IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR STEERING SHIPS
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Rudolph Bodmer, of 2, Thavies Inn, Holborn, in-
the City of London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR STEERING SHIPS."-A communication from John Dominick Ghersi, of
Genoa, in the Kingdom of Sardinia.
Sealed the 8th May 1857, and dated the 4th March 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Rudolph Bodmer at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 4th
March 1857.
I, RUDOLPH BODMER, of 2, Thavies Inn, Holborn, in the City of London,
do bereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR STEERING SHIPS," (a communication from John Dominick
Ghersi, of Genoa, in the Kingdom of Sardinia,) to be as follows:-
These improvements consist, firstly, in the application of a helm or rudder
at the stem of the ship in addition to that at the stern; and, secondly, in the
application of a second belm or rudder at the stern, to be used either con-
jointly with the ordinary helm or rudder or separately, the latter especially in
cases where the ordinary helm or rudder happens to be lost. The stem helm
can be constructed either similarly to the stern helm, or in the shape of a
blade, fin, or oar, to be actuated by a combination of levers, or by wheels and
ropes or chains, or by any other suitable mechanical combination: The stem
helm may be either binged to the starboard or larboard side of the cutwater or
to the end of it, or a space may be cut out in the cutwater to receive it. The
additional stern helm also may be hinged to the deadwood (in a space cut out

page_text: for it in the dead wood) just in front of the ordinary helm, or it may
consist of
a blade or fin, fitting into a recess eut in the dead wood and capable of being
moved sideways by means of levers or other suitable mechanism. By the use
of the stem helm in conjunction with the ordinary or stern helm, ships can be
steered even under the most difficult circumstances with great ease and accu-
racy.
It is also evident that an additional helm at the stern, or an instrument
equivalent to it, must be of the greatest advantage in cases where the ordinary
helm becomes useless or is lost.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Rudolph Bodmer in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
4th September 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RUDOLPH
BODMER, of 2, Thavies Inn, Holborn, in the City of London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing dato the Fourth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Rudolph Bodmer, Her special licence that I, the said Rudolph
Bodmer, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Rudolph Bodmer, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during tho 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR STEERING SHIPS," (a communication from John
Dominick Ghersi, of Genoa, in the Kingdom of Sardinia,) upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Rudolph Bodmer, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their
hands and seals, should particularly describo 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 Rudolph Bodmer, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say):-

page_text: The improvements which have been communicated to me consist in the
application of a second helm or rudder at the stern, to be used either conjointly
with the ordinary helm or rudder or separately, the latter especially in cases
where the ordinary helm or rudder happens to get lost; and also in the applica-
tion of a helm or rudder at the stem or bow of the ship in addition to that
at the stern.
In order that these improvements may be clearly understood and more
readily carried into effect, I shall now proceed to describe the same, reference
being had to the annexed Sheet of Drawings, and to the letters and figures
marked thereon.
In Fig. 1, A represents the usual stern helm; and A' another helm or
rudder, which is intended to be employed in case the regular helm should bo
lost. It is to be understood that such a supplemental helm is shipped on each
side of the sternpost, each to be worked separately, as in case of the ordi-
nary rudder being rendered useless or lost, it must be of the utmost importanco
to be able to get the supplemental helm ready for work within the shortest
possible time. The steering apparatus is supposed to consist simply of a lever
C, one end of which can be inserted in a socket on the top of the spindle or
shaft a, which is attached to the rudder, whilst the other end is furnished with
a cross piece x, x, to admit of two or more men working at it simultaneously.
If thought desirable, and where there is space enough for such a purpose,
some other and more powerful apparatus may be substituted for the lever,
such, for instance, as that marked C', and shown in dotted lines, where the
spindle a is supposed to be fitted with a worm wheel segment, into which
gears a worm, which is set in motion by the spoke wheel through a pair of
bevil wheels.
Figs. 1 & 1 show two horizontal ratchet wheels, placed in a box b, and
whoose teeth point in opposite directions. These ratchet wheels are intended
to keep the rudder A' in its proper position against the sternpost whilst its
services are not required, by means of the catches a', which are hinged on the
shaft a.
Fig. 2 represents the bow of a ship to which the helm or rudder B has been
fitted. This rudder may be made of wood, iron, brass, copper, or any other
suitable material, space is cut out for it in the cutwater, and it is intended to
be used like the stern helm, on either side of the cutwater, as circumstances
may require. This helm or rudder may be worked by means of the apparatus
D, with regard to which it is supposed that the upright shaft or spindle a is
attached to the rudder at the top, and acted upon by the spoke wheel 6 through
the bevil wheels c & d, worm e, and worm wheel f.

page_text: .
In Fig. 3 a stem fore or head helm B₁ is shown as hinged on the side of
the cutwater, which may be worked either by an apparatus marked E, acting
by means of a pinion a upon a rack 6 hinged to the helm, or. rudder B', or
upon a wheel segment attached to the helm or rudder, as shown in Fig. 3º.
Fig. 4 represents a cutwater with a helm or rudder B' hinged or shipped
in a different manner, but which is otherwise intended to be used for the same
purposes as the one previously described, and to be worked by the apparatus
E, or other means. It will be understood that' each of a pair of these stem
fore or head helms is intended to be separately worked, as circumstances may
require, the one being brought close up to the cutwater whilst the other is in
operation. For the purpose of securing the two helms when not required, a
'disk a' with a groove may be fitted on the spindle of the spoke wheel, and the
catch b' dropped into it after the helm has been brought up to its proper
position. In order to obtain sufficient space for placing the two steering appa-
ratus E (one for each helm or rudder) side by side, it may be necessary or
convenient to make use of a universel joint as a connection between the bevil
wheel and the helm or rudder, as shown in Fig. 4*.
In Figs. 5 & 6, C represents an oar or fin which is intended to assist the
stern helm when necessary. It can be turned either to the right or to the left,
as may be required, in a plane perpendicular to the line of the keel, see
Fig. 6, either by the steering apparatus marked E, or by any other suitable
mechanism.
Figs. 7, 8, & 9 show the application of fins C', C, & C³, as applied at the
stem or bow of the ship, which answer the purpose of sculls in cases where the
stem helms or rudders, previously described, are not available. The steering
apparatus G & H may be placed either on the main deck or on the 'tween
deck, according to circumstances.
The advantages which will result from the application of the stem fore or
-lcad helm are manifold. Just as the stern helm, owing to the resistance it
meets with in or the hold it has upon the water, steers and controls the ship
whilst she goes ahead, and compels her to tack unless that resistance be coun-
teracted by superior force, so the stem fore or bead helm, upon the same
'hydraulic principle, steers and controls the ship just at the time she begins to
⚫turn and to move astern. It is therefore evident that the stem fore or head
helm will support the stern helm just at the time when the action of the latter
becomes insufficient, and that the action of both instruments united tends to
render the command over the ship complete. These advantages may be
'summed up in the following manner :-
Firstly, a ship lying at anchor and about to get under weigh will cast on

page_text: the side wished for, either with or against the anchor, and avoid collision
astern.
Secondly, it will be possible to tack in all weathers and seas, a faculty
which is of the greatest importance, especially in cases where the ship. is
embaged.
Thirdly, in clubhauling, the application of the stem fore or head, helm
renders tacking feasible without having recourse to the anchor, and if the ship
be in a tideway she will tack quickly and without the least assistance from the
stern helm, which, in fact, cannot under such. circumstances be employed to
any advantage..
Fourthly, the ship will wear easily at all times.
Fifthly, in laying to, the ship will present better and will always be in a
position to wear or tack. This last evolution is infinitely to be preferred, there
being no need of great preparations, so that it will be unnecessary even to call
out the watch in order to be able to perform it.
Sixthly, in riding at a single anchor, with the tide against the. wind,
accidents to the steering gear are under ordinary circumstances of frequent
occurrence; by means of the stem fore or head helm, on the contrary, the
ship can always be held under complete control, whereby such accidents aro
avoided.
Seventhly, when whilst scudding hard it becomes necessary to heave to the
evolution can be effected within a smaller compass.
Eighthly, the tacking-may be effected even without the necessity of; bracing
sharp up.
Ninthly, on ascending a river there is no occasion for dropping the anchor
in order to be able to change the course of the ship, as those circumstances or
conditions which are unfavorable to. the action of ono helm are favorable to
that of the other.
Tenthly, in sounding, with the view, for instance, of drawing charts, tho
required, precision is always attainable.. For such purposes a steamer is at all
times to be preferred, and the contrivance indispensable.
Eleventhly, when there is danger of collision, the stem fore or head helm
will be a powerful means of quickly getting out of the way.
Twelfthly, ships which under ordinary circumstances cannot tack. with
light winds, will by the application of the stem fore or head helm be in a
position to do so.
Thirteenthly, in an engagement, whether in the case of a single ship or of a
fleet, ships unprovided with the stem fore or head helm will either become
suro prizes, or they will be obliged to fight before the wind.

page_text: Fourteenthly, in the case of a fleet under convoy, the ships will generally
be able to gain the wind to the enemy and thus avoid fighting. The Invention
also affords increased facilities for saving men from drowning.
Fifteenthly, ships furnished with the stem fore or head helm when
stationed before a hostile fort will have increased facilities for avoiding the
enemy's projectiles.
"
Sixteenthly, when fighting in line, ships will have the faculty to drop astern
without the necessity of wearing or staying, and of wearing and staying with
greater precision and in a shorter time.
Seventeenthly, steamers (and in their case the advantages of the stom fore
or head helm are very great) can tako up any required position with greater
facility and accuracy without exposing themselves unnecessarily, avoid encoun-
ters, move ahead or astern with equal facility, and go alongside another ship
or a pier, manoeuvres, many of which are very difficult of performance by the
aid of the ordinary helm only, as in backing all control over the ship almost
entirely ceases.
".
Having now described the nature of the Invention which has been commu-
nicated to me, and the mode of applying the same, I wish it to be understood
that I do not mean to confine myself to the particular construction and com-
bination of steering apparatus described with reference to the annexed Sheet
of Drawings; but what I claim as the Invention intended to be secured to me
by the above in part recited Letters Patent is,-
Firstly, the application of a stem fore or head helm or fin to be used in
combination with the ordinary or stern helm, in the manner and for tho
purposes herein-before described.
And, secondly, the application of a permanent spare rudder, helm, or oar at
the stern, to be ready for use, and to be used in case the ordinary helm should
become disabled or be carried away.
In witness whereof, I, the said Rudolph Bodmer, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
RUDOLPH BODMER. (L.S.)