Improvements in the Construction of the Stern Parts of Ships, commonly called the Propeller and Rudder Frame, and in Rudders adapted to such Improved Construction.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Apr, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 17th Jan., 1896-Accepted, 17th Apr., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of the Stern Parts of Ships,
commonly called the Propeller and Rudder Frame, and in
Rudders adapted to such Improved Construction.
I, EDMUND FREDERICK WAILES, of No. 4 St. Nicholas Buildings, in the
City and County of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Naval Architect and Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of said invention to be as follows:-
My invention consists in constructing that part of the ship usually occupied with
the stern frame, generally made of solid materials, entirely of iron or steel plates
and angles (or in certain suitable combination with forgings or castings of steel or
other metals) bent or shaped in such a manner, as to form a continuation of the
shell plating around the extreme after end of the ship so as to become part of the
main structure of the hull, dispensing with the outer or rudder post, also to
constructing the rudder so that in itself it forms the outer post.
The objects are to obviate the disadvantages of the use of heavy forged or cast
steel stern frames and rudders which in themselves are unwieldy, unreliable, and
subject to fracture under the strains to which they are frequently exposed.
I will describe my method of construction with reference to a single propeller
steamer to which it is specially applicable. I propose to do away with the outer
or rudder post, and to make the after part of the ship's structure form what at
present is generally termed the inner post much broader than is now usual by the
plating terminating upon the edges of a plate worked into a semi-oval C shape,
extending from the keel to the top of the propeller aperture where it returns
backward to beyond the "rudder" stock and upward to join the "counter" plating.
The "sole-piece " will be preferably of tubular section, tapering from the inner
post backward and bent up in the usual form to protect it from taking the ground,
and the after end of this "sole-piece" forms the foot step for the rudder.
The inner post is of suitable breadth shaped to the lines or model of hull to
admit of proper rivetting to the shell plates and will where the propeller shaft
passes through, instead of forming a semi-oval C section, be worked into a
rectangular section.
.
An important feature of my invention is that a stern tube may be entirely
dispensed with and replaced by a stuffing box, constructed in the inner post and
further supported on the tunnel floor, the packing gland of which stuffing box will
be accessible from the tunnel and thus the whole of the propeller shaft is at all
times exposed for examination, and this mode of construction 1 propose to adopt
as preferable in most cases.
The other portions of the stern frame will preferably be of reduced breadth,
tapering from the inner post, as already named with reference to the "sole-piece,"
but will be of similar section to the inner post.
The rudder will be preferably built of a tubular main piece of half round plates
between the flanges of which the plate or plates forming the blades or ❝ fins" will
be rivetted and stiffened by angle or tee irons, and these blades or "fins" may be
constructed upon the balanced principle, that is with the main blade ou the after
side, and a smaller blade or blades on the forward side of the main piece. The
main piece of the rudder will have at bottom end a solid "pintle" turned to work
in the foot step of the "sole-piece," and for convenience of fitting in large ships
will preferably be bolted by flanges to a shank or stock working in suitable
bearings and carried through the "counter" to the deck, and the rudder may be

page_text: made in one, two, or more sections and rivetted together with necessary plates,
stays and flanges either before or when in position.
Although I have so described, and prefer to make, the stern frame and rudder of
plates of suitable sections, or of plates and angles, the invention may be adapted
for light castings or of forged steel or other metal or a combination of such with
plates and angles.
The invention in modified forms may be adapted for the stern posts and rudders
of other than screw.steamers or for sailing ships.
Dated this 17th day of April 1895.
W. LLOYD WISE,
46 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of the Stern Parts of Ships,
commonly called the Propeller and Rudder Frame, and in
Rudders adapted to such Improved Construction.
I, EDMUND FREDERICK WAILES, of 4 St. Nicholas Buildings, in the City
and County of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Naval Architect and Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of said 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 consists in constructing that part of the ship usually occupied
with the stern frame, generally made of solid materials, entirely of iron or steel
plates and angles (or in certain suitable combination with forgings or castings
of steel or other metals), bent or shaped in such a manner as to form a continua-
tion of the shell plating around the extreme after end of the ship, so as to
become part of the main structure of the hull, and further to dispensing with the
outer or rudder post, also to constructing the rudder so that in itself it forms the
outer post.
The objects are to obviate the disadvantages of the use of heavy forged or cast
steel stern frames and rudders, which in themselves are unwieldy, unreliable, and
subject to fracture under the strains to which they are frequently exposed.
