IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM STEERING GEAR, PARTS OF WHICH ARE APPLICABLE FOR OTHER PURPOSES: WHERE MOTIVE POWER IS REQUIRED
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Andrew Higginson, of Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM
STEERING GEAR, PARTS OF WHICH ARE APPLICABLE FOR OTHER PURPOSES:
WHERE MOTIVE POWER IS REQUIRED."
ealed the 10th February 1880, and dated the 18th August 1879
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Andrew Higginson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th August 1879.
"IM-
ANDREW HIGGINSON of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer.
PROVEMENTS IN STEAM STEERING GEAR, PARTS OF WHICH ARE APPLICABLE FOR
OTHER PURPOSES WHERE MOTIVE POWER IS REQUIRED."
The object of this Invention is to construct a simple, durable, and efficient motive
power engine to be operated by steam, and specially adapted for use in combination
with the ordinary hand steering gear on ship board, parts of the said combined
apparatus being applicable for turning winches, actuating winding drums, and
generally where a motion is required thoroughly under control, both as regards
starting, stopping, and reversing.
In carrying my Invention into practice I proceed as follows,-
First. In order to obtain an engine capable of starting in any position, and
thereby suitable for actuating steering gear, I construct such engine with two or
more cylinders, preferably three, aud arrange pistons therein connected by suitable
rods to a crank pin on a crank shaft. The piston rods which are connected to the
crank pin are rigidly attached to their pistons, and the cylinders in which the
pistons work are free to oscillate on pins or bearings supported by the framework
which carries the crank shaft. The said pins or bearings are situated at the ends
of the cylinders furthest from the crank shaft, and form the ways or passages by
which steam or fluid is admitted into the cylinders to act on the pistons.
When the pins or bearings are rigidly attached to the framework they are each
formed with two passages, one to serve as a supply, and the other as an exhaust
way; the cylinder having one aperture or port through it which is alternately

page_text: opened by the oscillation of the said cylinder to one or other of the passages in
the said pin or bearings. When the pins or bearings are attached rigidly to the
cylinder they have only one opening, and the double passages are formed in the
framework.
Second. In order to provide means whereby engines constructed as above
described may be rapidly reversed or brought to rest, a point of great importance
in steering appliances, I construct a valve with ports for each cylinder, and so
arrange such valve that motion in one or other direction will cause the engines to
travel and turn the crank shaft in a corresponding direction.
Third. In order that the steering engines may always be at rest, except when
under the control of the steersman, I so connect the said valve to the crank shaft by
gearing that any motion of the engine tends to close the said valve and shut off
steam from the cylinders.
Fourth. To give the steersman complete control over the engines and cause them
to move only as desired, I connect the said valve to a hand wheel by gearing in
such manner that as long as the said hand wheel is being moved motion will be
given to the valve in the opposite direction to the notion which the movement
of the engine tends to give it, thereby only allowing the engines to move during
motion of the hand wheel.
Fifth. To ensure that the engines shall not be caused to turn too far in any
direction I provide the said valve gear with a stop which shall prevent the engines
making more than a certain number of revolutions, and with an indicator for
showing how many revolutions have been made in one or other direction.
Sixth. I combine engines constructed, as above set forth, with steering gear of
any ordinary or desired kind, and I connect the two together by means of a
toothed or friction wheel on the engine shaft which takes into a toothed or friction
wheel on the steering gear.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Andrew Higginson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 18th
February 1880.
ANDREW HIGGINSON, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM STEERING GEAR, PARTS OF WHICH ARE APPLICABLE
FOR OTHER PURPOSES WHERE MOTIVE POWER IS REQUIRED."
The object of this Invention is to construct a simple, durable, and efficient motive
power engine to be operated by steam, and specially adapted for use in combination
with the ordinary hand steering gear on ship. board, parts of the said combined
apparatus being applicable for turning winches, actuating winding drums, and
generally where a motion is required thoroughly under control both as regards
starting, stopping, and reversing.
In carrying my Invention into practice I proceed as follows:-
First. In order to obtain an engine capable of starting in any position, and
thereby suitable for actuating steering gear, I construct such engine with two or
more cylinders, preferably three, and arrange pistons therein connected by suitable
rods to a crank pin on a crank shaft. The piston rods which are connected to the
crank pin are rigidly attached to the pistons, and the cylinders in which the
pistons work are free to oscillate on pins or bearings supported by the framework
which carries the crank shaft. The said pins or bearings are situated at the ends
of the cylinders furthest from the crank shaft and form the ways or passages by
which steam or fluid is admitted into the cylinders to act on the pistons. When
the pius or bearings are rigidly attached to the framework they are each formed
with two passages, one to serve as a supply, and the other as an exhaust way';
the cylinder having one aperture or port through it which is alternately opened
by the oscillation of the said cylinder to one or other of the passages in the said
pin or bearings. When the pins or bearings are attached rigidly to the cylinder
they have only one opening, and the double passages are formed in the framework.
Second. In order to provide means whereby engines constructed as above
described may be rapidly reversed or brought to rest, a point of great importance
in steering appliances, I construct a valve with ports for each cylinder, and so
arrange such valve that motion in one or other direction will cause the engines to
travel and turn the crank shaft in a corresponding direction.
Third. In order that the steering engines may always be at rest, except when
under control of the steersman, I so connect the said valve to the crank shaft by
gearing that any motion of the engine tends to close the said valve and shut off
steam from the cylinders.
Fourth. To give the steersman complete control over the engines and cause thein
to move only as desired, I connect the said valve to a hand wheel by gearing in
such manner that as long as the said hand wheel is being moved motion will be
given to the valve in the opposite direction to the motion which the movement
of the engine tends to give it, thereby only allowing the engines to move during
motion of the hand wheel.
Fifth. To ensure that the engines shall not be caused to turn too far in any
direction I provide the said valve gear with a stop which shall prevent the engines
making more than a certain number of revolutions, and with an indicator for
showing how many revolutions have been made in one or other direction.
Sixth. I combine engines constructed as above set forth with steering gear of any
ordinary or desired kind, and I connect the two together by means of a toothed
or friction wheel on the engine shaft which takes into a toothed, or friction wheel
on the steering gear.

