Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for Electrically Steering Ships.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Mar., 1895-Accepted, 6th Apr., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for Electrically Steering
Ships.
I, FREDERICK ADOLPHUS LANGEN of B. 2. 8. Mannheim Germany, Ship-
captain, 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 improvements in or relating to apparatus for
electrically steering ships and substantially depends for its working on the closing
and interruption of different electric circuits by means of a steering dial switch
device as hereinafter described.
The apparatus and working are hereinafter fully described with reference to the
accompanying drawings in which
Figures 1 and 2 show plan and vertical sectional elevational views of the
steering dial switch;
Figures 3 and 4 show in plan different positions assumed by the hereinafter
described apparatus.
Figure 5 shows an end elevation and Figure 6 a side elevational view of the said
apparatus;
Figure 7 shows, connected with Fig. 5, partly diagrammatically and partly in
plan further apparatus as hereinafter described and in the following description of
apparatus like marks of reference designate like parts.
* 1
Referring to the drawings, it will be observed that the electrical. steering gear
embraces the steering lever or dial switch p, an electric-motor Q, an accumulator L,
a toothed segment A with electro-magnets and conductors, a sliding plate G as
well as certain conducting wires, batteries, switches and gear, hereinafter further
alluded to.
The steering lever p consists of a dial switch movable around as a centre of a
dial plate. The lever is also capable of a vertical radial motion as shown.
The dial plate consists of non-conducting material on the surface of which are
fitted the conducting plates a eo u equidistant from the centre in opposite
directions.
Between these plates, on one side, conducting plates y y₁ are fitted in the form
of two concentric half rings so that the insulated contact plate 10 of the dial lever
can touch at the same time either a and e or if placed in the opposite direction o
and or if moved between these, on one side, it can touch at the same time y and y'
or it can rest or be in contact with a non-conducting plane on the side opposite to
or away from y, y' (as shown for example at in Figure 1) whereby three
different electric circuits can be controlled.
The electric-motor Q is connected with the accumulator L by means of the
conducting wires 5 and 7 and is turned to right or left, revolving as shown in the
drawings round a vertical axis, according to the direction in which the current
passes, either through wire 5 or 7, these wires being wound around the electric
motor in different directions. The motion of the electric motor Q is communicated
to the toothed segment A by means of a pinion or worm attached to the motor ;
the segment may be fastened to the rudder head to act as the rudder quadrant or
the motions of the quadrant may be utilised to operate the steering valves of a
steam steering engine by means of the lever D.
Attached by the screws d to the segment is the non-conducting plate P to which
are secured the electro-magnets E E which are designed to operate the hammer-
shaped levers H H' centred on a pin f carried in the bracket g under the plate P.

page_text: LUAL
small insulated iron plate 11.
On each side of the plate P there are secured small resilient springs h h¹ and
when the levers H H are attracted by the magnets E E¹, contact takes place
between H or H' and h or h¹.
When unattracted the lower parts of the levers H H¹ rest in contact with the
non-conducting plate G.
The latter is a fixture being bolted to the deck and fitted above the segment A
so that whilst the latter can move round c underneath the plate G, the plate P
which is bolted to the segment moves together with the magnets E E', levers H H
and springs hh' above the plate G; the levers H H¹ sliding on the plate G thus
describe an arc.
In the upper surface of the plate G are secured two metal plates K K' in such a
manner that whenever the segment A has a midship's position (Figures 3 & 5) the
outer ends of the levers H H do not touch the plates K K but when the segment
is turned to for example (B) port, the outer end of lever H must slide over the
plate K (Figure 4) and if turned to (S) starboard, the outer end of lever H¹ must
slide over plate K¹.
The length of the levers H and H¹ or the distance apart of the lower ends of
same, which slide on the plate G, depends upon their distance from C and the
angle which the rudder shall form with the heel when laid hard over.
The length of the conducting plates K and K' depends upon the length of the
levers H and H' and they must be constructed in such a manner that whenever the
segment A has been turned to B as far as necessary or possible the lower outer end
of lever H is resting upon the conducting plate K whilst the lower outer end of H¹
cannot touch the conducting plate but rests on G, (Figure 4) and when the
segment A is turned in the opposite direction as far as possible to S the lower
outer end of lever H' is resting on the conducting plate K whilst the lower
outer end of lever H cannot touch the conducting plate K but rests on G.
On the upper surface of plate P is the spring lever 1, the electro-magnets I and
the conducting plates m and n (see Figures 3, 4, 5 & 6). These parts are arranged
in such a manner that the spring lever touches the plates m and n thus allowing
an electrical current to pass from m to n but I can be lifted up by the attraction of
the electro-magnets 1 thereby interrupting the electric circuit but closing the
circuit again as soon as the electric current around the electro-magnets I ceases.
In addition to the accumulator L which supplies the electro motor with the
necessary electricity, and for the sake of clearly explaining the different circuits
I employ three batteries B1, B2, B3 and the following conductors:
a. From battery B₁ the conducting wire 1 to the conducting plate a; the
conducting wire. 2 from the conducting plate e to the electro-magnet E, around]
same and back to battery B¹.
