Improvements in Steering Apparatus for Ships.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Apr., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 11th Jan., 1897-Accepted, 20th Mar., 1897
Date of Application, 10th Apr., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 11th Jan., 1897-Accepted, 20th Mar., 1897
Improvements in Steering Apparatus for Ships.
I, JOACHIM JOHANNSEN, of 21 Cronsfelder Allee, in the City of Lübeck,
Empire of Germany, Captain of Steam Vessel, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in steering apparatus in which transverse
steering propellers are used to assist the action of the ordinary steering device in
order to increase the steering power of a ship, and it more particularly consists in
certain novel features and modification of the construction and arrangement
described in the specification of my prior Specification No. 12090 of 1895.
The objects of the present improvements are, first to dispense with the transverse
well or passage and to pass the well arranged in the vertical plane, more or less
inclined, through the bottom of the ship so that the steering propeller when
lowered down projects out of the hull and directly into the water under the keel
or stem respectively; and second to provide means whereby the casing containing
the steering apparatus may also be rotated in the said well on its longitudinal axis
in order to adjust the position of the steering propeller so as to act in any desired
direction to the keel-line of the ship.
In accordance with my invention the fore part or bow of the ship is provided
with a downward extending well which according to the particular form of the
ship may be more or less inclined. In this well there is arranged a suitable casing
containing the steering apparatus and capable of being lifted or lowered as well
as revolved around its longitudinal axis by any suitable means.
For using the steering apparatus the casing is lowered in the well so that the
steering propeller carried by the said casing projects out of the well or the hull of
the ship directly into the water under the keel or stem. It is evident that the
steering propeller when thus set in motion will act upon the water in the direction
given to the propeller shaft by the revolving or turning of the casing. According
to this adjustment of the casing in the well, that is to say, to the position given to
the propeller shaft, the propeller acts at a more or less acute angle to the vertical
longitudinal plane of the ship as may be required.
The propeller shaft may be driven by any suitable motive power engine
arranged on the top of the said propeller casing so as to be moved up and down
with the latter or the engine may be placed at the side and its motion transmittel
to the propeller shaft by any known means.
In place of the commonly used cranks and connecting rods for rotating the
propeller shaft in some cases a suitable bevel gearing may be provided so as to
transmit the motion of an upright extending shaft to a bevel wheel at one end of
the propeller shaft. This bevel gearing may be received within one of the hollow
arms extending from the casing and forming the bearings for the propeller shaft,
while the other arm in this case needs not to be hollow but may be replaced by
an ordinary axle-bearing, extending from the bottom of the said casing.
In order to prevent the revoluble casing in winter time from freezing fast in the
well a suitable heating coil may be arranged around the latter.
When not in use the said improved auxiliary steering apparatus or the casing

page_text: containing it respectively may be lifted or hoisted in the well and the bottom
opening or lower entrance of the latter shut up by a suitable slide-plate, door or
the like.
Dated this 10th day of April 1896.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Steering Apparatus for Ships.
I, JOACHIM JOHANNSEN, of 21 Cronsfelder Allee, in the City of Lübeck,
Empire of Germany, Captain of Steam Vessel, 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 :-
My invention relates to improvements in steering apparatus in which transverse
steering propellers are used to assist the action of the ordinary steering device in
order to increase the steerage of a ship, and it more particularly consists in certain
novel features and modification of the construction and arrangement described in
the Specification of my prior Patent No. 12090 of 1895.
The objects of the present improvements are, first to dispense with the transverse
well or passage and to pass the well arranged in the vertical plane, more or less
inclined, through the bottom of the ship so that the steering propeller when
lowered down projects out of the hull and directly into the water under the keel
or stem respectively; and second to provide means whereby the casing containing
the steering apparatus may also be rotated in the said well on its longitudinal axis
in order to adjust the position of the steering propeller so as to act in any desired
direction to the keel-line of the ship.
In the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters refer to similar parts
throughout the several views,
Figure 1 is a vertical section through the fore body or bow of a ship provided
with my improved steering apparatus;
Figure 2 is a transverse section of Figure 1 on about the line 1-2;
Figure 2 is an enlarged detail view of the lower part of Figure 2.
Figures 3 and 4 illustrate means for closing the bottom opening or lower
entrance of the well;
Figures 5 and 6 are similar views to Figures 1 and 2 showing a modification.
Figures 7 and 8 are horizontal sections taken on the lines - and y-y
respectively showing to an enlarged scale the crank shaft and its bearings;
Figure 9 is a vertical section through one of the hollow arms or brackets
extending from the movable casing and
Figure 10 is a section on the line - of Figure 9.
In accordance with my invention the fore part or bow of the ship is provided
with a downward extending well a which according to the particular form of the
ship may be more or less inclined. In this well a there is arranged a suitable
casing containing the steering apparatus and capable of being lifted or lowered
as well as revolved around its longitudinal axis by any suitable means.
For lifting and lowering the casing 6 I may use a tackle or the means shown in
Figures 2 and 6, while for rotating the same 1 prefer to employ the driving gear
shown in Figures 1 and 2.
The lifting device consists of screw nuts or blocks and screw spindles ¹ acting
upon the said nuts or blocks h. The latter being in suitable connection with the
casing are guided by guide rods 2 so that when the screw spindles h¹ are turned

