IMPROVEMENTS IN STEERING APPARATUS
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Meriton, of Second Bernard Strasse, Saint
Pauli, Hamburgh, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEERING
APPARATUS."
Sealed the 11th March 1862, and dated the 16th September 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Meriton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 16th
September 1861.
I, THOMAS MERITON, of Second Bernard Strasse, Saint Pauli, Hamburgh,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
STEERING APPARATUS," to be as follows:-
My improvements consist in the application of a brake to the various
descriptions of steering contrivances that are now in use or may hereafter be
constructed, as well as in the construction of the brake itself, which is so.
arranged as to admit of being worked from both sides of the barrel or steering
apparatus. The object of this application is the prevention of accidents such
as have heretofore so frequently occurred to the individual in charge of the
rudder, the management of which when exposed to a heavy seaway is generally
a matter of great difficulty, and has oft-times been the cause of great loss
of life.
The nature of my Invention is indicated in the appended Drawing. In the.
immediate reach of the steersman, at each side of the wheel, is a lever, which
by a mechanical arrangement of cranks (in such manner that both levers at
opposite sides act simultaneously) effects the braking of the barrel which

page_text: contains the chain working the rudder. My braking contrivance may be
either applied and connected to a steering apparatus already in use, or may
be constructed combined with a new one of any description, with a corre-
sponding modification of its parts, the principle remaining the same.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of tho Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas, Meriton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
12th March 1862. .
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
MERITON, of Second Bernard Strasse, Saint Pauli, Hamburgh, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Thomas Meriton, Her special licence that I, the said Thomas Meriton,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Thomas Meriton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
STEERING APPARATUS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said.
Thomas Meriton, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-.
ticularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in
the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immo-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Meriton, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be,
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the fol-
lowing statement, that is to say:-
'
My improvements consist in the application of a brake to the various.
descriptions of steering contrivances that are now in use or may hereafter bo.
constructed, as well as in the construction of the brake itself, which is so
arranged as to admit of being worked from both sides of the barrel or steering

page_text: apparatus. The object of this application is the prevention of accidents such
as have heretofore so frequently occurred to the individual in charge of the
rudder, the management of which when exposed to a heavy seaway is
generally a matter of great difficulty, and has oft-times been the cause of great
loss of life.
In order that the nature of my Invention and the manner in which the same.
is effected may be clearly described and ascertained, I to this Specification
append a Drawing, in which Figure 1 is a front view, and Figure 2 is an edge
view of my Invention. In the immediate reach of the steersman; at each side,
of the wheel, is a lever l, which by a mechanical arrangement of cranks.C (in
such manner that both levers at opposite sides act simultaneously) effects
the breaking of the barrel which contains the chain working the rudders, by
means of a strap S passing round a drum A; the strap S having upon its
under surface, where it comes into contact with the drum A, stops of wood or
of other suitable material for the purpose of causing great friction. One end
of the strap S is fixed to a pin or stud P, the other attached in the manner
shown in Figure 1. Upon the steersman or steersmen lifting the lever or
levers which act, as before stated, simultaneously, the requisite amount of
friction is produced. For example, should a heavy sea strike the rudder, the
helmsman, or if two be steering, the helmsmen, can apply the brake, and thereby
obtain firm footing and perfect security from accident.
My braking contrivance may be either applied or connected to a steering
apparatus already in use, or may be constructed combined with a new one
of any description, with a corresponding modification of its parts, the principle
remaining the same. In the Drawing E is the spindle of steering barrel.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of my Invention, and
the way in which the same is to be performed, what I claim as my Invention
is, the application of a brake to steering apparatus, and the construction of
the same in the manner and for the purpose in this Specification and appended
Drawing described and shown.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Meriton, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fifth day of March, One thousand eight hundred
THOMAS MERITON. (L.S.)