IMPROVEMENTS IN VALVE APPARATUS FOR USE IN STEERING SHIPS AND OTHER VESSELS BY STEAM POWER
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Daniel Davis, of 669, Commercial Road, Stepney,
in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN VALVE APPARATUS FOR USE IN STEERING SHIPS AND OTHER VESSELS BY
STEAM POWER."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Daniel Davis at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th April 1879.
GEORGE DANIEL DAVIS, of 669, Commercial Road, Stepney, in the County of
Middlesex, Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN VALVE APPARATUS FOR USE IN STEERING
SHIPS AND OTHER VESSELS BY STEAM POWER."
The Improvements relate to the arrangement of valve apparatus for use in
steering apparatus for ships and other vessels when steam is employed as the
motive power for actuating the rudder.
In carrying out my Invention I provide a chamber or box containing starting
and shut off valves, which chamber is kept supplied with steam from a suitable
supply. At the lower part of this chamber are formed three openings or posts
communicating with three channels, the outer two of which channels communicate
by means of two other channels with the supply and exhaust passages alternately
for the supply of steam to the pistons for operating the rudder chains, whilst the
centre port is in communication with the exhaust passage. Working upon this
lower face of the said steam chamber is a valve plate capable of being actuated by
handle wheel and screw gearing on a shaft suitable in suitable bearings carrying
it, and this valve has on its under surface recessed channels corresponding with the
opening or ports in the chamber upon which it works, and the two outer of these
channels communicate alternately by an opening to each with the steam chamber
and with recess in a shut off valve operated by means of a shaft and suitable gearing
so as to shut off the supply of steam through the starting valve upon which it slides
when the required movement has been effected to the steering gear.
The movement of this starting valve may be regulated by the movement of the
handle wheel actuating the screw upon the shaft or rod affixed to the valve with

page_text: great accuracy, aided by a dial plate suitably graduated and supported in suitable
relation thereto.
Up to this point I do not claim any feature of novelty to constitute the Inven-
tion, as the form of apparatus is in most respect similar to the form for which I
applied for Letters Patent, No., 3627, of 1878, but the Invention in this application
relates to the direction of the supply of steam to the respective faces of the two
pistons for the time supplied with steam, and of the exhaust steam from the
opposite faces as controlled by a square valve to each piston, which valve is open
on its opposite sides towards its fixed seats between which it slides in communi-
cation with the ports to the side of piston for the time supplied with steam, and
leaving the port communicating with the opposite side of the piston open to the
exhaust. This valve works against the ports of the cylinder on one side, and on
the other against a fixed socket with a port in communication with the passages
controlled by the starting gear.
One modification of this arrangement is suitable to oscillating engines by making
them with suitable ports in their respective trunnions, and the starting valves in
the form of tubes one within the other replacing the starting valve, and in this
respect constituting a novel feature of the Invention.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said George Daniel Davis in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
27th October 1879.
GEORGE DANIEL DAVIS, of 669, Commercial Road, Stepney, in the County of
Middlesex, Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN VALVE APPARATUS FOR USE IN STEERING
SHIPS AND OTHER VESSELS BY STEAM POWER."
The improvements relate to the arrangement of valve apparatus for use in
steering apparatus for ships and other vessels when steam is employed as the
motive power for actuating the rudder.
In carrying out my Invention I provide a chamber or box containing starting
and shut off valves, which chamber is kept supplied with steam from a suitable
supply. At the lower part of this chamber are formed three openings or ports
communicating with three channels, the outer two of which channels communicate
by means of two other channels with the supply and exhaust passages alternately.
for the supply of steam to the pistons for operating the rudder chains, whilst the
centre port is in communication with the exhaust passage. Working upon this
lower face of the said steam chamber is a valve plate capable of being actuated by
handle wheel and screw gearing on a shaft supported in suitable bearings carrying
it, and this valve has on its under surface recessed channels corresponding with the
openings or ports in the chamber upon which it works, and the two outer of these
channels communicate alternately by an opening to each with the steam chamber,
and with a recess in a shut off valve operated by means of a shaft and suitable
gearing, so as to shut off the supply of steam through the starting valve upon
which it slides when the required movement has been effected to the steering
gear.
The movement of this starting valve may be regulated by the movement of the
handle wheel actuating the screw upon the shaft or rod affixed to the valve with
great accuracy, aided by a dial plate suitably graduated and supported in suitable
relation thereto. Up to this point I do not claim any feature of novelty to
constitute the Invention, as the form of apparatus is in most respects similar to the
form for which I applied for Letters Patent, No. 3627, of 1878, but the Invention
in this application relates to the direction of the supply of steam to the respective
faces of the two pistons for the time supplied with steam, and of the exhaust steam
from the opposite faces as controlled by a square valve to each piston, which valve
is open on its opposite sides towards its fixed seats between which it slides in
communication with the ports to the side of the piston for the time supplied with
steam, and leaving the port communicating with the opposite side of the piston
open to the exhaust. This valve works against the ports of the cylinder on one
side, and on the other against a fixed socket with a port in communication with
the passages controlled by the starting gear.
One modification of this arrangement is suitable to oscillating engines by making
them with suitable ports in their respective trunnions, and the starting valves in
the form of tubes are within the others, replacing the starting valve, and in this
respect constituting a novel feature of the Invention.
In the Drawings forming part of this Specification, Figure 1 is a sectional
elevation of the cylinders of the engine with the upper and lower valves, and the
square valves shewn in elevation.
Figure 2 a plan partly in section, the valves shewn not in section.
As the Patent relates only to the valve apparatus for the supply of steam to
the respective faces of the parts of the two cylinders, the connections only for the
crank shaft are shewn. The steering wheel and the hand gear for the steam valves
also are not shown, but only the shafts for them, the applications of these parts
being capable of many modifications and forming no part of the Invention.
The like letters shew like parts in the two Figures of the Drawings.
:

page_text: The valves A and B are respectively the supply and cut off worked by the
shafts a and b, which are actuated as required by the engine or the steering wheel
by machinery in connection with the valve spindles a, b.
The communications from the boiler by means of these valves A, B, are made by
way of the chest C through to the cylinder ports D, E, alternately exhaust and
feed placed on either side of the port F, the common outlet port.
The square valves are shewn G and H; they are simply oblong frames open on
both sides working against the valve face of the cylinder on one side, and against a
seating in the steam chest on the other; the seating fits into a circular recess formed
in the cover, and is kept up to its work by a helical spring c and the pressure of
the steam; a brass seating or socket d permits the seating to play freely; e is the
port cominunicating with the square valve at its centre. The steam space or chest
I is supplied with steam from port D; E will then be the exhaust.
The steam is
shown in the right hand cylinder free to pass through D, I, f, and so to the top of
the cylinder; from the lower part of the cylinder the steam is free to escape by g, e,
E, and F.
The square valves are connected to ordinary eccentrics on the crank shaft, the
valve spindle passing through a stuffing box as shewn, and is formed at the lower
part or attached to a strap of gun metal (preferably) which envelopes the square
valve, and thus enables the square valve to adjust itself to the valve faces irre-
spective of the concentric position of the shaft passing through the stuffing box.
Having thus described and particularly set forth the nature of the said Invention
and the manner of carrying the same into effect, I would have it understood that
what I claim is,―
First. The arrangement of the square valves as shown in connection with the
adjusting, backing, and spiral spring, substantially as shewn.
Second. The square valve with its strap, substantially as shewn for the purpose
set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Daniel Davis, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine.