IMPROVEMENTS IN STEERING AND SHEARING SHIPS AND OTHER VESSELS
Year: 1884

page_text: I, SAMUEL BARBER Gentleman, care of Brewer and Jensen of 33 Chancery Lane
in the County of Middlesex Patent Agents do hereby declare the nature of said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEERING AND SHEARING SHIPS AND OTHER
VESSELS" to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to steer and shear ships and other vessels
particularly when there is no " way" on or not sufficient to obtain steering power
by a rudder in the ordinary way.
According to my invention I construct in any convenient part or parts of the
ship or vessel and preferably below water line near the bow a chamber of double
truncated cone form with the smaller ends of the cone at the sides of the vessel→
the apertures at the ends should be of small diameter so that the space for the exit
of the water may be contracted. In this double conically shaped chamber I mount
athwart ship the shaft of a double archimedean screw having a larger diameter
towards the middle than at the sides or ends. Rotary Motion is imparted to the
shaft or the screw from any suitable prime mover for instance by means of a crank
and connecting rod or rods and sliding piston or pistons the said rods passing
through stuffing boxes or packed bosses. Instead of an archimedean screw or
screws I may use a turbine. Shutters are fitted to the apertures which may be
raised or lowered as required by bands cords or chains passing round pulleys and
leading centrally to a wheel for opening the two shutters simultaneously. When
the shutters are raised and the screws are rotated water is drawn into the conically
shaped chamber by one aperture and forcibly ejected by the other, clutch gear being
arranged so that the screws may be revolved in contrary direction according to the
direction in which it is desired to move the ship or vessel whether it be to starboard
or port as may be required. The shutters or coverings for the entrances to the
chambers which are raised or lowered by the central chain when required so that
when open the water may enter but when closed no water. can enter and a wash
through cannot then take place. The water contained in the conical chamber can
then be pumped or drawn off and the chamber can be entered through man hole at
top provided for the purpose. The chamber should be made in two parts so that
by unscrewing the bolts the upper section can be raised by means of a travelling
beam whereby facility is afforded for examining the whole gearing for cleaning,
repairing, or adjusting same as may be required. The advantages to be obtained
Pies 71

page_text: in ships or vessels fitted with steering and shearing gear according to my invention
are To be able to sheer from a position at rest, thereby avoiding the great risk
which accompanies the present handling of vessels in narrow waters such as
entering or leaving dock, navigating channels, canals and rivers or swinging
manoeuvring or bringing a squadron into action. Altogether doing away with the
great uncertainty in steering (caused by the wash) experienced by screw propelled
steamers when weighing anchor or casting off moorings. Steering without loss of
way. Counteracting the deviation caused by adverse currents. As an auxiliary
at all times particularly in case of break down. Its simplicity and easy accessibility
which enables repairs to be done at sea or afloat and without imposing any
additional tax upon the engineers when in dry dock.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I, SAMUEL BARBER Gentleman, care of Brewer and Jensen of 33 Chancery Lane
in the County of Middlesex Patent Agents do hereby declare the nature of said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEERING AND SHEARING SHIPS AND OTHER
VESSELS" and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:—
The object of my Invention is to steer and shear ships and other vessels
particularly when there is no "way" on or not sufficient to obtain steering power
by a rudder in the ordinary way.
According to my Invention I construct in any convenient part or parts of the
ship or vessel below the water line or say just covered at half draught of water and
preferably near the bow or stern a chamber of double truncated cone form with the
smaller ends of the cone at the sides of the vessel; the apertures at the ends should
be of small diameter so that the space for the exit of the water may be contracted.
In this double conically shaped chamber I mount athwart ships the shaft of a
double archimedian screw having a larger diameter towards the middle than at the
sides or ends. Rotary motion is imparted to the shaft or the screw from any
suitable prime mover. Instead of an archimedian screw or screws I may use a
turbine. Shutters are fitted to the apertures which may be raised or lowered as
required by bands cords or chains passing round pulleys and leading centrally to a
wheel for opening the two shutters simultaneously.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a vertical section through the
apparatus transversely of the vessel Figure 2 a vertical cross section on line AB
Figure 1, and Figure 3 a vertical cross section on line C, D, Figuro 1.
A is a chamber of double truncated cone form placed transversely in the lower
part of the vessel and preferably near the bow and bolted to a floor or cross girder I
in the vessel or in any other suitable manner firmly united to the hull. This
chamber can be closed at both ends by means of the shutters or sluice valves B
which are made to close or open simultaneously by bands cords or chains passing
round pulleys within the vessel and leading centrally to a wheel. The rods of the
sluice valves B pass through stuffing boxes. In the double cone chamber AI place an
archimedian screw E in each side or cone, one being left handed and the other right
handed; each screw is fixed on a shaft D and these shafts obtain motion in the
opposite direction having fixed on them bevel wheels F which both obtain motion from
a bevel wheel G. This latter is fixed on a shaft H which enters the interior of the
ship through a stuffing box and obtaining revolving motion whenever desired from
part of the engine or propeller screw shaft or from a separate special engine. The
shafts D and one end of the shaft G run in bearings G¹ G' G³ fixed within the
double cone chamber A in any suitable manner or as shewn here; C is a manhole
through which to enter the chamber A after the sluice valves B have been closed
and the water has been pumped out of it by the pipe K. By having a left hand
and a right hand screw moving in opposite directions which arrangement I prefer―
the water as sucked in from one side is taken up by the other screw which forces
it out, and I obtain less churning of the water than if I use one screw of the same
way of pitch. When the shutters B are raised and the screws E are rotated water

page_text: is drawn into the conically shaped chamber by one aperture and forcibly ejected by
the other, clutch gear or other reversing gear being arranged in connection with the
shaft H or its motor within the vessel so that the shaft H may be revolved in one
direction or the other according to the direction in which it is desired to move the
ship or vessel whether it be to starboard or port as may be required. The shutters
or coverings B for the entrances to the chambers are raised or lowered by the
central chain when required so that when open the water may enter but when
closed no water can enter and a wash through cannot then take place; the water
contained in the double conical chamber A can then be pumped or drawn off and
the chamber can be entered through manhole C at top provided for the purpose.
The chamber should be made in two parts as shewn united by flanges as shewn
so that by unscrewing the bolts the upper section can be raised by means of a
travelling beam whereby facility is afforded for examining the whole gearing for
cleaning repairing or adjusting same as may be required, the sluice valves having
first been closed and the water pumped out.
The advantages to be obtained in ships or vessels fitted with steering and
shearing gear according to my Invention are...
To be able to shear from a position at rest thereby avoiding the great risk which
accompanies the present handling of vessels in narrow waters such as entering or
leaving dock, navigating channels, canals and rivers; or swinging, manoeuvring
or bringing a squadron into action. Also doing away with the great uncertainty
in steering (caused by the wash) experienced by screw propelled steamers
when weighing anchor or casting off moorings. Steering without loss of way.
Counteracting the deviation caused by adverse currents. As an auxiliary at all
times particularly in case of break down. Its simplicity and easy accessibility
which enables repairs to be done at sea or afloat and without imposing any
additional tax upon the Engineers when in dry dock.
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 I am
aware that a cylindrical transverse tube fitted with screw or screws has heretofore
been proposed to be employed for the purpose in view but what I claim is
First: The employment of a double truncated tube or chamber placed athwart-
ships in a vessel and provided with manhole C and having its lateral contracted
apertures more or less below the water or communicating with the water and
provided with sluice valves or shutters for simultaneous opening and shutting off
to the water, and provided with a screw or screws adapted to be revolved in one
direction or the other for the purpose of drawing the water in from one side and
forcing it out at the other and thus shearing or steering even from a state of rest
of the ship or vessel, substantially as set forth.
Second-The employment of a double truncated tube or chamber A placed
athwartships in a vessel and provided with manhole C and sluice valves B and with
shaft H the revolving motion of which can be started stopped and reversed at will
and which by bevel gear communicates inotion in opposite directions to two
shafts Done having a right and the other a left hand screw the whole being
arranged as shewn on the drawings and for the purposes set forth.