Improvements in and in Connection with Steering Gear for Navigable Vessels.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 18th May, 1886.
Complete Left, 17th Feb., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 3rd May, 1887.
Improvements in and in Connection with Steering Gear for
Navigable Vessels.
I, HENRY FLETCHER MOORE, of 148 Belmont Road, Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my said invention to be as
follows:-
This Invention has for its object certain improvements in and in connection with
steering gear, for navigable vessels, hereinafter described, whereby the liability of
breakage through the shocks which the rudders of ships frequently receive from
"seas," or waves, or other causes when at sea will be obviated and the strain to which
such gear and rudders are frequently subjected is avoided.
sea
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According to my Invention, say in the case of a rudder being operated by hand,
steam, or hydraulic gear, a secondary tiller is fitted to and secured on the rudder stem
whilst the tiller proper fits loosely over the stem. This secondary tiller is provided
with arms, one of which is in connection with a spring buffer hereinafter described
which is secured upon, or to the tiller and is arranged in such a manner that when a
or wave strikes the rudder such shock will be communicated through the
secondary tiller to the spring buffer which gives way to the shock and hence all
intense strains are prevented from coming upon the rudder and rudder head. One of
the arms of the tiller is provided with means whereby it may be coupled with the
main tiller so that in case it became desirable, or necessary to dispense with the buffer
gear temporarily, or permanently the rudder could be operated without the inter-
vention of the buffer gear. This may be suitably effected by the use of an eye in the
main and secondary tillers through which a pin may be passed to connect, or couple
them together.
The secondary tiller may also be provided with arms so as to serve as a means of
connecting the hand steering apparatus of the screw type to the main tiller and
capable of being either connected with, or disconnected from the buffer at will.
A means of effecting this may consist of pins which may pass through the arms and a
portion of the main tiller when it is desirable to disconnect the buffer. When it is
desirable to steer by the hand steering gear and in connection with the buffer the

page_text: pins are withdrawn in this latter case it is preferable that the main tiller should be
uppermost on the rudder stem and the secondary tiller below.
As an example of the application of a steering gear with my improvements applied
thereto, I will describe a steering gear in which the tiller is of circular form and the
power used is hand and steam, or hydraulic, or other power, the hand gear being of
the ordinary screw type working direct on the tiller. To the circular tiller the chains
of the auxiliary gear are attached in the usual way. The tiller is mounted loosely
over the rudder stem, and over the tiller head I provide and ship a secondary tiller
which is keyed onto the rudder head. This secondary tiller is provided preferably
with four arms, one of which works in connection with the spring buffer device which
is suitably secured to the circular tiller. The buffer device consists preferably of a
cylinder in which work two pistons. The end of the cylinder is provided with covers
which extend in either direction and form cylindrical chambers in which oil, or
equivalent liquid is supplied and which communicate with each other by means of
pipes and an intermediate chamber or reservoir. The connecting pipes, or ducts are
provided with valves, or devices by which the liquid may be passed rapidly in one
direction and slowly in the reverse direction. The cylinder covers also serve as stops
to the pistons which are kept apart by suitable springs preferably of the volute kind.
Centrally through the cylinders and covers there runs a piston rod which is fixed at
both ends to the main tiller and which forms a support to the buffer. At the outer
side of each of the pistons there are provided nuts, or like devices whereby the pistons
are free to be worked towards one another. The exterior of the cylinder is provided
with slides in which work a crosshead, secured to one of the ends of the secondary
tiller. The crosshead is secured to the tiller by means of a pin and cap which can be
removed at will when it is desired to disconnect the buffer from it. By these means
when a sea strikes the rudder the shock is communicated to the secondary tiller,
thereby to the buffer, which compresses the springs and so affords relief and obviates
undue strains upon the gear. After the shock the springs force the secondary tiller
and rudder back to its normal position.
دو
During the compression of the springs a certain quantity of the oil, or liquid above
referred to would be drawn down into one of the hollow covers which upon the
recovery of the springs is forced slowly back through the check valve above
mentioned and so serves as a cushion and affords a gradual recovering motion.
The oil reservoir communicates with the interior of the cylinder by means of a pipe
which serves as a duct to take back any of the liquid that may escape past the piston
into the cylinder which will be forced back into the reservoir each time the pistons
approach one another. The secondary tiller is also provided with arms which are
arranged to suit the arms of the main tiller and the hand steering gears, the tiller
being arranged on the stem as previously described. One of these arms is provided
with an eye through which a pin is passed and which also passes into a corresponding
eye in the main tiller arm when it is desired to disconnect the buffer gear. Two other
arms are provided with slots which are arranged to receive crossheads, when using the
hand steering gear in connection with the buffer. When it is desired to disconnect
the buffer from the hand steering gear, the buffer is disconnected as above set forth
and the arms are coupled to, or connected with the main tiller arms by means of pins
which pass through suitable eyes in them.

