IMPROVEMENTS IN THE STEERING. ARRANGEMENTS OF VESSELS." SP
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Donaldson, of the Firm of John I. Thornycroft and
Company, of Church Wharf, Chiswick, in the County of Middlesex,-Steam
Yacht and Launch Builders, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
STEERING. ARRANGEMENTS OF VESSELS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Donaldson at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st August 1878.
JOHN DONALDSON, of the Firm of John I. Thornycroft and Company, of Church
Wharf, Chiswick, in the County of Middlesex, Steam Yacht and Launch Builders.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE STEERING ARRANGEMENTS OF VESSELS."
My Invention of improvements in the steering arrangements of vessels is designed
to enable the course or position of a vessel to be rapidly altered, for which purpose
I employ a screw propeller or propellers arranged with its or their axis or axes
transversly to the vessel, and in such manner as when out of operation not to
impede the onward movement of the vessel.
There may be two propellers, one at each side of the vessel, so, that by putting
one or both of them in operation the course of the vessel (if under weigh) or its
position (if at rest) may be readily altered. Or a well in the forward or after part
of the vessel may be arranged to receive a propeller arranged to be driven direct or
by suitable gearing from an engine (or engines), and capable of being raised or
lowered at will (with or without the engine), so that when in the raised position
the propeller will not impede the progress of the vessel, and when lowered the pro-
peller will protrude into the water, and acting (when driven) with its axis at or
about right angles to the longitudinal centre line of the vessel will alter its course
or position to one side or the other, according as the propeller is rotated one way or
the other.
In lieu of arranging the propeller to be raised or lowered its axis may be fixed
in the well in such a position that the blades may protrude into the water; such
blades may be made to feather.

page_text: , SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Donaldson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 1st February
1879.
JOHN DONALDSON, of the Firm of John I. Thornycroft and Company, of Church
Wharf, Chiswick, in the County of Middlesex, Steam Yacht and Launch Builders.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE STEERING ARRANGEMENTS OF VESSELS."
My Invention of improvements in the steering arrangements of vessels is designed
to enable the course or position of a vessel to be readily altered, for which purpose
I employ a screw propeller or propellers arranged with its. or their axis or axes
transversely to the vessel, and in such manner as when out of operation not to
impede the onward movement of the vessel.
There may be two propellers, one at each side of the vessel, so that by putting
one or both of them in operation the course of the vessel (if under weigh) or its
position (if at rest) may be readily altered. Or a well in the forward or after part
of the vessel may be arranged to receive a propeller arranged to be driven from an
engine (or engines), and capable of being raised or lowered at will, so that when
in the raised position the propeller will not impede the progress of the vessel, and
when lowered the propeller will protrude into the water below the keel, and acting
(when driven) with its axis at or about right angles to the longitudinal centre line
of the vessel, will alter its course or position to one side or the other, according as
the propeller blades are set or inclined or as the propeller is rotated.
In lieu of arranging the propeller to be raised or lowered its axis may be fixed in
the well in such a position that the blades may protrude into the water below the
keel.
Referring to the accompanying Drawings,-
Fig. 1 is a cross sectional view of a vessel provided with two steering propellers,
one at each side of the vessel; Fig. 2 is a side elevation partly in section; Fig. 3 is
a plan partly in section.
.
1 is the hull of the vessel. At each side a recess 2 is formed of suitable shape to
allow of the rotation of my steering propellers. The form of the recess in the
axample given is indicated by the lines 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. The line 7 represents the
line of the side of the vessel immediately under the deck, and the line 8 represents
the curve of the vessel's side in a horizontal plane passing through the steering pro-
peller axis.
The vessel is traversed by a crank shaft, which may be in one piece, but in the
example shewn is a compound shaft for convenience of manufacture. 10 is the
crank, to the respective arms of which are secured two lengths of hollow shafting.
Each of these has at its extremity farther from the crank a hollow boss 11, whose
centre line is at right angles to that of the shaft. The hollow boss is constructed
with a detachable half or part 12 to enable the roots of the feathering blades 13 to
be inserted. The root of each blade is round at 13*, and has a crank arm 14
carrying a crank pin 15, which fits a slot in the cross part 16 of a connecting
rod 17, extending from the recess in the boss some distance along the interior of the
length of hollow shaft (see also Figs. 10 and 11).
The blades of each propeller have a feathering movement imparted to them by
the longitudinal movement of the rod 17, so that one of the propellers may be in
operation in the sense of moving the vessel sideways, while the other is in that
sense inoperative, though it may be rotating.
