Improved Steam or Hydraulic Steering Gear.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Oct., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 2nd July, 1892-Accepted, 13th Aug., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Steam or Hydraulic Steering Gear.
I WILLIAM ALLAN OGLETHORPE, of 6 Chetwynd Street, St. Michaels,
Liverpool, Marine-engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
My invention relates to an improved steam or hydraulic steering and cushioning
gear, for the purpose of placing the rudder in any required position, and for
relieving the rudder and gear of excessive strains caused by heavy seas.
This I effect by means of a duplex steam pump, not necessarily of a special type,
and a separate hydraulic cylinder.
The hydraulic cylinder is provided with a piston, and a piston rod working
through both ends, each piston rod end is provided with a crosshead and two
sheaves, two sheaves are also fitted to the body of the cylinder.
Two chains or wire ropes are secured to cylinder and pass round sheaves to
tiller.
The sheaves may be arranged one on each crosshead, in which case the sheaves
on the body of the cylinder are unnecessary.
A steam slide valve is provided for regulating the supply of steam to the steam
cylinders of the pump, and a hydraulic valve for regulating the passage of oil to
and from the hydraulic cylinder, both of which valves are worked by one spindle
connected by the usual hand gear to the required part of the ship; this gear is also
fitted with a connecting rod to the hydraulic cylinder crosshead which automatically
closes the valves at the position indicated by the hand gear.
A tank is provided for the supply of oil or other liquid, with connections to pump
and hydraulic cylinder.
The hydraulic cylinder is provided with relief valves fitted with springs, at each
end, and connecting pipes to tank for cushioning purposes.
Dated this 23rd day of October 1891.
W. A. OGLETHORPE.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Steam or Hydraulic Steering Gear.
I, WILLIAM ALLAN OGLETHORPE, of 6, Chetwynd Street, St. Michaels,
Liverpool, Marine Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to an improved steam or hydraulic steering and cushioning
gear, for the purpose of placing the rudder in any required position, and for relieving
the rudder and gear of excessive strains caused by heavy seas.
In the drawings which serve to illustrate my invention, I shew examples of
steering gear embodying the combination of all my improvements.
Figure 1 is a side elevation, Figure 2 a plan, and Figure 3 an end view of one
example of gear according to the invention.
Figure 4 is a longitudinal section, and Figure 5 is a plan, illustrating the fluid
distribution valve of the apparatus.
Figure 6 is an outside elevation and Figure 7 is an end view of a modification of
the invention; and
Figure 8 is a side view and Figure 9 a plan of another modification.
In the different figures and modifications herein given the same letters and figures

page_text: of reference are used to denote the same or like parts wherever they occur in the
drawings.
カラ
Referring now to the drawings, and inore particularly to Figures 1, 2 and 3,
a designates a "duplex" steam pump of any suitable kind, the action of which is
after the well known manner of this class of pumps, known as "duplex pumps,
that is, one which may be stopped by shutting off the supply of steam to it, and
when the steam is again hdmitted to its steam cylinders it will start of itself;
however any pump which will do this may be used in lieu of a "duplex" one.
b is
a hydraulic cylinder; c is the piston rod of said cylinder, through the covers of
which it works, it being provided with a piston within b in the usual way; d and e are
crossheads mounted on the piston rod c and provided respectively with pulleys or
sheaves ff, and ƒ³ f^; g is a liquid reservoir or cistern into which the liquid is
pumped and withdrawn by the apparatus.
Regarding the parts connected with the pump a, al designates a chest within
which a suitable steam supply and cut off valve works, a' being the valve rod
thereof. In the same line with this rod a³, and connected thereto, is a valve rod h¹
of the oil or other liquid distribution valve (see Figures 4 and 5). a³ is the feed
or intake pipe of the pump, the feed being taken from the tank g; a is the pump
delivery branch which conveys the liquid from the pump to the centre of the
valve; are pipes leading from the valve h to the opposite ends of the cylinder b,
and by which the liquid is conveyed to and from the said tank and the valve. The
relief valves to the cylinder (which are of the ordinary "lift" type) are provided
at each end thereof in the valve casings i, and the liquid which may be forced past
said valves at any time, is conveyed out of said casings into the tank g by the
pipes are the spindles of these two valves, and these two spindles are normally
pressed away from each other, and the valves kept upon their seats, 'by a single
spring 1³.
For convenience, the pipes h² communicate with the ends of the cylinder 6 by way
of the valve casings i of the relief valves, such communication or passage being of
course disposed on the cylinder side of such valves.
As regards the chain or rope connecting the apparatus with the tiller of the
rudder, one end of said chain or rope is shewn in dotted lines and designated . It
is fixed to the apparatus, say at y (Figures 1 and 2) and passes over the smaller
pulley of the two on the crosshead e, then back round one of the pulleys j mounted
on the cylinder b, then over the larger pulley f, on the crosshead e, and then back
and away to the tiller to which it is fixed.
