US568736A - brown - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) s sheets-sheet 1.

A. B. BROWN.

STEERING VBSSBLS. No. 568,736. Patented Oct. 6,- 1896.

V- NoModeL 5 sheets-.speen 2.

A. B. BROWN.

STEERING VESSELS. No. 668,736. Y Patented Oct. 6, 1896.

' WITNESSES: INVENTOR @fw/Ml ATTORNEY (No Model.) 5 vShams-Sheet; 3.

^ A. B. BROWN.

STEERING VBSSELS. No. 568,736. Patented'Oot. 6, 1.896.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR ATTORNEY (No Model.) 5 S--heets-Sheet 4,

' A. B. BROWN.

.STEERING VBSSELS.

No. 568,736.` Patented 001;. 6, 1896-.

i j, Y

a 20 Y Y j y lNvENToR ATTORNEY` (No Model.) *y l Sheets-Sheet 5.

- A.y B. BROWN.

STEERING VBSSBLS. No. 568,736. y Patented Oct. 6, 1896.

WITNESSE-Svl INVENTOR g (fw I l BY ' ATTORNEY me uamuseasks cu. Mora-lumai. wlsmnmow, n. c

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ATENT ANDREV B. BROWN, OF EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND.

STEERING vEssELs.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 568,736, dated October 6, 1896.

Application led November 8, l895. Serial No. 568,259. (No modeLl Patented in England October 9, 1888,N0.14,456.

To all whom, it nwty concern:

Be itknown that I, ANDREW BErrs BROWN, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Edinburgh, in the county of Mid-Lothian, Scotland, have invented a new and useful rlelemotor Apparatus for Operating Steering Machinery and foret-her Purposes, (for which l have obtained Letters Patentin Great Britain, No. 14,456, bearing date October 9, 1888,) which invention is fully set forth and illustrated in the following specification and accompanying drawings.

The object of this invention is to transmit movements from a distance, by means of hydraulic power, to steering, telegraphing, indicating, and other analogous apparatus.

As the steering-engines of a vessel are frequently located in close proximity to the ru dder, while the steering-wheel is located on a bridge nearer to the bow of the vessel, some connection must be provided between said steering-wheel and the valves of said engine, and a complicated arrangement of shafting and gearing has heretofore been used for this purpose. By .my invention herein described the inconveniences and difficulties attendant upon the use of such mechanism is avoided, and a simple hydraulic connection is established between the steering-wheel and the valve of the steering-engine, which'is readily and certainly operated.

The invention will iirst be described in detail and then set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a general view in elevation of a transmitting and receiving apparatus constituting a hydraulic telemotor embodying my invention, several of the parts being shown in section. Fig. 2 shows in elevation a modilied form of transmitting apparatus having combined therewith an apparatus for indicating the position 4of the rudder. Fig. 8 shows in horizontal section a detail of construction shown in Fig. 2 and hereinafter described. Fig. a is a side elevation ofFig. 2, looking to the left. Fig. 5 shows in vertical section, enlarged, a portion of the transmitting apparatus illustrated in Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a view in plan of the transmitting portion of 'an apparatus employed to indicate the position of the rudder. Fig. 7 is an end elevation of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is an elevation, partly in section, of a modiied form of hydraulic telemotor embodying my invention.

vIn said ligures the several parts are respectively indicated by reference letters and numbers, as follows:

Referring first to Fig. 1, the letter A indicates a steering-wheel located on the bridge of the vessel or at any other convenient point and mounted upon a shaft ct. Said shaft eX- tends through a stuffing-box into a casing or enlarged portion C2, formed on a transmitting-cylinder C and is provided with a pinion 11, which meshes with a rack 12, formed upon or attached to the surface of a piston or plunger B, located within said transmitting-cylinder, the ends of said piston being suitably packed.

Connected to the ends of the transmittingcylinder C are two pipes D D2, which lead to the place where the steering-engine is located and there connect with the receiving apparatus. Said receiving apparatus consists of a cylinder or cylinders E E2, provided with pistons or plunger-s F F2, connected by a bar G. The pipe D fromv the transmitter leads into the cylinder E, and the pipe D2 leads into the cylinder E2.

