Improvements in Steering Machinery.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Mar., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 13th Dec., 1898-Accepted, 14th Jan., 1899
Improvements in Steering Machinery.
I, JOHN LYALL, Superintendent Engineer of The Clan Line Steamers, Limited,
109, Hope Street, in the County of Glasgow, North Britain, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows, that is to say :-
In steering machinery of the kind to which my invention relates the crosshead or
quadrant on the rudder stock has connected to each side of it one end of a rod
pins in the other end of which rods simply slide backwards and forwards in fixed
guides, when the steam steering machinery is in use; but in the event of the
breaking of the chains or equivalent connecting the steering gear to the quadrant
on the rudder stock, or from other cause, the hand steering machinery has to be
brought into use the pins on the outer ends of the connecting rods are transferred
from the grooves and the rods are connected to the usual internally screwed nuts on
the right and left hand screw spindle of the hand steering gear so as to bring this
gear into use. The performance of this operation is connected with considerable
difficulty and the possibility of considerable damage being done owing to the
uncontrolled and usually violent movement of the rudder at the time.
My improvements insure that the rudder is under control in all circumstances
and that the change from steam to hand steering can be speedily effected at any
time.
In carrying out my invention instead of allowing the pins in the outer ends of the
two connecting rods to slide in grooves, as herein before described, when the steam
steering gear is in operation, these pins with their rods are each connected to a
piston rod of a piston working in a small cylinder filled with water, oil, or other
suitable liquid. These two cylinders have their front and back ends connected
together by an external pipe fitted with a stopcock, the pipe being of such a
diameter that the liquid can be forced by the to and fro movement of the pistons
from either end of its cylinder to the other without impeding the desired movement
of the rudder by the steam steering gear. In the event of a break down of the
gear taking place, the comparatively slow movement of the liquid from end to end
of each cylinder through the connecting pipes acts as a buffer or break and
prevents the rudder being violently moved from side to side and doing damage.
The stopcocks on the external connecting pipes of each cylinder are then shut as
soon as possible, so as to entirely stop the flow of the liquid from end to end of
both cylinders and this practically stops all movement of the rudder enabling the
rudder to be under control and permits of the pins and connecting rods being
transferred and connected in turn to the internally screwed nuts of the hand
steering gear with the utmost despatch. This plan is also adapted for vessels
fitted with " Rapson" slide, or any other gear actuating the rudder head of a
vessel.
Dated this Eighteenth day of March 1898
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.

page_text: I, JOHN LYALL, Superintendent Engineer, of The Clan Line Steamers, Limited,
109, Hope Street, in the County of Glasgow, North Britain, 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, that is to
say:
In steering machinery of the kind to which my invention relates the crosshead or
quadrant on the rudder stock has connected to each side of it one end of a rod pins
in the other end of which rods simply slide backwards and forwards in fixed guides
when the steam steering machinery is in use; but in the event of the breaking of
the chains or equivalent connecting the steering gear to the quadrant on the rudder
stock, or from other cause, the hand steering machinery has to be brought into use
the pins on the outer ends of the connecting rods are transferred from the grooves
and the rods are connected to the usual internally screwed blocks on the right-
hand and left-hand screw shaft of the hand steering gear so as to bring this gear
into use.
The performance of this operation is often considerably difficult and
considerable damage may be done owing to the uncontrolled and usually violent
movements of the rudder at the time.
My improvements insure that the rudder is under control in all circumstances
and that the change from steam to hand steering can be speedily effected at any
time.
In carrying out my invention the pins on the ends of the connecting rods or links
are each connected to a piston rod of a piston working in a cylinder filled with
water, oil, or other suitable liquid. Pipes fitted with stopcocks connect the ends of
the cylinders, the arrangement constituting a simple and reliable brake or locking
apparatus whereby the rudder is entirely under control and the pins and connecting
rods can be transferred and connected separately one after the other to the hand
steering gear and that gear brought into operation when required with the utmost
despatch and without the possibility of damage.
Figure 1, on the accompanying sheet of drawings, is a plan of steering machinery
as made with my improvements, Figure 2, being a side elevation of the same.
As shown in the drawings the crosshead, A, on the rudder stock, B, has connected
to each side of it one end of a rod or link, C1, C2, pins, D1, D2, in the other end
of which rods instead of being allowed to slide in grooves when the hand gear is
disconnected and the steam gear is in operation, as in machinery of this kind as
hitherto constructed, are made capable of being connected to piston rods, E1, E2,
formed with eyes to receive the pins and fixed to pistons working in cylinders G1, G2,
filled with water, oil, or other suitable liquid. The two cylinders, G 1, G 2, have
their ends connected by external pipes, H1, H2, fitted with stopcocks, J 1, J 2,
which can be actuated by a handle, K, the pipes being of such a diameter that the
liquid can be forced by the to and fro' movement of the pistons, from either end of
one cylinder, to the corresponding end of the other cylinder, at a slow rate suitable
for the desired movement of the rudder by the steam steering gear, not shown, but
which acts through chains or equivalents on the quadrant, L, on the rudder
Etock, B. In the event of a break down of the steam steering gear taking place
the comparatively slow movement of the liquid from one cylinder to the other
through the connecting pipes, H1, H2, acts as a buffer or brake and prevents the
rudder being violently moved from side to side and doing damage. The stop-
cocks, J1, J2, on the external connecting pipes, HJ, H2, between each
cylinder, G1, G2, are then shut, as soon as possible, so as to entirely stop the flow

page_text: of the liquid between the cylinders and this practically stops all movement of the
rudder. The pins, D1, D2, and connecting rods, C1, C2, can then be transferred
separately one after the other from their connection with the piston rods, E 1, E2,
and connected to the usual internally screwed blocks, M 1, M2, on the right-hand
and left-hand screw spindle, N, of the hand steering gear, which, as shown, is of an
ordinary type. This gear can thus be brought into operation when required with
the utmost despatch and without the possibility of damage.
My improvements can also be adapted to vessels fitted with " Rapson" slide or
any other gear for actuating the rudder head of a vessel.
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 :-
In combined hand and steam steering machinery a crosshead fast on the rudder
stock and having jointed to it the ends of rods or links the other ends of which are
formed with eyes to be connected by pins to internally screwed blocks on the right-
hand and left-hand screw shaft of the hand steering gear, the said rods or links
being capable of being connected by the pins to the piston rods of two cylinders
containing liquid when disconnected from the hand steering gear and the steam
steering gear is to be put in operation substantially as and for the purposes herein-
before described.
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