IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE MEANS OF STEERING, AND MANŒUVRING SHIPS OR BOATS, AND IN THE APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH, WHICH APPARATUS IS ALSO APPLICABLE FOR PUMPING AND LIFTING WEIGHTS
Year: 1862

page_text: PATENT to Frederick Elsworth Sickels, of New York City,
United States of America, but now residing at Bute Street, Brompton,
in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MEANS OF STEERING, AND MANŒUVRING SHIPS OR BOATS,
AND IN THE APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH, WHICH APPARATUS IS ALSO
APPLICABLE FOR PUMPING AND LIFTING WEIGHTS."
Sealed the 6th April 1863, and dated the 31st October 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Elsworth
Sickels at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents with his Peti-
tion, on the 31st October 1862.
I, FREDERICK ELSWORTH. SICKELS, of New York City, United States,
of America, but now residing at Bute Street, Brompton, in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention o
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF STEERING AND MANEUVRING SHIPS OR
BOATS, AND IN THE APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH, WHICH APPARATUS IS ALSO
APPLICABLE FOR PUMPING AND LIFTING WEIGHTS," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in improvements upon that kind of steering
apparatus, in which steam or other fluid under pressure is employed for the
purpose of actuating the rudder, my object being to ensure increased efficiency
and security in steering and manoeuvring vessels. The apparatus for working

page_text: the steering gear is also applicable for various other purposes, such as for
pumping or lifting weights. When any great degree of rapidity in turning
and manoeuvring steam vessels is required a forced draught to the furnaces
(to increase the propelling power,) should be combined with ample mechanical
power to operate a large rudder. The steering engine is made to disconnect
from the steering apparatus, and to connect with a hoisting drum, thus saving
the room occupied by a separate hoisting engine for loading and unloading
the vessel. When fresh water is required an apparatus can be used to
condense the steam that operates the steering apparatus, thus obtaining fresh
water for the ship's company. If the steering apparatus be placed below the
steam boiler, which supplies it with power, a trap or other mechanism should
be used to discharge the condensed water either into tanks or overboard.
To ensure the use of the least possible power required to operate the steering
apparatus the valve or valves which admit the steam or other fluid under
pressure to the working cylinders is or are so connected with the steering
apparatus that while the steersman by turning the steering wheel opens the
valve to admit steam to the cylinders (so as to cause the rudder to move)
the steering apparatus in moving will give the same valve or valves a closing
motion, and thus modify the extent of the opening of the valve, and the
rapidity of admission of the steam, or other fluid to the working cylinders.
The power to move or hold the rudder is transmitted through an adjustable
friction brake or connection so as to limit the power transmitted from or to
the rudder. The friction is produced by bringing two surfaces into contact
with an elastic pressure, which if any undue power be employed will yield,
and prevent the machinery from being strained. The steam or other fluid
employed to actuate the steering apparatus and rudder is conducted through
a valve loaded to regulate its pressure, and thereby prevent any undue force
being applied to the steering apparatus, and a suitable stop should be provided
to prevent the steersman from causing the rudder to move too far either way.
In case of a separate boiler being used to actuate the steering apparatus a
small pump should be attached to the steering apparatus to supply that boiler
with water, which pump when not so employed may be made use of as an
ordinary ship's pump.
These
In order to instruct the steersman at all times as to the position of the
rudder a wheel with different marks corresponding to the different positions
of the rudder can be used to control the application of the power.
marks may be made sensible to the touch by being made either in relief or in
intaglio, and thus the steersman by feeling the different marks will know even
without looking at the wheel the exact position of the rudder.

page_text: The different improvements herein described may of course be varied to
suit the requirements of the different vessels on which they may be placed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Frederick Elsworth Sickels in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 30th April 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FREDERICK
ELSWORTH SICKELS, of New York City, United States of America,. but now
residing at Bute Street, Brompton, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirty-first day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Frederick Elsworth Sickels, Her special license that I, the said
Frederick Elsworth Sickels, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Frederick Elsworth Sickels, my executors, ad-
ministrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF STEERING
AND MANEUVRING SHIPS OR BOATS, AND IN THE APPARATUS. CONNECTED THEREWITH,
WHICH APPARATUS IS ALSO APPLICABLE POR PUMPING AND LIFTING WEIGHTS," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Frederick Elsworth Sickels,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly
describe 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 Frederick Elsworth Sickels, do;
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and,
by the following statement, reference being had to the Drawings, hereunto
annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say).:-

