous
in propelling the vessel, at which time the water flows freely between the float
boards 6, and thus tends to prevent the lifting backwater. The spindle or
axis d turn in bearings on the framing of the wheel, and at the other end
there is affixed a crank e, having a connecting rod f attached thereto, as shown
in Figure 1. The connecting rod f is acted on by two inclined planes affixed
to the side of the vessel in such manner that the connecting rod is alternately
forced outwards, and drawn inwards for closing and opening the valve c.
These two inclined planes are shewn separately in Figure 3.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of com-
bining the various parts, I will describe the manner of their action. I will
suppose a paddle wheel constructed have any determined number of sets of
float boards fitted and arranged as above described. It will be evident that
motion being communicated to the same by the main shaft a, the valves c will
successively be closed by the connecting rods f rising up the lower inclined
plane, and will be kept close till it arrives to the end of the plane, when it will
pass over the upper inclined plane, by which means the connecting rod will be

page_text: drawn inwards towards the vessel, which will turn the valve c edgewise,
and thus no longer prevent the water passing between the float boards..
I would observe that although I have here described the valves c as turning
on axes, yet it will be evident that in place thereof the same may be caused to
slide up and down; nor do I confine myself to the precise arrangement of
parts for turning the valves, and I would have it understood that I am aware
that paddle wheels have been before made with angular float boards; I
do not, therefore, lay any claim thereto, but do hereby wish it to be under-
stood that I confine my claim of Invention to the placing of valves c to stop the
water from flowing between such angular float boards during the time they are
advantageously acting on the water to propel the vessel, and opening a way for
è passage of the water between them so soon as their action would not be
longer advantageous, and thus tending to prevent the lifting the water, as above
described.
the
In witness whereof, I, the said George Carter, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and thirty thro