Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63H—MARINE PROPULSION OR STEERING
  • B63H5/00—Arrangements on vessels of propulsion elements directly acting on water
  • B63H5/07—Arrangements on vessels of propulsion elements directly acting on water of propellers
  • B63H5/125—Arrangements on vessels of propulsion elements directly acting on water of propellers movably mounted with respect to hull, e.g. adjustable in direction, e.g. podded azimuthing thrusters
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63H—MARINE PROPULSION OR STEERING
  • B63H25/00—Steering; Slowing-down otherwise than by use of propulsive elements; Dynamic anchoring, i.e. positioning vessels by means of main or auxiliary propulsive elements
  • B63H25/42—Steering or dynamic anchoring by propulsive elements; Steering or dynamic anchoring by propellers used therefor only; Steering or dynamic anchoring by rudders carrying propellers
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63H—MARINE PROPULSION OR STEERING
  • B63H25/00—Steering; Slowing-down otherwise than by use of propulsive elements; Dynamic anchoring, i.e. positioning vessels by means of main or auxiliary propulsive elements
  • B63H25/42—Steering or dynamic anchoring by propulsive elements; Steering or dynamic anchoring by propellers used therefor only; Steering or dynamic anchoring by rudders carrying propellers
  • B63H2025/425—Propulsive elements, other than jets, substantially used for steering or dynamic anchoring only, with means for retracting, or otherwise moving to a rest position outside the water flow around the hull
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63H—MARINE PROPULSION OR STEERING
  • B63H5/00—Arrangements on vessels of propulsion elements directly acting on water
  • B63H5/07—Arrangements on vessels of propulsion elements directly acting on water of propellers
  • B63H5/14—Arrangements on vessels of propulsion elements directly acting on water of propellers characterised by being mounted in non-rotating ducts or rings, e.g. adjustable for steering purpose

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a retractable thruster inside the hull of a floating or submersible vehicle.
• This propellant is particularly interesting to equip the bows and the prows of boats or ships.
• the state of the art consists of numerous documents, the most relevant of which, known to the applicant, are the following.
• the document EP-A-0-503.206 of the applicant relates to a retractable or retractable propellant using a trapezoidal device with deforming rotation generating a rectilinear movement inside a well.
• the propellant is retractable or retractable and is composed of a box, fixed in a sealed manner, on joint planes, on a well forming an integral part of the structure of the machine. Inside this box are folded two asymmetrically pivoting arms, a motorized base, a stirrup and a helical assembly. The two arms, on the one hand, are centered on the box and, on the other hand, on the stirrup secured to the propulsion base. Under the manual or mechanical action exerted on a lever secured to one of the arms by the shaft, said rotating arm composed with the other triangulation arm orders the deformation of the trapezoid obtaining a rectilinear movement of the base in its center
• Document FR-A-2,229,608 proposes a motor, for example hydraulic, which drives a vertical or inclined shaft, in two parts, which can slide relative to one another.
• the lower part of this shaft drives a propeller by means of a return.
• This thanks to the sliding of the drive shaft, can be retracted by rising above the water level.
• This sliding can be caused by a hydraulic cylinder controlled by the same oil under pressure than the hydraulic motor.
• the propeller can be steerable for maneuvering the boat. In the high position, retracted into a well provided for this purpose, the lifting part can close off this well so as to restore to the hull of the boat all its hydrodynamic performance.
• this device lies in the fact that the propellant is orientable.
• this kind of propellant is used for the displacement, substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of a ship, of the bow of this ship. Since this movement is always the same, the orientation must be constant. In addition, the orientation of the propellant increases the financial costs of studies, construction and therefore the sale of this type of device.
• the document FR-A-2,348,850 relates to a device for blocking a retractable thruster of a boat: this blocking is effected by means of four inclined articulated locks producing thrusts of vertical and horizontal components, and four locks articulated producing horizontal thrusts.
• the invention applies to large propellers vertically retractable in a very large housing of a boat, which housing receives a movable box carrying the propellant assembly whose thrust forces are transmitted to the boat by the entire guide structure of this box.
• the blocking device of this boat thruster acts both vertically and horizontally. It is of complex structure and therefore expensive, with four latches having specific orientations and therefore having to withstand the thrust forces.
• the present invention as for it is simple, inexpensive, and comprises, on the one hand a function of resumption of the thrust forces on the hull without complex mechanical element having to withstand significant stresses and / or be well adjusted, and on the other hand share a function preventing the rotation of the propellant relative to the boat or the ship which uses it.