page_text: My Invention consists in improvements upon that kind of steering apparatus
in which steam or other fluid under pressure is employed for the purpose of
actuating the rudder, my object being to ensure increased efficiency and security
in steering and manoeuvring vessels. The apparatus for working the steering
gear is also applicable for various other purposes, such as for pumping or lifting
weights. When any great degree of rapidity in turning and manoeuvring
steam vessels is required, a forced draught to the furnaces (to increase the
propelling power) should be combined with ample mechanical power to
operate a large rudder. The steering engine is made to disconnect from the
steering apparatus, and to connect with a hoisting drum, thus saving the room
occupied by a separate hoisting engine for loading and unloading the vessel.
When fresh water is required an apparatus can be used to condense the steam
that operates the steering apparatus, thus obtaining fresh water for the ship's
company. If the steering apparatus be placed below the steam boiler, which
supplies it with power a trap or other mechanism should be used to discharge
the condensed water either into tanks or overboard. To ensure the use of
the least possible power required to operate the steering apparatus the valve
or valves which admit the steam or other fluid under pressure to the working
cylinders is so connected with the steering apparatus that while the steersman
by turning the steering wheel opens the valve to admit steam to the cylinders
so as to cause the rudder to move, the steering apparatus in moving will give
this same valve or valves a closing motion, and thus modify the extent of the
opening of the valve, and the rapidity of admission of the steam or other
fluid to the working cylinders. The power to move or hold the rudder is
transmitted through an adjustable friction brake or connection so as to limit
the power transmitted from or to the rudder. The friction is produced by
bringing two surfaces into contact with an elastic pressure, which if any
undue power be employed will yield, and prevent the machinery from being
strained. The steam or other fluid employed to actuate the steering apparatus
and rudder is conducted through a valve loaded to regulate its pressure, and
thereby prevent any undue force being applied to the steering apparatus, and
a suitable stop should be provided to prevent the steersman from causing the
rudder to move too far either way. In case of a separate boiler being used
to actuate the steering apparatus a small pump should be attached to the
steering apparatus to supply that boiler with water, which pump when not so
employed may be made use of as an ordinary ship's pump.
In order to instruct the steersman at all times as to the position of the
rudder a wheel with different marks corresponding to the different positions

page_text: of the rudder can be used to control the application of the power. These.
marks may be made sensible to the touch by being made either in relief or
in intaglio, and thus the steersman by feeling the different marks will know
without looking at the wheel the exact position of the rudder.
The different improvements herein described may of course be varied to
suit the requirements of different vessels on which they may be placed..
In the accompanying Drawings, containing various views of my improve->
ments, Fig. 1 is a top view of a portion of the middle and stern of a vessel
with the decks partially removed; Fig. 2 is, a side view of a portion of the
middle and stern of a vessel with one side removed; Fig. 3 is a side view,
shewing the steering engine, pump, and hoisting apparatus drawn on an
enlarged scale; Fig. 4 is a front view of the same, the small hand wheel A
being removed; Fig. 5 is a similar view, the cylinder and valve being shewn
in section; Fig. 6 is a cross section through the cylinder and valve box in the
line 1, 2, of Fig. 4; Fig. 7 is an end view of the cylinder head and valve-
box; Fig. 8 is a section through the line 3, 4, of Fig. 3, shewing the face of
the plate B with stop apparatus; Fig. 9 is a section through the steering
barrel, shewing the hub of one of the steering wheels F; Fig. 10 is a section
through the line 5, 6, of Fig. 3; Figures 11, 12, 13, are views. of the drum
for steering and indicating with its box or case, Fig. 11 being a plan view of
the same; Fig. 12 a side view, partly in section; and Fig. 13 an end view,.
also partly in section; Fig. 14 is a Diagram, shewing the marks on the.
steering and indicating drum; Figs. 15, 16, 17, 18, and 19, are detailed
views hereafter to be referred to. The same letters refer to the same parts in
each Figure.
:
D, cylinders of steering engines; E, engine shaft; F, F, hand-steering.
wheels; F, drum of hand-steering wheel, upon which are wound the tiller
ropes G acting through gun tackle purchases H, connected to the chains I,.
that wind on the grooved wheel J, connected to the stock K of the rudder S,
and thus actuate the rudder. T is a hoisting drum on the engine shaft, upon
which a rope is wound when using the steering engine as a hoisting engine;
U is a catch piece that is fastened to the friction strap V, so as to draw out
of a notch W, on the plate-wheel B, to disconnect the steering engine from
the rudder by turning the screw handle X; Y, Y, are segments of wood
fastened to the strap V (see Fig. 10); these segments are forced against a.
pulley Z. The pressure of the segments Y around the pulley Z is adjusted
by screwing the bolt a; b is a washer of vulcanized india-rubber to render
the pressure of the friction strap upon the pulley more elastic; c is a spiral
groove upon the plate B, into which a single tooth d traverses as the hand-