The transmitting-cylinder C, the pipes D D2, and the receiving-cylinders E E2 are kept full of liquid by means of a pipe L, leading from a reservoir or tank L4 and provided with inletch'ecir-wtlvesm. The pipes D D2 are provided with safet f-v- L5 L, suitably loaded by springs, sothat, should the internal pressure become excessive from any cause,

said valves will open and re' j. the pressure by establis nng communication with the reservoir L4 through the pipes L2.

Connected to the bar G, which unites the two pistons F F2 of the receiver, is one end of a rocker arm or lever H, the other end of which is secured to a rock-shaft 13, carried in a frame I, mounted upon and secured to the receiving-cylinders E E2. Secured to said rock-shaft also is one end of a small rocker arm or lever H', to the other end of which is connectedv a rod H2, leading to thevalve-gear of the steering -engine (Not shown.) A rocker arm or lever J has one of its ends secured tothe shaft 13, its other end being connected to spring-rods j. Spiral springs K' K2 surround said rods between cross-heads 7c,

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supported from arms i of the frame l. Said springs act upon the arm or lever J so as to move it to its central posit-ion when it is free to move. )Vlienever the steering-wheel A is turned so as to more the transmitti11g-piston B into its middle position, a communication is opened, as below described, between the two ends of the transmitting-cylinder C, and then, if the correcting arm or lever J, connected to the pistons F F2 of the receiver, has not also been brought to its central position, the sprin K K2, acting upon said lever, will force it and the receiving-pistons FJ F2 into their central positions. The liquid in the pipes D D2 and in the cylinders C E FP will thus be free to adjust itself by moving from one cylinder to another, as may be required. The parts will in this way be brought into exact correspondence every time the steering-wheel A is turned to its middle position. Various devices may be used for effecting communication between the ends of the transmitting-cylinder C. In Fig. 1 the piston Bis shown provided with passage-ways b, extending from its ends to separate ports in one side of the piston at its middle, said ports opening into a cavity 1l, formed in the sides of the cylinder C. )Vhen the piston is in its middle position, communication will thus be established between the ends of the cylinder. ln Figs. 2 and 5 communication is effected by means of pipes 15 16, connected to a stop-cock, the plug 17 of which has fixed upon it a forked piece 1S, operated bya tooth or projection 19, formed upon or attached to the piston B at the middle of a groove 20, formed along the piston. The stop-cock plug 17 is opened when the forked piece 18 is moved to its middle position by the pistontooth 19, but is instantlyclosed by the action of said tooth when the piston is moved from its middle position in eitherdirection by the steering-wheel A.

In Figs. 2, 3, and i a transmitting apparatus is shown having combined therewith an apparatus for indicating the position of the rudder, all the parts being carried by a pedestal or standard M. The filling-valve L/ L2 and the relief-valves L5 L6 are shown in these figures attached to the ends of the transmitting-cylinder C, but the supply-pipe L and reservoir L4 are not shown. The pipes DD2 lead to the receiving-cylinders E E2 in the manner shown in Fig. l. The steering-wheel shaft- A is connected by means of bevelwheels A2 with a vertical shaft A3, which may be actuated, when desired, by a steeringwheel placed at a higher level. The shaft A:l is provided with screw-threads adapted to raise and lower a block V2, which is provided with an internal helix acting upon a helical spindle V, to which is fixed an index-arm V. By means of this construction the index-arm V will indicate the position in which the rudder should be placed bythe movement of the steering-wheel A when the apparatus operates correctly.

