MANUAL-HYDRAULIC STEERING SYSTEM FOR INBOARD VESSELS

Water borne vessels, big or small, need navigation control to cruise through water and to move through a controlled path. As vessels move forward by pushing the water backward, the guidance of the vessel by turning it right or left can be controlled by directing the pushed water towards respective direction.

A plate of steel, connected to a rod, which is extended to a convenient height of the boat deck, is used to deflect water to both sides, according to the requirement of turning. This plate is called RUDDER PLATE and the shaft extending to the deck, connected to the rudder plate is called RUDDER- STOCK. The boat driver will use mechanical or Hydraulic systems to turn a rod connected to the rudder-stock to do the turning job. This rod, used to turn the rudder plate is called TILLER-ARM. Though control of Tiller-Arm is easy for small boats running slow in backwaters /lakes, it requires high effort and skill to hold tiller-arm in right position in sea, as well as during fast movement in backwaters.

As the fast-moving / heavy modern vessels use an engine to run a propeller, to push water backwards, they use modern mechanisms to guide the vessel. In these vessels, angular movement of rudder-plate is precisely and efficiently controlled by Hydraulic actuators.

In manual drive system, which is opted by 95% of the medium and small vessels, a steering wheel drive with a Helm Pump is provided, to supply pressurized oil to the system. By rotating a steering wheel, a driver can effortlessly pump oil required, to the Linear Actuator to turn the Tiller-Arm.

COMPONENTS OF MANUAL-HYDRAULIC STEERING SYSTEMS

HYDRAULIC ACTUATORS

A Hydraulic Actuator is planned, to turn the Tiller-Arm to both sides of the vessel, smoothly and precisely. Oil supply ports are provided on both sides of this actuator, through which, oil can be supplied to the piston of the actuator. As pressurised oil is supplied from the Helm Pump to the Linear Actuator, the piston-rod will move forward or backward, depending on, to which supply port, oil is provided. The Piston rod-end / Ram-end of this actuator has a flexible connector, which can be coupled to the Tiller-Arm. As the driver rotates the steering wheel to one side, oil filled in the circuit flows from one side of the circuit to the other side of the circuit, enabling the Piston rod of Actuator to move from one side to the other. When the driver rotates in opposite direction, the same process will repeat resulting Piston rod movement in the opposite direction.

1. Model: CETO with capacity to provide 50-75 Kg.m is planned for Smaller Boats/ 25pax boats/ Ambulance Boats/ Tourist Boats
2. Model: BHIMA with capacity to provide 75-120 Kg.m is planned for 100 pax Ferries, light Barges
3. Model: Hercules with capacity upto 250 Kg.m for Medium Cargo Barges, 200 pax Ferries, Large House Boats
4. Model: JumboZ-300 with capacity upto 350 Kg.m for Fishing Vessels, High Speed Passenger Boats
5. Model: JumboZ-500 with capacity upto 700 Kg.m for Tug Boats, Bollard Pull Boats,Heavy Duty Fishing Vessels, Medium Barges