IMPROVED MEANS OF AND APPARATUS FOR TRIMMING SHIPS OR VESSELS
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Louis Winans, of Dover Street, in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, and Thomas Winans, of Baltimore,
in the United States of America, but now residing at Dover Street,
aforesaid, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVED MEANS OF AND
APPARATUS FOR TRIMMING SHIPS OR VESSELS."
Sealed the 1st March 1864, and dated the 21st December 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Louis Winans
and Thomas Winans at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 21st December 1863.
We, WILLIAM LOUIS WINANS, of Dover Street, in the County of Middle-
sex, Gentleman, and THOMAS WINANS, of Baltimore, in the United States
of America, but now residing at Dover Street aforesaid, Gentleman, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED MEANS OF
AND APPARATUS FOR TRIMMING SHIPS OR VESSELS," to be as follows:-
Our Invention consists of a new and improved apparatus for trimming ships
or other vessels for ocean navigation.
Our Invention is designed and adapted particularly to a spindle-shaped

page_text: vessel, such as was invented by Ross and Thomas Winans, and for which
Letters Patent were granted them 19th June 1858, No. 1886. It is also
particularly adapted to the spindle-shaped vessel, with flat or nearly flat upper
deck, bulwarks, railing, and other upper parts, such as was invented by us in
combination with the spindle-shaped vessel, and for which we have recently
applied for Letters Patent of the date 20th June 1863, and numbered 1555,
From every transverse section of the vessel being a circle in all its parts above
and below the water line when no flat upper deck is used, and being a circle
below, and for a considerable distance above the water line, when the flat
or nearly flat deck is used it is clear that any force acting upon the vessel
externally like the wind, or like that caused by the action of a propeller or pro-
pellers, and more especially when the propeller or propellers used are of large
diameter, with a portion of their blades projecting above the water, or any other
forces acting externally, will have a tendency to careen the vessel over to one
side or cause it to deviate from its normal position, and more especially when
the flat or nearly flat upper deck aforesaid is used. Our Invention has for its
object a ready and efficient mode of trimming the vessel so as to counteract
the varying forces of the wind, and the varying forces of the propeller,
and all other forces which will cause the vessel to deviate from its normal
position.
By means of the present improvements the vessel will be maintained
uniformly at or near its normal position at all times, whether in motion or at
rest. For this purpose a suitable counteracting weight is placed at or near
the bottom of the vessel about midway of its length and suspended like a
pendulum from a fixed centre. The pendent weight is actuated by means
of a piston in a steam cylinder arranged for the purpose, the valves for the
admission and discharge of steam to and from the cylinder being suitably
arranged and controlled by a smaller pendent weight or pendulum, which is
made to act by means of levers on the valves of the steam cylinder so as to
render the operation of this cylinder and the weight self-acting. By means
of the steam cylinder and its appurtenances, the greater pendent weight is
moved back and forth crosswise of the vessel to any required position within
the limits of the stroke of the piston. The supply of steam necessary for the
cylinder used for actuating the greater pendent weight is taken either from
the steam chest or chests of the cylinders or from the main steam pipe of the
propelling engines by means of a suitable steam pipe communicating between
them. By this means when the valves used for regulating the admission of
steam to the steam chests of the propelling engines are either closed or opened

