US1001914A - Vessel and propeller. - Google Patents

Description

A. H. WHEELER.

VESSEL AND PROPELLER.

APPLIGATION FILED MAY 23,1910,

1,001,914;. Patented Aug. 29, 1911.

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ALVIN H. WHEELER, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

VESSEL AND PROPELLER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALVIN H. lVHEnLER, citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Vessels and Propellers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to vessels and means for propelling same, and particularly pertains to a vessel which is propelled by a series of blades disposed transversely to and traveling lengthwise of the vessel.

It is the object of this invention to provide a vessel and propelling means which is so constructed as to be capable of attaining a high rate of speed, and which is simple in its operation and construction.

A further object is to provide means by which the angle at which the propeller blades strike, pass through, and leave the water may be adjusted, which means is designed for the primary purpose of causing the blades to be lifted from the water in an almost vertical position.

The invention consists of the parts and the construction and combination of parts as hereinafter more fully described and claimed, having reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical section lengthwise of a vessel which is constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a stern view of same. Fig. 3 is a detail in perspective of several of the propelling blades. Fig. 4 is a detail in elevation of one end of a propeller blade showing the manner of mounting same. Fig. 5 is a detail showing the lower portion of a drive wheel and a modified form of mounting the blades.

In the drawings, A represents the hull of a vessel, which is constructed according to my invention. This hull has a substantially flat bottom a, flared sides 6, and the usual pointed bow c. The bottom a and flared sides Z) are extended a suitable distance rearward of the stern, and a plate cl, having its outer edge secured to the end of the bottom a and its upper edge terminating at the stern above the normal water line, is disposed between the sides Z). The plate (Z forms an inclined or sloping surface, which slopes downward from the stern of the hull A to its outer edge, which is the point of juncture between the plate d and the extended portion of the bottom a. This construction Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 23, 1910.

Patented Aug. 29, 1911.

Serial No. 562,806.

provides a means for preventing, to a large degree, the suction which is produced by the swirl of the water in the wake of the vessel.

The propelling mechanism consists of a series of blades 2, pivotally mounted at each end on continuous cables 33, which pass around drive wheels 1, disposed near each end of the hull A. The drive wheels 1 are mounted in pairs on drums t mounted on shafts 55 which are adapted to be rotated in any suitable manner and are here shown as driven by an engine 6, through a shaft 7, extending longitudinally of the hull A and geared at each end to the shafts 55 respectively. The wheels 4: are so disposed and mounted that the lower stretch of the cables 3-3 and the blades 2 mounted thereon will be submerged in the water below the bottom a of the hull A, the bottom a being open longitudinally of the hull A from a point forward of the front pair of wheels 4 to the stern to form a channel. The upper stretches of the cable 33 and the blade 2 thereon will be above the water line, as shown in Fig. 1. The blades 2 are mounted at suitable intervals on the continuous cables 33, preferably six blades being disposed in a length of cable equal to the circumference of a wheel 4:. The blades 2 are pivotally mounted by means of trunnions 8 on the ends thereof which extend through bearings 9, formed on clamps 10 which are suitably secured to the cables 3. Rollers 11 are mounted on the ends of the trunnions 8 and are adapted to travel in channel-tracks 12, mounted on the inside walls of downwardly projecting flanges 13 formed on the bottom a of the hull on each side of the longitudinally extending opening therein. The object of the track 12 is to insure the lower stretch of the cables 3-3 traveling on a level plane. The outer ends of the blades 2 are provided with flanges 1 1 which form pockets on both faces of the blades, as shown in Fig. 3. Adjustable connecting rods 15 link the blades 2 together, one end of the rods 15 connectmg near the upper edge of each blade and extending backward and engaging the adjacent blade near its center, the ends of the rods being preferably mounted in the flanges 14, and pivoted therein. Each clamp 10 has a gear tooth 15 formed on 1ts under side. These teeth l5 are adapted to ward wheel 4 strike the surface of the water in the opening formed in the bottom a at a point below the axis 5 of the wheel in a nearly flat position, tending to raise the bow 0 out of the water. As the blades pass under the lowermost point of the forward wheel 4 they assume an approximately vertical position, in which position they travel the length of the span between the forward and rearward drive wheels 4, and, being submerged, tend to drive the vessel longitudinally through the water. As long as the cables 33 are traveling in a horizontal position, the blades 2 will be retained in a vertical position by reason of the connecting rods 15, and as the cables 38 start upward around the rearward drive-wheel 4 the blades 2, on passing up the first quarter of the turn, will also be caused to retain a nearly vertical position by the rods 15. In this manner the blades 2, on being lifted out of the water in a nearly vertical position, do not lift against a dead weight of water tending to pull the stem downward, but have a propelling action as long as they contact the water body. In this manner the full propulsive force of the propeller blades is obtained. The blades 2 on passing over the rearward wheels 4 enter a suitable housing or closure 16, and pass to the forward wheels 4. The wheels 4, cables 3-3 and the blades 2 are all tightly boxed in the housing 16 so that no water will be admitted to the interior of the hull A.

