Improvements in Ships' Steering Gears.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application. 11th Nov., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 11th Aug., 1892-Accepted, 24th Sept., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Ships' Steering Gears.
I, JOHN HARRISON, of 29, Cavendish Road, Blundell Sands, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has reference to steering gears used on navigable vessels for
controlling the rudders thereof, and has for its object, amongst other things, to
provide a steering gear which can either be used as a steam or other power gear, or
a hand gear, or in the different manners hereinafter described; and it has for a
further object to construct such gears in a simple and inexpensive manner.
A ship's steering gear according to this invention comprises a steam or other
engine hand operating or steering wheels; a gear and mechanism by which
steering chains or other means of moving the tiller may be directly operated by
said hand steering wheels without the intervention of auxiliary power; a screw
mechanism such as right and left hand screws working in nuts, connected by
suitable means to the tiller, and adapted to be operated either by the steam or other
engine, or by the hand wheels; and spring or buffer mechanism interposed between
the gears above mentioned, or any of them, and the rudder head. The features,
under this invention, constituting the parts or integers forming the above combina-.
tion, may be used in different or modified combinations.
The hand wheels, engine, and screw gear, may be mounted in connection with or
geared to a shaft, on one part of which the hand wheels are mounted, at another the
engine is geared thereto, and at another the screw gear is provided.
The screw gear may consist of or comprise a right and left hand screw, and nuts
working to and fro thereon, and suitably guided and connected with a yoke
mounted, say, loosely on the rudder head, and having an arm the end of which is
connected to the tiller through springs, either directly or indirectly, the tiller being
fixed rigidly on the rudder head. This tiller may be of a quadrant form, or of
equivalent construction.
The hand wheels may be suitably mounted and adapted to actuate the controlling,
valves of the steam or other motor, or the screw gear directly, or the chain, rod, or
like gear above referred to, the connection or disconnection of the hand wheels
with the different gears, and the gears themselves, being effected by suitable clutch
gear or other device for throwing the different gears into and out of gear. The
steering chains or ropes or their equivalent, are connected with the quadrant or
tiller above referred to, and passed over a warping or winding barrel or wheel on
the hand gear, and are suitably carried and guided by wheels or like means.
In connection with the steering chains or ropes, there is provided a mechanism
by which the tension of such chains or ropes may be regulated; and this device
may also serve as a means of slacking out the chains or ropes, or the like, when
is desired to disconnect them from the quadrant. This device may consist of a
barrel or wheel suitably mounted and adapted to be operated by a lever and held or
controlled by pawl mechanism.
When such a device is used, the chain or rope worked by the hand gear, may pass
over a block or wheel on the chain, rope, or the like, fastened to the tiller:
and one
end of same is secured to the adjusting wheel or barrel just referred to.
The invention may be carried out in different applications in varying modified

page_text: ways, and the parts constructed, and used in various combinations or arrangements
without departing from the general spirit or nature thereof.
Dated this 10th day of November 1891.
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON, Fels. Chart. Inst. P.A.,
15, Water Street, Liverpool, Applicant's Patent Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Ships' Steering Gears.
I, JOHN HARRISON, of 29, Cavendish Road, Blundell-sands, in the County of
Lancaster, 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 has reference to steering gears used on navigable vessels for
controlling the rudders thereof, and has for its object, amongst other things, to
provide a steering gear which can either be used as a steam or other power gear,
or a hand gear, or in the different manner hereinafter described, and it has for a
further object to construct such gears in a simple and inexpensive manner.
A ship's steering gear according to this invention comprises a steam or other
engine, hand operating or steering wheels, a gear and mechanism by which steering
chains or other means of moving the tiller, may be directly operated by said hand
steering wheels without the intervention of auxiliary power, a screw mechanism
such as right and left hand screws working in nuts, connected by a suitable means
to the tiller, and adapted to be operated either by the steam or other engine, or by
the hand wheels, and spring or buffer mechanism interposed between the gears
above mentioned, or any of them, and the rudder head. The features, under this
invention, constituting the parts or integers forming the above combination, may be
used in different or modified combinations.
The band wheels, engine, and screw gear may be mounted in connection with or
geared to a shaft, on one part of which the hand wheels are mounted, at another the
engine is geared thereto, and at another the screw gear is provided.