page_text: in one or the other direction the screw nuts or blocks sliding along on the said
guide rods will lift or lower the casing b in the well a accordingly. The
driving gear for rotating the casing consists of an annular rack or gear 6¹ provided
with upper and lower flanges h³ and attached to the head or top of the casing b.
This annular rack meshes with a toothed wheel 6 mounted on a driving spindle or
shaft and capable of sliding along on this driving shaft 63 in unison with the up.
or down motion of the casing b as the said wheel is carried along by the
flanges of the gear b¹ in one or the other direction. By rotating the shaft 63.
with the aid of any suitable means the driving gear 26 will be operated and
the casing 6 turned around its axis into the position required.
From the bottom plate d' of the casing b project two hollow arms or brackets d'
(Figures 5-8) the lower end of which being closed by means of suitable caps d
securely fixed to the tubular arms d and adapted to receive the shaft of the
steering propeller s. For this reason the crank shaft so s carrying the propeller &
(Figure 5-10) is journalled in the sides of the caps d. The steering propeller s
thus being held between the arms d and beneath the bottom plate d' may be lifted
and lowered or turned respectively with the casing b.
In place of the commonly used cranks s and connecting rods for rotating the
propeller shaft in some cases a suitable bevel gearing (Figure 2^ may be
provided so as to transmit through the medium of the wheel the rotary motion
of an upright extending shaft 2 to a bevel wheel at one end of the propeller
shaft. This bevel gearing may be received within one of the hollow caps d
forming the bearings for the propeller shaft, while the other cap d as well as its
arm d² in this case may be replaced by an ordinary axle bearing d³ extending from
or attached to the bottom plate d' of the casing 6 (Figure 2) or may be entirely
dispensed with.
The propeller shaft so may be driven by any suitable motive power engine
arranged in the interior or on the top of the said propeller casing b so as to be
moved up and down and turned around with the latter, or the engine may be placed
aside or independently of the casing b and the motion of the engine being trans-
mitted to the propeller shaft by any known means. In Figures 5 and 6 I have
shown, as an example, a motive power engine or motor D placed on the top of the
casing b, the motion being transmitted to the cranks s¹ of the crank shafts by
means of connecting rods k.
For using the steering apparatus the casing b is lowered in the well so that the
steering propeller carried by the said casing projects out of the well or the hull of
the ship directly into the water under the keel or stem. It is evident that the
steering propeller when thus set in motion will act upon the water in the direction
given to the propeller shaft by the revolving or turning of the casing. According
to this adjustment of the casing in the well, that is to say, to the position given to
the propeller shaft, the propeller acts at a more or less acute angle to the vertical
longitudinal plane of the ship as may be required.
In order to prevent the revoluble casing in winter time from freezing fast in
the well a suitable heating coil (Figures 5 and 6) may be arranged around the
latter.
When not in use the said improved auxiliary steering apparatus or the casing
containing it respectively may be lifted or hoisted in the well a and the bottom
opening or lower entrance of the latter shut up by a suitable slide-plate i, door or
the like, operated in a well known manner, Figures 3 and 4.
I am aware that a well of any kind or well opening into the water in a ship is
not new, nor is it broadly new to arrange a steering propeller so as to adapt it to
be projected from and withdrawn into such well; but what I consider new is the
arrangement of the propeller in such manner as not only to be projected from the
well and revolved but that it may be adjusted with its axis of rotation at different
angles relatively to the keel or line of notion of the vessel; the importance for
steering purposes of such an arrangement is obvious, and need not be dwelt upon.
Another feature of importance is the locating of the steering propeller at a point.

page_text: where the water is not disturbed by the motor propeller, and in giving the well a
forward inclination, in combination with the revoluble and endwise movable
propeller support.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. The combination with a vessel provided with a well opening into the water,
of a casing closed at the bottom and adapted to be displaced in said well in the
plane of and about its longitudinal axis, a steering propeller, its shaft revoluble in
bearings secured to the bottom of said casing, a motor, and suitable connections
for transmitting power from the motor to the propeller shaft to revolve the same,
for the purpose set forth.
2. The combination with a vessel provided with a well opening into the water
on a line with the keel and at a point distant from the driving propeller, of a
casing closed at the botton and adapted to be displaced in said well in the plane
of and about its longitudinal axis, a steering propeller, its shaft revoluble in
bearings secured to the bottom of said casing, a motor and suitable connections for
transmitting power from said motor to the propeller shaft and revolving the same,
for the purpose set forth.
3. The combination with a vessel provided with a well having a forward
inclination and opening into the water at a point of the keel near the bow, of a
casing closed at the bottom and adapted to be displaced in said well in the plane of
and about its longitudinal axis, bearings secured to the bottom of the casing, a
steering propeller, its shaft revoluble in said bearings, a motor, and suitable
connections for transmitting power to and revolving the propeller shaft, for the
purpose set forth.
4. The combination in a vessel provided with a well opening into the water, of a
casing closed at the bottom and adapted to be displaced in said well in the plane of
and about its longitudinal axis, a steering propeller revolubly supported below said
casing, a motor carried by the latter, and suitable connections between a driving
element of the motor and the propeller shaft, for the purpose set forth.
5. The combination with a vessel provided with a well opening into the water,
of a casing closed at the bottom and adapted to be displaced in said well in the
plane of and about its longitudinal axis, tubular legs projecting from the bottom of
the casing and leading into the same, two-part housings secured to said tubular
legs, a crank shaft having its bearings in said housings, a steering propeller
secured to the crank shaft between the housings and a suitable motor and trans-
mitting appliances for revolving said shaft, substantially as and for the purpose
set forth.
6. The combination with a vessel provided with a well opening into the water,
a casing closed at the bottom and adapted to be displaced in said well in the plane
of and about its longitudinal axis, housings, tubular connections extending from
the bottom of and leading into the casing and connecting said housings thereto, a
crank shaft revoluble in bearings in said housings, a steering propeller secured to
the crank shaft between the housings, a motor contained in the casing, and suitable
connecting rods connecting the driving element of the motor with the cranks of the
crank shaft, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, Loudon, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.