An Improved Hydraulic Steering Apparatus for Ships.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Jan., 1896-Accepted, 4th Apr., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Hydraulic Steering Apparatus for Ships.
I, ANDERS FREDRIK WIKING, of 87 Folkungagatan, Stockholm, Sweden,
Mechanical 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 relates to an improved hydraulic steering apparatus for ships and
has for its object to provide for the introduction of steam-power, when hand-power
is insufficient.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a vertical transverse section and
Figure 2 a vertical longitudinal section on the line x, x, Figure 1, showing that
part of the machine which is to be placed on the bridge, (the bridge apparatus).
Figure 3 is a horizontal section of that part of the machine that is to be placed
at the rudder (the after apparatus).
a
Figures 4 to 8 are different views of the valve-box pertaining to the bridge
apparatus and arranged for steering by steam power; Figure 4 being a front view
of the said valve-box and a section of the steam valve-chest on the line a
(Figure 7); Figure 5 a section of the said valve-box on the line ẞ-ẞ (Figure 7);
Figure 6 a section on the line y-y (Figure 4); Figure 7 a section on the line 8-8
(Figures 1 and 4); and Figure 8 a section on the line n-n (Figure 7).
The bridge apparatus consists as usual of a vertical pump-cylinder A with a
piston B, the piston-rod C of which is connected to the eccentric F by means of an
eccentric strap E. This eccentric F is movable lengthwise on the shaft J, which
is connected with the wheel N and enclosed by the reservoir D containing the
working and spare liquid. This reservoir is closed by a cover M. On the shaft J
the clutch-couplings G and H are secured, one on each side of the eccentric F.
The hub of this eccentric and the ends of the said clutches G and H are provided
with teeth of the shape illustrated in Figure 2, and thus, when the eccentric is
moved along the shaft J, the hub of this eccentric will be caught by one or the
other of these sockets or clutches G or H, depending upon the direction in which
the wheel N is turned. In Figure 2 the eccentric is shown in connection with the
socket or clutch G. By turning the top of the wheel to the left (baving
the apparatus in front) the eccentric will be pushed away from G until it
reaches H, to which it will then be connected by the teeth. By reversing the
motion of the wheel, the eccentric will again be connected to G.
The eccentric, having thus been coupled to one or the other of the sockets or
clutches G or H, will then be turned with the shaft J and will work the piston B.
The hub of the eccentric F is provided with an annular groove a (Figure 2), in
which works the forked end of a bell-crank-lever K. This bell-crank-lever is
fulcrummed at T and has its other end connected by the rod L to the
distributing-valve O.
The ends of the cylinder A are in communication by pipes P and Q with
separate chambers P, Q in the valve-box U, as shown in Figure 1. These
chambers are in communication with the central chamber of the chest of the
distributing-valve O through valves and (which open when there is an excess
pressure in the corresponding pipe P.or Q), and through the chamber u, Figures 2,
55 and 7; and with the chamber n' of the said valve-chest through the bottom
valves m and m' (Figures 1, 2, 5 and 8), which open when there is a diminution of
pressure in the corresponding pipe P or Q, and thus allow liquid to enter tie

page_text: cylinder A behind the piston B. The central chamber of the chest of the
distributing-valve O is in communication with one or the other of two pipes R and S,
or is shut off therefrom according to the position of the distributing-valve O.
The two pipes R and S communicate with the ends of. the cylinder V in the after
apparatus. In this cylinder works the piston c, the piston-rod X of which at its
outer end is formed or provided with a rack engaging with the teeth of the
sector Y keyed to the rudder-head d. The movement of the piston c is limited by
the stop b, and the movement of the piston-rod is guided by a roller Z. The
connection between the piston-rud and the rudder-head may be accomplished in
some other suitable manner if desired.
The usual operation of the apparatus is as follows:-By working the piston B
by turning the wheel N in one or the other direction, the working liquid will be forced
through the pipe P or Q, the valve 1 or 1, the chamber u', the central chamber of
the valve-chest O, and finally through one or the other of the pipes R or S, causing
the piston c to move away from the pressure and thus turning the rudder. The
liquid that is displaced by the piston e will pass back through one or the other of
the pipes R, S to an end chamber n¹ of the valve-chest O and thence to the
reservoir D or through the valve m or m' to the suction side of the piston B.
