IMPROVEMENTS IN STEERING GEAR, AND IN MACHINERY FOR STARTING, STOPPING, AND REVERSING HEAVY STEAM ENGINES AND TURRETS, AND FOR DISCHARGING CARGO
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Andrew Betts Brown, of Vernon Place, Birken-
head, in the County of Cheshire, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN STEERING GEAR, AND IN MACHINERY FOR STARTING, STOPPING, AND
REVERSING HEAVY STEAM ENGINES AND TURRETS, AND FOR DISCHARGING
CARGO."
.
1
Sealed the 4th October 1870, and dated the 7th April 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Andrew Betts Brown
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 7th April 1870.
I, ANDREW BETTS BROWN, of Vernon Place, Birkenhead, in the County
of Cheshire, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN STEERING GEAR, AND IN MACHINERY FOR STARTING, STOPPING,
AND REVERSING HEAVY STEAM ENGINES AND TURRETS, AND FOR DISCHARGING
CARGO," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in steering gear and
in machinery for starting, stopping, and reversing heavy steam engines
and turrets and discharging cargo.

page_text: My improvements relate to an hydraulic apparatus for which a Patent
was granted to me, dated 8th January 1869, No. 61. In the Specification
of the said Patent I described apparatus for obtaining water pressure by
means of steam and hydraulic rams of different areas, by which a high
pressure of water may be maintained and constantly supplied for the
purpose of conveying power.
The object of my present improvements therefore is in mechanism
which I prefer to be actuated by a high pressed water or other fluid from
such apparatus, but which may be also worked by a fluid pressure obtained
by any other suitable means.
In constructing steering gear for navigable ships the rudder head is
provided with a strong tiller, which is actuated by means of a pair of
hydraulic rams placed horizontally on each side of the tiller athwart the
ship. These rams are connected together at their inner ends, between
which they carry a block or bush which works on the turned cylindrical
end of the tiller, and which permits the latter to slide radially. These
hydraulic cylinders have branches attached to their outer ends, to which
strong hydraulic pipes are connected, the other end of which pipes
terminate in a slide valve chest having three ports, namely, one of the end
ports communicating with one of the above-named hydraulic cylinders,
which I will call the "port cylinder," the other extreme port with the
other or "starboard cylinder," and between these two ports the exhaust
port is placed. The cover of this valve chest has a branch on the top of
it, to which a pipe is connected, which supplies the high pressure water
from the pumping apparatus. This valve chest contains a slide valve
which for convenience I will call the "steering slide valve." The
steering slide valve" has two admission ports, one at each end, and
between these there is provided an exhaust cavity of sufficient length
that when the valve is in its central position it embraces all three ports
on the slide valve chest face and permits free communication between
both "port" and "starboard" hydraulic cylinders and exhaust passage.
Two bridges are also placed across the exhaust cavity, so that on the
necessary movement of the steering slide valve the "port," "starboard,"
and exhaust passages are all closed. The action of this valve is similar
to that of an ordinary steam engine valve, which is well understood,
namely, when it is moved to one extreme it admits water to the "port"
cylinder, while it exhausts from the "starboard" cylinder, and when
moved to the other extreme the opposite effect takes place; consequently
"