page_text: g
steering wheels F and drum F¹ are turned; e is a stop that arrests the motion
of the steering apparatus when the spiral, in turning, has brought the barf that
is moved by the traversing tooth d, so that its upper end is under this stop;
is a stop that arrests the motion of the steering apparatus when the spiral,
in turning, draws the bar f so far towards the centre as to bring the pro-
jection h over the stop g, these stops being placed so as to permit the rudder
to be moved to the desired angle either way when they act to prevent further
motion; is a plunger attached to the bar f; j, j, are vulcanized rubber
cushions to receive the momentum of the steering apparatus, when the stops e
org act on the bar f, and arrest the steering apparatus without injury. As
in steering by power, the steersman cannot feel the increased resistance due
to the rudder being "hard over," a stop is important to arrest the whole
steering apparatus, and if placed, as before described, it will act without
bringing any strain upon the hand-steering gear. k is a projection upon the
grooved pulley J on the rudder head; l, m, are stops with rubber cushions
that act on the projection k as the rudder is moved hard over to port or star-
board against one or the other of these stops, and these stops may be used
instead of the stops e, g, or they may be adjusted so as to act together, and
when so used the advantage is gained, that when working the rudder by the
engines, the stops e, g, will act to keep the strain off of the hand-steering gear,
and when the rudder is hard over in backing, the stops l, m, will hold the
rudder from straining the hand steering gear. The stops l, m, can be used
alone with safety if the steering gear between the steering engine and the
rudder is made sufficiently strong, or the stops 7, m, can be used alone with
safety by screwing the bolt a and adjusting the friction of the wood segments Y
on the pulley Z, so that these segments will slip round on the pulley Z at any
time when the strain on the steering gear leading from the engine to the
rudder has reached the limit it can safely bear. The elasticity of the gripe
with which the wood is held on to the pulley will permit the slipping to often
occur without materially altering the force with which the engine is set to act
upon the rudder; the wood should be cedar or any similar wood that will
preserve the metal surface in contact with it from rust, and thus contribute to
preserve the desired amount of friction between the metal and the wood.
Other substances may be used to slip upon each other, such as leather upon metal,
or a soft metal upon a hard one, and the elasticity may be obtained by bringing
two plates in contact with sufficient elasticity in the flat plates themselves or
otherwise, so as to maintain a uniform friction while slipping in use.
The steering engine can be placed so as to carry the engine shaft directly
to a pinion that gears into a cogged arc upon the rudder head, or the engine