The downward projecting flanges 13 on the bottom a of the hull A form side closures for the blades 2 and also act as guards thereto. A throat 17 is formed in front of the forward wheels 4 in which the blades 2 travel, and this throat terminates or opens below the normal water level. The bottom of the hull is sloped from the mouth of the throat 17 toward the bow, as shown at 18, for the purpose of momentarily forming a pocket or depression in the water at the point of contact of the down-coming blade 2, so that the latter will strike the water fully whenthe vessel is moving in a forward direction.

The blades 2 may be pivotally mounted at one edge on the cables 33, as shown in Fig. 5, and the rods 15 may be disposed beneath the cables 3--3 if desired. By adjusting the length of the rods 15 by the turnbuckles 19 thereon'the blades 2 may be set at a slight angle instead of perpendicularly, if desired.

Any suitable power may be employed for rotating the drive wheels 4 as may be found desirable, and any appropriate means of steering the vessel may be employed, as will be found expedient.

The roof 20 of the longitudinal channel in the bottom a, which may be a floor or deck in the hull A, is extended between the two forward drive wheels 4 and contacts with the periphery of the drum 4 so as to pre vent the water splashed by the impact of the blades 2 on rounding the forward drive wheels 4, from being forced upward into a pocket or against a vertical wall and thus impede the progress of the vessel. The blades or paddles 2 thus act on a virtually confined body of water which offers great resistance to the paddles 2, and enables the vessel being propelled at considerable speed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is

1. A vessel having a longitudinally channeled bottom, an endless chain, blades pivotally connected with said chain and adapted to travel in the channel, driving and bearing Wheels around which the chains are movable, diagonal rods between the pivots and outer edges of contiguous floats to maintain said floats in an approximately vertical position while entering and leaving the water, and means for adjusting the length of the rods to enable the blades to be set at an angle to the vertical.

2. A vessel having a longitudinally channeled bottom, an endless chain, blades pivotally connected to said chain and adapted to travel in said channel, said blades having trunnions at the ends located in substantially the central longitudinal plane of the blades, bearing and driving wheels around which the chains are movable, guide channels along the sides of the vessel within which the trunnions of the blades may travel, and connections extending from one blade to the other, said connections being adjustable to increase or decrease their length and to thereby enable the blades to be set at an angle.

3. A vessel having a longitudinally channeled bottom, an endless chain, driving and bearing wheels around which the chain travels, blades pivotally connected with said chain, longitudinally adjustable connections extending from one blade to the other and of the blades, boxes fixed to the chain and recelving said trunnions, driving and bearing wheels around which the chains are movable, said bearing wheels having depressions in their peripheries, and teeth or projecttions upon the trunnion boxes adapted to engage the depressions of the wheels, and rods extending diagonally between adjacent blades, said rods having means for increas ing and decreasing their length to enable the blades to be set at an angle.

5. A vessel having a longitudinally channeled bottom, an endless chain, blades pivotally connected with said chain and adapted to travel in said channel, said blades having vertical flanges fixed to and projecting right and left of the blades, driving and bearing wheels, around which the chains are movable, guide channels along the sides of the blades and trunnions on the blades engaging said channels, and lengthwise adjustable connections extending diagonally between adjacent blades to enable said blades to be set at an angle.

6. A vessel havin a longitudinally channeled bottom, an en less chain having blades adapted to travel in said channel, driving and bearing wheels around which the chains are movable, guide channels along the sides of the main channel within which the trunnions of the blades may travel, and a downwardly inclined surface extending rear wardly from the vessel adapted to form an inclosure which prevents the water from rushing in on each side of the driving chains.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.-

ALVIN H. WHEELER. Witnesses:

R. S. BERRY,

CHARLES EDELMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

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