page_text: the hydraulic rams of the cylinders follow the action of this slide valve
and carry with them the tiller and rudder by means of the water pressure.
This apparatus is in itself well understood, but it is so far imperfect,
inasmuch that the smallest opening of the slide valve suffices to put the
rudder hard over either to port or starboard without giving any indication
to the steersman that such a movement has taken place. The rudder is
also held too rigidly, because of the iuclastic nature of the fluid generally
apparatus to enable the steersman to cause the rudder to move to any
desired position, and to be held there, with, however, a certain degree of
clasticity, and I will proceed to describe this improvement as follows:-
In the valve chest, as herein-before described, a second slide valve is
placed, which I will term the "rudder slide valve." This valve works upon
the back of the "steering slide valve," and is of sufficient length to cover
with the necessary lap the two ports in the "steering slide valve." It
is also left open in the centre, so that the high pressure water or other
fluid has access to the back of the "steering slide valve." This rudder
slide valve is actuated only by the positive motion of the rudder. The
connection between the rudder and its slide valve may be accomplished
by either rods or shafting, or, as I prefer it, by an arrangement of
hydraulic cylinders, one pair of which are attached to the tiller in a
similar manner to those heroin-before described, the other pair being
attached to a suitable lever connected to the "rudder slide valve."
These two pairs of cylinders are connected together, each pair separately,
by strong pipes, the one pair (that is, the cylinder connected to the tiller
with that attached to the lever of the "rudder slide valve,") forming the
"port" set, while the other pair similarly arranged form the "starboard"
set. These cylinders and pipes are kept always full of water or other
fluid in connection with the pumping apparatus, but by suitable valves
one set is prevented from communicating with the other set. The chief
function of these cylinders is to cause the "rudder slide valve " to
perform one stroke or movement for one stroke or movement of the tiller
and rudder. The "rudder slide valve" is so arranged that it follows in
the same direction any movement which takes place by the opening of
the steering slide valve," so that should the steersman move the latter
valve until it opens half the "starboard" port of the valve face the water
will cause the tiller to move over towards starboard until the "rudder
65

page_text: slide valve" moves sufficiently over to cover the port in the "steering
slide valve." In this position the rudder will be held fast until a further
motion of the "steering slide valve" takes place, when it will again be
closed by the motion of the "rudder slide valve" following it. To
prevent damage to the rudder by overstraining I place a circular three
feathered valve on each of the pipes leading to the large hydraulic
cylinders, which valves open inwardly into the valve chest cover against
the hydraulic pressure. The "steering slide valve" may be actuated by
a lever, or, as I prefer it, by the ordinary well known ship's steering
wheel having an internal screwed bush working upon the valve rod,
which is screwed externally to fit. The steering wheel is mounted on a
frame having two fixed bearings, so as to prevent any longitudinal
motion.
My Invention is also equally applicable to starting, stopping, and
reversing heavy steam engines. The hydraulic cylinders for moving the
valve gear may be placed one on each side or in any other suitable
position; or a double-acting cylinder may be used, a similar "steering
slide valve" and chest being employed. The "rudder slide valve,"
however, I prefer to work directly by a lever connected to the valve gear
to be moved.
An arrangement of my Invention may also be adapted to moving
armour-plated turrets, and also in working jib cranes and hoists where
it is required to move certain bodies to a variable position by a self-acting
valve arrangement, as herein-before described.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Andrew Betts Brown in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 7th October 1870.
10 ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ANDREW
BETTS BROWN, of Vernon Place, Birkenhead, in the County of Cheshire,
Bend greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of April, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-third

page_text: year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Andrew Betts Brown, Her special licence that
I, the said Andrew Betts Brown, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Andrew Betis Brown, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thercafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEERING
GEAR, AND IN MACHINERY FOR STARTING, STOPPING, AND REVERSING HEAVY STEAM
ENGINES AND TURRETS, AND FOR DISCHARGING CARGO," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Andrew Betts Brown, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one
of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Andrew Betts Brown, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in steering gear, and
in machinery for starting, stopping, and reversing heavy steam engines
and turrets and discharging cargo.
My improvements relate to a hydraulic apparatus for which a Patent
was granted to me, dated Sth January 1869, No. 61. In the Specification
of the said Patent I described apparatus for obtaining water pressure by
means of steam and hydraulic rams of different areas by which a high
O pressure of water may be maintained and constantly supplied for the
purpose of conveying power.
The object of my present improvements, therefore, is in mechanism
which I prefer to be actuated by a high pressed water or other fluid from
such apparatus, but which may be also worked by a fluid pressure
3 obtained by any other suitable means.
In constructing steering gear for navigable ships the rudder head is
provided with a strong tiller which is actuated by means of a pair of
hydraulic rams placed horizontally on each side of the tiller athwart the

