IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM STEERING ENGINES, AND GEAR CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles George Yates King, of Liverpool, in the County
of Lancaster, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM STEERING
ENGINES, AND GEAR CONNECTED THEREWITH.”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles George Yates King
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th February 1880.
CHARLES GEORGE YATES KING, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM STEERING ENGINES, AND GEAR CONNECTED THEREWITH.”
My Invention relates so certain improvements in the arrangement and con-
struction of steam steering engines, and to certain improvements in controlling and
cut off gear to be used more particularly in direct communication with link motion
for steam steering engines.
First. The arrangement and construction of parts constituting a steam steering
gear, applicable also as a hand gear according to my Invention, consists of a pair
of horizontal, vertical, or diagonal positioned steam cylinders, actuating by means
of their piston and connecting rods and cranks or discs a horizontal or equivalent
shaft, upon
which is mounted a worm which works into and drives a worm wheel of
large diameter, the proportions between the worm and worm wheel being about sixty
to one, or thereabouts, as specified in former Letters Patent granted to my partner,
John Hays Wilson, No. 2246, dated 6th June 1879. This worm wheel is mounted
loosely upon a shaft carried in suitable bearings on standards or framework, which
shaft also carries the chain drum or wheel which actuates the chain or its
equivalent leading to the rudder. Upon this shaft there is mounted a sliding
clutch, sliding on a feather or key on the shaft, or equivalently fixed to slide and
rotate with the shaft. On the shaft there is also mounted a spur wheel which
gears into a pinion driven by a shaft, on which is mounted the hand steering
wheel, which shaft I will call the hand shaft, the other being known as the barrel
shaft. The hand shaft is mounted in bearings carried by two standards, one of
them being the barrel shaft standard prolonged. Upon the hand shaft there is
mounted a toothed wheel sliding on a keyway or its equivalent, and being the
gear, or part of the gear, for operating the valves of the steam engine hereinafter
described. The end of the barrel shaft is provided with a clutch, and working into

page_text: the barrel shaft there is a shaft which carries a clutch, through which the said
shaft is free to travel on a keyway, and which clutch gears into the clutch fixed on
the end of the barrel shaft. On the standard of the barrel shaft there is a bracket
which carries and acts as a fulcrum for a compound lever, namely, a lever which
acts as a lever of the first order for throwing the toothed wheel on the hand shaft
in and out of gear with the valve controlling gear hereinafter described, and as
a lever of the second order for throwing the clutch of the controlling gear shaft in
and out of gear with the clutch on the barrel shaft. This compound lever is
worked by a screw shaft and wheel or its equivalent. The other end of this screw
shaft operates a lever of the first order, which moves the sliding clutch on the
barrel shaft before spoken of as placing the worm wheel in or out of gear with the
barrel shaft. By this arrangement of levers and clutches I am enabled by one
simple movement to place the apparatus into gear for hand or steam, as may be
required.
Second. The controlling or cut off gear consists of the beforementioned shaft
working into the barrel shaft. This shaft carries the sliding clutch herein before
referred to as gearing into the clutch on the end of the barrel shaft. A sleeve or
clutch on this controlling shaft works a lever of the first order, which works the
link motion, and thereby the valves of the engine and the toothed wheel which
gears into the toothed wheel on the hand shaft, the centre or boss of which wheel
is screwed to receive the end of the said controlling shaft, the prolonged boss of
the wheel running in a bearing in the standard before mentioned as carrying the
hand shaft. When the apparatus is in gear for steam by turning the hand shaft
the toothed wheel on the hand shaft turns the wheel on the controlling shaft, and
by the screw slides the controlling shaft into the barrel shaft. This movement
operates the lever which controls the link motion and starts the engine; as the
barrel shaft is turned by the motion of the engine it slides back the controlling
shaft, and thus shuts off the steam by actuating the lever which operates the link
motion.
