Improvements in Apparatus for Steering and Stopping Ships,
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Nov., 1899-Accepted, 9th Dec., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Steering and Stopping Ships,
I, JAN ALBARDA, of Apeldoorn, Eikenhof, Holland, Doctor of Jurisprudence,
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:―
This invention for improvements in apparatus for steering and stopping ships
has for its object to provide apparatus which shall increase the effect of the
steering and at the same time deaden the ship's way, when there is immediate
danger of a collision.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawing is a horizontal section of a ship fitted with
the apparatus.
Fig. 2 is a corresponding side view.
Fig. 3 is a plan showing an altered form of the apparatus and
Fig. 4 a vertical section looking in the direction of the two arrows a a Fig. 3.
In addition to the usual rudder 2, the ship 1 is fitted with two other rudders 3,
which are also preferably arranged in the stern part of the vessel, but may be
placed in the middle of the same or in any other suitable place. Housings 5
built in the ship serve for the reception of the two rudders 3, fixed on the shafts 4
which are vertically but may be obliquely placed, regard being had to the form
of the stern part of the vessel. When not in use, the two side rudders remain.
entirely inside their housings 5 in the manner shown in Figures 1 and 2, so that
when the ship is moving, the water flows smoothly over them. If the steering
effect of the rudder 2 is to be increased in a long course through a narrow passage,
the proper side rudder 3 would be worked to the extent appearing to be necessary,
simultaneously with the ordinary rudder 2, the rudder 3 emerging from its
housing 5, and thus meeting the water flowing past the ship. The second rudder 3
remains during this time entirely within its housing. Should the ship fitted with
the two side rudders be in danger of collision with another vessel, both of the
rudders 3 are turned round out of their housings 5, that is until they assume the
position indicated at the bottom of Fig. 1. In this position, they deaden the ship's
way considerably and as they are moved out of the vessel, so as to meet the
current of the water, as shown in Fig. 1, offering a slight resisting surface thereto,
and also allow it to flow off smoothly at the sides, they do not cause any violent or
sudden strain on the hull. Thus the rudders act at first not very powerfully,
their effect increasing only gradually, and only present their entire surface in
opposition to the water when the ship's rate of travelling has been considerably
reduced by their action. A special feature of the arrangement of the two rudders
consists in the same being serviceable at the same time to deaden the ship's way
and to steer the ship. As shown in Fig. 1, by way of example, one of the additional

page_text: rudders may be placed athwart ship, the other, however, being left at an angle
to the line of the ships' keel, (see the dotted line in Fig. 1). In this position, the
two rudders, as will be seen, considerably deaden the ships way, but as they still
assume different angles in relation to the line of the keel, the water is not diverted.
from the side by them with equal force, and consequently owing to the current of
water diverted in a side direction, the ship will turn on its vertical axis of gravity.
Thus, in case of necessity, the effect of the ordinary rudder 2 can be considerably
increased in this way, when the ship is not moving so fast, that the steering
apparatus 2 alone is capable of forcibly turning the ship round. For working
the two side rudders any preferred mechanism which is considered suitable may
be employed. In Figs. 1 and 2 a screw 6 is provided for this purpose. This may
be turned, for example, by means of a steam-engine 7. The screw engages with a
screw-wheel, segment 8, which is keyed on the shaft 4 of the particular rudder.
For starting the engine 7 the usual machinery and apparatus for such purposes
may be employed. These can be placed in a special small pilot-house on the
bridge or in any other part of the upper deck considered suitable.
It has already been mentioned that it is allowable to move the side rudders 3 with
increased angular velocity when they approach the athwartship position assumed
in Fig. 1 at the bottom, that is when by their gradually increased breaking" action
they have considerably reduced the speed of the ship. In Figs. 3 and 4 a device
for effecting a gradually accelerated angular motion of the side rudders, whilst the
engine 7 continues to make the same number of revolutions, is illustrated. The
tooth-segment S is replaced by another tooth-segment 9 which is not made con-
centrically but spirally to its axis of rotation 10. The lever arm of the segment 9
is thus continuously varied and assuming an uniform rotation of the screw 6,
there results a gradually accelerated rotation of the shaft 10. As this shaft 10 is
connected by means of the lever 11, the rod 12 and the lever 13 with the shaft 4
so as to transmit power, the uniformly accelerated motion of the segment 9 is
transmitted in the same manner or in approximately proportional manner to the
rudder 3. In Fig. 3 the rudder is represented in the athwartship position by
fully drawn lines, the dotted lines indicating the position of rest of the whole
apparatus. The engine may be furnished with a speed regulator for keeping it
at an uniform number of revolutions. In view of the foregoing description Fig. 4
will be understood without any further explanation. As the screw-shaft 14 in
working must execute an oscillating motion in the direction of the arrow 19, it
cannot be firmly fixed in the usual manner, but its bearing must oscillate with it.
In order to effect this, the segment 9 is furnished with a lever arm 15, to which the
two connecting rods 16 shown in Figs. 3 and 4 are linked. The ends of the rods 16
turned away from the lever 15 take hold of a half-axle bearing 18 through the
medium of two bolts 17, this half-axle bearing so embraces the free end of the
shaft 14, that the screw 6 remains constantly in engagement with the segment 9.
The upper rod 16 slides on the rim of the segment 9 and thereby prevents the
screw and screw-shaft 6 and 14 from sinking too deeply, that is, the screw 6 from
losing its right engagement with the segment 9. In the same degree as the
segment 9 turns in the one or the other direction, it follows the lever 15 and
therefore, through the medium of the rod 16, causes the screw G to keep in uniform
engagement with the segment 9.
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:―
1. Apparatus for increasing the steering effect of a ship and at the same time
deadening the ship's way in case of danger from collision, the distinguishing
feature of which is that rudders 3 arranged on both sides of the ship can be turned
outwards from the latter against the direction of the water flowing past the vessel
from stem to stern.

page_text: 2. Apparatus according to Claim 1, characterised by a segment 9 connected
with one or both of the side rudders, 3, and constructed similarly to a spiral, so
that it imparts to the rudders 3 a gradually accelerated motion opposed to the
direction of the ship's motion.
Dated this 2nd day of November 1899.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.