Improvements in Apparatus for Steering, Propelling, and Retarding the Motion of Boats and other Vessels.
Year: 1887

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for Steering, Propelling, and Retarding
the Motion of Boats and other Vessels.
1, THOMAS BRIDGES HEATHORN of 10 Wilton Place, Knightsbridge, in the County
of Middlesex, Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement:—
This invention has for its object the construction of apparatus whereby boats and
other vessels may be steered, propelled, or their motion retarded more conveniently
and with a less expenditure of power than is usually the case with the methods now
adopted.
The invention is based upon one for which Letters Patent No. 5384 dated
November 15, 1883 were granted to me and in order that the invention may be easily
understood drawings are attached hereto of which the following is a description.
Fig. 1 represents an end elevation of the stern of a boat fitted with a double bladed
rudder, and a paddle or propeller attached on one side of the boat, the other side, in
practice, being furnished with a similar paddle. Fig. 2 is a part side elevation of
Fig. 1. Fig. 3 exhibits a slightly different form of rudder, and hung in a somewhat
different manner to that of Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4 shows in side elevation a variation
in the manner of attaching the rudder, and an appliance fixed to the sides of a punt
for preventing the fouling of a fishing line with the propelling or steering apparatus.
Fig. 5 is a part plan of Fig. 4. Figs. 6 and 7 exhibit other variations of the form
and mode of hanging the rudders. Figs. 8 and 9 are plans of attachments to the
yoke for steering the vessel and Fig. 10 is a part side elevation of Fig. 9.
of the Figs. similar letters refer to the same or equivalent parts.
In each

page_text: In Fig. 1 the pair of combined rudders A and B may be used when acting together
in the same plane, to steer the boat or vessel, or when separated and made to diverge
the one from the other to retard or stop the motion of the same, and the vibratory
motion in part independent of the motion of the rudder post is caused by the action
of the two springs C and D fixed to the rudders and rudder posts as shown in the
drawings. The combined rudder posts are held together by and turn in the collar E
and socket F in Fig. 2. There is a shaft G that stretches across the boat and works
in bearings H H and at the same time supports the bearings I J in which the vertical
shaft. K of the side paddle works. Attached to the shaft. G is a lever L which, upon
being pulled down, lifts the side paddles out of, or partially out of water when
necessary. When the shaft G is not in motion it is prevented from turning by
inserting through it and into a fixed bar that stretches across the boat, two pins M M.
Motion is imparted to the side paddle by means of a sort of ratchet N working into a
bevil wheel O, the ratchet being capable of adjustment to any angle with the side
surface of the paddle. The yoke P may be operated upon by cords or by rods or
bamboo sticks having a screw ferule R. Fig. 3 on each of their rear ends which
screw into sockets S pivotted to each end of the yoke. The weight of the rudder is
supported by the projection T fixed to the stern post, the knob U being fixed to the
rudder post. This reduces the friction and strain upon the pintles V V. The dotted
lines in Fig. 1 show the position of the rudders when made to diverge to their full
extent.
In Fig. 4 the steering arrangement is supported by a strong bar W which is hinged
at X so that on pulling down the lever L, the rudder is lifted partially out of the
water to prevent its being injured when running into very shallow water or when
aground. The motion of the paddle rudder is effected by the use of the rods Q Fig. 5
while the steering is effected by pulling upon the cords Y Y which pass round and
are fastened to a disc Z having holes therein to receive a pin fixed to the under side
of the yoke, so that the angle of the yoke may be varied at discretion. t is the guard
for preventing the fouling of a line.
The rudder in Fig. is arranged very similarly in principle to those previously
described but is kept in proper position when in use by the application of a spring
clip a for which Letters Patent No. 3095 dated February 28, 1887 were granted
to me.
In Fig. 7 (which is a part side elevation and part fin section) the rudder is also
kept in position when in use by a spring clip such as has just been referred to and is
made so that the rudder may be lifted for the purposes before mentioned, being guided
while being raised or lowered by the the plates fixed to the stern post and by the
curved bar e fixed to the rudder post, the bar c working through a guide d fastened to
the stern post. The independent vibratory action of the rudder or paddle is in this
case produced by the buckling of a plain plate spring e instead of the spiral springs
shown in the other Figs.
C
The arrangement for altering or adjusting the angle of the yoke to the rudder is
shown in Figs. 8, 9, and 10. In the plan Fig. 8, the toothed disc g is fixed to the
rudder post and the yoke h works upon a pivot i and is also hinged as at j. On
lifting the front part of the yoke the pins kk may be made to gear into the toothed
disc at any point. In plan Fig. 9 instead of the pins a toothed pinion gears into
the toothed disc or curved rack g and the action of steering is performed by moving
the tiller m either to starboard or larboard. Fig. 10 is a side elevation of Fig. 9 and
shows the guide n and cup shaped bearing o of the pinion 7.
In some cases it may be found more convenient to propel the boat by attaching the
side paddle shown in Fig. 1 to the stern of an ordinary oar and manipulating much
in the same manner.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is
1. The construction of rudders or rudder paddles attached to the stern of the boat
as herein described and shown on the drawings as Fig. 1.

page_text: 2. The method of imparting notion to the side paddles by a ratchet and whee S
herein described and shown also in Fig. 1.
3. The use of spiral springs C and D or only one of them, or a plain plate spring e
to produce the independent vibratory motion herein described and shown on the
drawings.
4. The arrangement herein described and shown on the drawings Figs. 5, 8, 9
and 10 for adjusting the angle of the yoke or tiller to the rudder.
5. The application and combination of spring clips a with rudder posts as herein
described and shown on the drawings.