page_text: Improvements in and in Connection with Steering Gear for
Navigable Vessels.
I, HENRY FLETCHER MOORE, of 148 Belmont Road, Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer 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 certain improvements in and in connection with
steering gear, for navigable vessels, hereinafter described, whereby the liability of
breakage through the shocks which the rudders of ships frequently receive from
scas or waves, or other causes when at sea will be obviated and the strain to which
such gear and rudders are frequently subjected is avoided.
"
$
23
22
According to my Invention, say in the case of a rudder being operated by hand,
steam, or hydraulic gear a secondary tiller is fitted to and secured on the rudder stem,
whilst the tiller proper fits loosely over the stem. This secondary tiller is provided
with arms, one of which is in connection with a spring buffer hereinafter described
which is secured upon, or to the tiller and is arranged in such a manner that when a
sca or wave strikes the rudder, such shock will be communicated through the
secondary tiller to the spring buffer which gives way to the shock and hence all
intense strains are prevented from coming upon the rudder and rudder head. One of
the arms of the secondary tiller is provided with means whereby it may be coupled
with the main tiller so that in case it became desirable, or necessary to dispense with
the buffer gear temporarily, or permanently the rudder could be operated without the
intervention of the buffer gear. This may be suitably effected by the use of an eye in
the main and secondary fillers through which a pin may be passed to connect, or
couple them together.
As an example of the application of a steering gear with my improvements applied
thereto, I will describe a steering gear in which the tiller is of circular form and the
power used is hand and steam, or hydraulic, or other power, the hand gear being of
the ordinary screw type working direct on the rudder stem. To the circular tiller the
chains of the auxiliary gear are attached in the usual way. The tiller is mounted
loosely over the rudder stem, and over the tiller head I provide and ship the usual
secondary tiller which is keyed onto the rudder head. This secondary tiller is pro-
vided with arms, one of which works in connection with the spring buffer device
which is suitably secured to the circular tiller. The buffer device consists preferably
of a cylinder in which work two pistons. The end of the cylinder is provided with
covers which extend in either direction and form cylindrical chambers in which oil, or
equivalent liquid is supplied and which communicate with each other by means of
pipes and an intermediate chamber, or reservoir. The connecting pipes, or ducts are
provided with valves, or devices by which the liquid may be passed rapidly in one
direction and slowly in the reverse direction. The cylinder covers also serve as stops
to the pistons which are kept apart by suitable springs preferably of the volute kind.
Centrally through the cylinders and covers there runs a piston rod which is fixed at
both ends to the main tiller and which forms a support to the buffer. At the outer

page_text: side of each of the pistons there are provided nuts, or like devices whereby the pistons
are free to be worked towards one another. The exterior of the cylinder is provided
with slides in which work a cross head secured to one of the ends of the secondary
tiller. The crosshead is secured to the tiller by means of a pin and cap, which can be
removed at will when it is desired to disconnect the buffer from it. By these means
when a <<
sea "strikes the rudder the shock is communicated to the secondary tiller,
thereby to the buffer which compresses the springs and so affords relief and obviates
undue strains upon the gear. After the shock, the springs force the secondary tiller
and rudder back to its normal position.
During the compression of the springs a certain quantity of the oil, or liquid above
referred to would be drawn down into one of the hollow covers which upon the
recovery of the springs is forced slowly back through the check valve above mentioned
and so serves as a cushion and affords a gradual recovering motion.
The oil reservoir communicates with the interior of the cylinder by means of a pipe
which serves as a duct to take back any of the liquid that may escape past the piston
into the cylinder which will be forced back into the reservoir each time the pistons
approach one another. The secondary tiller is also provided with an arm, or arms
which may be arranged to suit the arms of the main tiller, the tiller being arranged
on the stem as previously described. One arm is provided with an eye through which
a pin is passed and which also passes into a corresponding eye in the main tiller arm
when it is desired to disconnect the buffer gear.
The example of the steering gear with my improvements applied thereto above set
forth is illustrated by the accompanying Drawings which are marked with figures and
letters of reference corresponding with those used in the following explanation. Like
letters and figures are used to denote like, or corresponding parts throughout the
various views and ficures
Figure 1 is a plan partly in section illustrative of apparatus according to my
Invention; the hand steering gear being that known as the Hastic Screw Steering
Gear.
