IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR STEERING VESSELS BY STEAM OR HAND POWER
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Daniel Davis, of 16, Woodstock Road, Poplar,
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR STEERING
VESSELS BY STEAM OR HAND POWER."
Sealed the 1st May 1877, and dated the 4th November 1876.
"
IMPROVE
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Daniel Davis at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th November 1876.
GEORGE DANIEL DAVIS, of 16, Woodstock Road, Poplar, Engineer.
MENTS IN MACHINERY FOR STEERING VESSELS BY STEAM OR HAND POWER."
This Invention of improvements in machinery for steering vessels by steam or
hand power has for its object the combination of steam and hand gear, so that the
hand gear or steam gear may work separately when required by the simple action
of a hand lever for throwing the one or other into gear, and correspondingly throw-
ing the one or the other out of gear. It has also for its object an automatic
arrangement of the valves, by which, when the rudder is hard over to port or
starboard, the action of the steam upon the gearing shall cease driving the wheels
and avoid the risk of breakage which would probably occur if such intermittence of
the action were dependent on manual attention.
The machinery consists of a suitable engine, either vertical or horizontal, of one
or more cylinders, the connecting rod of which drives a pinion gearing into a second
pinion, the second pinion gearing into a third pinion; the second and third pinions
carry on their axles frictional or V grooved pulleys, and both working into a
frictional pulley of much greater diameter, the axle of this larger pulley carries a
toothed pinion, and it again drives a larger spur wheel on an axis, the axis also
carrying the barrel, upon which works the chain leading to the rudder in any
accustomed manner.
The last-mentioned axis carries also a small pinion driving a larger pinion, this
larger pinion carrying a cranked pin lifting a piston valve, these two last-named
pinions being so geared when the rudder is amidships that the valve called the
automatic valve, the nearest valve to the boiler and on the steam service pipe, is
fully open, but as the rudder is worked hard to port or hard to starboard closes the
steam supply and shuts off the action of the cylinder driving the gear; the valve
D
17

page_text: may be an ordinary piston valve, an equilibrium or other suitable valve; at the back
of this automatic valve proceeds the steam pipe to supply the engine cylinder or
cylinders, and in its course is fixed the feed valve immediately under control for
giving steam to the cylinder. This valve is worked by a rock shaft and lever
handle, and in connection with its levers and its action upon the gearing previously
described consists one of the main features of the Invention.
The lever handle is placed conveniently for the steersman, and preferably
vertically and immediately behind the ordinary steering wheel which is connected
with and fitted upon the shaft carrying the large friction wheel, and may be left
to revolve when the steam gearing is working, or by means of any suitable coupling
gear be disconnected as required.
The action of the lever upon the rock shaft is this: to the rock shaft is attached
a beam, one end of which carries a rod connection with the feed valve or piston, the
valve itself, when the lever handle is vertical or at zero, if the apparatus is not
fixed vertically, being in the centre of the steam pipe and preventing any feed of
steam. If the lever handle is therefore diverted to the right or left, say to port or
starboard, steam at once passes to the cylinder and the gear is set in motion, thus
the other end of the beam is connected by coupling levers, and preferably multi-
plying the power with the end of a beam working on a rock shaft, the rock shaft
itself carrying at equal distances from its oscillating centre arms in connection with
the ends of the axles carrying the first mentioned friction wheels, the bearings of
these axles being mounted in suitable sliding bearings, and so adjusted that at zero
of the lever handle the frictional gearing is just out of contact; it follows therefore
if these connections are suitably made that the lever handle being at zero steam is
prevented from having access to the machinery, and that the hand wheel is perfectly
free to act upon the rudder chains, but that if the steersman quits hold of the wheel
and applying his hand to the lever handle steam is at once admitted to the steam
cylinder, whether he directs the lever handle to port or to starboard; but the very
act of placing the lever to port or starboard determines which of the two small
friction wheels shall gear into the larger friction wheel, and acting upon the rudder
chains, put the rudder to port or starboard, a reverse action of the lever at once
reversing the action on the rudder, and the placing of the lever amidships at once
sbutting off the steam gear and leaving the wheel free to be acted upon by the
hand wheel.