For showing the actual position of the rudder the apparatus now to be described is provided. Mounted upon suitable brackets or frames carried by the standard M, Fig. 2, is a lou g cylinder or pair of cylinders E1 E, provided with filling check-valves L7 Lg and relief check-valves L9 L1". )Vithin the cylinders E4 E, which may be called the indicator-receiving cylinders, is a long piston E", provided at its central portion with a rack r, which meshes with a toothed sector U, secured to a shaft U', within a casing C", formed upon or secured to the cylinders E4 E, Figs. 2 and 3. The shaft U passes upward out of the casing Ci and has secured to itan index-arm U2 to indicate the position of the rudder. Leading from the cylinders E E5 are two pipes DSD, which lead to the place where the steering apparatus is located and there connect with the indicator-transmitting cylinders C5 C, (shown in Figs. G and 7,) which are similar to the indicator-receiving cylinders E E, (shown in Fig. 2,) and are provided with a piston having a rack meshing with a toothed sector (similar to the sector U, Fig. 3) secured to a shaft AA1 within a casing C7. Connected to the upper end of the shaft A4 is one end of a lever T', the other end of said lever being connected to a lever T, operaied in any suitable manner by the movements of the rudder.

The cylinders C5 C'i may be supplied with fluid through an inlet-pipe p, leading from any suitable source of supply, and filling,r and relief valves similar to those shown in Fig. 2 may be provided. For establishing communication between the cylinders C5 C"5 pipes 5 16 are provided, having a stop-cock 17, the plug of which is operated by a spindle s, provided on its ends with a forked piece 18, acted upon by a tooth 1U on the lever T. By this construction the ends of the indicatortransmitting cylinders C5 C will be put into communication with each other whenever the lever T and the rudder are in their central positions, and the piston E in the indicatorreceiving cylinders El E5 will also thus be allowed to assume its central position, the centering of this latter piston being accomplished by helical springs (not shown) applied in the cylinders themselves in a manner to act on the piston when moved from the middle position.

The operation of the complete telemotor apparatus constructed as shown in Figs. 1 to 7 is as follows: If the hand-wheel A of the transmitting apparatus be revolved in the direction of the arrow, Figs. 1 and 2, by the helmsman on the bridge, said movement will, through the instrumentality of the pinion 11 and the rack 12 on the piston B, move said piston to the left within the transmitting-cylinder C. As said piston moves it will expel through the pipe D the fluid contained in the cylinder C at the left-hand end of said piston, and said fluid will then rush through said pipe to the receiving apparatus, located near the steering-engine, and will enter the cylinder E of said receiver at the left of the piston F'. Said piston will thus be forced to the right, carrying with it the cross-bar G and piston F2, and imparting motion by means of the rocker arm or lever H to the rock-shaft 13. This movement of the shaft 13 will move the rocker arm o1' lever` J and compress the spring K2, and Will also move the rocker arm or lever H', thus imparting to the valve-rod H2, connected to said lever, the necessary motion to cause the engine to move the rudder the desired distance. If the hand-Wheel A be moved in the direction opposite to the arrow, it is obvious that the operations of the several parts Will be the reverse of those just described. The position which the movement of the hand-wheel A should cause the rudder to assume, if the apparatus be in proper working condition, will be indicated to the helmsma'n by the indicator-arm V, Fig. 4, which, when the steering-Wheel A is revolved, will loe moved through the instrumentality of the bevel-wheels A2, shaft A3, block V2, and helical spindle V. The position actually assumed by the rudderwill be indicated to the helmsman by the indicator-arm U2, Fig. 4, which will be moved in th`e-fol-loivingA manner: As the rudder moves by the action of the steering-engine it will move the lever T, Figs. 6 and 7, which, by means of the lever T', connected thereto, will vibrate the shaft A4, and thus, by means of the toothed sector within the casing 07,'movc the piston in the indicating-transmitting cylinder C5 C6 to one side or the other. This movement of said piston will expel a current of iiuid through one of the pipes D3 D4 to the indicator-receivin g cylinders E4 E5, located at the steering-station, Figs. 2 and 4, and the piston E6 of said cylinders will thus be moved. As said piston moves it will, by means of the rack r thereon, move the sector U and vibrate the shaft U', to which said sector is secured. As the shaft U' rotates it will move the indicator arm U2, secured thereto, thus indicating to the helmsman the position in which the rudder has been placed by the action of the steering-engines.

