US65740A - feanzen - Google Patents

Description

N. 0. PRANZEN. STEERING INDICATOR.

No. 65740. Patented June 11, 1867.

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Nicobar, o. FRANZEN, or HAMBURG, GERMANY.

Letters Patent No. 65,740, dated June 11, 1 867.

IMPROVED STEERING INDICATOR.

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TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known, that I, NICOLAI CHRISTIAN FRANZEN, of the city of Hamburg, Germany, have invented a new and useful machine for indicating to the eye by day and at night :the position and changes in position of'ships rudders, called a Day and Night Steering Indicator;' and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, and of its mode or manner of operation, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, and making a part of his specification.

On shipboard it is desirable at all times, and particularly in times. of'danger, and in other emergencies, and when steamers are approaching each other, that the oflicer in command, whenever he may happen to be on his vessels deck, should have the means of knowing the exact position of the ships rudder, and should know how fully or how imperfectly the man at the helm may have obeyed and carried out any order that may have been given him. Heretofore it has been practically impossible for such oflicer to have such knowledge, as he is generally'at some distance from the steering gear, and cannot therefore have personal knowledge of the position and movements of the rudder, and how far his orders in respect thereto may have been obeyed; and heis therefore compelied to trust to and rely upon the faithfulness of the man at the helm, and his ability to fully carry out andpert'ormthe orders given him My invention has for its objectto t'nrnish a sure and reliable means of imparting such knowledge or information to the officer ir command, and to others, and consists in the application and arrangement upon a vessels deck, and so placed and located as to: be easily and plainly observed from the difl'erent parts of the deck, of a steering indicator, or a mechanism showing a dial-plate and an index or colored lights traversing over it, and so ,"connected with the rudder or steering gear that as the rudder is moved the index will change position, a difi'erently colored light be shown, and thereby indicate to the eye, and as well at night as by day, the exact position and change of movement of the rudder. The oilicer in command is thus able at a glance, andat all times, and ;f rom any part of the deck, and from the rigging, to learn the exact position of the rudder, and how far the in'an at'the helm may have, or may have been able to carry out the orders given him, and can govern himself and manage his craft accordingly.

Figure 1 is a front perspective view of the indicator as it appears by day, the index being shown in diiferent positions.

Figure 2 is a like View, of the indicator as it appears at night, the colored lights being shown in diflerent positions.

Figure 3 is a front view with the dial-plate removed and sliowingthe plate behind.-

Figure 4 is a vertical section from front to rear through the centre of the indicator.

The indicator is generally placed over the steering gear, and high enough to be easily and plainly visible from different parts of the vessel.

The dial-plate A is usually circular in shape, andis of thick white glass strongly set andseeured in suitable framing, which is large enough. behind such plate to contain all the mechanism required. In front ofsuch dialplate is an index, B, dark in color or contrasting prominently with the dial-plate, such index being fixed to one end of a horizontal stem or axle, a, which connects by bevelled gearing b to a vertical spindle, G, fig. 3, behind the dial-plate, and such spindle being so connected with the steering gear that as the rudder is turned the spindle will'be rotated and cause the index B to move over the dial-plate. Such index is thus made to exactly indicate to the eye. and so as to be visible from difi'erent parts of the vessel, the exact position of the rudder.

and the extent of its movement. Such index is so arranged with respect to the rudder and the dial-plate that when the rudder i steady the index will stand pointing vertically upwards. When the order is jport, and the rudder is turned. accordingly, the index moves towards the left on the dial, about forty-five degrees, to the position indicated by the dotted red lines; and if the order is hard-a-port, the index takes the position shown the index moves on the dial toward the right to the position indicated by the dotted blue lines; and if the order is harda-starboard," and the rudder is turned accordingly, the index takes the position indicated by the heavy blue lines at B" In whichevendirection and to whatever extent the-rudder is turned, the index B tells unerringly of such movement, and the oflicer in command is thereby enabled, from any part of the vessel where he may he called, understandingly and intelligently to give such ordersas to the vessels course as may he demanded. The index B traversing on theouts'ide oft'he dial-plate, as above described, actsas a day indicator, the contrast between the index and the dial-plate quickly and easily catching the eye. It will also be noticed that such index moves onlyover the upper half ofthedial A. To convert the mechanism into a night indicator, when the index B cannot beseen colored lights are shown on the lower half of the dial-plate A. The construction and arrangement of theparts for producing such colored lights are as follows Upon the same stem or axle a that carries'fthe in dexB, but behind the transparent dial-plate A, is fixed an opaque disk or plate, D, fig. 3, which revolves with the stein a In one siide'of such opaque disk,

' and extending from the centre to or towards the periphery, is cut an opening, E, through which light produced from a lamp placed behind suchplate D passes and shows through the dial-plate AL The form of the opening E may be such as may be desired, but I prefer to give it the same outline with the day index B, so as to avoid confusion from a variety of forms. Such opening E and the index B radiate in opposite directions from the centre or stem, as shown in fig. 3, so that the colored lights will show on theilower half of the dial-plate, as the index does upon the upper half. Between the transparent dial-plate A and the opaque disk D are interposed pieces or segments of dilferently colored glass I, so that differently colored lights will be shown as the opening E in the opaque disk takes different positions. When thehelm is steady a yellow light is shown standing vertically downwards from the centre of the dial, in the position indicated at fig- 2. When the helm is turned port" or hard-a-port the plate I) with its opening moves upward toward the right, showing a red light, in the positions shown by the dotted lines and at F. If the helm is turned starboard or hard-a-starboard" theopenlng E is carried in the opposite direction upward toward the left, showing a green light, as indicated I by the dotted lines and at F. .In practical use on shipboard, the lights shown will generally be white, red, and

green, corresponding in color with the lights required by law to be shown on steamers. To cause the colored lights to be strong and distinet,'the lamp placed within the indicator and behind the opaque disk should have a reflector, H, constructed to reflect all the rays through the openings E and dpon the colored glass. -A chimney, G, allows the smoke from the lamp to pass off.

By the use of an indicator constructed substantially as described, the oflicer in command of any vessel on which this invention may be used will be able both by day and at night, and from any part of the deck or above it, to perceive at a glance of the eye the exact position and movement of the rudder, and the record of such movements is wholly beyond thecontrol or interference of the man at the helm. The great convenience and value'of such an instrument will be at once recognized and appreciated by all familiar with ships, and of the emergencies arising thereon, and of the'necessity for prompt and well-informed action onthe part of the. ofiicers, and complete execution of orders on thepa'rt of those under them.

What I claim as my invention, and desire" to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with the rudder or steering gear of vessels of a dial-plate and index or their equivalents,

different parts of the vessel, for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination and arrangement, in such an indicator when so located, with the steering gear of-a' vessel, of an index moving over a dial, such index and dial being of strong contrasting colors, to indicatefby day the position and movement of the rudder, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. The combination and arrangement, in such an indicator so located andgconnected with the steering gear, of plates of differently colored glass or other transparent material with a movable opaque plate or surface. having a suitable aperture cut therein, and with a light or lamp arrangedand combined substantially 415;: described, to indicate at night by differently colored lights the position and movements of the ruuderl for the purposes set forth. I

4. The combination in one and the same indicator of an index. moving over a difl'erently colored surface oi their equivalents, and of colored transparent plates in connection with a movable opaque perforated plate, and with any light, the several parts arranged and operating severally and in combination substantially as described, thereby rendering the same instrument either a day or night indicator of the movements of the rudder, for thepurposes set forth.

February 9, 1867.

Witnesses:

L. D. LAW, W. R. RONALDS.

N. G. FRANZEN.

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