IMPROVEMENTS IN STEERING PROVISIONAL
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Walker, William Thompson, the younger, and
Thomas Thompson, the younger, of Seaham Harbour, in the County of
Durham, Engineers, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEERING
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Walker, William
Thompson, jr., & Thomas Thompson, jr., at the Office of the Commissioners
of Patents on the 22nd August 1881.
JOHN WALKER, WILLIAM THOMPSON, the younger, and THOMAS THOMPSON, the
younger, of Seaham Harbour, in the County of Durham, Engineers. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN STEERING APPARATUS FOR SHIPS AND SIMILAR VESSELS,"
This Invention relates to steering apparatus for ships and similar vessols.
This Invention consists essentially of a combined hand and steam steering
apparatus, the second motion shaft of which, carrying the chain wheel, being
rotated by a spur wheel and pinion by the first motion hand wheel, or when
desired being rotated by steam by a vane or flap piston attached directly to the
said second motion shaft, and rotating in a circular flat ended cylinder.
In carrying into effect our Invention a steering apparatus can be constructed
having the following detail parts, namely :-
=
A first motion shaft with band steering wheel and spur pinion carried on a
standard, a second shaft, one end of which is carried by the standard aforesaid, and
the other end of which is supported by and rotates in a circular steam cylinder;
this shaft carries a spur wheel which is geared into the first motion pinion; to the
spur wheel is fitted or attached a chain wheel, which gives motion to the rudder
chain; the boss of the chain wheel is made to fit the boss of a sliding clutch, to
which it can be connected and disconnected as desired by a lever, which said lever
will at the same time disengage the spur pinion from the spur wheel, or as an
equivalent the first motion shaft can be slid in its bearing until the pinion is free
from the wheel, and at the same time by means of a lever suitably connected to
the end of the said shaft and carried by a standard the clutch will be slid into

page_text: gear with the boss of the chain wheel. The chain wheel and spur wheel rotate
freely on the second shaft until geared to the said clutch; the clutch slides on a
feather or key on the second shaft, with which it rotates.
The steam cylinder which carries the back end of the second shaft is cylindrical
and flat ended, and has a partition from its periphery to about its centre, and from
end to end thereof, which acts as a fulcrum for the steam to act against; to the
shaft aforesaid (the second shaft), which works in or through the cylinder, is
attached a single vane or flap piston; this piston makes (practically) a complete
revolution in the cylinder, rotating the shaft to which it is attached and the clutch,
as also the chain wheel when the said clutch is connected therewith. Steam is
admitted to and emitted from the cylinder between the partition and the piston
through valves (preferably through four drop valves, two of which are steam.
admission valves, and two exhaust valves), in a steam chest on the cylinder, these
valves being actuated by cams or other equivalent appliances on a shaft rotated by
gearing and shafting from the main (second) shaft. The steam and admission ports
may communicate directly between the cylinder and the steam chest, or the said
ports or ports and valves may be in or connected with the partition which would
be hollowed for that purpose.
In using this steering apparatus by hand, the first motion shaft is in its normal
position, and the clutch and second shaft is free from the chain wheel, but for
steering by steam the first motion shaft is slid in its bearing so as to disengage the
first motion pinion from the spur wheel, and at or about the same time the clutch
and the second shaft is connected with the chain wheel, and the steam being free
to enter the cylinder rotates the piston, second shaft, and chain wheel, by which
the rudder chain is actuated by steam. A catch, catches, or other similar appliance
will be employed to preserve in position the first motion shaft with the pinion in
gear with the spur wheel, or disconnected therefrom as desired.
As a modification the first motion pinion will have a clutch boss and will be free
to rotate on the first motion shaft, and a clutch sliding on a key or feather on the
shaft by means of a lever or other appliance will be employed; when it is desired
to steer by steam the clutch will be disengaged from the pinion; and for hand
steering the clutch will be connected to the first motion pinion.
The clutch on the second shaft, which connects and disconnects the chain wheel
to and from the shaft, can be worked by a lever and handle supported on a bracket
on the steam cylinder.
The clutch levers can be worked by pedal levers by the foot of the operator
instead of by hand levers, and the steam valve can be actuated either by the foot
of the operator or by the hand.
As a further modification, the first motion shaft may be continued up to the
steam chest and actuate a "hit and miss" rotary valve, or the said shaft may be
made hollow at its back end so as to form a steam chamber, and be continued
through the steam chest and have ports therein which will admit the steam to and
exhaust it from the cylinder; by this modification the tappetts, drop valves, and
gearing from the second shaft would be dispensed with, and the steam steering
apparatus would be automatic and direct-acting.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Walker, William Thompson, jr., & Thomas Thompson, jr.,
in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 21st February 1882.
JOHN WALKER, WILLIAM THOMPSON, the younger, and THOMAS THOMPSON, the
younger, of Seaham Harbour, in the County of Durham, Engineers. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN STEERING APPARATUS FOR SHIPS AND SIMILAR VESSELS."
This Invention relates to steering apparatus for ships and similar vessels.
This Invention consists essentially of a combined hand and steam steering
apparatus, the second motion shaft of which, carrying the chain wheel, being
rotated by a spur wheel and pinion by the first motion hand wheel, or, when
desired, being rotated by steam by a vane or flap piston attached directly to the
said second motion shaft and rotating in a circular cylinder.
In carrying into effect our Invention a steering apparatus is constructed, having
the following detail parts, namely:-
--
A first motion shaft, with hand steering wheel and spur pinion and clutch for
throwing in and out of gear is carried on a standard; a second shaft, one end of
which is carried by the standard aforesaid, and the other end of which is supported
by and rotates in a circular steam cylinder; this shaft carries a spur wheel, which is
geared into the first motion pinion; to the spur wheel is fitted or attached a chain
wheel which gives motion to the rudder chain, the boss of the spur wheel is made
to fit the boss of a sliding clutch, to which it can be connected and disconnected as
desired by a lever, which said lever will at the same time disengage the spur
pinion from the spur wheel.
The steam cylinder which carries the back end of the second shaft is cylindrical,
and has a partition from its periphery to or to about its centre and from side to
side thereof, which acts as a fulcrum for the steam to act against; to the shaft
aforesaid (the second shaft), which works in or through the cylinder, is attached a
single vane or flap piston; this piston makes (practically) a complete revolution in the
cylinder, rotating the shaft to which it is attached, and the clutch, as also the chain
wheel, when the said clutch is connected therewith. Steam is admitted to and
emitted from the cylinder between the partition and the piston through valves
(preferably through four drop valves, two of which are steam admission valves and
two exhaust valves) in a steam chest on the cylinder, these valves being actuated
by cams or other equivalent appliances on a shaft rotated by gearing and shafting
from the main (second) shaft.
In using this steering apparatus by hand the first motion shaft is in its normal
position, and the clutch and second shaft is free from the chain wheel; but for
steering by steam the first motion pinion is slid in its bearings, so as to be disengaged
from the spur wheel, and at the same time the clutch on the second shaft is connected
with the spor wheel, and the steam being free to enter the cylinder rotates the
piston, second (or main) shaft, and chain wheel, by which the rudder chain is
actuated by steam.
A catch, catches, or other similar appliance can be employed to preserve in
position the first motion shaft, with the pinion in gear with the spur wheel, or
disconnected therefrom, as desired.
As a modification of the detail arrangements of the apparatus the spur wheel and
pinion can have clutch bosses, and can be loose on the first and second motion
shafts, and be secured to the said shafts for hand steering by sliding clutches of
ordinary construction.
The accompanying Drawings illustrate the Invention, of which the following is a
description :-
Figure 1 is a side view in elevation, and Figure 2 is a front view in elevation of

page_text: the general arrangement of the steering apparatus; Figure 3 is a detail view of
part of the steam chest, showing the admission and exhaust ports; Figure 4 is a
detail view of the main valve; Figure 5 is a detail view of the box or "jockey
valve; Figure 6 is a side view of the eccentric and rod.
"
Figure 7 is a transverse section in elevation of the cylinder O, showing the piston 1
and the arm 2 which carries the piston 1.
Figure 8 is an enlarged front view of part of the piston 1 and arm 2, and a
transverse section of part of the piston 1 with three packing rings.
Figure 9 is a front view of the arm 2 secured to the piston 1, and a side view of
the same with the shaft D in position.
Figure 10 is a side view in section of part of the cylinder C showing the partition 3,
and showing side views of the brackets 44, which retain the partition in position.
Figure 11 show right and left end views of the brackets 44 which retain the
partition in position.
Figure 12 is a side view, and Figure 13 is a front view of part of the cylinder,
showing the shaft D, eccentric M, rod K, and rocking shaft levers N, N¹, and the
drop valves worked by them.
The same letters of reference refer to similar detail parts in each Drawing.
A is an external view of the steam chest; A' is a side view of the main valve;
A³ is a front view of the main valve; A³ is a front view of the box or "jockey
valve; A' is a side view of the box or “jockey" valve; A³ is a view of the valve
face of the steam chest, showing the steam admission ports X, X, and the steam
exhaust port Y; C is an external view of the steam cylinder; D is the main shaft,
and is the second motion shaft of the hand steering apparatus; E is the first
motion shaft of the hand steering apparatus; Fis the sliding clutch of the pinion P;
G is the sliding clutch of the spur wheel W; H is the hand lever, and L the clutch
lever for sliding the clutches G and F; J is the hand steering wheel; M is the
eccentric, and K the eccentric rod actuating the rocking shaft levers N and N¹;
O is the spindle for actuating the valves; P is the pinion on the hand wheel shaft E
for hand steering; S is the chain wheel or sheave for chains, round which the end
of each chain is half wrapped; W is the spur wheel for hand steering; Qis the
quadrant for hand lever H, which slides the clutches; Z is the rocking shaft
connecting the hand lever E to the clutch levers.
The circular steam cylinder C is also circular in cross section, and has a
transverse partition 3 from its periphery to its centre which serves as a fulcrum
for the steam to act against in rotating the piston. The piston 1 is flat and
circular, and is attached to the shaft D by the arm 2, and is fitted with packing
or piston rings. The piston moves like a pendulum, having the shaft D for its
centre.
The chain wheel S and spur wheel W are cast or fixed together, and work loose
on the shaft D. The spur wheel W is driven by the pinion P on the shaft E. On
the frame which supports the ends of the shafts E and D is a bracket B which
carries the lever L; the upper end of this lever is attached to the clutch F, and the
lower end is attached to the clutch G.
When it is desired to actuate the chain wheel S by steam the hand lever H is
moved over to the left, by which the chain wheel S and spur wheel W are secured
to the shaft D by means of the clutch G, and at the same time the clutch F is
disengaged from the pinion P, and the pinion P is free to rotate on the shaft E.
When it is desired to actuate the chain wheel S by hand the hand lever H is
moved over to the right (on the quadrant Q), by which the clutch G is freed from
the spur wheel W, and at the same time the clutch F is moved into gear with the
pinion P, by which the pinion P is secured to the shaft E, and the hand wheel J
will then rotate the chain wheel S.
i
In steering by steam, steam is admitted to the steam chest A, and thence to the
cylinder C through the valves; the steam acts against the partition 3 as a fulcrum,
and moves the circular piston 1, and with it the shaft D and chain wheel S until it
has reached the other side of the partition. When it will have rotated (practically)

page_text: a complete revolution, and when steam is admitted to the reverse side of the said
partition and the exhaust valves are open, the piston, and with it the chain
wheel S, will return or rotate in the opposite direction.
By the above description and accompanying Drawings, any person skilled in
the art to which it refers will be able to construct a working apparatus according
to our Invention.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of our said
Invention, and specified in what manner it is or may be carried into effect, we
wish it to be understood that what we claim as novel and original and secured to
us by the hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is,―
Firstly,
The construction of a hand and steam steering apparatus in which the steam
cylinder is circular, having a partition, and in which is a circular piston attached to
the main chain wheel shaft, so that when steam is admitted to the cylinder the
piston and with it tho chain wheel shaft and chain wheel will rotate.
Secondly,―
The construction of a hand and steam steering apparatus with first motion hand
steering shaft E, sliding clutch F, and pinion P, shaft D, which is the second
motion hand steering shaft and first motion steam steering shaft, with chain
wheel S, spur wheel W, sliding clutch G, clutch lever L, hand lever H and
quadrant Q, circular steam cylinder C with partition 3, piston 1, and arm 2, all
substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings, by which
a ship can be steered by hand or by steam power as desired.
In witness whereof, we, the said William Thompson, the younger, and
Thomas Thompson (herein described as Thomas Thompson, the younger),
on our own behalf and on behalf of the said John Walker, have hereunto
set our hands and seals, this Eighteenth day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
Witness,
JOHN W. GRIEVES, 18th Feby. 1882.
WILLIAM THOMPSON, JR. (L.S.)
THOMAS THOMPSON.
(L.B.)