Improvements relating to the Steering of Seagoing and other Vessels.
Year: 1888

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to the Steering of Seagoing and other
Vessels..
CHARLES FREDERICK GEE, of No. 16 De Burgh Street, Dover, in the county of
Kent, 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 :-
My invention relates to a novel employment of two rudders in the steering of
floating vessels whereby the steering is effected with greater rapidity of movement,
and with greater certainty than is possible with one rudder as at present in use, at the
same time, that by my improved system not only will the vessel when under weigh,
be caused to turn in its own length as on a pivot, but the way of the vessel may be
checked in its course without the necessity (in the case of steam vessels) of stopping and
reversing the Engines.
In order that my invention may be the better understood, I have appended the
accompanying sheet of drawings in which Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the
after part of a vessel showing the position of the port rudder, Figure 2 shews the stern
of a vessel with the two rudders in position, and Figure 3 is a plan view corresponding
with the above showing one rudder extended, and the other rudder in a recess flush
with the hull of the vessel.
'
In the application of my invention to sailing vessels, I employ two rudders A, B,
hung one on each side of the stern of the vessel, C which latter is recessed to receive
said rudders, so that when the vessel is moving ahead or astern the rudders shall
lie flat therein, and thus preserve to the hull a continuous flush surface fore
and aft.
In actuating the two rudders above referred to, one steering wheel only is required,
and although no special type of actuating mechanism is claimed the steering may if
desired be effected in the following manner. In the boss or hub of the steering wheel
aforesaid is secured a shaft mounted on standards and having a screw thread formed
thereon, a circumferential recess or channel being formed by cutting away a portion
of the centre and two ends of the screw thread. Upon said screw are mounted two
carriers, one being connected with the port rudder, and the other with the starboard
rudder. Now, on turning the wheel a'port, the port rudder carrier rides upon the
screw thus turning the rudder to an angle corresponding to the distance travelled by
said port rudder carrier. If whilst sailing on a port tack it is desired to steer to
starboard, the wheel is turned in an opposite direction, and the port carrier having
reached its limit of travel, enters the circumferential recess formed in the front or
rear end of the shaft thus turning the rudder into the recess formed for its reception
n the hull of the vessel. The pressing forward by the port rudder carrier of the

page_text: lever above mentioned imparts a corresponding motion by means of a connecting rod
to the other end of said lever, pressing the starboard rudder carrier forward which
allows of its engaging with and riding upon the shaft, the position thus assumed by
the starboard rudder corresponding to the rotation of the steering wheel and the
distance travelled by the carrier upon the shaft.
If it is desired to check the speed of the vessel when the helm is put hard a'port,
or a'starboard (as the case may be) that is, with the rudders at right angles to the
line of the keel, I may employ a lever, to be worked either by hand or by gearing,
provided with two arms, which, being pressed towards the screw retains one of tho
carriers (say the starboard) in the channel in which it may be. The wheel may
now be moved quickly hard a'port, thus bringing the port rudder into a position
parallel with the starboard rudder, and at right angles with the line of the keel of
the vessel, by which means a powerful check is brought to bear against the impetus of
the vessel.
In order to allow of the simultaneous opening out of the two rudders, I may
employ a supplementary lever arrangement, by which the carriers aforesaid aro
raised out of gear with the screw shaft above described, and brought into gear with a
right and left handed screw formed upon a second shaft mounted upon movable
standards; a spar wheel, mounted upon the shaft last above referred to, upon being
raised by a cam lever gears with a pinion upon the steering wheel.
In this action the upper parts of the carriers are thrown out of gear with tho
screw first above mentioned, the lower parts being simultaneously thrown into gear
with the second shaft. It is obvious therefore that under these latter conditions, upon
turning the steering wheel, although both shafts are being actuated, the first abovo
mentioned shaft is doing no work, inasmuch as the carriers are being moved upon the
shaft upon which is the right and left handed screw.
When adapting two rudders according to my invention to steam vessels, the
ordinary steam steering gear may be employed for actuating the two rudders, in com-
bination with the supplementary gearing above described.
By the employment of two rudders I am enabled to cause each rudder independently,
or both rudders simultaneously, to assume a position, relatively to the keel of the
vessel at any angle up to 90°, by which means sufficient control is brought to bear
upon the hull of the vessel, as to enable it to be turned within a small space
compared with the size of the vessel, even with little headway, at the same time,
that when the vessel is going ahead, as the rudders will then be lying flush with
the stern of the vessel as shown in Figure 3 all risk of injury to said rudders is
prevented.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 wish it to be understood
that I do not claim any special type of mechanism for actuating the rudder as I may
employ any suitable arrangement therefor, but what I claim is :-
First: The adaptation to vessels for the carriage of passengers or goods of two
rudders substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.
Second-In the employment of two rudders for the steering of vessels, the forming
of a recess on either side of the stern of the vessel for the reception of the rudders
aforesaid substantially as described.
Dated this Thirty first day of October 1888.
8.
JAMES STEVENSON,
Gray's Inn Chambers,
20, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Agent for Applicant.