IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR STEERING, HOISTING, AND GIVING MOTION THROUGH SHORT SPACES BY WATER, STEAM, OR FLUID."
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Ernest Charles Rippin, of Clissold Road, Stoke
Newington, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR STEERING, HOISTING, AND GIVING MOTION
THROUGH SHORT SPACES BY WATER, STEAM, OR FLUID."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ernest Charles Rippin
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 30th March 1872...
I, ERNEST CHARLES RIPPIN, of Clissold Road, Stoke Newington, in
the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR STEERING, HOISTING, AND
GIVING MOTION THROUGH SHORT SPACES BY WATER, STEAM, OR FLUID," to be as
follows:-
The following description of the apparatus, as applied to steering by
steam, will sufficiently explain its action for application to other gases
or fluids, and for other purposes.

page_text: The apparatus consists of a cylinder bored and fitted with a piston,
from. which a rod passes through the cylinder cover, or rods pass
through each cover, communicating either with the tiller itself or with
chains, rods, ropes, or other communications with it. The cylinder is
fitted with valve gear (herein-after described) for the admission and
exhaust of steam to move the piston, and act upon the tiller. The valve
chest is fitted with passages arranged in the ordinary way communi-
cating with the ends of the cylinder, the steam, and exhaust. The valve
may be of the ordinary kinds, but is preferably a piston, and its motion
over the passages-admits and exhausts steam.
It is moved and controlled in the following manner :-A bar rod is
placed by the side of the cylinder engaging at one end with a stud or
slider on the piston rod, or of one of the piston rods if there be more than
one. The bar is also supported (preferably at the other end) by a pin
upon which it is free to move, and which is itself movable (preferably
in a limited degree, so as never to permit the bar to become parallel to
the cylinder). The pin is moved by a screw or other arrangement in a
plane at right angles to that of the cylinder. The arrangement com-
municating motion to this pin is under the immediate control of the
steersman; a pin on the bar communicates motion to the valve.
The action is as follows:-Let it be supposed that the piston is at the
in end of the stroke, the valve will be at its mid position, and the pin
on which the bar is free to move will be at its extreme (for illustration,
say, at its lowest) position. The steersman by hand wheel or other
arrangement turns the screw or otherwise actuates the arrangement
communicating motion to the movable pin. The pin is raised, and with
it one end of the bar. The pin on the bar which acts on the valve raises
it, and a communication is opened between the back end of the cylinder
and the steam inlet, and between the front end of the cylinder and the
exhaust. Steam enters and pushes the piston outwards, and the slider
on the piston rod travelling along the bar draws down the end connected
with it, and with it in a less degree moves the valve which is brought
back to its mid position, whereby the steam and exhaust passages are
closed, and the piston remains stationary until the steersman again
alters the position of the movable pin and of the bar. The bar may
be
straight or curved, and if curved it may be so as to produce a motion
of the valve having an unvarying proportion to that of the piston.

page_text: I sometimes employ water instead of steam, and I propose usually to
obtain it from a pipe passing into the water space of a boiler.
A similar arrangement is applicable to direct acting cranes and
hoists, starting and reversing cylinders of steam engines, and other
appliances where motion through a limited space is required.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Ernest Charles Rippin in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 30th September 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ERNEST
CHARLES RIPPIN, of Clissold Road, Stoke Newington, in the County
of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of March; in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign; did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Ernest Charles Rippin, Her special licence
that I, the said Ernest Charles Rippin, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Ernest Charles Rippin, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with;
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter 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 "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR STEERING, HOISTING, AND GIVING MOTION THROUGH
SHORT SPACES BY WATER, STEAM, OR FLUID," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Ernest Charles Rippin, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or ono
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 Ernest Charles Rippin, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same

page_text: is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawing forming a part of this Specification: -
The following description of the apparatus, as applied to steering by
steam, will sufficiently explain its action for application to other gases
or fluids, and for other purposes.
The apparatus consists of a cylinder bored and fitted with a piston,
from which a rod passes through the cylinder cover, or rods pass
through each cover, communicating either with the tiller itself or with
chains, rods, ropes, or other communications with it. The cylinder is
fitted with valve gear (herein-after described) for the admission and
exhaust of steam to move the piston, and act upon the tiller. The valve
chest is fitted with passages arranged in the ordinary way communi-
cating with the ends of the cylinder, the steam, and the exhaust. The
valve may be of the ordinary kind, but is preferably a piston, and its
motion over the passages admits and exhausts steam.
It is moved and controlled in the following manner :-A bar or rod is
placed by the side of the cylinder engaging at one end with a stud or
slider on the piston rod, or of one of the piston rods if there be more
than one.
The bar is also supported (preferably at the other end) by a
pin upon which it is free to move, and which is itself movable (pre-
ferably in a limited degree, so as never to permit the bar to become
parallel to the cylinder). The pin is moved by a screw or other
arrangement in a plane at right angles to that of the cylinder. The
arrangement communicating motion to this pin is under the immediate
control of the steersman; a pin on the bar communicates motion to the
valve.
The action is as follows:-Let it be supposed that the piston is at the
end of the stroke the valve, will be at its mid position, and the pin on
which the bar is free to move will be at its extreme (for illustration,
say, at its lowest) position. The steersman by hand wheel or other
arrangement turns the screw, or otherwise actuates the arrangement
communicating motion to the movable pin. The pin is raised, and with
it one end of the bar. The pin on the bar which acts on the valve raises
it, and a communication is opened between the back end of the cylinder
and the steam inlet, and between the front end of the cylinder and the
exhaust. Steam eiters and pushes the piston outwards, and the slider