page_text: ship. These rams are connected together at their inner ends, between
which they carry a block or bush which works on the turned cylindrical
end of the tiller and which permits the tiller to slide radially. These
hydraulic cylinders have branches attached to their outer ends to which
strong hydraulic pipes terminate in a slide valve chest, having three
ports, namely, one of the end ports communicating with one of the
above-named hydraulic cylinders which I will call the "port cylinder,"
the other extreme port with the other or "starboard cylinder," and
between these two ports the exhaust port is placed. The cover of this
valve chest has a branch on the top of it to which a pipe is connected
which supplies the high pressure water from the pumping apparatus.
This valve chest contains a slide valve which for convenience I will call
the " steering slide valve." The "steering slide valve" has two
admission ports one at each end, and between these there is provided an
exhaust cavity of sufficient length that when the valve is in its central
position it embraces all three ports on the slide valve chest face and
permits free communication between both " port" and "starboard"
hydraulic cylinders and exhaust passage. Two bridges are also placed.
across the exhaust cavity so that on the necessary movement of the
"steering slide valve" the "port," "starboard," and exhaust passages are
closed. The action of this valve is similar to that of an ordinary steam
engine valve, which is well understood, namely, when it is moved to one
extreme it admits water to the "port" cylinder while it exhausts from
the "starboard" cylinder, and when moved to the other extreme the
opposite effect takes place, consequently the hydraulic rams of the
cylinders follow the action of this slide valve and carry with them the
tiller and rudder by reason of the water pressure. This apparatus is in
itself well understood, but it is so far imperfect inasmuch that the
smallest opening of the slide valve suffices to put the rudder hard over
either to port or starboard without giving any indication to the steers-
man that such a movement has taken place. The rudder is also held
too rigidly because of the inelastic nature of the fluid generally used.
My Invention therefore consists of an arrangement of self-acting
apparatus to enable the steersman to cause the rudder to move to any
desired position and to be held there with, however, a certain degree of
elasticity, and I will proceed to describe this improvement as follows:-
In the valve chest as herein-before described a second slide valve is
placed which I will term the "rudder slide valve." This valve works

page_text: upon the back of the "steering slide valve," and is of sufficient length to
cover with the necessary lap the two ports in the "steering slide valve."
It is also left open in the centre so that the high pressure water or other
fluid has access to the back of the "steering slide valve." This "rudder
slide valve" is actuated only by the positive motion of the rudder. The
connections between the rudder and its slide valve may be accomplished
by either rods or shafting, or, as I prefer it, by an arrangement of
hydraulic cylinders, one pair of which are attached to the tiller in a
similar manner to those herein-before described, the other pair being
attached to a suitable lever connected to the "rudder slide valve."
These two pairs of cylinders are connected together, each pair separately
by strong pipes, the one pair, (that is, the cylinder connected to the
tiller with that attached to the lever of the "rudder slide valve")
forming the "port" set while the other pair similarly arranged form the
starboard" sct. These cylinders and pipes are kept always full of
water or other fluid in connection with the pumping apparatus, but by
suitable valves one set is prevented from communicating with the other
part. The chief function of these cylinders is to cause the "rudder slide
valve" to perform one stroke or movement for one stroke or movement of
the tiller and rudder.
"
65
<
The "rudder slide valve" is so arranged that it follows in the same
direction any movement which takes place by the opening of the
steering slide valve," so that should the steersman move the latter
valve until it opens half the "starboard" port of the valve face, the
water will cause the tiller to move over towards "starboard," until the
"rudder slide valve' moves sufficiently over to cover the port in the
steering slide valve." In this position the rudder will be held fast
until a further motion of the "steering slide valve" takes place, when
it will again be closed by the motion of the "rudder slide valve"
following it. To prevent damage to the rudder by overstraining, I place.
a circular three feathered valve on each of the pipes leading to the large
hydraulic cylinders, which valve opens inwardly into the valve chest
cover against the hydraulic pressure. The "steering slide valve " may
be actuated by a lever, or as I prefer it by the ordinary well-known ship's
steering wheel, having an internal screwed bush working upon the valve
rod, which is screwed externally to fit. The steering wheel is mounted
on a frame having two fixed bearings, so as to prevent any longitudinal
motion.

