IMPROVE- MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR STEERING SHIPS OR VESSELS. PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Horace Forbes, on board the Gem of the. Nith,
London Docks, County of Middlesex, and Hugh Forbes, of 6, Aberdeen
Place, Maida Hill, County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR STEERING SHIPS OR VESSELS.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Horace Forbes and Hugh.
Forbes at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition,
on the 28th September 1864.
We, HORACE FORBES, on board the Gem of the Nith, London Docks,
County of Middlesex, and HUGH FORBES, of 6, Aberdeen Place, Maida Hill,
County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR STEERING SHIPS OR VESSELS," to be as
follows:-
These improvements consist in constructing the rudder in two or more
leaves or pieces sliding or folding behind each other, and unfolding or
deploying at pleasure, so that when the action of the rudder is not required to
alter to the right or left the direction of the ship's course, no impediment by
the folded rudder below the water line shall be offered to the transit of the
ship through the water, nor shall the ship be thereby caused to bear towards
the right or the left. The several leaves of our fan rudder shall be perforated

page_text: by a spindle or axle, which when it revolves half (or any portion of half) a
turn to the right shall at the same time and to the same extent that it
revolves deploy to the right and open out, in a semicircular figure (or in a
proportionate part of a semicircle in accordance with the revolution of the
axle) the leaves of our fan rudder, or when it revolves to the left shall in like
manner deploy the leaves to the left. The outer leaf of our fan rudder shall
be firmly secured to the spindle or axle, so as to revolve with it; that leaf
shall also be supplied with a catch or button, by preference on the extremity
of the outer edge of the broader end of the leaf, which is, the part farthest
from the spindle, the said catch being also near the inner edge of the leaf, or
in other words nearest to the next-leaf in rotation when the fan is deployed,
by which catch it will draw after-it-the-next leaf, and cause that likewise to
deploy; also the catch shall draw back again the next leaf to it when the
action of the spindle is reversed, and the leaves are made to slide or fold back
to where they were prior to their being deployed. The other leaves shall be
furnished with similar catches for the same purpose, and in addition thereto
with two other catches, against one of which the first described shall hitch to
deploy the next leaf; and another against which it shall hitch to refold the
next leaf, when the action of the spindle is reversed. The several leaves shall
be so far secured to the spindle as not to be capable of accidentally getting off
of it, or of rattling, though they shall not; except the outer one, be so firmly
fastened thereto as to revolve with it, because all of them except the outer
leaf shall be deployed and refolded by the catches above mentioned, placed for
that purpose on the leaves next to them. The leaves shall, by preference,
be constructed more narrow at the end where they are connected to the spindle
or axle than at the opposite 'extremity; and we prefer that they should be
stronger at the extremity where passes the 'spindle, so that they may be able
to, support the, strain, occasioned by the; leverage arising from. the pressure of
the water on the leaves of our deployed fan rudder, as the ship passing on its
course bears, or swings to the right or left upon, its rudder, which leverage
must necessarily affect. chiefly that. part of the leaves, near the axle or spindle
on which they deploy. The leaves of our fan rudder can be made either flat,
concave, or convex. We preferito, use them of a. concave form for a rudder
placed aft or at the stern post; for rudders placed forward on the--lower-
part of the cutwater, we prefer the leaves to be flat. The leaves of our fau
rudder can be, made to, deploy at any, angle with the vessel's keelt (stern post
or cutwater), we, prefer to use the right angle for a rudder placed aft or at
the stern post, and an angle of 45 degrees from the direction of the vessel's
keel for a rudder placed on the cutwater. When our fan rudder forward

page_text: is used at any degree less than a right angle with the direction of the keel,
we prefer to use two fan rudders, one on each side of the cutwater, the
leaves of which when folded lie in the direction at which it is wished they
may deploy. When the fan rudder so placed on the right is deployed, its
leaves open to the left, passing in front of the cutwater and the folded fan:
rudder on the left thereof. When the fan rudder on the left of the cutwater
is deployed, its leaves in' like manner pass; as above described, in front of the
cutwater and the folded fan rudder to the right thereof, causing the vessel to
alter its course accordingly to the right. The apparatus connecting with the
helmsman's, wheel the two above described fan rudders is so: arranged that
the right, fan rudder cannot be deployed unless the left one be folded, and
vice versa in regard to the left fan rudder. When a fan rudder astern is
required to be deployed at any degree less than a right angle with the
direction of the keel, a similar arrangement to the above can be adopted, the
two fan rudders being placed at the sides of, the stern post, that on the right
deploying to the left side thereof, and that on the left deploying to the right.
Our fan rudder fixed at, the centre and rear of the stern post can' in that.
position be deployed to the extent of an entire half circle (or any portion
thereof) to the right of the said "stern post, or the fan can describe a half
circle (or any lesser portion) to the left thereof. Only one of the above half
circles (or any lesser portion of either) to the right or the left can be deployed
at the same time. By constructing the narrow ends of the several leaves.
with.knobs suitable to work-in sockets, the said sockets being secured to the
spindle by rings or collars, the leaves may, as deployed, be made to assume
any desired angle with, the direction of the ship's keel; or the leaves' might
be made to deploy at any. required angle by means of shoulders, grooves, or
other suitable shaping of the spindle itself, on which the leaves are attached.
When our fan rudder has been deployed, it can be folded again by reversing
the action.of the spindle,. which turns round either way, with itself, the outer
leaf on which is a catch already described, which catch draws back the next
Jeaf, which latter one in its turn acts in-a similar manner upon that leaf next
in rotation, and so forth, The spindle or axle already mentioned, which
passes. through the narrow end of each leaf of our fan rudder, and causes the
outer leaf to move:round and drag the others in succession after it, can itself
5. be made to rotate a half turn right or a half turn left by means of a chain,
cord, rod with crank or with coggs, or a cogged: wheel at the end, or by any
other suitable mechanism connected with the helmsman's wheel, which mecha-
nism can. communicate with the spindle by a rod or shaft passing through
or on the side of the stern post or of the cutwater; or the spindle itself, cau

