Improvements in Steering Gear for Vessels.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Mar., 1893-Accepted, 20th May, 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Steering Gear for Vessels.
I, LEWIS SAYRE VAN DUZER, an Officer in the United States Navy,
temporarily residing at the Brooklyn Navy Yard in the City of Brooklyn
County of Kings and State of New York, United States of America, 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 steering gear of the kind or class which is controlled
through the agency of electricity.
The objects of my said invention are
First. To so dispose or arrange the electrical circuits and connections that a
minimum portion of such controlling apparatus is located in the pilot house or the
vicinity of the steersman thereby avoiding the evil effect of currents of high
potentials and large quantity and of the electro-magnetic apparatus controlled
thereby upon the compass always preferably located near the steersman.
Second. To place the tiller of the vessel under the absolute control of the
steersman through the agency of a simple operating lever which will always
indicate to him the true position of the tiller, the latter always following the
movements of the controlling and indicating lever and remaining in the position
corresponding thereto until said lever again moved.
Third. To devise an apparatus of the character indicated which shall utilize an
electro-motive device for moving the tiller either directly applied to it or to
control the application of steam, compressed air or other equivalent sources of
power for the same purpose, and through the agency of electrical controlling
apparatus.
Fourth. To provide means whereby through the agency of electricity, the tiller
is moved in either direction caused to remain in any position and its exact position
clearly indicated to the steersman by a single operating lever.
Fifth. To devise apparatus of the character indicated having all of the qualifica-
tions attributable to the mechanism hereinafter described.
These several objects are accomplished by my improved apparatus, as herein-
after described.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a plan view of that portion of the apparatus which is located in the
pilot house or near the steersman, a part of the upper portion of the said apparatus.
being broken away in order to fully illustrate the interior thereof.
Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same on the line 2, 2 of Figure 1 as
seen looking in the direction from right to left.
Figure 3 is a cross sectional view taken through Figure 4 on the line 3, 3, and as
seen looking from right to left.
Figure 4 is a detail sectional view taken through Figure 1 on the short curved
line 4, 4.
Figure 5 is a plan view of that portion of the apparatus illustrated in Figure 4,
the operating lever and its attached parts being removed.
Figure 6 is a similar view of the bottom of that portion of the apparatus
illustrated in Figure 4.
Figure 7 is a general diagrammatic view illustrating the entire apparatus and all
the circuits and connections therefor.
Figure 8 is a detail view in side elevation of the preferred form of electrical
contact springs used in connection with my improved apparatus.

page_text: Figure 9 is an end elevational view of the same as seen looking at Figure 8 from
left to right, and
Figure 10 is a plan thereof.
Similar reference letters indicate corresponding parts in the several figures of the
drawings.
T is the tiller of a vessel operatively connected to any well known form of steam
or analogous propelling power, now shown, and having a controlling valve of usual
pattern connected through a moving valve controller V and pin with lever L
pivoted at p.
is a pin secured to a nut N adapted to move back and forth on a screw S¹ in
alignment with and connected to the axles S of a pair of electric motors M and M'
having circuit connections through commutator brushes b, b, and mains of
lead ww, with a dynamo or other source of electrical energy not shown. The
pins and carried by the nut N and the valve controller V are adapted to move
in slots in the opposite ends of the lever L.
Z is an arm of insulating material also carried by the nut N and supporting
contact springs s², s² and ³ adapted to bridge electrically the spaces between the
conducting contacts d, e, d' c and d c³, the upper or sectional contact plates d d
and Leing connected as shown, to branch conductors w running to the
commutator brushes, and three contact plates ee, e as clearly shown in
Figure 7, the upper contact plate being connected directly to the positive main
or lead. RR, R' R' R2 R2 and R3 R³ are resistance coils or rheostats for varying
the current supply to the motors.
BB are strong spiral springs operatively connected to the inner ends of each
motor shaft and provided with buffer plates against which the nut N will ride
when moved in opposite directions to the extreme limit of the motion of the
lever L.
