US917935A - Vessel-propelling apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

J. ELNIFF. VESSEL PROPELLING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.18, 1907,

Patented Apr. 13, 1909.

- IoEN ELNI'FE, or jKiujsAsfcr-rr, MIssouRI'.

vns'sn -PnoPELLme n'rrlinnrus.

.- Speeificationof Letters Patent.

Patented April is, time Afiplicafion filed December is, 1907. Serial Nt. 4 7,077.

To all 'whom it 'rriay concernf Be it known that LJOHNELNIFF, a citizen' of the United States, residing at Kansas. City, 1n the connty of J aokson and State of Mi'ss0urr,.have Invented certain new and useful Improvements in vesselProp'elling Appa ratus'; of which the. following sa specifica-fj non;

' This {invention apparatus, and more especially -to apparatus for ropelling avessel by coin ress'ing-air'anddisc arg ng the same throng portsa ainst and into the water sustaining the vesse Afurth'er object is to produce apparatus of the characternamed whereby the vessel may fbe propelled forwardly, rearwardly, laterally to one side or the otlier'or may be turned qu ckly on a short radius toward either side. A still further obj set is to produce'means enablinga single operator to easily and reliably control the movement of the vessel.

With these general objects in view and others as'hereinafter'ap ear, the invention conslsts 1n certain nove and peculiar featuresof construction and organization as hereinafter described and' claimed; and in jorder that i'tmay be fully understood refer- 1 ing, in .which* '30 ence is to be had tethe accompanying draw- Figure equipped with propelling and steering appa? ratils embodying-my invention. V vertical longitudinal section taken substantially in the center of the vessel. Fig. 3, is a Fig. 2, 1S1].

top view of the vessel with the upper deck broken. away to disclose underlying, features of construction. Fig; 4, is a vertical transverse section taken .on'the line IVIV of Fig. 3.

low the water level with a lar e numberfof port holes 2, the series of he (es-extending substantially from the'front to the rear end of the vessel; which fpreferabiy'isnot provided with arudder.

'3 and-4 indicate nozzles secured externally kto the hull of the vessel and arran ed to dis-- char'ge 're'arwardl-y and forward y respec ,tively, the former extendin'gfromthe rear Pr w- T .t L the series of nozzles 3 and are provided Wlth end of the vessel to about the point where the latter brains to'taper sharply toward the e nozzles 4are arranged forwardof spring' plate extensions or valves 5 which un- 'ar'ranged the vess relates to vessel ,the event that one engine is incapacitated the I other may be utilized.

f'rom the 'air'.

I; is aside elevation of a vessel.

Fig. 5, .is an enlarged section taken on the line V-"V of :F ig. 1.- Fig. 6, is an en-. lar ed perspective view of the air holder.

, l n'the said drawin 1 indicates a'boat of any-type, provided ie 'der their resiliency and the pressure or resistg 1 I ance of the water as the vessel moves forward are normally closed to prevent water entering the nozzles and the communicating-port's ton stem'fi; proj ecting into a pump or air compressor 8 o the usual or any preferred t e,

t being/understood that by reference t'e mechanism described'willbe-I uplieated and capable of independent operation so-that' .in

9 indicates pipes leadin' pumps 0r compressors San equipped with independent controlling valves 10.

An engine or its eq1uivalent,not'shown,is; p e for the purpose of op"- crating the piston of the cylinder 6, the pis-.

11 indicates a large compressed-air holder to receive the air from pip'ps 9, said holder being preferably located a ove the plane of the waterlevel.

12 indicates discharge pipe s. extending from the valve-boxes 12 communicating with the upper end of the holder toward the contiguous sides" of the vessel and 13' are longitudinal distributing pipes communieating with pipes 12 and preferably supported upon a deckl i of the vessel or in any other sultable or preferred manner.

15 are discharge pipes leading downward from pipes 13, and equipped with numerous small branch pipesor ports 16 communicating with the ports 2 having the nozzles 3, so that all of the air discharged through pipes 12 shall'eventually'escape from nozz es and consequently rearwardly.

1 7 are pes projecting laterally from the holder li e. pipes 12 and communicating with the front ends of distributing pipes 18' in the bow of the vessel and by preference supported upon deck 14 of the latter.

:19 are pipes extending downwardly from pipes .18 and provided with numerous small ranch pipes. or' ports 20 communicating with 'theports 2 having the nozzles 4, so that the air passing from the holder throughpipe.

17 shall, eventually escape in a forward Cl1I'9G- tion. 1

' 21 indicates a gluide-frame secured to the upper end of the older, for the slide valves 22 and 23, the former being adapted too on or close communication between the be (161 and pipes 12, while valves 23 are adapted to close or open communication between the holderand pipes 17. The valves are pro vided with similar upwardly projecting rack emp bar stems 24. engaging gear pinions 25 mounted on short shafts 26, suitably jour-- na'led in frames 27 or equivalent supports. To turn the shafts for. the purpose of operating the valves, hand wheels 28 are secured on sald shafts, any suitable pa'wl and ratchet or equivalent mechanism (not shown) being oyed to prevent accidental movement of the valves.

