Improvements in Apparatus for Working Ships' Rudders.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Sept., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 28th Jan., 1892-Accepted, 25th Oct., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Working Ships' Rudders.
I, ALEXANDRE GINISTY of 3 Rue de Mulhouse, Paris, France, Typographic
Worker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for working ships' rudders
and has for object to obviate the use of tiller ropes or chains which in stormy
weather or in case of insufficient power, do not ensure in a satisfactory manner
the movements necessary for the proper steering of the ship.
By reason of its compactness and security and its great power apparatus
according to this invention is applicable to all kinds of sailing ships or steam
ships and it enables one man even in very rough weather to steer either by manual
power or by steam power.
The apparatus is provided with a horizontal shaft at one end of which is a hand
wheel for operating the rudder. This wheel can be rendered loose upon the shaft
by merely withdrawing a key. At the other end of the shaft is a bevel wheel
gearing with a similar wheel carried by a vertical shaft upon which is keyed a
pinion engaging with a toothed wheel carried by a second vertical shaft which is
supported in suitable collars and bearings in which it is capable of rotating freely.
Upon this second vertical shaft, below the toothed wheel, there is keyed a pinion
gearing with a wheel mounted on the upper end of the rudder stock.
When the helmsman actuates the operating wheel of the rudder, the latter is
operated through the medium of the two bevel pinions and of the four toothed
wheels before mentioned. I prefer to employ gear wheels having helical teeth
which have the advantage of being very strong and more silent than ordinary
toothed wheels. Approximately at the middle of the horizontal shaft carrying the
operating wheel of the rudder and the operating bevel wheel, there is keyed a
wheel having helicoidal teeth gearing with an endless screw carried by a transverse
shaft capable of being actuated by two steam motors located one on each side of
the operating shaft.
I prefer to employ, when working by steam, motors of the Farcot system
arranged to start instantaneously either forwards or backwards.
The shaft of the operating wheel of the rudder carries furthermore a wheel with
teeth or with recesses designed for the reception of a Vaucanson or Galle chain
by the medium of which the rudder can be operated from the bridge or other
convenient position.
The nave of the wheel with helical teeth which is keyed on the rudder stock,
is furnished with recesses in which engage the tiller chains which are directly
attached to the tiller bar. This arrangement is provided for use in case of the
rudder stock breaking and in order to ensure notwithstanding the same, the
operation of the tiller and the steering of the ship.
The operation by manual power is effected in the usual manner.
In operating by steam power it is preferable to unkey the hand operating wheel
which is thus rendered loose upon the operating shaft and which is fixed by means
of a chain in some position to prevent it from rotating with the said shaft. An
impulse is then given to a hand wheel keyed on the same shaft for operating by
steam, and under the action of the two motors acting upon the operating shaft in
the desired direction through the medium of the endless screw and of the helicoidal
wheel hereinbefore mentioned, the tiller is brought into the desired operating
position.
Dated this 25th day of September 1891.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Working Ships' Rudders.
I, ALEXANDRE GINISTY of 3 Rue de Mulhouse, Paris, France, Marine
Engineer, 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 :-
This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for working ships' rudders 5
and has for its object to obviate the use of tiller ropes or chains, which in stormy
weather or in case of insufficient power, do not ensure in a satisfactory manner the
movements necessary for the proper steering of the ship.
The apparatus comprises a mechanism composed of a horizontal shaft at one
end of which is a hand-wheel which operates the rudder by means of toothed
wheels, whether helical or of any other convenient kind, and also mechanism for
arresting and locking the rudder in the position it is to occupy. The locking of
the rudder is effected in such a manner as to allow the rudder, when locked in
position, to move to a slight extent to either side of the said position, an elastic or
yielding resistance being offered by the locking device to the action of the waves 1
and heavy seas, thus obviating the risks of breakage due to sudden shocks.
In the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated an apparatus constructed in
accordance with my improvements. The said apparatus is shown as being worked
with hand-power, but it is evident that it can also be worked by steam-power. In
the latter case, any known type of so-called "servo-motors," for instance the type 2
of servo-motor described in British Letters Patent No. 1934 of 1874 can be
adopted. As my improvements are in no way related to the motive power device
which can be used nor to any special construction by which the said power device
is connected to my improved apparatus, I have avoided all description and relation
thereto, it being understood that my apparatus can be worked by hand or steam
power at will.
Figure 1 is an elevation of my improved steering apparatus.
