Lowering and Raising Screw on HMS Warrior

[AThompson]

Hi, all.

I've been chatting to a chap who's currently employed on HMS Warrior and I've just learnt that the screw was raised and lowered not on the capstan (as I incorrectly guessed) by by a simple A-frame and pullies.

Does anyone have anymore information on this or similar processes? I'm a bit shocked that it was literally about 400 blokes hauling on ropes to raise and lower a screw that weighed 36 tons.

I was also informed that most of the time, while under sail, the screw was left to just feather in the wake as it was too much agro to raise the damn thing.

I couldn't find an illustration or anything of this A-frame, or a description of how the crew were organised to work the ropes.

Any info would be great, thank you.

[OpanaPointer]

"Give me a lever long enough and a place to stand and I will move the world." Mechanical advantage via blocks allowed mere mortals to lift heavy objects.

The more loops in a block the more advantage.



Further info if you want it.

[marcelo_malara]

Hi, all.

I've been chatting to a chap who's currently employed on HMS Warrior and I've just learnt that the screw was raised and lowered not on the capstan (as I incorrectly guessed) by by a simple A-frame and pullies.

Does anyone have anymore information on this or similar processes? I'm a bit shocked that it was literally about 400 blokes hauling on ropes to raise and lower a screw that weighed 36 tons.

I was also informed that most of the time, while under sail, the screw was left to just feather in the wake as it was too much agro to raise the damn thing.

I couldn't find an illustration or anything of this A-frame, or a description of how the crew were organised to work the ropes.

Any info would be great, thank you.

Hi! You can see the system in the frigate Jylland. Look for more photos in the web. Regarding the feathering propeller, I think that they were invented later and were not use in Warrior era, at least in the 1860s.

[marcelo_malara]

The rising mechanism from above.

https://www.modelships.de/Museums_and_r ... ylland.htm

[AThompson]

Hi, all.

I've been chatting to a chap who's currently employed on HMS Warrior and I've just learnt that the screw was raised and lowered not on the capstan (as I incorrectly guessed) by by a simple A-frame and pullies.

Does anyone have anymore information on this or similar processes? I'm a bit shocked that it was literally about 400 blokes hauling on ropes to raise and lower a screw that weighed 36 tons.

I was also informed that most of the time, while under sail, the screw was left to just feather in the wake as it was too much agro to raise the damn thing.

I couldn't find an illustration or anything of this A-frame, or a description of how the crew were organised to work the ropes.

Any info would be great, thank you.

Hi! You can see the system in the frigate Jylland. Look for more photos in the web. Regarding the feathering propeller, I think that they were invented later and were not use in Warrior era, at least in the 1860s.

Wow, those are great photos, thank you for sharing. I frigate is on my lists of ones I'd like to see. Hopefully off to Chatham soon to see everything there.

[marcelo_malara]

Beware that Jylland is in Denmark .

[Byron Angel]

Hi, all.

I've been chatting to a chap who's currently employed on HMS Warrior and I've just learnt that the screw was raised and lowered not on the capstan (as I incorrectly guessed) by by a simple A-frame and pulleys.

Does anyone have anymore information on this or similar processes? I'm a bit shocked that it was literally about 400 blokes hauling on ropes to raise and lower a screw that weighed 36 tons.

I was also informed that most of the time, while under sail, the screw was left to just feather in the wake as it was too much agro to raise the damn thing.

I couldn't find an illustration or anything of this A-frame, or a description of how the crew were organised to work the ropes.

Any info would be great, thank you.

Very good book on HMS WARRIOR -
"The Immortal Warrior - Britain's First and Last Battleship"
by Captain John Wells RN

My impression from reading the book is that WARRIOR typically cruised under combined sail + steam power. OTOH, your friend most certainly knows more about the ship than I. The book indicates that disconnecting and raising the propeller could be performed in as little as 26 minutes (an elapsed time once achieved in a competition among WARRIOR and several sister ironclads in her squadron). The author confirms your friend's weights - 28t for the propeller; 8t for the raising frame. Unfortunately, the book provides no "nitty gritty" details related to raising and lowering the propeller.

FWIW

Byron

[OpanaPointer]

BTW, I didn't know block and tackle was used to raise that screw, it just seemed to be the best way to do it for that class of warship.

[marcelo_malara]

Very good book on HMS WARRIOR -
"The Immortal Warrior - Britain's First and Last Battleship"
by Captain John Wells RN

My impression from reading the book is that WARRIOR typically cruised under combined sail + steam power. OTOH, your friend most certainly knows more about the ship than I. The book indicates that disconnecting and raising the propeller could be performed in as little as 26 minutes (an elapsed time once achieved in a competition among WARRIOR and several sister ironclads in her squadron). The author confirms your friend's weights - 28t for the propeller; 8t for the raising frame. Unfortunately, the book provides no "nitty gritty" details related to raising and lowering the propeller.

FWIW

Byron

Hi Byron. I have this one.



Looked into it to see if I can find anything, but not. Looking at the ships plans there is/was a capstan on the battery deck, that went up to the upper deck, so it could be manned from both decks for increased power. A deviation should have to be done to the rope, as it could not go straight from the propeller opening to the capstan, because in the middle line of the ship there was the mizzen, the steering wheel and the conning tower.

Regards

[marcelo_malara]

Have you seen this wonderful video?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9hLTK7 ... rorPodcast

[Byron Angel]

Have you seen this wonderful video?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9hLTK7 ... rorPodcast

Wonderful find, Marcelo! Thank you very much for passing it along.
The mystery of the hoisting propeller has been conclusively solved.

Byron

[OpanaPointer]

Did they really believe the drag from a freewheeling prop was significant enough to warrant this nautical oddity or were they forced to do this to please someone in the Admiralty or Parliament?

[marcelo_malara]

Hi! Yes, it causes drag. Even today modern salilboats have collapsables propellers. And I am 99% sure the one in Warrior was not freewheeling, as that would need some type of disegengament from the crankshaft.

[OpanaPointer]

Hi! Yes, it causes drag. Even today modern salilboats have collapsables propellers. And I am 99% sure the one in Warrior was not freewheeling, as that would need some type of disegengament from the crankshaft.

That could be as simple as a clutch. Pull a lever to disengage. Some aircraft carriers have them.

[marcelo_malara]

Hi! Yes, it causes drag. Even today modern salilboats have collapsables propellers. And I am 99% sure the one in Warrior was not freewheeling, as that would need some type of disegengament from the crankshaft.

That could be as simple as a clutch. Pull a lever to disengage. Some aircraft carriers have them.

May be...but in 1860...? You would need a friction surface, do not think was available at the time.