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The Hydro Electric System for Steering Gears sel drive for all classes of vessels re- sulted in the almost universal appli- cation of electric motor drive for deck auxiliary machinery. Modern steam vessels are now also widely using elec- tric motor drives for the deck auxila- ries. Electric motor direct drive for the windlass, capstans and winches is now firmly established in service as entire- ly satisfactory. It is generally conced- ed, however, that except in smaller sizes, in the case of the steering gear, the hydro electric system is to be pre- ferred. In this type of steering gear the motor is direct connected to a va- riable stroke pump running constantly in one direction. The motor, therefore, is not subject to severe usage as would be the case where the motor is direct connected to the steering gear and con- stantly stopped and reversed. NTRODUCTION of electric and die- Two Methods of Control Two methods are used for control- ling the hydro electric steering gear. One is by reversing the pump and the other is by having control valves for reversing the direction of oil to the plungers. In the latter case the direc- tion of rotation of the pump is not re- versed. This method has several ad- vantages, such as quick response to helm, very little back lash, and it is impossible to overload or stall the mo- tor because the pump is fitted with a stroke control which is connected to its pressure side. Many different arrangements of the hydro electric steering gear can be made. It may be connected to the rud- der crosshead by means of connecting links or with a single or double tiller on the rudder stock. One of the accom- panying illustrations shows the type of hydro electric steering gear designed and constructed by the Hyde Winda- lass Co., Bath, Me., for the four new Panama Mail liners (Grace line) SANTA Rosa, SANTA PAuLA, SANTA Lu- cCrA and SANTA ELENA, and also on the Grace liner SANTA CLARA, This gear is of the four cylinder type with double crosshead and dual pumping unit. A somewhat different four cylinder type of hydro electric steering gear was supplied by the same company for the Panama Pacific turbine electric liners CALIFORNIA, VIRGINIA and PENNSYL- VANIA. The simpler form of hydro electric steering gear, developed by the same company, has a tiller arm sliding in the double plunger and is equipped with a single pumping unit. Hydro electric steering gears of this type were installed on the ocean going yachts Corsair, VANDA, Hi-EsmARo and SAVARONA; on the tankers J. W. VAN- DYKE, GULFCREST and GULFPRIDE; on the steamships BIreNVILLE, and DIXIE; on the diesel electric vessels Twin Ports, Twin Crrms and the diesel electric tanker, HAWAIrrIAN STANDARD; Hydroelectric steering gear with double crosshead and dual pumping unit ———— Kon | AYOUT of the simpler form of Hyde Windlass Co. hy- droelectric steering gear. The tiller keyed to the rudder stock slides in a bearing which piv- ots in the double plunger. The double plunger is actuated by oil under pressure supplied by a single pumping unit M4 MARINE REVIEW—May, 1934 also on the United States coast guard vessels Tampa, Mopoc, MoJave, and HAIDA. The same type of hydro electric steering gear, except that dual pump- ing units with a set of ten valves so that either pumping unit:can pe used, was installed on the ‘diesel tankers E. T. Beprorp, J. A. Morretr Jr., and con the steam turbine geared tankers G. HARRISON SMITH and “W.:S. FARISH; on the coastwise, turbine geared liners, SAINT JOHN and AcApIA; and on the United States transport GRANT. The simpler form of hydro electric steering gear of Hyde Windlass Co. de sign may be described as follows, re ferring to the accompanying diagram: The tiller (1) is keyed to the rudder stock and slides in the center bearing (8). This in turn pivots in the double plunger (9). The plunger moves in the cylinders (3) which are closed at ‘the outer ends. The other ends are fitted with stuffing boxes packed with high pressure hydraulic packing. The pumping unit consists of an electric motor (5) coupled direct to a variable stroke pump (6) and drives this pump at constant speed. Pipes connect the pumping unit with the cylinder. (Continued on Page 40) 29