An Invention for Improvements in the Construction of Steering Gear, Chiefly Applicable to Fishing Boats and similar Vessels.
Year: 1886

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Invention for Improvements in the Construction of Steering
Gear, Chiefly Applicable to Fishing Boats and similar Vessels.
I, GEORGE SOUTER of the Town and County of Elgin, North Britain, Engineer
and Ironfounder do hereby declare the nature of the said invention FOR IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF STEERING GEAR, CHIEFLY APPLICABLE TO FISHING
BOATS AND SIMILAR VESSELS to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to improvements in that class of steering apparatus in
which the power is transmitted through wheels, pulleys, and chains, to the Rudder,
and the object of my Invention is to improve the construction of such steering
apparatus, so as to render it more suitable for fishing boats and similar vessels, and
to obviate the use of the Tiller, which on the large size of boats now used, has
become exceedingly dangerous.
The Invention consists in having two bevel gear wheels of the same dimensions
upon a transverse spindle, sufficiently apart to admit a pinion of suitable size, to
engage in the teeth of said wheels, so that when motion is given to this pinion by
the steering wheel, or handle on the spindle of the pinion, or by other means the
said bevel wheels would be moved in opposite directions.
Upon these bevel wheels would be secured or cast, threaded spools or barrels, one
boing left hand, and the other right.
A chain would pass from each barrel to a suitable attachment on either side of
the Rudder, and when being wound round the barrels, the threads would prevent
the chain from riding or overlapping.
The chain where attached to the Rudder will not travel through a portion of a
regular circle, and in order to have both chains equally tight, at whatever point
the Rudder may be, the spools or barrels would be of such a taper as when the
chain was being let off from the large. diameter of the one, it would be taken in
sufficiently fast by the small diameter of the other, and vice, versa.
The transverse spindle for the barrels and wheels, may be mounted on a frame
and fixed to the deck or wherever most convenient, and the spindle for carrying

page_text: the steering wheel, or handle on one end and the pinion on the other, may be
attached to said frame, and in such a manner, that the steering wheel may work
either horizontally, vertically, or obliquely.
On said transverse spindle and between the two bevel wheels, and connected to
one of them, there would be a worm which would move a spindle upon which
would be fixed an Index hand showing the direction in which the Rudder was
being moved.
Applicable to Fishing Boats and similar Vessels.
1, GEORGE SOUTER of the town and County of Elgin, North Britain, Engineer
and Ironfounder do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF STEERING GEAR CHIEFLY APPLICABLE TO FISHING BOATS
AND SIMILAR VESSELS," 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 that class of steering apparatus in
which the power is transmitted by wheels, chains, barrels, and pulleys, to the
rudder, and the object of my said Invention is to improve the construction of such
steering apparatus, so as to render it more applicable to fishing boats, and to
obviate the use of the tiller, which, on the large size of boats now used has been
found a source of great danger. -The Invention consists of two bevel gear wheels
of the same diameter and dimensions mounted so as to rotate loosely upon a trans-
verse spindle, and at a distance apart sufficient to admit of a pinion of suitable size
engaging with the said wheels, so that when motion is given to the pinion by the
steering wheel, which is secured on the spindle of the pinion, or by other means,
the said bevel wheels are moved rotatively in opposite directions. Upon the
beforementioned bevel wheels are secured, or cast, threaded, or spirally grooved
spools, barrels or drums one being right hand and the other left hand. From each
of these spools, barrels or drums a chain passes to a suitable attachment on either

