Improvements in and connected with Steering Gear for Steamships.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Oct., 1892-Accepted, 19th Nov., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Steering Gear for Steamships.
I, OTTO SCHLEICHER, of 9 Sietersthorstrasse, Magdeburg, in the Kingdom of
Prussia, and German Empire, Consulting 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 the method of and means for effecting the steering of
steam ships through the agency of a steering gear the motor of which is actuated
by water supplied from the boiler feed pumps, and its object is to utilise in the
motor some of the work of which the boiler feed pumps are capable beyond that
for which they are directly intended.
I will describe my invention with reference to the accompanying drawings in
each of the figures of which similar letters are employed to denote similar parts.
Figure 1 is a side view;
Figure 2 a cross section taken along the line A-B, Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a plan; and
Figure 4, a vertical section of the water vessel and air-chamber, taken along the
line C-D, Figure 1.
e,
The framing a supports the cylinder b, which is secured to it in the usual way,
and which contains a piston and a piston rod the front end of which projects
beyond the cylinder and carries on a cross head, the small rope pulley c. The
cylinder is supplied, through the valve chest and suitable rotary or slide valves,
with water under pressure from the vessel y, the upper part of which is provided
with an air chamber E, the mouth of which dips into the vessel y as shewn by
Figure 4. The vessel and the valve chest may be connected by a suitable pipe or
pipes such as that shewn at z. In the same plane with the cross head pulley c,
there are mounted the correspondingly grooved pulleys fdi, of which fand i are
guide pulleys. Three wire ropes pass over the cross-head pulley to the larger
pulley d, to which their ends are secured. Of these ropes, one is secured to the
framing at and passes round c to the right, and two are secured to the framing
at h, and pass around that pulley to the left. The rope utilised in the forward
motion of the piston is secured at e, passes over the pulley c, around the guide
pulley, and over the pulley d, to which its end is secured at g.
The other two
ropes which are utilised in the return stroke of the piston are those secured to the
framing at h, which pass around the pulley c, return and pass around the guide
pulley i, and thence to the pulley d, to which they are secured at k. The diameter
of the rope pulley d should be such that it will make not quite a complete
revolution for each stroke of the piston. The parts e and by which the ropes
are secured to the framing are preferred to be adjustable, so that the ropes may
always be maintained in tension. With this construction and arrangement, it is
evident that the pulley d will be rotated by the motion of the piston, and that the
direction of its rotation will be determined by the direction of motion of the piston.
The rope pulley d is firmly keyed upon its shaft upon which the spur wheel m
is firmly mounted. This wheel has cast upon or secured to it the chain wheel n
which is connected with the rudder by means of a pitch chain. The wheels m
and n may be compelled to rotate with the shaft 1, when required, by means of a
suitable clutch or coupling n'.
The steering gear is operated by means of the hand wheel o, fixed upon the
shaft q, upon which the bevel wheel p is also fixed. This wheel engages with
the bevel wheel, below which and upon the same spindle is carried the bevel
wheel r. The last named wheel gears with the bevel wheel, which is mounted
upon the shafts, so as to be capable of sliding thereon and turning therewith.
Pin Q77

page_text: On the end of the shafts, there is fixed a spur wheel j, gearing with the similar
wheel fixed upon the parallel screwed spindle t, upon which there is a travelling
nut u, which carries a tappet or projection capable of engaging with either of two
projections from the arm v. This arm is connected with the valve through the
connecting rod v and the rocking lever 1, Figure 1; hence, when the tappet on u
moves the arin v, the valve will be opened. The shafts s and t with their gearing,
are mounted upon the slipper w, which is connected and moves with the piston rod
cross-head. By this means, the valve, after having been opened or reversed, is
restored to the position of rest.
When
For the purpose of enabling the steering gear to be worked by hand, in the
event of the failure of the water pressure, a spur pinion m¹ is fixed upon the end
of the shaft q, and this shaft is arranged to be moved longitudinally and to be
fixed to rotate with the pinion either in or out of gear with the wheel m.
the shaft is moved to bring the pinion into gear with the wheel, the bevel wheel p
is put out of gear by that motion, and it is necessary only to disconnect the clutch
or coupling n by hand, to enable the steering gear to be worked wholly from the
wheel o.
An indicator may be connected with the shaft g, to shew the position of
the rudder.
The diameter of the cylinder is determined by the available pressure from the
feed pipes a, and is readily calculated for each particular application.
Since the feed pumps of marine engines are sufficiently large to supply much
more water than is required by the boilers, their superfluous power is economically
available for producing the supply of water under pressure required for the steering
gear. A branch from the feed pipe a leads to the water vessel y, whence it is
conducted to the cylinder by the pipe 2. To equalise the pressure, and to prevent
the transmission of the shocks from the pump to the cylinder, an air vessel E
communicating with the interior of the vessel is provided. So long as the pump
is working, a pressure equal to the boiler pressure prevails in the water vessel and
in the pipe z.
To enable the steering gear to be worked when the feed pumps are stopped or
running slowly, the water vessel has a branch in which the reducing valve :¹ is
included, communicating with the boilers or one of them. As soon as the pressure
in y has been reduced below that in the boilers, and the water in the air vessel has
fallen, steam or water from the boiler passes through the reducing valve into the
water vessel and its pressure becomes available for working the steering gear,
within the limits determined by the adjustment of the reducing valve.
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 hereinbefore described methcd of operating the steering gear of steam
ships by the pressure of water derived from the boiler feed pumps, substantially as
and by the means set forth.
2. Steering gear for steam ships, actuated by water pressure from the boiler
feed pumps and constructed and arranged substantially as herein before described
and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 13th day of October A.D. 1892.
L
i
WILLIAM E. HEYS,
Agent for the Applicant.