page_text: be made of sufficient length to pass through a stuffing box into the interior
of the vessel, there to be connected with the mechanism communicating with
the helmsman's wheel; or motion can be given by rods with coggs or cogged
wheels passing from the helmsman's wheel along the deck and down the stern
post (or the cutwater) to the spindle. The fan rudder can either be firmly
attached to the stern post (or stern posts) or cutwater, or it can be so
arranged as to be drawn up at pleasure, and to be let down to its place. The
leaves of the fan rudder may be covered in part by a case open at the sides, or
ou that side where the leaves deploy. Instead of placing a single fan rudder
on the back part of the stern post below the water line, so as to deploy either
to the right or the left as required, a pair of fan rudders may be used, one on
each side of the stern' post or other-stern part of the vessel; the rudder on the
left side being in this case made to deploy to the left, and that on the right
being made to deploy to the right. Each of the spindles of the above fan.
rudders would in this case rotate by seperate rods or connecting apparatus, but
both would receive motion from the sanie helmsman's wheel. For the pur-
pose of more speedily obtaining a deployed half circle, two fan rudders can be.
placed below the water line on the stern, the one perpendicularly above and
contiguous to the other, the upper one having the folded leaves with their
broadest ends uppermost perpendicularly above the spindle, the lower one
having its folded leaves, broadest ends lowermost and perpendicularly below
the spindle. The two spindles (of these two fan rudders) must be as near as
possible contiguous, without that proximity being such as to prevent the free
deployment of the leaves of each. The respective spindles of each of the
above rudders will at their outer extremities be suitably arranged with coggs
or cogged wheels reciprocally gearing into each other, so that when the upper
spindle is made to revolve so as to deploy the leaves 90 degrees (or any less
amount) downwards, the lower spindle will simultaneously with the upper one
revolve, and deploy upwards its leaves on the same side of the stern post to
exactly the same amount of the quarter circle; or the same effect would be
produced if motion were communicated from the helmsman's wlieel to the
lower instead of the upper spindle. Thus the two quarter circles having been
simultaneously deployed on the same side of the stern post, the outer leaves of
each fan-rudder-attached to the respective spindles will meet, whereby the
half circle fan will be completed by merely a quarter turn of the two spindles.
By reversing the action of the spindles the above fan rudders when deployed
are made to refold. When our fan rudder is intended for deployment either
to the right or left at option, the same spindle will cause the deployment each
way (according to the direction of its revolution), the end leaf attached to the

page_text: spindle will drag the deploying leaves either way, and complete the deployment
(or the refolding), but the remainder of the leaves which deploy to the right
need not be the same as those which deploy to the left, and vice versa, though
all be on the same spindle. To avoid the necessity of constructing the
narrow ends of the leaves (near the spindle) very much and inconveniently
thicker than the broad ends, there may be arranged in rear of the deployed
leaves one or more circular bars (or fractions of circles) as supports to the
fan. The objects we have in view in forming the rudder in the above
described fan-like manner, opening out and shutting with ease and quickness,
is, that the helmsman may, with little physical effort, and in a very brief
space of time, deploy it to the right or left of the stern post or cutwater, and
thus cause the ship's course to incline to that side; also that the helmsman
may, with little physical force, keep the ship's rudder in the required position:
Under the methods now in use the helmsman is obliged to bring the rudder
slowly from a direct line, with the keel to the angle required to alter the ship's
course, pressing by sheer strength all the time the rudder against the water;
indeed it requires in stormy weather 3 or 4 men at the wheel of a large ship,
and even these can hardly hold it steady. The time saved by using our fan
rudder will be great, inasmuch as it requires three complete revolutions of
the wheel to bring the ordinary rudder from amidships to "hard up" or "hard
down," either of which can be with our fan rudder effected with comparatively
little muscular effort, by (at most) half a turn of the helmsman's wheel; or, if
a pair of our fan rudders be employed, the one above the other perpendicular
and contiguous as above described, the same result can be obtained by a
quarter turn (or even less) of the helmsman's wheel. Furthermore, our fan
rudder could be so arranged as at any time required to be easily unshipped
and repaired, or a new one could be substituted for an injured one.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Horace Forbes and Hugh Forbes in the Great Seal Patenţ
Office on the 28th March 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, HORACE
FORBES, on board the Gem of the Nith, London Docks, County of Middlesex,
and HUGH FORBES, of 6, Aberdeen Place, Maida Hill, County of Middlesex,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of September, in the year of our