page_text: My Invention is also equally applicable to starting and reversing
heavy steam engines. The hydraulic cylinders for moving the valve
gear may be placed one on each side, or in any other suitable position,
or a double-acting cylinder may be used. A similar "steering slide
valve" and chest being employed. The "rudder slide valve," however,
I prefer to work directly by a lever connected to the valve gear to be
moved.
An arrangement of my Invention may also be adapted to moving
armour plated turrets, and also in working jib cranes and hoists, where
it is required to move certain bodies to a variable position by a self-acting
valve arrangement, as herein-before described.
Having thus indicated the nature of my Invention, I will proceed
Sheet No. 1 will show a general arrangement of the steering gear to
a small scale; Sheet No. 2 shows a vertical section of the "steering slide
valve," with the "rudder valve" and connections.
In Shect No. 1, Fig. 1 represents a side clevation; Fig. 2, a plan,
wherein A is the rudder, and B is the tiller; C is an hydraulic ram and
cylinder (which is shewn in section), which actuates the tiller in one
direction, while C' is the other hydraulic ram and cylinder acting in an
opposite direction; E is the sliding bush or block which permits the
tiller to slide radially; F and G are branches on the hydraulic cylinder,
to which are attached pipes which are connected by other branches II
and I, on the slide valve chest J.
An enlarged sectional view of this valve will be seen at Fig. 3., Sheet
No. 2, in which the branches in Sheet No. 1, II and I are similarly
indicated. The " steering slide valve" is shewn at K, in centre stroke.
The valve chest face has three ports, I being the admission port leading
to the port cylinder," C₁ and II' leading to the opposite or "starboard
cylinder" C, while L is the exhaust port leading to the waste water tank.
The slide valve working next the face has five ports, the external end
ports M and N serving to communicate on the necessary movement of
steering valve," with their respective ports I' and H³, when it is
required to admit high pressure water which gains admission to the
valve chest at 0; K, indicates the position of the exhaust cavity in the
this "

page_text: valve, which is of sufficient length to embrace all the ports I', L, II',
having, when in its central stroke, as shewn, corresponding ports and bridges
on its face. The object of these bridges is to close all the ports I', L, II',
when the "steering valve" is moved sufficiently out of its centre, and so
hold the rudder fast.
Such a valve is well known in its action, but the chief feature of
novelty in my Invention consists in the arrangement of the rudder slide
valve P, and the relief valves Q, Q. The valve P has horns or guides
attached to it which receive the block of a crank R. The shaft of this
crank is carried through a stuffing box in the side of the valve chest.
On the other end of the shaft a lever S is made fast which drops down
and gears into the connecting rods of the hydraulic rams T and U, which
work in their respective cylinders. By this means any motion imparted
to the rams T and U, will be communicated to a less extent through the
lever S, and the crank R to the "rudder slide valve" P. The valve P
has sufficient length to enable it to cover the entire length of the
"steering valve" K, as shown, and it has also a space open at the centre,
so that the high pressed fluid may be allowed to enter the ports M and N
when the steering valve is moved sufficiently to bring these ports beyond
the inner edge of the space in the valve P at P' and P. The cylinders
of the rams T and U are connected at their ends by pipes at V and W,
with another set of cylinders and rams of smaller diameter at V' and W',
the pair of cylinders and rams connected by the pipe V and V₁, forming
the starboard set" and being quite distinct and separated by the
pipe W and W' of the "port set." The diameters of the rams T and U
are so proportioned that a sufficiently diminished stroke or travel may
be given to them, which may be necessary to work the "rudder slide
valve" by the smaller rams V and W, which are actuated only by the
positive motion of the rudder. These cylinders so arranged with their
pipes, are kept filled with water or other fluid by the pipes X and X',
(Sheet 2), which are connected by the main pipe to the pumping
apparatus. To prevent the two sets of cylinders and pipes having free
communication with one another, cach supply pipe terminates in a valve
chest placed on the cylinders T and U at T' and U³, a vertical section
of which is shewn in Sheet No. 1, Fig. 3.
a is the supply pipe from the pumping apparatus; is one valve
which opens inwardly to the cylinder but which is held tightly in its