The longitudinal movement of each rod 17 is in the present case effected as
follows: 18, 18, are slots in the hollow shaft; 19 is a pin passing through the
rod 17, and through a ring 20 which surrounds the hollow shaft, the ring being in
the form of two half rings so as to be got on the shaft. 21 is a ring (made in
parts) having an internal channel, groove, or annular recess to receive the ring 20
and admit of its rotation. 22, 22, are pivots or projections extending from the

page_text: ring 21 into slots in the prongs of a forked lever 23, whose fulcrum is at 24. By
moving this lever to one side or the other corresponding endwise movement of
the connecting rod will be effected
By connecting together the two separate forked levers shewn the two propellers
may be feathered simultaneously.
At each side of the vessel is a stuffing box formed in parts 27, 28, joined at 29,
and having brackets 30, 31, whereby they are securely attached to the hull 1. The
shaft is supported in these stuffing boxes and in main bearings 35, having annular
grooves or channels truly turned to receive flanges or projections 32 of the propeller
shaft to take its longitudinal thrust.
When not in operation the propellers may be kept in a horizontal position, such
as indicated by the dotted line 33 in Fig. 2, so as not to impede the progress of the
vessel.
Although I have shewn two propellers, one at each side of the vessel, it will be
evident one of these may in some cases be dispensed with; also that in lieu of the
feathering blades fixed blades may be employed with reversing engines.
Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view shewing part of a vessel, having in the forward
part a well containing a propeller driven from an engine, and capable of being raised
or lowered at will, so that when in the raised position the propeller will be entirely
in the well, and will not project beyond the hull of the vessel or into the water
outside the well or casing, and when lowered and working the propeller blades will
protrude into the water below the keel of the vessel. Fig. 5 is a side elevation
partly in section; Fig. 6 is a plan partly in section.
1 is the hull of the vessel; 36, a well or casing open at bottom to the water, and
securely attached water-tight to the bottom of the vessel, in which a hole is formed
at 37. 38 and 39 are stuffing boxes to prevent entrance of water into the vessel
from the well or casing. 9 is the propeller axis or shaft formed with journals 9*,
which work in bearings 40. 11 is the hollow boss of the steering propeller, which
boss is made in two halves bolted together, as shewn in Figs. 10 and 11. 13, 13, are
feathering blades, each having a root of circular section, with a crank arm 14
carrying a crank pin 15, which fits a slot in the cross part 16 (Figs. 10 and 11) of
a connecting rod 17 extending from the recess in the boss right through and beyond
the end of the hollow or tubular part of the propeller axis or shaft, so as to be
moved endwise in either direction to feather or partially rotate the propeller blades.
41 is a half clutch on the end of the propeller shaft. 42 is a corresponding half
clutch on the end of a driving shaft 43 passing through the stuffing box 38, and
actuated either directly from an engine or otherwise. The clutch 41-42 is an
ordinary arrangement used for propellers arranged to be raised and lowered. As
the propeller is lowered the parts 41-42 gear together so that the propeller may be
driven.
The raising and lowering arrangement illustrated is as follows:-The bearings 40
are suspended by means of straps 44 surrounding them, and to each of which is
attached a rod 45, having at its upper part a screw passing through a nut. The
two nuts are suitably geared; it may be in any well-known way, as, for example,
by bevel gear, so as to be rotated synchronously, thereby simultaneously raising or
lowering the two bearings 40 with the propeller axis and propeller.
The arrangement for giving endwise movement to the rod 17 for feathering or
partially rotating on their axes the blades 13 must be such as to permit of the
raising and lowering of the propeller, and in the example shewn consists of a
bifurcated rod 46 able to work on a joint at 47, and whose respective arms pass
between the flanges 48 on the rod 17, so that the said rod 17 may move up or
down between the forks of the rod 46, but that on moving the lower end of the
latter inward or outward by the rod 49 corresponding endwise movement of the
rod 17 will be produced.
I would remark that inasmuch as the propeller can be raised wholly into the
well or casing, more than two blades may be used, and that in lieu of being

page_text: feathering blades they may be fixed blades if the propeller be driven by reversing
engines.
Fig. 7 is a cross sectional view shewing a vessel wherein the steering propeller
axis has a fixed position in the well or casing, so that the blades of the two-bladed
steering propeller may alternately protrude into the water below the keel when in
operation, but at other times may be entirely within the well or casing, as indicated
in dotted lines at x, x, (Fig. 5) so as not to impede the onward movement of the vessel;
or if the blades be allowed to protrude when not required to steer, they may
be kept with their faces in parallel planes coinciding with the direction of the
vessel, so as not to hinder it. Fig. 8 is a side elevation partly in section; Fig. 9 is a
plau..
Figs. 10 and 11 are views to a larger scale, shewing the arrangement whereby the
propeller blades are made to feather or turn on their respective axes.
I is the hull of the vessel; 36, the well or casing open below to the water, and
securely attached water-tight to the bottom of the vessel, in which a hole is formed,
as shewn at 37. 38 and 39 are stuffing boxes to prevent entrance of water into
the vessel from the well or casing. 9 is the propeller axis or shaft formed with
journals at 9x, which work in bearings 40. 11 is the hollow boss of the steering
propeller, which boss is made in two halves bolted together, as shewn in Figs. 10
and 11. 13, 13, are feathering blades, each having a root of circular section with
a crank arm 14 carrying a crank pin 15, which fits a slot in the cross part 16 of a
connecting rod 17, extending from the recess in the boss right through and beyond
the end of the hollow or tubular part of the propeller axis or shaft, so as to be
moved endwise in either direction to feather or partially rotate the propeller blades.
I have shewn the steering propeller as being driven from a shaft 50 by bevel
gear, but other modes of driving may obviously be adopted. A convenient mode
is to provide the propeller shaft or axis with a crank, and to drive direct from an
engine, as well understood.
Also I have shewn a bell-crank lever and connecting rod arrangement 51, 52, for
giving the endwise movement to the rod 17 for feathering or partially rotating the
propeller blades, but it will be evident other known or suitable means may be
adopted to this end.
I do not confine myself to the use of a two-bladed propeller when feathering
blades are used; nor when a two-bladed propeller is used do I limit myself to the
use of feathering blades, as two fixed blades at opposite sides of the boss may be
used if the propeller be driven by reversing engines.
The arranging steering propellers in a well or casing open below to the water,
according to my Invention, so that the propeller blades when working protrude
into the water below the keel, is advantageous in that they operate on the com-
paratively undisturbed water below the vessel, whilst when not in steering operation 4
they will, if either turned so as to be wholly within the well or casing, or kept
with their faces in planes coinciding with the course of the vessel, not hinder its
progress, or will do so only to a practically inappreciable extent.
Fig. 12 shews in end view a modified construction of well or casing for containing
the steering propeller; Fig. 13 is a side elevation thereof, partly in section; Fig. 14 4
is a plan.
This well 36 is constructed with passages 36 to the sides of the vessel, through
which any water carried or sent up by the action of the steering propeller may be
.driven out, and so aid the steering.
Fig. 15 shews another form of well or casing, which will be readily understood 5
from the Drawing.
I would observe that one object of my Invention is to facilitate the steering and
adjusting the positions of torpedo vessels, wherein a rudder may be advantageously
used for ordinary steering, and apparatus according to my Invention (arranged by
preference forward of the middle of the vessel's length) for more particular or rapid 5
steering or sidewise adjustments of position.

page_text: Having described the nature of my said Invention, and explained the manner
in which the same is to be or may be carried into practical effect, I would have
it understood that what I consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim
as the Invention secured to me under the herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent is,―
1. Arranging steering propellers externally at the sides of vessels, and with their
axes transversely to the longitudinal axes of the vessels, substantially as and for
the purpose herein-before described, with reference to Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive of the
accompanying Drawings.
2. Arranging a steering propeller in a well or casing in the foreward or after part
of a vessel so as to operate upon the water below the keel, substantially and for the
purpose herein-before described.
3. Arranging a steering propeller in a well in the foreward or after part of a
vessel so that it may be raised or lowered, and that when lowered it will operate
on the water below the keel of the vessel, substantially as and for the purpose herein-
before described.
4. The combined arrangement of steering apparatus in a well or casing with
raising and lowering gear, as shewn in and described with reference to Figs. 4 to 6
inclusive of the accompanying Drawings.
5. The combined arrangement of steering apparatus in a well or casing, substan-
tially as shewn in and described with reference to Figs. 7 to 11 of the accompanying
Drawings.
..
6. The feathering propeller described with reference to Figs. 10 and 11 of the
Drawings.
7. Providing vessels with wells or casings applied as herein-before described, and
constructed as explained, with reference respectively to Figs. 12, 13, and 14, and with
reference to Fig. 15 of the Drawings, for the purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Donaldson, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this First day of February, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-nine.
TATIN
דוםTh ומת
JOHN DONALDSON. (L.S.)