page_text: may operate through any of the ordinary hand-steering gear now in use. The
position of the stops would be controlled by the strength and kind of steering
gear used, so as to arrest the rudder when it had reached the proper angle on
either side. If the gear is strong the stop may be placed near the rudder; if
it is weak the stop should be placed near the steering engine, and the degree
of friction between the segments Y and the pulley Z regulated correspond-
ingly. This friction can be adjusted with an ordinary construction of rudder,
so as to permit it to yield to the blows of the sea, and tend to relieve anxiety
as to the safety of the steering gear in heavy weather.
The eccentric q (shewn detached at Fig. 15) is shifted so as to work the
engines either way by means of a spiral cam r (shewn detached at Fig. 16)
that engages a pin s in the eccentric, and as this cam turns, it draws the pins
t, t, t, t, in the slots u, u, u, u, in the plate u', shewn detached at Figure 17,
and thus shifts the eccentric from full throw in one direction to full throw in
the other direction, and by reversing the movement of the spiral cam r, a.
reversed motion of the eccentric and a reversed motion of the engines are
produced. The slots u, u, u, u, have a V-shape in the middle, which is a good
form if steam or other elastic fluid is used, as it tends to leave the pressure of
the fluid in the cylinders, so that it acts in opposite directions upon the crank.
as the engine comes to a state of rest, and thus prevents the constant oscil-
Jation of the pistons from the action of an elastic fluid in the cylinder that
might ensue if the slots were straight and guided; the centre of the eccentric
direct from one side of the centre of the shaft to the other as it was shifted by
the movement of the pin s, moving in the spiral cam r. If an incompressible
fluid, as water, is used, the slots u, u, u, u, can be made straight with advan-
tage in the accuracy with which the engine will follow the motion of the
spiral cam in either direction. As the spiral cam is turned to open the valve,
the engine and steering apparatus, in moving, carries around the eccentric g
to close the valves, and the extent of the effective opening of each valve will
depend upon the closeness with which the motion of the engine follows up the.
motion of the spiral cam, and this closeness will be regulated by the amount.
of resistance offered to the steering apparatus, and the demand for power as
the rudder is being moved by the engines. Thus the motion of the steersman.
will operate to draw the pins t; t, t, t, to one end or the other of the slots
, u, u, u, while the steering apparatus operates to draw them to. the middle
as it moves the pin s in the spiral cam r in the same direction that the spiral
cam r is turner by hand. The valves t' can be balanced with a piston t³, and
hen should have guides t³ to keep them on their seats.
As here shewn, one quarter of a revolution of the spiral cam r moves the
.

page_text: pins t, t, t, t, from the apex 1 to the base at 2 if the spiral cam is turned in
one direction, and from the apex 1 to the base 3 if the spiral cam is turned in
the other direction, supposing the engine shaft to remain stationary; but if
the engine shaft moves the position of the pins t, t, t, t, in the V-slots will
depend upon the resistance offered to the engine, and if this resistance is
greatly increased, the continuous movement of the spiral cam will carry the
pins to one or the other end of the slots u, u, u, u, and the full opening of the
valves will be obtained to give full power to the cylinders in overcoming
the resistance offered by the rudder or steering apparatus. The arrangement
by which the extent of the effective opening of the valves is made to correspond
with the resistance offered by the steering apparatus can be variously modified.
The engine and steering apparatus may move one end of an arm while the
steersman moves the other end, thus controlling the effective opening of the
valves; or the extent of the opening of the valves may be regulated by sliding
a block in a link, so that while the steersman moves the block towards one
end or the other of the link, the steering apparatus, in moving, may tend to
draw it back towards the centre of motion, and modify the effective opening
of the valve by the relative motion of the steersman in steering and the steering
apparatus.
The excentric is shifted in the slots u, u, so as at no time to close the
exhaust of either engine until that engine has completed its stroke, as shewn
in the Drawings, thus allowing any water or other incompressible fluid to
escape, and not confining it by closing the exhaust before the completion of the
stroke, as it would be in the usual construction of steam engines. This is
important when using steam with long pipes that are liable to condense much
water, so that it cannot run out of them, or in using any incompressible fluid
to operate the engines.
The plate V containing the spiral cam r is connected to a sleeve w (shewn
in section at Fig. 18); this sleeve has spiral slots x, x, through it. The
sleeve y has two pins 2, 2, that pass through the spiral slots x, x, and into the
straight grooves A¹, A', in the engine shaft E. C' is a lever, loaded at D' with
a weight, and operating the sleeve at E¹ by pins in the groove F. As the
lever C¹ is moved by the cord G¹ in one direction, and as the weight D¹ moves
the lever in the other direction, the sleeve y is drawn along the sleeve w, and
the pins z, z, moving into the spiral slots x, x, in the sleeve w, and into the
straight grooves A¹ in the shaft E, force around the plate v containing the
spiral cam r, thus shifting the centre of the excentric 9 from one side to the
other of the centre of the shaft, and applying the power to turn the engines in
the same direction as the plate vis turned in moving the lever. When the

