Year: 1888

page_text: I, EDWYN ARCHER WOOD, of 105, Church Road, Battersea, S.W., in the County
of Surrey, Master Mariner, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to improvements connected with bow-rudders and has more
particular reference to the means for working the same.
It has been the practice of late years to cut away from the bows of a vessel what
has been called the deadwood with the idea of improving the speed, but I find that
its removal is no advantage, but that on the contrary, its presence improves the
action of the stern rudder and moreover acts as a kind of lec-board to keep the
vessel up to the wind.
In carrying my invention into effect I make the cut-water of a full rectangular
shape in elevation for the purpose of providing the necessary area for the rudder
frame.
The rudder is hung in the usual or any suitable way to the front of the rudder
frame and its heel rests in a suitable step formed in the bottom of the frame.
For the purpose of actuating the rudder I provide in addition to the ordinary
rudder head, a second head or vertical shaft for which suitable bearings are provided
and which is geared to the rudder head and moved by it in an opposite direction.
The lower end of the said shaft is connected by means of links and slots to the
rudder blade so that the latter is moved on its axis by two forces one reaching it
through the rudder head and the second through the vertical shaft aforesaid. Ido
not confine myself to the relative length of the links nor to the plane in which
shall lie the axes of their connection to the rudder.
I may add a wing to the rudder and adapt the vertical shaft and link gear
thereto.
With a stern rudder the bow rudder may be geared in such a way as to be actuated
from one common source.
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: An Improved Bow Rudder.
1, EDWYN ARCHER WOOD, late of No. 105, Church Road, Battersea, in the County
of Surrey, but now of No. 48, Finsbury Circus, in the County of Middlesex, Master
Mariner, 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:-
My invention relates to improvements in steering apparatus, and consists in a
novel method of mounting rudders in their frames, and actuating them; as well as
in providing a rudder so mounted and actuated at both bow and stern; the objects of
the invention being to double the strength of the rudder, especially at the neck
to double the power of the vessel's steering apparatus; to ensure the apparatus
from total destruction by accident of collision or warfare; and to compel the vessel
to come to by turning upon her centre, rather than by throwing her stern away.
3
In order that my invention, and the means by which it is to be carried into
practical effect, may be thoroughly understood, I will now describe the same in detail,
referring in so doing to the accompanying drawings which are to be taken as part
of this specification and read therewith.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation illustrated in the application of my invention to the bow
as well as to the stern of a screw vessel.
Fig. is an elevation on an enlarged scale of the cut water and bow rudder..
Fig. 3 is a plan of the cut water shewing the bow rudder in a position corre-
sponding with "port" in the case of the stern rudder.
Fig. 4 is an elevation on an enlarged scale of the stern rudder and frame.
Fig. 5 is a plan of the stern rudder frame and part of the screw showing the
rudder over to "port."
With reference to the improved bow-rudder, A is the cut water; and B, the rudder
frame firmly bolted and braced thereto; cutwater and rudder frame presenting in
elevation the shape of a right-angled triangle.
*
I am aware that it has been the practice of late years to cut away as much so
called dead-wood" from about the bows as possible, with the idea that reducing
the area of the cut-water would increase the speed of the vessel. The result has
been that vessels have been launched with their cut-waters rounded off to the same
line as the bows.
Now, I find that this reduction of the area of the cutwater is of no advantage
in the direction of increasing the speed of the vessel; but that the full cutwater
increases the efficiency of the bow rudder, and acts as a kind of lee-board in the
way of keeping the vessel up to the wind.
C is the bow-rudder; and D, the rudder-post adopted to work within the nose of
the cutwater A and sockets a projecting therefrom for that purpose. The rudder
bands d d are of the ordinary construction. The rudder is preferably sloped along
both its top and bottom edges c, c¹.
E is a second post parallel with the rudder-post, and adapted to work in suitable
bearings or eyes e provided for that purpose upon the frame B.

page_text: FF are links fast upon the post E. They engage with the rudder by means of
a slot-and-pin device.
Deep indentations g adapted in point of width and length to receive the links F F
are cut into the rudder. In each link I form a slot ½, and pass a pin i through
both the rudder and the slots. The length of the slots is proportional to the
maximum are through which the rudder must be moved either to port or star-
board.
The impulse from the tiller, or the rudder chain-drum, whichever is used, is
communicated direct to the link-post E, and through it by means of links to the
nose of the rudder and to the rudder-post, instead of to the rudder post direct.
J is the tiller fast upon the link-post E; and j, a slotted continuation thereof forming
with it a lever, the fulcrum of which is in the post.
K is a link fast upon the head of the post D. It is slotted out to receive the slotted
continuation j, and both are connected by a bolt k.
If preferred, the tiller J may be fixed upon an upward extension of the rudder post
in a plane immediately above the link K.
.
It is, therefore, clear that with my improved steering apparatus, the power of the
tiller or of the chain drum is brought to bear upon the nose of the rudder instead of
only upon the back of it. The ordinary strain upon the rudder-neck is therefore
considerably diminished, and the control of the helmsman upon the motion of the
rudder increased correspondingly.
The stern rudder and its actuating mechanism is constructed exactly as described
above the relative positions only of the several parts being modified.
L is the rudder frame; and M, the stern rudder. N is the rudder post; n, its
eyes; and o, the rudder bands. I prefer to make the relative areas of the stern and
bow rudders as 4 to 3.
.
P is the second or link-post, parallel with the rudder-post, and 2, its eyes projecting
from the frame L. The exposed part of this post under the counter may be enclosed
within any suitable guard.
QQ are the links fast upon the link-post P. The connection between them and
the rudder M, as well as the means by which the rudder is put about, are the same
as described above with reference to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, and therefore the respective
reference letters are repeated for the corresponding parts of the stern-gear.
I wish it to be distinctly understood that I do not confine myself to the exact
type of link-gear described and illustrated, inasmuch as the same is capable of
modification without departing from the essence or substance of this invention,
although that which I have illustrated is the one which I consider to be the most
efficient.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The combination with a rudder, of link-gear and link-post whereby the steering
power can be communicated to the nose of the rudder, as set forth.
2. The combination with a rudder, of slotted links and link-post by means of
which the steering power can be communicated to the nose of the rudder, as set
forth.