Page 8 of 11
Steering Cable Selector Switch. Allows selection of hydraulic, electric, gyro, or aft-steering.
Steering Casualty Alarm. A means by which the bridge can warn the after-steering station that a steering emergency has occurred and that steering must be controlled from after-steering.
Attention Bell. Located on the steering control, it is used when rudder indicators do not match up; the bell rings in after steering.
Course Ordered Indicator. Provides a means of electrically transmitting rudder angle orders from the steering control console to the steering gear room when the ship is being steered from there.
Magnetic Compass. Consists of a magnetized compass needle attached to a circular compass card, usually about 7-1/2 inches in diameter. The card and needle are supported on a pivot that is set in a cast bronze bowl filled with a petroleum distillate fluid. The card remains stationary, pointing at the magnetic pole which is a north-south line lined up with the north-south (magnetic) directions on the Earth.
Gyrocompass. Points constantly to the true north rather than the magnetic north pole. It may have a slight mechanical error, but this error is computed easily and remains constant for any heading so that it does not interfere in any way with the instrument's practical value.
Auto Pilot. Device used to keep the ship at a predetermined speed and course automatically.
Portable Steering Control Unit (PSCU). When a ship losses control of steering at the helm, the PSCU can be rigged to send throttle signals to engineering and rudder commands to after-steering.
Engine Order Telegraph (EOT). A device equipped with separate handles for port and starboard engines that are used to order speed changes. It is manned by the lee helmsman. Using different RMS’s for each engine may also be used to nay course changes.
- Bell Selector and Hand Lever. Speed is selected on the telegraph by the Lee Helmsman on order from the conn. The engine room watch sets the engine throttle for the same speed and notifies the bridge by moving an answering pointer to the same sector. When bridge’s pointer indicates the throttle change has been made, the helmsman reported it to the conn.
- RPM Enunciators. Enables the bridge to make minor changes in speed by ordering the engine rooms to increase or decrease RPM of the propeller.
- Attention Bell. Used mostly when speed changes are not answered by the engine room.
