IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM STEERING APPARATUS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Edward Blackett Beaumont, of No. 2, West-
minster Chambers, Victoria Street, in the City of Westminster, for the Inven-
tion of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM STEERING APPARATUS."
Scaled the 21st October 1876, and dated the 13th May 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Edward Blackett
Beaumont at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th May 1876.
FREDERICK EDWARD BLACKETT BEAUMONT, of No. 2, Westminster Chambers.
Victorin Street, in the City of Westminster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM STEERING
.APPARATUS."
My Invention relates to that description of steam steering apparatus in which
the piston of a steam cylinder is connected to and actuates the rudder, the motion
of the piston being controlled by a slide that is moved by the hand of the steers-
man. Such an arrangement was described in the Specification to a Patent granted
to me on the 10th July 1874, No. 2+24.
According to my present Invention I provide means whereby the motion of the
said slide is controlled by the motion of the piston of the steam cylinder itself in
such a manner that when the slide has been moved by the steersman so as to admit
steam into the cylinder for the purpose of moving the rudder over a certain
distance the piston in moving will itself cause the slide to close the steam port
again and thus prevent the piston and consequently the rudder from being moved
beyond the required distance. By this means the apparatus is rendered as perfectly
controllable in its action as hydraulic apparatus, while it possesses the advantage
that the piston is held in the position into which it has been moved by the elastic
cushion afforded by the confined steam which allows the rudder to yield somewhat
to sudden strains, thus preventing fracture of the parts; also the apparatus may be
used in those latitudes in which hydraulic apparatus might become inoperative
owing to the freezing of the liquid employed.
The arrangement of my improved apparatus, which I prefer to employ, is shewn
on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, in which Fig. 1 shews a vertical section,
Fig. 2 a plan, and Fig. 3 a part enlarged vertical section.
A is the steam cylinder, and B its piston, having a piston rod B' passing
through both ends of the cylinder and carrying sheaves, over which pass the tiller,
Price Bd1

page_text: ropes or chains C, C, so that according as the piston B travels in one direction or
the other it moves the rudder over to port or to starboard. D is the slide of
ordinary D form, which in its normal position, as at Figs. 1 and 3, closes both the
steam ports E, E, thus preventing any ingress or egress of steam into or from the
cylinder. The slide rod D¹ is connected by a link to a lever F, one end of which
is connected to a screwed bush on a screw spindle G, while the other end is con-
nected to a screwed bush on a screw spindle H. The screw spindle G is actunted
by mitre gearing G from the shaft I, turned by the steersman by means of the
capstan wheel K, and it will be seen that by turning the spindle G in one direction
or the other the lever I will be moved so as to cause the slide D to open one or
other of the steam ports to steam, and at the same time to put the other steam port
in communication with the exhaust port M, whereby the piston B will be made to
travel in one direction or the other. The piston rod B has attached to its one
end a bush L with internal feathers fitting into helical grooves formed on the
extension FI¹ of the screwed spindle H, so that as the piston begins to travel the
bush L in sliding along H will cause the spindle H to turn, thereby moving the
lower end of the lever Fin such manner as to make the slide travel back into its
normal position, in which it closes both the steam ports, the pitch of the screw
spindle and proportion of the leverage being so arranged that such closing of the
ports will be effected by the time the piston has travelled the desired distance for
inoving the rudder over into a certain position, and the rudder will be held in this
position by the elastic cushion provided by the confined steam in the cylinder.
The cylinder A is secured to the deck N by screw bolts, and by preference I provide
these bolts with elastic washers, as shown in side view and plan at O, Figs. 4 and 5,
and for which Letters Patent have been granted to L. Sterne on the 23rd November,
1875, No. 4075.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said Frederick Edward Blackett Beaumont in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 3rd November 1876.
FREDERICK EDWARD BLACKETT BEAUMONT, of No. 2, Westminster Chambers,
Victoria Street, in the City of Westminster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM STEERING
APPARATUS."
My Invention relates to that description of steam steering apparatus in which the
piston of a steam cylinder is connected to and actuates the rudder, the motion of the
piston being controlled by a slide that is moved by the hand of the steersman. Such
an arrangement was described in the Specification to a Patent granted to me on the
10th July 1874, No. 2424.
According to my present Invention I provide means whereby the motion of the
said slide is controlled by the motion of the piston of the steam cylinder itself in
such a manner that when the slide has been moved by the steersman so as to
admit steam into the cylinder for the purpose of moving the rudder over a certain
distance the piston in moving will itself cause the slide to close the steam port
again and thus prevent the piston and consequently the rudder from being moved
beyond the required distance. By this means the apparatus is rendered as perfectly
controllable in its action as hydraulic apparatus, while it possesses the advantage
that the piston is held in the position into which it has been moved by the elastic
cushion afforded by the confined steam which allows the rudder to yield somewhat
to sudden strains, thus preventing fracture of the parts; also the apparatus may
be used in those latitudes in which the hydraulic apparatus might become inoperative,
owing to the freezing of the liquid employed.
The arrangement of my improved apparatus, which I prefer to employ, is shewn
on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, in which Fig. 1 shews a vertical section,
Fig. 2 a plan, and Fig. 3 a part enlarged vertical section.

page_text: A is the steam cylinder, and B its piston, having a piston rod B¹ passing through
both ends of the cylinder, and carrying sheaves over which pass the tiller ropes or
chains C, C, so that according as the piston B travels in one direction or the other
it moves the rudder over to port or to starboard: D is the slide of ordinary D
form, which in its normal position, as at Figs. 1 and 3, closes both the steam
ports E, E, thus preventing any ingress or egress of steam into or from the cylinder.
The slide rod D₁ is connected by a link to a lever F, one end of which is connected
to a screwed bush on a screw spindle G, while the other is connected to a
screwed bush on a screw spindle H. The screw spindle G is actuated by mitro
gearing G from the shaft I, turned by the steersman by means of the capstan
wheel K, and it will be seen that by turning the spindle G in one direction or the
other the lever F will be noved so as to cause the slide D to open one or other of
the steam ports to steam, and at the same time to put the other steam port in
communication with the exhaust port M, whereby the piston B will be made. to
travel in one direction or the other. The piston rod B¹ has attached to its one
end a bush L with internal feathers fitting into helical grooves formed on the
extension H of the screwed spindle H, so that as the piston begins to travel the
bush L in sliding along H' will cause the spindle H to turn, tliereby moving
the lower end of the lever F in such manner as to make the slide travel back into
its normal position, in which it closes both the steam ports, the pitch of the screw
spindle and proportion of the leverage being so arranged that such closing of the
ports will be effected by the time the piston has travelled the desired distance for
moving the rudder over into a certain position, and the rudder will be held in this
position by the elastic cushion provided by the confined steam in the cylinder.
The cylinder A is secured to the deck N by screw bolts, and by preference I provide
these bolts with washers, as shown in side view and plan at O, Figs. 4 and 5, for
which Letters Patent have been granted to L. Sterne on the 23rd November, 1875,
No. 4075.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention and in what manner the same
is to be performed, I claim as my Invention in respect of stentn steering apparatus,
causing the piston of the steam cylinder to effect the closing of the steam ports
when it has moved the required distance by connecting the slide rod to a lever, one
end of which is moved by hand for causing the slide to admit steam to either end
of the cylinder, while the other end is moved in the contrary direction by a screw
spindle turned by the travel of a bush attached to the piston rod along a helical
slot on the screw spindle, substantially as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick Edward Blackett Beaumont, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this First day of November, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
F. E. B. BEAUMONT. (L.S.)