IMPROVEMENTS IN SHIP'S RUDDERS AND IN FITTINGS AND APPLIANCES CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Sir John Edmund Commerell of Onslow Gardens in the
County of Middlesex Knight Commander of the Most Honourable Order of
the Bath V.C. Admiral Royal Navy for an invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN
SHIP'S RUDDERS AND IN FITTINGS AND APPLIANCES CONNECTED THEREWITH
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Sir John Edmund Commerell
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd March 1882.
Sir JOHN EDMUND COMMERELL of Onslow Gardens in the County of Middlesex,
Knight Commander of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath V.C. Admiral
Royal Navy. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SHIP'S RUDDERS AND IN FITTINGS AND APPLIANCES
CONNECTED THEREWITH
"
My Invention relates to the construction of jury rudders or Main Rudders as
the case may be and their application to ships the object of my Invention being to
provide a serviceable jury or main rudder which can be fitted to a ship with facility
at sea should the rudder in use be rendered useless or be carried away.
According to my Invention, I provide a rudder post of metal preferably
cylindrical the said rudder post being of a length suited to the size and draught of
water of the ship for which it is provided. In the said post and in the direction
of its length I cut a slot or key way or slots or key ways in which I fit a key or
feather and I form a ring or eye on the top of the said post and at the upper part
of the said post I form a screw thread with which when the post is in its place a
nut or screw box is engaged the the underside of which nut or screw box bears on
friction rollers mounted in a collar surrounding the said post the said rollers
bearing on an ordinary rudder roller path. The post is thus supported vertically
and is retained in the required vertical position and lateral motion is prevented by
guides consisting of split collars supported in hatches fitted in each deck below the
upper deck or that on which the nut or screw box is fitted or bears.
I form the rudder blade in sections of any convenient width or depth preferably
of wood faced with metal and I joint each of the said sections at one end to a

page_text: socket or short tube of a size proper to fit over the rudder post the said sockets
when the rudder post is cylindrical having slots or key ways formed in their
interior with which when the sockets are passed over the rudder post the key or
feather thereon engages whereby the said sockets are prevented from turning on
the post and are guided into their proper places when the sections are being put
together to form the rudder blade. The said sections are or may be formed with
projections and recesses on their edges which engaging together assist in preventing
the separation of the sections when the rudder is built up. In order to lock the
said sections in their places I pass onto the rudder post a tube or collar (which I
term the lock tube) having a key way formed on its interior corresponding with
the key or feather on the rudder post and having formed at one end a foot or
projection which when the tube is in its place rests on the top or upper edge of the
upper section of the rudder. This tube is kept in place by the plate or hatch
by which the lowermost guide or split collar surrounding the rudder post is
supported the said tube bearing against the under surface of the said plate.
Ships to which my Invention is to be applied require to be fitted with the hatches
and guides and other parts hereinbefore referred to for supporting and guiding the
rudder post.
My Invention is used as follows:-In the event of the rudder in use being
rendered useless from any cause it is disengaged from the ship and cast adrift. My
rudder post is then by any suitable means (say by slinging it to the spanker boom
by means of the ring or eye hereinbefore referred to) guided through the guide in
the first or upper deck thence through the lower guide or guides in the deck or
decks below to the required position.
This being done the post is secured by gripping it by a clamp on a level with the
lower deck and one of the sections of which the rudder blade is to be composed is
passed onto the post as hereinbefore described and lowered to the level of the lower
deck. The post is then gripped by a clamp on a level with the first or upper
deck. The clamp on the lower deck is then removed and the section is passed
down the post the said section while being lowered into its place being held in a
vertical position by means of a line attached to it near its outer or free end. The
post is then clamped on a level with the lower deck the clamp on the upper deck
is removed and another section is passed down the post as hercin before described
with respect to the first section and so on till all the sections are lowered and in place
and the rudder blade is completely built up. Each section when its section is
lowered to its place on the post is allowed to turn on its joint and fall outward the
said sections resting one on the top of the other. When all the sections are thus
put in place, I pass the lock tube onto the post and I place the lowermost guide in
its place and screw down the lowermost hatch the lock tube being thus prevented
from rising. On the deck above which may be the main deck, or the upper deck I
fit another hatch upon the top of which is the rudder roller path consisting of an
iron plate. The friction roller collar is then placed over the post and the nut or
screw box is screwed down on the screw thread on the head of the post until the
underside of the said nut or screw box rests upon the rollers or upon a washer
placed on the said rollers. On the top of the said nut or screw box
screw a lock
nut through which I pass a piu and on the said post and below the deck on which
the aforesaid screw box bears I screw a nut which prevents or assists in preventing
the said post from being caused to jump by the action of the waves. The rudder is
now fitted properly for use and requires only to have a tiller applied to it which is
done in the ordinary way.