My present invention consists in enabling the wheelman to bring steam-power to
his aid when the force required to move the rudder exceeds a predetermined
amount. For this purpose I provide another set of valves k and k¹, Figures 5 and 7,
which open from the chambers P and Q into a chamber u, separated from the
outlet chamber u of the valves I and . The chamber a communicates, as above
described, with the central chamber of the chest of the distributing-valve O;
while the chamber u communicates through the passages (Figures 5 and 7)
with a cylinder W. In this cylinder works a piston f, which, on being pushed
back by the pressure from the chamber u, uncovers the outlet i, Figures 4 and 5,
and allows the liquid to escape through the passage and pipe h back to the
reservoir D. The piston f, by means of a lever g fulcrummed at z, is connected
to the valve-rod of a steam-valve y, which works in the steam-chest I,
Figures 4 and 8, to which steam is conveyed through the pipe t. On the move-
ment of this steam-valve y by the piston f, the outlet v is uncovered, thus allowing
steam to pass through the pipe t to an independent steam-pump (not shown in the
drawing), which, by its action, delivers the liquid under pressure through the
pipe j' to the passage u', the liquid passing to that pump by the suction-pipe j from
the reservoir D.
The pressure on the upper side of the valves and is proportionate to the
pressure of the water on the rudder. The pressure on the upper side of the
valves and again is proportionate to the pressure on the piston f from
the spring e, augmented by the steam-pressure on the valve-rod w of the
steam-valve, acting through the lever g.
The apparatus works as follows:-When the pressure on the valves and
becomes greater than that on the valves k and k¹, these latter valves will open,
and the piston will be raised by the liquid entering the passages. Almost
simultaneously the steam-valve y will commence to move and uncover the
opening, admitting steam to the steam-pump, which will start pumping fluid
to one or the other side of the piston c and so turning the rudder.
If the wheel is turned slowly, the opening at i will not be required to be as large
as if the wheel was turned more quickly. Thus the piston will not be raised as
high, when the wheel is turned slowly, as when it is turned more quickly, and
consequently the steatn opening at will also be smaller at a lower.speed of the
wheel and admit less steam. The steam-pump will thus acquire less speed, and the
rudder will be turned more slowly at a small speed of the wheel. Thus it will be
seen, that the speed at which the rudder is turned, will be proportionate to the
speed at which the wheel is turned. If the wheel is stopped, then the piston f will
be pushed down by the spring e to the lower edge of the opening i, the steam-valve
will close the opening and the steam-pump will stop for want of steam.

page_text: By adjusting the spring e the pressure on the valves k and k¹ may be so regulated
that these valves open at a point beyond which the wheelman should not be strained.
Until this point is reached, the valves and will open, and the steering will be
accomplished by the power of the wheelman.
By this arrangement it is possible for the wheelman to turn the rudder by his own
power to a certain angle or as far as his power may be relied upon.
When this
point is reached the valves k and will open instead of 1 and 1, and the steam-pump
will be started and the steering henceforth accomplished by steam power. Thus
steam is not wasted unnecessarily.
n (Figures 5 and 7) is a safety-valve to the chamber u', with escape through the
pipe p' to the reservoir D.
In order to disconnect the steam-pump gear, the eccentric q (Figures 4 and 6) is
turned by the lever and brought to bear on the end of the lever y. Thus the
steam-valve y will cover the opening and shut off steam from the steam-pump.
In order to allow the piston fto pass by the lower edge of the opening i for
this purpose, the screw-plug p (Figure 7) may be opened, thus permitting liquid to
escape through the passage and the pipe p to the reservoir D.
(Figure 8) is a pipe that collects and conveys away such steam as may leak
past the valve-rod from the steam-chest.
In order to lock the rudder in a certain position, it is only necessary to give the
distributing-valve O such a position that it shuts off the passage to both of the
pipes R and S, the liquid thereby being enclosed on both sides of the piston c, thus
counteracting the movement of this piston.
The pump A is herein described as double acting, but it may, of course, also be
made single acting, in which case the connections and valve arrangements will be
simplified accordingly.
y
The connection and relative position between the piston f and the steam valve
may be different to those herein shown. Thus the steam-valve may be arranged in
a straight line with the piston f.
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 :-
First. A steering apparatus for ships, which comprises a hydraulic cylinder with
a piston acting upon the rudder, and a distributing valve for the said cylinder
moved and reversed by the steering-wheel, the chest of the said valve being made
with chambers in communication, through valves in a valve-box, with a hand-pump,
and in which the said hand-pump is also in communication through a separate set
of delivery valves with a separate chamber, and with a loaded piston moveable
over an escape opening for the hand-pumped liquid and connected to a steam-valve,
which, when opened by the said piston, admits steam to a steam-pump, for the
purpose of pumping liquid from the reservoir into the said cylinder, substantially
as described.
Second. The improved hydraulic steering apparatus constructed substantially as
described with reference to the accompanying drawings and operating as above
specified.
Dated the 17th day of January 1896
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.