• the invention relates to a transverse or longitudinal thruster, associated with inlet and outlet means inside a so-called retraction well, of longitudinal shape, present at the level of the hull of a floating or submersible device and comprising means for locking in rotation relative to the longitudinal axis ZZ 'of the well;
• the said propellant comprises a male part transverse to the axis ZZ 'and of any shape complementary to that of the female from the interior of the said well in which it slides longitudinally along this axis, and an operating support arm which can be to qualify as a sliding or translational column, of cylindrical shape along this same axis and passing through a guide bearing integral with said well, with a clearance ⁇ j between their respective complementary shapes, compatible with that ⁇ 2 obtained, in the output position of the propellant, between said transverse male part and the edge of the well connecting it to the hull, and thus allowing this male part to bear there.
• said male-shaped part and the female form or internal part of the well are of polygonal shape in cross section, and also constitute said means for blocking the propellant in rotation relative to the longitudinal axis ZZ '. of Wells.
• said male part and the inner part of the well can be circular: in this case, to constitute said means for blocking in rotation, either the longitudinal axes ZZ ′ of the well and of the guide arm are then offset one with respect to the other, either a female or male guide rail is produced or fixed longitudinally on the lateral inner wall of the well, and said male part which slides therein has respectively an appendage or a compatible notch with the shape of this rail; said rail can even be interrupted at its end before the edge of the well and the male part, then descending a little lower than this rail, can be released while being guided in the well, and thus, as required , be made, in this position, free to rotate.
• said well is closed at its upper part by a sealing plate sealed with respect to the side walls of the well and carrying said bearing, which bearing comprises a seal lip seal on the arm and allowing said clearance ⁇ j therebetween.
• the existence of the games defined above and described more precisely below makes it possible to produce a very light structure while ensuring the above functions, whereas in current techniques, the propellant is mounted cantilevered at the end of a recessed support structure and carried by a guide system, thus representing a large lever arm, the assembly then having to absorb a significant bending moment caused by the thrust of the propellant; thus, in current structures, we notice mechanical systems adjusted without play, heavy and of a necessary resistance all the more important as the embedding height of the parts fitted into each other is quite low relative to the lever arm at the end of which is mounted the propellant.
• the other support required at the level of the bearing and providing a feedback on the propeller holding arm collects a less significant effort in bringing the lever arm loops relative to the fulcrum of the male part at the level of the hull, than that of the thruster thrust, making it possible to lighten the structure all the more.
• the well in which said propellant retracts can be perfectly sealed from the rest of the surrounding hull, thus allowing its implantation, even under the waterline or in a submersible.
• such a device according to the invention is well suited to relatively low power thrusters enabling them to be used on small floating units, in particular in pleasure craft, where said thruster must be installed very far in the bow of the boat, without taking up space in the living area; in addition, due to its relatively low cost price, thanks to the characteristics of the present invention, it does not increase the budget for such units; propellants of high power can also be envisaged for large floating units, with some additional precautions to be taken by a person skilled in the art to take account of the shocks, in this case significant, which are caused by the desired mechanical clearances according to the invention .
• the attached drawings are given as indicative and non-limiting examples. They represent several preferred embodiments according to the invention. They will make it possible to understand it, but are in no way limiting: other embodiments are possible, within the scope and scope of this invention, in particular by changing the transverse shapes of the male parts and of the female shape of the well in which they slide.
• FIG. 1 represents a view in longitudinal section of a well, at the level of a boat hull, where a thruster and a guide arm are present.
• 2 shows a sectional view identical to Figure 1, but where are present in addition to the propellant and the guide arm, a first embodiment of the input and output means of said propellant.
• FIG. 3 represents a cross-sectional view along AA of FIG. 1 or of FIG. 2.
• FIG. 4 shows a sectional view identical to Figure 2, but where the means of input and output of the propellant constitute a second embodiment.
• FIG 5 is an identical view of the lower part of the device of Figure 1 and on which are shown specific features of embodiment according to the invention.
• the present invention relates to a propellant 1 intended to be mounted movable longitudinally along an axis ZZ 'along a well 3, by means of inlet and outlet means 2.
• the well 3 is made at the level of the hull 4 of a floating or submersible device: it opens here under this one and its axis ZZ ′ is then vertical.
• the propellant 1 is intended to allow lateral or longitudinal movement such as the bow of a boat, a ship, a submarine, etc.
• the propellant 1 is associated with a guide arm 9 which comprises in its upper part the motorization 20 intended for the rotation of said propeller 18, by virtue of a shaft 32 rotating inside said arm 9 and driving at its other end a gear return device as shown in Figure 5 in dotted lines, because normally of course folded down in a plane perpendicular to said figure so that the axis of the propeller 18 is as shown in Figures 1 and 2 in the axis of the tunnel 19 which contains it.
• the transmission can be hydraulic or electric and therefore without bevel gear, or shaft 32. It is the assembly constituted by the arm 9 and the propellant 1 which is movable according to FI, to allow the output of said propellant relative to the well 3 and to the hull, which is well represented in FIGS. 1, 2, 4 and 5.