It is obvious that the principle set forth admits of many ways of carrying it out;
for instance, steam may be supplied from the ship's engines or from a special boiler.
The whole apparatus may be on the upper deck or the main deck, or the wheel
and hand lever may be on the upper deck and the heavy gearing on the main
deck.
Although the description applies to one cylinder and one set of frictional gearing
and one set of levers it is better to have them duplicated, that is, each side of the
framing supporting sliding boxes for the frictional axles and hand lever, so that the
motions for bringing in the frictional gearing may work perfectly parallel.
Any of the ordinary breaks may be attached to the apparatus and worked by
means of levers by the foot of the steersman.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said George Daniel Davis in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 3rd May
1877.
GEORGE DANIEL DAVIS, of 16, Woodstock Road, Poplar, Engineer.
"IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY FOR STEERING VESSELS BY STEAM OR HAND POWER."
This Invention of improvements in machinery for steering vessels by steam or
hand power has for its object the combination of steam and hand gear, so that the
hand gear or steam gear may work separately when required by the simple action

page_text: of a hand lever for throwing the one or other into gear and correspondingly throw-
ing the one or the other out of gear. It has also for its object an automatic
arrangement of the valves, by which when the rudder is hard over to port or
starboard the action of the steam upon the gearing shall cease driving the wheels
and avoid the risk of breakage, which would probably occur if such intermittence
of the action were dependent upon manual attention.
In the accompanying Drawings forming part of this Specification Figure 1 is an
elevation of the apparatus athwart ship; Figure 2, an elevation as placed on board,
fore and aft; Figure 3, plan; Figures 4, 5, and 6, modifications of valve (for vessels
when moving astern). The like letters apply to like parts.
The machinery consists of a suitable engine, either vertical or horizontal, of one
or more cylinders A, the connecting rod or rods of which drives a pinion
gearing into a second pinion, the second pinion gearing into a third pinion; the
second and third pinions carry on their axles frictional or V grooved pulleys or
wheels c, and both working into a frictional pulley or wheel of much greater
diameter d; the axle of this larger pulley carries a toothed pinion, and it
again drives a larger spur wheel e on an axis, the axis also carrying the barrel f,
upon which works the chain 'g leading to the rudder in any accustomed manner
(from the axis of the large grooved wheel or pulley may be worked a worm wheel
and screw in place of the toothed pinion and spur wheel).
The last-mentioned axis carries also a small pinion h, driving a larger pinion i,
this larger pinion carrying a crank p in j, lifting a piston valve l, these two last-
named pinions being so geared when the rudder is amidships that the valve called
the automatic valve 1, the nearest valve to the boilers and on the steam service pipe
m, is fully open, but as the rudder is worked either hard to port or hard to star-
board closes the steam supply and shuts off the action of the cylinder driving the
gear the valve may be an ordinary piston valve, an equilibrium or other suitable
valve. The larger pinion i last mentioned instead of carrying a crank pin for
lifting a piston valve may work a circular valve direct or other valve, as will be
afterwards explained. At the back of this automatic valve proceeds the steam
pipe to supply the engine cylinder or cylinders, and in its course is fixed the feed
valve n immediately under control for giving steam to the cylinder. This valve is
worked by a rock shaft o and lever handle p, and in connection with its levers and
its action upon the gearing previously described consists one of the main features
of the Invention.
The lever handle is placed conveniently for the steersman, and preferably
vertically, and immediately behind the ordinary steering wheel which is connected
with and fitted upon the shaft carrying the large friction wheel, and may be left to
revolve when the steam gearing is working, or by means of any suitable coupling
gear be disconnected, as required.