In the modified formof telemotor apparatus shown in Fig. 8 a comparatively short transmitting-cylinder C' is employed, having a piston B. The piston-rod W of said piston extends through a stufling-box and is provided on its outer portion with screw-threads acted upon by internal screw-threads on the hub of the steering-Wheel A,which is mounted on said rod WV, said hub forming a nut on said rod. The receiving-cylinderF. is also shortened and is provided with a piston F. The rod X of said piston passes out of said cylinder through a stuffing-box and may be connected to the controlling-valve of the steering-engine or other apparatus. Springs K2 K3 are located in the cylinder Eto act in opposite directions on the piston F and center the same. To allow of suchv centering, the transmitting-cylinder C is provided with a passage 14, which establishes communication betw`e the ends of said cylinder when the pistonfB is in its middle position. arrangement of supply pipes and valves and connecting-pipes is the same as that shown in Fig. l.

The operation of the apparatus constructed as shown in Fig. 8 is as follows: If the handwheel A be rotated, such rotation will, by means of the screw-threads y on the pistonrod W, cause the piston B in the transmitting-cylinder C to move in one direction or the other, according to the direction in which the wheel A is rotated. As said piston moves it-will expel fluid through one of the pipes D D2 to the receiving-cylinder E and cause the piston F of said cylinder to move to one side or the other, thus impart-ing the desired motion to the valve-rod of the steering-engine, to which rod may be connected the pistonrod X. The indicating apparatus shown in the preceding figures, or any other indicating apparatus, may be used in connection with the transmitter and receiver shown in Fig. 8.

In either form of hydraulic telemotor shown in the drawings, whenever the piston of the transmitting-cylinder is moved to its middle vposition by the hand-wheel A, communication Will be established between ends of said cylinder in the manner above described, and the piston of the receiving-cylinder will be brought into a corresponding position by the action of the spring devices, hereinbefore dcscribed, connected to said piston. So, also, when the piston in the indicator-transmitting cylinders C5 C6 is in its middle position, communication will be established between the ends of said cylinders in the manner above described, and the piston E6 of the indicator-receiving cylinders E4 E5 Will also be brought to its middle position by the springs (not shown) connected thereto. It is obvious that some equivalent device may be substituted for the spring devices described for centering the pistons of the receiving apparatus.

I do not coniine myself to the use of the telemotor apparatus herein described in conjunction with a steering-engine, as it is obvious that said apparatus may be employed to operate from a distance other mechanism or machinery, in particular Where motion of an intermittent character is desired. If a steering-engine be employed, such engine may be of any suitable construction.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim- 1. In a hydraulic telemotor apparatus the combination of a receiving-cylinder provided with a piston; a lever connected to said piston; and means connected to said lever for automatically centering said piston.

2. In a hydraulic telemotor apparatus, the combination with a receiving-cylinder provided with a piston, of a spring` or springs IOO IIO

connected to said piston for autonmtically centering the same.

3. In a hydraulic telemotor apparatus the combination of a tra11smitting-cylinder provided With a piston; means for establishing communication between the ends of said cylinder; a receiving-cylinder provided with a piston; pipes connecting said cylinders; and means connected to the piston of said receiving-cylinder for centering' the same.

4f. In a hydraulic telemotor apparatus, the combination of a transmitting-cylinder provided with a piston; a receiving-cylinder provided with a piston; pipes connecting said cylinders; and springs connected to the piston of said receiving-cylinder for automatically centering the same.

5. In a hydraulic telemotor a1'1paratus, the combination of a receivi11g-cylinder provided With a piston or plunger; an arm or loversocured to a rock-shaft and connected to said piston; aeorrecting-lever also secured to said shaft; and springs connected to said correcting-lever.

6. In a hydraulic telemotor apparatus, the combination of a transmitti11g-cylinder provided with a piston; a receivi11g-cylinder provided with a piston; pipes connecting said cylinders; an arm or lever secured to a rockshaft and connected to the piston of said receiving-cylinder; a correcting-lever also secured to said shaft; and springs connected to said correcting-lever.

7. In a hydraulic telemotor apparatus, the combination of a transmitti11g-cylinder provided with a piston; means substantially as described for establishing communication between the ends of said cylinder; a receivingcylinder provided with a piston; and pipes connecting said transmitting and receiving cylinders.

