A VALUABLE INVENTION.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 204, 29 August 1910, Page 6

A VALUABLE INVENTION.

(By Telegrapn.—Own Correspondent.) CHRISTCHTJRCH, this day. The stopping of the racing of ships' propellers is a question that has exercised the minde of marine engineers for many years, and a number of inventions have been tried, witihout success, to minimise the evil. Besides the vibration so annoying to passengers, the racing of propellers out of the water often leads to grave accidents. Mr. Felix Tanner is now on hi 3 way to Melbourne •with a new invention, which, he claims, will solve the trouble in a simple manner. Yesterday morning he gave a reporter in Christchurch a practical demonstration of the working of his appliance. The invention consists of an electrical contrivance, "which can be fitted to the bulkheads of ships, and regulated so that it will shut off steam' as soon as the propeller is out of the water. A movable board controls a weight, which closes the steam valve automatically when the ship's stern is lifted, and when the vessel is ngirted the board swings to its original position, and the steam valve is opened. If a <ship is loaded and drawing 27 feet of water, the adjustment can be set at 15 feet, and as soon as the ship's stern rises to 15ft., the steam is shut o(i, and the propeller cannot race. The invention doe 3 not interfere in any way with the workings of the engines, and is the only one of its kind that controls the propeller under water. A number of prominent marine engineers have certified that the invention is what has been looked for, and Mr. Tanner has it under offer to Messrs. Ho-ward Smith and Co., and Denny Bros., of Dumbarton. He explained that the installation was very simple, and could be shut off or used at any time as required.