page_text: side of the rudder, and when being wound round the said barrels, the threads or
spiral grooves thereon prevent the said chains from riding or overlapping.
The chain at the rudder does not travel through a portion of a circle, and in
order that both chains may be equally tight at all positions of the rudder, the
beforementioned spirally-grooved spools or barrels are formed taper, so that when
the chain is unwound or let off from the larger end of one barrel, it is wound in at
the required rate, by and upon the smaller end of the other, or opposite barrel and
vice-versa.
The transverse spindle upon which the beforementioned barrels, and bevel
I wheels are mounted, is or may be supported in a frame which is fixed to the
deck or wherever most convenient, and the spindle, upon one end of which is secured
the steering wheel and on the other end of which is secured the beforementioned
bevel pinion may also be supported in the said frame, and in a manner to enable
the said steering wheel to be rotated either horizontally, vertically or obliquely.
To one of the beforementioned bevel wheels a screw-threaded boss is connected,
and so arranged as to move a lever or arm secured to a spindle upon which is also
secured an Index hand by means of which the direction in which the rudder is
being moved may be readily observed.
.
In order that my said Invention may be properly understood, and readily carried
into effect, I will now proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed.
Figures 1 and 2, represent respectively a plan and an end elevation of Improved
steering gear constructed according to my present Invention. A is the steering
wheel with the bevel pinion B, secured on the lower or opposite end of its
spindle C, The pinion B, gears into the two bevel wheels D D, which are secured
to or formed in part with the right and left-hand conical spools, barrels, or
drums E E, the said spools, barrels, or drums being constructed of iron or other
suitable material. When the pinion B, is rotated, which is or may be effected by
means of the steering wheel A, the bevel wheels D D, and the spools, barrels or
drums E, E, are rotated in opposite directions on the transverse spindle F, and the
spirally grooved. spools, barrels, or drums E E, being right and left handed, the
chains GG, the opposite ends of which are attached to the rudder yoke or hasp H,
have a corresponding extent of motion, imparted thereto as hereinafter explained,
and move the rudder I (Figure 2) upon its pivot pin J-The rudder yoke or
hasp H, is bolted or otherwise secured to the rudder I (Figure 2) near the upper
end thereof, and the chains G G, are coupled to the said yoke by the jointed
shackles K, K, and the pins LL.
In order to prevent the chain from bearing against the stern post, when the
rudder is moved to one side, there are provided the projections M M, on each side
of the yoke or hasp H,-Each of these projections M M, when moving outwards
from the stern of the boat, carries the chain, which passes across such projection,
through its own arc of a circle, while the projection, which, at the time, is moving.
towards the stern of the boat, leaves its chain free to assume a straight line
extending direct from the guide rollers N N, to the shackle pins L L,-The out-
going chain is thus caused to move much faster out than the incoming chain is
hauled in; it is in order to compensate for this difference in the rate of motion of
the chains G G, that I construct the spirally grooved spools, barrels or drums E E,
of conical form, it being explained that the taper of such spools or barrels is such
as maintains the two chains G G, at all times, equally tight.
The guide rollers N N, are placed at the most suitable point near the stern of
the boat, at which part the chain passes out through the gunnwale or bulwark
(not represented upon the annexed drawings) and to prevent the wood from being.
chafed by the chains G G, the said chains, may be passed through iron rings or
hawse pipes in the ordinary well known manner.
The barrels or drums E E, which I have represented upon the annexed drawings
are such as will accommodate about two turns of chain G, but I desire it to be
understood that by constructing the said barrels or drums of increased diameter
they may be arranged so that one, or a portion, of one revolution will be sufficient

page_text: to move the rudder I, through the whole, or half of its range. Under this last
mentioned arrangement the spools, barrels or drums, would preferably be secured
eccentrically upon the shaft F.
In place of arranging the barrels or drums E E, in the manner represented upon
the annexed drawings, so as to be rotated about a horizontal axis, they may, by
the substitution of spur gear wheels for the bevel gear wheels D D, be arranged to
rotate about a vertical or an inclined axis, and the steering wheel A, may be
arranged to work horizontally, vertically or obliquely and instead of the cast-iron
base, and the bracket P, in which the herein before described spindles C, and F,
and their directly connected parts are supported, a bracket or frame formed of
wood or other suitable material of the same or of other shape substituted therefor.
Upon the annexed drawings I have represented my improved gearing as applied
to a boat having a slanting stern, but, it can obviously be as easily applied to a
boat having a perpendicular stern.
The rudder, as presently used, has to be unshipped while the boat is being
worked at certain operations at sea, and to dispense with the necessity of this very
dangerous operation, I employ means to tighten both the chains G, G, equally
from the rudder and, for the time being, lock the said rudder in its central
position. This I effect by means of the bracket Q, which is rigidly secured to the
deck at the part thereof over which the chains G G, cross. To this bracket Q, at
the point T, is pivoted a lever, which is constructed double, that is to say, formed
with the two bars R R, as shewn more particularly at Figure 1,-Between these
two bars R R, there is space sufficient to admit of both chains G G, passing there-
through, and the said cliains being furnished with larger links which come, abreast
of each other above the bracket Q, at the time, when the rudder I, is straight
astern, the locking pin S, may be passed through the two sides R, R, of the
beforementioned lever and through both chains G G, that is to say, 'as shown
more particularly at Figure 1, of the annexed drawings. When so arranged, the
lever RR, is pressed forward at its upper end, by means of the screw U, and tho
chains GG, between the bracket Q, and the rudder I, are thereby drawn equally
tight. The screw swivels V V, are provided for the purpose of enabling the length
of the chains G G, to be adjusted after having become stretched or worn, and the
lock nuts W W, admit of the screws of such swivels being secured against working
out. To one of the bevel wheels D D, is connected the screw-threaded boss X,
represented in dotted lines at Figure 1, and which is arranged to gear with the
lever or arm X (Figure 2) which is secured to the spindle Y, To the upper end of
this spindle Y, is secured the index hand Z, which receives motion from right to
left of the steersman, and thereby indicates the movement of the rudder.
In place of the two spools, barrels or drums E E, being formed and operated
independently of each other, they may he formed in one casting as though joined end
to end. Under this arrangement the said barrels or drums would be rotated by means
of one gear wheel and pinion.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is-
First The improvements in the construction of steering gear consisting of the
spirally grooved conical spools, barrels, or drums EE, which are or may be
arranged so as to rotate about either a horizontal, vertical or inclined axis, all
substantially as and operated in the manner, and for the purposes hereinbefore set
forth with reference to the annexed drawings.
Second-The improvements in the construction of steering gear consisting of
the double lever R, R, the lower end of which is pivoted at T; to the stationary
bracket Q, and the pin S, for tightening, and, for the time being, locking the
rudder I, in its central position, all substantially as and operating in the manner
and for the purposes herein before set forth with reference to the annexed drawings.
Third The improvements in the construction of steering gear consisting of the

