IMPROVEMENTS IN STEERING APPARATUS
Year: 1850

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
JOHN FAYRER, of Surrey Street, Strand, Commander in Her Majesty's
Royal Navy, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Eleventh day of
January, One thousand eight hundred and fifty, in the thirteenth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Robert John Fayrer, my exors, adiñors, and assigns, Her especial
license, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Robert
John Fayrer, my exors, adiñors, and assigns, and such others as I, the
said Robert John Fayrer, my exors, admors, or assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during
the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-
Tweed, in the Islands of Guernsey, Jersey, Alderney, Sark, and Man, and
in all Her said Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad, my Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN STEERING APPARATUS;" in which, said Letters Patent is
contained a proviso that I, the said Robert John Fayrer, should cause a
particular description of the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, by an instrument in writing under my hand
and seal, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery

page_text: within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being there-
unto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Robert John Fayrer; do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and 5
the manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described and
ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had
to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked
thereon, that is to say :-
My Invention consists of so arranging apparatus in combination with a 1
steering wheel, that the steersman may by his foot bring a break into action,
so as to retain or aid in retaining the rudder in any position to which it may
be brought by the steering wheel; and, in order that my Invention may be
most fully understood and readily carried into effect, I will proceed to describe
the means pursued by me.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 shews a front view of a steering wheel, and apparatus com-
bined therewith, according to my Invention. Figure 2 shews a plan, and
Figure 8 a side view thereof. The description of break which I prefer to
employ is a metal band or strap having a band of wood within it, and acting
on a pulley or drum of wood fixed on the axis of the steering wheel; but the
forms as well as the materials of these parts, as well as of the other parts
of the apparatus, may be varied without departing from my Invention.
The Drawing shews the parts in the position of the break being in contact
as if pressed into position by the foot of the steersman for holding the
rudder. A is a band of metal constituting the break; B is the band of
wood which lines the metal band and acts on the surface or pulley C,
fixed on the axis of the steering wheel. The band of wood is in parts
to allow of the metal band opening away from the surface C when the break
is not required to be in action. One end of the break is fixed at G, and
the other end is attached to one of the levers E, there being an adjusting screw
coupling at D to adjust the break. The two levers E are connected together by
a link H, and the levers E move on axis I, I; and in order to keep the
break out of action a weight F is used as shewn, or it may be done by a
spring or otherwise. The steering wheel is to be used in the ordinary manner,
and when the aid of the break becomes desirable the steersman places
his foot on one of the levers F so as to bring the break more or less strongly
into action, by which it will be found that the rudder may be retained with
]

page_text: great certainty and with comparative ease. The arrangement shewn in the
Drawing is such that two steersmen may be at the wheel at the same time,
and either or both be able to press the break into action as occasion may
require.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention and the best means
I am acquainted with for performing the same, I would remark that I am
aware that it has before been proposed to employ a break in combination
with a steering wheel, such break being brought into action by a weight, and
put out of action by the foot of the steersman. I do not therefore claim
the application of a break to a steering wheel generally, but what I claim is
the so arranging of apparatus in combination with a steering wheel, that
the steersman may by his foot bring a break into action so as to retain
or aid in retaining the rudder in any position to which it may be brought by
the steering wheel.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert John Fayrer, have hereunto
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Fifth day of July, in the
year of our Lord 1850, the aforesaid Robert John Fayrer came before
our said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Speci-
fication aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified,
in form above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped
according to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.