IMPROVED MEANS FOR SHIPPING THE RUDDERS OF VESSELS WHILE AT SEA
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Leonard le Guénédal, of Paris, in the Republic of France,
for the Invention of "IMPROVED MEANS FOR SHIPPING THE RUDDERS OF
VESSELS WHILE AT SEA.”
Sealed the 24th May 1878, and dated the 22nd February 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Leonard le Guénédal at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd February 1878.
LEONARD LE GUÉNÉDAL, of Paris, in the Republic of France. IMPROVED
MEANS FOR SHIPPING THE RUDDERS OF VESSELS WHILE AT SEA."
"
The object of this Invention is to provide an efficient means for replacing with a
spare rudder, and while at sea, the ordinary rudder of a ship which may have been
unshipped by a heavy sea, or otherwise rendered useless.
This object is effected by an arrangement of chains consisting of a main chain
and several smaller chains, which are stowed away in grooves or rebates made in
the stern post of the vessel until required.
The main chain is provided at one end with a hook, the other end being made
fast on deck, and is made to pass round a pulley or sheave fitted in a groove in the
keel of the vessel, and is hooked on to one end of a smaller chain, the other end being
secured on deck. This chain is enclosed in one of the rebates or grooves by means
of hinged pieces, provided with eyes to receive a rod, which passes through them
from the deck of the vessel, and secures them in place.
When it is desired to ship a new rudder, this rod is drawn up out of the eyes,
and the small chain is shaken out of its groove or rebate, and is available for hauling
the main chain and its hook on deck, where it is hooked into an eye or loop on
the bottom of the spare rudder, and by which the rudder is drawn into
its place, being assisted thereto by other chains or ropes from various parts of the
vessel.
The rudder may be made in one or more than one piece. In the former case
additional chains are provided, which are hooked on to the rudder, about midway
of its length, so that the rudder may be drawn down below the keel, sufficiently

page_text: far to allow the head or upper part of the rudder to be inserted in the helm
port. In the latter case the main or lower part of the rudder is provided with a
square or other suitable shaped head, on to which the head or upper part of the
rudder, which is let down through the helm port, is fitted, when the main rudder
is in its place.
The main rudder is held in its place by the main chain, and also by rudder irons
with which it is provided.
The rudder may also be provided with a pivot pin to fit into a socket made in
the keel of the vessel.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Leonard le Guénédal in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 22nd
August 1878.
LEONARD LE GUÉNÉDAL, of Paris, in the Republic of France.
MEANS FOR SHIPPING THE RUDDERS OF VESSELS WHILE AT SEA."
"IMPROVED
The object of this Invention is to provide sufficient means for shipping a spare
rudder while a ship is at sea, in place of the ordinary rudder which may have been
unshipped by a heavy sea, or otherwise rendered useless.
In the accompanying Drawings,—
Fig. 1 is an elevation of a spare rudder in position, and consisting of one single
piece.
Fig. 2 is a front view of the stern post of a vessel prepared and furnished with
the necessary tackle for placing the rudder.
Fig. 3 is a section on the line 1, 2, of the keel.
Fig. 4 is a section on the line 3, 4, shewing the irons.
Fig. 5 represents a section in the line 5, 6, of Fig. 1.
Fig. 6 shews an elevation of a rudder in two parts and in its place.
Fig. 7 is a front view of the stern post with the grooves and the chains necessary
to ship the rudder in place.
Fig. 8 is a section taken in the line 7 and of Fig. 6 on the line of the keel.
Fig. 9 is a section on the line 9, 10, of Fig. 6, shewing the rudder in plan,
Fig. 10 is a section on the line 11, 12, of Fig. 6 of the stern post, showing the
necessary grooves.
In the different Figures the same letters of reference indicate similar parts.
Figures 1 to 5 refer to a spare rudder formed of one piece.
A represents the end of the keel of the ship; B is the stern post; b, a groove
extending the whole length of the stern post; b₁, b', are two grooves in the sides;
and 62, 62, rebates at the angles of the stern post; C is a pulley, mounted securely
between two shoes c, c, maintained by bolts, and held apart by a separating piece
c and a curved plate c²; D, D, are pulleys placed one on either side of the keel,
which at this point is cut away to receive them; 6', 6', are grooves formed in the

page_text: sides of the stern post; e, e, are small angle pieces which are hinged at e¹, e¹, to the
part e, which is secured to the stern post. These angle pieces are provided with
eyes, which correspond with eyes in the stern post, and receive a rod e³* of
several metres in length, by which all the angle pieces are held closed.