Figure 2 is a plan of the same, and
Figure 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3, 3, of Fig. 1.
a is the framing upon which are arranged bearings b, b for the horizontal
operating shaft c. This shaft carries at its outer end a hand-wheel d and at its
inner end a bevil wheel e, gearing with a similar wheel f keyed on a vertical
shaft g, which also carries a pinion h. This pinion gears with a wheel i keyed
on a vertical shaft j, suitably supported in the framing a so that it can rotate
freely. Upon the shaft j below the toothed wheel i is keyed a pinion gearing
with a wheel suitably mounted on the upper end of the rudder stock o. In
the upper end of the rudder stock o is provided a bearing for the lower end of the
shaft both shaft ends being held in a support m of the frame a. When the
helmsman actuates the hand-wheel d, the rudder stock o (to which a rudder not
shown is connected in the usual manner) is operated through the bevel pinions e, f
and the toothed gearings h, i, k, l.
This
On the rudder stock o is keyed between decks a bar t, which moves with the
rudder and has fitted in its free end, a strong catch or bolt u fixed to the end of
a rod u arranged in a recess in the bar t and to which is attached a cord v.
cord passes through the bar t and over guide-pulleys w and is connected to one end
of a bent lever that is pivoted at a in a suitable support so as to be within reach
of the foot of the helmsman. This bent lever forms a pedal for operating the
bolt or catch which is constantly pressed outwards by a spring y located in the
bart as shown.
During the movement of the rudder, the bar t moves with it, and its free end,
carrying the bolt u travels in a semi-circular path. Arranged. concentrically with
the rudder stock and just beyond this path is a semi-circular bar A of inverted
T-shape in the vertical portion or web of which are formed at short intervals

page_text: recesses z into one or other of which, when the cord is slackened, the bolt u is
caused to enter by the action of the spring y, thus arresting the movement of the
rudder and locking the latter in position.
In order to obviate the shocks resulting either from a sudden stoppage, as when
the bolt u enters in one of the recesses z, whilst the rudder is moving or from a
wave or heavy sea striking the rudder, which might cause the breakage of the
rudder stock and damage to the steering gear, the bar A instead of being rigidly
fixed between decks, is arranged to slide in a hollow or grooved rail B of semi-
circular form in plan, secured to the floor or deck.
Each end of the bar A is connected to a dashpot C which offers an elastic
resistance to and limits the movement of the piston and consequently of the bar A.
With this arrangement, the rudder does not offer a rigid resistance to waves or
heavy seas acting against it, but can yield slightly under the action of the shocks,
although still held in position. Also when the bolt u enters one of the recesses z,
the rudder is not arrested suddenly, but its movement is braked gradually by
reason of the movement of the bar A which can be drawn along by it for a short
distance.
The action of the arrangement is as follows: The bolt u is first withdrawn by
operating the pedal for the purpose of freeing the rudder. The hand-wheel d
is then operated one way or the other until the rudder is brought into the desired
position, whereupon the helmsman removes the foot from the pedal and locks
the bar t.
When required, the operating shaft c may also carry a wheel n adapted to
engage with a chain by means of which the rudder can be operated from the bridge
or other convenient position; in such case, the cord v should be extended and
provided with another pedal x, within reach of the operator placed at the bridge
or other convenient position.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :
1. In an apparatus for working ships' rudders, the arrangement, between the
operating shaft c and the rudder stock o, of a train of toothed gears e, f, h, i, k, l
for enabling the rudder stock o to be operated directly without the intervention of
chains, substantially as herein before described and shown in the accompanying
drawings.
2. In apparatus of the kind referred to in the preceding claim, a bart keyed
on the rudder stock and carrying at its free end a locking device, adapted to enter
one of a number of recesses formed in a semi-circular locking bar A, for the
purpose of arresting the movement of the rudder and of holding it when it has
assumed the desired position, the said locking device being connected by a rod y
and flexible connector v to a foot lever arranged within reach of the helmısman
so that when the foot lever is depressed, the bolt u will be withdrawn from the
locking bar and allow the rudder to be operated, substantially as described
and shown.
3. In apparatus of the kind herein referred to for working ships' rudders,
arranging the locking bar A to slide to and fro in a semi-circular hollow or
grooved rail B, such movement being limited in such direction by fluid brakes or
dashpots C that also serve to deaden shocks, substantially as hereinbefore
described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
4. My improved apparatus for working ships' rudders constructed, arranged and
operating as hereinbefore described and shewn in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 10th 1-£T…………
1000
A. GINISTY,
By L. W., per F. B.