IMPROVEMENTS ON THE ATTACHMENTS OF RUDDERS TO SHIPS AND OTHER VESSELS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Herbert John Haddan, of the Firm of Herbert and
Company, Patent Agents, of 67, Strand, in the City of Westminster, Civil
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS ON THE ATTACHMENTS OF
RUDDERS TO SHIPS AND OTHER VESSELS." A communication from abroad
by George Henry Couvrette, of the City and District of Montreal, Province
of Quebec, Canada, Master Mariner.
Scaled the 12th May 1876, and dated the 24th March 1876.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Herbert John Haddan at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th March 1876.
HERBERT JOHN HADDAN, of the Firm of Herbert and Company, Patent Agents,
of 67, Strand, in the City of Westminster, Civil Engineer, "IMPROVEMENTS ON THE
ATTACHMENTS OF RUDDERS TO SHIPS AND OTHER VESSELS." A communication
from abroad by George Henry Couvrette, of the City and District of Montreal,
Province of Quebec, Canada, Master Mariner.
This Invention has reference to improvements on the attachment of rudders to
vessels for the purpose of rendering the same removable and capable of being
replaced from the deck of the vessel while the same is at sea. In case the rudder
should become defective after starting on a voyage it may readily be removed and
brought on deck, where it may, if possible, be repaired and again replaced from the
deck, or by carrying a spare rudder, already fitted, the disabled one may be laid on
one side and the spare one shipped in its place. In the Drawings hereunto annexed
similar letters of reference indicate like parts, and-
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation showing my Invention.

page_text: after described; e is an ordinary rudder shoc, except in this case it is made to
extend aft of the rudder post, as shown; f is what I call a rudder tube, attached at
the bottom to the shoe e, in any ordinary manner to make it solid and firm there-
with, while the top part is secured firmly in the framework g of the vessel, for
which extra packing and filling may be required; hare stationary clasps, and i
are movable ones; those, might be made in one and the same piece with the
rudder post d only for the extra expense of doing so; otherwise they will be
firmly secured thereto, as shown in Fig. 5, and by extending the flanges of back
on to the stern post they will also serve the purpose of an additional binding to
hold c and d together. The clasps i have their forward ends received in grooves,
formed in the post, extending from the clasps as indicated by the dotted lines at
letters in Fig. 1. Each of the clasps hand-i-are made with an opening to receive
the tube and rudder stock ; they are also each provided with a slot m extending
vertically through the aft end of them, of suflicient weight to let the blade of the
rudder o pass freely through. The rudder tube f is, from the level of the deck
down to the point 4, a complete tube, only on the centre of the aft side a vertical
slot n is formed of equal width to those m, and situated to agree with them in
position, so that when the rudder is amidships sufficient power being applied to lift
it, it can slip through the grooves m, n, and is thus free to come up, and, if desired,
to be altogether drawn out. Below the point 4 the amount that the tube is cut away
will depend upon the amount that it is desired to enable the rudder to turn; as shown
in the Drawings it is reduced to a half tube, which will enable the rudder to be
turned nearly at right angles with the line of the vessel. It will be observed that
openings are cut in the rudder to enable it to do this. In attaching the parts
d, f, h, and i, I first attach the clasps to the rudder post d; the post and clasps
are then attached to the stern post; I then put in place the clasps ; these it will
be remarked are attached together by any suitable connection i to cause them to
move as if in one and the same piece. The opening in the ends of the clasps having
been cut so that they are in one and the same straight line the tube may now be
slipped in place from above. The openings in the clasps / should be as tight as the
getting in place of the tube f will allow, and their junction may be secured by
screw bolts, while those in the clasps i, although a good fit, should be a free sliding
one. In all of them, however, the part of the clasps against which the rudder stock
rests is a free sliding fit. This having been done the rudder may next be put in
place, its foot q enters the shoe, as shown in Fig. 1 by dotted lines, its stock is
provided with a collar r, s is a cap for securing to the deck, &c., and prevent the
rudder rising; t is a bolt attached to i, and carried upwards through an opening
made in the upper clasp h, and thence through the vessel; any ordinary means,
such as a stuffing box being provided to render the passage of t through the skin
and timbers of the vessel water-tight, while the bolt is free to slide up and down.
The bolt t is provided with a screwed upper extremity entering into a correspond-
ingly screwed nut u, supported and retained in place by any ordinary collars and
plates v firmly attached to the deck and framework, at the same time leaving it
free to revolve. The nut is extended above the deck, as at w, in any suitable
manner for getting hold, for turning it by levers, &c.; a is an opening made through
the stern, of sufficient size for the rudder to pass freely through, and needs not be
any bigger than for this purpose; this will be closed with any suitable removable
hatchings. y, are ribs strengthening the rudder blade and answering another pur-
pose, presently described. Although four clasps, i are sliown and described their
numbers may be increased. I would further say that one movable clasp i may be
used, or a greater number, and if desired all the clasps may be made stationary,
in which case I should dispense with the clasps 'i, bolt t, nut u, and other attach-
ments thereto. I also shorten the clasps to bring the tube f close up to the
rudder post d, and if desired it might be made in one with it, or be formed in the
rudder post.
The Invention having been constructed as first herein described, the rudder in
place, as shown in the Drawings, any suitable tackling might be rigged to lift the

page_text: rudder, the arrangement of which forms no part of the present Invention. This
having been done, the tiller, which is attached in the ordinary way to the stock l,
above the deck, is got amidships, bringing the rudder to that position; the nut vis
then turned to cause the clasps to rise; this will bring them upon the bridge
pieces immediately above them; and to cause them to enter more freely, the
edges of the bridges and corners of the clasps may be rounded or chamfered off.
To prevent the rudder when working about in a sea from causing a spreading
strain upon the two jaws formed by the slot m in the clasps i as they are raised
the corners a¹ of the ribs are formed to bear upon the corners 61 (see Fig. 6),
before or at the same time that the bridge piece bears against the side of the slot.
Should the tiller be broken, and not available, any other means may be adopted
to get the rudder as steady as possible; for this purpose it would be very useful to
carry a lever with a screw clamp socket on the end of it to fit the rudder stock, and
to form a temporary hand tiller, and if these are not at hand the clasps must be
used alone, and as the rudder works about in the sea they will take hold upon the
bridge pieces in the act of rising, and hold the rudder steady; the steering gear is
now disconnected, and the hatchings y are taken off, then the cap 8. The rudder
may now be raised and altogether removed if desired. It or a spare rudder may be
returned to its place, the tiller gear again connected, and the caps put on, and the
clasps i lowered, after which the hatchings will be put on.
In the case of all the clasps being stationary the rudder will have to catch itself
in the clasps as it works about in the act of raising, and the disconnection and
connection of the tiller and gear will also have to be made as best they can, while
the rudder works about, unless held steady by the clamp lever above adverted to,
or other means for holding the rudder steady; but after it is once raised and caught
in the clasps it can be drawn out. This forms the great advantage of having the
movable clasps i.
What I claim is, as follows:-
1st. The combination of the stock and rudder l, o, rudder tube f, stationary
clasps, and movable clasps i, substantially as and for the purposes described.
2nd. The combination of the stock and rudder l, o, rudder tube f, and clasps h,
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
3rd. The combination of the stock and rudder l, o, rudder tube f, clasps and i,
rudder post d, screwed bolt t, and nut u as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Herbert John Haddan, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
H J. HADDAN.
(L. 9.)
H J. HADDAN. (L. s.)