page_text: pins z, z, in the sleeve y are removed the small hand steering wheel A can be
secured to the sleeve w by a set screw a¹ (see Fig. 19), and used to turn the
plate and control the motions of the steering engines and rudder. As the
lever C¹ is moved by the cord G¹ in one direction, and as the weight D' moves
the lever C in the other direction, the sleeve y is drawn along the sleeve w
and the pins z, z, moving into the spiral slots x, x, in the sleeve w, and along
the straight grooves A in the shaft E, force around the plate v, thus shifting
the excentric to apply the power, so as to alter the position of the rudder. One
end of the cord G' is wound around a small drum H¹ connected to the hand-
steering wheels F. The other end of the cord G¹ is wound around the hand-
steering drum I, (see Figs. 11, 12, 13,) so that as this drum is moved to pull
the cord and raise the weight D¹ and thus shift the excentric and apply the
power, so as to move the engines. The engines in moving will turn the
steering wheel and unwind the cord from off the drum H', and the unwinding
of the cord will permit the weight to descend and stop the engines. By
turning the drum I¹ so as to unwind the cord from it, the weight D¹ will
descend and shift the excentric, so as to cause the engines to turn in the
opposite direction, and the steering wheels will then move so as to wind up the
cord on the drum H¹, and thereby raise the weight D' and stop the engines,
(that is to say,) that when the drum I¹ unwinds the cord, the drum H' will
wind it up, and when the drum I' winds up the cord, the drum H¹ will unwind
it. As the drum H¹ winds up and unwinds the cord the rudder is shifted
correspondingly, and the different lengths of the cord wound on the drum I'
will correspond to the different positions of the rudder; the different marks on
the drum I as each portion is uppermost are made to correspond to the
different positions of the rudder. The after portion of the marks that are
uppermost correspond to the position of the rudder at that time, and the
forward part with arrow heads shews the way the bow should turn, and the
steersman feeling these marks while turning the drum I¹, is enabled without
looking to know the position of the rudder. A counterbalance weight may be
attached to the cord G2, so as to equalize the power required to move the indi-
cating drum by hand. By detaching the, cord G¹ from the drum 1' the
steersman, while holding this cord in his hand, can, by pulling and releasing
it, shift the rudder, and can judge by the length of the cord he is handling the
position of the rudder, provided he has previously ascertained the position of
the rudder agreeing with any particular length of cord, or the steersman can
learn the position of the rudder in steering by observing the changing course
of the vessel as he changes the length of the cord he has released from or
drawn towards himself.

page_text: the pump.
In using the steering engines as boisting engines, the projection U can be
withdrawn from the notch in the plate B by turning the screw handle X, and
the hand wheels F can be used in the ordinary way to steer the vessel, and the
cord G¹ can be used to operate the engine for lifting and lowering weights by
passing one end of the cord around the drum T, instead of around the drum H',
and moving the other by hand, a rope being wound around the hoisting drum T
with a weight attached; this weight will move with the motion of the cord, as
before explained in describing the relative action of the cord and rudder in
steering, and thereby compel the weight desired to be raised or lowered to
move only as the operator moves the cord, and by winding a number of turns
around the drum T¹ a large range of motion can be obtained for operating the
hoisting rope, and the operator can stand in any suitable position and control
the raising and lowering of the weight as desired. The pump K¹ can be used
to pump into the boiler, or pump out of the vessel, or as a fire pump, by con-
necting the suction with the bilge water of the vessel and with the water in
which the vessel floats, and the delivery with the boiler and fire hose with
suitable valves or cocks to open or close as desired to change the operation of
In using the steering engines to work the pump alone, these
engines can be disconnected from the steering apparatus, and by allowing the
weight D¹ to act to hold the lever C¹ in one direction, a continuous motion of
the engines will be obtained, and if the pump is made proportionately larger
than shewn in the Drawings, a very effective fire or bilge pump will be
obtained for cases of emergency, the motion of the steering engines in steering
would operate the pump as a bilge pump or to "pump up" a donkey boiler.
It will be evident that the steering engines can be placed in any suitable part
of the vessel, according to the conveniences of adapting it to the various work it
may be designed to perform, and to the character of the vessel in which it may
be placed, and connected to the hoisting and pumping machinery by suitable
connections. L¹ is a blowing engine connected to a blower to drive a forced
draft through the furnaces of the boilers M¹, that furnish steam to the main
propelling engines N¹. The air from the blower can be led into an air-tight
fire room or directly under the grate bars with the ash-pits closed up, or the
forced draft can be obtained by a jet in the smoke pipe, and the use of a blower
dispensed with. By using this forced draft when using the steering engines
the speed and momentum of the vessel can be more fully maintained as the
retarding influence upon the speed and momentum of the vessel exerted by
using mechanical power to rapidly move a large rudder in steering and
manoeuvring will be counteracted by the increased generation of steam and
propelling power arising from the use of a forced draft. O¹ is a pressure