page_text: Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-eighth year
of Iler reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
us, the said Horace Forbes and Hugh Forbes, Her special licence that we,
the said Horace Forbes and Hugh Forbes, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said Horace Forbes and Hugh Forbes, our
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and 'no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter. during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within.the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle
of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR STEERING SHIPS OR
VESSELS," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Horace Forbes
and Hugh Forbes, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under our, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal, Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date, of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Hugh Forbes, on behalf of myself and
the said Horace Forbes, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed; to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement and accompanying Drawings,
that is to say -
These improvements consist in constructing the rudder in two or more
leaves or pieces sliding or folding behind each other, and opening out or
deploying at pleasure, so that when the action of the rudder is not required
to alter to the right or left the direction of the ship's course, no impediment
below the water line shall when the rudder is folded be offered to the
transit of the ship, nor shall the ship be caused to bear to the right or
the left by means of its steering apparatus. The several leaves of our fan
rudder shall be perforated by a spindle or axle, which when it revolves
half (or any portion of half) a turn to the right shall at the same time
and to the same relative extent deploy to the right and open out in a
semicircular figure (or in a proportionate part of a semicircle) the leaves
of our fan rudder, or when it revolves to the left shall in like manner deploy
the leaves to the left; or the spindle need not be capable of revolving,
in which case the deployment of the several leaves of the fan is effected by
cords, chains, bands, or other suitable appliances; or the deployment and
refolding of the fan can be produced by shoulders on the spindle and corre-
sponding grooves in the rings or collars which attach the leaves to the spindle,

page_text: or vice versa, by having shoulders on the rings and grooves on the spindle.
For those fans which when folded have the spindle end lowermost we prefer
that their leaves be buoyant in water, yet not so much so as to require a great
effort on the part of the helmsman to depress them when they are caused by
him to deploy, but for those fan rudders which when folded have their spindle
end uppermost we prefer that the leaves be nearly though not quite buoyant.
The requisite degrees of buoyancy, can, without detracting froin the necessary
strength of the leaves, be attained by constructing with a cavity (or cavities)
each leaf made of metal (or other non-buoyant substance), which cavity (or
cavities) in the metal can be made water-tight, or may be filled with cork or
other light materials, and we prefer that the said cavities be deeper as well
as longer as they approach the broad end of the leaves. When the leaves of
our fan rudder, which is fitted with a revolving spindle, are folded and con-
tiguous to each other, one leaf at each extremity of the folded fan must be an
outer leaf, the remainder being inner leaves, and one of these outer leaves
(which we shall term the leader) must whenever rotation is perfornied be
secured to the spindle in such a manner as to revolve without it. That leaf
shall likewise be supplied with a catch, pin, or stud, by preference on the
outer edge of the broader end of the leaf (which is the part furthest from the
spindie), and the said catch shall also lie near that edge of the leaf which is in
proximity with the next in rotation when the fan is deployed. By this catch
the leaf called the leader will push (or draw) out the inner one next in rotation
and will cause that likewise to deploy, and so forth throughout all the leaves
in succession, the other leaf or leaves being furnished with similar catches fór
the like purpose. These catches may bend forwards and act upon the leaf
immediately before that on which each is placed, or they may bend to the back
of its own leaf and thus act upon that leaf immediately behind it. In addition
to the above catches, all the leaves after the leader should be furnished with
two shoulders or lugs, against one of which the above described catch shall
push and thereby deploy the next leaf, and against the other one of which
shoulders the catch shall push to refold the next leaf, when the action of the
spindle is reversed. These shoulders or lugs can be made projecting beyond
the straight edge of the leaf, and thus allow the said catch on the next leaf a
larger play, or they can be made within the straight line of the leaf and thus
5 restrict slightly the play of the catch. The same effect might be produced by
using a hook instead of a catch (pin or stud), or by a slot or by a ring on the
leader running along a rod on the upper part of the next leaf (or vice versa),
and so forth throughout the leaves of the fan, but we prefer the catch on one
leaf acting against the shoulders on the next leaf as above described. The

