Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Mar., 1899-Accepted, 13th May, 1899
We, CARL VICTOR SUPPÁN, of III Dampschiffstrasse No. 4, Vienna, Austria,
Chief Inspector of the Donan-Dampschifffahrts Gesellschaft, and BÉLA SZENDI, of
II Eichengasse No. 17, Budapest, Hungary, Chief Engineer of the Donan-
Dampschifffahrts Gesellschaft, 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:-
The present invention relates to an improvement in steering gear for ships which
enables the shifting and holding fast of the helm to be performed with the least
possible exertion of force.
For this purpose the shaft of the hand wheel which actuates the barrel for the
rudder-chain is connected by means of suitable toothed gearing with a weighted
lever which when the helm is in its amidship position, is in a vertical, that is
to say, dead point position, and therefore does not exert any turning moment upon
the hand wheel and thereby upon the rudder. As soon, however, as the helm has
been shifted to one or to the other side, the weighted lever is removed out of its
dead point position and exerts a turning moment which counteracts the force
exerted upon the rudder by the pressure of the water. This turning moment will
increase in direct ratio to the increase of the deviation of the rudder and conse-
quently also to that of the water pressure which is to be overcome. The improved
steering device is illustrated on the annexed drawing, in which Figs. 1 and 2
shew respectively a vertical section and front elevation of the apparatus, Fig. 3 is
a diagram shewing a modification of the arrangement of the steering apparatus.
Between the standards a, a is journalled the barrel b of the rudder-chain intended
for the reception of the chain which is wound on and off the barrel, and the ends
of which are connected with the ends of the tiller. This barrel is operated by
means of a chain wheel be fixed on its axis, an endless chain 63 and a chain wheel c¹
fixed on the shaft c the hand wheels being keyed upon the said shaft c.
the same shaft c is also fixed a pinion ³ which by means of the intermediate
wheels d d and the cam-wheels de actuates the shaft f¹ upon which the weighted
lever is keyed.
On
When the rudder is in its amidships position the lever f is in its vertical dead
point position, and therefore does not exert any turning moment upon the shaft c
of the hand wheels c².
If however the rudder is deflected by means of the hand wheels towards either
side of the ship, the weighted lever f will assume an inclined position to the right
or to the left, and will therefore exert a turning moment upon the toothed wheels
and the hand wheels. This turning moment counteracts the pressure of the rudder
and at the same time increases with the latter. In this manner the steering device
is relieved in great part from the pressure of the rudder and thus turning and
holding fast the hand wheels 2 with the least possible exertion of force is facili-
tated. The weight of the weighted lever f can be displaced and suitably fixed

page_text: along the lever to correspond with the different speeds of the ship resulting in
rudder pressure of different intensity.
Fig. 3 shews a modification of the steering device in which the chain barrel b
is fixed directly on the shaft c of the hand wheels. The weighted lever fis
journalled in a separate bracket f3 on deck and is connected with the shaft f of
the cam by means of the cranks fi fo and of the connecting rod fo.
The cam engages with the cani surface of the toothed wheel of the
train ď ď d.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is
An improvement in steering gear for ships consisting of a weighted lever con-
nected and moved together with the mechanism for shifting the helm in such a
manner that the lever is in a vertical position that is to say, in its dead point when
the helm is in its amidships position, but as soon as the helm has been shifted from
this amidships position, the said weighted lever is caused to assist the power by
means of which the helm is shifted to port or to starboard, substantially as
described.
1000
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicants.