IMPROVEMENTS IN RUDDERS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Luke Thomas, of Bayswater, in the County of Middlesex,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN RUDDERS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Luke Thomas at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th December 1878.
LUKE THOMAS, of Bayswater, in the County of Middlesex.
IN RUDDERS."
"
IMPROVEMENTS
The object of my Invention is to obtain greater power and useful effect in the
steering of vessels so as to enable them more quickly to answer their helm.
I attain this in the following manner-Instead of mounting the rudder on an
axis vertical, or nearly so, I mount it on an axis placed at a more or less acute angle
to the keel, the angular direction of the axis being such that it inclines upward and
forward. Although I do not confine myself strictly thereto, I prefer the inclination
of the rudder axis to be about forty-five degrees. In this manner the rudder blade
is caused to press laterally and vertically against the water, tending to force the
water downwards as well as laterally so as to obtain increased deflecting force on
the vessel.
The oblique or angular axis of the rudder may be rotated by any suitable con-
nection from the steering wheel or other known steering apparatus, such, for
example, as by bevil or other gearing.
The rudder may be of any convenient shape; a circular or elliptical form partly
balanced is advantageous.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Luke Thomas in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 13th June
1879.
LUKE THOMAS, of Bayswater, in the County of Middlesex.
IN RUDDERS."
"IMPROVEMENTS
The object of my Invention is to obtain greater power and useful effect in the
steering of vessels, so as to enable them more quickly to answer their helm.
I attain this in the following manner :-Instead of mounting the rudder on an
axis vertical, or nearly so, I mount it on an axis placed at a more or less acute
angle to the keel, the angular direction of the axis being such that it inclines
upward and forward. Although I do not confine myself strictly thereto, I prefer
the inclination of the rudder axis to be about forty-five degrees. In this manner
the rudder blade is caused to press laterally and vertically against the water,
tending to force the water downwards as well as laterally so as to obtain increased
deflecting force on the vessel
The oblique or angular axis of the rudder may be rotated by any suitable con-
nection from the steering wheel or other known steering apparatus, such, for
example, as by bevil or other gearing.
The rudder may be of any convenient shape; a circular or elliptical form partly
balanced is advantageous.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 shews my improved rudder as applied to a ship, and Fig. 2 shews the
same as applied to a barge. The shaft or axis A of the rudder is inclined forward
to an angle, by preference, of about 45 degrees, the lower end being supported
either in an extension of the keel, as at B, Fig. 1, or in a framing, as at C, Fig. 2.
The rudder blade D is by preference made of a rounded form, as shewn, the upper
portion D¹ being made to project to such an extent above water line when the
rudder is in the midships position, that when moved over to the greatest extent to
port or starboard the upper edge will be just immersed in the water, so that the
entire surface of the rudder is effective for steering. It will be seen that when
moved over into the angular position, the surface of the rudder being inclined to
the horizontal plane as well as to the vertical plane it will deflect the water both
laterally and downwards, and will thus exert a considerably greater governing
power than an ordinary rudder. The part D2 of the blade on the inner side of the
axis, while it assists in steering the vessel, also serves to partly balance the pressure
on the other part of the blade, and thus to reduce the power required for working
the rudder. It may however be dispensed with, as shewn at Fig. 5. The motion
may be imparted to the rudder either by toothed gearing, as shewn at E and F,
Figs. 1 and 2, the sphere G on the capstan at Fig. 1 serving as support to the
socket shaped upper end A' of the shaft A, or the rudder may be worked by tiller
chains H, connected to a quadrant I on the rudder shaft, as shewn in side and front
views at Figs. 3 and 4 in a similar manner to ordinary rudders. In the arrange-
ment shewn at Fig. 2 the lever K, by rocking which the shaft L of the toothed
segment L' is partially rotated for working the rudder, may have a hinge joint, as
shewn, so that when the rudder is midships and requires to be held there the lever
can be turned down so as to enter notches in the standard M and the segment L¹,
as indicated in dotted lines. The steering gear may be enclosed by a casing N,
provided with a lid N¹.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to

page_text: the precise form of the rudder blade, nor to the angle at which it is placed, nor to
the means for actuating the same, as shewn on the Drawing, as these details may
be variously modified without departing from the nature of my Invention, but I
claim,―
Mounting a ship's rudder on an axis inclined forward at a more or less acute
angle to the keel, so that the rudder blade when moved over shall press both
laterally and in a downward direction against the water, substantially as and for
the purposes herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Luke Thomas, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twelfth day of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy nine.
LUKE THOMAS. (L.S.)