Feathering wheels

[Leighton]

Hi PD's,
Been watching the discussion on feathering wheels. A couple of years
ago I found on the net, a journel about building steam engines and
in it there was a feathering wheel and design. The publication was
dated 1890. I took a copy but as usual put it away carefully so I
would not lose it and now I can't find it. From memory it had been
scanned in but pages 7 & 8 were missing.
PJ: Have we got this item or a link to it please?

Thanks
Leighton
NZ

[TEX]

I've been in the group fer a spell, but mostly readin an watchin
tryin to lern sumpin. While I have always been curious about an
fascinated with paddle boats, I know very lil bout em.

I've been followin the same thread and am still lost. Can some one
please post a pic of a "Feathered Wheel" with one of the other
designs so that those of us who have no clue, will know what yer
talkin about when ya say ... "Feathered Wheel". ... ) TEX

[Dallinson]

Hi there Tex
If you click here I think you will get a pretty good idea what feathering
versus fixed paddle wheels is all about.

http://nautarch.tamu.edu/PROJECTS/denbigh/WHEEL.HTM

A "fixed" paddle wheel has the blades rigidly attached around the outside
edge.
The principal of "feathering" is simply to get the blades, or floats as they
usually called, into and out of the water in as near a vertical manner as
possible. This avoids the float smacking down on the water as it enters and
then trying lift large amounts of water as it exits the water.
Hope you find it interesting.
All the best
David

[TEX]

Thank ya sir ... That splains it much better. I had wondered about
the "Lifting", but figgered there has to be a trade off somewhere.
Sure glad they were good blockade runners, or we wudn't have lasted
as long as we did. Thanks fer fillin me in. ... ) TEX

[KC6OLD]

Tex,
A feathering wheel has the blades so that the pivot, the blade enters the
water edge first, then it pivots so that when it's pushing it presents the full
surface then it pivots again so that it comes out edge first, this is much more
efficent than a non-feathering wheel, but more involved and more delicate.
Dave


Chief engineer & bilge cleaner
Foggy Bottom's boatyard