Improvements in Apparatus for Propelling, Steering, and Retarding the Motion of Boats, Ships, and other Vessels, and the like.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 6h Sept., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 6th June, 1894-Accepted, 1st Sept:, 1894
TRUVIDIONAL DI BUIFICATION
Improvements in Apparatus for Propelling, Steering, and Retarding
the Motion of Boats, Ships, and other Vessels, and the like.
I THOMAS BRIDGES HEATHORN of 10 Wilton Place, Knightsbridge, in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
This invention for improvements in apparatus for propelling steering and
retarding the motion of boats ships and other vessels and the like relates to
apparatus for actuating propellers of the class in which the vessel is propelled and
steered or its motion retarded by the action of a compound vibrating stern paddle
or rudder comprising a primary rudder oscillating about the axis of the rudder
post and a secondary rudder blade oscillating with the primary blade and also about
1041687
an independent pivotal axis in it and for which Letters Patent Nos. 538488,
83538, 71281 and 13443" have been granted to me; and has for its object to provide
an apparatus which may be readily adapted to be operated by either hand or other
motive power of simple construction not liable to be easily deranged and of high
mechanical efficiency.
In one form of apparatus constructed according to this invention and applicable
for actuating a boat propeller of the kind herein before referred to the rudder post
is connected by means of chain or other suitable gearing to a vertical shaft working
in a suitable frame in the vessel and on which is rigidly mounted a pulley provided
with grooves for the reception of cords.
On the aforesaid vertical shaft is also mounted loosely two small cord guide
pulleys and a swaying lever whose ends are connected through suitable connecting
rods, vibrating links, guides and connecting rods to two driving cranks of equal
throw diametrically opposite to one another and forming a part of the driving
shaft which is mounted in suitable bearings. The two sets of connections are in
every respect identical and symmetrically disposed on either side of a central
longitudinal vertical plane so that as the said cranks are rotated the aforesaid
swaying lever is oscillated about its vertical axis.
Secured to the beforementioned grooved pulley are two steering cords which
after passing round the grooves in opposite directions each pass over corresponding
guide pulleys on the end of the swaying lever and pulley shaft and are adjustably
connected to chain gearing operated by a worm and pinion or other suitable
gearing.
It will thus be seen that when the steering chain gear is operated the connecting
cords cause the grooved pulley and consequently its shaft and the rudder shaft
connected thereto to rotate so that its plane assumes a position making any required
angle with the longitudinal axis of the vessel while the rotation of the driving cranks
causes the swaying lever and through its connections the rudder to oscillate through
constant and equal angles on each side of that position.
By these means the vessel is both propelled and steered by the combined
mechanism acting on the compound propeller rudder.
When using the apparatus for steering only the propelling mechanism is locked
by means of a locking bolt or other suitable device.
The driving crank shaft is connected to the motive source by bevel or other
Buitable gear.
Dated this 6th day of September 1893.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Propelling, Steering, and Retarding
the Motion of Boats, Ships, and other Vessels, and the like.
I THOMAS BRIDges Heathorn, of 10 Wilton Place, Knightsbridge, in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, 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 for improvements in apparatus for propelling steering and
retarding the motion of boats ships and other vessels and the like relates to
apparatus for actuating propellers of the class in which the vessel is propelled and
steered or its motion retarded by the action of a compound vibrating stern paddle
or rudder comprising a primary rudder oscillating about the axis of the rudder
post and a secondary rudder blade oscillating with the primary blade and also
about an independent pivotal axis in it and for which Letters Patent Nos. 538483,
1041687, 835389 712891, and 134439 have been granted to me; and has for its object
to provide an apparatus which may be readily adapted to be operated by either
hand or motive power, of simple construction, not liable to be easily deranged and
of high mechanical efficiency.
In the accompanying sheet of illustrative drawings :-
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an apparatus constructed according to this
invention suitable for propelling, steering, and retarding the motion of a boat
by hand.
Fig. 2 is a plan of the same.
Fig. 3 is an end elevation.
Fig. 4 is a cross section at A B, Fig. 2, looking backward.
Fig. 5 is a cross section at C-D, Fig. 2 looking backward.
Fig. 6 is a cross section at E-F, Fig. 2 looking backward, and
Fig. 7 is a sectional clevation of the stern end of a boat showing a propeller
mounted on the vertical propeller shaft, the dotted lines indicating the reversed
position of propeller when going astern.
2
The rudder propeller a is mounted on a vertical shaft working in suitable
bearings in a foundation plate e and' frame d secured to the said foundation plate
and further supported by the standard e. On the upper end of the shaft b is
mounted a chain wheel connected by a chain g to the chain wheel mounted on a
vertical rocking shaft working in suitable bearings in the foundation plate c and
frame d. Loosely mounted on the shaft i is a double armed rocking lever Z
connected to the swaying levers or links m by adjustable rods n and carrying on
the outer end of either arın a guide pulley o. The swaying levers m are connected
by fulcrum pins p to brackets q sliding in guides r and capable of adjustment by
means of the clamping bolts & working in the slots the said levers m passing
through corresponding slide blocks working in guides and being provided
with slots in which the fulcrum pins y work as will be readily understood. The
two slide blocks are respectively connected by the rods z to the corresponding
cranks a a of equal throw placed diametrically opposite to one another and whose
shaft ab works in suitable bearings in the foundation plate c and plate a c of the
standard bracket a d. The cranks a a are driven by hand by the handles a e
through the bevel wheels af, ag, mounted on the shafts ab and ah respectively.
It will be observed that when the cranks a a are rotated a corresponding
oscillatory motion is thereby imparted to the rocking levers through the
connecting mechanism.
Rigidly mounted on the rocking shaft i is a pulley ai having two grooves in
which are secured cords al which after being passed round the grooves in opposite
directions to one another are carried over the loose guide pulleys am, an and a o

page_text: and are connected by means of adjustable screw and socket connections a p, ag to
the chain ar gearing with the chain pinion mounted on a spindle as on which is
also mounted a worm pinion at gearing with the worm av which is operated by
hand through the handles a w as will be readily understood.
It will thus be seen that when the steering chain gear is operated the connecting
cords cause the grooved pulley, and consequently its shaft and the rudder shaft
connected thereto, to rotate so that its plane assumes a position making any
required angle with the longitudinal axis of the vessel, while the rotation of the
driving cranks causes the rocking lever, and through its connections the rudder,
to oscillate through constant and equal angles on each side of that position.
By these means the vessel is both propelled and steered by the combined
mechanism acting on the compound propeller rudder.
When using the apparatus for steering only the propelling mechanism is locked
by means of a locking bolt or other suitable device.
When it is desired to retard the motion of the boat or to go astern the rudder is
reversed into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 7 by means of the steering
mechanism.
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. Operating the oscillating rudder propeller by means of rocking levers
connected thereto through the steering cords, rocking shaft, and chain connections,
substantially as described.
2. Actuating the rudder propeller by means of rotating cranks placed
diametrically opposite to one another and connected to the rudder rocking levers
by connecting rods and adjustable swaying levers or links, the whole substantially
as described.
3. The arrangement and construction of steering gear comprising a pulley
mounted on a rocking shaft and connected to the rudder shaft by chain gear and
to the controlling worm or other gear by means of adjustable chain and cord
connections, substantially as described.
4. The combination of parts constituting my improvements in apparatus for
propelling steering and retarding the motion of boats' ships and other vessels and
the like, the whole arranged constructed and operating substantially as described
in the foregoing Specification and illustrated in the drawings hereunto annexed.
Dated this day of June 1894.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.