B. From battery B³ conducting wire 3 to conducting plate u and conducting
wire 4 from conducting plate to the electro-magnet E', around same and back to
battery B².
Y. From positive pole of accumulator L conducting wire 5 to electric motor Q
around same and thence to spring hand thence to conducting plate K'.
d. From negative pole of accumulator L conducting wire 6 to conducting plate m
on plate P and from the conducting plate n to the pin 1.
E. From positive pole of accumulator L conducting wire 7 to electric motor Q,
around same in the opposite direction to conducting wire 5 and thence to spring h
; and thence again to conducting plate K.
2. From battery B³ conducting wire 8 to conducting plate y¹ on the dial plate
and conducting wire 9 from conducting plate y to the electro-magnets around
same and back to battery B³.
All conducting wires. must be arranged in such a manner that they do not hinder
-the movements of segment A. and the parts thereto attached..
It will be obvious that instead of using three batteries in addition to the

page_text: accumulator, all the required electricity might be taken from the same source:
I have only selected the "three battery" arrangement in order to describe the
different circuits more clearly and distinctly.
With regard to the working of the above mechanism, it will be observed that it
is dependent on the closing and interruption of different electric circuits by means
of the steering dial switch p in the following manner :-
The rudder remains amidships as long as the steering switch is resting on the
non-conducting part of the dial plate (see Figure 1, p³).
To give port helm turn the steering switch onto the conducting plates a and e
(Figures 1, 2 & 7).
The contact plate of the switch touching a and e closes a circuit through wires 1
and 2, whereby the electro-magnets E are made magnetic, consequently E attracts
lever H, H touches spring hand thereby closes the circuit through wires 5 and 6.
The closing of circuit 5-6 puts the electro motor in motion which by means of the
gear showu turns the toothed segment A to B thereby putting the helm to port
(Figure 4).
In order to put the helm again amidships, lift the switch p from a and e and
turn same onto the non-conducting part of the dial plate. The consequence is,
that circuit 1-2 is interrupted, the electro magnets E losing the magnetism let
fall the lever H thereby interrupting circuit 5-6 but closing 6-7 by falling on
the conducting plate K which circuit moves the electro-motor and with it the.
segment A in the opposite direction until circuit 6-7 is automatically interrupted
by the lever H sliding off the conducting plate K.
To give starboard helm turn the steering switch onto the conducting plates o
and u.
The contact plate of the switch touching o and u closes a circuit through wire 3
and 4 whereby the electro-magnets El are made magnetic consequently E¹
attracts lever H', H' touches spring and thereby closes the circuit through 6
and 7.
. The closing of circuit 6-7 puts the electromotor in motion which by means of
the gear shown turns the toothed segment A to S thereby putting the helm to
starboard.
'
The return motion is given by lifting the switch p from o and u and turning it
onto the non-conducting part of the dial plate the consequence of which is that
circuit 3-4 is interrupted, the electro magnets E' lose the magnetism, let fall the
lever H thereby interrupting circuit 6-7 but closing 5-6 by falling on the
plate K which circuit moves the clectro-motor and with it the segment A towards B
until circuit 5-6 is automatically interrupted by the lever H' sliding off the
plate K¹ when the rudder has regained the amidships position.
To turn the rudder to any angle required give the electro-motor the necessary
motion by turning the steering switch to starboard or port watch the dial Z
(Fig. 7) indicating the position of the rudder and as soon as the rudder has been
turned to the required angle move the switch from the conducting plates a and e
or o and u onto the conducting plates y and y'.
The consequence is that circuit 8-9 is closed, thus magnetising the magnets I
thereby attracting spring from the conducting plates m-n; this interrupts the
conducting wire 6 which is the circuit that puts the electro motor in motion; the
latter and with it the segment A and rudder must of necessity remain in
the direction they had at the time of interrupting the circuit by moving the switch
from a and e or o and u onto y aud y¹.
In order to put the helm amidships again it is only necessary to turn the steering
switch from y-y' onto the nonconducting part of the dial plate.
The electric steering gear can easily be adjusted to the self-steering and
registering compasses described in my Patents Nos. 10968 and 16499 of the year 1893,
in the case of 10968 by connecting the conducting plates a and e and o and u with.
the corresponding conducting plates of the compass apparatus as shown in Figure 7

page_text: or in the case of 16499% as follows; wires w¹ and win drawing of 16499°³ are
identical with wires 1 and 2 in this. Specification;, thus wire w' leads direct to B¹
and w leads first to electric bell, then to recorder and thence, to, pin r hereinafter
referred to:
The bells and recorders can be used with Patent 10968" by interpolating the
bell and recorder or the recorder alone in wire 2 and wire 4 between the compass
and the dial device hereinafter described or in case all deviations from a course
shall be recorded, in wires 1 and 3.
The interpolation in wires 2 and 4 is necessary if the faults or deviations from
the course line made when steering automatically are to be recorded only whereas
the interpolation in the wires 1 and 3 is necessary if the deviations from the course
line are to be recorded also when steering by hand in which case the bell and
recorder must be interpolated in that part of wire I which is between B' and the
conducting plate a and in that part of wire 3 which is between B2 and conducting
plate u.
