Improvements for Connecting Broken Shafts of Screw Steamers at Sea or Elsewhere.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Oct., 1886.
Complete Left, 19th July, 1887.
Complete Accepted, 2nd Sept., 1887.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements for Connecting Broken Shafts of Screw Steamers at
Sea or Elsewhere.
I WATER WILSON HERON of 15 Beaumont Street Cowpen Quay Blyth Northum-
berland Shipwright do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Improvements for connection Broken Shafts of Screw Steamers the apparatus to
consist of three hoops in halves, with lugs to be connected by screw bolts and nuts
through the lugs, by fish plates, and solid fixed keys on the hoops and
plates, the centre half hoops haveing a solid key on the inside of each half
hoop to be let into a keyway cut immediately over the fractured part of the
shaft the half hoops to be then screwed firmly on to the broken part of the shaft,
two fish plates with keyway in the middle and short solid keys in the ends, to be placed
in an indicated position over the centre hoop and extending over this hoop sufficient in
length at each end to be covered by half hoops to be screwed firmly on in the same
manner as the centre hoop, the short fixed keys in fish plates to be cut into a keyway
in a part of each fractured shaft to assist in keeping one part of the shaft from turning
without the other and also to lock the after part of the shaft from slipping aft in
reversing the propeller to propel the Ship astern.
The centre hoop to have a solid fixed key on the outside of each half to protrude.
through a keyway ready cut in the middle of each fish plate.
Dated this 21st day of October 1886.
WALTER WILSON HERON.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements for Connecting Broken Shafts of Screw Steamers at
Sea or Elsewhere.
IWALTER WILSON HERON of 15 Beaumont Street Cowpen Quay Blyth Northum-
berland Shipwright 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 said invention has for its object an improved apparatus for connecting broken
Shafts at Sea with dispatch where time is of the utmost importence to life or pro-
perty, without removing the shaft or any of the existing machinery so that the danger
of the loss of the Ship through being temperorly disabled may be minimised to a few
hours. The patentee proposes for vessels to carry this apparatus specially adapted for
the size of their shaft so that in case of a fracture they may have the means at command
of repairing it at sea with as little delay as possible. The complete apparatus to be of
iron or steel to consist of a centre hoop in two halfs with lugs for the purpose of
fixing it over the two ends of the broken shaft, the half hoops each to have a solid key
or studs on the inside for the purpose of holding one part of the shaft from turning
without the other when cut into a keyway or stud hole cut immediately over the
fractured part of the shaft the centre half hoops to be then screwed firmly on to the
broken shaft by means of screw bolts and nuts, through the lugs as seen in accompy-
ing drawing figures 1 and 2.
Two fish plates No. 5 in drawing with keyway in the middle and short solid keys in
ends to be placed in position over the centre hoop extending over this hoop sufficient
at each end to be covered by half hoops to be screwed firmly on in the same manner
as the centre hoop as seen in drawing No. 3 and 4 the short fixed keys in ends of fish
plates to be cut into a keyway in a part of each fractured shaft to assist in keeping
one part of the shaft from revolving without the other and also to lock the after part
of the shaft from slipping aft in reversing the propeller to propel the ship astern.
The centre hoop to have a solid fixed key on the outside of each half to protrude
through a keyway already pierced in the centre of each fish plate as seen in figure 5
the centre hoop may be used alone to propel the vessel untill time or circumstances
admit of the whole apparatus being used.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :
The construction of an apparatus for connecting broken shafts by Hoops, Fish
Plates, and solid fixed keys, in hoops and plates, as herein described.