page_text: steam is simultaneously shut off from or admitted to the steam chest of the
cylinder for actuating the greater pendent weight, so that when the propelling
engines are stopped by shutting off the steam, the weight falls back to its
vertical or central position, and when steam is admitted to the propelling
engines, if the normal position of the vessel at the time be disturbed from this
or from any other cause, this weight will move either one way or the other
to a greater or less distance from its central position, so as to counteract to n
great extent the varied power of the propellers, or any other power that
might cause the vessel to careen or deviate from its normal position. The
greater pendent weight is made sufficiently heavy, and the counteracting
cylinder ample in size, to resist all the disturbing forces and so controlling
their movements by means of a second and smaller pendent weight as to
make the apparatus self-acting. This second lighter weight, which regulates
the admission of steam to and controls the pressure within the actuating
cylinder, is suspended from a centre so as to sway back and forth crosswise of
the vessel, and is connected by means of levers and rods with four valves
through two of which valves steam is admitted to the actuating cylinder
alternately on either side of the piston, and through the other two valves the
exhaust steam escapes from the cylinder alternately on either side of the
piston as occasion requires. By this arrangement whenever the vessel
deviates either way from its vertical or normal position, this lighter weight
also deviates from its position with respect to the vessel, and causes one of the
steam and one of the exhaust valves (one on either side of the piston) to
open at the same time, while the other valves remain closed. The opening
of these steam and exhaust valves is regulated by means of the lighter weight
and its connections in exact proportion with the greater or less deviation of
the vessel from its vertical or normal position, thereby causing the greater
pendent weight to move a greater of less distance from the centre in the
proportion needed to bring the vessel back to its normal vertical position.
By suspending the greater pendent weight at or near the bottom of the vessel
and by controlling its movement in the manner above indicated, it becomes a
far more ready and efficient ballast for counteracting the various forces
which cause the vessel to careen over to one side than if permanently located
at the bottom of the vessel, consequently a less amount of ballast is required
and a less immersion of vessel ensues from the use of the pendent weight or
moveable ballast as aforesaid. The weight may be actuated by various means,
either by gearing connected with the propelling engines or by hydraulic or
other auxiliary power on board the vessel, and the machinery for controlling

page_text: the varying position of the weight as required may be regulated by hand.
The weight instead of being suspended like a pendulum may be supported on
an arm so as to move horizontally across the vessel, or the weight may be
made to move on wheels or slides across tho vessel.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Louis Winans and Thomas Winans in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 21st June 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, WILLIAM
Louis WINANS, of Dover Street, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman,
and THOMAS WINANS, of Baltimore, in the United States of America, but
now residing at Dover Street aforesaid, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred sixty-three, in the twenty-seventh year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto us, the said William Louis Winans and Thomas Winans, Her special
license that we, the said William Louis Winans and Thomas Winans,
our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said
William Louis Winans and Thomas Winans, our executors, administrators,
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 "IMPROVED MEANS OF AND APPARATUS
FOR TRIMMING SHIPS OR VESSELS," upon the condition (amongst others) that
we, the said William Louis Winans and Thomas Winans, by an instrument
in writing under our hands and seals, or under the hand and seal of one
of us, 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 we, the said William Louis Winans and Thomas
Winans, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what

page_text: 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):
Our Invention relates to a new and improved means of and apparatus for
trimming ships or other vessels for ocean navigation.
Our Invention is designed and adapted to a spindle-shaped vessel, such as
was invented by Ross and Thomas Winans, and for which Letters Patent
were granted to them, Nineteenth June One thousand eight hundred and
fifty-eight, No. 1386. It is also adapted to the spindle-shaped vessel with a
flat or nearly flat upper deck provided with bulwarks and railing, such as was
invented by us in combination with the spindle-shaped vessel, and for which
Letters Patent were granted to us, June Twentieth One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-three, No. 1555. From the transverse sections of the
vessel being a circle in all its parts above and below the water line when no
flat upper deck is used, and being a circle below and for a considerable
distance above the water line when the flat or nearly flat deck is used, it is
clear that any force acting upon the vessel externally (like the wind, or like
that caused by the action of a propeller or propellers, and more especially
when the propeller or propellers used are of large diameter with a portion
of their blades projecting above the water, or any other forces, acting externally,)
will have a tendency to careen the vessel over to one side or cause it to
deviate from its normal position, and more especially when the flat or nearly
flat upper deck aforesaid is used. Our Invention has for its object a
ready and efficient means of trimming the vessel so as to counteract the
varying forces of the propeller, and the varying forces of the wind, and
all other forces which will cause the vessel to deviate from its normal
position.
By means of the present improvements the vessel will be maintained
uniformly at or near its normal position at all times, whether in motion or at
rest. For this purpose a suitable counteracting weight is placed at or near
the bottom of the vessel, and is suspended from a fixed centre. This pendent
weight is actuated by means of the piston of a steam cylinder placed con-
veniently for the purpose. The valve placed within the steam chest, and
used for the admission of steam to and from the cylinder which encloses the
actuating piston is an ordinary slide valve which is connected with tho
reversing apparatus of the propelling engines of the vessel, so that when the
propelling engines are reversed this slide valve of the actuating cylinder is

