CC0 · no rights reserved
Steam Steering Apparatus, Patent Model
From the collection of National Museum of American History. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.
About this work
As ships became larger and heavier in the second half of the nineteenth century, they also grew more difficult to steer by manpower alone. Numerous inventors sought ways to assist steering through steam power, hydraulics, springs, and other means. This model demonstrates John Gates's 1878 invention of a steering apparatus employing either steam or high-pressure water.
National Museum of American History’s own descriptionCredit lineSteam Steering Apparatus, Patent Model. 1878. Gates, John. National Museum of American History. CC0.
