IMPROVE- MENTS IN. APPARATUS FOR STEERING AND MANŒUVRING VESSELS
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Stavers, of Morpeth, in the County of
Northumberland, Master Mariner, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN. APPARATUS FOR STEERING AND MANŒUVRING VESSELS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Stavers at the.
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
15th April 1872.
I, GEORGE STAVERS, of Morpeth, in the County of Northumberland,
Master Mariner, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR STEERING AND MANŒUVRING VESSELS,"
to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in the construction and employment for
steering and manœuvring vessels of what I term fish fin rudders,
that is to say, of rudders resembling and acting in a similar manner
to the fins of a fish. I employ, say four of these fin rudders, two
near the bow and two in the quarters, or after run of the vessel, the
exact position being regulated to some extent by the particular shape

page_text: or model of the vessel. These rudders are connected by any suitable
gearing with machinery inside the vessel, so that they may be worked
in and out according to requirement. For turning the vessel in one
direction, say to port, the rudder near the bow on the starboard side,
and that in the after run on the port side would be opened while the
other two would be shut and lie close against the ships' side. For
turning in the other direction or to starboard each of the rudders
is moved into the reverse position. These fin rudders should be so
shaped as when shut to fit close against the vessel's side, and not impede
her progress.
Although I have mentioned the employment of 4 of these fin
rudders, I consider that for small craft the two in the after run would
be sufficient. They are not intended to be used in substitution for the
ordinary rudder or steering apparatus, as I prefer to employ that in
addition.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Stavers in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 15th October 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
STAVERS, of Morpeth, in the County of Northumberland, Master:
Mariner, send greeting.
.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of April, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said George Stavers, Her special licence that
I, the said George Stavers, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said George Stavers, my executors, adminis-
trators, 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 APPARATUS
FOR STEERING AND MANOEUVRING VESSELS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said George Stavers, my executors or administrators,

page_text: 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 George Stavers, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement thereof, reference being had to the accom-
panying Drawings, that is to say: -
.
My Invention. consists in the construction and employment for
steering and manoeuvring vessels of what I term fish fin rudders,
that is to say, of rudders resembling and acting in a similar manner
to the fins of a fish. I employ, say four of these fin rudders, two
near the bow and two in the quarters or after run of the vessel, the
exact position being regulated to some extent by the particular shape
or model of the vessel. These rudders are connected by any suitablė
gearing with machinery inside the vessel, so that they may be worked
in and out according to requirement. For turning the vessel in one
direction, say to port, the rudder near the bow on the starboard side,
and that in the after run on the port side would be opened while the
other two would be shut and lie close against the ship's side. For
turning in the other direction or to starboard each of the rudders
is moved into the reverse position. These fin rudders should be so
shaped as when shut to fit close against the vessel's sido, and not impede
her progress.
Although I have mentioned the employment of 4 of these fin
rudders, I consider that for small craft the two in the after run would
be sufficient. They are not intended to be used in substitution for the
ordinary rudder or steering apparatus, as I prefer to employ that in
addition.
I annex a Sheet of Drawings illustrative of my Invention.
Figure 1 is a view of the after part of a steam ship with my fish fin
rudders fixed to her quarter; Figure 2 is a view as seen when looking
forward in a line with the keel; in this Figure one of my rudders
is shewn open. Figure 3 is a section of the ship with one fin rudder

page_text: shut and the other open; Figure 4 shews the gear for working the
two fin rudders on the flat of the usual water-tight iron tank.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,
constructing apparatus for steering and manoeuvring vessels, as herein-
before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Stavers, have hereunto set
my hand and sool this Thonth day
thousand sight