page_text: leaf furthest from the leader will require a catch to prevent it from following
the rest beyond the distance necessary for deploying the fan, and this catch
will of course require a corresponding shoulder in the casing of the fan rudder.
The several leaves shall so far be secured to the spindle as not to be capable
of accidentally getting off of it or of shaking, though they shall not, except the
leader, be so firmly secured thereto as to revolve with it, because all of them
except the leader shall be deployed and refolded by means of the catches above
mentioned, placed for that purpose on the several leaves as above described.
The leaves shall, by preference, be constructed more narrow at the end where
they are connected with the spindle than at the other extremity, but they must
throughout (and especially-at-the extremity or rings where passes the spindle)
be sufficiently strong to support the strain occasioned by the leverage arising
from the pressure of the water, as the ship passing on its course bears or swings
to the ri
e right or left, through the impediment offered by our deployed stern fan,
which leverage acts chiefly on that part of the leaves nearest to the spindle.
The leaf or leaves which when the fan is deployed are brought into contact
with the vessel can be shaped so as to conform therewith. We prefer that
every leaf on the same fan be from its own end to end of the same thickness
(though not necessarily of the same solidity), because the several leaves thus
glide more. smoothly the one against the other as the fan is deployed and
refolded. Sufficient space must, however, be allowed on the broad end for the
free passage of the catch to and fro from shoulder to shoulder, as already
-described. We prefer, however, that gradual and additional solidity be obtained
for the ends of the leaves nearest to the spindles, by diminishing the cavities
already referred to, and by increasing the substance of the metal, and that
rather on the front part than on the back part of the leaves, and we prefer,
for additional strength, that a rib (or more than one) pass along the centrés of
the cavities referred to, and that also the rib itself should be more substantial
near the spindle. As the near leaf of each deployed fan is liable to a greater
strain than are the other leaves, an additional support can be constructed for
that leaf. The leaves of our fan rudder can be made either flat, concave, or
convex.. We prefer to use them of a concave form (having the radius of con-
cavity forwards) for a fan placed aft or at or near the stern post; for those
placed forward on the lower part of the cutwater we prefer the leaves to be flat.
The leaves of our fan rudder may be set to deploy at any angle with the.
vessel's keel (stern post or cutwater). we prefer to use the right angle for a
rudder placed aft or at or near the stern post, and an angle of 45 degrees from
the direction of the vessel's keel for a fan placed at or near the cutwater.
When our fan rudder has been deployed it can be folded again by reversing
.

page_text: the action of the spindle, which, as above described, carries with it that leaf
termed the leader. Or the fan can be refolded by reversing the action of the
cord, chain, or other appliance, by which the leader and the leaves following
it shall have been deployed. The leaves of our fan rudder may be covered
in part by a box or casing, open at its sides or on that side where the leaves
deploy. Upon this casing should be a groove or slide with a shoulder (or stop),
against which the leaf furthest from the leader, and consequently the last in
that deployment, should be stopped by its catch, and thus be prevented from
issuing beyond the distance necessary for the complete deployment of the fan.
If the fan be built into the vessel, the sides of the compartment will answer
the same purpose as the above box or casing. Lest any leaves of a stern-
double action (deploying right and left) fan rudder should be struck by a heavy
sea on the side opposite the catches and should momentarily be forced beyond
the casing in the direction of the blow, that inconvenience may be obviated
by fixing in the dead wood or casing a detent, butting behind their catches
against all the leaves (except the leader); this detent will communicate by a
rod to a cam on the spindle, so that before the leaves begin to deploy the
detent will be lifted clear of the lever; and so will remain during the deploy-
ment on that side, and will fall back to its original place when the fan is
refolded to midships. For single action fans (deploying to the right or the left
only) this arrangement is not necessary, as the inconvenience cannot occur.
In building our fan rudder into the ship or in fixing it thereon, we prefer
that it be put as low as possible, because a fan low down is more securely
covered in the water, and its steering is more sure at sea than one higher up;
and because the leaves being constructed so as to be quite or nearly buoyant
(as already explained), they will be easily moved up or down by the helms-
man while they be below water; whereas if ever so small a portion of any
part of the fan get above water, it would be much more difficult for the fan
to be deployed or refolded. Moreover any rudder or portion of a rudder
which is out of the water becomes useless for steering purposes.
Our fan rudder, when fixed at the centre of or behind the stern post, or in
the deadwood adjacent, admits of being in that position deployed to the extent
of half a circle (or any portion thereof) to the right or to the left. The leader
attached te the spindle will, as the said spindle revolves from midships to the
right (to the left would be vice versa), drag after itself the next leaf on the
spindle, and so forth till the shoulder (or other stop) prevents the last leaf of
the half circle from going further. By reversing. the action of the above
spindle the leaves already deployed are refolded to midships, and by con-
tinuing yet more to the left the rotation of the spindle, the leaves just folded

