Improved Appliances for the Steering of Fishing Boats and other Vessels.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Dec., 1886
Complete Left, 20th Sept., 1887
Complete Accepted, 18th Nov., 1887
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Appliances for the Steering of Fishing Boats and
other Vessels.
1, WILLIAM LAWERENCE MITCHELL, Junior, Engineer, of Abbotshall Foundry,
Kirkcaldy, Fifeshire, do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be us
follows:-
This invention has reference to improved appliances for the steering of fishing boats
and other vessels, and has specially for its object the guiding of the chain which
actuates the helm or it might be a tiller lever on it, so as to prevent the chain, whether
slack or tight, locking and getting out of gear with its guiding and actuating pulley.
According to my invention I mount a horizontal chain wheel or grooved pulley on
the lower part of a vertical spindle revolving in bearings in a box pillar, having, by
one arrangement, a bevel wheel on its top end gearing into a bevel pipion mounted
on a horizontal spindle, on the one end of which the hand steering wheel outside is
attached, but other equivalent actuating gear may be employed, such as having the
hand wheel on a second shaft geared by bevel or spur wheels or otherwise such as by
a screw and screw-wheel, which latter might be on the vertical shaft. This steering
spindle and gearing are enclosed within a cylindrical or other hollow case at top of
pillar preferably of cast-iron, with bearings on its upper wide end, through which is
passed and carried the spindle of the hand steering wheel, either ranged horizontally,
vertically or inclined, according to the construction of the gearing employed and
closed in by a top removable cover; and the pillar or vertical case of the upright
shaft is bolted by projecting snugs or flanges on its lower broad end to the deck or
strong frame part of the boat or vessel. The lower end of this cast-on casing is
constructed according to my improvements outside and round the greater part of the
circumference of the horizontal chain pulley with a guide rim or flange inside, which
guides the steering chain on either side on to and keeps it in contact and gear with
the groove and pitch recesses in chain pulley, and prevents any twisting or locking of
the chain whether it is slack or tight. This groove keeps the steering chain close up
in the pitch recesses of its actuating chain pulley on bottom of vertical shaft, and is
also curved at its outer ends or entrance to guide the chain properly into the groove
Co

page_text: and on to the chain wheel. An essential feature of this outer guiding rim is that it
extends beyond the centro of the pulley on each side, and thus always keeps the
steering chain in working contact with the pulley groove, and guides and steadies it
on the wheel.
From the chain pulley the chain would pass round the guide pulleys fitted a
considerable distance on the larboard and starboard sides of the rudder, and round
pulleys on the link or tiller of the aft side of the rudder, and have the ends of the
chain secured by shackles to near the starboard and larboard guide pulleys, so as to
actuate the helm and steer the boat when the vertical spindle, on which this central
pulley is mounted, is rotated in either direction by the horizontal spindle and hand
steering wheel on deck.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Appliances for the Steering of Fishing Boats and
other Vessels.
WILLIAM LAWERENCE MITCHELL Junior Abbotshall Foundry, Kirkcaldy, County
of Fife Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:
This Invention has reference to "Improved appliances for the steering of fishing
boats and other vessels" and has specially for its object the guiding of the chain
which actuates the helm or it might be a tiller lever on it, so as to prevent the chain,
whether slack or tight locking and getting out of gear with its guiding and actuating
pulley.
According to my invention I mount a horizontal chain wheel or grooved pulley
on the lower part of a vertical spindle revolving in bearings in a box pillar
having by one arrangement, a bevel wheel on its top end gearing into a bevel pinion
mounted on a horizontal spindle, on the one end of which the hand steering wheel
outside is attached, but other equivalent actuating gear may he employed, such as having
the hand wheel on a second shaft geared by bevel or spur wheels or otherwise such as
by a screw and screw-wheel, which latter might be on the vertical shaft. This steering
spindle and gearing are enclosed within a cylindrical or other hollow case at top of
pillar preferably of cast-iron, with bearings on its upper wide end through which is
passed and carried the spindle of the hand steering wheel, either ranged horizontally,
vertically or inclined according to the construction of the gearing employed and
closed in by a top removable cover; and the pillar or vertical case of the upright
shaft is bolted by projecting snugs or flanges on its lower broad end to the deck or
strong frame part of the boat or vessel. The lower end of this cast-iron casing is
constructed according to my improvements, as shown on that part of the vertical
section of drawing marked by the letters, A. A. and also on that part of the cross
section of the lower broad end or bottom marked by the letters A. A. A. outside and
round the greater part of the circumference of the horizontal chain pulley with a
guide rim or flange inside, and two grooved pulleys or other equivalent as shown
at B. B. on drawing, which guides the steering chain on either side on to and keeps
it in contact and gear with the groove and pitch recesses in chain pulley and prevents
any twisting or locking of the chain whether it is slack or tight. This grooved guide
keeps the steering chain close up in the pitch recesses of its actuating chain pulley on
bottom of vertical shaft, and is also curved at its outer ends or entrance, as shown
on the cross sectional drawings referred to and marked by the letters A. A. A. to guide
the chain properly into the groove and on to the chain wheel.
An essential feature of this outer guiding rim is that it extends beyond the centre
of the pulley on each side, all as shown on the cross sectional drawings referred to
and marked by the letters A. A. A., and thus always keeps the steering chain in
working contact with the pulley groove, and guides and steadies it on the wheel.

page_text: From the chain pulley the chain would pass round the guide pulleys fitted a
considerable distance on the larboard and starboard sides of the rudder, and round
pulleys on the link or tiller of the aft side of the rudder, and have the ends of the
chain secured by shackles to near the starboard and larboard guide pulleys, so as to
actuate the helm and steer the boat when the vertical spindle, on which this central
-pulley-is-mounted, is rotated in either direction by the horizontal spindle and hand
steering wheel on deck.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is,
Firstly. The means herein described of steering fishing boats and other vessels by
a combination of gearing and a horizontal pitch chain wheel mounted in a box pillar
or other framing.
Secondly. The combination of a grooved guide and pulleys with horizontal pitch
chain wheel to steady chain to wheel as described and illustrated.
W. L. MITCHELL.