AN IMPROVED STEERING APPARATUS FOR SHIPS OR OTHER NAVIGABLE VESSELS TO BE WORKED BY STEAM, COM
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Albert Powlett, of Liverpool, in the County
of Lancaster, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED STEERING APPARATUS
FOR SHIPS OR OTHER NAVIGABLE VESSELS TO BE WORKED BY STEAM, COM-
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Albert Powlett
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 30th January 1874.
I, JAMES ALBERT POWLETT, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED
STEERING APPARATUS FOR SHIPS OR OTHER. NAVIGABLE VESSELS TO BE WORKED BY
STEAM, COMPRESSED AIR, OR OTHER EXPANSIVE MOTIVE AGENT," to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates to the direct application of an expansive motive
agent, such as steam, compressed air, or gas, for the purpose of steering
or guiding ships or other navigable vessels, and consists,-
Firstly. Of an apparatus for directly actuating the rudder..

page_text: Secondly. Of a scries and system of valves for supplying, regulating,
and controlling the power supplied.
And, Thirdly. In a means of working such valves so that the power
supplied can be regulated and controlled by the steersman or actuator in
such a manner that any required degree of angle can be given to the
rudder " spoke by spoke," starboard or port, as with an ordinary
mechanical steering apparatus.
The apparatus for immediately actuating the rudder consists of two
horizontal cylinders of suitable diameter and stroke. These cylinders
are by preference placed in close proximity to the rudder head, and
work fore and aft on the vessel's deck. The cylinders are fitted with
suitable pistons and piston rods. The piston rod heads are attached to
and actuate two horizontal slides, which work in suitable guides fixed to
the deck on each side of the rudder head. The rudder head is fitted with
a double horizontal pulley wheel or disc, firmly keyed or secured to the
rudder head. The horizontal sliding pieces conjointly actuate the
horizontal pulley wheel or disc, and thereby the rudder, by means of
two suitable chains or other connecting medium passing round the
pulley, and attached to the respective ends of the slides by means of
adjustable screws and nuts. These screws or nuts may be fitted with
suitable springs or elastic buffers to ease sudden shocks. The cylinders
are fitted at the top and bottom with suitable escape valves or cocks,
which are actuated by the slides. The cylinders are placed by preference
with their supply and exhaust ports underneath, so that any condensation
tends to go away with the exhaust.
The cylinders are supplied with and exhausted of steam or other
expansive motive agent by means of four valves, which are by preference
of the following constructions:—
First. A vertical cylinder having ports near the top and bottom, and
fitted with a double adjustable piston actuated by a suitable rod, the
space between the pistons forming a reservoir or reserve for power.
Secondly. Of a cylinder within a cylinder, the outer cylinder being
fitted with ports and pipes, the inner cylinder being fitted with ports,
and so arranged that the inner cylinder forms a reservoir or reserve for
the steam or other expansive agent.
Thirdly. Of a horizontal box or casing fitted with a double lift or
clack valve so arranged that one valve admits the steam or other power,

page_text: and the other valve allows the passage of the steam or other power to
the cylinders from the box or casing which forms a reservoir or reserve.
In arranging the apparatus the cylinders may be placed, as already
stated, in close proximity to the rudder, the valves supplying them with
power immediately above, and the means of working the valves above
that again.
The means of working the valves may consist of a horizontal shaft
fitted with four suitable eccentrics or cams worked with a ratchet and
pawl, or friction cam or stop, or their mechanical equivalent, and arranged
so that when the shaft is revolved to the right two valves are working
and two stationary, and when turned to the left the reverse action takes
place.
The shaft carrying the eccentrics or their equivalents for working the
valves is revolved by means of an ordinary steering wheel of suitable
dimensions, and the valves are so arranged that the reverse or full
capacity of the valve box is equal to the steam or motive power required
for one entire revolution of the steering wheel, and the capacity of the
main actuating cylinders is proportioned according to the number of
completo revolutions of the steering wheel required to put the helm hard
over either to port or starboard.
In the case of double cylinder apparatus, as hercin-before described,
four valves are required, two being for the main supply of steam or other
motive agent, and two for the exhaust.
Although it is advisable that the apparatus should be placed com-
pactly together in proximity to the rudder, it is not absolutely necessary,
as the apparatus can be used as a bridge steering gear, the connexions to
the rudder head being made by suitable chains or rods.
The main advantages attendant upon this arrangement of steering gear
are,-
Firstly. The direct application of an expansive motor.
Secondly. The apparatus being so arranged that the helm can be
adjusted and met with nicety, as the apparatus is proportioned to work
with an ordinary steering wheel and in manner similar.
Thirdly. That any seaman will be able to steer with the apparatus
without special instructions.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Albert Powlett in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 28th July 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
ALBERT POWLETT, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, send-
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing dato the Thirtieth day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said James Albert Powlett, Her special
licence that I, the said James Albert Powlett, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said James Albert
Powlett, 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,
usc, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"AN IMPROVED STEERING APPARATUS FOR SHIPS OR OTHER NAVIGABLE VESSELS TO
BE WORKED BY STEAM, COMPRESSED AIR, OR OTHER EXPANSIVE MOTIVE AGENT,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James Albert
Powlett, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
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 James Albert Powlett, 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:-
This Invention relates to the direct application of an expansive motive
agent, such as steam, compressed air, or gas, for the purpose of steering
or guiding ships or other navigable vessels, and consists,―
Firstly. Of an apparatus for directly actuating the rudder.