page_text: Index hand Z, which is operated by means of the screw-threaded boss X, the lever
or arm X', and the spindle Y, and by means of which the direction of motion or
relative position of the rudder I, is, or may be readily ascertained, all substantially
as hereinbefore described with reference to the annexed drawings.
Fourth The improvements in the construction of steering gear, consisting of
the yoke or hasp H, provided with the projections M, and bolted or equivalently
secured to the rudder. I, the chains G, being connected therewith by means of the
shackles K, and pins L, all substantially as and for the purposes herein before set
forth with reference to the annexed drawings.

page_text: Emploi the Construction of Steering
Gear, Chiefly Applicable to Fishing Boats and similar Vessels.
I, GEORGE SOUTER of the Town and County of Elgin, North Britain, Engineer
and Ironfounder do hereby declare the nature of the said invention for IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF STEERING GEAR, CHIEFLY APPLICABLE TO FISHING
BOATS AND SIMILAR VESSELS to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to improvements in that class of steering apparatus in
which the power is transmitted through wheels, pulleys, and chains, to the Rudder;
and the object of my Invention is to improve the construction of such steering
apparatus, so as to render it more suitable for fishing boats and similar vessels, and
to obviate the use of the Tiller, which on the large size of boats now used, has
become exceedingly dangerous.
The Invention consists in having two bevel gear wheels of the same dimensions
upon a transverse spindle, sufficiently apart to admit a pinion of suitable size, to
engage in the teeth of said wheels, so that when motion is given to this pinion by
the steering wheel, or handle on the spindle of the pinion, or by other means the
said bevel wheels would be moved in opposite directions.
Upon these bevel wheels would be secured or cast, threaded spools or barrels, one
being left hand, and the other right.
A chain would pass from each barrel to a suitable attachment on either side of
the Rudder, and when being wound round the barrels, the threads would prevent
the chain froin riding or overlapping.
The chain where attached to the Rudder will not travel through a portion of a
regular circle, and in order to have both chains equally tight, at whatever point
the Rudder may be, the spools or barrels would be of such a taper as when the
chain was being let off from the large diameter of the one, it would be taken in
sufficiently fast by the small diameter of the other, and vice, versa.
The transverse spindle for the barrels and wheels, may be mounted on a frame
and fixed to the deck or wherever most convenient, and the spindle for carrying
the steering wheel, or handle on one end and the pinion on the other, may be

