IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR STEERING SHIPS OR VESSELS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Francis William Willcox, of Sunderland, in the County
of Durham, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR STEERING
SHIPS OR VESSELS."
*
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Francis William Willcox at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th April 1881.
FRANCIS WILLIAM WILLCOX, of Sunderland, in the County of Durham.
IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR STEERING SHIPS OR VESSELS."
My Invention has for object to render unnecessary and to dispense with the
presence (for steering purposes) of steam engines or other steam appliances upon
the decks or in the chart or steering houses of vessels, and to avoid the noise and
vibration incidental to the use of steering gear when driven by steam engines,
either directly or through spur, worm, or bevil gearing.
According to my Invention the cylinder or cylinders of hydraulic steering gear
is or are supplied with the necessary operating fluid under pressure by pumps
worked by engines located in the engine room of the ship, or in other situation
where they will be in the charge of the engineer of the vessel, who will be able to
bestow upon them that skilled attention required by all steam worked engines,
without having to leave his engine room, and where the heat and grease incidental
to steam engines will be in no way objectionable, the fluid under pressure being
conveyed by a pipe or pipes from the pumps to the steering gear, and after
discharge from the hydraulic cylinder or cylinders returned by another pipe
(or pipes) to a tank from which the pumps draw. Steam is constantly admitted
to the valve chests of the engines, which work at all times; and so long as the
pressure of fluid on the pistons or plungers of the pumps does not balance the
pressure of steam on the pistons of the engines, the exhaust steam from
ו6l....

page_text: the engines will be discharged into the condenser of the main engine or overboard
at pleasure of engineer in charge.
In one form of the hydraulic steering gear that I employ there are two hydraulic
cylinders, each fitted with a stuffing box adapted for either cup leathers or other
packings. Through these stuffing boxes work two rams having projections or
collars upon their lower ends to prevent them from being forced out of the stuffing
boxes in the event of a chain breaking, and cross heads upon their upper ends,
which crossheads have shoes that slide upon guide bars, and take off any side
strain from the ram. Two cast iron sheaves are carried by each crosshead (one at
each side of the ram), and one on the side of each cylinder; and at the base of each
cylinder is also fitted a leading pulley by which the chain is led to and from the
tiller. Attached to the top of each crosshead is a recoil chain connecting the
two rams, and passing over rollers carried in brackets on the main frame. The
object of this chain is to prevent either of the rams falling should a pipe burst.
At the back of and midway between the two hydraulic cylinders is a chain wheel
by which the rudder chain can be operated by hand, when for any reason the
hydraulic gear is not available. This wheel is keyed on a shaft upon which is also
keyed a worm wheel driven by a worm on a short vertical or inclined shaft
actuated by bevil gear from the hand steering wheel shaft. The chains are so led
that the gear can be worked either by hand or power without the use of clutches.
The arrangement of the chain is as follows:-Beginning at the starboard side, it is
led from the tiller quadrant, and passes under the leading pulley at the base of the
starboard cylinder, over the after sheave on the ram of the same cylinder, under
the sheave on the side of the cylinder, up over the forward sheave on the ram,
down and under the chain wheel of the hand gear (which ordinarily forms a fixed
point), up over the forward sheave on the port ram, down and under the sheave on
the side of the port cylinder, over the after sheave on the port ram, and down
under the port leading pulley, and away to the tiller quadrant on the port side.
It will thus be seen that if the starboard ram be raised and the port ram be
lowered, the starboard chain will be drawn in, and the port chain let out, and vice
vered. When it is desired to use the hand gear, the rams are put in the mid stroke
position and secured by pawls, whereupon by turning the steering wheel in the
usual manner, the steering chain is hauled in and paid out over the various
pulleys, which are constructed of a large size so as to offer but little frictional
resistance.
The valve gear is arranged to be worked either from the flying bridge or from
the wheelhouse. It is so constructed that it will permit of the steering gear working
50 long only as the small steering wheel is moved by the steersman, and directly he
ceases moving the steering wheel, the valve gear automatically closes the ports
communicating with the hydraulic cylinders, the valve being brought back to the
cut off point by the motion of the rams.
