US553150A - Hydraulic steering-gear - Google Patents

Description

[No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 1. C. E. BERGMAN.

HYDRAULIC STEERING GEAR.

No. 553,150. Patented Jan. 14,1896,

ANDREW E GRAHAM. PNVTO-LITHQWASHINGTON. D C

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

o. E. BERGM AN. HYDRAULIC STEERING GEAR.

Iva 553,150. Patented Jan. 14, 1896.

ANDREW EGRANAM. PHOTO-UTHU.WASHIN5TDN.O.C.

UNITED STATES" PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES E. BERGMAN, OF EVERETT, WASHINGTON.

HYDRAULIC STEERING- GEAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 553,150, dated January 14, 1896.

I Application filed April 22, 1895. Serial No. 546,755. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. BERGMAN, a citizen of theUnited States, residing at Everett, in the county of Snohomish and State of Vashington, have invented a new and useful Hydraulic Steering-Gear, of which the following is a specification.

' tion, and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a steam-launch, showing the steering mechanism embodying my invention applied thereto in the operative position, said view indicating the run of the conductors or con nections whereby the fluid employed to communicate motion to the rudder is conveyed. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the mechanism enlarged. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the quadrant-cylinder with the cap-plate omitted. Fig. 4 is a vertical central section of the quadrant-cylinder.

Similar numerals of reference indicate cor responding parts in all the figures of the drawmgs.

1 designates the rudder-shaft or spindle which is mounted in bearings formed in the upper and lower sides of a'quadrant-cylinder 2, said shaft or spindle extending above and below the top and bottom of the cylinder to fit in suitable stuffing-boxes to prevent leakage of the contents of the cylinder. The rudder-blade 3 is secured to the lower end of this shaft or spindle and the upper end thereof is squared, as shown at 4, for engagement bya tiller lover or handle whereby the rudder may be operated directly in caseof injury to or disarrangementof the steering mechanism,hereinafter described.

Secured to the shaft or spindle and operatin g in the cylinder is the rotary or wing piston A 5,which is adapted tobe moved around the axis of the spindle as a center by excess of fluidpressure upon one side or the other, the pressure being communicated to the quadrantcylinder by means of pipes or conductors 6 and 7, which tap the cylinder at its opposite sides,or upon opposite sides of the plane of the piston. Said conductors or pipes are in communication with a cylinder 8 at the opposite ends, respectively, thereof, and the sliding or reciprocating piston 9, which is arranged in said cylinder, may be moved in either direction to increase the pressure in the quadrant cylinder at one side of the piston and decrease it at the other side.

The conductors or pipes 6 and 7 are provided at points adjacent to the cylinder 8, which I will term the pressure-cylinder for convenience in description, with valves 10 and 11, to the stems of which are connected levers 12 and 13, and the extremities of these levers are pivotally connected to a rod 14, which is in turn connected to a foot-lever 15., This foot-lever preferably extends to a point within reach of the pilot or steersman, and may terminate, as indicated in the drawings, in a foot-plate 16 contiguous to the steeringwheels. Pressure exerted upon this footplate closes the valves 10 and 11 and thereby cuts off communication between the pressureoylinder and the quadrant-cylinder to provide for equalizing the amount of fluid upon opposite sides of the sliding piston when, by reason of leakage or otherwise, the amount upon opposite sides thereof is unequal. Communication between the opposite ends of the cylinder is established by means of, supplypipes 17 and 18, which communicate at their upper ends with a supply-tank: adapted for containing water when this fluid is employed in the operation of the apparatus, said pipes terminating in safety-valves 19, whereby excessive pressure in the pressure-cylinder may be relieved, but exhaust under ordinarypressure is prevented. Inlet check-valves 20 and 21 are arranged at the upper ends of the supply-pipes to allow the fluid in the tank to flow into the pressure-cylinder, but prevent the outflow of fluid therethrough, and by turning the valve 22, which is arranged in a branch connecting-pipe 23 connecting the supply-pipes 17 and 18, the movement of the piston 9 will cause the fluid in front of the piston to pass through the supply-pipes and the branch pipe and pass to the opposite side or to the rear of the piston.

The quadrant-cylinder is swiveled upon the rudder shaft or spindle as a center and is capable of a partial rotation around the same to enable the parts to yield when the rudder receives an excessive strain, as by being struck by a cross wave, and in order to provide for maintaining the cylinder normally in its proper position I employ cushion-springs 24 and 25, connected at their inner ends to a projection 26 at the center of the front side of the cylinder and at their outerends to fixed timbers of the vessel. The cylinder is also provided with ears 27 which are slotted parallel with the curved or segmental side of the cylinder, the slots being engaged by guidebolts 28, whereby the cylinder is held in place while allowed to yield laterally a sufficient distance to avoid overstraining the parts of the mechanism.

The piston 5 is provided at its edges or points of contact with the interior surface of the cylinder with suitable packing to prevent leakage; and in order to allow fluid to pass over from one side of the piston to the other to equalize the amounts upon the opposite sides of the same, I employ a connecting-tube 29 communicating at its extremities, respectively, with the cylinder at opposite sides of the plane of the piston, and provided at an intermediate point with a controlling valve 30. During the operation of the mechanism this valve is-kept closed, whereby Water or other fluid which escapes from the quadrantcylinder in front of the moving piston passes through one of the conductors or pipes to the pressure-cylinder in rear of the piston 9, and the fluid expelled from the pressure-cylinder in front of its piston passes through the other conductor or pipe to exert pressure upon the rear side of the piston in the quadrant-cylinder..

