Propelling and Manoeuvring Apparatus for Vessels or Vehicles Moving in Water or Air.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Jan., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 20th Oct., 1894-Accepted, 1st Dec., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by Carl August GuIDO STORZ, of No. 36, Gerber-
mühlstrasse, Frankfort-on-Maine, Germany.]
Propelling and Manoeuvring Apparatus for Vessels or Vehicles
Moving in Water or Air.
I, OLIVER IMRAY, of No. 28 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the
County of London, Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to apparatus for propelling, raising, lowering and steering
vessels in water or air.
The apparatus consists mainly of propelling fins or wings such as shewn in
elevation and underside plan at Figs. 1 and 14 of the accompanying drawing, and
the casing therefor, shewn in sectional elevation and underside plan at Figs. 2
and 2*.
The said fins or wings are composed of a drum or cylinder a on which are fixed
either parallel or helically to the axis thereof any desired number of fin or wing
blades 6 (preferably three) which drum or cylinder is rotated by a shaft c.
The casing shewn respectively in cross section, underside plan, and longitudinal
section at Figs. 2, 2 and 3, is introduced either separately into or on to the vessel
or vehicle and is then fixed thereto, or it is fixed together with the fin or wing
apparatus being made to fit as closely as possible round the periphery of the latter,
and to the end surfaces d d of the drum. On the outerside this casing has an
opening only of such a size as is absolutely necessary for the operative part of the
circular path of the fin or wings or for the body of water or air carried by them.
This opening is so proportioned that as a rule it only extends to about one third of
the circumference of the casing, or the distance between two of the blades or
vanes.
In order to prevent as much as possible the penetration of air or water into the
casing, the drum a serving to prevent such ingress, is advantageously made to
project outwards to such an extent, as to be tangential to the plane xx¹ of the
opening of the casing which coincides with the outer surface of the vessel or vehicle.
In order farther to increase the effectiveness of the apparatus and equalize
differences in the work performed the drum a can be made to operate as a fly-wheel
by adding weight to its outer periphery or, when enclosed on all sides, by filling
for example one of the outer compartments thereof with water.
The said drum or cylinder may also serve advantageously for counteracting the
weight both of itself and of part of the vessel or vehicle by filling its hollow space
with a specifically lighter material than that with which it is surrounded.
The number of the blades or vanes b, which, as a rule, are not more than three
in number, is advantageously so regulated that as soon as one of them has passed
the outer segment of the operative part c¹, that is, the opening of the casing, the
next blade or vane shall commence its action.
In order to prevent the escape of the water or air forward or upward on starting,
and to render the pressing action more uniform, the separate blades or vanes need
not always be made perpendicular to the surface of the drum, but they can be made
of a helical or inclined form, and be carried to any desired extent round the
drum.
Furthermore, the blades or vanes can be formed either radial or tangential or
curved in section.

page_text: According as the angle of inclination of the blades or vanes to the horizontal or
vertical line is increased or decreased (as indicated at Fig. 5), the forward or
backward motion thereof will produce a greater or less ascending or a descending
motion of the vessel or vehicle, or these several functions will be increased or
decreased thereby.
The said apparatus is also applicable with advantage for steering, either by
fixing them separately to the vessels or vehicles, or by arranging them in pairs and
driving them either at different speeds, or in opposite directions.
The above described functions for the propulsion, raising, lowering or steering of
vessels in water or air can be carried out not only with a horizontal but also with a
vertical or inclined position of the drum casing, as also with a position of the
driving shafts parallel to either the longitudinal or the transverse axis of the
vessel.
In order, when the vessel is completely immersed in the water or air, to more or
less neutralise the raising or lowering action of these fin or wing apparatus, as may
be required, that is to say, to utilise the propulsive power of these apparatus only
for forward or backward motion, it is sufficient, when a pair thereof is arranged
one above or by the side or behind the other, to construct them with their blades
or vanes inclined in opposite directions, as shewn at Fig. 4.
Dated this 20th day of January 1894.
.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Propelling and Manoeuvring Apparatus for Vessels or Vehicles
Moving in Water or Air.
I, OLIVER IMRAY, of No. 28 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the
County of London, Chartered Patent Agent, 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:—
This invention relates to apparatus for propelling raising lowering and steering
vessels in water or air. The apparatus consists mainly of a cylindrical casing and
a revolving vane wheel contained concentrically therein. The latter consists of a
cylindrical drum which is rotated by the motor engine of the vessel and to which
are fixed vanes, blades or wings.
The casing is formed with an opening at the point next the side of the vessel,
the opening being of such a size that a line connecting the edges of the opening is
about tangential to the surface of the drum of the propeller, and the said edges are
made to fit close against and flush with the outer shell of the vessel.
According as the vanes, blades or wings are arranged on the drum either
accurately parallel with the axis thereof, as in paddle wheels, or more or less
obliquely thereto, or helically, the construction will serve to replace either paddle
wheels or screw propellers, the blades may also be formed as complete helices.
By suitably arranging the apparatus at the bows or stern of the vessel it may
also be used for steering in place of an ordinary rudder.
If two such apparatus are employed one on each side of the vessel which
arrangement is the most advantageous, they can also be made to steer the vessel
by being rotated at different speeds.
For equalizing the work the drum may be made to act as a fly wheel by
imparting sufficient mass to its periphery; it may also be closed at the ends or
formed into compartments which may be exhausted or filled with a fluid of less
specific gravity than that in which the apparatus works, in order to afford buoyancy

