similar Vessels.
Year: 1886

page_text: similar Vessels.
I, CHRISTOPHER NUGENT NIXON, of 57, Chancery Lane, 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:-
My said invention consists in improvements in the fittings employed for securing
rudders to ships and other similar vessels, whereby the rudders can be readily
shipped or unshipped, when desired, whilst, at the same time, the rudder is free to
move upwards, on coming into contact with the ground or other object, without
unshipping, and will resume its proper position when free of the ground or other
object, and this invention further relates to improvements in the fitting of the
head of the rudder post whereby the evil effects arising from the impact of the
sea upon the rudder are almost, if not entirely, avoided.
I will now proceed to describe my invention with reference to the accompanying
drawings. Figure 1. represents the side of the stern of a ship with rudder
attached thereto, and, Figure 2. is a similar view with the rudder unshipped.
Near the bottom of the stern post is secured a short pintle a. projecting upwards
from the straps securing it to the vessel. At a suitable distance above the top of
the said pintle is a gudgeon b. also fixed to the stern post, and near the bottom of
the rudder is attached the gudgeon c., and above the same is secured the pintle d.
projecting downwards, the positions of the various parts are such that on the
pintle d. being passed down through the gudgeon b. the gudgeon c. will pass over
the pintle a. and the end of the pintle d. will rest in a countersunk or other suitable
recess in the top of the pintle a., or, the recess may be formed in the end of the
other pintle. e. is a stop for preventing the rudder being raised by any obstacle
beyond a certain height.
In some cases, I arrange a sliding eye on the rudder between the straps of the
pintle d. and the gudgeon c. so that when the rudder is being shipped the said
moveable eye will fit on to a shoulder on the lower pintle a. and will embrace the
ends of both pintles.
In order to reduce the evil effects of the impact of the sea on the rudder,
I mount round the head of the rudder post immediately above the deck a loose

page_text: collar which rests on the deck, and, in the upper edge thereof I form two or more
V-shaped or other similar recesses, and to the rudder post above the said loose
collar I secure a collar the lower edge of which is provided with projections
corresponding in shape and number to the recesses in the edge of the loose collar
into which they gear. The tiller is attached to either of the said collars.
When the rudder is acted upon by a violent impact of the sea it will be moved
and will cause the rudder post to turn more or less, whereby the inclined edges of
the fixed collar are brought to bear against the sides of the recesses in the moveable
collar and as the latter is held, by the consequent pressure, against the deck, the
fixed collar and the rudder are caused to move upwards. Figure 3. is a side
elevation of these fittings applied to the post of a ship's rudder, in their normal
positions, and Figure 4. is a similar view showing the fixed collar and the rudder
post slightly raised. A is the rudder post, b¹ is the moveable collar, and c¹ is
the fixed collar.
In some cases, in order to offer an increased resistance to the rising of the
rudder, I arrange a spring, in such a manner, that on the rudder rising, it will be
compressed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
First. The improved fittings for attaching rudders to ships and other similar
vessels consisting of the construction and arrangement of the pintles a. and d. and
the gudgeons b. and c. substantially as herein before described.
And Secondly. The construction of the collars 61 and c¹ and the arrangement
thereof in connection with the head of the rudder post, substantially as, and for
the purposes, hereinbefore described and shown in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this seventh day of January 1886.