F is a chain lodged in the groove b, and passing round the pulley C, and thence
over the pulley f, which is fixed in any convenient position on the deck of the
vessel. A hook fi is attached to the chain F, and by means of a small chain e* placed
in the rebate 6, the upper end being secured on deck, the hook f¹ and chain F can
be hauled on; G, G', are hauling chains placed in the side grooves b¹, b¹, and
furnished with hooks G2, G3, Fig. 2. These hooks G2, G3, are hooked to rings on
the small chains et, e, which are maintained in their rebates by the hinged angle
pieces e.
In
It is not indispensably necessary that the chains F and G, and the smaller chains
e, es, should be kept in the grooves. Instead of this light hauling or guide chains
made of copper may be passed round the pullies C and D, and their ends brought
upon board, where they will be secured, after having been passed along the grooves
b, 61, and 6. These guide chains will only serve to haul the working chains into
their places at the proper time when it is required to ship the spare rudder.
order to get the heavy working chains F and G into the place of the light hauling
or guide chains, the free ends of the former are lashed or made fast to the light
guide chains, and by hauling on the latter the working chains with their hooks
and other fittings will be passed under the pullies, and will be pulled up
on board, so that they will occupy the place previously occupied by the guide
chains.
When the spare rudder has been got into its place, the strong working chains
may be withdrawn, and the light guide chains passed again into the grooves by
simply lashing the ends of the two chains together, and then hauling them back
into their places. It will be evident that as the guide chains and working chains
serve to bring each other into their proper place when required, they may be, and
for the purpose of shipping, any number of space rudders.
The chains are strained tightly in their respective grooves, so as to prevent then
from rattling about and making a clatter. By thus keeping the chains at tension
the little hinge pieces e, e, which are intended to hold them in place may be dis-
pensed with.
H is a chain which is terminated by a hook h; this chain passes over the pulley
h, and is pulled or hauled either directly at h³, or by the aid of tackle. The
pulley should be fixed in such a manner that the chain which it carries and the
hook of the chain F, which passes round the pulley C, should be in a linė
absolutely parallel to that which passes through the centre of the googings; this
condition is indispensable, in order that the insertion of the irons fixed on the
rudder into those placed on the stern post to receive them may be effected with
precision. The pulley h¹ is fixed above the rudder post by any suitable means.
The same result may be arrived at by placing in the rudder post a collar opening
in two parts or otherwise, in order to allow the head of the rudder to pass. It
is then immediately closed, in order to reduce the size of the opening. This collar
may also serve as a guide for the rudder head, and to direct it while the rudder
is being shipped, so that while it is allowed to descend by hauling on the bottom
chain, the iron fittings may be made to take into each other without any difficulty.
These iron fittings of the rudder and rudder post may be dispensed with by using
in place thereof a pivot Z, Figures 13 and 14, fixed at the bottom of the rudder,
and taking into a socket made in a prolongation of the keel. The bottom chain will
be provided with a hook X, Fig. 13, which will take into a ring at the bottom of
the pivot Z of the rudder. By this means the rudder may be securely held down
in its place if the chain be strained tightly; K, K, are socket irons, which are made
to embrace three sides of the stern post, and are firmly attached thereto by bolts'
or other suitable contrivances; k is the googing; K' are the gudgeons or pintles,
fixed to the rudder body, and which enter the sockets or googings k.

page_text: L is the spare rudder composed of one piece including its head 7; it carries at its
upper end a ring, and another at its lower end 18, and several other rings at 13, 14,
15, 10, 17, 18, which serve as means whereby it can be lowered and guided into its
place.
The Figures 6 to 10 illustrate a spare rudder composed of two parts which are
united together at the upper part; A' is the keel of the vessel; B¹, the
stern post; b, large groove; 6, 63, small grooves in the front of the stern post, or in
any other position; x, x, are hinges hinged at x', and terminated at x³, with an eye so
placed as to correspond with an eye on the stern post, and receive the rods a*,
similar to those already described at e*, Figures 1 to 5.
M is a pulley held in position by the shoes m, m, similar to those c, c, already
described, and fixed in the same manner. Round this pulley passes a chain m',
which is lodged in the groove b³, and passes over a pulley m² on the deck, its lower
end being provided with a hook m³. When not in use this hook m³ is held by a
ring at the end of a small chain m, which is held by a groove b³.
