IMPROVEMENTS IN PROPELLING AND STEERING SCREW STEAM VESSELS
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Cartwright, of the Dean, Broseley, in the
County of Salop, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PROPELLING AND STEERING SCREW STEAM VESSELS."
Sealed the 7th November 1862, and dated the 12th May 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Cartwright at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 12th
May 1862.
I, HENRY CARTWRIGHT, of the Dean, Broseley, in the County of Salop,"
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN PROPELLING AND STEERING SCREW STEAM VESSELS," to be as follows:-
In carrying out these improvements for screw steam vessels I abandon the
rudder as it is at present made and used, and substitute what may be termed
its skeleton, consisting of three sides or bars of an open rectangular frame, the
top and bottom bars being united at right angles to a vertical bar. The open
side of the frame must be nearest to the stern post, and the vertical bar
farthest from it. The forward end of the bottom bar is pivoted into the pro-
jecting end of the keel, if there is one, or it may be pivoted into a bearing
at the lower end of the stern post. The front or forward end of the top bar
is turned upwards, and occupies the place and office of a rudder head, and is
subjected in-board to the control of the usual appliances for governing the
helm or tiller, or to such other appliances as may be required, whereby the
helm or tiller may be subjected to a right and left movement, the same as for
a rudder. The rear end of the main propeller shaft must project only far
enough through the stern of the vessel, or through the dead wood or stern

page_text: post, to be connected by a universal joint to the forward end of a short shaft,
which will thereby be caused to rotate with it. The short shaft passes through
the open frame, its rear end working in a bearing half-way up the rear
upright bar, and it carries the screw propeller, which revolves with it, within
the opening of the frame, and as the frame can be turned to the right or left
like a rudder, and as the universal joint at the front end of the short axis of
the screw propeller will at the same time allow the axis and propeller to be
turned along with it, the rotary motion of the propeller will, owing to its
thrust being then at an angle with the course of the vessel, quickly cause the
vessel to take a new direction. Thus with these arrangements the putting of
the helm to port or lee will have the same effect in steering the vessel by the
propeller frame as by the rudder, with the difference, that the frame with
the propeller will do it more effectively and speedily than the rudder, and will
be found reliable in such cases as have lately been reported, and where the
rudder was found wanting in effectiveness.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henry Cartwright in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
12th November 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
CARTWRIGHT, of the Dean, Broseley, in the County of Salop, Gentleman, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Henry Cartwright, Her special licence that I, the said Henry Cartwright, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Henry
Cartwright, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PROPELLING AND STEERING SCREW STEAM VESSELS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Henry Cartwright, my executors or administrators, by
an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,

page_text: and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to
be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Henry Cartwright, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
that is to say:-
In carrying out these improvements for screw steam vessels I abandon the
rudder as it is at present made and used, and substitute what may be termed
its skeleton, consisting of three sides or bars of an open rectangular frame,
the top and bottom bars being united at right angles to a vertical bar. The
open side of the frame must be nearest to the stern post, and the vertical bar
farthest from it. The forward end of the bottom bar is pivoted into the pro-
jecting end of the keel, if there is one; or it may be pivoted into a bearing.
at the lower end of the steru post. The front or forward end of the top bar
is turned upwards, and occupies the place and office of a rudder head, and is
subjected in-board to the control of the usual appliances for governing the helm
or tiller, or to such other appliances as may be required, whereby the helm or
tiller may be subjected to a right and left movement, the same as for a rudder..
The rear end of the main propeller shaft must project only far enough through
the stern of the vessel, or through the dead wood or stern post, to be con-.
nected by a universal joint to the forward end of a short shaft, which will
thereby be caused to rotate with it. The short shaft passes through the open
frame, its rear end working in a bearing half-way up the rear upright bar,.
and it carries the screw propeller, which revolves with it, within the opening.
of the frame, and as the frame can be turned to the right or left, like a
rudder, and as the universal joint at the front end of the short axis of the.
screw propeller will at the same time allow the axis and propeller to be.
turned along with it, the rotary action of the propeller will, owing to its
thrust being then at an angle with the course of the vessel, quickly cause the
vessel to take a new direction. Thus, with these arrangements the putting of
the helm to port or starboard will have the same effect in steering the vessel
by the propeller frame as by the rudder, with the difference, that the frame
with the propeller will do it more effectively and speedily than the rudder,
and will be found reliable in such cases as have lately been reported, and
where the rudder was found wanting in effectiveness.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a side elevation of the stern of
a ship, fitted with my improvements for propelling and steering screw steam

page_text: vessels. a is the skeleton frame taking the place of the rudder proper; it is
stepped at bottom in the keel b, or in a piece projecting therefrom, and at top
it passes through a bearing formed in the frame of the ship, and terminates
in a head c, as shewn by the dotted lines. The skeleton frame a is free to
move in a similar manner to an ordinary rudder. The rudder head may be
carried upwards to the upper deck, as shown by the dotted lines, and have
motion communicated to it by a wheel in the ordinary manner; or the head of
the skeleton frame may terminate at c, and be connected to machinery by a
tiller d, as will be hereafter described. Figure 2 is a side elevation, and
Figure 3 is an end view of the skeleton frame, showing how it may be made
in parts bolted together. Figures 4 and 5 show the parts detached before being
united by bolts and screws; e is the screw propeller, mounted on a shaft f
working in a bearing in the skeleton frame, and united by a universal joint 9 to
the main shaft h, by this means the screw is enabled to move with the skeleton
frame as motion is communicated to the latter, and according to the direction
in which it is turned so the ship is steered. By my Invention a vessel may
not only be steered while progressing through the water, but may be made to
alter her position while stationary. Figure 6 is a view in plan of machinery
by which motion may be communicated to the skeleton frame and screw; i is
a tiller or quadrant on the rudder head, provided with teeth k, in gear with a
pinion on a shaft m carrying a toothed wheel n in gear with a worm o on a
shaft connected to or in a piece with the crank shaft of a reversing donkey
engine p. The engine may be worked from the upper deck.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim as my "Improve-
ments in Propelling and Steering Screw Steam Vessels," connecting the fore
end of a short shaft carrying the screw to the ordinary propelling shaft by a
universal joint, and supporting the rear end of such short shaft in a skeleton
frame capable of being moved in manner and for the purposes herein-before
described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Cartwright, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eighth day of November, Oue thousand eight
hundred and sixty-two.
H. CARTWRIGHT. (L.S.)