page_text: are in a mass undeployed carried by the leader to the left side of the vessel by
the same catches which had refolded them from the right deployment; other
Jeaves are therefore arranged for deployment to the left, and are in like manner.
refolded when the action of the spindle is reversed from the left to the right
direction till the fan be closed to midships.
To avoid the carrying round of leaves undeployed, one fan can be. con-
structed for deployment to the right and another for deployment to the left,
the spindle of the one (solid) passing through the spindle of the other, whichi
is hollow; the hollow spindle must, however, be of considerable bulk, as must
likewise be the collars or rings which hold the leaves on it, though the relative
thickness of all parts must in a great degree depend upon the nature of the
materials adopted in its construction.
By another mode the leader which bas deployed the leaves to the right,
and has refolded them to midships (to the left would be vice versa), can be
detached from its connection with the spindle when the said spindle is made to
revolve to the left so as to deploy to that side of the fan, and in this case the
outer leaf on the opposite end of the folded fan will in its turn be connected
with or attached to the spindle, and will become the leader to the left, as did
the other outer leaf act as leader to the right, as is shewn in our Drawing,
and will hereafter be described, and which way we prefer to the two former.
Instead of placing at or near the stern post a fan rudder so as to deploy
either to the right or left as required, we rather prefer a pair of fan rudders,
one on each side of the stern post, dead wood, or other stern part of the vessel,
the rudder on the left side being in this case-made to deploy to the left, and
that on the right side being made to deploy to the right, and being so arranged
as not to be able both to deploy at the same time. Each of the spindles of
the above fan rudders would in this instance rotate by separate rods, chains, or
connecting apparatus, but both would receive motion from the same helins-
man's wheel. The leaders may be situated at either extremity of either fan;
we prefer, however, that they be both similar in this respect of position, and
we prefer the leader to be the leaf nearest to the stern post in fans deploying
downwards, or to be the furthest from the stern post in fans deploying upwards,
except the following: case in the next paragraph.
For the purpose of more speedily obtaining a deployed half circle, two fan
rudders can be placed on the stern post of a vessel, the one fan perpendicularly
above and contiguous to the other, the upper one having the folded leaves
with their broadest ends uppermost perpendicularly above the spindle, the
lower one having its folded leaves lowermost and perpendicularly below the
spindle. The two spindles aforesaid (unless fitted with one hollow and one

page_text: solid spindle) must be as near as possible contiguous without that proximity
being such as to prevent free deployment of the leaves of each. The
respective spindles of each of the above rudders will at their outer (or inner).
extremities be suitably arranged with cogs or cogged wheels -reciprocally
gearing into each other, or with other suitable mode of simultaneous-and
equal revolution, so that when the upper spindle is made to revolve so as to
deploy the. leaves 90 degrees (or any less amount) downwards, the lower
spindle will simultaneously with the upper one revolve and deploy upwards its
leaves on the same side of the vessel, and to exactly the same amount of the
quarter circle; or the same effect would be produced if motion were 'com-
municated from the helmsman's wheel to the lower instead of the upper
spindle. Thus the two quarter circles baving been simultaneously deployed
on the same side of the vessel, the leader of each fan attached to its respective
spindle will meet, whereby the half circle fan rudder will be completed by a
quarter turn of the two spindles. By reversing the action of the spindles the
above fan rudders are caused simultaneously to refold.
☐
We prefer that the leaders of both the up and down fans be the respective
outer leaf of each which on its fan is nearest to the stern post. Our fan rudder
can be used for steering from the forward part of a vessel, and should then be
placed at or near lower part of the cutwater.
In ships having broad bows our fans can be very well set against and
partially let into the cutwater, without when folded their interfering with the
vessel's speed, and they can be so situated as- to deploy at any desired angle
(we prefer 45 degrees) from the direction of the keel, the left one deploying
to the left and the right one to the right. The connecting rods, chains, bands,
'or cords communicating motion from the helmsman's wheel can pass either
on-the outside-or-inside-of-the-vessel.-That-the-fan-thus-placed-may-occupy
less breadth, we prefer that the leaves of such fan rudders be narrow in shape,
and consequently more in number."
For vessels with sharp bows we prefer that the fan be of fewer leaves, and
that these be set close to the cutwater, and in such a direction that the leaves
on the left thereof pass in front of the 'cutwater and if the folded right fan
rudder, so as to deploy to the right of the vessel; while the right fan in its
turn deploys its leaves across the front of the cutwater and of the left fan,
which must be folded. If the ship's bows 'be extremely sharp, as is the case
with some constructed of iron, a less angle than 45 degrees with the direction
of the keel may be advantageously used, and we also prefer that in this case
the motion be communicated to the fan by apparatus passing from the

page_text: helmsman's wheel and through the inside, rather than along the outside of
the vessel.
Our fan rudder can be put on the front of the cutwater, having the deploy-
ing side of its leaves towards the front (or direction of the ship's course), and
the casing being on a pivot, can be caused, through the action of the
helmsman's wheel, to turn or face so as to bring the deploying fan to any
desired angle with the vessel's keel, and at the same time to deploy the leaves
either to the right or left.. This double effect can be produced by an endless
chain connecting the fan shaft or the fan casing with the helmsman's wheel,
moving the fan in the required direction, while at the same time a chain
hanging from each bow, and which is connected with the spindle of the fan
rudder, becomes taut by the projecting angle of the casing as it revolves, and
being connected with a lever on the spindle of the fan rudder, causes the same
to revolve and deploy the leaves. The effect, however, of deploying, the
leaves while the fan casing is turning on a pivot would be to bring a heavy
strain on the helmsman's wheel and the connecting machinery; we therefore
prefer that the fan when, on a moveable pivot first be turned to the direction
at which it is desired that the rudder be deployed, and then after it be faced
.to deploy it.
The description and drawing of a fan rudder placed midships in the front
of the cutwater, together with the apparatus requisite to cause it to face or
veer (right or left) to the desired direction, and to deploy and to refold its
leaves, and to return to its original position, is given further on in this
Specification..
Whenever it be desired that a stern fan rudder (or stern fan rudders) should
be made to deploy at any other than a right angle with the direction of the
ship's keel, or it should be desired to have a fan rudder on a pivot. to face
right or left and deploy at any angle, either of those which we have described
in connection with the forward part of the vessel can be applied to the stern.
With vessels built for running, in very shallow water a quarter circle fan,
having when folded the spindle lowermost and the broad end of the leaves
uppermost, is the description which we prefer either forward or aft.
For barges and flat-bottomed boats the stern fan requires to be very large;
we therefore prefer to place our folded fan rudder in a position nearly or quite
horizontal from spindle to broad end, and to deploy downwards the leaves,
the shapes and lengths of the several leaves being such as to suit (when
deployed) the construction of the craft, and conform with the line of the flat
bottom.

