A STEERING INDICATOR, OR A MACHINE OR APPARATUS FOR INDICATING TO THE EYE BY DAY AND NIGHT THE POSITION AND MOVEMENT OF THE RUDDERS OF VESSELS
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Nicolai Christian Franzen, of Hamburg, for the
Invention of "A STEERING INDICATOR, OR A MACHINE OR APPARATUS FOR
INDICATING TO THE EYE BY DAY AND NIGHT THE POSITION AND MOVEMENT OF
THE RUDDERS OF VESSELS."
Sealed the 21st June 1867, and dated the 28th December 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Nicolai Christian Franzen
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
28th December 1866.
I, NICOLAI CHRISTIAN FRANZEN, of Hamburg, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "A STEERING INDICATOR, OR A MACHINE OR APPARATUS
FOR INDICATING TO THE EYE BY DAY AND NIGHT THE POSITION AND MOVEMENT Or
THE RUDDERS OF VESSELS," to be as follows:-
My Invention has for its object to indicate the position of the rudder to the
officer in command and others, and consists in the construction and application
upon the vessel's deck of a steering indicator, so located that it can be easily
and plainly observed from various parts of the vessel, such indicator shewing
a dial plate and an index or pointer, or colored lights traversing over such
dial, and so connected with the rudder or steering gear that as the rudder is
moved the index will change position, or differently colored lights will be

page_text: shewn, and thereby indicate to the eye at all times by day or night the exact
position and movement of the rudder. The officer in command is thus able
at a glance to ascertain the rudder's position; such indicator is best placed
over the rudder or steering gear. The dial plate is circular, and of thick
white glass, firmly set in a framing large enough to contain all the mechanism
required. In front of such dial plate is a dark band or index contrasting in
color with the dial plate, and fixed to one end of a horizontal stem or axle
connected by gearing with a vertical spindle, so connected with the steering
gear that as the rudder is turned the spindle will be rotated, thereby turning
the stem and moving the index on the dial, so that it thus indicates the
rudder's movements. The index is so arranged with respect to the rudder
and dial that when the helm is "steady" the index points vertically upward.
When the order is "port," and rudder moved accordingly, the index moves
down on the dial towards the left 45°. For "hard-a-port" it moves down
further until it rests in horizontal position. If the order from "steady"
is "starboard" the index moves over the dial towards the right 45°, and for
"hard-a-starboard" it moves down further until it rests horizontally. The
index travelling on the outside of the dial acts as a day indicator, the contrast
between the index and dial quickly catching the eye; such index moves only
over the upper half of the dial plate.
To produce a night indicator, when the index is not perceptible, colored
lights are shown in the lower half of the dial, such lights generally being
white, red, and green, corresponding with those required by law on steamers.
The indicator for such colored lights is constructed substantially as follows:-
Upon the stem which carries the index, but behind the transparent dial
plate, is fitted an opaque disc or plate as large as the dial plate, but
revolving with the stem. In one side of such opaque disc, and extending
from the centre to or towards the periphery, is an opening (generally of
the same form or outline as the index pointer to prevent confusion), ]
through which opening light produced by a lamp placed behind the opaque
plate passes and shows upon the transparent dial plate. The opening
in the opaque plate radiates from the centre in a direction opposite to
that taken by the index moving outside the dial, and causes the colored
lights to show on the lower half of the dial. Between the transparent dial
and the opaque plate are plates of differently colored glass, so that differently
colored lights will be shown as the opening in the opaque plate takes different
positions. For instance, when the helm is "steady," say, a white light is
shown standing vertically downward from the centre of the dial. As the
helm is turned "port" a red light is shown moving upwards towards the right,