page_text: attached to said frame, and in such a manner, that the steering wheel may work
either horizontally, vertically, or obliquely.
On said transverse spindle and between the two bevel wheels, and connected to
one of them, there would be a worm which would move a spindle upon which
would be fixed an Index hand showing the direction in which the Rudder was
being moved,
Applicable to Fishing Boats and similar Vessels.
I; GEORGE SOUTER of the town and County of Elgin, North Britain, Engineer
and Ironfounder do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF STEERING GEAR CHIEFLY APPLICABLE TO FISHING BOATS
AND SIMILAR VESSELS," 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 that class of steering apparatus in
which the power is transmitted by wheels, chains, barrels, and pulleys, to the
rudder, and the object of my said Invention is to improve the construction of such
steering apparatus, so as to render it more applicable to fishing boats, and to
obviate the use of the tiller, which, on the large size of boats now used has been
found a source of great danger.—The Invention consists of two bevel gear wheels
of the same diameter and dimensions mounted so as to rotate loosely upon a trans-
verse spindle, and at a distance apart sufficient to admit of a pinion of suitable size
engaging with the said wheels, so that when motion is given to the pinion by the
steering wheel, which is secured on the spindle of the pinion, or by other means,
the said bevel wheels are moved rotatively in opposite directions.-Upon the
beforementioned bevel wheels are secured, or cast, threaded, or spirally grooved
spools, barrels or drums one being right hand and the other left band. From each
of these spools, barrels or drums a chain passes to a suitable attachment on either
side of the rudder, and when being wound round the said barrels, the threads or
spiral grooves thereon prevent the said chains from riding or overlapping.
The chain at the rudder does not travel through a portion of a circle, and in
order that both chains may be equally tight at all positions of the rudder, the
beforementioned spirally grooved spools or barrels are formed taper, so that when
the chain is unwound or let off from the larger end of one barrel, it is wound in at
the required rate, by and upon the smaller end of the other, or opposite barrel and
vice-versa.

page_text: The transverse spindle upon which the beforementioned barrels, and bevel
wheels are mounted, is or may be supported in a frame which is fixed to the
deck or wherever most convenient, and the spindle, upon one end of which is secured
the steering wheel and on the other end of which is secured the beforementioned
bevel pinion may also be supported in the said frame, and in a manner to enable
the said steering wheel to be rotated either horizontally, vertically or obliquely.
To one of the beforementioned bevel wheels a screw-threaded boss is connected,
and so arranged as to move a lever or arm secured to a spindle upon which is also
secured an Index hand by means of which the direction in which the rudder. is
being moved may be readily observed.
In order that my said Invention may be properly understood, and readily carried
into effect, I will now proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed.
Figures 1 and 2, represent respectively a plan and an end elevation of Improved
steering gear constructed according to my present Invention. A is the steering
wheel with the bevel pinion B, secured on the lower or opposite end of its
spindle C-The pinion B, gears into the two bevel wheels D D, which are secured
to or formed in part with the right and left-hand conical spools, barrels, or
drums E E, the said spools, barrels or drums being constructed of iron or other
suitable material.-When the pinion B, is rotated, which is or may be effected by
means of the steering wheel A, the bevel wheels D D, and the spools, barrels or
drums E, E, are rotated in opposite directions on the transverse spindle F, and the
spirally grooved spools, barrels, or drums E E, being right and left handed, the
chains G G, the opposite ends of which are attached to the rudder yoke or hasp H,
have a corresponding extent of motion, imparted thereto as hereinafter explained,
and move the rudder I (Figure 2) upon its pivot pin J.-The rudder yoke or
basp H, is bolted or otherwise secured to the rudder I (Figure 2) near the upper
end thereof, and the chaius G G, are coupled to the said yoke by the jointed
shackles K, K, and the pins L L.
In order to prevent the chain from bearing against the stern post, when the
rúdder is moved to one side, there are provided the projections M M, on each side
of the yoke or hasp H,-Each of these projections M M, when moving outwards
from the stern of the boat, carries the chain, which passes across such projection,
through its own arc of a circle, while the projection, which, at the time, is moving
towards the stern of the boat, leaves its chain free to assume a straight line
extending direct from the guide rollers N N, to the shackle pins L L-The out-
going chain is thus caused to move much faster out than the incoming chain is
hauled in; it is in order to compensate for this difference in the rate of motion of
the chains G G, that I construct the spirally grooved spools, barrels or drums E E,
of conical form, it being explained that the taper of such spools or barrels is such
as maintains the two chains G G, at all times, equally tight.
The guide rollers N N, are placed at the most suitable point near the stern of
the boat, at which part the chain passes out through the gunnwale or bulwark
(not represented upon the annexed drawings) and to prevent the wood from being
chafed by the chains G G, the said chains, may be passed through iron rings or
hawse pipes in the ordinary well known manner.
The barrels or drums E E, which I have represented upon the annexed drawings
are such as will accomodate about two turns of chain G, but I desire it to be
understood that by constructing the said barrels or drums of increased diameter
they may be arranged so that one, or a portion, of one revolution will be sufficient
to move the rudder I, through the whole, or half of its range. Under this last
mentioned arrangement the spools, barrels or drums, would preferably be secured
eccentrically upon the shaft F.
In place of arranging the barrels or drums E E, in the manner represented upon
the annexed drawings, so as to be rotated about a horizontal axis, they may, by
the substitution of spur gear wheels for the bevel gear wheels D D, be arranged to
rotate about a vertical or an inclined axis, and the steering wheel A, may be
arranged to work horizontally; vertically or obliquely and instead of the cast-iron

