Steering Apparatus, Patent Model
date: label: Date made
content: 1877
label: patent date
content: 1877-08-28
name: label: patentee
content: Davies, James
label: inventor
content: Davies, James
notes: label: Description
content: "My invention relates to a contrivance to assist the helmsman in swinging the rudder laterally against the resistance offered by the water," James Davies wrote in 1877. "It consists in the combination of a pivoted cylinder containing a spring and a piston, the latter connected with the tiller." When the tiller is turned, and the rudder encounters pressure from the water rushing past it, Davies's spring and piston counteract the water's force. Because the device does not work when the vessel is backing-the spring would work with the pressure of the water rather than against it-Davies provided a pin along the side of the cylinder to block the spring.
label: Description
content: James Davies was a resident of Liverpool, England. He may also have patented this steering gear in the United Kingdom.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: associated place
content: United Kingdom: England, Liverpool, Liverpool
topic: label: Subject
content: Patent Models
setName: label: See more items in
content: Work and Industry: Maritime
label: See more items in
content: America on the Move
label: See more items in
content: Transportation
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: TR.308555
label: catalog number
content: 308555
label: accession number
content: 89797
label: patent number
content: 194,658
objectType: label: Object Name
content: steering apparatus, model
label: Object Name
content: patent model, steering apparatus, marine
label: Object Type
content: Patent Model
label: Other Terms
content: steering apparatus; patent model, steering apparatus, marine; Maritime
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: brass (lever and piston material)
label: Physical Description
content: wood (base material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 8 in x 5 1/2 in x 2 1/2 in; 20.32 cm x 13.97 cm x 6.35 cm