Fluid actuated follow-up steering control mechanism

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING THE OPERATING OF A STEERING MECHANISM OF A VESSEL HAVING A HELM AND A RUDDER FROM A REMOTE POSITION COMPRISING A FIRST FLUID CYLINDER LOCATED ADJACENT TO SAID HELM, SAID FIRST CYLINDER HAVING A PISTON CONNECTED TO SAID HELM, A SECOND FLUID CYLINDER LOCATED ADJACENT TO SAID RUDDER, SAID SECOND CYLINDER HAVING A PISTON CONNECTED TO SAID RUDDER, A PAIR OF FLUID LINES CONNECTING SAID FIRST AND SECOND CYLINDERS IN A CLOSED BALANCED FLUID SYSTEM, A PRESSURE RESPONSIVE ACTUATOR CONNECTED TO SAID PAIR OF FLUID LINES INTERMEDIATE SAID FIRST AND SECOND CYLINDERS, AND MEANS CARRIED BY SAID ACTUATOR FOR SELECTIVELY OPERATING SAID STEERING MECHANISM, WHEREBY WHENU SAID HELM IS OPERATED IN EITHER DIRECTION THE PISTON OF SAID FIRST CYLINDER WILL CASUE THE PRESSURE IN ONE OF SAID FLUID LINES TO BE INCREASED AND WILL OPERATE SAID ACTUATOR AND SAID STEERING MECHANISM TO MOVE SAID RUDDER AND MOVEMENT OF SAID RUDDER WILL MOVE THE PISTON OF SAID SECOND CYLINDER TO RETURN SAID FLUID LINES AND SAID ACTUATOR TO BALANCE CONDITION, THEREBY DEACTIVATING SAID STEERING MECHANISM.