STEERING &EARS

159

ruadera ot the bigger ships. The tiller, or crosshead, or quadrant
fitted on the rudder head is now turned by a steam engine. The man
operating the steering wheel merely opens and closes a valve which
admits steam into the engine Wheel chains are shackled on each side
of the quadrant as shown in the plan of the poop of Caledonian Monarch
and led along their respective sides of the ship to the drum of the steering
engine. The engine turns the drum, the drum coils up the chain on
one side and uncoils the chain on the other side and go heaves the
quadrant round.

Fig. 24.—Steam Steering Engine Geared Direct to Quadrant.
The Steering Engine may be installed on the bridge but this requires
a long length of shafting, spring buffers and chains to connect up with
the quadrant, so it is usually placed in the engine-room of ships of moder-
ate size and invanably the engine is geared direct to the quadrant in
large vessels. The engine in such cases, is operated by the turning of a
rod, set in motion by the steering wheel, and which is led downwards
and along through various compartments, the continuity of action being
maintained by bevelled gearing at the points where the direction of *>he
rod is diverted. These long leads with the bearings, bevelled wheel
sliding joints, absorb a large amount of power la overcoming