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Introduction To Streering Gear System

The document discusses ship steering gears. It begins by explaining that a steering gear is used to turn a ship left or right while sailing by adjusting the rudder. All ships must have a main and auxiliary steering gear, with the main gear typically being power-operated. Historically, mechanical gears were manually operated but were replaced by mechanized then modern hydraulic, electro-hydraulic, or electric systems. A complete steering gear system has three main parts: the telemotor, control unit, and power unit. The telemotor transmits steering orders from the wheel to the control unit. The control unit then directs the power unit, such as an engine, to adjust the rudder accordingly until receiving a stop signal

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Norman pratt
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214 views

Introduction To Streering Gear System

The document discusses ship steering gears. It begins by explaining that a steering gear is used to turn a ship left or right while sailing by adjusting the rudder. All ships must have a main and auxiliary steering gear, with the main gear typically being power-operated. Historically, mechanical gears were manually operated but were replaced by mechanized then modern hydraulic, electro-hydraulic, or electric systems. A complete steering gear system has three main parts: the telemotor, control unit, and power unit. The telemotor transmits steering orders from the wheel to the control unit. The control unit then directs the power unit, such as an engine, to adjust the rudder accordingly until receiving a stop signal

Uploaded by

Norman pratt
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Introduction

A Steering Gear is the equipment provided on ships to turn the ship to left (Port side) or to right (Starboard side) while
in motion during sailing. The Steering Gear works only when the ship is in motion and, does not work when the ship is
stationary. All the ships are to be provided with, an efficient main steering gear, an auxiliary steering gear and, except
for very small ships, the main steering gear should be power operated.
Manually operated, mechanical Steering Gears were in use during sailing ship days. Sailors with strong body were
required to operate the Steering Gears. Later on, after the onset of steam engines, mechanized gears were used.
Modern ships use all very sophisticated Steering Gear systems which could fall in either of the categories

Fully hydraulic type


Electro-hydraulic type
Fully electric type

Working of the Steering Gear

When the ship is required to be turned on receiving an order (say by 10 to port) from the Master or,
the Duty Officer, the helmsman turns the steering wheel towards port until the rudder has reached
10 to port as read on rudder indicator. The mechanism of the Steering Gear works as under;
Complete Steering Gear system consists of three main parts namely
1.
2.
3.

Telemotor
Control Unit
Power Unit.

A brief description about the construction and working of these components is as follows
Telemotor unit comprises of two parts namely, Transmitter and Receiver. The Transmitter is located on the navigation
bridge in the form of a wheel, which transmits the given order to the Receiver located in the steering gear
compartment, by turning the steering wheel. The Receiver conveys this order to the Control Unit, also located in the
steering gear compartment, via linear motion.
The Telemotor is generally hydraulic type, electric type or, as is the case with modern steering systems, it could be
electro-hydraulic type. In olden days, Telemotors were purely mechanical type consisting of linkages and chains with
sprockets. As they were operated manually, they required very healthy sailors to operate them.
Control Unit is the link between the Telemotor and the Power Unit. I receives signal from the Telemotor
and operates the Power Unit until it receives another signal, this time from the Rudder through the
Hunting Gear, to stop the operation of Power Unit.
Power Unit can be any prime mover like steam engine, diesel engine or, an electric motor, directly
coupled to the Rudder; it can be an electro-hydraulic unit or, an all- electric unit complete with the
Telemotor.

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