page_text: for counteracting the weight of the apparatus ; or it may be employed as a
reservoir for combustible gas for working a gas motor engine.
The axis of rotation of the apparatus may be arranged either horizontal inclined
or vertical, and either parallel with the longitudinal axis of the vessel if it acts as
a screw propeller or at right angles thereto if it acts as a paddle wheel.
The accompanying drawings shew various modes of constructing and applying
the said propelling apparatus. Figures 1 to 5 shew a vane wheel with helical
vanes blades or wings, with the surrounding casing and the mode of fixing it to the
shell of the vessel.
The propeller is composed of a drum or cylinder a on which are fixed either
parallel or helically to the axis thereof any desired number of vanes wings or
blades (preferably three) which drum or cylinder is rotated by a shaft c.
The casing shewn respectively in cross section, underside plan, and longitudinal
section at Figures 3, 4 and 5, is introduced either separately into or on to the
vessel or vehicle and is then fixed thereto, or it is fixed together with the propeller
being made to fit as closely as possible round the periphery of the latter, and to
the end surfaces d d of the drum. On the outer side this casing has an opening
only of such a size as is absolutely necessary for the operative part of the circular
path of the blades or wings or for the body of water or air carried by them. This
opening is so proportioned that as a rule it only extends to about one third of
the circumference of the casing, or the distance between two of the blades or
vanes.
In order to prevent as much as possible the penetration of air or water into the
casing, the drum a serving to prevent such ingress, is advantageously made to
project outwards to such an extent, as to be tangential to the plane a¹ of the
opening of the casing which coincides with the outer surface of the vessel or
vehicle.
2°
Figure 6 shews a double arrangement, with two propellers situated one above
the other, with vessels situated under water or in the air, the direction of the
helical vanes being the reverse in the one to that of the other, for the purpose of
maintaining the vessel provided with such propellers in a horizontal position
whether moving forwards or backwards. Figure 7 serves to show that the
inclination of the vanes or blades can vary considerably.
Figures 8 to 23 shew the application of the propeller in various ways to vessels
for navigating in water or air; the letters of reference in each of the figures
indicate the same parts as those marked with corresponding letters in Figures 1.
to 6.
Figures 8 and 9 shew two propellers applied to a vessel, either in line with each
other as at Figure 8, or one behind the other as at Figure 9.
These figures represent horizontal sections at about the water line of a vessel
floating in water, the axes of the propellers being vertical. The vanes or blades
are assumed to be of helical form, as this is considered to be the most advantageous
even with vertically arranged axes, in particular when the vanes are inclined
towards the bows.
Figure 10 shews a cross section through a steamer with two propellers arranged
as at Figure 8.
Figure 11 shews a horizontal section through a steamer having two of the
propellers in which the axes of rotation are about horizontal and parallel with the
water line. The vanes or blades are of course of helical form. Figure 12 shews a
vertical cross section of a steamer having propellers arranged as shewn at
Figure 11.
Figure 13 shews a steamer having only a single propeller arranged in the
longitudinal axis of the ship. Figure 14 shews a horizontal section through a
steamer, having four propellers of which two are arranged side by side at about
the middle of the ship, and one at each end. This construction is particularly
adapted for ships of light draught and great propelling power for attaining high
speeds.

page_text: Figures 15 and 16 shew horizontal sections of ships in which there are two of
the said propellers for the propulsion of the vessel and two or one for steering the
same, the first two having vertical axes and helical blades, while the other or others
have horizontal axes and radial straight blades.
In Figure 15 the two steering propellers are situated near each end of the ship,
while at Figure 16 the steering propeller is situated at the extreme stern.
Figure 17 is a side view of the vessel shewn at Figure 16.
Figures 18 and 19 shew side views of two aerial vessels provided with the said
propellers and Figure 20 shews a cross section of Figure 19.
In Figure 18 there is a double propeller working on vertical axes, while at
Figure 19 the axes of the propellers are horizontal.
There are of course similar propellers on each side of the vessel, the vanes being
of oblique or helical form.
Figure 21 shews a vessel in which the two propellers are driven by belts from a
motor engine situated below in the car.
Figure 22 shews an aerial ship having two propellers arranged one in front of
the other in one and the same aerial line; they are also driven by a motor engine
in the car and the drums of the propellers are supposed to be buoyant, being filled
with a gas specifically lighter than air.
The drums and their casing might however also be made open at the ends for
reducing the resistance of the air.
Figure 23 shews a plan of the two propellers and the driving pulley.
The propellers might also be driven directly by the motor engine, arranged
between the two propellers or otherwise.
The drum of the propellers need not necessarily be of cylindrical form as shewn
in all the figures, but may be of any other form, provided it be of circular cross
section.
The casing can also be of other than cylindrical form, the periphery of the
propeller blades being of course made to correspond to its configuration.
In Figures 10, 12, and 17, w is a guide plate having the purpose of preventing
the water or air thrown backwards by the propellers from deviating materially
from a straight direction.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
:―
1. A propeller for vessels moving in water or air consisting of a body of rotation
or drum with vanes blades or wings placed either obliquely or parallel to the axis,
which propeller is embedded in the side of the vessel to such an extent that the
periphery of the drum lies in the plane of the shell of the vessel, substantially as
described.
2. In combination with propellers such as are referred to in the preceding claim
the use of guide plates either above or both above and below the propeller casing,
for guiding the water or air thrown off by the blades.
Dated this 19th day of October 1894.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.