I will describe my method of construction with reference to a single propeller
steamer to which it is specially applicable. I propose to do away with the outer
or rudder post, and to make the after part of the ship's structure, (forming what
at present is generally termed the inner post), much broader than is now usual by
the plating terminating upon the edges of a plate worked into a semi-oval shape,
extending from the keel to the top of the propeller aperture, where it returns
backward to beyond the "rudder-stock" and upward to join the "counter" plating.
The "sole-piece" will be preferably of tubular ☐ section tapering from the
"inner post" backward and bent up in the usual form to protect it from taking the
ground, and the after end of this "sole-piece" forms the "foot-step" for the rudder.
The "inner post" is of suitable breadth, shaped to the lines or model of hull,
to admit of proper rivetting to the shell plates, and may, where the propeller
shaft passes through, instead of forming a semi-oval section, be worked into a
rectangular semicircular or other section.
An important feature of my invention is that a stern tube may be entirely
dispensed with and replaced by a "stuffing-box," constructed in the "inner post
and further supported on the tunnel floor, the packing gland of which "stuffing-
box" will be accessible from the tunnel, and thus nearly the whole of the propeller
shaft is at all times exposed for examination, and this mode of construction I propose
to adopt as preferable in most cases.
19512
The other portions of the stern frame will preferably be of reduced breadth,.

page_text: "
The "after" portion of the stern part comprises the rudder the tubular main
piece M. of which forms, what in the present types of propeller frames, is called
the "rudder post or the "
outer-post." Referring to Figs. 1, 6, and 7, the
tubular main piece M. is constructed in sections joined by angle irons of semi-
circular plates with open flanges on "aft" side (see Fig. 7) to receive the blades
or "fins" O., and is fitted at the lower end with a solid "pintle" N. The blades
or "fins "O are shewn as of separate plates, the upper and lower edges of each
being "reverse-flanged" and bolted or rivetted between the jaws of the flanges of
the tubular main piece M. and also to the tapered plates P. which are rivetted
between the double angle irons Q. around the tubular main piece. The portion O¹
of the rudder projecting forward, and acting as a balanced rudder, is formed of
the plates forming the tube M. carried forward as in Fig. 7. The main blades or
" fins " O. on "after" side are preferably made of separate plates and bolted to
the main piece M. and to the tapered plates P., so that if one or other be damaged
it may be replaced without interference with the others.
Immediately above the top of the rudder blades the main piece forms above the
rudder blades externally a perfectly smooth tube with "flush" joints and counter-
sunk rivetting through "butt-straps "inside, and continuing upward to the deck
works through a packed " stuffing-box" bearing R. secured to the stern part of
the vessel, and between this bearing and the deck is constructed a strong table S.
with circular guides T. between which friction rollers or balls U., carried in a
frame V. rivetted or bolted on the main piece M, revolve freely, the object being
to cause the rudder to be operated with the least possible resistance from friction.
The friction roller frame V. may be combined with a 66
stopper" forming part of it
to prevent the rudder working beyond its proper angle on either side. From this
point the main piece M. extends through a stuffing-box bearing W. to receive the
steering chain sector. From the top of the rudder the main piece M., instead of
being tubular, may be made solid with flanges formed upon or bolted to it.
It will be seen that in the construction of the stern parts of ships described and
illustrated all the work can be executed in the shipbuilder's yard, presenting no
difficulty to skilled workmen. The entire absence of solid forgings or castings
forming the propeller frame gives elasticity and strength to a ship, at what is
generally the weakest part, which is never secured by uniting the shell plating to a
solid mass of iron or steel, and although I may introduce forgings or castings in
some special types of stern parts, they will form only a merely subsidiary part of
the whole structure, and I prefer to dispense with them entirely, so that the whole
of such stern parts of ships and the rudder may be constructed of iron or steel
plates and angles in the shipbuilder's yard.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
The improvements in the construction of the stern parts of screw steam ships,
consisting in building, what is called the propeller and rudder frame, entirely of
plates and angles of such sectional shapes as best adapted to be worked into and
form a continuation of the main structure of the hull; and in building the rudder
also entirely of plates and angles of such construction that the main piece will be
of adequate strength to replace and itself form what is, in the ordinary propeller
and rudder frame, the "outer or "rudder post"; part of said improvements
being applicable to the stern parts and rudders of other than screw steam ships,
the construction being substantially as described and illustrated with the objects
herein before stated.
"