8. In a hydraulic telemotor apparatus, the combination of a transmitting-cylinder; a pipe connecting the ends of said cylinder; a cock or valve located in said pipe and provided with a forked arm or lever; and a piston Within said cylinder provided With a tooth or projection itting into said forked lever.

t). In a hydraulic telemotor apparatus, the combination of the following-named parts: a transmitting-cylinder provided with a piston a receiving-cylinder provided with a piston; a reservoir or tank; a pipe for supplying fluid to said tra-nsmitting-cylinder from said tank; pipes connecting said transmitting and receiving cylinders; and a pipe, or pipes, leading from said connecting-pipes to said tank and provided with spring loaded safetyvalves.

l0. In a hydraulic telemotor apparatus, the combination of a transmitting-cylinder provided with a piston or plunger having a rack formed upon or att-ached to its surface within said cylinder; a pinion within said cylinder meshing with said rack and mounted upon a shaft; a hand-Wheel secured to said shaft; a receiving-cylinder provided with a piston;

and pipes connecting said receiving and transmitting cylinders.

ll. In a hydraulic telemotorapparatus, the combination of a transmitting-eylinder provided with a piston or plunger having a rack formed upon or attached to its surface within said cylinder; a pinion within said cylinder meshing with said rack and mounted upon a shaft; a hand-wheel secured to said shaft; a receiving-cylinder provided with a piston; pipes connecting said transmitting and receiving cylinders; an arm or lever secured to a rock-shaft and connected to the piston of said receiving-cylinder; a correcting-lever also secured to said shaft; and springs connected to said correcting-lever.

l2. In a hydraulic telemotor apparatus, the combination of a transmitting-eylinder provided with a piston; mechanism for reciprocating said piston; a receiving-cylinder provided with a piston 5 a rod connected to said last-mentioned piston for operating thc va-lvc of a steering-engine; and a separate indicator-cylinder provided with a piston, adapted to be operated by the movement of the rudder.

123. In a hydraulic telemotor apparatus, the combination of transmitting and receiving cylinders; an indicator-transmitting cylinder; an indicator-receiving cylinder; a piston Within said indicator-receiving cylinder provided with. a rack; a toothed sector secured to a shaft and meshing with said rack; and an index-arm also secured to said shaft, for indicating the angle of the rudder.

ll. Ina hydraulic telemotor apparatus, the combination of a transmitti11g-cylinder; a receiving-cylinder; pipes connecting said cylinders; an indicatortransmitting cylinder provided with a piston operated by the movement of the rudder; an indicator-receiving cylinder provided with a piston; pipes conneetin g said cylinders; and an index-arm operated by the movement of the piston in said indicator-receiving cylinder.

l5. In ahydraulie telemotor apparatus, the combination of a transmitting-cylinder; areceiving-cylinder; pipes connecting said cylinders; an indicator-transmitting cylinder provided with a piston operated by the movement of the rudder; an ii'ldica-tor-receiving cylinder provided with a piston; pipes connecting said cylinders; an index-arm operated by the movement of the piston in said indicator-receiving cylinder; and mechanism substantially as described for bringing the pistons of said cylinders into corresponding positions.

lo'. In a hydraulic telemotor appara-tus, the combination of a transmitting-cylinder; a piston provided with a rack upon its surface Within said cylinder; a shaft carrying a pinion in mesh with said rack within the cylinder; a hand-Wheel for operating said shaft; a second shaft connected to said hand-wheel.

shaft by gearing; and an indicating apparatus operated by said second shaft.

17. In ahydraulic telemotor apparatus, the

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combination of a transmitting-cylinder; a

piston Within said cylinder provided with a shaft; an indicating apparatus connected to said shaft; a receiving-cylinder provided With a piston for actuating the steering-engine; an indicator-transinitting cylinder provided with a piston operated by the movement of the rudder; an indicator-receiving cylinder; a piston Within said indicator-receiving cylinder, provided with a rack; a toothed sector secured to a shaft and meshing With said rack; and an indicating apparatus connected to said shaft.

A. B. BROWN.

Witnesses ROBERT J. MACBRIDE, Jr., FREDERICK PIATT.

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