page_text: also simultaneously reversed and remains in a fixed position, open ready for
the admission of steam on one side and its discharge from the other side of
the piston, until the propelling engines are again reversed, when this valve is
again simultaneously reversed and placed in its proper position open and
ready for the admission of steam to and its discharge from the proper side
of the piston respectively, and so alternately it is opened for the admission of
steam to and its discharge from the proper sides of the piston for counteracting
the force of the propellers and any other force or forces tending to careen the
vessel over to one side.
The supply of steam necessary for the cylinder used for actuating the
pendent weight is taken either from the steam chest or chests of the cylinders
or from the main steam pipe of the propelling engines by means of a suitable
steauf pipe communicating between them. By this means when the valves
used for regulating the admission of steam to the steam chests of the pro-
pelling engines are either closed or opened, steam is simultaneously shut off
from or admitted to the steam chest of the cylinder for actuating the
pendent weight and a proportionate increase or diminution of pressure is
secured, so that when the propelling engines are stopped by shutting off the
steam the weight will fall back to its vertical or central position, and when
steam is admitted to the propelling engines this weight will be moved either
one way or the other to a greater or less distance from its central position
corresponding to the pressure of the steam used and so as to counteract the
power of the propellers which would cause the vessel to careen or deviate
from its normal position. As the different forces which tend to careen the
vessel vary in intensity at different times, it is necessary that the pressure in
the cylinder for actuating the counteracting weight should also be varied,
while the pressure in the steam chest and pipes of the engines remains the
To accomplish this, two valves of the spindle form, one slightly larger
than the other, are placed in the pipe that conveys steam to the actuating
cylinder. These valves are enclosed in the chest containing the reversing
valve before described, which is partitioned so as to form two compartments.
One of the valves allows the steam to pass into one compartment which has a
direct communication with the acuating cylinder, and the other valve is placed
in the partition between the compartments, so as to allow steam to escape from
the just-named compartment into the condenser, or into the hot well, or into the
air, as may be deemed desirable. These valves are so placed that their stems
which run up through stuffing boxes in the top of the box are parallel and of
the same height. Upon the tops of these valve stems thero is placed a cross
same.

page_text: bar which is kept in position horizontally by two bolts or guides which pass
through holes or slots in the ends of the cross bar and are screwed into the
steam chest, the cross bar being free to move vertically within certain limits
so as to permit these valves to open when the pressure upon them from below
is greater than that from above. The top of this cross bar is made circular,
with its concave side upwards, thus forming a curved inclined plane either
way from the centre of its length. The requisito pressure to be placed upon
it for controlling the action of the valves is by means of a small steam
cylinder placed vertically at a convenient height above the centre of the cross
bar, and is connected with the main steam pipe, so that the same pressure will
always be maintained upon the piston that there is in the main steam pipe.
The diameter of this cylinder is made somewhat greater than that of the
largest of the two valves, and the pressure upon its piston is transmitted to
the cross bar by means of a piston rod jointed at the upper end, and provided
with a roller or small wheel at the lower end, the roller or wheel resting on
the top of the cross bar. The lower end of this piston rod is controlled and
held in any required position by a screw operating through a bent lever, the
screw being under control and actuated as circumstances demand by the
attendant. This enables the pressure to be thrown either upon one or the
other of the valves, or to be divided between them in any desired proportion;
thus, if thrown upon a, Fig. 1, the whole pressure in the steam pipe would be
allowed and maintained in the actuating cylinder; if thrown upon b, Fig. 1,
the steam would be prevented from entering the actuating cylinder; if thrown
half way between a and b, the pressure in the actuating cylinder would be
ouly about half. Thus the pressure of steam within the actuating cylinder
may be varied from naught to the full pressure of steam in the main steam
pipe of the propelling engines and the pendent weight may be maintained in
any required position.
By means of the greater steam cylinder and its appurtenances the pendent
weight is moved back and forth crosswise of the vessel to any required position
within the limits of the stroke of the piston and the levers or suspension bars
to which it is connected. By suspending the pendent weight at or near the
bottom of the vessel, and by controlling its movement in the manner above
indicated, it becomes a far more ready and efficient ballast for counteracting
the various forces which cause the vessel to careen than if permanently located
at the bottom of the vessel, consequently a less amount of ballast is required,
and a less immersion of vessel ensues from the use of the pendent weight or
moveable ballast as aforesaid. The weight may be actuated by various means,

