IMPROVEMENTS IN STEERING ENGINES
Year: 1879

page_text: "
LETTERS PATENT to James Bennie Scott, of Pollockshields, in the County
of Renfrew, North Britain, Engineer, for the Invention of IMPROVEMENTS
IN STEERING ENGINES."
Sealed the 23rd September 1879, and dated the 28th March 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Bennie Scott at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th March 1879.
JAMES BENNIE SCOTT, of Pollockshields, in the County of Renfrew, North
Britain, Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEERING ENGINES."
This Invention has for its object to improve and simplify the construction or
arrangement of steering engines to be worked by steam or other fluid under
pressure.
In one modification of the improved steering engines there are two cylinders
placed longitudinally at one end of a rectangular bed frame, and their piston
rods are connected to overhung crank pins on a transverse horizontal shaft
having on it a worm which gears with a wormnwheel on what may be termed
the main shaft. The main shaft is placed longitudinally, and has on it the
chain pulley or barrel from which chains or other connections proceed in the
usual way to the rudder; and there is also on the main shaft a large spurwheel
for driving by hand when steam is not available, there being provided for gearing
with this spurwheel a pinion which is on a parallel shaft having fast on it a steering
wheel or being geared to a shaft having the steering wheel on it. When the steam
engine is working the pinion is moved along its shaft out of gear from the spur-
wheel, and when the steam is not available the worm wheel is disconnected from
the main shaft by means of a clutch. On the steering-wheel or handing shaft there
is a spurwheel in gear with a pinion on a parallel shaft, which last has fast on it a
bevil wheel gearing with a bevil pinion on a transverse shaft, and this transverse
shaft has on it cranks or eccentrics which work the cylinder valves in a direct
manner. The worm wheel on the main shaft has fast to it a spur wheel gearing with
a spurwheel which is loose on the handing shaft, but which operates in connection
with a boss fixed on that shaft. This boss and the loose wheel are provided with
[Price 6d.1

page_text: .
clutch projections and recesses arranged so that one may turn to a limited extent
relatively to the other, and the gearing ratio between the loose wheel and the crank
shaft driven by the engines is the same as that between the handing shaft and the
shaft which works the valves. When the handing shaft is turned by means of the
steering wheel it, through the gearing herein before described, causes the cylinder
valves to be moved, and the consequent action of the steam in the cylinders causes
the rotation of the main shaft. The connection between the loose wheel and boss
on the landing shaft prevents the valves from being moved too quickly in advance
and keeps the several parts always in the proper relation to each other. The entire
movement or range of the main shaft is limited by means of a screw thread on that
shaft or on a shaft geared to it, this thread acting on an internally screwed block
or nut, the longitudinal movement of which is limited by stops. The nut or block
has attached or connected to it an index or point showing the position of the
rudder on a scale or marked plate.
In a second modification the steering-wheel shaft carrying the pinion for working
the steering gear by hand is not used for working the cylinder valves, a separate
handing shaft with a small steering wheel being provided for that purpose. The
loose wheel and boss for regulating the advance movement of the valve shaft are on
the separate handing shaft, the loose wheel being geared to the wheel fast to the
worm wheel on the main shaft by means of a parallel shaft and spurwheels.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Bennie Scott in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 25th
September 1879.
JAMES BENNIE SCOTT, of Pollockshields, in the County of Renfrew, North
Britain, Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEERING ENGINES."
My said Invention has for its object to improve and simplify the construction or
arrangement of steering engines to be worked by steam or other fluid under
pressure.
And in order that my said Invention and the manner of performing the same
may be most readily understood, I will at once proceed to particularly describe two
modifications of steering engines constructed in accordance with my Invention and
represented on two Sheets of explanatory Drawings which are hereunto appended.
In these Drawings the same reference numerals are used to mark the same or
like parts wherever they are repeated.
д
Figures 1 and 2 on Sheet 1 of the accompanying Drawings are a plan and a side
elevation of one modification of my improved steering engines. In this arrangement
two steam cylinders 5 are placed longitudinally at one end of a rectangular bed
frame 6, and their piston rods 7 are connected by rods 8 to overhung crank pins 9
on a transverse horizontal shaft 10 having on it a worm which gears with a worm-
wheel 11 on what may be termed the main shaft 12. The main shaft 12 placed
longitudinally and carried in bearings in fore and after frame stands 13, 14, has on
it the chain pulley 15 (or it might be a barrel) from which chains or other connec-
tions proceed in the usual way to the rudder, and there is also on the main shaft 12
large spurwheel 16 for driving by hand when steam is not available, there being
provided for gearing with this spurwheel 16 a pinion 17 which is on a parallel
shaft 18 having fast on it a steering wheel 19, or being geared to a shaft having a
steering wheel on it. When the steam engine is working the pinion 17 is moved
along its shaft and fixed in a position, as shewn in the Drawings, where it is not in
gear with the spurwheel 16, and when the steam is not available the wormwheel 11
is disconnected from. the main shaft by withdrawing holding screws or by means of
a clutch. On the steering-wheel or handing shaft 18 there is a spurwheel 20 in
gear with a pinion 21 on a parallel shaft, which last has fast on it a bevil wheel 22
gearing with a bevil pinion 23 on a transverse shaft 24, and this transverse shaft 24
has on it cranks 25 (or it might be eccentrics) which in a direct manner work the
valves of the steam cylinders 5.
The worm wheel 11 on the main shaft 12 has fast to it a spurwheel 26 gearing
with a spurwheel 27 which is loose on the handing shaft 18, but which operates in
connection with a boss 28 fixed on that shaft. This boss 28 and the loose wheel 27
are provided with clutch projections 29 and recesses arranged with a certain amount
of play, so that one may turn to a limited extent relatively to the other, and the
gearing ratio between the loose wheel 27 and the crank shaft 10 driven by the
engines is the same as that between the handing shaft 18 and the shaft 24
which works the valves. Whon the handing shaft 18 is turned by means of
the steering wheel 19 it, through the gearing herein before described, causes the
cylinder valves to be moved, and the consequent action of the steam in the
The connection between
cylinders 5 causes the rotation of the main shaft 12.
the loose wheel 27 and the boss 28 on the handing shaft 18 prevents the valves
from being moved too quickly or far in advance, and keeps the several parts
The entire movement or range of the
always in the proper relation to each other.
main shaft 12 is limited by a screw thread 30 on that shaft (or it might be on a
shaft geared therewith) this thread acting on an internally screwed block or nut 31
The nut or block 31 has connected
the longitudinal movement of which is limited.
to it an index lever 32 showing the position of the rudder.