page_text: regulating apparatus consisting of a balanced puppit or Cornish valve in the
valve box P', that is opened by the spring Q and closed by the pressure on
the piston R¹, as the pressure increases and diminishes above and below the
desired point at which the spring Q₁ is set, to act on the piston R';- thus as the
pressure increases above the desired point, the piston R¹ rises and closes
the valve in the valve box P', and as the pressure diminishes below the proper
point, the spring forces down the piston R¹ and opens the valve in the valve
box P¹, so as to maintain the desired pressure as determined by the tension, as
adjusted on the spring, and shewn on the index. S¹ is a box containing a
float that opens a valve to discharge any condensed water that collects in it
when using steam. U¹ is a surface condenser that may be of any of the
ordinary constructions, receiving its cooling water from the outside of the
vessel at the bottom, and returning the heated water to the sea at the top,
the circulation being maintained by the operation of heating the water, the
tubes receiving the steam being enclosed within the condenser as is now prac-
tised for surface condensers. The condensed water can be drawn into tanks.
Any form of condensing apparatus may be used, and as the small amount of
motion ordinarily required of the steering engines at sea, either for steering,
hoisting, or pumping purposes would permit the parts to work without much
oil that might mix with the steam, the condensed water from these engines
could be kept clean.
If a separate boiler is used to furnish the steam, greater clealiness can be
obtained in the condensed water, and the necessity of taking a large supply of
condensed water to sea on long voyages in some measure avoided, more
especially if intending to rely wholly or partially on sails.
The pipes leading to the steering engines should be provided with suitable
stop cocks or valves to open and close communication with a donkey boiler
and boiler of main propelling engines (if such are in the vessel), and the
exhaust shall have suitable valves or cocks to open and close a communi-
cation with the condenser and with the atmosphere if steam is used to propel
the steering engines. Should water be used, the pipes leading to the engines
should communicate with the proper reservoir.
It will be evident that any number of the improvements herein described
may be used or combined together without the rest.
I claim the combination of two or more of the several improvements below
claimed separately.
I claim the combination of a forced draught to the furnaces of steam ships
with an engine to work the rudder by mechanical power.

page_text: I claim the combination of a hoisting apparatus and steering apparatus
so that either can be used by the force of the same engine while the other is
detached.
I claim the combination of a surface condenser with a steering engine so
as to condense the steam used in steering the vessel to be preserved as fresh
water at sea for the ship's company.
I claim the combination of a pressure-regulating valve to control the
pressure of the fluid admitted to the steering engine so that no undue force
will be applied to the steering apparatus.
I claim the combination of an elastic pressure upon the friction surfaces
through which the power is transmitted in steering so as to ensure uniformity
of friction while wearing in use.
I claim connecting the valves that admit the steam or other fluid to the
working cylinders with the steering apparatus, so that while the steersman
moves the valve or valves in steering, the steering apparatus in moving will
give them a closing motion, and thus modify the extent of the opening
of the valves and the rapidity of admission of the fluid to the working
cylinders.
I claim connecting a ship's pump to the steering engine so as to pump up
the boiler or pump out the vessel as the engine is working in steering the
ship, and so as to use the pump as a general ship's pump when desired.
I claim the combination of stops with a steering engine so as to prevent
the steersman from causing the engine to move the rudder too far either way.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick Elsworth Sickels, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Thirtieth day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
Witness,
FRED. WALKDEN,
FREDERICK ELSWORTH SICKELS. (L.S.)
66, Chancery Lane.