US39248A

US39248A - Improved paddle-wheel

Info

Publication number: US39248A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1863-07-14
Anticipated expiration: 1880-07-14

Description

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FEAnoIs E. soor'r, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

IMPROVED PADDLE-WHEEL.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 39,248, datcd July 14, 1863.

connected to a bucket-frame, which consists of the arms c and the cross-piece c2, whichare shown in Fig. V. These arms are hinged to the sides of the wheel, as shown at d in Figs. I, Ill, and V, so that the arms working upon their hinges will allow the blades to work in and out of the slots as the wheel revolves. The arms work on the outside of the wheel and closely thereto, so that no solid substance can get in between the arms and the wheel.

In Fig. I a curved blade is shown, and in Fig. 1V a straight blade is shown. Either form may be used, as may be preferred. The straight blade may be made of spring-metal, so that the blade itself will yield if it strikes a solid substance. Upon the end of the crosspiece o2 is placed a friction-roller, e, which works in a cam, F, in order to throw the blades outwardly and draw them in at the proper points in the revolution of the wheel. The cam F is so formed and placed as to throw the blade out in such portion of the revolution of the wheel as will cause the blade to take a propelling hold upon the water, and draw the blade into the wheel when passing through the air. It is so shaped that it will throw the blade out when the blade comes round to the water, but it allows the blade to draw back into its slot in case it strikes au obstruction. rFhe weight of the blade is sufficient to keep it in the water when there are no obstructions in the way. The cam forces the blade back into the wheel as the bladr leaves the water. The cam may be made o' cast Or wrought iron, and connected by ordi nary means to the vessel within the wheel house. A section of the wheel-house is showl at H, and a section ot' the vessel or boati shown at G.

ln Fig. lV is represented a skeleton whee rIhe arms ot' the blades are hinged or pivote to the rim of the wheel, as shown at i, Fig lV, by Ineans of the cross-piece J, shown i Fig. VL A portion of the cam in this forinr the wheel is connected to a weighted and v e tically-moviug lever, 7c, so that in case tl blade should strike a solid substance wln passing through the watersuch as alog, ca of ice, or other solid body-the cam, or th part of it which is connected to the lever, v yield and allow the blade to draw back ii the wheel until the obstruction is passed, a

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS B. SCOTT, of the city of Buffalo, and State of New York, have invented a new and improved Paddle- Wheel; and l do hereby declare that the following 'is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figureis a side elevation of a paddle-wheel with curved buckets. Fig. l1 is an end elevation ofthe same. Fig. lll is a section. Fig. 1V is a side elevation of said wheel with straightbuckets. Fig. V is aplan ofthe curved bucket. Fig. VI is a plan of the straight bucket.

Letters of like name and kind refer to like parts in each of the figures.

The nature of my invention relates, first, to making a paddle-wheel for propelling boats upon the water in such a manner that the buckets or propelling-blades will be thrown outwardly beyond the periphery of the wheel in that part of its revolution when'ihe buckets will take a propelling hold upon the water, and be drawn within the wheel at such points in its revolution when the buckets are passing through the air; second, in making the wheel with divisions, which divisions can be made water-tight compartments or otherwise, between which divisions or compartments the buckets withdraw when passing through the air, and emerge therefrom when passing through the water.

Arepresents a paddle-wheel of any required diameter, which may be made solid, of wood, with slots or openings running from the periphery toward the center for the buckets to work through, or it may be made of boiler-iron or other suitable material, with water-tight compartments, which are shown at o', Fig. l. The slots or spaces between the divisions or coinpartments through which the blades work are shown at a2. rlhese slots or spaces are just large enough to allow the blades to work free and easy through them, leaving no spare room for obstructions to get in.

B represents the axle or shaft upon which the wheel revolves, and which has appropriate journal-bearings, asin a common manner.

The blade or bucket Is shown at G. lt is `tirely free to yield to obstructions.

ordinary blades, and feather themselves in a very easy manner. u

Fourth. The Wheel may be run to She depth of its axle in the water, and, whenI made of solid wood or of boiler-iron in water-tight compartments, it has a buoyant power sulicient, or nearly so, to sustain its own Weight. The skeleton wheel shown in Fig. IV may also run to the depth of its axle in the water, but its blades are more liable to encounter obstructions from floating logs, ice, timber, Sac.

Fifth. It is impossible to clog the blades by tow-lines7 or other obstructions when used for canal-boats, or by the rigging of disabled vessels floating in the water in case of a battle between gunboats.

vWhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The bucket c, attached to the arm c at any given angle thereto, the arms being hinged to the wheel near the periphery thereof, and geared by an eccentric, which is su'pported by the boat, for the purposes and substantially as described.

2. Making the wheel with compartments a, leaving an open space, a2, between each, through which space the bucket advances and recedes, for the purposes set forth, and shown in the drawings.

FRANCIS B. SCOTT.

thus prevent any great strain or injury to the blade or whee When the obstruction is passed, the Weighted lever will drop that part of the cam down to its place again. In the other form of bucket, Fig. I, there is no upper bearing to the cam at that part of itwhen the bucket is in the water. Consequently I depend upon its weight and shape to keep it in the water and at the same time leave it en- The advantages of a wheel constructed as herein described are numerous.

First. The blades, being thrown out from the periphery of the wheel when they take hold of the water, permit the use ot' a wheel of smaller diameter (and hence a smaller Wheel-house) with equal propelling advantage, as though a Wheel of ordinary construction had a diameter equal to the utlermost throw of the blades.

Second. The blades are less liable to be broken or injured than ordinary blades, because if they strike a solid substance they will give back or withdraw into the body of the Wheel until the obstruction is passed.

Third. This wheel is admirably adapted to flat-bottomed boats, for canal, river, and all shallow-Water navigation, as the blade will not be injured by striking the ground or the sloping banks of a canal. The wheel can be so placed as to allow the blades to dip as low or lower than the bottom of the boat. They take a deeper hold upon the water than AW'itnesses:

G. H. GooDRrcH, E. B. FoRBUsH.