M² and M³ are controlling or switching electro-magnets included in circuit with
conductors running to the manually operative circuit controlling steering
apparatus located in the pilot house or near the steersman and the switch board
of the dynamo or other source of electrical energy located preferably in the
engine room below the water line of the vessel but not shown. The armature
lever a of said electro-magnets rests normally in its central position and is so held
by the yielding or spring like extension 9 the free end of which lies between a
pair of friction rollers as clearly shown.
s is an electrical conducting spring borne by the lower end of the armature
lever a and bridging the space between the contact plate e and the three individual
contact plates e e', e' in accordance with its position.
s is a conducting spring carried by the tiller T and adapted to bridge the space
between a conducting sector et connected by a conductor w running to the switch
board of the generator and a series of contact plates d³ connected through
insulated conductors w² grouped in a cable C and united to a like number of
corresponding contact plates located in the pilot house or near the steersman.
The conductor w² which runs from the sector and is shown in dotted lines as
constituting a part of the circuit w2w2 might of course and would preferably be
enclosed in the cable C but is here shown distinct and separate therefrom to better
illustrate the circuit connections.
All of the apparatus so far described except the conducting plates *d* and
those portions of the circuits ww¹ and w² 2 which run to the pilot house or
steersman are located preferably in the engine room or at some point in the lower
part of the vessel where they would be little liable to meet with damage and
would therefore also offer little or no magnetic disturbance to the compass or
other delicate magnetic apparatus used by the steersman.
1 utilize three circuits ww, w w¹ and w² w² all of which run to the switch board
of the dynamo and are there connected with such well known forms of rheostats
as will furnish the required currents for operating the respective apparatus to and
through which they are connected. I denominate the circuit ww as the main or

page_text: operating circuit, and the circuit was the switching or controlling circuit and
the circuit w² as the cut out or releasing circuit.
I will now describe that portion of the apparatus located wholly in the pilot
house or near the steersman, wherever he may be situated, and particularly
illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 and diagrammatically in the upper portion
of Figure 7.
A is preferably a metallic box of quadrant shape secured, say, in the pilot house
so that when the operating or steering handle H is in its central position, said
handle lies in a plane passing through the stem and stern of the vessel and the
tiller T when in the position shown at the bottom of Figure 7. The operating
handle H is connected to a lever E pivoted in the box A by a vertical standard
er pivot P1, and the conducting portions of the apparatus carried by this lever E
are carefully insulated therefrom, as clearly shown in Figure 2.
D' and D² are conducting sectors secured to and insulated from each other and
the base of the box by insulating material F as clearly shown in Figures 2 and 3.
G is a two-part sliding block, the upper portion of which rests upon and between
the upper faces of the curved sectors D' and D³, its lower portion resting beneath
the inwardly extending edges of said sectors and carrying a pair of conducting or
contacting springs s which bear against and make electrical contact with the
under faces of said sectors. The two-part block G is held together by a pair of
adjusting screw standards K K² which extend through metallic or conducting lugs
or ears carrying upright yielding springs and into conducting plates n
and secured to the bottom of the lower portion of the block G as clearly
illustrated in the bottom plan view thereof shown in Figure 6. One of the
springs is connected electrically to the plate n and the other to the plate n².
This sliding block G is adapted to rest normally in position where it may be left
when moved to the right or left by a metallic block or plate L' secured by screws
to the upper face of the insulating material carried by the lever E, said metallic
block being adapted to contact at the will of the steersman with either of the
yielding springs or 2 as is clearly apparent on inspection of Figures 1, 2 and 4.
I is an indicating dial located directly above the several contact plates and
divided into an equal number of parts bearing numbers from "0" to "45
upward.
"
or
is a conducting or contacting spring located on the underside of the lever E
and insulated therefrom, its free end having contact with the conducting plates d*,
and K is an adjusting screw for regulating its pressure on the aforesaid contact
plates. The fixed end of this contact spring s is connected through the conductor w²
with the coils of the cut out electro-magnet M and in turn with a conducting
plate g which is connected directly to the conductor 2 shown in dotted lines at
the top of Figure 7 and as running directly to the generator. The metallic block L¹
carried on the upper face of the lever E has at its forward end electrical connection
with the free end of the armature lever a of the cut out electro-magnet M4, the
fixed end of said armature being connected by the conductor to the right hand
conducting plate g and brush 2 directly with the lead w¹ running to the switch
board of the generator as clearly shown in Figure 7.