page_text: which for "hard-a-port" is horizontal. When the helm is turned for "star-
board" a green light is shown moving upward toward the left, such light
standing horizontally for "hard-a-starboard." A reflector would make the
lights appear strong and distinct.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Nicolai Christian Franzen in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 27th June 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, NICOLAI
CHRISTIAN FRANZEN, of Hamburg, send greeting,
.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Nicolai Christian Franzen, Her special licence that I, the said Nicolai
Christian Franzen, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Nicolai Christian Franzen, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "A STEERING INDICATOR, OR A MACHINE OR APPARATUS FOR:
INDICATING TO THE EYE BY DAY AND NIGHT THE POSITION AND MOVEMENT OF THE
RUDDERS OF VESSELS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Nicolai Christian Franzen, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be
filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Nicolai Christian Franzen, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same.is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
On shipboard it is desirable at all times, and particularly in times of danger
and in other emergencies, and when steamers are approaching each other, that
the officer in command, whenever he may happen to be on.his vessel's deck,
should have the means of knowing the exact position of the ship's rudder, and

page_text: ould know how fully, or how imperfectly, the man" at the helm may have
beyed and carried out any, order that may have been given him. Heretofore
has been practically impossible for such officer to have such knowledge as
e is generally at some distance from the steering gear, and cannot, therefore,
ave personal knowledge of the position and movements of the rudder, and
ow far his orders in respect thereto may have been obeyed, and he is,
erefore, compelled to trust to and rely upon the faithfulness of the man at
e helm and his ability to fully carry out and perform the orders given
m.
My Invention has for its object to furnish a sure and reliable means of
parting such knowledge or information to the officer in command and to
hers, and consists in the application and arrangement upon a vessel's deck,
d so placed and located as to be easily and plainly observed from the
fferent parts of the deck, of a steering indicator or a mechanism showing a
al plate and an index or colored lights traversing over it, and so connected
ith the rudder or steering gear that as the rudder is moved the index will
ange position or differently colored lights be shown, and thereby indicate to
e eye, and as well at night as by day, the exact position and change of
ovement of the rudder. The officer in command is thus able at a glance,
d. at all times, and from any part of the deck, and from the rigging, to learn
e exact position of the rudder, and how far the man at the helm may have,
may have been able, to carry out the orders given him, and can govern
mself and manage his craft accordingly.
Fig. 1 is a front perspective view of the indicator as it appears by day, the
index being shown in different positions.
"
"
دو
2 is a like view of the indicator as it appears at night, the colored
lights being shown in different positions.
3 is a front view with the dial plate removed and showing the plate
behind.
4 is a vertical section, from front to rear, through the centre of the
indicator.
The indicator is generally placed over the steering gear, and high enough
be easily and plainly visable from different parts of the vessel.
The dial plate A is usually circular in shape, and is of thick white glass
rongly set and secured in suitable framing, which is large enough behind
ch plate to contain all the mechanism required. In front of such dial plate
an index B, dark in color, or contrasting prominently with the dial plate,
ch index being fixed to one end of a horizontal stem or axle a which con-
ects by bevilled gearing 6 to a vertical spindle C, Figure 3, behind the dial