In a like manner the other end of the chain will be fixed to the apparatus in the
same manner, and passes over the pulley f, then" over the other pulley j', then
over f, and back, and to the tiller.
To obtain these passings and runnings of the chains or ropes, so that the pistons
should be subject to no oblique stresses, and to avoid the different parts of these
from touching or rubbing against each other, the axes of the pulleys in the cross-
heads d are set at an inclination to each other, whilst the two of them, and are
made smaller than the other two f and f³. The pulleys are also disposed on
axes at different angles in order that the chain or rope shall lie parallel with the
centre line and direction of motion of the piston rods c.
To actuate the steam supply and cut off valve a', and admit steam to the cylinders
of the pump a, the valve rod a² is connected up to a hand steering mechanism m
shewn in Figure 3 through the device I will now describe :-Ohto a bracketk, I
mount a bell-crank lever k', having at one end of it a nut, through which the
screwed end of the rod / from the steering mechanism m works. To the other end
of the bell-crank I attach, by a pin joint connection, a duplex lever n, 'the 'liver end
of which is connected to the crosshead d by the rod n; and to this lever'n, at a
small distance below its joint with the bell-crank lever k', namely, at ³ are fixed or
mounted rods, the other ends of which are connected to the valve "špindié a'.
This mechanism operates somewhat after the manner of an ordinary marine engine
reversing gear cut off mechanism, that is, when the bell-crank lever k' is 'moved

page_text: either one way or the other by the actuation of the hand steering mechanisın m, it
noves the upper end of the lever n, and so, through the connecting rods, gives
movement to the steam admission valve a' of the pump a, and admits steam therein.
At the same time it moves the valve h, and the liquid from the pump a is distributed
o one or other end of the cylinder b, according to the direction in which the
hand wheel of the steering gear is moved, and the rod rotated. The consequent
movement of the piston rods c and crosshead d, is, that the rod n¹ moves the lover n,
and so the connecting rods k' are moved in the opposite direction to which they
were moved by the movement of the bell-crank A, and the steam supply valves in a¹
is actuated and cuts off the supply of steam to the pump, and at the same time
brings the valve to the central or neutral position and locks the liquid in the
cylinder b.
It may be here stated that the pump a always works in the same direction, and
it is only in the distribution of the liquid from the pump by the valve h, that the
reversal of direction of motion of the piston rod and pulleys supported thereon is
effected. By thus adapting the pump to be set in motion and stopped as and when
desired, no accumulator is required.
Referring to the construction of the valve h shewn in Figures 4 and 5, it will be
seen that it consists of two pistons o o¹, connected together by the parts o³, which in
turn are connected to or form part of the valve rod h'. The position of the valve
shewn in the drawing is its central or neutral one, and is that it takes when the
pump is stopped and the liquid locked in the opposite ends of the cylinder b.
When, however, the valve is moved as just described, the liquid from the pump passes
by way of the delivery pipe a' thereof into the central part of the valve and between
the pistons o o', and thence to one of the branches o³, whichever of the two may be
in communication with a', to one end or other of the cylinder b, through one of the
pipes ; while the other of the branches o³ will be in communication with one of
the branches o', which communicate with the tank g through the pipes /*; and thus
the liquid from the other end of the cylinder b, which is exhausting, would pass
by the communication thus formed to the tank g, from which it would be drawn by
the pump through the return or feed pipe a³. Thus it will be seen, that accordingly
as the valve h is moved in one direction or the other by the action of the steering
mechanism m, the liquid flows by one or the other of the branches o³, and so to
one or other of the ends of the cylinder b; and that the other of said branches o³
becomes, for the time being, the exhaust branch by which the liquid from the other
end of said cylinder is passed to the tank g.
Generally then, the whole operation of this apparatus is as follows:-When it is
desired to change the position of the rudder, the hand steering mechanism m is
moved in the desired direction, whereupon steam is given to the pump a by the
opening of the valve in a¹, and it is set in motion. Liquid is so drawn from the
tank 9. and forced through the valve h to one or other ends of the cylinder b,
according to which direction it is desired to move the piston thereof, and the cross-
heads and pulleys thereon, the discharge of liquid from the opposite end of the
cylinder being adapted to take place through the valve into the tank
9.
The result of the movement of the piston and the pulleys connected on the end
of the piston rod c thereof is, that the chain or rope x is taken up by one set of the
pulleys (for f' f*), and the same amount is payed out by the other set of
pulleys. Of course the tiller (to which the chain or rope is connected in any known
way), and with it the rudder, is moved by the chain or rope taken up by the out
travelling pulleys, and the chain or rope on the inwardly travelling pulleys is payed
out to the tiller.
In case a sea strikes the rudder with abnormal force, shock, and consequent
straining thereof, is prevented or obviated by the relief valves i, which lift by the
abnormal pressure thereby brought upon them, and allow liquid to pass from that
end of the cylinders in which such liquid is subjected to the said abnormal pressure.