A modification of the controlling gear, and when hand steering is not required,
consists in forming a screw on that end of the controlling shaft which takes into
the barrel shaft. On the controlling shaft is keyed a narrow toothed wheel, and
the clutch which operates the valve lever; the other end of the controlling shaft
slides into a supporting guide or bracket, the upper portion of which serves as a
bearing for the hand or super shaft, which is operated by a hand wheel. The hand
or super shaft carries a broad toothed wheel, which gears into the narrow toothed
wheel on the controlling shaft; between the broad toothed wheel and the bracket
which supports the hand shaft the said shaft is screwed, on which screw travels a
boss held by a pin, which boss serves as a stop to prevent overrunning the engine
hard over to port or starboard.
In operation, by the turning of the hand shaft, the broad toothed wheel turns
the controlling shaft by the narrow toothed wheel; the controlling shaft is thus
unscrewed out of the barrel shaft, or screwed further into the barrel shaft, as the
case may be, the action operating the valve lever, and setting the link motion
to start the engines the required way; the movement of the engines bringing
back the link to the central position by the barrel shaft operating the controlling
shaft.
A modification of my Invention as arranged for a bridge steering gear consists in
prolonging the barrel shaft, and forming a screw thereon, which screw takes into
the controlling shaft, the other end of which slides in a keyway within a boss of
the bevel tooth wheel, which runs in a fixed bearing, and is operated by a second
bevel toothed wheel actuated by a shaft from the bridge.
In operation by the bevel wheels the controlling shaft is rotated, so as to actuate
the valve lever to which it is connected; as steam is given to the engines the
engines rotate, and the barrel shaft by its screw brings the valve lever back into
central position by actuating the controlling shaft.
A further modification of my Invention consists in mounting a toothed wheel

page_text: on the end of the barrel shaft. This toothed wheel works into a pinion keyed on
the hand shaft, which shaft also serves as the controlling shaft. On this hand
shaft there is a loose bevel wheel formed on a boss with a diagonal or wedge
groove, which wedge groove receives and operates the valve lever: Keyed on the
handshaft is a boss with two pins at right angles to such shaft which carry loose
bevel wheels, which gear into the loose bevel wheel before mentioned in connection
with the wedge grooved boss operating the valve lever. On the other end of the
band shaft there is mounted a loose bevel wheel, which gears into the two before
mentioned bevel wheels carried by the pins, and at right angles to the bandshaft.
The fourth or last mentioned bevel wheel has its boss prolonged so as to take into
a suitable bearing; and so as to receive a hand or operating wheel, which is keyed
to it.
In operation the valve lever is actuated by turning the train or group of bevol
wheels, and thus changing the position of the wedge grove on the first mentioned
bevel wheel, which moves the valve lever. The valve lever is brought into central
position by the toothed wheel on the barrel shaft which operates the pinion, and
thereby the hand shaft, causing the bevel wheels carried on the pins of the hand
shaft to bring the bevel wheel with the wedge groove back to the position from
which it started, thereby actuating the valve lever.
My Invention is particularly applicable for actuating link motion valve gear
and ordinary valves, which may be used independently of any special_controlling
valve, but my Invention is also applicable for operating other valves, being
auxiliary, or additional valves, in connection with steam steering engines, as will be
understood.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Charles George Yates King in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
20th August 1880.
"
"7
CHARLES GEORGE YATES KING, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster
IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM STEERING ENGINES, AND GEAR CONNECTED THEREWITH.
My Invention relates to certain improvements in the arrangement and construc-
tion of steam steering engines, and to certain improvements in controlling and cut
off gear to be used more particularly in direct communication with link motion for
steam steering engines.