In the groove b*, Fig. 7, will be placed a second small chain n, which passes at n¹
by the side of the pulley M, and from thence to the groove b³, in which it is carried
up on to the deck, and securely fixed thereto.
0, 0, 0, 0¹, are rudder irons, as before described; P is a chain which is hooked
on the upper part L² of the rudder before the head is placed in position; L' is the
main portion of the rudder, the lower part being provided with rings 13, 14, 15, 16, &c.,
as before described, the upper part having a square, horizontal, or other shaped head
L2, on to which fits the head or upper part 1.
All vessels before quitting the ship-building yard should have all the chains
placed in their respective grooves, such as they are shown in the Drawing,
Figures 1 to 10.
To replace the ordinary rudder with the spare rudder while at sea, the following
is the mode of operation when the spare rudder is composed of two parts:-The
operation will be commenced by withdrawing the rod *, which holds the hinges x
shut, and thereby retains in the groove 65 the small chain m' which is attached to
the hook m³ of the bottom chain m¹. By shaking the small chain, it will come out
of its groove, and a man placed in the after rail could easily, with the assistance of
a boat hook, bring it on board. The end of the small chain should always be care-
fully made fast on board, so as to prevent its being carelessly lost at sea, and when
the hook m³ of the lower chain m³ is hauled over the stern of the vessel, it is hooked
on to the lower screw ring * of the rudder.
The means being known for shipping and trimming the rudder of a ship from the
taffrail, it is only required to describe them very succinctly, reference being made to
Figures 11 and 12, in which they are represented.
A spar Q, or two yards joined together to form a beam, is made fast to the mizen
mast at q, and supported by the block q', attached to the cross-trees, and one or
more blocks q, 92, which give the necessary inclination, and by two blocks 93, 9', or
two stay tackles 9, 77, or by any other convenient means. The rudder being raised
above the stern of the vessel by ropes or chains hooked on to the rings 17, 18, of the
rudder, and passing through pulley blocks 7, 1, 2, 3, worked by a capstan or other 4
convenient appliance is maintained in this movement by means of tackle 8, s¹, on
the after boom, and by slings on which work temporary blocks, until the rudder
has passed the taffrail. These various appliances which assist in placing the rudder
are combined with port and starboard chains or cross tackles T, T¹, the upper
pulleys t, t, of which are attached to a cross spar T2 by any convenient means and 5
with the upper and lower chains m³ and P.
In order to ship the rudder the lower chain m¹ must be hauled in, and at the same
time as the tackle of the blocks on the after boom S, S¹, and the suspension block
R, R', is eased, care being taken at the same time to haul taut the cross blocks T, T',
so that the rudder shall always be in a line with the axis of the vessel. The rudder;
must be continued to be lowered, at the same time it must be drawn nearer to the
stern post B¹ until the rudder head shall be on a level with the helm post p. The

page_text: head chain P must then be hauled taut at the same moment as the bottom chain m³,
the axis of the gudgeons will thus be placed parallel with the axis of the googings
or sockets. The only thing that now remains to be done is to cause the shipping
home of the gudgeons o¹ into their respective sockets or googings O, which may be
effected by slightly raising the rudder, and then allowing it to descend, at the
same time, care being taken to tighten the top and bottom chains P and m¹. A
mark on one of the ropes or chains will indicate the height of the shipping
irons.
The rudder being thus placed it will be maintained by the bottom chain, which
must be firmly secured on board. The pulley p and the top chain P must then
be removed, and the rudder head passed down through the helm port (by
any convenient means), see Fig. 6, and the whole firmly keyed or secured, and
the rudder is ready for service.
It now only remains to detach all the chains and hooks that have assisted in the
operation. Nothing is more simple. Small chains are attached to the end of
every hook which passes through the screw rings, and by tightening these small
chains, and at the same time easing the hawsers and large chains, the hook will be
disengaged. The bottom chain is drawn on board by the small chains, which is
attached to the hook.
It has been stated that in case the first rudder should be lost or damaged a second
'may be fixed in its place by means of apparatus previously prepared. In Fig. 7
may be seen a small chain, the two ends of which n, n³, are fixed on board. One
portion n of this chain is lodged in the groove b, and the other portion n' is lodged
in the large groove, which contains the bottom chain which has been of assistance
previous to being placed on board in shipping the first rudder.
The problem therefore is how to replace the bottom chain as it was before.