The screw gear may consist of or comprise a right and left hand screw, and nuts
working to and fro thereon, and suitably guided and connected with a yoke mounted,
say, loosely on the rudder head, and having an arm the end of which is connected
to the tiller through springs, either directly or indirectly, the tiller being fixed
rigidly on the rudder head. This tiller may be of a quadrant form, or of equivalent
construction.
The hand wheels may be suitably mounted and adapted to actuate the controlling
valves of the steam or other motor, or the screw gear directly, or the chain, rod, or
like gear above referred to, the connection or disconnection of the band wheels with
the different gears, and the gears themselves being effected by suitable clutch gear
or other device for throwing the different gears into and out of gear. The steering
chains or ropes or their equivalent, are connected with the quadrant or tiller above
referred to, and passed over a warping or winding barrel or wheel on the hand gear,
and are suitably carried and guided by wheels or like means.
In connection with the steering chains or ropes, there is provided a mechanism by
which the tension of such chains or ropes may be regulated, and this device may
also serve as a means of slacking out the chains or ropes, or the like, when it is
desired to disconnect them from the quadrant. This device may consist of a barrel
or wheel suitably mounted and adapted to be operated by a lever and held o
controlled by pawl mechanism.
When such a device is used, the chain or rope worked by the hand gear, may pass
over a block or wheel on the chain, rope, or the like, fastened on the tiller, and one
end of same is secured to the adjusting wheel or barrel just referred to.
Having thus generally described the object, nature and effects of my invention

page_text: panying drawings.
In these drawings,
Figure 1 is a plan, and Figure 2 is a side elevation of the gear.
Figure 3 is a plan showing to an enlarged scale the tillers and spring mechanism,
Figure 4 being an end elevation thereof.
Figure 5 is an elevation and Figure 6 is a plan of the slacking and tightening
device for the steering chains, to an enlarged scale.
"
With reference to the drawings, A represents a "Harrison or other steam
steering engine; B is the manual steering gear; C is a screw mechanism or gear, of
the type known as "Hasties' " gear; D is a tiller mounted loosely on the rudder
stock R; and E is the quadrant or secondary tiller, which is fixed on said rudder
stock. F is the shaft by which the gear C is operated, and is common to the
gears A and B. G represents the chains which are used under certain conditions
in connection with the gears A or B and the quadrant tiller E. H are compres-
sion springs attached at one end to the loose tiller D, and at the other, to the fixed
quadrant tiller E.
The shaft F has two couplings f1 and 2, the coupling f¹ being preferably one
with flanges adapted to be bolted together, while f2 may consist of a sleeve sliding
over feathers in the shaft, the shaft itself being separated or divided at this point, a
feather being on each part or end of said shaft at the part of separation. The
shaft F is supported in the bearings 6' of the hand gear B, and in the bearing a¹ of
the steam gear A; and in the bearings supported on the head of the rudder
stock R, and h¹ fitted or fixed onto a suitable part of the ship.
The shaft F is driven by the steam gear A through a toothed wheel a² on the crank
shaft a³ of such gear, and a toothed wheel at, meshing with a², fixed on the shaft F.
When the gear A is not being used, it may be disconnected from the shaft F by
sliding the wheel a² along the crank shaft a³ of the engine by the lever a³, which
withdraws a² from a².
When the gear B is to be disengaged from the gear A, the coupling f² is slid
back on the shaft F from off the end part thereof on the gear B, thereby discon-
necting such gear from A. When the screw or "Hastie" mechanism C is to be
disconnected from A and B, the coupling at f' is disconnected, and the shaft F on,
and connected with, the gears A and B, is freed from the screwed part of said shaft
forming part of the gear C.
"
When it is desired to work the rudder by the gear C through the hand wheels b
of the gear B, the chain operating mechanism of the hand gear B is put out of gear
or connection with the shaft F by sliding the toothed wheel 62 out of gear with 63,
or in any other way, while the wheel a² of the gear A is disconnected from the
wheel a the couplings f¹ and f2 being in their fixed or driving position. The
"Hastie or screw gear or mechanism C is connected with the tiller D through the
yoke 2 (which is preferably made one with the tiller) by links c'; while the tiller D
is connected with the quadrant tiller E through the springs H, one end of each of
which is connected to the tiller D, whilst the other end is connected to the quad-
rant E as shown. The amount of movement allowed or given by the springs H
between the tiller D on the one hand, and the quadrant E on the other, is regulated
by the screw pins or studs e', which are supported by and passed through the
snugs e on the inside of the quadrant; and in connection with which the end of the
tiller acts upon when its limit of movement afforded by the springs has been
reached.
