Improvements in Steering Gear for Fishing Boats and other Vessels.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 24th June, 1887
Complete Left, 24th Mar., 1888
Complete Accepted, 27th Apr., 1888
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Steering Gear for Fishing Boats and other
Vessels.
I, THOMAS PATON, of Kingswell Lane Engineering Works in the town and county
of Banff, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention to be as
follows:-
My Invention comprises a new or improved construction, or arrangement and
combination of the parts of gear mechanism for actuating the steering rudders or helms
of fishing and pleasure boats and other vessels; and which will be more simple and
compact than hand steering gears as heretofore constructed.
According to my Invention I erect, preferably near the stern of the boat, an open
rectangular framework comprising a horizontal sole-plate carrying vertical standards
at each end which support a longitudinal horizontal central plate some distance above
the sole plate.. A horizontal spindle, on the end of which is attached an ordinary hand
steering wheel is mounted in journal bearings in the forward end standard, which projects
above the central plate, and in a bracket attached to the central plate. A bevel pinion
is mounted preferably near the centre of the horizontal band steering spindle, and gears
into a horizontal bevel wheel mounted on the upper end of a vertical spindle. This vertical
spindle is mounted in a footstep bearing in the sole plate, and is guided through the upper
central horizontal plate. On this vertical spindle, preferably near the lower end, is
mounted a spur pinion which gears into a toothed quadrant or segmental wheel
mounted on a vertical stud in the sole-plate. A crosshead or transverse arm is mounted
on a vertical stud in the sole plate, preferably in front of the segmental wheel although
it might be behind it, and attached to it by connecting rods or levers at each side.
The ends of the steering chain or link rods are attached to the outer ends of this cross-
head, or another crosshead on the same axis, and the chain passes from these over
guide pulleys or sheaves, and round guide rollers to levers or plates on the rudder or

page_text: tiller head. The action of the mechanism would be as follows:-When the hand
steering wheel was turned in the required direction to place the rudder or helm to
port or starboard, the bevel pinion on the horizontal shaft would gear into the bevel
wheel on the vertical spindle and rotate the latter; and the spur wheel on the lower
end of the vertical spindle would gear into the teeth of, and actuate the segmental
wheel, the movement of which would actuate the crossheads through the connecting
rods or levers; and the oscillation of the crosshead would in turn actuate the rudder
or helm through the connecting steering chains or rods.
A toothed or notched wheel would be mounted on the horizontal spindle, behind the
hand steering wheel, and a shifting pawl would be mounted on the upper part of the
forward vertical standard to gear into this wheel and retain the rudder or helin in any
fixed position when desired.

page_text: Improvements in Steering-gear for Fishing-boats and other
Vessels.
I, THOMAS PATON, of Kingswell Lane Engineering Works, in the town and county
of Banff, Engineer, 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 following statement in writing, reference being had to the accompanying Sheet
of Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
My said Invention comprises a new or improved construction, or arrangement and
combination of the parts of gear mechanism for actuating the steering rudders or helms
of fishing and pleasure boats and other vessels; and which will be more simple and
compact than hand steering gears as heretofore constructed.
And in order that my said invention, and the manner of performing or carrying the
same into effect or practice may be properly understood, I have hereunto appended an
explanatory Sheet of Drawings, in which the same reference letters are used to indicate
corresponding parts in all the Figures where shown.
Figure 1 is a side elevation with the enclosing covering of the gearing removed,
showing my new arrangement of gearing for transmitting the motion of the hand
steering wheel to the rudder. Figure 2 is a plan view with the frame of the gearing
in section, as on the line 1---1 in Figure 1, of the stern part S of a fishing boat,
showing my new or improved steering gear applied thereto. Figure 3 is an end
elevation looking aft, showing the transmitting wheel gearing, with the hand steering
wheel and enclosing covering of the gearing removed.
Referring to these Drawings:-According to my Invention I erect preferably near
the stern of the boat, an open rectangular frame comprising a horizontal sole plate A
carrying vertical standards A', A", at each end, which support a longitudinal central
plate A, some distance above the sole plate A. A horizontal spindle B, on the over-
hung end of which is secured an ordinary hand steering wheel C, is mounted in
journal bearings at b, b', in the forward end standard A', which projects above the
central plate A³, and in a bracket A³, attached to the after end of the central plate A*.
A bevel pinion B¹ is mounted on the horizontal hand steering spindle B, inside the
standard A', and gears into a horizontal bevel wheel B² mounted on the upper end of
a vertical spindle D. This vertical spindle D is mounted in a footstep bearing at d, in
the sole plate A, and in a bearing at d¹ in the centre of the horizontal plate A*. On
this vertical spindle D, preferably near the lower end, is mounted a spur pinion D',
which gears into a toothed quadrant or segmental wheel D³, mounted on a vertical
stud E in the after end of the sole plate A. Two transverse arms or levers F, F', are
mounted on a vertical stud E' in the forward end of the sole plate A, each attached to
the segmental wheel D', by connecting rods F, F", at each opposite side respectively.
The outer longer arms of these levers F, F¹, are connected at f¹ to the ends of the
steering chains or link rods f, f", and the chains ffll pass from these over guide
pulleys or sheaves e, e, in angled brackets e¹, e¹, secured to the deck, and round guide
rollers or sheaves e in the stern gunwale s, to eye bolts f³ in bow clip plates f*, screwed

page_text: to the upper part of the rudder head G. The action of the mechanism is as follows:-
When the hand steering wheel C is turned in the required direction to place the rudder
or helm G to port or starboard, the bevel pinion B₁ on the horizontal shaft B, turns
the bevel wheel B2 on the vertical spindle D and rotates the latter; so that the spur
wheel D¹ on the lower end of the vertical spindle D, would actuate the segmental
wheel D², the movement of which actuates the cross levers F, F1, through the connect-
ing rods or levers F2, F"; and the oscillation of the cross levers F, F, would in turn
actuate the rudder or helm G through the connecting steering chains f², f¹¹, these
chains 2, 1, being fitted with tightening right and left handed screw shackles f³,
a securing pin e¹¹ through the bracket e.
and
A toothed square ratchet wheel c is mounted on the horizontal spindle B, behind
the hand steering wheel C, and an engaging and disengaging pawl e' is mounted on the
upper part of the forward vertical standard A¹ to gear into this wheel c and retain the
rudder or helm G in any fixed position when desired. The upper bevel gearing B¹ B'
and shaft B, may be covered in over the bow irons a at the top of the two end
standards AA by sheet iron or wood covering a¹. In stormy weather an extra chain
may be used, with eye bolts at s¹, passing through the gunwales of the boat, and
baving a hook for hooking on to the shackle of the clip plate of the rudder G on the
one side, and having a small block and tackle at the other side.
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 construction, or general arrangement and combination of the parts of
steering gear for fishing boats and other vessels, substantially as herein described in
reference to and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Second. In steering gear for fishing boats, and other vessels, the actuating of the
rudder chain gearing by means of cross levers and segmental toothed wheel and
pinion, substantially as and in the manner herein described in reference to and shown
in the accompanying Drawings.
Third. In steering gear for fishing boats and other vessels, the actuating of the cross
levers and rudder chain connections by means of a vertical and a horizontal shaft
connected by wheel gearing, substantially as and in the manner herein described, in
reference to and shown in the accompanying Drawings.