Device for steering a vessel

Abstract: Device for steering a vessel in which the rudder shaft (20) is carrying a rudder arm (19) which can be pivoted by operating means comprising a steering wheel (2) the shaft (3) of which is coupled with a potentiometer (5) being electrically connected to a control unit (9) such that during rotation of the steering wheel (2) a signal is delivered to the control unit (9) to energize an electric motor (24) driving a hydraulic pump (23) for supplying hydraulic medium to one end of a hydraulic cylinder (11) connected between the vessel construction (14) and said rudder arm (19), a control rod (27) being provided moving together with the piston rod (17) and cooperating with a potentiometer (28) providing that in the position of the rudder which is adjusted by means of the steering wheel (2) no further signal is delivered by said control unit (9) for holding of putting said hydraulic pump (23) into operation.

Description: The invention relates to a device for steering a vessel in which the rotatable supported shaft, connected to the rudder, is carrying a rudder arm running substantially square to the axis of rotation, said device comprising: a hydraulic cylinder the piston rod of which is connected to the rudder arm and the housing of which is connected to the vessel construction; a motor driven hydraulic pump for supplying hydraulic medium to said cylinder; a control unit for guiding the hydraulic medium to the one end or the other of the hydraulic cylinder and potentiometers cooperating with said control unit, one of said potentiometers being coupled with the steering wheel shaft and one being influenced by the movement of the rudder arm. Such a device is known by FR-A-1 478 455. In case of this known device a double acting valve assembly is present for guiding the hydraulic medium from the pump towards one of the ends of the hydraulic cylinder. Said valve assembly is controlled by two jets of hydraulic medium acting on opposite sides of a pivotable supported member governed by an electro magnet being controlled by means of said potentiometers. So the known device comprises a large number of parts and the object of the invention is to simplify the device so that there is less chance of failures. To that end the device according to the invention is characterized in that the pump for supplying hydraulic medium to said hydraulic cylinder is driven by said electric motor in such a way that hydraulic medium can be directly suplied to one of the ends of said hydraulic cylinder, the piston rod of said hydraulic cylinder being coupled with a control rod running parallel to it and cooperating with a potentiometer being fixedly mounted in respect of the housing of said hydraulic cylinder, said potentiometer providing that in the position of the rudder which is adjusted by means of the steering wheel, no further signal is delivered by said control unit for holding or putting the motor of said hydraulic pump into operation. A simple construction can be obtained by connecting said hydraulic cylinder pivotably to the vessel construction and by mounting the control unit, the assembly of electric motor and hydraulic pump together with an oil tank and the hydraulic piping between the various part, on said hydraulic cylinder. To make it possible to control the rudder manually in case of a power break down it can be provided that an electrical controlled short-circuit valve is present between two pipes connected to the opposite ends of said hydraulic cylinder, said short-circuit valve opening when the supply of electric current to the device is cut off. Preferably two manually controlled switches are present for directly activating said control unit by means of which the electric motor driving the hydraulic pump is energized, such that pressurized medium can be supplied to one end of the hydraulic cylinder or to the other end. These switches can be used in case of a failure in the electric control unit or in the steering wheel unit when this does not lead to an interuption of the current supply to the electric motor of the hydraulic pump. Now the invention is described by means of an embodiment shown in the drawing, in which: Fig. 1 schematically shows a top view of a steering device according to the invention; and Fig. 2 shows a side view of the device of Fig. 1 omitting the steering wheel unit. The device shown in the drawing comprises the steering wheel unit 1 consisting of the steering wheel 2, connected to the shaft 3 which is rotatable supported in the housing 4 in which the potentiometer 5 is present, being only schematically indicated. Abutments, not shown, are provided in the housing which are taking care for it that the angle of rotation of the steering wheel cannot be greater than 280°-320°. The housing 4 further is provided with the operation switch 6 and the pilot lamp 7. The pilot lamp 7 e.g. can be executed double so that on the one hand it can be signalized whether voltage is applied to the device and on the other hand whether the steering wheel unit is activated. A cable 8 is running from the steering wheel unit 1 to the control unit 9 mounted on the frame 10 which in a not further indicated way is fixed to the hydraulic cylinder 11. The housing 12 of the hydraulic cylinder 11 is connected to the support 13 fixed to the vessel construction 14, which is not shown further. The connection between the housing 12 and the support 13 is executed such that the housing is pivotable in respect of the shafts 15 and 16. This support construction is not described in detail. The piston rod 17 extending from the hydraulic cylinder 12 is connected to the rudder arm 19 by means of a ball joint 18, said rudder arm 19 being provided on the shaft 20 carrying the not shown rudder. By the described way of connection of the hydraulic cylinder 11 with the vessel construction 14 on the one hand and with the rudder arm 19 on the other end, the change in position of the hydraulic cylinder can be absorbed. This change in position will occur as well as during movement of the piston rod 17 in the one and the other direction as being caused by loads being exerted on the rudder and on the vessel construction. Movement of the piston rod 17 of the hydraulic cylinder 11 and by this pivoting of the rudder arm 19 takes place by supplying pressurized medium to one of the ends of the hydraulic cylinder via the pipe 21 either 22. The pipes 21 and 22 are connected to a hydraulic pump 23 driven by means of the electric motor 24. This electric motor 24 can be rotated in both directions so that the pump 23 can supply pressurized medium to the pipe 21 either to the pipe 22. The hydraulic pump 23 and the motor 24 for driving this are mounted to the frame 10, in which frame the various pipes for pressurized medium can be present. A tank 25 for hydraulic medium is also mounted in the frame 10 and is provided with the filler cap 26. The direction in which the piston rod 17 is moved is determined by the direction of rotation of the motor 24. This direction of rotation is controlled by means of the control unit 9 to which signals are supplied from the steering wheel unit 1. To obtain that the rudder arm 19 will come in the desired position the piston rod 17 is connected to a control rod 27 which in a not further indicated way cooperates with a potentiometer 28, the signals of which are also supplied to the control unit 9. When from the signals delivered by the potentiometers 5 and 28 appears that the rudder arm 19 has reached the position corresponding with a given position of the steering wheel 2, the electric motor 24 will be switched off so that the rudder arm 19 will remain in the desired position. As soon as the steering wheel is rotated in the one or the other direction, the motor 24 will be energized again to move the piston rod 17 of the hydraulic cylinder 11 in the one or in the other direction, so that the rudder arm 19 will be brought into the desired position. The latter is controlled by means of the control rod 27 and the potentiometer 28 cooperating with it. The electric current necessary to drive the electric motor 24 and for operating the electric control unit 9 can be supplied to the latter by means of a cable 29 being connected to a not shown battery to which in the known way current can be supplied by means of a generator driven by the marine engine. An electrically activated short-circuit valve 30 further is provided on the frame 10. As long as no voltage is applied to the device this valve 30 takes care for a connection between the pipes 21 and 22 so that the rudder arm 19 can be manually pivoted because the hydraulic medium can flow freely from the one end of the hydraulic cylinder 11 to the other end. As soon as voltage is applied to the control unit 9 the valve 30 will be closed and the device will be in running order. As already remarked above two electric switches can be provided which directly may activate the control unit 9 and which e.g. can be used when the steering wheel unit 1 should be out of use by one or other cause. In fig. 1 further the angle α is indicated over which the rudder arm 19, starting from the middle position, can be maximum pivoted. This angle, generally speaking, will not be much more than 45° while the steering wheel can make a substantially larger rotation to both sides. The ratio between the rotation of the steering wheel 2 and of the rudder arm 19 can be ascertained by means of the control unit 9. Obviously only a possible embodiment of the device according to the invention is shown in the drawing and described above and many modifications can be applied without leaving the inventive concept.