Now with reference to the dial device (shown in Figure 7) when steering by
means of the steering switch (Figures 1 & 2) the dial device (Figure 7) is not
necessary as the man working the switch has it in his hands to lay the rudder just
as far as necessary by stopping the movements of the rudder by interrupting the
electric circuit, but when steering automatically by compass it is necessary to
interrupt the circuit and thus stop the movement of the rudder and allow the
rudder to return to the amidships position, thus steadying the helm before the
compass contact has ceased.
The object of the dial device is therefore to interrupt the circuit passing through
the compass contact plates whenever the rudder has reached a certain angle either
way; that is to say if a ship requires 4° of rudder to bring her back to her
courseline to run the distance m' as shown diagrammatically in Figure 8, the
circuit passing through the compass contacts will be interrupted which turns the
helm to starboard whenever the helm has reached an angle of 4°. In order to
attain this end. I make use of the "tell-tale" which is found in every ship showing:
the position of the rudder.
The dial consists of a graduated dial plate and a dial Z pivotted at q. and-
operated by arms W W' worked by chains from the rudder. On the pin or pivot q
I also mount two other arms V V₁ one above and one below the dial Z. Each of
these movable arms is fitted with a separate sliding arc in such a manner that.
the movable dials can be securely held in any position forming an angle with dial Z
by means of the screw p² which screw bolt goes through a hole in dial Z and
through the slots in the sliding arcs aforesaid.
On the dial plate are fixed the pins and to which lead the wires 2 and 4
respectively; the springs s and s' are fixed on the same plate in. such a manner.
that they touch the pins r and ; the wires 2 and 4 leading from s and s are: thus
connected by contact with wires 2 and 4 leading to the pins and ', and an electric
current can pass through the wires as long as the springs s and s touch the pins
and . Now supposing the ship's rudder can be laid over 45° of course, the tell
tale dial would go over 45° as well and if the pins and and the springs s and st
are placed at 40° the tell tale dial would touch the spring and force the spring from
the pin as soon as the rudder has been turned 40° thereby interrupting the circuit
passing through the wires and stopping the action of the electric gear.
The nearer I place these pins r and r¹ and springs sand.s¹ to the centre line or
the dial in the midships direction the smaller will be the angle the rudder can be
turned over to one side or the other.
It is of course immaterial if the dial device is constructed. with movable springs
to place them nearer or further away from the centre line or with firmly, fixed
springs and movable dials. The object is solely to interrupt.the: electric current:
automatically by the rudder itself whenever the rudder is turned over a certain
angle or any angle between 1° and hard over..

page_text: It is further immaterial if the dial plate is horizontal or vertical as long as all
pieces are fitted in such a manner that when turning the helm by the steering switch
hard over this can be done without breaking the dial device.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. An electrical steering gear for ships consisting of a segment connected with
the rudder or with the steering engine the said segment being operated by an
electro motor the actuating circuits of which are controlled and regulated by the
turning of a steering switch on a dial plate so arranged that the rudder can be
turned in any required direction substantially as and for the purposes herein
set forth.
2. An electrical steering gear for ships consisting of a steering switch such as is
shown in Figures 1 and 2 connected with an electro motor gearing with a pivotted
toothed segment the latter carrying a non-conducting plate P having secured to it
spring-pieces and electro magnets E E' adapted to attract hinged levers H H',
the parts HH' forming circuits when in contact, in combination with a
non-conducting plate G having interrupted plates K K¹ thereon, these several
parts being arranged disposed and adapted to co-act so as to complete or interrupt
as required certain electrical circuits substantially as and for the purposes, herein
set forth.
3. An electrical steering gear for ships consisting in the combination with the
plate P arranged combined and adapted to operate as described and claimed in the
previous claiming clause of the electro magnets I conducting plates mn and spring
lever these several parts being arranged disposed and adapted to co-act so as to
complete or interrupt as required certain electrical circuits substantially as and for
the purposes herein set forth.
4. The application and combination with the improved electrical steering gear
herein described and shown in the drawings of the mechanism described and shown
in my Patent Specification No. 10968 of the year 1893 substantially as herein
set forth.
5. The application and combination with the improved electrical steering gear
herein described and shown in the drawings of the mechanism described and shown
in my Patent Specification No. 16499 of the year 1893 substantially as herein
set forth.
6. In the electrical steering of ships, the use of the dial device for interrupting
the circuit passing through the compass contact plates whenever the rudder has
reached a certain angle substantially as herein described and shown with reference
to Figure 7 of the drawings.
7. The electrical steering gear for ships arranged constructed and adapted for
use substantially as herein described and shown with reference to Figures 1 and 2
of the drawings.
8. The electrical steering gear for ships arranged constructed and adapted for
use substantially as herein described and shown with reference to Figures 3, 4, 5
and of the drawings.
9. The several improvements constituting the improved electrical steering gear
for ships arranged disposed and adapted for practical use substantially as herein
set forth.
A. CRAWHALL CHAPMAN,
3, St. Nicholas Buildings, Newcastle-on-Tyne, Patent Agent.