Connected to the rod 31 of the piston 9, and

operating in a suitable steam-cylinder 32 is a piston 33, by which motion may be communicated to the piston 9 to operate the rudder. In connection with the steam-cylinder is a valve-chest 34 inclosing a slide-valve 35,which operatesupon a valve-seat 36 to control the ports 37 and 3S communicating, respectively, with opposite ends of the steam-cylinder, or communicating therewith upon opposite sides of the plane of the piston 33. The auxiliary slide-valve 39 is mounted upon the main slidevalve 35 to control the ports 40 and 41 in the latter, the stem 42 of this auxiliary valve being connected to a lever 43, which is in turn connected to the piston-rod 31, whereby the motion of the piston-rod controls the auxiliary valve. The main valve 35 is operated by means of a hand-wheel 44 through a shaft 45, intermeshing gears 46 and 47, a spindle 48, a pinion 49 carried by said spindle, and a rack with which said pinion meshes on the stem of the main valve, and the auxiliary valve, which operates as an automatic cut-01f and is connected with the piston-rod, allows the piston in the steam-cylinder to move in proportion as the pilot-wheel 44 is moved.

In addition to the above-described mechanism I employ a second hand-wheel 50,which is connected by means of intermeshing beveled gears 51 and 52 with a shaft 53 having a pinion 54 to engage a rack 55 on the pistonrod 31. Thus, when the steam-operating mechanism is out of order, or it is desirable to dispense with this means of steering, the hand-wheel 50 may be operated to communicate motion directly to the piston of the pressure-cylinder.

From the above description it will be seen that the construction of the steering mechanism is simple and that it occupies a minimum amount of space; that the operationis positive and noiseless; that the use of ropes, chains, blocks, pulleys, and similar means is avoided, whereby the mechanism can be arranged in place without the risk of displacement or dismounting of any of its members at critical moments of its use, and that in case of fire the mechanism remains uninjured, inasmuch as the use of tackle and various forms of combustible connections are avoided. Furthermore, by reason of the conductors or pipes for communicating the pressure from the pressure-cylinder to the quadrant-cylinder, the manually-operated parts of the mechanism may be placed in any desired part of the vessel, and the pipes may be run in such directions and carried through such parts of the vessel as will avoid the taking up of valuable space.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction maybe resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- 1. The combination with a rudder shaft or spindle, of a cylinder, a piston operating in the cylinder and positively secured to the rudder shaft or spindle, resilient devices for maintaining the cylinder in its normal position and adapted to yield when the rudder shaft or spindle is strained torsionally, and means for varying the pressure upon opposite sides of the plane of the piston to communicate motion to the rudder shaft, substantially as specified.

2. The combination with a rudder shaft or spindle, of a quadrant cylinder swiveled concentric with the shaft or spindle, a piston rigidly secured to the shaft or spindle and operating in the cylinder, resilient devices for maintaining the cylinder in its normal position, and means for varying the pressure upon the-.opposite sides of the plane of the piston to communicate motion thereto, substantially as specified.

3. The combination with a rudder shaft or spindle, of a quadrant cylinder swiveled concentric with the shaft or spindle, a piston secured to the shaft or spindle and operating in the cylinder, cushion-springs connected to the cylinder to allow a swinging movement of the cylinder around the shaft or spindle as a center, means for guiding the cylinder, and operating connections whereby the pressure upon opposite sides of the plane of the piston may be varied to impart motion to the piston, substantially as specified.

4E. The combination with a rudder shaft or spindle, of a quadrant cylinder, a piston secured to the shaft or spindle and operating in the cylinder, means for varying the pressure upon opposite sides of the plane of the piston to impart motion thereto, and a valved conductor communicating at its opposite ends with the cylinder upon opposite sides of the plane of the piston, whereby the fluid upon opposite sides of the piston may be equalized, substantially as specified.

5. The combination with a rudder shaft or spindle, of a cylinder, a piston secured to the shaft or spindle and operating in the cylinder, a second or pressure cylinder having a reciprocating piston, connections between opposite ends of the cylinders, valves for controlling the passage of fluid through said connections, means for imparting motion to the piston of the pressure cylinder, and valved connecting pipes between the extremities of the pressure cylinder to provide for the equalization of the fluid upon opposite sides of the piston, substantially as specified.

6. The combination with a rudder shaft or spindle, of a cylinder, a piston secured to the shaft or spindle and operating in the cylinder, a second or pressure cylinder communicating at its opposite ends with the first-named cylinder upon opposite sides of the plane of its piston, a tank, supply-pipes connecting the tank with opposite ends of the pressure cylinder and provided within the tank with safety valves and with inlet check-valves, a valved branch pipe connecting the supply-pipes, and means for imparting motion to the piston of the pressure cylinder, substantially as specified.

7. The combination with a rudder shaft or spindle, a cylinder, a piston secured to the shaft or spindle and operating in the cylinder, a second or pressure cylinder communicating with the first-named cylinder and a reciprocatory piston operating in the pressure cylinder, of a piston secured to the rod of the piston in the pressure cylinder and operating in the steam cylinder, a main valve controlling the ports communicating with the steam cylinder, and means for imparting motion to the said valve to admit steam to either side of the piston in the steam cylinder, substantially as specified.

8. The combination with a rudder shaft or spindle, a cylinder, a piston secured to the shaft or spindle and operating in the cylinder, a second or pressure cylinder communicating with the first-named cylinder and a reciprocatory piston operating in the pressure cylinder, of a piston carried by the rod of the piston in the pressure cylinder and fitting in a steam cylinder, a main valve controlling the ports communicating with the steam cylinder, a cut-off mounted upon the main valve, c011- neotions between the cut-off and the pistonrod, and means for imparting positive motion to the main valve, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES E. BERGMAN.

Witnesses:

'TM. G. SWALWELL, GEo, J. SHERRY.

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