page_text: either by gearing connected with the propelling engines or by hydraulic
power, and the machinery for controlling the varying position of the weight ns
required may be made automatic or self-acting. Also, the steam instead of
being taken from the main steam chest or chests or main steam pipe of the
propelling engines, may be taken direct from the steam boiler or boilers of
the propelling engines of the vessel by means of a suitable steam pipe with a
valve arranged for regulating the admission of steam from the boiler or
boilers to the actuating cylinder. The valve may be operated by hand, or it
may be connected with the valves which regulate the admission of steam to
the propelling engines, so that when steam is admitted to or shut off from the
propelling engines it is simultaneously admitted to or shut off from the
actuating cylinder, or steam may be taken from both the main steam pipe or
steam chest or chests of the propelling engines of the vessel and from the
steam boiler or boilers by means of separate steam pipes, by which means,
when the propelling engines are at rest, steam may be admitted from the
boiler or boilers to the actuating cylinder, and the pendent weight maintained
in any required position while the propelling engines are at rest. Moreover,
the weight instead of being suspended like a pendulum may be supported
on an arm, so as to move horizontally across the vessel, or it may be made to
move on wheels or slides upon suitable ways across the vessel.
In the accompanying Drawings Fig. 1, Sheet I., is a transverse vertical
section taken through a spindle-shaped vessel and shewing the arrangement
of parts connected with the trimming apparatus in side elevation.
Fig. 2, Sheet II., represents an end elevation of the apparatus; Fig. 3 is a
plan of the balance weight or cradle; Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of the
cradle shewing the mode of holding the same in any required position; Fig. 5
is a longitudinal vertical section taken in the line 1, 2, of Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is a
transverse vertical section taken in the line 3, 4, of the same Figure; Fig. 7
is a plan and sectional view of the rack hereafter referred to as the apparatus
for holding the trimming weight or cradle in any given position.
a, a, is the propeller shaft, which is placed on a line corresponding as near
as possible with the longitudinal axis of the spindle-shaped vessel. This
propeller shaft is mounted in plummer blocks and bearings b, b, from which is
suspended the weight c, c, by a pair of vibrating arms d, d. The weight c is
by preference composed of a cast-iron cradle, which may be constructed in two
parts and bolted together in the middle. In this cradle may be placed any
heavy articles, such as lead, pig iron, heavy blocks of stone, or a part of the
cargo should it be found suitable to form the ballast. This weight being

