IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR STEERING STEAM SHIPS AND OTHER VESSELS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Max Nordmann, junior, of the City of Dresden, in the
Kingdom of Saxony and Empire of Germany, Engineer, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR STEERING STEAM SHIPS
AND OTHER VESSELS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Max Nordmann at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd January 1880.
MAX NORDMANN, junior, of the City of Dresden, in the Kingdom of Saxony, and
Empire of Germany, Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS AND APPARATUS
FOR STEERING STEAM SHIPS AND OTHER VESSELS."
This Invention has for object improvements in the means and apparatus for
steering steam ships and other vessels, and relates especially to the application of
the pressure of air in conjunction with that of water for actuating and holding the
radder, so as to impart to the apparatus elasticity or cushioning action and obviate
injurious effects, such as are liable to arise in the event of any sudden flow or shock
to a rudder held in a given position by unyielding means, as heretofore usual.
According to one method of carrying out this Invention a piston arranged in &
suitable cylinder is so connected with the rudder bar, lever, or tiller, that each
movement of the piston will move the rudder. Each of the two chambers, into
which the cylinder is divided by the piston, is connected by a pipe with an air-
vessel. The air-vessels communicate with a four-way distributing valve, by which
the one air vessel may be supplied while the other one is emptied, or by which both
air vessels may be closed. The distributing valve communicates by means of pipes
with an accumulator or vessel in which are stored the water and air under
pressure necessary for the elastic steering.
The operation of this arrangement is as follows:-
:-
From the accumulator water under pressure is led to the distributing valve
through the pipe mentioned.
The cylinder on both sides of the piston is filled with water, whereas the two air
vessels communicating with the cylinder are filled with air.
is admitted by the distributing valve to the cylinder at one
As soon as more water
side of the piston, the

page_text: piston will move towards the other end of the cylinder and impart correspondent
movement to the rudder connected to it, while the water in the cylinder at the
opposite end to that at which water is being admitted will flow off by the said
valve. If the valve is closed the piston will be able to move only such a distance as
the elasticity of the air contained in the two air vessels will allow. Each air vessel
is connected by two pipes (each provided with a two-way cock or valve) with the
accumulator, in order to allow air under pressure to enter from the accumulator
into the air vessels or to flow from them, according as more or less elasticity is to
be imparted to the rudder.
Instead of one cylinder closed at both ends and containing a piston, as above
referred to, two cylinders each provided with a plunger may be used, and the two
plungers may be connected to the rudder direct or by means of links and chains, or
in any other convenient manner.
By the use of air in conjunction with water, according to my Invention, the
rudder may be inade to answer with great accuracy, and in case of unequal
resistances the elasticity imparted to the rudder will prevent breaking of chains or
shock, and repeated steering as well as loss of speed will also be avoided.
As is obvious, other arrangements of apparatus constructed on a similar principle
may be employed for carrying my Invention into effect.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Max Nordmann in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 26th June
1880.
MAX NORDMANN, junior, of the City of Dresden, in the Kingdom of Saxony and
Empire of Germany, Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS AND APPARATUS
FOR STEERING STEAM SHIPS AND OTHER VESSELS."
This Invention has for object improvements in the means and apparatus for
steering steam ships and other vessels, and relates especially to the application of
the pressure of air in conjunction with that of, water for actuating and holding the
rudder, so as to impart to the apparatus elasticity or cushioning action, and obviate
injurious effects, such as are liable to arise in the event of any sudden blow or
shock to a rudder held steady in a given position by unyielding means, as
heretofore usual.
To this effect the following device is adapted :-I arrange the piston of a double-
acting horizontal cylinder to be connected at its rods' ends, by means of cross-beads
and chains to the lever of the rudder, so that each movement of the piston within
the cylinder will move the rudder. I cause each of the two chambers of the
cylinder formed by the piston to communicate by a pipe or tube with an air
vessel.
These air vessels are in communication by separate pipes with a fourway
distributing valve, by which the one air vessel may be supplied with air under
pressure while the other one is emptied, or by which both air vessels may be closed.
The distributing valve communicates by means of pipes with an accumulator or
vessel, into which the air and water under pressure necessary for the elastic steering
is supplied by an air-pump or by a water-pump respectively, the chambers of the
cylinder being always filled with water. Now if water or air under pressure from
the accumulator is given to one side of the cylinder or air-vessel, so as to move the
piston in one direction, which movement will be transmitted to the rudder, the
other side of the cylinder or air-vessel will at the same time be relieved of such a
quantity of water or air as is necessary for the movement of the piston.
At the same time the chambers of the cylinders communicating with the air-
vessels, which latter are supplied with air under pressure from the accumulator ;
the water in the chambers of the cylinder in consequence of the yielding quality
of the air in the air vessels may yield to any shock or blow which is exerted upon
the rudder and transmitted through the chains upon the piston, and after the action
of the shock or blow ceases, the piston, and in consequence the rudder will reassume
or will be held in its desired position.
As a modification of the foregoing I arrange in horizontal position two cylinders,
the plungers of which are in direct connection with a segmental plate or lever
keyed on the shaft of the rudder. In this case the accumulator for air and water
pressure, the pipe connections, and valves may be the same as in the foregoing case,
but these parts, and especially the valves and handles, may be situated at any
convenient place in the vessel or ship. The action with this arrangement is the
same as in the case of using one closed cylinder with one piston only. The water
pressure being led either into the one cylinder or into the other, the air under
pressure in the air-vessels allowing the parts to yield in consequence of any blow or
shock transmitted by the rudder through the segmental plate or lever to the
pistons, and the pistons reassuming their desired position always under the
combined pressure of air and water, will keep the rudder steady.
Now in order that my Invention may be more fully understood I continue to
explain the same with reference to the annexed Sheet of Drawings, Fig. 1 being a

