IMPROVE- MENTS IN STEERING GEAR
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward James Harland, Gustav Wilhelm Wolff, Walter
Henry Wilson and William James Pirrie all of Queen's Island 'County' of
Down, Ireland, Shipbuilders and Engineers for an Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN STEERING GEAR
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward James Harland,
Gustav Wilhelm Wolff, Walter Henry Wilson and William James Pirrie at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th September 1882.
EDWARD JAMES HARLAND, GUSTAV WILHELM WOLFF, WALTER HENRY
WILSON and WILLIAM JAMES PIRRIE all of Queen's Island County of Down
Ireland Shipbuilders and Engineers
"IMPROVEMENTS IN STEERING GEAR
"
The present practice of placing the steam steering gear as close as possible to the
tiller or quadrant of steam vessels has brought to light the fact that on account of
the deficiency in length and the greater rigidity consequent thereon of the steering
ropes chains or rods the oft recurring concussions or blows produced by seas
striking the rudder lead to the serious wear and tear of various parts of the
steering apparatus.
Our improvement consists in applying springs to the arms spokes or other part
of the steering tiller, yoke or quadrant so that there will be an elastic medium
between the rudder head and the steering chains, ropes or rods which will permit
the chains ropes or rods to be always kept equally tight and yet allow the rudder
to yield to severe shocks.
.
We make the quadrant by preference with five arms, each arm consists of two
springs, each spring is made up of a number of corrugated tempered sheets of steel.
The inside ends of the springs are bolted to arms on the boss or nave, the outside
ends are secured by bolts to the forked forgings rivetted to the periphery. Each
tempered spring leaf is made so as to be interchangeable with any other. The
tiller moves slack between the plates forming the periphery and is fitted with
nipping gear. In the event of it being necessary to put on or take off a spring
leaf the tiller can be nipped between the rim plates thereby sustaining the efficiency
D

page_text: of the arrangement for steering the ship by the steering gear or by relieving tackle
attached to the end of the tiller. Elastic stoppers at each end of the slot in which
the tiller moves prevent the arms of the quadrant from being sprung beyond the
amount for which they are designed. Elastic stoppers coming against projections
on the rim plates check the quadrant or rim when hard over.
Or a boss or nave with arms may be keyed on the rudder post, each arm carries
two or more spiral dished or other form of springs opposite to one another and
embracing the arms of another boss or nave working loose on the rudder post, the
arms of this boss or nave have angle iron rims for the steering chains.
Or a quadrant, yoke or tiller may work loose on the rudder post; two or more
of the arms or spokes being embraced by the ends of two. or more crescent shaped
or locomotive springs, these springs being attached to a boss or nave keyed to the
rudder post
Or the arms of a quadrant yoke or tiller may be made with one or more S curves
or complete helices thereby imparting to them a certain amount of elasticity.
By the introduction of an elastic medium between the rudder and the steering
ropes chains or rods and an arrangement of elastic stoppers we do away with the..
destructive action on the various parts of the steering apparatus caused by a sea
striking the rudder and permit a considerable movement of the rudder from the
same cause without appreciably affecting the steering ropes chains or rods or con-
veying this movement to them. This improvement therefore allows the steering
-ropes chains or rods to be always kept properly taut and at the same time prevents
the links or rope from being unduly stretched or strained.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Edward James Harland, Gustav Wilhelm Wolff, Walter Henry
Wilson and William James Pirrie in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
29th March 1883.
EDWARD JAMES HARLAND, GUSTAV WILHELM WOLFF, WALTER HENRY
WILSON and WILLIAM JAMES PIRRIE all of Queen's Island; County of Down,
Ireland, Shipbuilders and Engineers "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEERING GEAR"
This improvement consists in applying springs to the arms, spokes or other parts
of steering tillers yokes or quadrants, so as to form an elastic medium between the
rudder head and the points of attachment of the steering chains, ropes, or rods,
which while permitting said chains ropes or rods to remain equally tight on both
sides, will allow the rudder to yield to sudden shocks, such as from seas striking
it, and so prevent the excessive wear and tear of the various parts of the steering
apparatus from recurring concussions, which otherwise occurs in all arrangements
of steering gear, but more especially when the steering machine, either hand or
steam, is placed near the tiller, yoke or quadrant with but short lengths of steering
chains, ropes, or rods between them.
