Improved Steam or Hydraulic Steering Gear.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Jan., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 29th Jan., 1890-Accepted, 26th July, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Steam or Hydraulic Steering Gear.
I, JOHN WARDLE, of 88 Russel Street Middlesbrough, in the County of Yorkshire
Mechanic, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to an improved steam or hydraulic steering gear for the
purpose of placing the rudder of a ship to any required position instantaneously.
The apparatus can be fixed in any desirable position or operated on from any point of
the said vessel where connections are attached.
This invention is constructed of ordinary wrought iron steam pipes in any suitable
size, or of any other metallic substance, with a horizontal cylinder mounted on a base
plate, and motion bars on each end of the said cylinder. The cylinder has two chain
sheaves fixed to the covers, and the piston in cylinder a rod through the same, and
on each piston rod I place a cross head, and to each cross head two chain sheaves are
attached the same size as those on the cylinder covers. To the cylinder I fix three
boxes, one on the top centre, and one at each end of the cylinder but on the same side.
In the box at the top of cylinder at each end I provide an outlet, and in this said box
there is situated a slide valve, with an inlet at each end, which causes the pressure
instantly on both sides of the piston when the rudder is left in any position.
Through the box at the top a spindle which has a crank fixed to its inside to work
the slide valve, and on the said spindle beneath the box there is an additional crank to
work the discharge valves in the end boxes.
The object of my invention is that when the steam is turned on there will be
condensed water in the pipes before the steam gets to the apparatus and that said
water with steam pressure will work the apparatus instantly or it will operate with
water pressure only.
Dated this 25th day of February 1800
J. P. BAYLY,
18, Fulham Place, W., Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Steam or Hydraulic Steering Gear.
I, JOHN WARDLE, of 88 Russel Street Middlesbrough, in the County of Yorkshire,
Mechanic, 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 :-
My invention relates to an improved steam or hydraulic steering gear, for steering
steam ships, launches, tug boats or the like.
This machine or apparatus is constructed different to any other steering apparatus
it steers the ship instantaneously and when worked by steam the water which will
accumulate in the pipes or machine will not prevent the machine working instantly.
This apparatus will not only steer from mid ship but it can steer from any part of
the pilot bridge starboard or port sides.
The machine is so made that it will hold the rudder firmly in any position necessary
in the roughest sea without any one to hold it it is checked by a back pressure as soon
as the rudder is in position required and the rudder can be worked backwards and
forwards as quick as required.
This apparatus works silent it is not heard when working.
And it requires no wheel for steering any ship or boat, but if required, cog wheels
or any other wheels, chain wheels, or rack or rod, chain, rope, or wire, can be use
to work the apparatus. This steering apparatus can be placed to work in the bottom

page_text: of any man of war ship or any other steam ship, and when the machine is placed in
the bottom of any ship that ship can be steered at the bottom of the ship and also on
pilot bridge or any part as described above. The apparatus can be placed right aft
near the rudder, and the rudder can be steered by the chains o, o, as described below.
My invention can be built of wrought iron steam pipes and wrought iron complete,
and also from cast iron or brass.
And in order that my invention may be thoroughly understood, I now proceed to
describe the accompanying drawings thereof, reference being had to letters and figures
marked thereon.
Figure 1 represents an elevation of the apparatus. No. 2 box is described in
section.
Figure 2 is a plan of the top of the apparatus, with the boxes 1, 2, and, 3, in section.
The arrow n indicates the position of the rudder.
The stop valve is placed at the top of box 1, and illustrated in figure 1.
This apparatus is constructed as follows:-
My invention contains one horizontal cylinder a, a, with three boxes 1, 2, and 3,
and one piston with a rod b, b, right through, on each end of the rod there is a
crosshead d, which has two chain sheaves e, e, fixed to the crosshead; also to each
cylinder cover there are two chain sheaves c, c, fixed to it in the same manner as on
the crosshead, and on each of the cylinder covers there are motion or slide bars 1, b²,
fixed to the said cylinder covers, in which the crossheads work. Box 1 is on the top
of the centre of the cylinder a, a. Box 2 is on one end of the side of the cylinder.
Box 3 is on the other end of the cylinder the same side as box 2.
Box 1 has on each
end a porthole 1, 1, through which the steam or water goes to the piston to work the
apparatus. Boxes 2, and 3, has in each box a hole for discharging either water or
steam. Through box 1 there is a spindle j which has a crank p inside the box 1 and
a crank underneath the said box, these two cranks work the valves in boxes 1, 2,
and 3, the crank p in box 1 works the valve q in box 1 only, and the crank i under-
neath box 1 works the valves in boxes 2, and 3, when this said spindle is moved by
the handle the three valves are in motion and the whole machine works. When
the rudder is left in the position required the handle k by which the valves are worked
must be put back to the centre, then the machine is checked by means of holes h³, h³,
which are in the valve q in box 1, and at the same time the valves in boxes 2, and 3,
are shut and the rudder is then immovable.
Above the aforesaid lever or handle k there is a connection with another spindle
which goes up to the pilot bridge o³ and there connected with a rod 1, 1, reaching to
both sides of the ship, and by this said rod the apparatus can be worked as well as
by the said handle, or lever k, and from the arm of on the spindle j over two small
rollers m, m, with a small chain, line, or wire o¹, the ship can be steered from right
forehead.
The arrangement for conveying the motion of the piston to the rudder is by the
chains on the port and starboard sides o, o, which said chains are attached to the rudder
so as to place the rudder in the desired direction.
By passing the handle k to the left the porthole on the right hand side of box 1
is opened to allow the steam to pass down into the cylinder a, to work the piston rod
and crosshead to the left hand side, and by opening outwards the pulleys e, to shorten
the chain to place the rudder in the same direction as the handle. On reversing the
handle to the right the reverse motion of the rudder takes place, and the exhaust
steam escapes into box 3 down the hole and the pipe c' to an ordinary exhaust
outlet placed in any suitable position outside the vessel.
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. The combination of the machine or apparatus for the purpose of steering steam
ships, launches, tug boats and the like, substantially as herein described and according
to the accompanying drawings

page_text: 2. The machine to work instantaneously when water has accumulated in the pipes
or machine, substantially as herein described.
3. The machine to steer from any part of the ship, and to hold the rudder firmly
in any required position, and to work silent; and that the apparatus can be placed
at the bottom of any ship or any part of the deck, substantially as herein described.
4. The construction of the combination of this machine with the valves and the
boxes; and that the machine can be worked with or without gearing, substantially as
herein described.
5. That this machine can steer a ship with a wire, rod, chain, or line, substantially
as described.
Dated this 98th dor of Jonner 1800