An Improved Apparatus for Automatically Preventing the "Racing" of Engines and Screw Propellers of Steamers.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 12 h May, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 12th Mar., 1894-Accepted, 12th May, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Apparatus for Automatically Preventing the "Racing"
of Engines and Screw Propellers of Steamers.
I ARTHUR VAUGHAN COLSTON of St. Georges Vicarage Macclesfield in the
County of Cheshire Clerk in Holy Orders do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
An improved apparatus by means of which the rolling or pitching motion of
a screw steamship which causes the blades of the screw to rise out of the water
is itself made to cause a partial or complete stoppage as. may be desired of the
machinery which drives the screw shaft so long only as the blades are out of
the water thus preventing the racing of the engine and shaft without impeding the
subsequent progress of the vessel.
The apparatus or one form of it is shewn in the drawing sent herewith :-(A.B)
is the beam of an ordinary balance made of any suitable material balanced in the
usual way on a rod (C) which slides in a socket (D) with a screw adjustment
enabling the rod (C) with the beam to be raised or lowered at will to any level
within certain limits for the purpose hereinafter set forth: -The size of this
balance will depend on and be suitable for the weights suspended as hereinafter
mentioned. At each end of the beam are suspended by chains or otherwise two
balls or other suitably shaped pendants of equal weight (E¹) and (E2) so as to
produce a perfect balance and the weight of these pendants will be governed by the
pressure required to lower the piston rod. At a suitable distance below one of
the weighted pendants as (F) is fixed a flat wonden or metal bar (F. G.) forming
in its normal position an inclined plane by being attached to the end F by a hinge
connection to a block fixed to the floor of the engine room and supported by a
spiral or other spring (H) of a strength regulated according to the weights required
to work the piston rod of the equilibrium valve as before mentioned. The
bar (FG) contains on its upper surface a plate or socket (J) of a size and shape
suitable to receive the pendant E. The end (G) of the bar (F. G.) is connected
with the piston rod P of an ordinary governor valve such as Baileys governor
equilibrium valve fitted to the steam supply pipe of the engine so that a downward
movement of the piston rod will close the valve. The valve may be a reducing
valve that is one containing a small opening to reduce the volume of steam to any
required degree as this will probably be more effective for the desired purpose than
completely shutting off steam. Below the weight (E') at the opposite end of the
balance a weighted cup (K) is suspended by means of metal rods and chains attached
by a swivel (L) to a beam above (M) in such a position as to receive the weight E¹
when the latter is lowered by the weight E being raised the chains being so fitted
as to be capable of being adjusted to any alterations in the level of the balance
as before described on the same suspending rods or chains is fitted above the end of
the beam (A) a small crossbar or chain (N) adjustable at any distance the object
of the cup K and crossbar N being to prevent the end of the beam and weight E¹
having more than sufficient oscillation which might otherwise prevent the
continuous pressure of the weight E' on this inclined bar (F G) as hereinafter
set forth.
The apparatus herein before described acts as follows:--In the case of a ship
propelled by a single screw in which case the motion known as "pitching" mostly
if not wholly produces racing the balance will be fitted longitudinally with the ship
with the end (b) towards the stern. The rod supporting the balance having been
previously adjusted so as to bring the beam to the proper height having regard to

page_text: the water line of the ship when the stern of the ship rises out of the water to such a
beight that the whole or the greater part (as desired) of the propeller blades are out
of the water the block with hinged bar (F.G) will also be raised so that the weighted
pendant E (which has been kept in position by the action of the balance) is
received by the socket I. The weight of the pendant is sufficient to depress the
bar F G and piston (P) and thus immediately closes the valve before referred to
and shuts off or reduces steam as the case may be. On this weight being taken
off the balance the weight E' will of course be depressed but being received by the
cup K or corresponding plate the balance will be restored upon the ship righting
herself the weight E is of course removed the balance returns to its normal
position and the spring (H) causes the bar F G to return also to its normal position
and the valve to open so that the machinery continues as before. In the case of a
ship having twin screw propellers it might be necessary to have a transverse
balance as well as a longitudinal balance described to act upon each screw to
provide for the rolling of the ship causing first one and then the other of the
screws to emerge from the water these balances may be fitted transversely over the
keel of the ship one on the port side and the other on the starboard side and in such a
position that the weighted pendant E' of each of these balances will be immediately
over the second socket (J) fitted on the same bar as the other socket (J) and
thus each of the balances will work the same valve one balance only of course
working at a time.
I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to the means herein set
forth for reducing or shutting off steam as the motion of the bar F. G may be
utilized to work any other form of machinery for reducing steam or the contact of
the weighted pendant may be used to complete the circuit of an electric current by
which a valve or stop cock may be worked at any desired distance from the
apparatus any necessary modifications being of course made to carry this out. I
also do not limit myself to the manner herein set forth of preventing the excessive
oscillation of the balance which may be done by several other methods which may
be found more convenient.
Dated the 12th day of May 1893.
LESLIE ANTILL,
1, Gresham Buildings, Basinghall Street, E.C.,
Agent for the said Arthur Vaughan Colston.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Apparatus for Automatically Preventing the "Racing”
of Engines and Screw Propellers of Steamers.
I, ARTHUR VAUGHAN COLSTON, of St. George's Vicarage, Macclesfield, in the
County of Cheshire, Clerk in Holy Orders, 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 :—
My invention relates to an Improved Apparatus for Automatically Preventing
the "Racing" of Engines and Screw Propellers of Steamers.
It consists in the combination of a bar balanced upon an axis at a given height
above or below the water line of the vessel with a connection of any type or kind
to the throttle valve of the engine, and standing, as to its first member, under or
.connected to one end of the balanced bar. The beam is supported in the plane in
which will take place the motion on the part of the vessel which the invention is
intended to check. There may be a beam to each motion, all the beams working
on to the same first member of the above mentioned connection.
In order that the invention and the best means of carrying it into practical effect
may be thoroughly understood, I will describe it in detail, referring in so doing to

