Improvements in Steering Apparatus for Vessels.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Feb., 1899-Accepted, 1st Apr.,
1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Steering Apparatus for Vessels.
I, JAMES GILBERT FOSTER, of 16, East 87th Street, Manhattan, in the City of
New York, in the United States of America, Lawyer, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particu-
larly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The invention consists of a paddle wheel located at the stern of the vessel below
the water level on an axis parallel with the keel, with one half or thereabout, pre-
ferably the upper half, covered by a hood, and connected with a suitable motor
within the ship for rotating it in either direction at will so that the side not
covered by the hood will cause lateral divergence of the stern one way or the other
according to the direction of rotation of the wheel as hereinafter described reference
being made to the accompanying drawings in which:
―:
Fig. 1, is a side elevation of a stern portion of a ship with the improved steering
apparatus applied, and
Fig. 2, is a section on an enlarged scale on line a.
Behind the stern post a and preferably above the bearing of the propeller shaft,
in the case of a steam ship,-is mounted a small paddle wheel c, on an axis d
parallel with the keel with a hood e over the upper half-more or less of the
wheel, said wheel being geared in any approved way with an electric or other
suitable driving motor within the ship for rotating it more or less rapidly either
way at the will of the pilot, whereby the paddles will while passing through the
lower portion of their circuit impel the stern sidewise, the direction being
determined by the direction in which the wheel is rotated. The hood over the
upper part of the wheel deflects the water escaping from it so that its reactionary
effect does not materially oppose the lateral impulse which the paddles get in the
lower part of their course.
This improved steering device may be used as auxiliary to a rudder g or as the
sole means of steering, and it is applicable to sailing vessels and paddle wheel
boats as well as screw propelled boats.
The hood may be located over the upper side of the wheel or under the lower side
with practically the same results, but at the present time it is believed to be pre-
ferable to locate as represented in the drawing or practically so.
Although the steering paddle wheel or device is represented and described as
located at the stern of the vessel it is obvious that it will give practically the
same results if located at the bow, and the invention is not limited in this respect,
but the steering paddle wheel or device will be located at either end as preferred
and such a wheel may be employed at each eud, especially in the case of vessels
that may be required to turn in small circles.
It is to be noted that with such means of steering, a vessel may be turned when
not under headway. An especial advantage of it is to avoid collisions in an
emergency, and to facilitate working the vessel into slips, and changing her position
thereon. It will avoid the necessity of putting out cables and pulling on them
by the men or the windlass.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:
The combination with the hull of a vessel, of an exterior steering paddle wheel
or device, located at one end, below the water level with its axis parallel with the
keel, and with a part covered by a hood and geared with a motor for rotating it in
either direction substantially as described.
PHILIP M. JUSTICE,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London,
Chartered Patent Agent for the Applicant.