Patent GB-190408101-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in Toys, specially applicable to Model Ships.
Inventor: FOLKMAR EUGEN
Filed: 1904-04-08
Granted: 1904-09-08
Abstract: 8101. Folkmar, E. April 8. Toy ships; rowing and steering, swimming and floating, and pneumatic toys.-Air forced or drawn through a tube connected to a floating ship model, is made to steer the model, or to fire guns on it, &c. The air is forced through an external tube 18, Fig. 1, which is connected to a tube 16, the latter being weighted in order to lie horizontally under water. A pipe 12 in the ship body conveys the air to the steering-gear, which consists of a piston working in a cylinder 2 ; the end of the piston-rod 4 is pivoted to the tiller end. A collar-piece 11 loosely embraces the pipe 10, which is immediately connected to the cylinder, and a piece of flexible hose 14 completes fluid-way between pipes 12, 10 and allows freedom of movement of the parts. In a modified steering-device, shown in Fig. 8, the air delivery tube 53 has a funnelshaped end which is entered by a closed funnel 55, so as to make an annular jet 57. Air from this jet impinges on and rotates a fan 56. The fan itself is journalled in bearings 58, the side of the bearing nearest the rudder 64 having a vertical slot in which plays the fan spindle. The end of the spindle has a rubber-covered roller 59, which bears on and rotates a segment 60, the segment being connected by arms 61, 62 with the rudder stem 63. The rudder may have wire extensions on either side, which catch in and stop the propeller when the rudder is moved sufficiently far to one side. These wires, when used on paddleboats, have wires pivoted to them and sliding in guides ; the free ends of the wires stop the paddlewheels. In order to prevent twisting of the conduit pipes, two forms of swivel connections are used between them and the pipes connected directly to the steering-mechanism. In the form shown in Fig. 9, three tubes 27, 28, 29 are arranged inside the hull so as to form an annular staggered passage. The conduit pipe is bent so as to follow this passage, and swivels round its central limb 24. When the boat is floating, water rises through perforations in the bottom of the hull, and forms with the tubes two independent air-chambers, the outer of which may be connected by a pipe 7 with the steering-gear. When the inner chamber is to be used, the conduit pipe is open at 65, air being thus supplied to a pipe 66 connected with the inner chamber. In this case, the tubes 27, 29, and the part of the conduit pipe beyond the opening 65, are dispensed with. Another form of swivelling device, in which two conduit pipes are used, is placed in a depression in the bottom of the hull. A plate 32, Fig. 11, has two circular concentric grooves 33, 34, facing downwards, and also a screw spindle 35 over which is slipped a plate 40, the latter being pressed upwards by a spring 45 and nut 46. The conduit pipes end in perforations 41, 42, in the plate 40, and register with the grooves in plate 32 in the various relative positions of the plates. Pipes 37, 39 connected with the steering &c. gear, open into the grooves from above, and fluid-way to them from the conduit pipes is made continuous by means of the grooves.