Schilling Canal Boat Propulsion System, Patent Model
date: label: Date made
content: 1871
label: patent date
content: 1871-10-10
name: label: patentee
content: Schilling, Cornelius
label: inventor
content: Schilling, Cornelius
notes: label: Description
content: In 1870, Cornelius Schilling patented the use of an oscillating single-bladed paddle to propel vessels "with ease and facility." The next year he thought better of his inefficient idea. In a new patent application, he disclaimed everything in his first attempt and proposed instead the arrangement of multiple paddles seen in this model. This model accompanied his application for an “improvement in propulsion of canal boats” that received patent number 119,792 on October 10, 1871. The patent claimed that the paddles "are so arranged that they alternate with each other, one set being in action while the other is carried back through the air, and thereby a continuous action of the propeller is produced."
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: Associated Place
content: United States: New York
label: associated place
content: United States: New York, New York City
topic: label: Subject
content: Patent Models
setName: label: See more items in
content: Work and Industry: Maritime
label: See more items in
content: America on the Move
label: See more items in
content: Transportation
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1979.1029.02
label: catalog number
content: 1979.1029.02
label: accession number
content: 1979.1029
label: patent number
content: 119,792
objectType: label: Object Name
content: canal boat propulsion, patent model
label: Object Name
content: patent model, boat propulsion, canal
label: Object Type
content: Patent Model
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: brass (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: tin (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 10 in x 4 in x 3 1/2 in; 25.4 cm x 10.16 cm x 8.89 cm