page_text: .
any.
Though we put forward no claim for any machinery connecting the
helmsman's wheel with our fan rudder, we nevertheless mention some methods,
merely to demonstrate that such connection communicating motion can be
easily and effectually accomplished.. The helmsman's wheel (or another wheel-
attached to it) may be constructed with coggs gearing into corresponding
coggs on two rods in such a way as to elevate or depress them (the rods), and
thus cause them to give motion to the spindle by cogged wheels or cranks, or
other, suitable connection. There will be: a sufficient number. of coggs,
but no more, to depress or elevate one fod, at the same time, and there will
be a bolt or bar which, when the fans are folded midships, will hold, both rods
so steady that neither right nor. left, fan can be deployed. At the instant
when the helmsman's wheel moves from midships to the right (to the left.
would be vice versa) to deploy a fan, the wheel pushes by means of a pin or
cogg the bolt from the right rod just yet no more than sufficient to liberáte:
it, and on returning to midships, the wheel in like manner draws back again
the bolt to the place where it holds steady both rods. The bolt: whicli. holds.
the roils in their precise places facilitates the working of the wheel coggs into
those of the rods. Or a similar effect could be produced by using two small
wheels to gear into the lielmsman's wheel, with chains, bands, or cords instead
of gearing into rods as above described, and these little wheels could move
chains to connect with and turn the spindle, and so as to deploy the fans;
and the bolt above mentioned could be made to hold when at midships the
two wheels, as above described; indeed, the whole consecutive motion could.
be effected by bands, chains, or cords instead of coggs, to which sailors have:
an objection.
"
And in order that our Invention may be more fully understood, we proceed.
to describe the Drawing hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 represent different views and parts of a double-
action fan rudder, working right and left, together with its connection with
the helmsman's wheel. 1 is the longitudinal elevation of a fan and its con-
nections; 2 is a transverse view of cam and clutch box o; 3 is the transverse
section of clutch box o; 4 is a transverse section of ship; 5, the plan of fani
and spindle.
a is the helmsman's wheel, is a chain pulley, c a cam, all which (a, b, c,)
revolve on the same axle; d is a rod having a pin fitting into the cam c and
connected to the lever 1; e is an endless chain passing over the pullies b and s.
When the helmsman's wheel revolves, the pulley s is made to revolve in the

page_text: same direction, and. the lever is raised when the helm is turned to the left,
or it is lowered when it is turned to the right; f is the deck line, and g the
water line; his the back of the stern post; i is the opening in the dead wood
or stern part of the vessel where the fan rudder is situate; k is the bottom of
. the keel. The lever rotates on the spindle m, and causes the lever n on the
same, spindle to move the clutch box o, sliding on the hollow spindle p, which
carries the fan rudder F. When the wheel is. turned left the lever n is drawn
inwards, and also the clutch box o, which is connected with the inner shaft.q,
and thereby with the outer clutch r, whose teeth catch into the corresponding
teeth on the fan leaf w, which becoming the leader moves to the left and
deploys the whole fan in that direction.. When the wheel is turned to the
right, the lever n is pushed sternwards, also the clutch box o, whose teeth t
catch corresponding teeth u on the fan leaf v, which thus moves to the right.
and deploys. the whole fan in that direction. The leaves and ware the
leaders to the right and left respectively, and the other leaves a (being middle
ones). follow the direction of the leader. The lever is prolonged beyond the
spindle, m; catching into a stop y: on the leader at midships, yet being
released from it when the helm is so far turned as to commence deploying the
fan. When the fan is at midships, the clutch box is in connection with both
leaders, and is at all times in connection with the pulley s.. On the leader v
is a stop z, and on w is a stop j, which two. stops prevent. those leaders from
being drawn out beyond the vessel's side or dead wood whenever either of
them is the last to be deployed, in consequence of the other being at that.
moment the leader. A, A, shews. in dotted lines the, fan. F when fully
deployed; B is the transverse outline of the vessel's hull; C is the dead wood
or breadth of keel..
Figures 6, 7, and 8 represent a pair of stern fan rudders, the one, lettered
D, deploying to the left, and the other, lettered E, only to the right. 6 is the
longitudinal elevation of fan and connections; 7, the transverse section of
ship. with pair of fans.;. 8, plan of a pair of fans and spindles..
On the axle of the: helmsman's wheel there are two pullies b, b, one: con-
necting with the fan rudder D; and.the.other with the fan rudder E.. When
the wheel is turned to the right the endless chain e turns, the pulleys, and
the rod d descending by the action. of the. cam. c, lowers, the lever l, pushes
the lever n (both rotating on the spindle m), and moves the clutch box o
sternwards on the spindle:p. and. connects it. with the leader v. guiding the
leaves F of the rudder D, thereby causing it to deploy; to the left; at the same
time the inner shaft q is forced sternwards and disconnects the outer clutch »
from the leader w of the leaves F of the rudder E, which therefore does not