page_text: •
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation, Fig. 2 a side elevation, and Fig. 3 a back view,
partly in section, all of steam steering gear constructed in accordance with my
Invention and 'illustrative of the six parts thereof.
First Part. 1, bed plate; 2, frame and chamber carrying the crank shaft 3; 4,
pistons connected to the crank shaft by the bearing pieces 5 and held in position by
the ring 6; the said pistons 4 work in cylinders 7 within the chambers. 2; the said
cylinders 7 are free to oscillate on the fixed pins 8, and are held in steam tight
connection therewith by the caps 9; the pins 8 are formed with two passages 10,
11, which serve as steam admission or exhaust ways according as the crank shaft
turns in one direction or the other; 12, ports through which steam enters and
leaves the cylinders.
Fig. 4 is a view of an engine in which the pins 8 are rigidly attached to the
cylinders; here the pins have only one passage, and the double ports are in the
framework.
Second Part. 13, valve having three hollow ports 13ª therein, one for each
cylinder, 14, exhaust ports leading to the interior of the chamber 2; 15, exhaust pipe ;
16, 17, passages leading to each pin; 18, steam admission pipe. In the Drawing
steam is on the back of the valve and all the passages 16, 17, are closed. If the
valve is turned so as to uncover either of the sets of passages 16 or 17 and allow
steam to pass therethrough to the cylinder the other set of passages 17 or 16 will
be in communication with the exhaust pipe through the ports and ways 13, 14,
15. When the ports, ways and passages are arranged as shown the engine will turn
in the direction in which the valve is moved to start it.
Third Part. The valve 13 is connected to the rocking spindle 19 by the rack and
wheel 20, or any other suitable connection may be used. 21, arm attached to the
spindle 19 and geared by the rod and strap 22 into the grooved nut 23 on the
shaft 24. The shaft 24 receives motion from the crank shaft 3 through the pinion
25 and wheel 26. Any motion of the crank shaft will actuate the shaft 24 and cause
the nut to be screwed along such shaft in one or other direction, and move the
valve 13 through the connections 19, 20, 21 and 22 so as to shut off steam. The
above arrangement of parts ensures that the engines shall always be at rest, except
when the steersman is acting so as to open the valve.
Fourth Part. 27 is a hand wheel attached to the loose sleeve 28 on the shaft 24
carrying the nut 23. The sleeve 28 and the nut 23 are so connected together by
feathers that the said nut can move longitudinally on the shaft without motion
being imparted to the sleeve but. both the nut and sleeve have a common rotary
motion. When the hand wheel 27 is turned the sleeve. 28 and nut 23 are caused,
to rotate, and the said nut 23 is screwed along the shaft 24 so as to open the valve"
13. The motion of the engine then commences, and unless the hand wheel 27 is
moving the nut along the shaft 24 as fast as the engine is causing such nut to be
screwed back again the valve is closed and the said engine is brought to rest.
Motion may be given to the shaft 24 through the gearing 30 leading to the bridge
or other desired place.
Fifth Part. The shaft 24 has a screw thread thereon and is fitted with a nut 31
which is caused to travel to and fro by the motion of the said shaft. When the
shaft has been rotated the extreme number of times that is desirable the said nut
comes against a stop and prevents further motion of the shaft in the same direction.
32 is an indicator moving with the nut 31 to show how many revolutions of the
shaft 24 have been made in one or other direction, and the consequent position of
the rudder.
Sixth Part. The steam steering engine above set forth operating the pinion 25
and the wheel 26 works in combination with the hand steering gear consisting
of the wheel 27, sleeve 28, pinion 33, and spur wheel 34 attached to the chain

page_text: wheel 35, 36, chains leading to tiller.
The steam and hand steering appliances are
connected together by means of the nut 23 and sleeve 28, which serve when
necessary as clutches, friction wheels may be used in place of spur gear, and the
said steam steering engine may be combined with any suitable hand gear.
Engines constructed as above set forth are suitable for use as winding engines or
for other purposes where motive power is required.
Having now described and illustrated the said Invention in such manner that
others will be enabled to carry my improvements into effect, I claim :-
First. Constructing oscillating engines within a chamber serving as an exhaust
chamber, substantially in the manner set forth.
Second. Constructing and arranging a valve for admitting steam to engines,
substantially as set forth.
Third. Connecting a valve for controlling the admission of steam to an engine,
to the crank shaft of the said engine, substantially in the manner and for the
purposes set forth.
Fourth. Connecting a valve for controlling the admission of steam to an
engine to a hand wheel, substantially in the manner and for the purposes set forth.
Fifth. Providing engines, constructed substantially as herein before set forth, with
stopping and indicating appliances.
Sixth. Combining engines, constructed substantially as herein before set forth,
with hand steering appliances.
In witness whereof, I, the said Andrew Higginson, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Sixteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
J. JOHNSON,
Patent Office,
Witness.
4, Clayton Sqr.,
L'pool.
ANDREW HIGGINSON. (L.S.)