The lock tube may have wings or jaws formed at the sides of its foot and
projecting downward therefrom which wings or jaws when the tube is in its place
lie one on each side of the upper section of the rudder blade and assist in steadying
the said blade.
If desired the stern post of the ship for which the jury rudder is intended may
be provided with a strap or socket for the lower part of the rudder post to work
in. In this case I make the said lower part of the rudder post for say about a foot

page_text: of its length of a diameter equal to or rather more than the diameter of the other
parts of the said post plus the depth of the rib or feather thereon the object being
to admit of the rudder post passing freely down through the said strap or socket
in case of it being wished to clear the said post from the ship.
In lieu of the strap or socket at the bottom of the stern post a pintle and
gudgeon of the ordinary construction may be used in which case in order to cast
adrift a damaged rudder the rudder post must be lifted in order to remove the
pintle from its gudgeon. When the pintle is used it is desirable to prevent it from
turning about on the rudder post while the latter is being lowered. For this
purpose I lock the said pintle temporarily to the post by means of a pin or lug
formed on a ring which fits on the said rudder post and is capable of sliding freely
on it. The said ring being attached to a line it may be readily drawn up free
of the pintle when the post is in its place.
Instead of merely suspending the rudder post from the upper part as hereinbefore
described. It may be supported at the lower part either by resting its foot in a
socket closed at bottom or by forming a neck or collar at the foot of the post the
shoulder above the said neck resting on the upper edge of an open socket. In this
case should it be necessary to unslip the rudder post it must be raised clear of the
socket before being cast away.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Sir John Edmund Commerell in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
23rd September 1882.
Sir JOHN EDMUND COMMERELL of Onslow Garden's in the County of Middlesex,
Knight Commander of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath V.C. Admiral
Royal Navy. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SHIP'S RUDDERS AND IN FITTINGS AND APPLIANCES
CONNECTED THEREWITH."
My invention relates to the construction of jury rudders or main rudders as the
case may be and their application to ships the object of my Invention being to
provide a serviceable jury or Main Rudder which can be fitted to a ship with
facility at sea should the rudder in use be rendered useless or be carried away.
According to my Invention I provide a rudder post of metal preferably
cylindrical the said rudder post being of a length suited to the size and draught
of water of the ship for which it is provided. In the said post and in the direction
of its length I cut a slot or key way or slots or key ways in which I fit a key or
feather and I form a ring or eye on the top of the said post and at the upper part
of the said post I form a screw thread with which when the post is in its place
a nut or screw box is engaged the underside of which nut or screw box bear on
antifriction rollers mounted in a collar surrounding the said post the said rollers
bearing on an ordinary rudder roller path. The post thus supported vertically
and is retained in the required vertical position and lateral motion is prevented by
guides consisting of split collars supported in batches formed in halves and fitted
in each deck through which the rudder post passes.
I form the rudder blade in sections of any convenient width or depth and either
of wood faced with metal or of metal plates and I joint each of the said sections
at one end to a socket or short tube of a size proper to fit over the rudder post the
said sockets when the rudder post is cylindrical having slots or key ways formed
in their interior with which when the sockets are passed over the rudder post the
key or feather thereon engages whereby the said sockets are prevented from
turning on the post and are guided into their proper places when the sections are
being put together to form the rudder blade. The said sections when of wood
faced with metal are or may be formed with projections and recesses on their
edges which engaging together assist in preventing the separation of the sections
when the rudder is built up. When the said sections are formed of metal only
they consist of plates of iron or steel each of which except the lowermost one is
provided at its lower part with flanges formed of angle iron bolted thereto between
which flanges the upper part of the section next below engages when the sections
are put in place to form the rudder blade as hereinafter described. In order to
lock the said sections in their places I pass onto the rudder post a tube or collar
(which I termn the lock tube) having a key way formed on its interior corre-
sponding with the key or feather on the rudder post and having formed at one
end a foot or projection which when the tube is in its place rests on the top or
upper edge of the upper section of the rudder. This tube is kept in place by the
plate or hatch by which the lowermost guide or split collar surrounding the rudder
post is supported the said tube bearing against the undersurface of the said plate.