The following is a description of my Invention in such full, clear, exact, and
concise terms as to enable any one skilled in the art to which it appertains to make
and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings,
making a part of this Specification, and to the letters and figures of reference
marked thereon, like letters and figures being used to denote the same or corre-
sponding parts throughout the various Figures:-
First. The arrangement and construction of parts constituting a steam steering
gear, applicable also as a hand gear according to my Invention, is illustrated at
Figure 1 of the Drawings, which is a side elevation of a steam and hand steering
gear, and Figure 14, which is a sectional elevation of controlling gear. The
apparatus consists of a pair of horizontal, vertical, or diagonal positioned steam.
cylinders A (the horizontal type illustrated in the Drawings) actuating by means
of their pistons and connecting rods B and cranks or discs C a horizontal or
equivalently positioned shaft D, upon which is mounted a worm E, which works
into and drives a worm wheel of large diameter F, the proportions between the
worm and worm wheel being about sixty to one, or thereabouts, as specified in
former Letters Patent granted to my partner, John Hays Wilson, No. 2246, dated
6 June 1879. In my arrangement the worm wheel F is mounted; loosely on thic
shaft G, which is carried in the bearings H, on the standards or framework I, 1'.
The shaft G also carries the chain drum or wheel J, which actuates the chain, or its
equivalent, leading to the tiller of the rudder. Upon the shaft G is mounted a
clutch K, which slides on a feather, or key on the shaft G, or is equivalently
arranged to slide on and be rotated with the shaft G. On the shaft G there is also
mounted a loose spur wheel L, which gears into a pinion M, which is driven by the
shaft N, on which is mounted the hand steering wheel O. The shaft N I will call
the hand shaft, and the shaft G the barrel shaft. The hand shaft N is mounted in
bearings carried by the standards 11, 1". Upon the shaft N is mounted a toothed
wheel P sliding on a keyway, or its equivalent, and being the gear or part of the
gear for operating the valves of the steam engine A. The end of the barrel shaft G
is provided with a clutch Q, and working into the barrel shaft there is a shaft R,
which carries a clutch S, through which the shaft R is free to travel on a keyway,
and which clutch S gears into the clutch Q, fixed on the end of the barrel shaft G.
On the standard I' there is a bracket I¹11, which carries and acts as a fulcrum for
the compound lever T, which acts as a lever of the first order for throwing the
toothed wheel P on the hand shaft N in and out of gear with the valve controlling
gear hercin after described, and as a lever of the second order for throwing the
clutch S of the controlling gear shaft R in and out of gear with the clutch Q on the
barrel shaft G. This compound lever T is worked by a screwed shaft and wheel U,
or its equivalent. The other end of the shaft U operates a lever V of the first order,
which moves the sliding clutch K in or out of gear with the worm wheel F and the
spur wheel L. By this arrangement of levers and clutches I am enabled by one
simple movement to place the apparatus into gear for hand or steam, as may be
required.
Second. The controlling or cut off gear consists of the before mentioned shaft R,

page_text: working into the barrel shaft C. The shaft R carries the sliding clutch S before
referred to as gearing into the clutch Q. W is a sleeve on the controlling shaft R.
The sleeve W works the lever W', and thereby the link motion X, and thereby the
valves of the engine. The toothed wheel Y gears into the toothed wheel P on the
hand shaft. The centre or boss of the wheel Y is screwed. to receive the screwed
end of the controlling shaft R, the prolonged boss of the wheel Y running in a
bearing in the standard I". When the apparatus is in gear for steam, by turning
the hand shaft N the toothed wheel P turns the wheel Y, and by the screw slides
the controlling shaft R into the barrel shaft G. This movement operates the
lover W, which controls the link motion X, and starts the engine. As the barrel
shaft G is turned by the motion of the engine it slides back the controlling shaft R,
and thus shuts off the steam by reversing the action of the lever W', which operates
the link motion X.
A modification of the controlling gear, and when hand gear is not required, is
illustrated at Figures 2 and 3. This consists in forming a screw on that end of the
controlling shaft R which takes into the barrel shaft G. On the controlling shaft R is
keyed a narrow toothed wheel Y and the sleeve W, which operates the valve lever W'.
