US363244A - Propulsion of vessels - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

J. H. KATES.

PROPULSION 0F VESSELS.

" No. 363,244. Patented May 17, 1887.

TEL-6710 8508.

NITED STATES PATENT rrrcn.

PROPULSION CF VESSELS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 363,244, dated May 17, 1887.

Application filed August 7, 1886. Serial No. 210,353. (No model.)

.To'aZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J. HARMAR KATEs, of Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Propulsion of Vessels; and I do hereby declare the following to bea full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the figures and letters of reference marked thereon.

The object of my present invention is to increase the speed of vessels propelled by steam or other motive power; also, to utilize the available power of such motors over and above what can be employed to advantage in propelling the vessel; and this I accomplish by applying a portion of the motive power in a manner to increase the buoyancy of the vessel, and thereby decrease the resistance which would otherwise be opposed to its forward movement.

By the exercise of modern ingenuity and I skill the powerand capacity of motors proportional to their weighthave been and will doubtless continue to be increased; but the increased power thus developed, if applied to vessels as ordinarily constructed, would not effect an equal gain in speed, owing to the fact thatbut a certain proportion of the power can be ren' dered available in propelling the boat, as is well understood.

Now, in practicing my invention, I propose to employ motors having greater power and capacity than are usually placed in vessels of the same dimensions, and to utilize the surplus power developed for acting upon or against the water in a manner and direction to not only propel the vessel, but also to raise the hull partially or wholly above the'surface, thereby increasing its buoyancy and diminishing the resistance opposed to its forward movement.

I will first describe, in connection with the accompanying drawings, one of the simplest forms in which I propose .to embody my said invention, after which I will point out the several novel features in the claims.

In the said drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a vessel with the side bar removed, sh owing-the application of my improvements. Fig. 2 is an end view, and Fig. 3 a side view, of one of my improved wheels. Figs. 4 and 5 water.

are details showing the manner of mounting and operating the vertical, or, as I term them, walking floats.

Similar letters of reference in the several figures indicate the same parts.

The letter A designates the hull of the vessel, and B the propelling-wheels, of which latter there are preferably a series on each side of the boat.

The wheels B, which are of novel form and construction, are each composed of a hollow portion or drum, 1, provided on its periphery with a series of hollow floats or paddles, 2, whose operating or striking faces 3 are disposed at such an angle that when the boat is at rest they will strike and enter the water in a plane at or about parallel with the surface of the latter. The cylinders or drums 1 are of such dimensions and so arranged that their lower portion will project down at or slightly below the bottom of the hull A, and will be practically immersed when the boat is at rest, while the hollow floats or paddles 2 will ex tend below the bottom of the boat.

The floats 2 occupy about two-thirds the circumference of the wheel, and are made hollow and with the curved rear face or edge, 7, so that as they are successively immersed they will exercise a lifting-pressure on the shaft and boat to supplement that occasioned by the impact of the tangential or striking face, while 1, so that the several cylinders or drums 1, to-

gether with the imm ersed floats 2, assist in supporting the hull above the surface of the If new the wheels B, constructed and arranged as described, and driven by powerful motors, be rotated rapidly and with great power in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1, the floats 2 will be caused to impinge against the water withtheir faces 3 parallel, or nearly so, with the surface of the water, and the reaction thus produced, to-

. gether with the immersion of the floats, will zoo cause the vessel to be raised bodily until but 7 llttle, lfany, of the hull will remain submerged.

When the vessel is thus elevated, its weight is of course supported partly by the hollow wheels and floats and partly by the reactionary effects of the paddles striking or pressing against the water, so that the portion of the vessel-13. e., the Wheelsremaining in contact w th the water will always be moving in a direction to assist the forward movement of the vessel.

When it becomes necessary or desirable to increase the liftingpower of the mechanism over and above that furnished bythe wheels and their hollow floats, I employ to supplement the action of the wheels a series of reciprocating floats, 0, applied either to the -wheel or to the hull of the vessel, or both combined, as shown in Fig. 1.

:Whenapplied to the wheels 13, the floats O are arranged immediately beyond the outer faces of the floats 2, as shown, and are connected to suitableoperating devices, whereby they are caused to be projected quickly as they pass beneath the shaft. The floats G, being thus propelled or driven vertically against the water beneath them and in line with the shaft, the reactionary effect upon the vessel will operate to assist in raising the latter.

As is obvious, any improved form of mechanism may be employed for reciprocating the floats C=such, for example, as illustrated in the drawings, wherein thefloats C are shown attached at each end to one member of a pair of togglelevers, 9, the other member of the toggle being pivoted to the side or upon the shaft of the wheel. The center pins, 10, of the toggle are arranged to make contact with suitable stationary cams, l1, affixed to supports on the hull and the outer rail or frame, 12, whereby as the floats G are brought beneath the axis of the wheel the toggle will be straightened and-the float driven down.

The reciprocating or walking floats D applied to the hull consist of a hollow float, 13, preferably of the shape shown, secured to the end of a pitman, 14, connected to a crank, 15,

on a rotary shaft, 16. The pitman 14 is proa size and proportion that while. their lower or striking face will be projected below the water=line as they are caused to move in their circular or elliptical path they will not be wholly immersed, but their upper surface will remain above the water-line; hence the'pressure exerted upon the vessel will be alwaysapplied in a direction to lift the latter. In order that the vessel may be raised and sustained at the proper point to materially diminish the friction of the hull against the water, according to my improvements, it is necessary that a series of the wheels B should be arranged on each side of the hull, (which latter is constructed so as to be comparatively narrow and shallow,) in order to support the latter equally throughout its length.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a paddle-wheel such as described, the combination of a series of hollow floats provided with the tangential striking-faces and curved or inclined rear faces, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. g

2. The improved paddle -wheel herein described, consisting, essentially, in the combination, with the hollow drum, of the broad and hollow floats having the tangential striking-faces and curved rear faces, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

3. In combination with the hull of a vessel, a series of buoyant paddle-wheels, substantially as herein described, supported upon opposite sides of the hull, said wheels consisting,

essentially,of the hollow central drums extending to or below the bottom of the vessel, and the series of hollow floats having the curved or inclined rear faces and tangential striking or front faces, as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In combination with a vessel such as described, a series of verticallyreciprocating.

action of the paddles in raising the hull, as set' forth.

7. In combination with the buoyant paddlewheel having the central drum and hollow tangential faced floats, the reciprocating floats located at the ends of the hollow floats and connected to devices for successively projecting them as they pass beneath the shaft, substantially as described. v

8. In a paddle-wheel for propelling and raising the hull of a vessel in the water, the combination, with thehollow central drum and the hollow paddles or floats secured thereto, and provided with the broad outer face, tangential front face, and curved rear face, of the series of reciprocating floats supported upon the wheel and located beyond the outer- IlO eating floats to project them downward as they pass beneath the shaft, as and for the purpose set forth.

J. HARMAR KATES.

Witnesses: I

. MELvILLE CHURCH, ALEX S. STEUART.

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