page_text: Figures 3 and 4 on Sheet 2 of the accompanying Drawings are a plan and a side
elevation of a second modification of my improved steering engines. In this
arrangement the steering-wheel shaft 18 carrying the pinion 17 for working the
steering gear by hand is not used for working the valves of the cylinders 5, a
separate banding shaft 33 with a small steering wheel 34 being provided for that
purpose. The loose wheel 27 and boss 28 for regulating the movement of the
valve shaft 24 are on a separate vertical shaft 35 which is in gear with the handing
shaft 33 and transmits the motion through bevil wheels 36 to the valve shaft 24,
the loose wheel 27 being in this case a bevil pinion and geared to the main
shaft 12 by a bevil wheel 26 fast on that shaft. The chain pulley 15 and
wheel 16 are in one piece or fixed together, but loose on the shaft 12, and are
engaged with the shaft by means of a clutch 37 worked by a hand lever 38
arranged to also act on the pinion 17 which can slide on a feather on the shaft 18.
When the lever 38 is moved to shift the pinion 17 into gear it takes the clutch 37
out of gear so that the shaft 12 may remain stationary, whilst the chain pulley 15
is turned by means of the shaft 18. The other parts are arranged substantially as
in the first modification, as is indicated by the same reference numerals.
Having thus particularly described my said Invention and the manner of per-
forming the same, I have to state that I do not restrict myself to the precise details
herein described and 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 hereinbefore in
part recited Letters Patent is,-
1. The arranging or combining together of the parts of steering engines, sub-
stantially in the improved manner herein before described with reference to Figures 1
and 2 of the accompanying Drawings.
2. The arranging or combining together of the parts of steering engines, sub-
stantially in the improved manner hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 3
and 4 of the accompanying Drawings.
3. The arrangement and mode of application of the valve shaft (24) relatively to
the other parts, substantially as herein before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Bennie Scott, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
Witness,
EDMUND HUNT,
Patent Agent,
Glasgow.
JAMES B. SCOTT. (L.S.)