page_text: the accompanying figures which are to be taken as part of this Specification and
read therewith.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a single screw with her stern out of the water.
A portion of the hull has been omitted to shew the corresponding position of the
balance.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the balance, the connection to the throttle valve
and a portion of the steam pipe from the boilers to the engine. The dotted lines.
illustrate a modified type of connection.
a is the floor of the engine room or of some other convenient surface aboard the
vessel as near amidships as practicable. b is a socket fast thereupon and standing
truly vertical when the vessel is on a level keel from stem to stern. c is a standard
of a suitable height to give plenty of room for the oscillation of the beam. It is.
adapted to fit into the socket 6 in which it is adjustable in respect of height by
means of a set screw b. This vertical adjustability is provided in order that the
axis of apparent oscillation on the part of the beam next described may be set at
the right height with reference to the water line.
d is the balanced bar. It is shewn as trussed after the manner of the best
make of scale beams because it is subjected to similar strains. d' is the pivot
between the bar and the standard. Its construction, is the same as that of the
well known knife edges of a scale beam in the head of the standard c. The two-
halves of the bar d are of equal weight throughout in order that the bar itself
shall maintain a horizontal position and move through its oscillations (apparent).
with an even motion. e is the steam pipe from the boilers to the engine and
e¹.is the axis of the throttle valve, 2 being the half crank thereof fast thereon.
My invention requires that the apparent vertical motion-either rise or fail as.
the case may be of one end of the bar d shall be at once communicated to and
as far as practicable maintained pari passu with the throttle valve. So long as
the connection between the said end and the throttle valve is adapted to meet the
requirements set out in the previous sentence, it may be of any type or kind. L
have illustrated two in Figure 2, one of them, mechanical; and the other, electrical
in principle but I do not confine myself in respect of the type or kind of connection
which I employ.
Referring to the full lines of Figure 2, f is a bar pivotted on the axis f¹ to
the fixed support f, and standing with its centre under that end of the bar d
which is particularly referred to in the preceding paragraph. The connection
between the bar f and the said end of the bar d is by means of a weight 9 suspended
from the said end of the bar d by a chain g¹ and a cup g² on the bar f under the..
weight. The latter stands in the cup with the chain taut, as illustrated in Figure 2,.
so long as the vessel is on a level keel. his.a lever having its fulcrum h in the
top of a standard. Its opposite ends are connected by links i and j respectively,.
to the end of the bar f opposite to the axis f' and to the outer end of the half
crank of the throttle valve. k is a spring possessing sufficient resilience to hold
the bar in the position illustrated in Figure 2 and to turn the throttle valve. The
weight of the weight g and chain g' is in proportion to the ris inertice of the
throttle valve.
The weight g and chain glare balanced by duplicates and at the opposite
end of the bar. is a cup in which the weight stands in the same way as the
weight 9 in the cup g* when the vessel is on a level keel. The cup /* is supported
on a pillar 13.
The invention constructed as above described and fixed in the vessel with the
beam aligned with the keel and that end of it which works the connection between.
the beam d and the throttle valve pointing to the stern. It is self evident that as
the latter lifts the bar f will be forced down by the resistance of the weight g
and the throttle valve closed accordingly. The higher the stern rises the nearer
will the valve be to being quite closed, and as the bows rise again, the steam will
be turned on gradually. The function of the cup is only to prevent the fall
(apparent) of the weight / below the level of the said cup. Any other equivalent.

page_text: device for limiting the motion of the weight I to a duplicate of that of the weight g
may be adopted. Such a one is illustrated in Figure 1. m is a weight suspended
from a standard m'. m² is a line from the weight m led over an antifriction
pulley m³ and carrying a tray m' in which lies the weight l. As the latter rises
(apparently) the weight m swings away from it and keeps the tray m² up to the
weight l, and vice versa.
Instead of setting the balanced bar d so that the fall (apparent) of one end of
the said bar shall close the throttle valve more or less, it may be set so that
the rise (apparent) of one end shall have the same effect. Either arrangement is
within the four corners of my invention.
I have shewn only one balanced bar in the figures and that aligned with the
keel. In that position, my invention checks racing due to pitching only but has
no effect upon racing due to rolling. To apply the invention as a check upon
racing due to rolling a beam is placed athwart the ship on each side, both of them
with their weights engaging with cups provided for that purpose upon the same
bar as the balanced bar for checking pitching engages.
The electrical connection between the beam and the throttle valve illustrated
by the dotted lines of Figure 2 consists of an electric circuit containing an electro
magnet and a pair of contacts o, o'. One of these is on the free end of the bar f
and the other o' is fixed within the reach of the former on the support f2. It
replaces the lick and lever gear illustrated by the full lines of the figure and
illustrates the application of the invention to another type of valve.
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 :-
The combination of a bar balanced upon an axis at a given height with a
connection of any type or kind to the throttle valve the first member of which
connection stands under or is connected to one end of the said balanced bar.
✓ Dated this 9th de
ML 1004
LESLIE ANTILL,
1, Gresham Buildings, Basinghall Street, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.
LESLIE ANTILL,
1, Gresham Buildings, Basinghall Street, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.