page_text: deploy, but remains stationary. In the like manner, by turning the wheel to
the left, the fan rudder E is made: to deploy, to the right, while D remains
stationary, because.the clutch o is disconnected from the leader v. Although
the Drawings shew this manner of making the helm act in the opposite
direction to the spindle, it can be otherwise arranged, so. that both act in the
same direction, which can be effected by making the mechanism of the
rudders D and E change places, or by making the.chains e, e, cross instead of
parallel. The other letters. in these Figures represent similar parts having
the same objects as those already, described by.Figures. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,, in the
preceding paragraph. Though to demonstrate the different action we have
made. one fan deploy by the leaders nearest to, and others: by that. farthest
from the stern post, we prefer that. both act. similarly in this respect.
Figures 9, 10, 11, and 20 represent. a mode of depplying our fan rudders
to the front of the cutwater. 9 is the longitudinal: elevation, of cutwater
fan and its connections; 10, transverse view of ship with that fan; 11, plan
of that fan and connections; 20; transverse élevation of leaves between cam
and clutch box o. a, b, c, d, e, f, g,-représent parts. similar to those already.
described and: designated by. those letters: The rodd is connected with two sets
of levers; the one set being l, a double lever moving the bell crank n througli
a link m, the lower arm of'n working into the clutch box o, which locks into
one of the two large, driving pullies:v placed right. and left.; the other set.
being, the double bell cranki, i, moving the single, bell crank by the rod.j,
and thereby working the clutch box p on. the upright shaft and fan box q..
In the fan box q are placed the leaves of the rudder F on the spindle E, and:
on the shaft part.of q is placed the, pulley s drawn by the chain.c.. "The
lower, centre, and upper parts of the; shaft q are supported by brackets t, t, t,
fastened to the bows of the vessel; u, u, are several small pullies.for guiding:
the chains y, y, which. pass. over the larger wheels w, w, and are. connected
to the back and front upper parts. of the. fan leaders.. There are. six leaves
inside. the fan box'q, three intended to deploy to the right, and three to the.
left, the outer leaves. being the leaders. The small and large wheels v, v;
are on the same spindle, the small one being drawn by the chain e, and
thereby causing the large one to: revolve, moving the endless chain a, and
causing the small and the large wheels. w, w, to revolve and move the
chain y. The arms a, fixed: to the fan. box q, carry at their ends! two
guide pullies u, u; his. the front of the cutwater; k, the bottom of the keel;
B is the transverse outline of the bull; C is the dead. wood or part of the
bows near the cutwater; D are two chains (hanging loose when the 'fan
rudder is midships), one on each side, secured to the bows.and to the end of

page_text: the spindle. When the wheel is turned to the left (say the 8th of a turn)
the chain e causes the pulleys (which is then locked to the clutch box p) to
revolve a like turn to the right; the chain D on the left then becomes tight and
prevents more motion in that direction. Then the cam craises the rod d and
the aft bell crank i, which by means of the rod j and bell crank k disengages
the clutch box p, locking it into the head of the centre bracket t, leaving the
pulley s free to run loose on the shaft q. At the same time the rod d raises
the lever l, which moves the bell crank n and clutch box o, which latter locks
the large wheel v on the left side, so that the chains x, y, are set in motion
by the right wheels.v, w, causing the three-left-leaves of the fan F to deploy
downwards. On reversing the helm the whole action of each part is reversed.
It is to be observed that the aft bell crank i can only be raised, and the
forward bell crank i can only be lowered. In like manner, when the helm is
put to the right, the shaft. and fan box q is caused to face to the left and the
right leaves deploy.
.:
:
Figure: 12 gives a general outline of a cutwater fan low down on a vessel;
f, deck lineg, water line; F, the fan; A, A, direction of deployment.
$
Figure 13 gives. a general outline of a ship's stern with a fan rudder
deploying upwards; f, deck line; g, water line; C, dead wood; F, the fan."
Fig. 14 is a side view of leaves in fan; v is a leader; wis the other leader;
a is a middle leaf; H, a catch; j, stop on the leader w; y and z, two stops on
the leader v; u, clutch tooth; p is the hollow spindle; q is the inner shaft.
Figure 15, section of fan leaf x mentioned in Fig. 14, but of a concave:
form; H, catch.
'
Figure 16, plan of broad end of a leaf; G, G, stops; H, catch.
Figure 17, section of leaf broadways; G, G, stops; H, catch; y, midships
stop p, hollow spindle; q, inner shaft.
Figure 18, section in plan of a leaf; y, midships stop.
Figure 19, broad view of a leaf on a solid spindle with the perforation or
ring less large than that on a hollow spindle, and having the stops not pro-
jecting over the straight lines of the sides. The two dotted lines down the
middle show the rib, which being strong and high near the spindle, gradually
diminishes in height and. thickness, but spreads out in breadth till it is totally
lost near the broad end of the leaf. This leaf would consequently have by
preference one cavity ranging from the spindle to the broad end, for the rib
is less high than the sides of the leaf. The augmentation in the substance
of which the leaf is comprised is on the front and not the back, which is thin..
Figure 21, another manner of forming the catch H, bending forwards
instead of backwards, as is represented Fig. 15.