With the view to mitigate the shock when the rudder is struck by a sea,
a communication is provided between each of the cylinder supply pipes and the
pressure side of the slide valve, such communications being provided with valves so
arranged that directly the pressure in either cylinder becomes greater than in the
valve chest, its relief valve opens and the ram is permitted to yield. The
movement of the ram opens the admission port, and the rudder is again auto-
matically returned to the position it occupied before being moved by the sea.
The motive power for supplying the hydraulic apparatus with fluid consists, by
preference, of a pair of small engines fitted with "three valve" displacing pumps,
and situated in the engine room of the vessel.
The fluid I employ is glycerine, or it may be a mixture of glycerine and water,
or other liquid.
By this means I guard against the effects of frost and provide a lubricant for the
various moving parts that permits of the use of cup leathers.
The hydraulic gear according to my Invention may be modified by the

page_text: employment of one cylinder instead of two. I prefer to place the cylinder in
such a modification in a horizontal position, and to provide it with a leather
packed piston with two oppositely extending rods, each of which works through
a stuffing box in the cylinder cover towards which it is directed. The arrangement
of the pulleys and the other mechanism may be similar to that herein-above
described.
The framing of my apparatus is so constructed that all the strains are self
contained, and that none of them, excepting the power required to move the
rudder, are transmitted to the deck.
It will be evident that the arrangement of my hydraulic steering gear can be
modified in various ways without departing from the principles of my Invention.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, and
of an Order of the Lord Chancellor filed by the said Francis William Willcox
in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 15th October 1881.
FRANCIS WILLIAM WILLCOX, of Sunderland, in the County of Durham.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR STEERING SHIPS OR VESSELS."
My Invention has for object to render unnecessary and to dispense with the
presence (for steering purposes) of steam engines or other steam appliances upon
the decks, or in the chart or steering houses of vessels, and to avoid the noise and
vibration incidental to the use of steering gear when driven by steam engines
either directly or through spur, worm, or bevil gearing.
According to my Invention the cylinder or cylinders of hydraulic steering gear
is or are supplied with the necessary operating fluid under pressure by pumps
worked by engines located in the engine-room of the ship, or in other proximate
situation (included by me hereafter under the expression "engine room"), where
they will be in the charge of the engineer of the vessel, who will be able to bestow
upon them that skilled attention required by all steam worked engines without
having to leave his engine room, and where the heat and grease incidental to
steam engines will be in no way objectionable, the fluid under pressure being
conveyed by a pipe or pipes from the pumps to the steering gear, and after dis-
charge from the hydraulic cylinder or cylinders returned by another pipe (or pipes)
to a tank from which the pumps draw. Steam is constantly admitted to the valve
chests of the engines which work at all times; and so long as the pressure of fluid
on the pistons or plungers of the pumps does not balance the pressure of steam on
the pistons of the engines, the exhaust steam from the engines will be discharged
into the condenser of the main engine or overboard at pleasure of engineer in
charge.
Referring to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, Fig. 1 is an end elevation,
and Fig. 2 a side elevation of a steering apparatus according to my Invention.