page_text: g
suspended from above may be moved on its centre of motion in either direction
according to the position in which it may be desired to place the ballast weight
in order to trim the vessel. The ballast weight is moved or shifted into any
desired position by means of the pressure of steam on the piston in the cylinder e..
To the outer end of the piston rod f of this cylinder is secured a cross head
which slides to and fro on guides h secured to any convenient part of the
vessel. The cross head is connected to the vibrating arm d of the pendent
weight c by means of the side rods or links i, i; steam is admitted from the
steam chest or steam pipe of the propelling engines into the cylinder e through
one of the ports e, e³, to either behind or in front of the piston as may be
required. By thus moving the piston in the required direction the arm & with
the ballast weight c will be moved towards either of the positions marked in
dotted lines in Fig. 1. It will be evident that the engineer may control the
operation of the apparatus by hand by admitting steam to either side of the
piston in the cylinder c.
In Sheet III. we have shewn various views of the valve chest and valves
for regulating the admission of steam to the actuating cylinder e. Fig. 8
being a front view; Fig. 9 a side view; Fig. 10 a plan view; Fig. 11 a
longitudinal vertical section taken in the line 1, 2, of Fig. 9; and Fig. 12 a
transverse vertical section taken in the line 3, 4, of Fig. 11. The apparatus
may be fixed at any convenient part of the vessel, the ports e, e³, being con-
nected respectively to the ports e¹, &, of the actuating cylinder e.
The steam
supply pipe fis connected to the steam chest or steam chests or steam supply
pipe of the main propelling engines so as to obtain steam at the same pressure
as that supplied to those engines; a and b are two valves, the valve 6 (which is
slightly larger than the valve a) is placed over the steam pipe f, the valve a
opens into a branch pipe g connected to the exhaust pipe h, which exhaust
pipe h may either lead into the condenser, hot well, or into the open air, as may
be thought desirable. The spindles of these valves a and b pass upwards
through stuffing boxes c, c, and across their upper ends is placed a horizontal
cross bar d which is kept from shifting laterally by means of the guide bolts
i, i; j is a small steam cylinder fitted with a piston k of somewhat larger
diameter than either of the valves a and b, and supplied with steam from the
same source and consequently at the same pressure as that supplied to the
steam pipe f; is a vibrating rod having at its upper end a knuckle joint
working in a block in the piston k and at its lower end a friction roller m.
This rod is capable of receiving motion to and fro on the horizontal bar d, as
indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 8. This motion is given to it by means

page_text: of the hand wheel n, Figures 8 and 9, and screw o operating through the bell-
crank lever p and links 9, as will be readily understood by referring to the
Drawings. It will now be understood that as the piston k of the small cylinder j
is of larger diameter than either of the valves a and b, by shifting the rod Z so
as to bring the roller m over either one of the valves that one will be prevented
from opening whilst the other will be free to open to its full extent, or the
pressure may be divided between them. r is a slide valve of the ordinary
form, to which is attached a rod s which is connected in any suitable manner
to the reversing gear of the main engines, so that when these latter are reversed
the slide valve r will be shifted from one side to the other and the steam
which is admitted from the pipe f through the valve 6 into the space f¹ will pass
down either into the space and thence through the pipe e¹ to the rear end
of the piston in the actuating cylinder e, or else into the space through the
pipe to the forward end of the piston. It will be understood from the
above description that by admitting steam to either side of the piston in the
actuating cylinder e the cradle and ballast weight will be carried over to either
side of the vessel as may be required, and when the cradle and weight have
been brought into the requisite position to keep the vessel in proper trim they
may be kept therein by means of a wedge shaped tooth t, Fig. 1, Sheet 1.,
which by being driven down by means of the hand wheel and screw u between
the teeth of the sector rack w which is fixed to the bottom of the vessel will
prevent the cradle from shifting until it is again released by withdrawing the
tooth t from the rack. The steam may therefore be cut off from the actuating
cylinder e until it is required to be used again for moving the cradle.
Having now described the nature of our Invention, and a manner of:
performing the same, we wish it to be understood that we do not confine
ourselves to the precise arrangement or construction of parts herein set forth,
as they may be varied without departing from the nature and object of our
Invention. For instance, the ballast weight may be actuated by various
means, either by gearing connected with the propelling engines or by hydraulic
power, or the machinery for controlling the varying positions of the weight as
required may be made automatic or self-acting, or it may be regulated by hand
as already mentioned. The weight instead of being suspended like a
pendulum may be supported on an arm so as to move horizontally across the
vessel, or the weight may be made to move on wheels or slides across the
vessel.
We claim as the Invention secured to us by Letters Patent, the employ-
ment for the purpose above described of a moveable weight operated either by

page_text: steam power or hydraulic power or by gearing connected with the propelling
engines, as herein set forth.
In witness whereof, we, the said William Louis Winans and Thomas
Winans, have hereunto set our bands and seals, the Twentieth day
of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-four.
Witness,
H. M. WINANS,
of W. L. Winans'
& Thomas Winans'
Signatures.
(L.S.)
W. L. WINANS.
THOMAS WINANS. (L.s.)