This our improvement, may be carried out by various arrangements of springs
interposed between the rudder head, and the steering chains, ropes or rods, three
modes are illustrated by the Drawings annexed, which we will now proceed to
describe.
Figures 1 and 2 shew a plan and vertical section of one arrangement. It is
composed of a tiller wheel with six arms, five of which (A) each consist of two
springs (N), each made up of a number of plain or corrugated, tempered plates of
steel, each being interchangeable with the others. The inside ends of the springs
are bolted to arms on the boss or nave (M), and the outside ends are secured also
by bolts to the forked forgings (B) rivetted to the outer rim (V) of the tiller. The
sixth arm (C) moves loosely between the plates of the rim its travel being limited
by the elastic stoppers (K) at each end of the slot, which prevent the spring arms
from being sprung to an undue extent, the arm (C), is also provided with suitable
clamping screw (D) or other arrangement, so that in the event of an accident to
any of the springs, the rim and steering chains may be worked by the arm (C), or
the latter may be used as a tiller for attaching relieving tackles to. Elastic
stoppers secured to the projection (H) on the rim plates, check the travel of the
latter, when the rudder is hard over, by coming in contact with the stoppers (E)
which are connected with the framework of the ship.
Figure 3 is a plan view and Figure 4 an elevation partly in section of a second
arrangement in which springs are applied to a steering yoke. It consists of an
ordinary yoke, with the usual plate and angle iron segments for the steering chains
a section taken through one of the segments is shewn at Figure 5. The yoke
works loose on the rudder stock, and has four brackets (P) bolted to the plates,
these brackets hold swivelling blocks (R) through which the ends of the grouped
springs (N) are passed. These grouped or combined springs, are bolted to the
centre block (M), this block being secured to the rudder stock by keys, or other
approved method. It will be thus seen, that the yoke has a certain amount of
travel, or swing, governed by the stops (K), and meeting with a quickly increasing
resistance as the springs are bent. In the event of the springs breaking, the
stops (K) prevent the rudder from going adrift, and allow the bolts (T) to be
shipped so as to lock the yoke to the block (M). Relieving tackle can be placed
on the end of the tiller (C).

page_text: Figure 6 shews a plan view and Figure 7 an elevation partly in section of
another arrangement of spring yoke, with the springs in four groups secured to
the arms of the block (M), this block is keyed to the rudder stock, and has at top
and bottom a turned groove, in which the yoke arms (A) move under control of
the springs, the ends of these arms carry angle iron segments (V) for the steering
chains, as well as the swivelling blocks (R) in which the ends of the groups of
springs (N) slide. The stops (K) prevent the rudder from going adrift should the
springs break and allow the bolts (T) to be shipped so as to lock the yoke arms to
'the arms of the block (M).
By constructing the tiller yoke quadrant or other lever for working the rudder
BO as in itself to form an elastic medium between the rudder and the steering chains
ropes or rods the destructive effects heretofore occasioned by seas striking the
rudder are avoided as considerable movement is allowed to the rudder without its
being possible for any sudden strain to come upon the steering chains ropes or
rods or through them the steering apparatus itself.
Having thus described the nature of our invention and what we consider to be
the best methods for carrying our invention into practice we would have it under-
stood that we do not limit ourselves to the exact details described as other forms
and combinations of springs either straight spiral or volute or other form may be
adopted and applied in various ways to effect the same object we would also have
it understood that we do not claim the interposition of springs between the steering
gear or engine and the attachment of the steering chains or other connections to
the tiller yoke or quadrant but what we claim is :-
First. The construction of the tiller yoke or quadrant or other lever for working
the rudder so as in itself to form an elastic medium, between the rudder and the
'steering chains ropes or rods substantially as herein before described.
Second. The various constructions of steering tillers yokes or-quadrants substan-
tially as herein before described and shewn in the Drawings annexed.
In witness whereof I, the said Walter Henry Wilson have. hereunto set my
hand and seal this Twenty second day of March in the year of our Lord;
One thousand eight hundred and eighty three.