1, 1, are two hydraulic cylinders, each fitted with a stuffing box 2 adapted for
either cup leathers or other packings. Through these stuffing boxes work two
rams 3, 3, having projections or collars upon their lower ends to prevent them
from being forced out of the stuffing boxes in the event of a chain breaking, and
crossheads 4, 4, upon their upper ends, which crossheads have shoes 4 that slide
upon guide bars 4b and take off any side strain from the ram. Two cast iron
sheaves 5, 5, are carried by each crosshead (one at each side of the ram), and one 6
on the side of each cylinder, and at the base of each cylinder is also fitted a
leading pulley 7 by which the chain is led to and from the tiller. Attached to
the top of each crosshead is a recoil chain 8 connecting the two rams and passing
over rollers 9, 9, carried in brackets on the main frame. The object of this chain
is to prevent either of the rams falling should a pipe burst. At the back of and
midway between the two hydraulic cylinders is a chain wheel 10, by which the
rudder chain can be operated by hand when for any reason the hydraulic gear is
not available. This wheel is keyed on a shaft, upon which is also keyed the worm
wheel 11 driven by the worm 12 on a short vertical or inclined shaft 13, actuated
by bevil gear from the hand steering wheel shaft 14. The chains are so led that
the gear can be worked either by hand or power without the use of clutches. The
arrangement of the chain is as follows:-Beginning at the starboard side it is led
from the tiller quadrant, and passes under the leading pulley 7 at the base of the
starboard cylinder, over the after sheave 5 on the ram of the same cylinder, under
the sheave 6 on the side of the cylinder, up over the forward sheave on the ram 5,
down and under the chain wheel 10 of the hand gear (which ordinarily forms a
fixed point), up over the forward sheave on the port ram, down and under the
sheave on the side of the port cylinder, over the after sheave on the port ram, and
down under the port leading pulley 7, and away to the tiller quadrant on the port
side. It will thus be seen that if the starboard ram be raised and the port ram be
lowered, the starboard chain will be drawn in and the port chain let out, and

page_text: vice versa. When it is desired to use the hand gear the rams are put in the
midstroke position and secured by pawls 15, whereupon by turning the steering
wheel in the usual manner the steering chain is hauled in and paid out over the
various pulleys, which are constructed of a large size so as to offer but little
frictional resistance.
The valve gear is arranged to be worked either from the flying bridge by the
small wheel 16 or from the wheel house. It is so constructed that it will permit of
the steering gear working so long only as the small steering wheel is moved by the
steersman, and directly he ceases moving the steering wheel the valve gear
automatically closes the ports communicating with the hydraulic cylinders, the
valve being brought back to the cut off point by the motion of the rams. This is
effected by the rack 17 attached to the crosshead of the ram, and gearing with a
pinion 18 connected by bevel wheels 19 to the internally threaded wheel 20, in
which the screw from the hand wheel works.
With the view to mitigate the shock when the rudder is struck by a sea, a com-
munication is provided between each of the cylinder supply pipes and the pressure
side of the slide valve, such communications being provided with valves so arranged
that directly the pressure in either cylinder becomes greater than in the valve
chest, its relief valve opens and the ram is permitted to yield. The movement of
the ram opens the admission port and the rudder is again automatically returned
to the position it occupied before being moved by the sea.
The motive power for supplying the hydraulic apparatus with fluid consists, by
preference, of a pair of small engines fitted with "three valve" displacing pumps,
and situated in the engine room of the vessel.
The fluid I employ is glycerine, or it may be a mixture of glycerine, and water or
other liquid.
By this means I guard against the effects of frost, and provide a lubricant for
the various moving parts that permits of the use of cup leathers.
The hydraulic gear according to my Invention may be modified by the
employment of one cylinder instead of two. I prefer to place the cylinder in such
a modification in a horizontal position, and to provide it with a leather packed
piston with two oppositely extending rods, each of which works through a stuffing
box in the cylinder cover towards which it is directed. The arrangement of the
pulleys and the other mechanism may be similar to that hereinabove described.
The framing of my apparatus is so constructed that all the strains are self
contained, and that none of them, excepting the power required to move the
rudder, are transmitted to the deck.
It will be evident that the arrangement of my hydraulic steering gear can be
modified in various ways without departing from the principles of my Invention.
Having described the nature of the said Invention, and explained the manner
of carrying the same into practical effect, I hereby declare that what I consider to be
novel and original, and therefore claim as secured to me under the Letters
Patent herein before in part recited is,--
1. Constructing and arranging apparatus for steering ships or vessels, substantially
as hereinabove described and illustrated.
2. The method of working hydraulic steering apparatus, such as above referred
to, from the engine room, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Francis William Willcox, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twelfth day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.