Steering gear

[Colin W. Montgomery]

What was the steering gear like? How did that work? How big was it? Thanks

 

[Brian R Peterson]

Hi Colin,

The steering gears for the Titanic were built by the machine shops at Harland & Wolff and were of the Wilson-Pirrie Type and were situated on C Deck under the after end of the Poop Deck.

The steering engines were roughly about ten feet tall and about twenty feet long with a width of about ten feet.

The steering gear consists of a spring quadrant and tiller on the rudder shaft that was operated through wheel and pinion bevel gearing on two sets of three crank vertical steam engines. Only one of these steering gears would be in operation at any one time while the other served as a standby.

The engines feature three pistons a piece, with a bore of seventeen inches with an eighteen inch stroke operating under 100 psi. Piston steam valves were used on these engines which were operated from the crankshaft.

Each engine is arranged on a sliding bed with adjusting screws that allow for one engine to be quickly engaged or disengaged from the quadrant when it is desired to change operation from one engine to the other.

The crankshafts of these engines were fitted with a spur pinion which operates a spur wheel on the intermediate shaft on the back columns of each engine.

These intermediate shafts are connected with bevel gears into a quadrant with a pinion installed above the bevel gearing. The special arrangement of these gears eliminates back lash and allows for the noiseless operation of the steering gear.

That pretty well explains how the engines were built and the particulars of their operation, I have also attached a photo of the steering engine for the Olympic in the machine shop at Harland & Wolff from “The Shipbuilder.”

Best Regards,

 

[Colin W. Montgomery]

So there were two steering engines?

 

[Colin W. Montgomery]

I'll be perfectly honest with you. I couldn't make heads or tails of what you said.

 

[Brian R Peterson]

Hi Colin,

Yes there were two steering engines, one that would be online and in use and one off, so that the offline engine could be used in the case the other should fail, or need repairs.

To sum it up, the steering engines were steam powered and activated with a hydraulic piston which responded from the action of the main telemotor and using hydraulic fluid translated the movement of the wheel into the movement of the rudder.

Best Regards,

Brian

 

[Colin W. Montgomery]

Ok now I understand thanks

 

[Tom Bates]

Colin I have a detailed plan of the steering gear i would send it to you if you would like that. I would like to talk to you about ships so what is your yahoo name so we can talk on there. I have tons of other plans of ships and other stuff i could send you. Tom

 

[Colin W. Montgomery]

I think my yahoo name is invalid now but I will try to get it back up. Sorry for the delay.
I also have a plan of the steering gear. It is from "the Shipbuilder".

 

[Colin W. Montgomery]

Tom, I am trying now to get the Yahoo thing back up. Says its connecting now, but so far no progress.

 

[Tom Bates]

HI is it still giveing you troble if so let me know i will se if i can help you fix it. or just try to use msn messenger i use that as well. Tom

 

[Brian R Peterson]

Hi Colin,

I emailed you but I dont know if you got it. IM me on AIM as ZoltanCarnovaush or on Yahoo as CuteJockBoy04 I can be of assistance to your project you mentioned.

Best Regards,

Brian

 

[Colin W. Montgomery]

I didn't get it. Sorry, I would like it if you tried again.

 

[Brian R Peterson]

Hi Colin,

I got your email. My online chat names have been listed in my previous post.

Best Regards,

Brian

 

[Allan T Condie]

<table border=1>[tr][td]

Steering gear operation
Telemotors and Steam Steering.doc (24.1 k)[/td][/tr][/table]​

 

[Chris Carter]

I take it the Titanic and the Olympic use the same steering engines. Same setup.