US565170A

US565170A - Propeller for ships

Info

Publication number: US565170A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1896-08-04
Anticipated expiration: 1913-08-04

Description

(No Model.)

J. D. MARK. PROPEL-LER FOR SHIPS.

Patented Aug. 4, 1 896.

UNITED STATES PATENT JOHN D. MARK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PROPELLER FOR SHIPS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 565,170, dated August 4, 1896.

Application filed October 1, 1895.

To all whom it nmz/ concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN D. MARK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, Oook county, Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Propellers for Ships, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple, economical, and efficient mechanism for propelling ships through the water; and the invention consis ts in the features and com binations hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a ship with my improvement attached thereto; Fig. 2, a transverse vertical section taken on line 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, an enlarged detail or one of the propelling blades or paddles in its open position and Fig. 4:, an enlarged view of the same, showing the blade in its closed position.

This invention relates particularly to the mechanism for propelling ships, and is especially adapted for the propulsion of ships and boats through canals or inland streams.

In the navigation of canals it is well known that the use of ordinary propellers and side wheels are prohibited, owing to the fact that the splash from the paddle -wheels or the waves following the boat in the ordinary stern-propeller wash the banks in such way as to rapidly destroy the walls of the same. The principal object of my invention therefore is to overcome these objections by providing a simple and eflicient mechanism for propelling the boat without disturbing the water to any appreciable extent, to such an extent as will raise waves and wash to destroy the banks of an inland canal or stream.

Serial No. 564,269. No model.)

to drive the connecting mechanism and thereby propel a boat, as hereinafter described. The mechanism in Figs. 1 and 2 is shown as applied to a boat B, of which, as above stated, no detailed description will be given. Each side of the boat is supplied with propelling mechanism} but it is only necessary to describe one side, as such description will answer for both. The sprocket-wheels and their supporting-shafts are placed, as shown in the drawings, one pair at each end of the boat, and around these sprocket-wheels is passed an endless driving-chain O, which sup ports and operates the paddles or buckets, as hereinafter described. For the purpose of propelling the boats along as the chains are moved a number of buckets D and D are provided alternately and pivoted to the chain, as at d. The buckets D are so pivoted that when the chain is in operation they operate to drive the boat forward, while each alternate set of buckets D is pivoted so that during the reverse movement of the chain they will operate to drive the boat backward. In all other respects the construction of the buckets or paddles is substantially the same, so that the description of one will be a description of all.

In order to hold the buckets open in their operative position, as shown in the lower portion of the chain in Fig. l, connecting-rods cl are provided, which are pivoted to the outer free ends of the buckets at d and to the chain at d These connecting'rods are preferably made in two pieces and provided with heads 61 between which is inserted a helical coiled spring (Z so that when the buckets are in their operative position, as shown in Fig. 2, the water impact in the con cave portion of the buckets draws the bucket into its vertical position and the connectingrods to their outer position against the tension of the helically-coiled spring, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. During the continued movement of the chain the buckets are drawn from the prow to the stern of the boat and p lOO ' and limb, in that they prevent the people on plished as follows: WVhen the bucket is moved out of the water, its upper end contacts a loose wheel A located between the sprocketwheels, as shown in Fig. 2. By this action the bucket is tilted in line with the chain and the helically-coiled spring cl allowed to expand to its greatest length, thus shortening the connecting-rod and acting to bring the buckets into their folding position, as shown in Fig. 4:, so that no resistance Whatever of the air or Water is encountered, at least not to any appreciable extent. It will thus be seen that the buckets assume their operative position very easily and without making any appreciable splash. The chain and buckets being propelled gently and at a uniform speed, no wash is made and the water as it is displaced is thrown to the stern of the boat, leaving a verysmall narrow wake. The waves ordinarily caused by the prow of the boat, due to displacement of the water, are met by the propelling mechanism and fiat-5 tened down or minimized to such an extent that very little of it reaches the banks of the i stream.

Shields or guards E E are provided and attached to the sides of the boat for the purpose of covering the propelling mechanism; and protecting it against articles that might i accidentally fall overboard or be thrown overboard, and also from articles floating in the Water, as well as offering a safeguard for life boats from ordinarily contacting the propel- I ling mechanism.

1 have not described any particular motor 1 for driving my mechanism-5 but it is understood that either steam'or vapor engines, electric motors, or other prime movers may be used and connected to my improved mechanism, and while I have entered into a more or less detailed description of my improvements and as being embodied in certain precise forms I-do not desire to be limited thereto unduly any more than is pointed out in the claims. On the contrary, I contemplate all proper changes, the omission of immaterial parts and substitution of equivalents as circumstances may suggest or render expedient.

I claim 1. In a ship-propeller, the combination of an endless driving-chain, sprocket-wheels upon which such chain is mounted for the purpose of supporting and driving the belt adjacent to and along the side of a vessel, I

buckets or paddles pivoted at one end to such chain and adapted to contact the water and propel the vessel along during the movements of the chain, adjustable connecting-rods pivoted to the free ends of the buckets or paddles and to the chain for the purpose of holdin g the buckets in their inoperative positions, and spring mechanism on such connectingrods to permit the expansion of the rods during the operation of the mechanism and close the same when out of contact with the water for thepurpose of throwing the buckets into their operative position, substantially-as described.

2. In a ship-propelleiythe combination of an endless driving-chain, sprocket-wheels upon which such chain is mounted for the purpose of supporting and driving the belt adjacent to and along the side of a vessel, buckets or paddles pivoted at one-end to such chain and adapted to contact the water and propel the vessel along during'the movements of the chain, adjustable connecting-rods pivoted to the free ends of the buckets or paddles and to the chain for the purpose of holding the buckets in their inoperative positions,

a spring mechanism on such connecting-rods to permit the expansion of the rods during the operation of the mechanism and close the same when out of contact with the water for the purposeof throwing the buckets into their operative position, and protecting-guards for the operating mechanism, substantially as described.

JOHN D. MARK.

X'Vitnesses:

THOMAS F. SHERIDAN, THOMAS B. McGREeoR.