page_text: Secondly. Of a series and system of valves for supplying, regulating,
and controlling the power supplied.
And, Thirdly. In a means of working such valves so that the power
supplied can be regulated and controlled by the steersman or actuator in
such a manner that any required degree of angle can be given to the
rudder spoke by spoke, starboard or port, as with an ordinary mechanical
steering apparatus.
The apparatus for immediately actuating the rudder consists of two
horizontal cylinders of suitable diameter and stroke. These cylinders
are by preference placed in close proximity to the rudder head, and work
fore and aft on the vessel's deck. The cylinders are fitted with suitable
pistons and piston rods. The piston rod heads are attached to and
actuate two horizontal slides, which work in suitable guides fixed to the
deck on each side of the rudder head. The rudder head is fitted with a
double horizontal pulley wheel or disc, firmly keyed or secured to the
rudder head. The horizontal sliding pieces conjointly actuate the
horizontal pulley, wheel, or disc, and thereby the rudder, by means of
two suitable chains or other connecting medium passing round the
pulley and attached to the respective ends of the slides by means of
adjustable screws and nuts. These screws or nuts may be fitted with
suitable springs or elastic buffers to case sudden shocks. The cylinders
are fitted at the top and bottom with suitable escape valves or cocks,
which are actuated by the slides. The cylinders are placed by preferenco
with their supply and exhaust ports underneath, so that any condensa-
tion tends to go away with the exhaust.
The cylinders are supplied with and exhausted of steam or other
expansive motive agent by means of four valves, which are by preference
of the following construction :—
First. A vertical cylinder, having ports near the top and bottom, and
fitted with a double adjustable piston actuated by a suitable rod, the
space between the pistons forming a reservoir or reserve for power.
Secondly. Of a cylinder within a cylinder, the outer cylinder being
fitted with ports and pipes, the inner cylinder being fitted with ports,
and so arranged that the inner cylinder forms a reservoir or reserve for
the steam or other expansive agent.
Thirdly. Of a horizontal box or casing fitted with a double lift or clack
valve so arranged that one valve admits the steam or other power, and

page_text: The before-going being the nature, object, and purposes of this my
Invention, I will now proceed to describe more in detail how the same
may be carried out into practical effect, and for that purpose I have
hereunto attached two Sheets of Drawings illustrative thereof, marked
with letters and figures of reference corresponding with those in tho
following explanation. Like letters and figures marked on the Drawings
denote like parts throughout the various views :-

page_text: valves, and L, L, being exhaust valves, consist of four vertical cylin-
ders having ports M, N, near the top and bottom. The cylinders
are fitted with double adjustable pistons O, O¹, actuated by suitable rods
P, P, Q, Q, the space between the pistons forming a reservoir or reserve
for power.
The means of working the valves may consist of a horizontal shaft R
fitted with four eccentrics S, S', T, T¹. These eccentrics or cams can be
worked with a ratchet and pawl, as shown at Figures 5 and 6, or a
friction cam or stop or their mechanical equivalent may be used. The
eccentrics are so arranged that when the shaft R is revolved to the right
two valves K, L, are working, namely, one exhaust and one steam, and
the other two K³, L', are stationary, and when the shaft R is revolved to
the left the reverse action takes place. The shaft R is revolved by means
of an ordinary steering wheel U of suitable dimensions, and the valves
K, K', L, L', are so arranged that the reserve or full capacity of the
valve box, that is, the space between the pistons, is equal to contain the
steam or motive power required for one entire revolution of the wheel U,
and the capacity of the main actuating cylinders is proportioned accord-
ing to the number of complete revolutions of the steering wheel U
required to put the helm hard over either to port or starboard, as the
case may be.
Upon reference to the plan Figure 2, Sheet 2, a suitable arrangement
of pipes is shown in dotted lines. It will be seen that the cylinders A, as
well as being connected with the respective actuating valves K, K, L, L',
are connected together, namely, the bottom of the cylinder A is connected
to the top of the cylinder A¹, and the bottom of the cylinder A¹ is con-
nected to the top of the cylinder A, as will be seen upon reference, thus
keeping up the balance of power of the two cylinders.
Although it is advisable that the apparatus as herein-before described
should be placed compactly together in proximity to the rudder, it is not
absolutely necessary, as the apparatus can be used as a bridge steering
gear, the connections to the rudder head being made by suitable chains
or rods from the shaft or spindle B.
When it is not convenient or desirable to use steam the shaft R can
be disconnected from the valve cylinders K, K³, L, L', and there may
be placed on the shaft a suitable pulley or drum having chains or rope
leading to the tiller.

page_text: Having now fully described the nature, object, and purposes of this
my Invention, and shown how the same may be carried out into
practical effect, I would have it understood that I do not confine myself
to any particular arrangement of the respective parts of the apparatus,
nor to the dimensions of the same, as the same may be considerably
altered without departing from my Invention, but what I claim as my
Invention and secured to me by Letters Patent as aforesaid is,-
Firstly. The direct application of the cylinders A, A¹, and their
respective piston rods D, D, to a pulley wheel or disc, which is keyed
or attached to the rudder head or to a shaft which carries a pulley or
drum having chains leading to the tiller, and thereby actuating the
rudder, substantially as set forth in the before-going Specification and
Drawings.
Secondly. The peculiar arrangement of valves for supplying steam or
other motive power to and exhausting the same from the cylinders A, A',
substantially in the manner and for the purpose before described.
Thirdly. The means of operating or working the valves for supplying
and exhausting steam and other motive power, substantially in the
manner and for the purposes herein-before set forth.
Fourthly. The combination of the various parts of the apparatus as
herein-before described, set forth, and illustrated, being an improvod
steering apparatus for ships or other navigable vessels to be worked by
steam, compressed air, or other expansive motive agent.
In witness whereof, I, this said James Albert Powlett, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this First day of July, in the
year of our Lord 1874.
DATT TA