The first operation is to remove the rod of the hinges of the groove 64, when
on the small chain being shaken, it will come out of the groove, and at the same
time open the hinges. The hook of the bottom chain must be retained on board,
and the free end n of the small chain attached to its other end; it must then be
lowered until the chain has passed behind the bottom pulley M, and has been hauled
up on deck up the principal groove b³.
Having now on board the hook and the end of the bottom chain, all that has to
be done is to repeat the operation previously described, care being always taken
that the new rudder and the stern post should be fitted with irons suitable to each
other.
In placing under the same conditions a rudder constructed in one piece, Fig. 12,
the above-described arrangements should be employed, it being necessary only here
to indicate the special means employed to complete the operation.
Figures 1 to 5 shew two down haul chains G, G¹, the hooks of which G2, G³, are
furnished with small chains et es, so that they can be hauled on board as pre-
viously described with reference to the bottom chain. The two hooks are made to
take into the screw rings g of the rudder that is being shipped. These two down
haul chains are necessary in order to lower the rudder below the keel, and to such
depth that the rudder head shall be on a level with the helm port. While in
this position the head chain H should be tightened, the down haul chains cased,
and by skilfully manoeuvring the tackle which is fixed to the after boom or yard, the
rudder will be raised until its lower screw ring 2 arrives above the keel. All that
now remains to be done is to ship the iron fittings into their places and complete,
as already described, with reference to the rudder in two pieces.
In such a case as that the operation might have been effected with only one down
haul chain, the other may be allowed to remain in its groove, and could serve as
occasion required to place a second rudder for which special iron fittings had been
prepared on the stern post. A second small chain placed in the groove in the left
side passing round the pulley G, and being conveyed on board up the large bottom
chain groove, would serve to place a second bottom chain, if required.
The gudgeons and other iron fittings for the purpose of retaining the rudder in

page_text: its place might be entirely dispensed with, and replaced by a pivot pin fixed to the
bottom of the rudder, and which would take into a socket placed on an extended
portion of the keel, as shewn in Fig. 13, in which the bottom pulley Y is
placed under the socket X, the bottom chains, the down hauls, and the small
chains are placed in grooves, as previously described, or in additional grooves, or
in metallic tubes.
The socket might be replaced by a tube X which would receive the pivot pin L,
but in this case the rudder should be supported at its upper part, that is to say,
at the rudder head, by props or guides which would facilitate the operation of
shipping it.
In the case of a screw steamer in which there is no stern post between the screw
and the rudder grooved irons may be placed for the passage of the various chains
or tubes, or any other analogous arrangement may be employed to protect them
from the action of the sea.
The mode of hanging this rudder presents no difficulty as before, being definitely
placed, its weight is supported by the head chain, the pivot of the rudder being
already placed in its hole, and the rudder raised sufficiently for the pivot pin to be
placed above the socket, then by a combined movement of the top and bottom chains
the rudder will be caused to take the required direction, in order to render its safe
shipment absolutely certain.
In order to conveniently keep spare rudders on board, they should be as little of
an incumbrance as possible, and to this end they may be constructed in parts which
may be quickly put together, as shewn at Fig. 14. The first piece of wood a carries
the lower pivot, the iron fittings, and the body of the rudder. Through this main
piece are passed the bolts a¹, a³, shewn by dots in the Figure, and on which are
mounted successively the other parts a², a³, forming the cheek or other part of the
rudder. The bolts are then tightened up with nuts, so as to form the whole into one
firm, solid, and rigid piece, which may be still further strengthened by means of iron
bars C, B. It is not until the rudder has been put together, and brought on the
deck, that anything must be done towards shipping it into its place.
Having now described my Invention of improved means for shipping the
rudders of vessels while at sea," and having explained the manner of carrying
the same into effect, I claim as the Invention secured to me by Letters Patent as
aforesaid,-
The mode herein set forth of constructing the rudder posts or stern posts of ships
or vessels, so as to receive chains, pulleys, and other appliances, whereby in the
event of the rudder of the vessel being lost or broken a new spare rudder may be
shipped while the vessel is at sea.
Second. I claim combining with the rudder post or stern post of the vessel, and
the keel chains and pulleys, whereby the new spare rudder may be hauled into
place, as herein set forth.
Third. I claim the novel mode of constructing spare rudders or jury rudders, as
and for the purposes herein shewn and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Leonard le Guénédal, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Nineteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
LEONARD LE GUÉNÉDAL (LS.)