page_text: on the piston rod travelling along the bar draws down the end connected
with it, and with it in a less degree moves the valve, which is brought
back to its mid position, whereby the steam and exhaust passages are
closed, and the piston remains stationary until the steersman again
alters the position of the movable pin and of the bar. The bar may be
straight or curved, and if curved it may be so as to produce a motion
of the valve having an unvarving proportion to that of the piston.
Figure 1 represents a side elevation of the improved arrangement of
apparatus as applied to the steering of vessels, and in which water is
the medium employed for giving motion to the various parts; Figures. 2
and 3 represent respectively an end view and plan of the same; Figure 4
represents a transverse section of the cylinder and valve box, showing
more particularly the valve when in its mean position; and Figure 5
represents, as an example, the adaptation of the improved arrangement
of apparatus when applied to the starting and reversing of large engines.
In Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 the apparatus is shown as applied to the
steering of vessels, and in a position that will correspond with the mid
or idle position of the rudder. In these Figures a, a, is a cylinder pro-
vided with the ordinary construction of thoroughfares employed in steam
engine cylinders; b is a cylindrical valve chest placed at right angles
with the axis of the cylinder a (vide Figure 4); into this valve chest b
water from the boiler is admitted through the pipe c, a tap or valve
being provided for regulating its flow, the pressure and action of the
said water upon the piston being controlled by the movement of the

page_text: valve b' in the valve chest b, the spent water being exhausted through
the pipe d. The valve spindle e is connected to one end of the lever f,
its other curved slotted portion being connected by the pin g to one end
of the piston rod h, and in which it is allowed to slide. At a point i
(vide Figure 5) this lever f is connected to the swivel nut k, into which
the screw m forming the lower portion of the rod n is screwed. This
shaft or rod n supported in the standard or pillar is provided at
its upper extremity above the deck with the helm wheel o. The
ends of the piston rods h, h, are connected through the medium of
their links ¹, ¹, and chains or other equivalent with the tiller of the
vessel. When the helm wheel o is turned, so as to move the valves
through the medium of the swivel nut k and screw m, the pressure of
the water from the boiler acting upon the piston and rods h, h, of the
cylinder a is controlled by the combined actions of the fulcra i, 3, of the
curved slotted lever f (that is) when the power is exerted upon the
lever through the medium of the helm wheel o and swivel nut k
for the purpose of moving the valve 61 for the admission of water
pressure to the cylinder a the fulcrum of such lever f at that time will
be at its slotted end ², or in any other position of such slot in which the
stud g may be at the time of moving the valve 6'; but immediately the
piston is forced by the pressure of water thus admitted in the desired
direction, its movement causes the stud g to slide along the slot of the
lever in a rectilinear direction, which in its movement raises or
depresses such lever, becoming thereby transformed into the power as it
gives motion to such lever; the swivel nut or former power k, at this
time being the fulcrum, causes the valve spindle c to give a reverse or
cut-off action to the valve 6'. The positive and self-acting motion thus
obtained gives a steadiness to the movement of the "tiller" in any direc-
tion desired with facility and precision.
In Figure 5 a similar arrangement of apparatus for giving motion
through short spaces is shown as applied to the starting and reversing of
large engines, and in which a is the cylinder of the apparatus; b, the
valve chest; n, the rod; and m, the screw giving motion to the nut k,
actuating the curved slotted lever f; and 9, the stud sliding in such
slotted lever, and which in this instance is connected with the piston
rod and a rod q; forming the connection between such piston rod h,
and the slide of the link motion of a stationary, locomotive, or marine
engine, the action of the several parts being in every respect similar to
those in the first instance herein-before described.

page_text: Having now described the nature of my said Invention, together with
the method of carrying the same into practical effect, I wish it to be
distinctly understood in conclusion that I claim, the novel and peculiar
construction, adaptation, employment, and use of the herein-before
described arrangement of apparatus to the steering of vessels, or for
other purposes wherein movements through short spaces are required to
be transmitted and controlled in the manner as herein-before described,
set forth, and fully illustrated in the Drawing attached.
In witness whereof, I, the said Ernest Charles Rippin, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this the Thirtieth day of September,
in the weak of our Lord 1872
Witness,
THOMAS WRIGLEY.
ERNEST CHARLES RIPPIN. (L.S.)