The liquid thus relieved passes into the tank g. The movement of the piston and
crossheads, due to this cause, effects the actuation and opening of the steam supply

page_text: valve in a through the rod n' lever n and links ; the pump will therefore be set
going, and will force liquid into that end of the end of the cylinder from which it
had been forced by the striking of the rudder by the sea, until the position it stood
at when the incident happened, is reached.
In the modification shewn in Figures 6 and 7, the crossheads d and e are each
provided with a single pulley instead of two, as in Figures 1 to 3. In this case the
centre of the axes of these pulleys lies coincidently with the centre or axes of the
piston rods c and cylinder b, while the vertical planes in which said pulleys f¹ƒ³
lie, cross each other as shewn. The pulleys in this case are of the same size.
This arrangement is designed to prevent the part of the chains a passing round
the pulleys and f³, from fouling each other, and to cause the pressure on the
piston rods e to pass through its centre or axes. Otherwise than in this respect this
apparatus is the same as that shewn in Figures 1 to 3.
As regards the position or arrangement of the steering gear shewn in Figures 1
to 7 in relation to the rudder, it is to be observed that it may be placed at any
desired part of the ship, as the chains may be led and guided as desired.
In the modification shewn in Figures 8 and 9, the two cylinders b, and rams c,
are used in lieu of one; but in this case they are single acting, and the rams are
directly connected to the tiller of the rudder. Otherwise than in this respect, this
apparatus is the same as that shewn in Figures 1 to 3. In these Figures 8 and 9
the relief valve casings i and their pipes, and spring, are shewn, as are also the
pipes which connect the valve with the cylinder b, and by which liquid is
conveyed to and from said cylinders.
The rudder head is designated r, and the tillers, the connection of the rams c
(which are coupled together as shewn) to the tiller being effected by a sleeve t
working on the rounded end of such tiller, and by trunnions or journals t' working
in the coupling of the rams c, as shewn. The coupling of these rams constitutes a
loop around the tiller.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, it is to be understood this
invention is not confined to the particular construction of parts herein set forth with
reference to the drawings, nor to the particular construction or disposition of said
parts, but what is claimed in respect of the herein described invention is :-
1. Steering gear for ships comprising the combination of a "duplex" or equivalent
steam pump, and hydraulic apparatus such as described, connectel with the rudder,
the steam pump being adapted to be started and stopped and to force liquid into
said hydraulic apparatus and move the rudder in one direction or the other and
without an accumulator; for the purposes set forth.
2. Steering gear for ships, comprising a "duplex" steam pump, hydraulic apparatus
such as described, and automatic mechanism by which the steam supply to the pump
is controlled; operating substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
3. Steering gear for ships comprising a cylinder, a piston working in said
cylinder having a double piston rod, and a pulley or pulleys on the end of each
piston rod, and chains or ropes working over said pulleys; operating substantially
as set forth.
4. Steering gear for ships comprising a steam pump, and a hydraulic cylinder or
cylinders with rams or piston rods with a pulley or pulleys on both ends thereof,
and chains or ropes working over said pulleys and crossing each other or running
in opposite directions, said pulleys being so constructed or arranged substantially as
set forth, whereby such chains or ropes are adapted to pass each other without
fouling, and to cause the stress to pass through the centre of said rods or rams.
5. In a steering gear for ships, the combination of a "duplex" steam pump, a
hydraulic cylinder or cylinders, a liquid distributing valve by which the liquid
from said pumps is distributed to said hydraulic apparatus and moves it in one
direction or the other, a steam controlling valve actuated by hand by a steering
mechanisin to set said pump in motion, and an automatic cut off device by which

page_text: said valve is actuated and the pump stopped, and a tank g into which exhaust or
escaping liquid is passed and from which the pump draws its liquid; substantially
as set forth.
6. In hydraulic steering gear, wherein a steam pump to force the liquid, and a
hydraulic apparatus such as described, are employed, an automatic cut off mechanism,
substantially as described, by which after the rudder has been moved the desired
amount the supply of steam to the pumps is automatically cut off and the liquid in
the hydraulic apparatus locked therein.
7. Steering gear for ships wherein there is comprised a steam pump and a
hydraulic apparatus such as described, a steam supply controlling valve and a liquid
distribution valve connected with said pump and hydraulic apparatus, relief valves
on said hydraulic apparatus, and an automatic mechanism operating substantially as
set forth, whereby, when the rudder and said hydraulic apparatus have been moved
by the action of a sea striking the rudder, the steam and liquid distribution valves
will be automatically set or moved and the rudder will be moved back to the
position it originally stood in: substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
8. Combined steam and hydraulic steering gear for ships having their parts
arranged, constructed, and adapted to operate, as set forth with reference to the
drawings.
Dhi and do of Tn 1000
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON, Fels. Chart. Inst. P.A.,
15, Water Street, Liverpool, Applicant's Patent Agents.