page_text: plate, and such spindle being so connected with the steering gear that as the
rudder is turned the spindle will be rotated and cause the index B to move
over the dial plate; such index is thus made to exactly indicate to the eye,
and so as to be visible from different parts of the vessel, the exact position of
the rudder and the extent of its movement. Such index is so arranged with
respect to the rudder and the dial plate that when the rudder is "steady" the
index will stand pointing vertically upwards; when the order is "port,"
and the rudder is turned accordingly, the index moves toward the left on the
dial about 45° to the position indicated by the dotted red lines; and if the
order is hard-a-port" the index takes the position shown in heavy red lines
at B; when the order is "starboard," the index moves on the dial toward the
right to the position iudicated by the dotted blue lines; and if the order is
"hard-a-starboard," and the rudder is turned accordingly, the index takes the
position indicated by the heavy blue lines at B. In whichever direction, and
to whatever extent the rudder is turned, the index B tells unerringly of such
movement, and the officer in command is thereby enabled, from any part
of the vessel where he may be called, understandingly and intelligently
to give such orders as to the vessel's course as may be demanded. The
index B traversing on the outside of the dial plate, as above described,
acts as a day indicator; the contrast between the index and the dial plate
quickly and easily catching the eye; it will also be noticed that such index
moves only over the upper half of the dial A.
To convert the mechanism into a night indicator, when the index B cannot
be seen, colored lights are shown on the lower half of the dial plate A. The
construction and arrangement of the parts for producing such colored lights
is as follows: Upon the same stem or axle a that carries the index B, but
behind the transparent dial plate A, is fixed an opaque disk or plate D,
Figure 3, which revolves with the stem a. In one side of such opaque disk,
and extending from the centre to or towards the periphery, is cut an opening E
through which light produced from a lamp placed behind such plate D passes
and shows through the dial plate A. The form of the opening E may be such
as may be desired, but I prefer to give it the same outline with the day
index B, so as to avoid confusion from a variety of forms; such openings E
and the index B radiate in opposite directions from the centre or stem, as
shown in Figure 3, so that the colored lights will show on the lower half of
the dial plate as the index does upon the upper half. Between the trans-
parent dial plate A and the opaque disk D are interposed pieces or
segments of differently colored glass I, so that differently collored lights will
be shown, as the opening E in the opaque disk takes different positions.

page_text: When the helm is "steady" a yellow light is shown standing vertically
'downwards from the centre of the dial in the position indicated at E, Figure 2;
when the helm is turned " port," or "hard-a-port," the plate D with its
opening E moves upward toward the right, showing a red light in the posi-
tions shown by the dotted lines and at F. If the helm is turned "starboard,"
carried in the opposite direction
'or hard-a-starboard," the opening E is
upward toward the left, showing a green light, as indicated by the dotted lines
and at F. In practical use on shipboard the lights shown will generally be
white, red, and green, corresponding in color with the lights required by law
to be shown on steamers. To cause the colored lights to be strong and dis-
tinct the lamp placed within the indicator and behind the opaque disk should
have a reflector H constructed to reflect all the rays through the opening E
'and upon the colored glass; a chimney G allows the smoke from the lamp to
pass off.
By the use of an indicator constructed substantially as described the officer
in command of any vessel on which this Invention may be used will be able,
both by day and at night, and from any part of the deck or above it, to per-
'ceive at a glance of the eye the exact position and movement of the rudder,
and record of such movements is wholly beyond the control or interference of
the man at the helm.
The great convenience and value of such an instrument will be at once
recognized and appreciated by all familiar with ships and the emergencies
arising thereon, and of the necessity for prompt and well-informed action on
the part of the officers, and complete executiou of orders on the part of those
under them.
What I claim as new and desire to be protected is,-
1. The combination with the rudder or steering gear of a vessel of a dial
plate and index, or their equivalent, so connected with the steering apparatus
that any movement of the rudder will be indicated on such dial when such
dial and index or indicator are so placed in respect to the deck of the vessel
as to be plainly visible from different parts of the vessel, for the purposes set
forth.
2. The combination and arrangement in such an indicator, when so located
with the steering gear of a vessel, of an index moving over a dial, such index
& dial being of strong contrasting colors to indicate by day the position and
movement of the rudder, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
3. The combination and arrangement in such an indicator so located and
connected with the steering gear of a vessel of plates of differently colored
glass or other transparent material, with a movable opaque plate or surface

page_text: having a suitable aperture cut therein, and with a light or lamp arranged and
combined, substantially as described, to indicate at night, by differently colored
lights, the position and movements of the rudder, for the purposes set forth.
4. The combination in one and the same indicator of an index moving over
a differently colored surface, or their equivalents, and of colored transparent
plates in connection with a movable opaque perforated plate and with any
light, the several parts arranged and operating severally and in combination,
substantially as described, thereby rendering the same instrument either a
day or night indicator of the movements of the rudder, for the purposes set
forth.
N. C. FRANZEN. (L.S.)