2
Where, through disablement of the springs H, the tiller D becomes loose, these
pins may be screwed up so as to allow the tiller no play.
When the chains G are not being used, their ends (which are adapted to be
connected with the quadrant E when such chains are used), are secured onto the
deck of the ship by passing the last link thereof over pins o¹ fixed in the deck, and
each chain is made taut and prevented from moving by the tightening device I,
which consists of a grooved wheel -to which the chain is fixed-mounted in a

page_text: 23
frame, and has on one side of it teeth, with which a pawl 3 engages. In action,
by rotating the shaft of the wheel, the wheel is rotated, and the chain G
being connected thereto, slack is taken up. Each chain G is formed in two parts,
one of which is adapted to be connected with the quadrant, and has fixed to it a
pulley block g³, while the other part passes over the wheel of the pulley block and
passes over the barrel of the gear B, its opposite end being fixed to the
mechanism I. This arrangement is the same on both sides as shown.
To slack the chains G the pawl is moved out of gear with the teeth of the
wheel and such wheel is free to revolve when the chain will pay off by the
rotation thereof. The ends of the chains which are passed over the pins g' may
then be taken off and fixed to the quadrant E by a pin or other means, say at e³.
When this is done, the slack of the chains is taken up by the mechanisms I, and the
quadrant and rudder are ready to be operated from the gear A or B ; the
coupling, and thereby the gear or mechanism C, being disconnected.
The springs H are placed in position, and fixed to the tillers D and E, under
compression; and they may be of any known suitable construction capable of being
compressed in the manner required. As for instance "Wotherspoon's Patent
Springs," such as are used on the chains of steering gears, are suitable.
According to this invention it will he seen from the above description that there
are four separate sets of apparatus, any one of which can be used at any time by
connecting and disconnecting certain parts, in the manner herein described.
In the first case, the apparatus for steering through the engine A, and tillers E
and D, and springs H, consists of the engine A, the screw gear or mechanism C,
the yoke ², loose tiller D, and fixed quadrant tiller E, the connection between
E and D being through the compression springs H. In using this set of apparatus
the shaft F of the gear A is disconnected entirely from that of the gear B, and
drives or operates the rudder through the gear wheels a2 a, the shaft F,
mechanism C, and springs H.
Another set of apparatus comprises the hand wheels b, the shaft F, the screw gear
mechanism C, and the yoke, tillers, and springs, above mentioned. When using
this set of apparatus, the chain operating mechanism of the manual gear B is thrown
out of connection with the shaft F, and the gear wheel a² is thrown out of gear
with a by the lever a, while the coupling is slid over the part of the shaft F
which is mounted in the supporting frames . This set of apparatus, it will be
seen, thus constitutes a hand operated one, viz., it is operated by the hand wheels b
through the right and left hand screw gear of the "Hastie" gear C, and having
interposed between such gear, and the fixed quadrant tiller E, the springs H.
The above two sets of apparatus, it will be observed, both operate upon or with
the rudder through the "Hastie "right and left hand screw gear C, and with the
springs H interposed between such screw gear and the rudder. The two I am
about to describe however, do not work through the mechanism C but through the
chains G.
The third set of apparatus, and the first of the two working through the chains G,
consists of or comprises the steam engine or gear A, the manual gear B, the chains G,
and the fixed quadrant E, to which the ends of the chains G are connected, as
already described. When using this set of apparatus, the shaft F is disconnected,
by disconnecting the coupling f, whilst the parts of the shaft of the gears A and B,
are coupled up by the coupling f2.
The fourth and last set of apparatus consists of or comprises the manual gear
(operated through the hand wheels b, gear wheels 62, 63, chain barrel b₁-to which
the chains are fixed in the ordinary way); the chains G, and the fixed quadrant
tiller E, as before. In this case of course, the part of the shaft F of the gear B is
disconnected from the rest by sliding back the coupling f².