page_text: seat by the india-rubber or other spring C; d is the other which opens
outwardly and against the pressure of the pumping apparatus. It is
also securely held in its seat by similar springs. The action of this
valve is as follows:-Should one set of pipes have too much water and
the other not sufficient it is only necessary to move the rudder first to
"hard a port" then to "hard a starboard," when any excess of water
in one set of cylinders will be expelled by the outward opening valve d,
and will be admitted to the other set which is deficient in its supply by
the inward opening valve b. When the true relation is thus established
in the "port" and "starboard sets" of the rudder cylinders then the
springs on the valves have sufficient force to keep the communication
of the two sets separate. It will be seen that for every movement of
the rudder a similar movement, but through a less distance, will take
place with the "rudder valve" P, and it will also be in the same
direction and following the motion of the "steering valve" K. I prefer
to actuate the steering valve by an ordinary steering wheel, as shown
at Y (Sheet 1). This wheel is mounted on a frame Y' having two
bearings. The slide valve rod is screwed and works in a bush or nut
fixed in the nave of the wheel. When the wheel is turned therefore
the valve spindle and valve is moved on end, and so water is admitted
to cither port or starboard cylinder.
Having thus described the mechanism of my Invention, I now proceed
to the action of such steering gear, which is as follows:- -When the
steersman wishes to put the rudder to one half its course to port it is only
necessary to move the steering "slide valve" until the port I' is half
open, when the water will run into the port cylinder C¹, moving the
tiller B to starboard. This motion of the tiller, however, causes tho
"rudder valve" P also to move through the intervention of the
hydraulic cylinders and rams V and T until it cuts off the communi-
cation through the port M in the steering valve. A further motion of
the latter valve will be again followed by a corresponding motion of the
rudder and rudder valve until it is hard over to port. In this position
it will be held by the water being shut off and imprisoned in the port
cylinder C¹. To prevent damage to the rudder in the event of over-
straining at sea the relief valve Q comes into operation and permits the
escape of the water (which holds the rudder) back into the pumping
apparatus. The pumping apparatus which I prefer to use is shewn in

page_text: Fig. 4 (Sheet 1), and it consists of a large steam cylinder e in com-
bination with a hydraulic cylinder . Sicam is admitted on the top of
the piston through the pipe h. A pair of pumping engines of the
ordinary well known construction is shewn at i which receive their
supply of steam from the side of the large cylinder at K. When the
cylinder is pumped full by the branch from the pumps of the engines
the piston stops the motion of the pumping engines. In this manner
the machinery which gives the source of water supply is quite automatic.
Fig 5 shows a front elevation of an index dial carrying two pointers,
one at m is connected to the steering slide valve, and the other n to the
“rudder valve lever" S (Sheet 2). The object of these index levers is
to shew the position of the steering slide valve in relation to the actual
position of the rudder and its valve.
Similar means may be adopted for reversing heavy steam engines,
the connections with the hydraulic cylinders being then not with the
tiller as illustrated in Sheet 1, but with the connecting rods to the
reversing links or levers of the engine, the cut-off slide valve P being in
such a case worked by short reducing levers and rods.
A similar combination of pumping apparatus as herein described
with cylinders and valves may be adapted to raise cargo from the hold of
the ship to any variable height on deck. For this purpose an hydraulic
cylinder similar to C (Sheet No. 1) is employed having three pullies
fixed to the ram at E, and other three attached to the cylinder end.
Chains are passed to and fro round the cylinder and ram, one end being
fixed to the cylinder and the other passed over a pulley at the end of a
jib into the hold of the ship.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention I would have
it understood that I do not confine myself to the exact details, but what
I claim is,―
First. Actuating ships' rudders by hydraulic cylinders in conjunction
with a valve moved by the steersman, and controlled by the positive

page_text: Third. The combination of the automatic pumping apparatus with
hydraulic cylinders for steering and for working heavy steam engines
and for discharging cargo as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Andrew Betts Brown, have hereunto
set my hand and scal, this Seventh day of October, in the year 5
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.