IMPROVE- MENTS IN RUDDERS FOR SHIPS AND OTHER WATER CRAFT
Year: 1866

page_text: ATK,
ne,
пу
of Middlesex, Engineer and Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN RUDDERS FOR SHIPS AND OTHER WATER CRAFT."-A communi-
cation from abroad by William Lyman Wetmore and Nicholas David'
Le Pelley, both of Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, State of Ohio, United
States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Clark at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 16th
August 1866.
I, WILLIAM CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN RUDDERS POR SHIPS AND OTHER WATER CRAFT," to
be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a new and improved rudder for steering ships
and other water craft, and it consists in constructing a rudder with two
or more blades arranged in such a manner that a plurality of surfaces will
be presented to the water when the rudder is turned for steering the vessel,
and the rudder thereby rendered far more efficient than those as ordinarily
constructed. I attach two rudder blades to the rudder post parallel or about
parallel with each other with a space between them; these blades may

page_text: be stayed and braced by a horizontal partition plate, and the inner part of
each blade is hollowed out to form openings adjoining the rudder post. Valves
are connected by joints or hinges to the rudder post, one valve being above
and the other below the stay or partition plate; these valves are allowed
to swing or work freely on their hinges, and close under certain circum-
stances the openings as will be presently explained. The rear of the space
between the blades is open, and when the rudder is turned for the purpose
of steering the vessel the valves, owing to the resistance or action of the
water, will close the opening of the blade which is at the rear of the one
against which the water first acts, the openings of the latter blade being
open, and the water consequently will rush through the said openings and
through the spaces between the blades, and consequently will act on the
exterior of one blade and on the interior of the other, forming two steering
surfaces, while the passage of the water between the blades will as it leaves, the
said space react upon the water at the rear of the rudder in such a manner
as to have a tendency to force the stern of the vessel in the direction given it
by the rudder; the valve openings at the inner parts of the blades may be
covered with wires to form a screen, and prevent drift wood from passing
through to clog and render inoperative the valves.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
15th February 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer and
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
William Clark, Her special licence that I, the said William Clark, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Clark, my 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN RUDDERS

page_text: FOR SHIPS AND OTHER WATER CRAFT," a communication to me from abroad by
William Lyman Wetmore and Nicholas David Le Pelley, both of Cleveland,
Cuyahoga County, State of Ohio, United States of America, upon the condition.
(amongst others) that I, the said William Clark, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, 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 William Clark, 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, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
This Invention relates to a new and improved rudder for steering ships
and other water craft, and it consists in constructing a rudder with two or
more blades arranged in such a manner that a plurality of surfaces will be
presented to the water when the rudder is turned for steering the vessel, and the
rudder thereby rendered far more efficient than those as ordinarily constructed.
Figure 1 is a side view of this Invention, partly in section;. Figure 2 a
horizontal section of the same taken in the line x, x, Figure 1. Similar
letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
A represents the rudder post to which two rudder blades B, B, are attached
parallel or about parallel with each other, with a space a between them; these
blades may be stayed and braced by a horizontal partition plate b, and the
inner part of each blade B is hollowed out to form openings c, c, adjoining
the rudder post; C, C, represent valves which are connected by joints or
hinges d to the rudder post A, oue valve being above and the other below the
stay or partition plate b; these valves are allowed to swing or work freely on
their hinges, and close under certain circumstances the openings c as will be
presently explained; the rear of the space a between the blades B, B, is open,
and when the rudder is turned for the purpose of steering the vessel, as shown
in red in Figure 2, it will be seen that the valves C, C, owing to the resistance
or action of the water, will close the openings c of the blade B, which is at
the rear of the one against which the water first acts, the openings of the
latter blade being open, and the water consequently will rush through said
openings and through the spaces a, and the exterior of one blade and the
interior of the other will form two steering surfaces, while the passage of the
water through a will as it leaves a react upon the water at the rear of the

page_text: rudder in such a manner as to have a tendency to force the stern of the vessel
in the direction given it by the ruddor.
The arrows in Figure 2 show clearly the direction and action of the water
upon the rudder while a vessel is being steered, the rudder may be constructed
of wood or metal, or of both of said materials.
The openings c at the inner parts of the blades B, B, may be covered with
wires a* to form a screen and prevent drift wood from passing through to clog
and render inoperative the valve C, C.
Having described the nature of this Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, a rudder constructed with two
or more blades having water passages between them and valves, all arranged
to operate in the manner substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Clark, have hereunto set my
☐ hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
Witness,
JAMES DAISH,
53, Chancery Lane,
London.
W. CLARK. (L.B.)