page_text: longitudinal section, Fig. 2 an end view, and Fig. 3 a plan of the steering apparatus
with one hydraulic cylinder, and Fig. 4 shewing the modification above referred to,
in which two plungers actuate the rudder.
In Figs. 1, 2, 3, C is the hydraulic cylinder, in which the piston rods carry
each a cross head fitted with a chain disc or pulley m, m¹; around these discs
and partly around the discs n, n³, mounted in the brackets L, L', the chains K', K",
work, leading to the lever of the rudder, to which they are fastened or connected in
any suitable manner, the other ends of the chains K', K", being fastened respectively
to the brackets L, L'.
By these means each movement of the piston is transmitted to the rudder. W is
the accumulator with the water outlet pipe a and the water inlet-pipe y, which
accumulator by means of an air pump and a water pump (not shewn in the
Drawings) is supplied with air and water under pressure.
R is a water reservoir with the water outlet pipe z and the water inlet pipe b,
from which the water for the accumulator is drawn by the abovementioned water
pump, not shewn, and into which reservoir the water returns which has been used
in the cylinder c.
There are two double piston valves d and e in the valve box V, each piston valve
consisting of an inlet and an outlet valve. The double-piston valves are opened and
closed by means of the lever or handle H, spur gear, and the valve rods, each fitted
with a rack into which the gear takes. By means of the pipes r, 'r, each double
valve communicates with one of chambers O, O¹, in the cylinder C formed by the
piston K.
Water under pressure is led from the accumulator to the inlet valves through
pipe a, while the water flowing off through the exit valves is conducted through
pipe b to the reservoir R. E, E¹, are air vessels filled partly with air, communi-
cating direct with the chambers 0, 0¹, in the cylinder, which are filled with water.
By means of the pipes h, ², g, g¹, fitted with three way cocks and combining the
accumulator with both air-vessels, the latter are filled with atmospheric air under
pressure as desired. If the lever H is in central position all the inlet and outlet
valves are closed, and the piston K is kept in its position with the exception of the
air in the two air-vessels permitting movement of the piston for the sake of
elasticity. Every effect of blow or shock imparted to the rudder connected with
the piston is annihilated, and according to the use of the pipes /, h¹, g, gl, there
may be imparted to the rudder stability or steadiness or any desired degree of
elasticity. If the hand lever H is moved to the right, inlet valve e and outlet
valve d will be opened, water under pressure will enter through pipe r¹, the piston
will move towards the right hand, altering the position of the rudder and the
water in front of the piston will. flow off through the pipes and b into the
reservoir R. By moving the handle H to the left the inlet valve d and outlet
valve e will be opened, water under pressure will enter through pipe r, and the
piston will move to the left while the water in front, of the piston will flow off
through pipe r¹.
The more the lever is turned from the central position to the right or to the left
the more the cross-section of valves will be enlarged, upon which the speed of the
piston and also of the rudder will depend. If the lever H is released the spiral
springs x, x¹, round the valves' rods will immediately return the lever to the central
position; all valves will then be closed, and the piston will remain in its normal
position. The mode of working of the double acting cylinder and of the air vessels
is such as will avoid all noise and breaking of the chains leading to the rudder.
All losses of power and time, such as occur in similar devices working intermittently
by admission of a power or by reversing gear will be reduced to a minimum by
means of the accumulator.
The apparatus will work the rudder with an elastic movement in order to avoid
all losses of speed caused by blows or shocks, and by change of direction during
high or rough sea.

page_text: Referring to Fig. 4, which is a plan of the stern of a vessel, a is a horizontal plan
of one cylinder, a¹ is a horizontal section of the second cylinder. In both cylinders
plungers b, b', work, connected by rods c, c¹, to the segmental plate or lever d,
which is keyed on the shaft e of the rudder. This modification needs no further
explanation, all the other parts being the same as in the previous arrangement, the
pipes f, f¹, in the cylinders a, a¹, communicating with two air-vessels as well as
with two double piston valves; through the latter water under pressure is admitted
through pipes f, f¹, to cylinders a, a¹.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention and explained in what
manner the same is to be or may be performed or carried into practical effect, I
wish it to be understood that I do not claim the working of the rudder of a vessel
or ship by hydraulic pressure, which pressure is stored in an accumulator and
caused to work the rudder by hydraulic cylinder as this has been invented and
employed before; but what I consider to be novel and original and claim as the
Invention secured to me under the Letters Patent hereinbefore in part recited is,-
1. The arrangement of a double working hydraulic cylinder with a piston or of
two single acting cylinders, each with a plunger, and of air-vessels communicating
with the ends of the cylinder or cylinders, which piston or plungers, by the
combined action of air pressure and water pressure, may either be moved with any
desired degree of elasticity or kept steady, as specified above and illustrated by the
Drawings.
2. The arrangement of an accumulator for air for quickly changing the degree of
elasticity in combination with the device for actuating the rudder of a ship or
vessel, as illustrated by the annexed Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Max Nordmann, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty first day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
MAX NORDMANN. (L.S.)