This arrangement also tends to prevent the rudder post from being caused to jump
by the action of the waves. To assist in preventing vertical motion of the said
post I pass a screw collar onto a screw thread on the post below the deck on which
the rudder roller path is fitted and secure the said collar in place by means of a

page_text: lock nut. Jaws or ribs are or may be formed on the underside of the foot or
projection on the lock tube which jaws or ribs when the said tube is in its place
lie one on each side of the upper section of the rudder blade and assist in steadying
the said blade.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a vertical section of part of the stern
of a ship showing the application thereto of a rudder and fittings and appliances
constructed according to my Invention. Figures 2 to 11 both inclusive of the said
drawings represent details hereinafter referred to drawn to a larger scale than
Figure 1. The same letters and figures of reference indicate the same parts in the
said Figures 1 to 11 of the drawings
a² is the rudder post shown separately in transverse section in Figure 2. The
upper part of the said post and the parts in connection therewith are shown
separately in Figure 3 the post being in elevation and the parts in connection in
vertical section. a² (Figure 2) is the key or feather fitted in the key way in the
said post a³ is the eye on the top of the post a¹ is the screw thread formed at the
upper part of the post and as is another screw thread formed on the said post near
its upper end. bis is the screw box which is engaged with the screw thread a*
and which is secured by a lock nut c¹ which when in place is prevented from
turning by a pin c2 passed through coincident holes in it and the rudder post a¹.
d, d are the anti-friction rollers on which the screw box b rests. d' is the collar
on which the said rollers are mounted and d² is the rudder roller path on which
they bear.
e, e are the split collars constituting guides by which lateral motion of the
rudder post a¹ is prevented and f¹ f2f3 are the hatches supporting the said collars
and fitted in and bolted to the decks through which the rudder post passes. One
of the said hatches with the split collar in position is shown separately in plan in
Figure 4.
g', g are the sections of which the rudder blade is composed the said sections
consisting of plates of iron or steel, g², g² are the sockets to which the said sections
are connected by pins or bolts 9393 passing through holes formed in the said
sections and in jaws g' g' formed on the said sockets. Each of the plates g', g' is
thus hinged to its socket. 95, 9 are the flanges of angle iron with which each of
the sections except the lowermost one is provided and by which the sections
are engaged together when in place.
One of the said sections is shown separately in plan in Figure 5 in side elevation
in Figure 6 in end elevation in Figure 7 and in transverse section in Figure 8.
is the lock tube (shown separately in vertical section and plan in Figures 9
and 10 respectively) 2 is the key way formed in its interior h³ is the foot or
projection at its end and h' is one of two jaws. or ribs on the underside of the
said foot or projection which when the tube is in place lie one on each side of the
uppermost section and assist in preventing the rudder blade from turning, on
the post. is the screw collar which is engaged with the screw thread as on the
rudder post a¹ and is the lock nut by which the said screw collar is secured.
My invention is used as follows, In the event of the rudder in use being
rendered unserviceable from any cause it is disengaged from the ship and cast
adrift. The rudder post a¹ is then by any suitable means (say by slinging it to
the spanker boom by means of the ring or eye a³) guided through the aperture in
the hatch fl of the first or upper deck thence through the apertures in the
hatches f f in the decks below to the required position and the split collars e e.
are put in place. This being done the post a¹ is secured by gripping it by a
suitable clamp on a level with the lower deck and one of the sections g¹ of which
the rudder blade is to be composed is passed onto the post in the following way.
The hatches f1f2 are removed the socket g² of the lowermost section is placed
over the top of the post, the blade g¹ of the said section is then turned on its joint
pin g³ until the blade is upright as shown in Figure 11 a line is then attached to
the outer or free end of the said blade by. which it is retained in its upright

page_text: position and the section is lowered down the post until it is stopped by the clamp
herein before referred to. The post a' is then gripped by a clamp on a level with
the first or upper deck. The clamp first referred to is removed and the section is
further lowered until it rests on an enlargement as formed at the bottom of the
post. The blade gl is then allowed to fall outward and the line is detached from
it. The post is then again clamped on a level with the lower deck the clamp on
the upper deck is removed and another section is passed down the post as herein-
before described with respect to the first section and so on until all the sections are
lowered and in place and the rudder blade is completely built up. The lock tube h¹
is then lowered down the post until its foot h³ rests on the upper section. The
hatch and the split collar e supported by it are then put in place and the said
tube is thus prevented from rising. The hatch f2 and split collars on the deck
next above are then put in place and the screw collar and lock nut ³ are passed
down the post and screwed onto the screw thread as on the said post. The
uppermost hatch f' and split collar are then put in place and the said screw
collar is screwed up until it bears against the underside of the said hatch. The
rudder roller path d and anti friction rollers d, d are then placed over the post
and the nut or screw box b is screwed onto the head of the post the lock nut c¹ is
screwed down onto the said screw box b¹ the pin c³ is then passed through the
said nut and post the tiller j is secured in place and the clamp is removed from
the post. The rudder is then ready for use.
Instead of mounting the roller path on the upper deck it may be mounted on
one of the decks below the upper deck. The deck or decks above that on which
the said roller path is mounted is or are in this case provided with simple hatches
to admit of the rudder post being lowered. In this case the rudder post need be
only of sufficient length to project above the deck on which the roller path is
fitted.
