IMPROVEMENTS IN STEERING 2017
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Hastie, of Greenock, in the County of Renfrew,
North Britain, Engineer for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEERING
2017
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Hastie at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th November 1883.
JOHN HASTIE, of Greenock, in the County of Renfrew, North Britain,
Engineer, "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEERING GEAR.”
"
This Invention has principally for its object to construct or arrange parts of
hand steering gear fitted on ships having also steam or hydraulic steering gear so
that the hand steering gear can be conveniently disconnected when the steam or
hydraulic gear is about to be used or vice versa.
In the kind of hand gear to which the present improvements are, by preference,
applied, the steering wheel is on a shaft having right-hand and left-hand screw
threads, and the shaft has on it two internally screwed blocks which are also
guided on lateral rods and which are connected by links to a crosshead or two-
armed lever on the rudder stock. The links are connected to the internally
screwed blocks by pins which are taken out of the blocks when the steam or
bydraulic gear is to be used. The links are then ordinarily free and liable to get
into positions in which they may obstruct the movements of the rudder or cause
damage; but by the present Invention a light frame is provided which may be
fixed on the lateral guide rods or in any other convenient way, and this frame is
made with guide slots in suitable positions. The pins used to joint the links to
the internally screwed blocks are retained in the links and placed so as to project
down into the guide slots whereby the otherwise free ends of the links become
guided and prevented from doing damage.
Another improvement consists in providing a brake block to restrain violent
movements of the rudder in rough weather at any time when it is required to
change the connection of the rudder from the steam or hydraulic gear to the hand
gear or vice, verst. For this purpose a wooden or other suitable brake block is
arranged in a guide with a screw spindle for tightening or slackening; and on the
under side of the sector to which the chains from the steam or hydraulic gear are

page_text: connected there is attached a brake sector with a grooved circumference against
which the brake block can be pressed. The brake sector may be fixed on the
rudder stock, and the sector for the chains from the steam or hydraulic gear may
be loose on the stock, and be connected thereto when required by a strong pin or
key which can be screwed down through it into the brake sector or into a boss to
which the brake sector is fixed and which is fixed on the stock.
By a third improvement the chains hereinbefore referred to as connected to a
sector on the rudder stock for transmitting the action thereto from the steam or
hydraulic gear, are fixed each by one end in a separate groove on a large wheel
forming part of that gear instead of there being a single chain passing round one
or more driving pulleys. This improvement is applicable to various kinds of hand
or steam or hydraulic steering gear and obviates inconveniences often arising from
the stretching of the chains.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Hastie in the Patent Office on the 15th May 1884.
JOHN HASTIE of Greenock, in the County of Renfrew, North Britain, Engineer,
"IMPROVEMENTS IN STEERING GEAR "
My said Invention has principally for its. object to construct or arrange parts of
band steering gear fitted on ships having also steam or hydraulic steering gear so
that the hand steering gear can be conveniently disconnected when the steam or
hydraulic gear is about to be used, or vice versa.
In the kind of hand gear to which some of my present improvements are by
preference applied, the steering wheel is on a shaft having right-hand and left-hand
screw threads, and the shaft has on it two internally screwed blocks which are also
guided on lateral rods and which are connected by links to a crosshead or two-armed
lever on the rudder stock. The links are connected to the internally screwed
blocks by pins which are taken out of the blocks when the steam or hydraulic gear
is to be used. The links are then ordinarily free and liable to get into positions in
which they may obstruct the movements of the rudder or cause damage; but by
my present Invention provision is made for guiding the pins when disconnected
from the blocks in a manner to prevent injurious action.
Another improvement consists in providing a frictional brake to restrain violent
movements of the rudder in rough weather at any time when it is required to
change the connection of the rudder from the steam or hydraulic gear to the hand
gear or vice versa.
By a third improvement the chains for transmitting the action of steam or other
steering apparatus to the rudder, are fixed each by one end in a separate groove on
a large wheel forming part of the apparatus, instead of there being a single chain
passing round a barrel or round one or more driving pulleys. This improvement
is applicable to various kinds of hand or steam or hydraulic steering gear and
obviates inconveniences often arising from the stretching of the chains.
And in order that my said Invention and the manner of performing the same
may be properly understood I hereunto append three sheets of explanatory drawings
to be hereinafter referred to and showing examples and modifications of my
improved apparatus. In these drawings the same reference numerals are used to
mark the same or like parts wherever they are repeated.
My first improvement, and a modification of my second improvement are shown
on sheet, 1, of the accompanying drawings figure, 1, being a plan, and figure, 2, a
sectional side elevation, whilst figure, 3, is a plan of parts not shown in figure, 1.
The steering wheel, 12, is fixed on a shaft, 13, carried in a swivelling bearing, 14,
fitted on the rudder stock, 15, and in another bearing, at its after end on a frame
standard, 16. The shaft, 13, has right-hand and left-hand screw threads formed on
it to work in internally screwed blocks, 17, which are guided on rods, 18, fixed to
the after frame standard, 16, and to the piece containing the forward bearing, 14.
The blocks, 17, are formed with eyes to be connected by pins, 19, to links, 20, which
are jointed to opposite ends of a crosshead or two-armed lever, 21, fixed on the
rudder stock, 15. On the guide rods, 18, there is fixed a light frame, 22, formed
with guide' slots, 23; and when the links, 20, are to be disconnected from the
internally screwed blocks, 17, the pins, 19, are drawn out of those blocks and, being
still kept in the eyes of the links, 20, are entered down into the guide slots, 23, in
the frame, 22, and thereby the otherwise free ends of the links, 20, become guided
and prevented from doing damage.
For the purpose of effecting my second improvement a brake block, 24, which
may be of wood or other suitable material, is arranged in a guide, 25, with a screw

