IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS OR MACHINERY FOR STEERING VESSELS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph William Watson, of Jarrow, in the County of
Durham, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS OR MACHINERY
FOR STEERING VESSELS."
Sealed the 13th May 1879, and dated the 16th November 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph William Watson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th November 1878.
JOSEPH WILLIAM WATSON, of Jarrow, in the County. of Durham. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS OR MACHINERY FOR STEERING VESSELS."
The object of this Invention is to effect by a suitable mechanical arrangement.
an almost instantaneous action of the rudder of a vessel, a point of the highest
importance in navigation.
Under one form of arrangement the steering apparatus consists mainly of a
suitable steam cylinder fitted in the ordinary way and arranged by preference
under the bridge. A cross head is fitted on to the free end of the piston rod, which
cross head slides to and fro in adjacent bearings. Underneath the bearing is a
shaft carrying a double crank, which works to and fro in the contiguous bearings.
One extremity of the shaft has keyed to it a double grooved segmental wheel for
the chain or wire rope that actuates the rudder to work in. Each end of the chain
or rope is secured to a grooved segmental wheel, and is carried by means of suitable
pulleys arranged at the ship's side to a second grooved segmental wheel keyed to
the rudder post. A duplex dial plate is arranged in any convenient position on
the bridge. A vertical spindle carried in a deck bearing passes up through the
dial plate and is fitted with a pointer and hand lever, and the dial is lettered for
"port," "starboard," and "steady," so that by moving the pointer to the required
letters the rudder is instantly placed in a corresponding position. This is done by
means of an eccentric on the lower end of the spindle, and suitably connected to the

page_text: "
slide valve. The movement of the hand lever either to "port" or starboard "
turns the steam on, and when set to "steady" shuts it off, and the rudder then
comes in a line with the keel. Adjoining the steering dial is a second dial furnished
with a pointer to show automatically the exact position of the rudder. This
pointer is carried on a vertical spindle, which is connected by gearing to the
grooved segmental wheel, which through the chain or rope gives motion to the
rudder. There is also a brake arrangement, by means of which the rudder may be
retained in any required position as long as desired. The chain or wire rope may
if desirable be disconnected from the segmental wheel, and connected by suitable
means to a steering wheel.
In this way a vessel may be steered from the bridge with the greatest ease,
certainty, and rapidity of action.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Joseph William Watson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 16th
May 1879.
JOSEPH WILLIAM WATSON, of Jarrow, in the County of Durham.
MENTS IN APPARATUS OR MACHINERY FOR STEERING VESSELS."
6
IMPROVE-
The object of this Invention is to produce by means of a suitable mechanical
arrangement an almost instantaneous action upon the rudder of a vessel, a point of
the highest importance in averting collisions in navigation.
.
I will now proceed to describe the improvements with the aid of the accom-
panying sheet of Drawings, which shows a plan of one arrangement of the steering
apparatus. An ordinary steam cylinder A is by preference fixed in a horizontal
position beneath the bridge of the vessel. The cylinder receives its supply of steam
from a boiler below, or the cylinder may if preferred be fitted in any other con-
venient part of the vessel. A crosshead B is fitted on the piston rod C, which
cross head slides to and fro in the adjoining guides D. Underneath the guides a
shaft E is fitted, on which is fixed a double crank F made with suitable slots for
the cross head B to work in with the motion of the piston. The cross head is
furnished with bearings in the slots to prevent its wearing oval. One extremity of
the shaft E has keyed to it a double grooved segmental wheel G, in which a chain
or wire rope H works. This rope is carried through the pulleys I fitted inside the
bulwarks, and is secured to a second segmental wheel K. keyed to the rudder post;
the rope or chain being fitted with moveable pins, and further with a screw
coupling L to tighten or slacked it as required. If preferred rods may be used in
lieu of a chain or rope, and also in place of the double crank F a single one may be
applied with the same utility. By fixing on the free end of the piston rod a clutch
fitted with straps to attach to the cross head, so that the single crank works within
the clutch on a like principle.
,
On the other end of the shaft E is a bevel wheel M gearing with another wheel N
on the end the vertical spindle O, which passes up through a dial plate P fixed in a
convenient part of the bridge. The dial plate R is lettered "port," starboard,"
and "steady," and the spindle S is furnished with a hand lever and pointer Q, 50
that by bringing the pointer over the required word the rudder is instantly placed
in the corresponding position. This is effected by means of an eccentric on the
lower end of the spindle S, and is connected to the slide valve of the cylinder.
I prefer to use an eccentric in place of a crank, as I have found it work easier
nevertheless a crank may be used for the same object. The parts are arranged that
when the pointer marks "port" or "starboard" the steam is thereby turned on, and
when at "steady" it is shut off, so that the rudder, if the vessel is in motion, comes
in a line with the keel of its own accord. It will be obvious that by means of the
hand lever the rudder may be placed in any intermediate position required.
Adjoining the steering dial R is a second dial P, which serves the purpose of a
rudder indicator to show automatically its exact position. Its pointer is carried
on a vertical spindle connected by suitable gearing to the segmental wheel G, so
that its motion is at once indicated on the connected dial. On the shaft E there is
a small wheel having notches in it for a brake to work in, the actuating lever of
which is carried up through the bridge. Thus when the vessel is required to be
moved astern the rudder may be fixed in any position by the brake. When it is
necessary to steer the ship without the aid of steam the chain or rope is detached
from the segmental wheel G, and is connected up to an ordinary wheel by a shackle
or other equivalent contrivance. It will be sufficiently obvious that the minor
details of this Invention may be varied in many ways without departing from its
essential and distinguishing features.

page_text: Having now described the nature of my Invention, and in what manner the same
may be carried into practical effect, I wish it to be understood that what I
claim is,―
The general arrangement, construction, and combination of parts forming the
steering apparatus, substantially as hereinbefore described and shown in the accom-
panying Drawing, or any mere mechanical modification of the same.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph William Watson, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of May, A.D. 1879.
JOSEPH WILLIAM WATSON.
WATSON. (L.S.)