The operation of the apparatus is as follows:-
Suppose the tiller T and the steering handle H to be in the position shown in
Figure 7. Under this condition of affairs the vessel is moving in a direct line, no
current flowing from the generator through the controlling or switching electro-
magnets M² M³, the circuit being open between the metallic plate L', the upright
springs and the conducting standards K' K2, (see Figure 4). This circuit is
also open between the free end of the armature lever a and the conducting plate L¹
because a circuit is closed from the generator by the conductor w² on the right, the
conducting sector c' at the bottom of the drawing, (Figure 7) the contact spring s*
carried by the tiller, the central conducting plate d³ and its corresponding
conductor w² to and through the central conducting plate d', the contact spring s

page_text: (see Figure 2) conductor w², cut out electro-magnet M", conductor w", brush oº,
conductor w² back to the generator.
Comparatively little current is flowing through the motors for the reason that
the armature lever a' being in its central position, the main conductor wis con-
nected through contact plate c, springs and the lower central contact plate e the
current passing thence by the conductor w through the contact plate c', contact
springs, and central upper contact plate d, where it divides, passing through the
two rheostats R of high resistance and in opposite directions by the conductors w to
the commutator brushes bb, bbby conductor w back to generator.
It results therefore that the small amount of current flowing through the
rheostats R tends equally to turn the motors M and M' in opposite directions and
consequently the lever L remains in its central position.
Suppose now the steersman carries the steering handle H to the right to its
extreme position so that the contact springs (see Figure 2) rests upon the right
hand contact plate at the top of Figure 7. The first movement of the steering
handle interrupts the circuit between the spring and the central contact plate d*
and allows the armature lever a of the cut out electro-magnet to drop back into
contact with the forward end of the metallic plate L'. As the handle H is carried
forward the block L' on the upper side of the lever E is brought into contact
with the right hand yielding spring ; and its upper end in turn is caused to bear
against the upper end of the conducting standard K¹ thereby closing the circuit w
through the right hand switching magnet M2 and the sector D2 the current passing
from the generator by the conductor w' in the direction of the arrow, as follows.
Through the right hand brush 62 at the top of the drawing Figure 7, contact
plate 9, conductor ¹, armature lever a' conducting block or plate L', yielding
spring, lug, conducting standard K', metallic plate n, see Figure 6, left hand
springs, see Figure 3, rear sector D2, see Figure 7, and thence by conductor w¹
to switch magnet M2 back to the generator. This causes the armature lever a¹ to
be moved to the right so that the contact spring s bridges the space between the
contact plate c and the lower right hand contact plate e'. Consequently the current
flows from the generator in the direction of the arrow by the conductor w through
the contact plate c, contact spring s, right hand contact e¹, right hand conductor w
to the left hand upper contact plate d', thence by contact spring s² carried by the
arm Z to the lower contact plate e², by conductor w, commutator brushes bb and
conductor w back to the generator thereby throwing all of the current through
the right hand motor M and causing it to rotate in the direction of the arrow, thus
giving to the nut N movement to the right and carrying with it the lever L and
arm Z. As the lever moves to the right the steam steering apparatus operated
by the valve controller V is actuated in a well known manner so as to cause the
tiller T to move in the direction of the arrow. As this motion continues the
contact plates carried by the arm Z gradually throws into circuit the rheostat or
resistance coils R2 and R3 so that when the lever L assumes its extreme right hand
position the nut N has come into frictional contact with the buffer spring B and
the motor is gradually checked.
The steam steering apparatus causes the tiller T to follow in the direction of the
arrow until it reaches its extreme right hand position thereby causing the spring s
to close the cut out circuit between the right hand plate d³ and the curved sector e
thus energizing the cut out electro magnet M and breaking the circuit wat the
contact between the armature lever a and the conducting block L', thereby
releasing the armature lever a¹ and allowing it to return to its norinal position
The steering handle H will remain of course wherever it is left, the frictional
relation between the insulating material on the top of this lever and the underside
of the dial I being such, owing to the adjustment due to the pressure of the screw K
upon the stiff contact spring s which in turn bears upon the conducting contacts d
that good contact is maintained between the block L' and whichever one of the
yielding contact springs it may be left in contact with.

page_text: At the instant that the cut out electro-maguet M' ruptures the circuit wat a
point between the free end of its armature lever and the conducting block L' owing
to the closure of the circuit between the sector and the right hand contact
plate d³ when the tiller T reached its extreme right hand position the upper eud
of the lever L had been carried as already described to its extreme right hand
position so that the upper contact spring s carried on the upper end of the non-
conducting arm Z had been carried to its extreme right hand position thereby
bridging the space between the lower contact plate c¹ and the extreme right hand
upper contact d.
When the circuit was ruptured therefore and the armature
lever a assumed its normal position a low resistance or shunt circuit was formed
from the generator by the conductor through the upper contact plate c, springs,
lower contact plate e, conductor w, lower contact plate spring s¹ upper right
hand contacting plate d, upper left hand conductor w directly to the commutator
brushes of the motor M by the conductor w back to the generator. The
result is therefore that the major portion of the current is now turned through the
left hand motor M', the right hand motor M at this time being included in a high
resistance shunt through the rheostat R R and right hand conductor w will exert a
minimum pull in opposition to the motor M. Consequently the tiller T remains
where it was last left being held in that position by the steering gear while the left
hand motor M returns the valve controller V to its normal position, leaving the
valves in their normal condition and ready for immediate operation on any change
of position of the steering handle H.
It will be observed that as the lever L, nut N and arm Z return to normal
position the contact spring s² passes successively from the right hand contact d¹ on
to the next left hand contact d² connected with the rheostat R² of lower resistance
than the rheostat R³ and finally to the normal position, the upper contact spring s'
at the same time having passed over the successive contact plates d gradually
including the rheostats R and R.
The lower contact spring s3 carried by the arm Z and the accompanying contact
plates c d and rheostats R2 and R³ on the left are disposed and connected in the
same relation to the motor M as were the parts just described in connection with
the motor M', the arrangement always being such that after the tiller T reaches the
limit set for it by the steersman with the steering handle, the switching circuit will
be automatically broken thereby restoring the armature a¹ of the switch
magnets M² M³ to normal position and allowing the proper motor to restore
the valves to their normal position.
The operation of the apparatus in a reverse direction may be readily traced on
examination of the drawings in view of the foregoing description, it being apparent
that when the steering handle H is turned to the left the lever E will close
the switching circuit through the block L', left hand upright spring 2 lug or ear v',
standard K, contact plate n', front springs and sector D¹ by conductor ¹ to the
left hand switching magnet M³, thereby throwing the switching lever a¹ to the left
and placing the motor M' directly in circuit through the contact plate c, spring s,
contact plate e, conductor wc, right hand contact plate d², lower contact plate c³,
conductor w, commutator brushes and motor M³, the tiller T following to the
left in the same manner until the spring s* carried by it reaches the contact
plate corresponding to the contact plate covered by the contact spring s
under the steering lever E, the valve controlling lever L and switch' carrying arm Z
again returning to normal position through the agency of the motor M as is clearly
appreciable in view of the foregoing description.
It is apparent therefore that with my improved apparatus I am enabled to move
the steering handle H to any point of the compass to correspond with any direction
in which it is desired to have the vessel move and leave it in such position until it
is desired to change the course thereby having in my improvement, not only a
steering device, but an indicating apparatus which always discloses the exact course
of the vessel for the time being.
It will be understood of course that the lever L might be operatively connected

page_text: directly with the tiller and the power of the motors M and M' directly utilized, the
mechanical and electrical changes for accomplishing this effect being obvious to
those skilled in the art in view of the foregoing description.
In Figures 8, 9, and 10 I have shown a preferred form of contacting or con-
ducting springs for use in place of the contacting or conducting springs s, s¹, s², så
and In this preferred form the conducting springs s are caused to assume a
vertical position between the sector and the contact plates and are provided
with a conducting bridge about which they hinge, in being a bolt or screw for the
purpose of adjusting the pressure between the upper ends of the springs and their
contacting surfaces. I prefer this form of conducting springs for the reason that
by their vertical arrangement between the contacting parts they carry off any
moisture which may accumulate upon their surfaces and also for the reason that I
am enabled to render further adjustment and contact absolutely sure for all parts
of their movement. Such an arrangement of contact springs also affords a simple
and efficient manner of disposing of the conductors to which they are connected
without leaving them unnecessarily exposed enabling me to locate all of them
within the lower part of the box A.