When using either of the last two described sets of apparatus, the screw gear C
is disconnected from the yoke c² and the tiller D, by removing the pins c³ of the
links which connect the yoke c² with said mechanism or gear.
It will be observed that the act of conversion of one set of the four separate sets

page_text: of apparatus to another, necessitates, mainly, merely either the disconnection of a
coupling, or the attachment or detachment of the ends of a chain to a part of the
gear; or by some simple operation such as described; and hence the invention not
only provides the said four separately available sets of apparatus, but also affords
a ready and rapid means of disconnecting or connecting up the parts, and converting
one set to another.
When the rudder is operated through the screw gear or mechanism C as described,
the connection between said gear C and the rudder by the springs H, is not rigid,
and hence when a sea strikes the rudder a cushioning effect is obtained by the inter-
position, between it (the rudder) and the gear C (which without the intervention
of springs. is particularly liable to become strained and break down) of the said
springs H.
The steam steering gear A will be controlled from the bridge or other part of the
ship in any known way, and by any suitable gear or mechanism.
It is to be stated that the invention is not confined to the particular arrangement,
disposition, or construction of parts set forth with reference to the example of
apparatus illustrated, since in the application of the invention under different cir-
cumstances and to comply with different conditions, these may be modified to suit
such circumstances or conditions; as for instance, in some cases the chains G and
means for working them may be omitted; also the parts of the apparatus may be
modified as to form, or equivalents of those shown used in their stead, without
departing from the spirit, nature and effects of the invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
and
or
a hand operating gear; a
1. A ship's steering gear comprising a steam engine
screw gear or mechanism (such as herein referred to) operated by said engine or
motor or hand mechanism; and springs interposed between said screw gear or
mechanism and the rudder, whereby said screw gear or mechanism is prevented
from being strained or broken; substantially as described.
2. A ship's steering gear or apparatus comprising a hand wheel, 6; a steam
engine or motor gear, A; a screw gear, C (of the type herein referred to) operated
by said hand wheels or engine; a tiller worked by said screw gear or mechanism
and loose on the rudder stock or other support; a tiller fixed to the rudder; and
springs interposed between said two tillers and connecting same together; operating
substantially as set forth.
3. A ship's steering gear adapted substantially as described, to comprise four
separate sets of apparatus, any one of which can be used at will; the gear com-
prising or consisting of a steam or other engine or motor; a hand or manual gear or
mechanism; and chains; said steam or hand gear being adapted to work the rudder
direct, or through said chains.
4. A ship's steering gear comprising an engine or hand gear; a tiller loosely
mounted on the rudder stock or other suitable part; a tiller fixed on the rudder
stock springs interposed between and connecting the said loose and fixed tillers;
and chains adapted to be connected to said operating gears and the fixed tiller, so
that the engine or hand gear operates the rudder through the springs, or through
the chains and the fixed tiller; substantially as described.
5. A ship's steering gear comprising an engine A; hand wheels b, either of which
is adapted to operate the rudder direct; the manual gear B and chains G, by which
gear, or by the engine A, said rudder is adapted to be worked through said chains;
substantially as hereinbefore set forth.
6. The steering gear consisting of the parts specified, arranged and adapted to
operate as set forth with reference to and as shown in the drawings.
7. In a ship's steering gear a tiller and yoke mounted loosely on the rudder stock
and connected with the operating engine or hand wheel or gear; a quadrant fixed

page_text: upon the rudder stock; and springs, G, fixed at one end to the end of said loose
tiller and at the other end to said fixed quadrant; substantially as set forth with
reference to the drawings.
8. In a ship's steering gear in which the rudder is adapted to be worked direct
by engine or other gear, or through chains, means substantially as described by
which said chains are slackened or tightened up; for the purposes set forth.
9. The arrangement and combination with the steam engine or motor, and hand
wheels, of a ship's steering gear, of a shaft (F) operated by said steam or hand
gears; and couplings in connection with such shaft by which the different operating
gears or mechanisms are connected and disconnected; substantially as and for the
purposes set forth.
Dated this 10th day of Anmut 1892
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON, Fels. Chart. Inst. P.A.,
15, Water Street, Liverpool, Applicant's Patent Agents.