page_text: base O; and the bracket P, in which the herein before described spindles C, and F,
and their directly connected parts are supported, a bracket or frame formed of
wood or other suitable material of the same or of other shape substituted therefor.
Upon the annexed drawings I have represented my improved gearing as applied
to a boat having a slanting stern, but, it can obviously be as easily applied to a
boat having a perpindicular stern.
The rudder, as presently used, has to be unshipped while the boat is being
worked at certain operations at sea, and to dispense with the necessity of this very
dangerous operation, I employ means to tighten both the chains G, G, equally
from the rudder and, for the time being, lock the said rudder in its central
position. This I effect by means of the bracket Q, which is rigidly secured to the
deck at the part thereof over which the chains G G, cross.-To this bracket Q, at
the point T, is pivoted a lever, which is constructed double, that is to say, formed
with the two bars R R, as shewn more particularly at Figure 1,-Between these
two bars R R, there is space sufficient to admit of both chains G G, passing there-
through, and the said chains being furnished with larger links which come, abreast
of each other above the bracket Q, at the time, when the rudder I, is straight
astern, the locking pin S, may be passed through the two sides R, R, of the
beforementioned lever and through both chains G G, that is to say, as shewn
more particularly at Figure 1, of the annexed drawings. When so arranged, the
lever RR, is pressed forward at its upper end, by means of the screw U, and the
chains G G, between the bracket Q, and the rudder I, are thereby drawn equally
tight. The screw swivels VV, are provided for the purpose of enabling the length
of the chains G G, to be adjusted after having become stretched or worn, and the
lock nuts W W, admit of the screws of such swivels being secured against working
out. To one of the bevel wheels D D, is connected the screw-threaded boss X,
represented in dotted lines at Figure 1, and which is arranged to gear with the
lever or arm X (Figure 2) which is secured to the spindle Y,-To the upper end of
this spindle Y, is secured the index hand Z, which receives motion from 'right to
left of the steersman, and thereby indicates the movement of the rudder.
I desire it to be understood although I have herein before describe.i and shewn
on the annexed drawings an arrangement of steering gear embodying my present
improvements, that I do not bind myself to the precise form thereof as the same
may be varied in many ways without departing from the essential features of my
Invention, and as an example, it may be explained, that in place of the two spools,
barrels or drums EE, being formed and operated independently of each other, they
may be formed in one casting as though jointed end to end. Under this
arrangement the said barrels or drums would be rotated by means of one gear
wheel and pinion.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is-
First The improvements in the construction of steering gear consisting of the
spirally grooved conical spools, barrels, or drums E E, which are or may be
arranged so as to rotate about either a horizontal, vertical or inclined axis, all
substantially as and operated in the manner, and for the purposes herein before set
forth with reference to the annexed drawings or any mere modification thereof.
Second-The improvements in the construction of steering gear consisting of
the double lever R, R, the lower end of which is pivoted at T, to the stationary
bracket Q, and the pin S, for tightening, and, for the time being, locking the
rudder I, in its central position, all substantially as and operating in the manner
and for the purposes herein before set forth with reference to the annexed drawings,
or the mechanical equivalents of all or any of the parts thereof.
Third-The improvements in the.construction of steering gear consisting of the
Index hand Z, which is operated by means of the screw-threaded boss X, the lever:
or aru X¹, and the spindle. Y, and by means of which the direction of motion or:

page_text: relative position of the rudder I, is, or may be readily ascertained, all substantially
as hereinbefore described with reference to the annexed drawings.
Fourth The improvements in the construction of steering gear, consisting of
the yoke or hasp H, provided with the projections M, and bolted or equivalently
secured.to the rudder I, the chains G, being connected there with by means of the
shackles K, and pins L, all substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore set
forth with reference to the annexed drawings, or the mechanical equivalents of ali
or any of the parts thereof.