Although I prefer to form the rudder post cylindrical as herein before described
the said post may be of any other suitable figure in transverse section. When the
said post is thus formed the rib or feather arrangement for preventing the turning
of the sections of the rudder blade thereon is not required. The said rudder post
whether cylindrical or of other form may be made in one length or be divided into
several lengths the said lengths being secured together by a socket and screw
arrangement or otherwise.
Instead of providing the rudder post with a key or feather and forming grooves
or key ways in the interior of the sockets of the sections of the rudder blade
the arrangement may be reversed i. e. a groove may be formed in the post and
the sockets may be provided with projections which engage with the said
groove..
If desired the stern post of the ship for which the jury rudder is intended may
be provided with a strap or socket for the lower part of the rudder post to work
in. In this case I make the said lower part of the rudder post of a diameter
equal to or rather more than the diameter of the other parts of the said post plus
the depth of the rib or feather thereon the object being to admit of the rudder
post passing freely down through the said strap or socket in case of it being wished
to clear the said post from the ship.
This arrangement is illustrated in Figure 12 of the accompanying drawings in
which figure is the strap or socket secured to the stern post of the ship
and a is the enlarged lower part of the rudder post which works in the said
socket.
When my rudder is intended for use with a ship fitted with a rudder which
works on pintles engaged with gudgeons on the stern post and and it is desired
to support my said rudder at the lower end I connect the said lower end with a
pintle as illustrated in Figure 13 of the accompanying drawings in which figure
is the pintle which is so connected to the rudder post as to allow the latter.to
rotate within the former which is supported by engaging it with one or other of

page_text: the gudgeons m, m on the stern post. When this arrangement is used it is desirable
to lock the pintle to the rudder post so as to prevent the said pintle turning on the
post while it is being lowered. This I effect by the means illustrated in Figure 14
of the accompanying drawings that is I pass over or onto the post a ring n on the
inner periphery of which a groove n¹ is formed which engages with the rib or
feather on the said post which ring is also engaged with the pintle by means of
the pin n which passes into a hole in the said pintle (see Figure 13). The said
ring is provided with eyes n³ n³ to which lines are attached by which it may be
drawn up free of the pintle and removed from the post when the latter is in place.
The ring n is shown separately in plan in Figure 15.
Instead of merely suspending the rudder post from the upper part as herein-
before described it may also be supported at the lower part either by resting its
foot in a socket closed at bottom or by forming a neck or collar at the foot of the
post the shoulder above the said neck or the said collar resting on the upper edge
of an open socket. In this case should it be necessary to unship the rudder post
it must be raised clear of the socket before being cast away.
These arrangements are illustrated in Figures 16 and 17 of the accompanying
drawings. Figure 16 being an elevation of the rudder blade and part of the
rudder post with its foot resting in the closed socket and Figure 17 being an
elevation of the rudder blade and part of the rudder post which is supported on
the upper edge of the open socket a being the collar or shoulder on the post which
rests on the said socket and as being the neck formed below the said shoulders
which neck works in the said socket. Figure 18 is a vertical section of the lower
part of the post and the closed socket illustrated in Figure 16 and Figure 19 is a
vertical section of the lower part of the rudder post and the open socket illustrated
in Figure 17.
Having thus described the nature of my invention and the manner in which it
is to be performed I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to the
precise details described as they may be varied without departing from the nature
of my Invention but I claim as my said invention of "Improvements in ships
rudders and in fittings and appliances connected therewith."
First A rudder consisting of a blade formed in sections each of which has a
socket jointed to it the several sections of the blade being connected to the rudder
post by passing their sockets over or onto the said post substantially as hereinbefore
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings
Secondly-The arrangements herein before described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings for engaging the sections of a rudder blade formed as
hereinbefore described with the rudder post that is to say providing the said post
with a rib feather or key and forming a groove or key way on the interior of each
of the sockets of the said sections. Or providing the interior of the said
sockets with ribs or feathers and forming a groove or key way on the said
post.
Thirdly The arrangement herein before described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings for locking the said sections in position on the rudder
post that is to say a tube or trunk surrounding the rudder post and bearing at its
lower end on the top of the upper section and at its upper end against the underside
of the lowermost hatch.
Fourthly The arrangement herein before described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings of hatches formed in halves supporting split collars or
bushes surrounding the rudder post and forming guides for the said post to
work in.
Fifthly The arrangement herein before described and illustrated in the accom-
panying drawings for suspending a rudder formed as hereinbefore described the
said arrangement consisting of a screw box or nut engaged with a screw thread on
the head of the rudder post and resting on rollers bearing on an ordinary rudder
roller path.

page_text: Sixthly. The general combination and arrangement of parts constituting the
improved rudder hereinbefore described and illustrated in Figure 1 of the
accompanying drawings
In witness whereof I the said Sir John Edmund Commerell have hereunto
set my hand and seal this twenty second day of September in the year of
our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
JOHN EDMUND COMMERELL, (L.S.)