Improvements in or relating to Steering Gear.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Oct., -1888
Complete Specification Loft, 30th July 1880 Accented
7th Sent
1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Steering Gear.
I, JOHN CRAN of Leith in the County of Mid-Lothian, Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to stearing gear and it consists in so placing coil or other
springs on the quadrant or other tiller that they are compressed or distended by the
pull of the steering gear chain or ropes as such are worked from port to starboard or
from starboard to port, or the rudder is acted upon by the sea; the object being to
minimise or obviate the shock caused by sudden strain and the consequent liability
to derangement. The springs may also serve as stops for the rudder when it is
brought hard over to port or starboard in contact with fixed stops placed on deck,
which stops may also have springs fitted to them; or springs may be provided on
the fixed stops only.
Dated this Twenty-ninth day of October 1888.
CRUIKSHANK & FAIRWEATHER,
62, Saint Vincent Street, Glasgow, Agents.
COMPLETE
SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Steering Gear.
1, JOHN CRAN of Leith in the County of Mid Lothian 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 steering gear and it consists in so employing coil springs
in conjunction with the steering gear chains or ropes or with the tiller that the
springs are compressed by the pull of the chains or ropes when such are worked
from port to starboard or vice versa or when the rudder is struck by a sea, the
object being to minimise or obviate shocks or severe strains on the rudder stoppers,
stern frames, chains, shackles and other working parts and the consequent liability to
derangement and expense.
On the accompanying drawings figure 1 illustrates in side elevation and figure 2
in plan one adaptation of my Invention in which buffer springs are applied at A to
the steering chains B. Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of the buffer A which
consists of two end plates tied together by rods and within which a helical
spring is contained. Through the interior of the spring and through one of the
end plates za rod w passes the chain B being shackled to the outer end of the said
rod whilst on its inner end a collar is placed, the spring being confined between
the said collar and the end plate z. The other plate z has an eye u secured in it to
which the continuation of the chain B is shackled and each plate z is or may be
furnished with a roller t bearing on the deck. Besides the buffers A, springs C
may be carried as shewn on the ends of the fixed stoppers D against which the tiller
quadrant E abuts when the rudder is hard over to port or starboard to further
cushion the gear. Figure 4 illustrates in side elevation and figure 5 in plan another
arrangement of the Invention in which the spring buffers A are applied to the ends
of the tiller quadrant E the steering gear chains being connected thereto by
shackless and bolts r which bolts pass through the interiors of the springs x and
bave collars or heads g at their outer ends between which and recesses in the ends
of the quadrants E the springs are confined. By this arrangement both springs
are in compression when the rudder is hard over to port or starboard and any
danger of the stops on the rudder being started or carried away or of the stern
frame of the ship being injured by the impetus of the steam gear or of a sea
striking the rudder is obviated.
"

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
:-
1. In steering gear the combination of spring buffers inserted in the lengths of
the steering chains or ropes with spring buffers in the stoppers against which the
tiller quadrant abuts when hard over substantially as and for the purpose described
with reference to figures 1, 2 and 3 of the appended drawings.
2. In steering gear the use or employment of spring buffers in the lengths of the
steering chains or ropes substantially as and for the purpose described with reference
to figures 2 and 3 of the annexed drawings.
3. In steering gear the combination of spring buffers with the stoppers against
which the tiller quadrant abuts when hard over substantially as and for the purpose
set forth with reference to figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.
4. In steering gear the combination of spring buffers with the tiller quadrant and
steering chains substantially as described with reference to figures 4 and 5 of the
drawings appended.
DL:
m
1
2 TI
1000
CRUIKSHANK & FAIRWEATHER,
62, Saint Vincent Street, Glasgow, Agents.