Figure 2 is an elevation partly in section of the gear shown in Figure 1.
Figure 3 is an end view of the gear taken through X X Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a section of the spring cylinder with the springs shown in a compressed
state.
The hand gear is of the ordinary "Hastie" screw type working direct on the
rudder stem B and is designated by the letter A. To the circular tiller B the chains
of the main gear are attached in the usual way. The tiller B is mounted loosely over
the rudder stem B' and over the tiller head I provide and ship the usual secondary
tiller which is keyed onto the rudder head. This secondary tiller is provided with
an arm C which works in connection with the spring buffer device E which is secured
to the circular tiller at F. The buffer device E consists of the cylinder a in which
work two pistons b. The end of the cylinder a is provided with covers which extend
in either direction and form cylindrical chambers c in which oil, or equivalent liquid
is supplied and which communicate with each other by means of the pipes d and the
intermediate chamber, or reservoir e. The connecting pipes, or ducts are provided
with any known kind of valves d³, or equivalent devices by which the liquid may be
regulated, or passed rapidly in one direction and slowly in the reverse direction. The
cylinder covers c also serve as stops to the pistons (see Figure 4) which are kept apart
by volute springs f. Centrally through the cylinder a and covers c there runs a
piston rod which is fixed at both ends to the main tiller B at F. and which forms a
support to the buffer. At the side of each of the pistons 6 there are provided nuts h
by which the pistons are worked towards one another and are free to return of
themselves. The exterior of the cylinder a is provided with slides i in which works a
cross head
secured to one of the ends of the secondary tiller C. The cross head k is
secured to the tiller by a pin and cap fastened to the slides i by hand screws ³

page_text: which can be removed at will when it is desired to disconnect the buffer from the
tiller. By these means when a sea" strikes the rudder the shock is communicated
to the secondary tiller C, thereby to the buffer E which compresses the springs f
and so affords relief and obviates undue strains upon the gear. After the shock the
springs force the secondary tiller and rudder back to their normal position.
During the compression of the springs fa certain quantity of the oil, or liquid
above referred to would be drawn down from the reservoir e into one of the hollow
covers c which upon the recovery of the springs is forced slowly back into the
reservoir through one of the check valves at d above mentioned and so the liquid
acting in this manner serves as a cushion and affords a gradual recovering motion.
The oil reservoir e also communicates with the interior of the cylinder a by means
of a pipe m which serves as a duct to take back any of the liquid that may escape past
the piston into the cylinder. The escaped oil will be forced back into the reservoir
each time the pistons approach one another. The secondary tiller C is provided with
a second arm C2 which is arranged to suit one of the arms of the main tiller. This
arm is provided with an eye n through which a pin is passed and which would also
pass into a corresponding eye o in the main tiller arm as shown. This is done when
it is desired to disconnect the buffer gear the pin being passed through the eyes n
and o and the buffer gear E is disconnected and swung over on the rod g out of
the way.
The cylinder a covers c and oil arrangement constitute in the apparatus a main
element being the moveable parts and are controlled by the tiller C whilst the pistons
and springs constitute the other main element and are fixed upon and controlled by
the tiller B.
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. In steering gear for navigable vessels in which a main tiller and a secondary
tiller are employed the interposition of a buffer mechanism such as described between
such primary and secondary tillers one main element of such mechanism being
attached to and carried by the main tiller and the other main element being connected
to and actuates the secondary tiller substantially in the manner set forth.
Second. In a buffer mechanism in connection with the steering gear of a navigable
vessel and in which two tillers are employed the combination of a cylinder having
hollow ends, or covers such cylinder containing two pistons and a spring or springs
and controlled by one of such tillers, a piston rod secured to the other of such
tillers on which such pistons are mounted and an oil, or equivalent chamber com-
municating with the hollow ends of the said cylinder.
Third. In a steering gear for navigable vessels in which a main tiller and a
secondary tiller and a buffer mechanism of the type herein described are employed,
providing such secondary tiller with an arm and eye and the main tiller with an eye,
or other equivalent means of connecting such tillers together whereby when the buffer
mechanism is not being used the tillers may be connected and made to operate the
rudder without the interposition of the buffer mechanism substantially as set forth.
Fourth. A buffer mechanism used in connection with the steering gear of a
navigable vessel constructed and operating substantially as set forth.
Fifth. The particular construction and arrangement of steering and buffer
mechanism in connection therewith set forth and shown in the Drawings.
Til
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