page_text: The object we have, in view in forming the rudder in the above-described
fan-like manner; opening out and shutting with ease and quickness is, that the
helmsman may with little physical effort and in a very brief space of time
deploy it to the right or left of the stern post or cutwater, and thus cause
the ship's course to incline to that side; also that the helmsman may..with
little physical force keep the ship's rudder in the required position: Under
the methods now in use the helmsman is obliged to bring the rudder slowly'
from a direct line with the keel to the angle required to alter the ship's
course, pressing. by,sheer strength all the time the rudder against the water;
indeed it requires in stormy weather 3 or 4 men at the wheel of a large, ship,
and even in some cases as many as can be crowded round the helm can hardly
hold it steady...
... ."
The time saved by using our fan rudder will be great, inasmuch as it
requires at least three complete revolutions of the wheel to bring the
ordinary rudder from amidships to "hard up" or." "hard down," either of
which can be with our fan rudder effected with comparatively little muscular
effort by. (at most) half a turn of the helmsman's wheel; or if a pair of our
fan rudders be employed, the one above the other, perpendicular and contiguous,
as above described, the same result can be obtained by a quarter, turn (or
even less) of the helmsman's wheel.
Furthermore, our fan rudder could be so arranged as at any time required.
to, be easily unshipped and repaired, or a new one could be substituted for an
injured one. Whenever our fan rudder is so arranged the connecting gear
also must be easily detached and re-attached. When the motion is com
municated from a shaft passing through from the interior through a stuffing
box, that shaft should have a triangular, octangular, or any other peculiar
shape not round at that extremity.connected with the spindle of the fan, so
that the shaft being sufficiently withdrawn to allow the fan to be disengaged
the same shaft can be pushed back so soon as the old one is repaired or a new
fan is substituted, and get such a firm purchase on the spindle as to be able
to communicate rotary motion when required.
If the ship get ashore, or be left by the tide or shallow water, or touch on
a bank crossing a bar with a swell so that she bumps, such bumping cannot
unstrip our fan rudder, consequently when the vessel is again well afloat her
helm is uninjured. The ordinary rudder is, on the contrary, frequently
unshipped if the vessel touch astern, and consequently with the old rudder she
often becomes unmanageable, so that though she get clear of the first danger

page_text: she falls into another if the wind blow hard. In plunging and diving into a
head sea the ship can instantly be eased.
In hazy weather and in dark nights a helmsman on the forecastle can
discern objects a-head more easily than a helmsman aft, but in certain cases
where the sails have to be carefully watched by the helmsman it is essential
that he be placed aft; it therefore follows that in certain cases the helmsman
forward may be made an accessory to the helmsman aft, and vice versa.
When either of these case's arise we prefer that an indicator be put into 'play
by which the helmsman forward can see the exact motion of the stern wheel;
or vice versa-for-the-stern helmsman. And as it is advisable at night not to
use a light on board, which dazzles the eyes of the crew, we prefer that a
thin rod should be arranged so as to move or rotate at one end in accordance
with that helmsman's wheel, and at the other end should indicate to the other
helmsman, by a dial and pin, or a quadrant, the exact motion of the other
wheel to the right or left. :
.:: :
put to
It is self-evident that a vessel steered by a stern rüdder inclines to the
right or left because on that side of the stern post an impediment' is
her free passage through the water, consequently all stern' rudders mus
materially check the speed of ships. Our fan rudder forward at an angle of
45 degrees (more or less) though we prefer less to move, does not so much
check the ship's speed, because it inclines the bows in the desired direction
instead of holding back the stern.
(
Having thus described the nature and object of our Invention, and the
method of carrying it into practice, we would have it understood that we do
not confine ourselves to the exact details herein shewn and described, so long
as the peculiar character of our Invention is retained; but what we claim is;
the rudder, described and termed in this our Specification as our fan rudder,
composed of two or more leaves or pieces set on a spindle, and which are
capable of being opened out and also of being re-folded at pleasure by the
helmsman through the action of any suitable mechanism.
In witness whereof, I, the said Hugh Forbes, on behalf of myself and
the said Horace Forbes, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this
Twenty-eighth day of March, in the year of our Lord One thousand
sight hundred and sixty-five