The other end of the controlling shaft R slides into a supporting guide or bracket R',
the upper portion of which serves as a bearing for the band or supershaft N, which
is operated by the hand wheel O. The hand or super shaft N carries a broad toothed
wheel P into which gears the toothed wheel Y on the controlling shaft R. Between
the wheel P and the bracket R' the shaft N is screwed, and on such screwed part
there travels a boss N¹, held by a pin which serves as a stop to prevent over
running the engine hard over to port or starboard.
In operation, by turning the hand shaft N the wheel P turns the wheel Y, and
thereby the controlling shaft R. The controlling shaft R is thus unscrewed out of
the barrel shaft G, or screwed further into the barrel shaft G, as the case may be.
The action thus operates the valve lever W₁ and sets the link motion to start the
engines the required way. The movement of the engines causes the barrel shaft G
to operate the controlling shaft R, and thus brings back the lever W' and the link
to the central position.
A modification of my Invention as arranged for a bridge steering gear is illus-
trated at Figure 4, and consists in prolonging the barrel shaft G and forming thereon
a screw G¹, which screw G¹ takes into the controlling shaft R, as illustrated. The
other end slides in a keyway within the boss of the bevel tooth Y which runs in
the bearing R', and is operated by the bevel wheel P and the hand shaft N which
leads to the bridge.
In operation by the bevel wheels P, Y, the controlling shaft R is rotated so as to
actuate the valve lever W' to which it is connected. As steam is given to the
engines the engines rotate, and the barrel shaft, by its screw G, brings the valve
lever W back into a central position by actuating the controlling shaft R.
A further modification of my Invention is illustrated in sectional elevation at
Figure 5, and in plan at Figure 6. This consists in mounting the toothed wheel G"
on the end of the barrel shaft G; this toothed wheel G" works in a pinion P keyed
on the hand shaft N, which shaft also serves as the controlling shaft R. On the
shaft N there is a loose bevel wheel a formed on a boss b which has a diagonal or
wedge groove e; this wedge groove e receives and operates the valve lever W
Keyed on the hand shaft N is a boss with two pins g, g¹, at right angles to the
shaft N. These pins g, g', carry loose bevel wheels h, h¹, which gear into the bevel
wheel a. On the other end of the shaft N there is mounted a loose bevel wheel k
which also gears into the wheels h, h. The wheel has its boss prolonged so as
to take into the bearing R' and so receive the hand wheel O which is keyed to it.
In operation the valve lever W₁ is actuated by turning the train or group of
bevel wheels a, h, h³, and k, and thus changing the position of the wedge groove c.
The valve lever W₁ is brought into central position by the toothed wheel G₁, which
operates the pinion P and thereby the hand shaft N, causing the bevel wheels h, h¹,

page_text: to bring the bovel wheel a and the groove e back to the position from which it
started, and thereby actuating the valve lever W¹.
My Invention is particularly applicable for actuating link motion valve gear and
ordinary valves which may be used independently of any special controlling valve,
but my Invention is also applicable for operating other valves, being auxiliary or
additional valves in connection with steam steering engines, as will be understood.
Having now described my Invention, and shown how the same may be put into
operation, what I claim as my Invention, and secured to me by Letters Patent as
aforesaid is,-
First. The arrangement and construction of parts constituting a steam and hand
steering apparatus, as herein described, and such as illustrated at Figure 1 of the
accompanying Drawings.
Second. Constructing, arranging, and operating controlling gear for steam steering
engines, as herein described and illustrated at Figures 1 and 14 of the accompanying
Drawings.
Third. Constructing, arranging, and operating controlling gear for steam steering
engines, as herein described and illustrated at Figures 2 and 3 of the accompanying
Drawings.
Fourth. Constructing, arranging, and operating bridge controlling gear for steam
steering engines, as herein described and illustrated at Figure 4 of the accompanying
Drawings.
Fifth. Constructing, arranging, and operating controlling gear for steam steering
engines, as herein described and illustrated at Figures 5 and 6 of the accompanying.
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles George Yates King, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
CHARLES GEORGE YATES (L.S.) KING.