Power-producing Attachment for Vessels.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Feb., 1899-Accepted, 29th Apr., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Power-producing Attachment for Vessels.
I, RICHARD THRELFALL POWER, of No. 707, Fifth Avenue, New Westminster,
British Columbia, Master Mariner, do hereby declare the nature of my invention
for power producing attachments for vessels, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement;-
-
My invention relates to an attachment for vessels which is designed to produce
an independent power to be used for any purpose, either upon sailing or steam-
propelled vessels. It consists essentially of one or more open ended tubes or
passages extending through the vessel below the water line and essentially
parallel with the keelson. Within these tubes turbine or other water wheels
are journaled so that the rush of water through the tubes caused by the move-
ment of the vessel through the water, will propel the turbines or wheels.
Connection is made in any suitable or desired manner with the shafts of these
wheels and the power thus derived will be applied either to an electric generator
and through the generator, or directly if it is a steam: propelled vessel, and the
power thus derived may be transmitted to the propeller shaft to assist in
propelling the vessel.
It also comprises details of construction which will be more fully explained
by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which-
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section on the line of Fig. 2. Figure 2 is a
stem view of Fig. 1. Figure 3 is an enlarged section of the pipe B shewing
turbines.
A represents the hull of a vessel of any description. The vessel may be pro-
pelled by sails in the manner of any sailing vessel, or it may be propelled y
steam, electricity or other known or suitable motor, by means of propellers or
other propulsive devices.
Through the hull of the vessel, and essentially parallel with the keelson,
below the water line, are fitted one or more tubes B having a considerable.
diameter, and open at both bow and stern of the vessel.
The movement of the vessel through the water by whatever means it is pro-
pelled, will cause a corresponding current to pass through the tubes having,
with due allowance for friction within the tubes, a speed approximately equal
to that with which the vessel is being driven through the water, and as the
current is confined in the tube, the momentum of this long column is available
for propulsive effect in the same manner as the head of water is used for driving
a water wheel.
In order to take advantage of this current within the tube, one or more
turbines or other suitable water-wheels (will be rotated by the action of the
flowing current in the manner of such wheels.
If desired, the tube may connect with a suitable casing within which double
or single turbines are journaled with the shafts projecting through the sides,
the wheels being so disposed that the flow of the current would strike them in
a manner to revolve them as shown

page_text: In another form the turbines may have their shafts journaled in the line of
the tubes so that the water passing through the wheels will cause them to
rotate.
In the case of vessels using propellers, the tubes discharging at the rear in
close proximity to the propellers, the action of the propellers which tends to
draw the water from the front and to force it rearwardly will increase the
velocity of the water through the tubes, acting as a suction through the tail
race, and produce a very important effect in the operation of the apparatus.
Power may be transmitted from the shafts of the turbines or other wheels C
within the tubes, either directly as in the first named construction, or by bevelled
gears so disposed that a second or countershaft will pass out through stuffing-
boxes or other joints to prevent water from escaping and upon the end of these
shafts will be fitted suitable transmitting wheels, gears or like attachments
from which power may be transmitted to operate dynamos, pumps, hoisting
apparatus, or any of the devices for which power is needed about the vessel.
The power derived from the dynamos may be used for lighting purposes, or
a connection may be made directly with the propeller shaft where the device
is connected with vessels propelled by steam or like power, and the additional
power thus derived from the turbine can be applied to assist in propelling the
vessel...
These tubes and the wheels within them may be made of as large diameter
as possible without essentially interfering with the interior capacity of the
vessel or reducing its buoyancy, and when a vessel has a speed of from 15 to
20 knots an hour, it will be seen that a very considerable power will be produced
from-the-action-of-the-turbine.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
Lat
Dated this 27th day of February 1899.
For the Applicant,
GEDGE & FEENY,
60, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C., Chartered Patent Agents.