I do not limit myself to the specific apparatus herein shown and described for
effecting the results sought as it is obvious that many of the general details of the
entire system might be materially departed from and still come within the scope of
my invention.
To make a single illustration; the two electric motors M and M' might be
replaced by a single electric motor and the switch magnets M2 and M³ arranged to
operate a pole changing switch which would reverse the direction of the current
through said motor in any well known manner and cause it to impart motion in
opposite directions to the valve controlling parts in a manner at once obvious to
those skilled in the art.
I believe it is broadly new to electrically control the steering gear of a vessel
through the agency of three distinct circuits, one of which conducts the currents
from a generator for controlling the movement of the apparatus, the second of
which regulates the application of the first named currents and the third of which
controls the application of the second named currents, and my claims are generic
in this particular.
I believe it is also broadly new to cause the tiller to automatically rupture or
control the application of the regulating currents at various points of its move-
ment and to locate the material and essential parts of the operating parts of such a
steering apparatus entirely below the water line of a vessel where they will not be
exposed in time of conflict to shots from the enemies guns.
Although I have described the apparatus which constitutes my invention as
applicable to steering apparatus for vessels, I wish it understood that my claims 4
hereinafter made contemplate broadly the use of such apparatus wherever it may
be applied in the arts, that is to say, they contemplate the use of an operating and
indicating lever which electrically controls the movements of a distinctly located
mechanism a part of which is adapted to move in opposite directions through the
arc of a circle and to be automatically stopped at various portions of its movement 4
which corresponds to the position indicated by the first named switching or
operating lever.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
5
1. Mechanism for controlling the movements of the tiller of a vessel consisting
of an electro-motive device for regulating the application of power thereto in
combination with electro-magnetic switching mechanism for regulating the direction
of such motion and an electro-magnetic cut out device having electrical connections
with the tiller for regulating, the movements of the switching mechanism, substan- 5
tially as described.

page_text: 2. Mechanism for controlling the movements of the tiller of a vessel consisting
of a source of electrical energy, an electro-motive device in circuit therewith and
operatively connected to mechanism adapted to move the tiller, electro-magnetic
switching mechanism for regulating the direction of the movement of the tiller and a
steering bandle or lever having electrical connections with the switching mechanism
whereby the tiller may be moved in opposite directions at will, substantially as.
described.
3. Steering gear for a vessel having an electro-motive device for regulating the
power applied to the tiller, a switch for regulating the direction of motion of such
applied, power and an automatic cut out for disconnecting the electro-motive device
when the tiller reaches the desired position, substantially as described.
4. Steering gear for a vessel consisting of two electric motors operatively con-
nected to mechanism adapted to move the tiller, in combination with an electro-
magnetic switch having independent circuit connections with each motor and a
steering handle or lever located in the pilot house or near the steersman, sub-
stantially as described.
5. A steering apparatus for vessels consisting of an electrical generator, an
electro-motive device in circuit therewith and operatively connected to mechanism.
adapted to move the tiller, an electro-magnetic switch having circuit connections
with the generator and the electro-motive device and a steering lever having circuit
connections with the switch, the tiller, and an automatic electro-magnetic cut out,
substantially as described.
6. A steering apparatus for vessels, having an electro-motive device for regulating.
the application of power to the tiller, a switch for regulating the direction of the
applied power and a steering handle or lever having circuit connections with the
switch for regulating its movement, substantially as described.
7. Steering mechanism for a vessel consisting of two electric-motors having
their armature shafts connected and provided with a screw carrying a nut
operatively connected to a source of power for controlling the movements of the
tiller and to an arm carrying switching devices for directing the current supply to
the motors at will; an electro-magnetic switching apparatus having circuit
connections with a switching or steering lever located near the steersman,
substantially as described.
8. An electrically controlled steering apparatus having electrical circuits and
circuit connections with a steering lever or handle located near the steersman and
including an electro-magnetic cut out and circuit making and breaking devices
controlled by the tiller whereby it, the tiller, is maintained always in a fixed
position corresponding to that of the steering lever or handle, substantially as
described.
9. An electrically controlled gear consisting of an electro-motive device con-
nected with a generator of electricity and a source of power for moving the tiller
with a steering handle or lever and an electro-magnetic switch having circuit
connections with the generator the electro-motive device and the steering handle or
lever substantially as described.
Dated thin 1
1 1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant..