Improvements in Means or Apparatus for Propelling, Steering, and Manoeuvring Navigable Vessels.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 27th June, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 1st Oct., 18:4-4ccepted, 19th Jan., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means or Apparatus for Propelling, Steering, and
Manoeuvring Navigable Vessels.
I, HENRIC CHRISTIAN VOGT, of Holsteinsgade 31 Copenhagen, in the Kingdom
of Denmark, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
:―
"
A great drawback as regards the safe and certain navigation of vessels that are
propelled by mechanical power lies in the fact that, in order to cause the vessel to
change its direction of motion from "ahead" to "astern or vice versa the captain
or other person manoeuvring the vessel is compelled in the case of large vessels, to
give orders to two persons viz.: the man at the wheel and the engineer, or, in the
case of small vessels, to shift the helm himself and at the same time to give
instructions to the engineer.
Now, the present invention relates to an arrangement of mechanism for obviating
the aforesaid drawback by enabling the functions of the propeller and of the rudder
to be performed by a single mechanical part. This arrangement also enables the
engine to work always in the same direction, so that it need not be constructed so
as to be capable of being reversed.
In the accompanying drawing,
Fig. 1 shows a vertical section partly in elevation,
Fig. 2 a plan partly in section, and
Fig. 3 side elevation of apparatus constructed according to this invention.
The rudder A is rigidly secured by means of a fork g, on the rudder-post a,
which is connected, by means of an arm 6 and a spring c, with a toothed wheel H,
which is adapted to be rotated by means of a worm O on a tube r, in which the
rudder-post a is guided so as to be capable of rotation. The tube r also serves as a
guide for the rudder A, a fork frigidly secured on the rudder A being arranged to
loosely embrace and fit the tube r. A piece T furnished with bearings for the
worm constitutes a rigid connection between the tube r and a horizontal main
shaft S, which is provided with bearings L and a stuffing-box B. On pulling one
of the steering-lines u, the worm O and consequently the toothed-wheel H are
rotated, and by means of the spring c which connects the toothed wheel H with the
rudder-post a the rudder is turned; thus the vessel can be steered by pulling one
or the other of the steering-lines u.
If, now,
the main shaft S be rocked e.g. by means of treadles F or of an engine,
the rudder A will oscillate about the axis of the shaft S. The pressure of the
water on the rudder will then cause it to oscillate about the axis of the post a first
to one side and then to the other in such a manner as to produce movements of the
rudder similar to the strokes of the tail of a fish, by means of which the vessel will
be propelled.
Since the rudder-post a is connected by the spring c to the wheel H, which is
normally fixed in position, the amplitude of the oscillations of the rudder A about
the axis of the post a is dependent on the strength of the spring c.
In the accom-
panying drawings only one spring c is shown, but any desired number of springs
may be employed according to the size of the rudder the said springs being all
arranged between the toothed wheel H and arms fixed on the rudder-post a.
The springs employed for connecting the wheel H with the rudder-post a may be

page_text: of various forms and constructions without departing from the nature of this
invention.
"
*
astern
"
By pulling one of the steering lines during propulsion, i.e. when the rudder is
being oscillated or rocked by means of the shaft S, the rudder A can be caused
whilst oscillating in one direction about the axis of the shaft S, to make with a
plane perpendicular to the said axis an angle greater than that made by the rudder
with the same plane when oscillating in the opposite direction, and thus to effect
the steering of the vessel whilst still producing in it a motion ahead" or
as before. And by pulling one of the steering-lines u until the rudder may he
turned through an angle of 180°, the motion "ahead" can be converted into motion
"astern" and vice versa and by turning the rudder through slightly less or slightly
more than this angle the steering of the vessel may be simultaneously effected.
Therefore, by using the apparatus hereinbefore described there is never any
necessity to reverse the direction of working of the engine, because motion
ahead," steering, and motion "astern 'can be produced by means of the steering-
lines only.
66
"
In order that the particular teeth of the wheel H for the time being in work
may be changed from time to time the wheel H may be fitted loosely on a sleeve P.
itself loose on the tube r, so that the said wheel may be turned on the sleeve P and
then fixed thereon by means of screws h.
1 1
T
100+
Improvements in Means or Apparatus for Propelling, Steering, and
Manoeuvring Navigable Vessels.
I, HENRIC CHRISTIAN VOGT, of Holsteinsgade 31, Copenhagen, in the Kingdom
of Denmark, Civil Engineer, 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: -
The present invention relates to an arrangement of mechanism for enabling the
functions of the propeller and of the rudder to be performed by a single
mechanical part, and this arrangement also enables the engine to work always
in the same direction, so that it need not be so constructed as to be capable of
being reversed.
In the drawings filed with my Provisional Specification,
Fig. 1 shows a vertical section partly in elevation,
Fig. 2 a plan partly in section, and
which
Fig. 3 a side elevation, of apparatus constructed according to this invention.
The rudder A is rigidly secured by means of a fork g, on the rudder-post a,
is connected by means of an arm band a spring c, with a toothed wheel H, which is
adapted to be rotated by means of a worm O, about a tuber in which the rudder-
post a is guided, as in bearings, so as to be capable of rotation. The tuber also
serves as a guide for the rudder A, a fork frigidly secured on the rudder A being
arranged to loosely embrace the tuber so that it can turn around the same.
tee-piece T furnished with bearings for the worm O constitutes a rigid connection
between the tuber and a horizontal main shaft S, which is provided with bearings L
and a stuffing-box B. The arrangement as will be seen, is such that upon pulling
one or other of the steering lines u, the worm O, and consequently the toothed
wheel H will be partly rotated and by means of the spring c which connects the
A

page_text: toothed wheel H with the rudder-post a, the rudder will be partly turned; thus
the vessel can be steered by pulling one or the other of the steering-lines u.
If, now, the main shaft S be rocked or oscillated e.g. by means of treadles F, or
by an engine, the rudder A will oscillate like a pendulum, about the axis of the
shaft S in a plane which is at right angles to the central vertical longitudinal plane
of the vessel. The pressure of the water on the rudder (due to its pendulous
motion) will then cause it to turn about the axis of the post a, first to one side and
then to the other, in such a manner as to produce movements of the rudder similar
to the strokes of the tail of a fish, and by means of which the vessel will be
propelled, only a minimum of labour being required for effecting the oscillation of
the rudder, independent of the water resistance.
Since the rudder-post a is connected by the spring c to the wheel H, which is
prevented by means of the worm O from independently rotating, the amplitude of
the oscillations of the rudder A. about the axis of the post a will be dependent on
the strength or stiffness of the spring c. In the drawings only one spring c is
shown, but any desired number of springs may be employed according to the size
of the rudder, the said springs being all arranged between the toothed wheel H
and arms b fixed on the top of the rudder-post a. The springs employed for thus
connecting the wheel H with the rudder-post a may be of various forms and
constructions without departing from the nature of this invention, helical springs
being however preferred.
By pulling one of the steering-lines u during propulsion, simultaneously with the
rudder A being oscillated like a pendulum by means of the shaft S, the said rudder
can be caused, whilst moving in one direction about the axis of the shaft S, to
make with a plane at right angles to the said axis, an angle greater than that made
by the rudder with the same plane when moving in the opposite direction, and thus
to effect the steering of the vessel, whilst still producing in it a motion "ahead" or
"
astern as before.
66
"
"
By pulling one of the steering-lines u until the rudder is turned through an angle
of more than 90°, the motion "ahead can be converted into motion "astern and
vice versa, and by turning the rudder through slightly less or slightly more than this
angle the steering of the vessel inay be simultaneously effected.
"
Therefore, by the use of the apparatus herein before described, there is no
necessity to reverse the direction of working of the engine, because motion
"ahead," steering, and motion "astern can be produced by means of the steering-
lines alone. The pressure of the water against the rudder blade assists in turning
the same, when moved in one direction, and the worm keeps the blade in position,
when moved in the opposite direction, so that very little power is needed on the
steering lines.
In order that the particular teeth of the wheel H for the time being in work
may be changed from time to time, to equalise their wear, the wheel H may be
fitted on a sleeve P, loose on the tube r, so that the said wheel, after being
disconnected from the sleeve, can be turned on the sleeve and then re-fixed thereon
by means of screws h.
The propeller-rudder hereinbefore described can also be used as a rudder alone
in connection with ordinary screw propellers.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
7°
1. A propeller-rudder, characterized by the arrangement of the rudder-post a in
a tube firinly connected with and arranged at about right angles to the main
shaft S, while the upper free end of the rudder-post is securely connected by
means of a spring or springs to steering-gear mounted on the main shaft so that a
rocking movement of the main shaft will cause the rudder to swing like a pendulum
about the axis of the said shaft, and the pressure of the water will cause the rudder
to simultaneously oscillate about the axis of the rudder-post to an extent that will

page_text: be controlled by the spring or springs, the oscillations about the axis of the rudder-
post producing a thrust movement substantially as herein described.
2. The combination with a propeller rudder of the kind mentioned in Claim 1,
of steering-gear comprising a worm wheel H mounted to turn around the tube r
and connected to the spring or springs secured to the rudder-post, a worm o
mounted on the horizontal main shaft S, and in gear with the said worm wheel,
and steering-lines or equivalent means whereby the worm and worm wheel can be
turned forwards and backwards, the arrangement being such that the simultaneous
oscillation of the rudder about the axis of the main shaft and about the rudder-
post can be caused to produce a greater effect at one side of a longitudinal plane
passing centrally through the vessel than at the other side of such plane, so that
the vessel can be steered either when going ahead or astern, and the motion of the
vessel can by turning the rudder through an angle of more than 90°, be changed
from ahead to astern, and vice versa, substantially as described and shown.
Dated this 25th day of September 1894.
For the Applicant,
W. LLOYD WISE,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.