page_text: spindle, 26, for tightening or slackening; and on the under side of the sector, 27,
to which the chains from the steam or hydraulic gear are connected, there is
attached a brake sector, 28, with a circumferential surface which is by preference
grooved and against which the brake block, 24, also by preference grooved can be
pressed by means of the screw spindle, 26. The brake sector, 28, may be fixed on
the rudder stock, 15, and the sector, 27, for the chains from the steam or hydraulic
gear may be loose on the stock, and be connected thereto when required by a strong
pin or key, 29, which can be screwed down through it into the brake sector, 28, or
into a boss to which the brake sector is fixed and which is fixed on the stock, 15.
The screw spindle, 26, works in an internally screwed back piece, 30, to which the
brake block, 24, is fixed, a collar, 31, on the spindle and working in a socket
formed for it in the back of the guide block, 25; preventing the spindle from moving
end ways.
A capstan head, 32, is fixed on the outer end of the screw spindle and
a lever, 33, is provided for turning it by.
Instead of applying the screw spindle, 26, directly to the brake block, the brake
block, 24, may be fixed to a lever, 34, and the screw spindle, 26, be applied to this
lever as shown in figures, 4, and 5, on sheet, 2, of the drawings. This modification
has the advantage that the screw spindle, 26, can be worked at the front of the
steering gear instead of behind. Figures, 6, and 7, are a plan and a front elevation
of an arrangement in which the screw spindle, 26, is turned by means of a lever, 35,
which can be used as a treadle or foot lever by the steersman at any time when he
may find it desirable to restrain violent movements of the rudder. When the
brake is to remain applied for some time, the lever or treadle, 35, can be fixed down
by means of a screw spindle, 36, provided for the purpose, and a blade spring, 37,
is provided for raising the lever or treadle, 35, when the foot is removed or the
screw, 36, raised. For the purpose of adjusting the lever, 35, for wear of the brake
block, 24, a disk, 38, is fixed on the end of the screw spindle, 26, and a number of
holes are formed in this disk, and in the central part of the lever, 35, for the
insertion of keys or pins after placing the lever and the spindle in suitable relative
positions to each other. By using two diametrically opposite pins and by making
the numbers of holes in the lever, 35, and disk, 38, different, very small adjustments
can be effected. Figures, 8, and 9, are a plan and a front elevation of parts which
differ from those shown in figures, 6, and 7, only in the arrangement for adjusting
the lever, 35, and screw spindle, 26, for wear of the brake block. A ratchet
wheel, 39, is fixed on the end of the screw spindle, 26, and a catch, 40 jointed on
the lever engages therewith being held in gear by a pin, 41, which is removed
when an adjustment has to be made.
Figure, 10, on sheet, 3, of the drawings is-a fore-and-aft vertical section showing
as much of a steam steering machine fitted with my third improvement as appears
requisite for explaining that improvement, and figure, 11, is a sectional end
elevation. The shaft, 42, is what may be termed the main shaft of the machine,
which in existing machines would have fast on it a barrel or a driving pulley for
working the chains, and which in the example delineated is supposed to be driven
from the crank shaft by a worm and a wormwheel, 43. On this shaft, 42, there is
fixed a pinion, 44, which is in gear with an internally toothed wheel, 45, formed
with two external circumferential grooves, 46. This wheel, 45, is circumferentially
of sufficient size to require less than one complete turn for moving the rudder
through its entire range, and separate chains, 47, are led from it to the two sides of
the rudder or its sector (27) Each of these chains, 47, lies in its own groove, 46,
and its end is fixed by means of an eye bolt, 48, to a cross bar, 49, cast on the rim
of the wheel across the grooves.
Having thus particularly described my said Invention and the manner of
performing the same I have to state that I do not restrict myself to the precise
details herein described or delineated but that what I believe to be novel and
original and claim as the Invention secured to me by and in terms of the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is :-
1. The fitting of a frame with guides upon hand steering gear to support

page_text: and guide the connecting links when disconnected substantially as hereinbefore
described.
2. The application of a frictional brake to a sector on the rudder stock
substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described.
3. Constructing steam or hydraulic steering apparatus with a two-grooved wheel
to act on the chains connected to the rudder, the chains having each an end fixed
to the wheel and the wheel being large enough to operate with less than a
complete turn substantially as herein before described.
In Witness whereof I, the said John Hastie, have hereunto set my hand and
seal this thirteenth day of May in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty-four
Witness,
EDMUND. HUNT,
Patent Agent,
Glasgow,
JOHN HASTIE (L.S.)