William Robertson (Manchester)
William Robertson, Engineer, of Strangeways, Manchester
1859 Developed a system for propelling boats on canals using a pair of slack chains, caterpillar track-fashion, driven by a steam engine on the boat. Part of the chains' length was in contact with the bed of the canal or river.
This soon disappeared into obscurity, until brought to our attention by B. J. Goggin, who has transcribed some contemporary reports[1]
1860 'Steam Boats on the Barrow.— On Wednesday last the people of Carlow had the satisfaction of witnessing a new description of steam boat or chain-propeller, which is in future to be used for towing lighters on the canals and the river Barrow. It arrived here about one o’clock, having in tow the Barrow Navigation Company’s state barge, which conveyed the Chairman and Directors of that Company from Dublin: - Colonel La Touche, J. C. Colville, Esq., Mr. Robinson, the patentee of the invention; Mr. Cole, and Mr. M’Combe, the Company Manager, &c. Several gentlemen along the line of navigation availed themselves of the opportunity of witnessing the trial of the boat, which was most satisfactory, and on her arrival in Carlow, some thousands of the inhabitants lined the quays for several hours. The simplicity of the invention, and the nominal expense of working the boats makes the undertaking most desirable, when compared with the expense of horsing such a navigation as the Barrow, where often six horses are required to haul a boat. The hull of this steam boat is about 60 feet long, with an eight feet beam, and drawing about two feet of water with her machinery. At the forward beam a large iron axle is placed across the boat, resting on each gunwale, and at the extreme ends of this axle outside the boat, two pullies are attached, about two and half feet in diameter. Another axle and pair of pullies are also placed mid-ships, and a third axle and pullies at the aft beam. Attached to the steam engine is driving shaft, which extends from one end of the boat to the other, having connection or spur-wheel acting on each of the cross axles, keeping the axles and pullies continually revolving. Two large endless cable chains, weighing about 56lb. per yard,are placed in these pullies, one chain at each side of the boat, forming as it were, a flexible wheel—the slack of the chain drags the the bottom, and the axles and polliss revolve, the chain bites on the bottom of the river and propels the boat. This is certainly the best invention heard of for towing on canals. Screw boats are objectionable, because of the fans getting choked with weeds, and at summer level, the shallows would barely cover the screw. Paddle boats have been condemned, because of their washing away the banks, and the difficulty in passing them through the locks, but this invention not only does not wash the banks, but the chains actually dredge the river, cutting away both weeds and shelving bottoms, and leaving level for the lighters to pass over. We are glad to see these improvements in the inland navigation of the country, and to see the matter spiritedly taken up by the Barrow Navigation Company, who are, undoubtedly, in high confidence with the public, from the satsifactory manner in which their business is attended to, and we sincerely wish them God speed in all their unertakings.'[2]