A NEW OSCILLATING PROPELLOR.

Thames Star, Volume XVI, Issue 5024, 18 February 1885, Page 3

A NEW OSCILLATING PROPELLOR.

Mr Wilcox of Melbourne, Victoria, l\ns invented a new method of Steamship propulsion which he is confident will totally inperaede the screw proppilor now in rogue ai it can be applied to different tnilds of tewe), to those now employed. that is, a vessel with a shallow draught and greater breadth of beam, a style thai has long been recognised as best for ocean going ships, but under the present system of propulsion one that it would ba useless to build. The faults attributed to the ■crew propellor are that its neccesity for deep imKMiion requires vessels of groat drangbt, that it produces a great wave resistance; that its power is considerably decreased in rough water through the pitching of the vessel; that an increase in motive power does not secure a corresponding increase in speed, and lastly the lerious discomfort caused by its vibration. It seem 9 a remedy for all these defects has been found in the intention now under notice, at a recent experimental trial, a JMtt measuring 13ft. x 2ft 6in and 13 inches draught travelled a distance of 760 feet in 3 minutes 10 seconds, with a 7} horse engine powe, tbe propellor blades measured 6in x 2in ; the same boat on a prior Occasion with the ordinary 4 btaded screw propellor of 13in diameter and under sfeflTar conditions took 4 minutes 5 tenths seconds to do the distance. Tbe principle •f the propellor is a vertical hollow trunk with a boss at the bottom of the. boat, having two blades; at the inner end of the shanks of tbe blades are disc cranks to which are attacfited the lower ends of the fajtoning rods, tod the upper ends of the rods are connected to roller paths, which shift at each end of the stroke and so feathers the blades, and the whole weight being •ustained by friction rods, the little engine is on the bottom of the boat, having • horizontal connection to tbe main trunk,, which it .oscillates, and so the feathering gear works' automatically. We (" Gron« dona Indent") understand that it is the inventors intention to form a company shortly, to carry out his* ideas on a larger icale. -.- ': ■"■'./: ' '.■