Claims: Device for steering a vessel in which the rotatable supported shaft (20), connected to the rudder, is carrying a rudder arm (19) running substantially square to the axis of rotation, said device comprising: a hydraulic cylinder (11) the piston rod (17) of which is connected to the rudder arm and the housing (12) of which is connected to the vessel construction (14); a motor (24) driven hydraulic pump (23) for supplying hydraulic medium to said cylinder (11); a control unit (9) for guiding the hydraulic medium to the one end or the other of the hydraulic cylinder (11) and potentiometers (5,28) cooperating with said control unit (9), one of said potentiometers (5) being coupled with the steering wheel shaft (3) and the other being influenced by the movement of the rudder arm (19), characterized in that, the pump (23) for supplying hydraulic medium to said hydraulic cylinder (11) is driven by said electric motor (24) such that hydraulic medium can be directly suplied to one of the ends of said hydraulic cylinder (11), the piston rod (17) of said hydraulic cylinder being coupled with a control rod (27) running parallel to it and cooperating with a potentiometer (28) being fixedly mounted in respect of the housing (12) of said hydraulic cylinder (11), said potentiometer (28) providing that in the position of the rudder which is adjusted by means of the steering wheel (2), no further signal is delivered by said control unit (9) for holding or putting the motor (24) of said hydraulic pump (23) into operation. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said hydraulic cylinder (11) is pivotably connected to the vessel construction (14) and that the control unit (9), the assembly of electric motor (24) and hydraulic pump (23) together with an oil tank (25) and the hydraulic piping between the various part, are mounted on said hydraulic cylinder (11). Device according to calim 1 or 2, characterized in that an electrical controlled short-circuit valve (30) is present between two pipes (21,22) connected to the opposite ends of said hydraulic cylinder (11), said short-circuit valve (30) opening when the supply of electric current to the device is cut off. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that two manually controlled switches are present for directly activating said control unit (9) by means of which the electric motor (24) driving the hydraulic pump (23) is energized, such that pressurized medium can be supplied to one end of the hydraulic cylinder (11) or to the other end.

Inventors: DEN OUDEN WILLEM HENDRIK, DEN OUDEN, WILLEM HENDRIK
Applicants: OUDEN W H DEN NV, W.H. DEN OUDEN N.V.
Application year: 1989
Main classification: B63H25
IPC codes: B63H25