Assuming that the valves 22 and 23 are closed-and that valves 10 are open, the

discharged from the holder through pipes 17 to distributing pipes 18 and thence esca es in a forward direction from nozzles 4, it eing understood that if the pressure is sufficient the advance of the vessel is checked almost instantly and a retrograde or backing movement is started. I I In the event that a'deflection of the vessel from the-direct course laterally in either direction is necessary or advisable, the person in control closes the two valves 22 and 23 at the sidetoward which it is desired to move the vessel and thus eflects the discharge of the compressed air from the nozzles at the opposite side of the vessel only. If it is desired .to deflect the vessel from her direct course to adiagonal course to the right valve 22 is partly closed to lessen the discharge of air from nozzles 3 at the starboard side of the vessel. If it is desired to deflect the vessel to the left the port valve 22 is partly or whollyclosed.

When the vessel is stationary Water will enter the uncovered nozzles and stand in pipes 15 but will of course be forced out by the air when the latter is turned into said pi es. The nozzles 4 are closed by the va ves 5 to. prevent water entering said nozzles in the ordinarytravel of the vessel and if desired, the nozzles 3 may likewise be equipped with corres onding valves, though the necessity of suc e uipment is not so important, as there wil seldom arise the necessity for-causing the vessel to move rearwardly any material distance:

In practice each pipe 9 will be provided with a check-valve (not shown) to retain the air in the holder, butadapted to open under a preponderating pressure from the pump or v compressor, the holder being also equipped 'u with a safety valve (not show' nlto open if the pressure therein is too hi h By the employment of; multiplicity of air vantage enumerated as desirable, and I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be restricted to the exact details of construction shown and described as obvious modifications will occur to one skilled in the art.

Having thus described the invention .what

I claim as newand desire to secure by Let--.

ters-Patent, is

.1. A vessel rovided with a plurality of ports in its ,hulFbelow the level of the water on which the vessel floats, plates secured externally to the vessel near said ports having channels communicating at their opposite ends with said ports and the water sustaining the vessel, certain of said channels communicating with the water sustaining the vessel, at their front ends and the remainder at their rear ends with respect to ,the prow and stern of the vessel, and means for forcing air throughsaid ports and channels.

' 2. A vessel 1provided with a plurality of ports in its hu below the level ofthe water on which the vessel floats, plates secured externally to the vessel near said ports, having channels communicating at their opposite ends with said ports and the watersustaining the vessel, certain of said channels communicating with the water sustaining the vessel, at their front ends and the remainder'at their rear ends with res ect to the prow and stern of the vessel, a ho der for com ressedair, within the vessel, means for c arging .said holder with com ressed-air, and'independent valve-contro ed means for supplymg compressed-air from the holder to the forwardly and rearwardly o enin channels.

3. A vessel provided wit a p urality of ports in its hul below the level of the water on which the vessel floats, plates secured externally to the vessel near said ports having channels communicating at their opposite ends with said ports and the water sustaining the vessel, certain of said channels communicating with the Water sustaining the vessel, at their ifront ends and the remainder at their rear ends with respect to the prow i and stern of the vessel, a holder for'compressed-air, within the vessel, means for charging said holder with compressed-air, distributing pipes within the vessel and above the water level, pipes extending downward from the distributing pipes, contiguous times I to'the shell of the vessel, and a plurality of branell-pipesconnecting the downward-(3X tending pipes withthe said ports.

4.11%. vessel rovided with a plurality of ports in its hul below the leveloi the water on whicl'i the vessel floats, plates secured externally to the'vessel near said orts, hav ng channels communicating at their opposite ends with said ports and the water sustain' ing the vessel, certain of said channels communicatin with the water sustaining the of ports vessel, at their front ends andthe remainder at their rear ends with respect to the 'prow and stem of the vessel,spring-valves secured to the said plates ioi air supplied to said channels through said ports, and means for supplying such COIII- pressedeair to said ports-and'channels;

5. A vessel provided with a large number corresponding nozzles. secured externally 'to the vessel in coimnunicetion with said ports, certain oi-theinopenin rearwardly end the remainder forwardly a holder air-within the vessel, means for charging said holder with ,compressed air, distributing 'pip'es above the water leveL provided with for compressed depending-pipes having .b 'anch pipes coinmumcating with the 'rearwardly "opening nozzles, distributing pipes havinv branch pipes communicating with the forwardly H n i w V opening nozzles, pipes connecting the dis tributin 'i es with the holder inde endz: p 7 i udging andclosing'the discharged ends of said channels andadapted to open under the pressure of the compressea ong its sides'oelow the water level,

ently-operative valves forcontrolling the passage of air from the holderto said distribut'ing pipesgreck bar stems for said valves, jshafts suitably journaled and rovidedwithipinionsengaging said rack are and'hand wheels ior turning said shafts to cause the valves to close or open communioperating tne air pumps or compressors, distributingfplpes' a ove the water level propipes communicating with the rearw'ardly opening nozzles, distributing pipes having branch pipes communicating with the for- Wardlyopening nozzles, ipes connecting the pendent-1y operative valves for controlling tributing pipes.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature,

witnesses.

in the presence of two I JOHN ELNIFF.

' WVitnesses: l H. C. Ronsnns .G. Y. TnoRPn.

vided with depending pipes-having branch cation between th-eholder and the pipes contween the same and the holder, means for distributing pipes with t e holder, and indethe passage of air from the liolder'to said dis-

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