IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR MANCEUVRING AND STEERING SHIPS AND OTHER VESSELS"
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Miller Walters of the City and County of Bristol
for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR
MANCEUVRING AND STEERING SHIPS AND OTHER VESSELS"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Miller Walters at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th October 1882.
WILLIAM MILLER WALTERS of the City and County of Bristol
"IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR MANEUVRING AND STEERING SHIPS AND OTHER
VESSELS
"
The object of this invention is to manoeuvre ships and other vessels and
especially in narrow waters where it is sometimes impossible or even not desirable
to give the ship or vessel sufficient headway to enable the rudder to act efficiently,
the invention is also particularly applicable to war ships and vessels for manœuvring
and steering purposes the invention is equally applicable as a supplementary
steering power which is immediately available in the event of an accident to the
rudder or from other causes where the ship or vessel for example may fail to
answer her rudder.
This
According to my invention I provide a pipe or tube or tubular passage passing
or extending from one side of the ship or vessel to the other and placed as low
down and as far aft or when applied at the bows as far forwards as practicable
and in the deadwood of the ship and at right angles to the fore and aft line; a
portion of this tube or pipe (say sufficient to contain the pitch of the screw) is
mounted loosely and capable of revolving in suitable bearings provided on the
stationary or fixed portions of the said pipe, tube or tubular passage.
movable pipe or tube may then be said to consist of a revolving ring or band and
in the interior of which I provide blades or fans which I may call screw blades
preferably two and only differing from the ordinary form of screw propellers in that
they have no boss but are secured by their tips or edges of the blades to the inner
circumference of the said movable tube pipe or band which latter may be actuated
by an endless band or toothed gear connected with a wheel above on the inside of

page_text: the ship driven by any kind of engine and when a band is employed provision
should be made for tightening same when necessary for example by the employment
of rollers the position of which can be adjusted by means of a screw or in any other
convenient manner.
The ends of this pipe or band may be enlarged if desired so as to form a thrust
ring, the corresponding bearings forming the thrust block.
A broad metal band or strap passes round the joint to prevent the ingress of
water and to keep the screw in its place. The lower half of this strap is a fixture,
but the upper is movable to admit of the screw being lifted out when necessary.
These rubbing surfaces should be made of lignum vitæ or metals incapable of
setting up electric action.
'
It has been proved that a screw of sinall pitch but many revolutions produces
the est results therefore this apparatus can be placed further aft than if the
contrary were the case thereby securing more leverage on the vessel, the lower the
screw the better for obvious reasons.
The driving wheel is placed above so that the band may have a tendency to lift
the screw in its seat thereby diminishing friction on the bottom centre.
As the rubbing surfaces are more or less in contact with the water, it will be
possible to maintain a high rate of speed without heating
As the water acted upon by this screw has no opportunity of flying from the
tips of blades, it is believed that it will exercise more driving power than an
ordinary screw of the same pitch, diameter and revolution. The action of this
screw upon the ship will be the same as a tow boat tugging at right angles to the
fore and aft line, only that, given equal screws and power, the manoeuvring screw
would have the greatest effect not having the weight and friction of the tug to
overcome.
Shutters may be fitted on the ships side sliding up and down in grooves placed
for them so as to prevent the water from striking the after part of the tube when
the ship is under weigh, and the apparatus not in use, but this would impair its
readiness for use and it is probable that the difference it will make in the ships
speed without shutters will be inappreciable
It is self evident that a power exerted through this apparatus will have more
effect in turning the ship, than a vastly greater power exerted through the costly
non-compact and extremely indirect system of twin screw<.
It can be easily fitted at a small cost to all existing screw steamers, placing them
at once above the level of maneuvring power of the twin screw ships.
It should also be fitted to twin screw ships as in the event of one screw bein
knocked away a few revolutions of this screw would counteract the turning
tendency of the remaining propeller, leaving the rudder entirely free and the
nanœuvring screw almost as free to act as before.
Apparatus or machinery constructed according to my Invention may be placed
near the bows if preferred or both at the bow and stern and be operated from any
convenient part of the deck.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Miller Walters in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
24th April 1883.
WILLIAM MILLER WALTERS of the City and County of Bristol "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR MANOEUVRING AND STEERING SHIPS AND OTHER
VESSELS"
The object of this invention is to manœuvre ships and other vessels and especially
in narrow waters where it is sometimes impossible or even not desirable to give the
ship or vessel sufficient headway to enable the rudder to act efficiently; the
Invention is also particularly applicable to war ships and vessels for manoeuvring
and steering purposes; the Invention is equally applicable as a supplementary
steering power which is immediately available in the event of an accident to the
rudder or from other causes where the ship or vessel for example may fail to answer
her rudder.
