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Steering the Way
  
Abraham Lincoln's patent model for buoying vessels over shoals, 1849
Abraham Lincoln's patent model for buoying vessels over shoals, 1849

Numerous patent models reflect the centuries' old effort to devise ways to navigate a safe course—and hold true to that course.
Frederick Sickel's steam steering gear patent model, 1853
Frederick Sickel's steam steering gear patent model, 1853
Lieut. John Guest's sounding guard, 1856
Lieut. John Guest's sounding guard, 1856
F. E. Sickels's 1860 mode of steering vessels
F. E. Sickels's 1860 mode of steering vessels
James Davies's 1877 steering apparatus
James Davies's 1877 steering apparatus
Massey's patent ship's log, 1878
Massey's patent ship's log, 1878
John Gates's 1878 steering apparatus
John Gates's 1878 steering apparatus
William Thomson's deep-sea sounding apparatus, 1878
William Thomson's deep-sea sounding apparatus, 1878
William Thomson's compensating binnacle, 1878
William Thomson's compensating binnacle, 1878
William Barker's fog signal, 1879
William Barker's fog signal, 1879
William Thomson's 1880 compass
William Thomson's 1880 compass
James Rees's steering apparatus, 1882
James Rees's steering apparatus, 1882
Thomas Walker's patent ship's log, 1887
Thomas Walker's patent ship's log, 1887
Steering wheel model
Steering wheel model
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