The action of the lever upon the rock shaft is this: to the rock shaft is attached a
beam q, one end of which carries the rod in connection with the feed valve or piston n,
the valve itself when the central lever handle is vertical or at zero, if the apparatus
is fixed vertically, being in the centre of the steam pipe, and preventing any feed
of steam. If the lever handle is therefore diverted to the right or left, say to port
or starboard, steam at once passes to the cylinder, and the gear is set in motion;
thus the other end of the beam is connected by coupling levers z, and preferably
multiplying the power with the end of a beam working on a rock shaft, the rock
shaft itself carrying at equal distances from its oscillating centre arms in connection
with the ends of the axles carrying the first-mentioned friction wheels c, the
bearings of these axles being mounted in suitable sliding bearings, and so adjusted
that at zero of the lever handle the frictional gearing is just out of contact; it
follows therefore if these connections are suitably made that the lever handle being
at zero steam is prevented from having access to the machinery, and that the hand
wheel is perfectly free to act upon the rudder chains, but that if the steersman
quits hold of the wheel and applying his hand to the lever handle steam is at
once admitted to the steam cylinder whether he directs the lever handle to port or

page_text: to starboard; but the very act of placing the lever to port or starboard determines
which of the two small friction wheels c shall gear into the larger friction wheel d
and acting upon the rudder chains put the rudder to port or starboard, a reverse
action of the lever at once reversing the action on the rudder and the placing of
the lever amidships at once shutting off the steam gear and leaving the wheel free
to be acted upon by the hand wheel.
It is obvious that the principle set forth admits of many ways of carrying it out;
for instance, steam may be supplied from the ship's engines or from a special boiler.
The whole apparatus may be on the upper deck or the main deck, or the wheel and
hand lever may be on the upper deck and the heavy gearing on the main deck.
Although the description applies to one cylinder and one set of frictional gearing
and one set of levers, it is intended to have them duplicated, that is, each side of
the framing supporting sliding boxes for the frictional axles and hand lever, so that
the motions for bringing in the frictional gearing may work perfectly parallel.
Any of the ordinary brakes may be attached to the apparatus and worked by
means of levers by the foot of the steersman.
Under certain conditions, as in the maneuvering of vessels of war or otherwise
where the vessel is required to back astern with great rapidity, it is obvious that
the rudder once hard over could not be reversed without application of great force
to the hand gear, the pressure of the water on the rudder having the direct tendency
to prevent its going amidships.
In vessels requiring therefore a different arrangement I employ the equilibrium
valve, shown in Figures 4, 5, the axis and pinion i carrying the circular valve,
shown in Figure 5, which forms the ports to supply the piston n. Reference to the
Drawing will show that in this arrangement the relative position of the axles of
pinions h and i will now be horizontal in place of vertical, and that the hand
levers can at once supply steam whether the rudder be hard to port or hard to
starboard.
Another arrangement is shown in Figure 6, where the piston n and piston / are
In this case
arranged with the same object, as is explained in Figures 4 and 5.
the coupling, as shown at j, Figure 1, should be placed at s.
Having now described and particularly set forth the nature of the said Invention
and the manner of carrying the same into effect, I would have it understood that
what I claim is,―
Firstly. The rocking shaft and levers reversing the action of the steam upon
and the connection of the driving pinion of the cylinder or cylinders in relation to
the frictional gearing, as described, with the wheels and gear for actuating the
rudder chains, substantially as described.
Secondly. The arrangement of the automatic valves by which the gearing shuts
off the steam as the rudder works to port or to starboard, substantially as
described.
Thirdly. The valve and arrangement described in Figures 4, 5, and 6, for the
purpose therein set forth, substantially as described.
Fourthly. The combination of the hand steering wheel and the steam gear per-
manently coupled thereto, in the manner substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Daniel Davis, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Second day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
TTTTTON
G. D. DAVIES.
(L.S.)