In order that my Invention may he fully understood I will describe it with
reference to the accompanying diagram views of which Figure 1 is a part sectional
side view of a vessel fitted with my improved steering apparatus. Figure 2 is a
part sectional end view of same and Figure 3 is a detail view of tube.
According to my Invention I provide a pipe or tube or tubular passage a passing
or extending from one side of the ship or vessel to the other and placed as low
down and as far aft or when applied at the bows as far forwards as practicable or
in the deadwood of the ship and at right angles to the fore and aft line; a portion b
of this tube or pipe (say sufficient to contain the pitch of a screw) is mounted
loosely and capable of revolving in suitable bearings provided on the stationary
or fixed portions of the said pipe, tube or tubular pas-age. This movable pipe or
tube may then be said to consist of a revolving ring or band and in the interior
of which I provide blades or fans c which I may call screw blades preferably two
and only differing from the ordinary form of screw propellers in that they have no
b ss but are secured by their tips or edges c' of the blades c to the inner circum-
ference of the said movable tube, pipe or band b which latter may be actuated or
evolved by a spur wheel d (gearing with teeth on the outer periphery of the
tube b) driven in any convenient manner or it may be connected with a wheel
above on the inside of the ship driven by any kind of engine; or motion may be
communicated as shown at Figure 4 to the tube b by a band e passing round the
tube b and a band wheelf fixed above it onto a shaft g to which motion may be
cominunicated from an engine or other power and when a band is so employed
provision should be made for tightening same when necessary for example by the
employment of movable bearings to the shaft, the position of which can he
adjusted by means of a screw or in any other convenient manner.
When a band is used for giving motion to the tube b as shown at Figure 4 the
driving wheel is preferably placed above so that the tightness of the band may
have a tendency to lift the screw in its seat thereby diminishing friction on the
bottom bearing.
The ends of this pipe or tube b may be enlarged if desired as shown at
Figure 3 so as to form a thrust ring, the corresponding bearing & forming the thrust
block.
A broad metal band or strap 1 passes round the joint to prevent the ingress of
water and to keep the tube in its place. The lower half of this strap is a fixture
but the upper is movable to admit of the screw being lifted out when necessary.
As the rubbing surfaces are more or less in contact with the water it will be
possible to maintain a high rate of speed without heating.
'

page_text: These rubbing surfaces should be made of lignum vitæ or metals incapable of
setting up electric action.
It has been proved that a screw of small pitch but many revolutions produces
the hest results therefore this apparatus can be placed further aft than if the
contrary were the case thereby securing more leverage on the vessel. The lower
the screw the better for obvious reasons.
As the water acted upon by this screw has no opportunity of flying from the tips
of blades it is believed that it will exercise more driving power than an ordinary
screw of the same pitch, diameter and revolution. The action of this screw upon
the ship will be the same as a tow boat tugging at right angles to the fore and aft
line, only that given equal screws and power, the manoeuvring screw would have
the greatest effect not having the weight and friction of the tug to overcome.
Shutters might be fitted on the ships side sliding up and down in grooves placed
for them so as to prevent the water striking the after part of the tube when
the ship is under weigh, and the apparatus not in use, but this would impair its
readiness for use and it is probable that the difference it will make in the ships
speed without shutters will be inappreciable.
It is self evident that a power exerted through this apparatus will have more
effect in turning the ship than a vastly greater power exerted through the costly
non-compact and extremely indirect system of twin screws.
It can be easily fitted-at a small cost to all existing screw steamers, placing them
at once above the level of manoeuvring power of the twin screw ships.-.
It should also be fitted to twin screw ships as in the event of one screw being
knocked away a few revolutions of this screw would counteract the turning
tendency of the remaining propeller leaving the rudder entirely free and the
manoeuvring screw almost as free to act as before.
Apparatus-or machinery_constructed according to my Invention may be placed
near the bows if preferred or both at the bow and stern and be operated from any
convenient part of the deck.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed I declare that I claim as my Improvements in machinery
or apparatus for manoeuvring and steering ships and other vessels:
In the part of a tubular passage a at the stern or bow the fitting of screw
blades c therein the outer edges of the blades being connected to the inner periphery
of the central or middle portion 6 of the aforesaid tube moving or revolving with
the screw blades c while the outer ends of the tube a are fixtures the said middle
or movable portion b of the tube a together with the screw blades c having
motion communicated to them substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore
set forth.
In Witness whereof I the said William Miller Walters have hereunto set
my hand and seal this fifth day of April in the year of our Lord One