• this propellant assembly 1, arm 9 can be reassembled and retracted inside the well 3, the advantage being that the propellant 1 in the retracted position does not exceed not from the hull plane 4.
• a tape 26 as shown in Figure 5 may be present at the free end of the assembly consisting of the propellant 1 and the arm 9, so that in the retracted position, the propellant , by means of this tape 26, forms a continuous surface with the adjacent shell 4, in order to preserve the hydrodynamic properties of the shell 4.
• This closure tape 26 can be adapted to any shape of shell 4 and, fixed to the request and adjusted in position and relative to the tunnel 19 such as by collars 28: these maintain an intermediate plate 23 on which the tape 26 is attached, for example by screwing 24.
• the propeller 18 can be uncovered in a tunnel: in this case, the closing flap 26 can be fixed on a lower heel carried by the propulsion support column.
• the essence of the invention resides in the fact that a so-called male part 6 transverse to the axis ZZ ', and of complementary shape to that of the female 5 of the well 3, slides longitudinally in the latter along this axis, and that 'a propeller operating arm 9, of cylindrical shape along this same axis, passes through a bearing 21 for integral guidance of said well 3, with a clearance ⁇ j between their respective complementary shape compatible with that ⁇ 2 obtained in the output position of the propeller 1 between said transverse male part 6 and the rim 25 of the well 3 connecting it to the shell 4, and thus allowing this male part 6 to bear there.
• This male part 6 which, as required, is not limited in thickness, has in fact the main function of taking up the thrust forces of the propeller 1 by pressing directly on said flange 25 at the level of the external wall of the structure of the shell 4 to which all the thrust is thus transmitted directly.
• said male part 6 is a plate present between the propellant 1 and the inlet and outlet means 2 of said propellant 1, that is to say between the propellant 1 and the arm 9.
• This male part 6, as well as the female form 5 of the well 3 can be of polygonal shape in cross section, such as for example of square section, as shown in FIG. 3 and then also constitutes said means for blocking the rotation of the propellant relative to the longitudinal axis ZZ 'of the well 3 and therefore relative to the hull 4.
• said part 6 and the complementary female form 5 of the well 3 act as means for guiding the propellant 1 in its movement retraction or exit with respect to said well 3.
• the part 6, as indicated above, can be of square section and be inscribed inside a female form 5 also square of the well 3; of course, the square 5 of the well 3 is a recess whose dimensions are just greater than the dimensions of the part 6: thus for example the desired ⁇ 2 clearance between these forms 5, 6, whether square or otherwise, is 1 per 1,000 at least, and at most by what is allowed by the clearance ⁇ j left at the level of the bearing 21 between, on the one hand, the external shape of the arm 9 and, on the other hand, the complementary internal shape of the said bearing 21.
• Said well 3 is preferably closed at its upper part by a sealing plate 29 for sealing against the side walls 5 of the well and carrying said bearing 21, which then comprises a lip seal 27 for sealing on the arm 9 and allowing said clearance ⁇ j, as shown in FIG. 5.
• the upper plate 29 for closing the well 3 also includes at its periphery any sealing device such as an O-ring 30, pressing on the upper rim and opposite that of the well 3, and the shaft 32 for rotating the propeller 18 inside the arm 9 is also made watertight such as by a seal 31, for example of the lip type preferably located at the top of said arm 9.
• All the other fasteners which can pass through the walls of the volume in which the propellant 1 thus retracts can also be mounted with O-rings or other sealing devices.
• the motorization 20 of the propeller 18 which is mounted at the other end of the arm 9 relative to the latter, will also move in pendulum with an amplitude ⁇ 3 : this displacement is authorized by the longitudinal motorization means of the propellant along the axis ZZ ', such as those described below.
• the external face 8 of the male part which can therefore be a plate 6 and located on the side of the propellant, can, according to a particular embodiment, be in the plane of the hull 4 and thus becoming co-planar with the adjacent faces of the latter, so that no disturbance can come inside the well 3 isolated by means of this plate 6, always to preserve the hydrodynamic properties of the shell 4
• this plate 6 has an anti-cavitation role with respect to the propeller 18.
• the fitting of the male part 6 into the female form 5 of the well 3 can be of any polygonal and even circular shape, always keeping said clearance ⁇ 2 between them to allow the recovery of forces. thrust directly at the shell 4 in the extended position; if the shapes are circular, the resumption of the rotational forces which are weaker than those of direct thrust, can be ensured for example by off-center of the axis 7 of the arm 9 relative to the axis ZZ 'of the well 3.
• motorization to allow movement along said axis ZZ 'of the arm 9 - propeller 1 assembly.
• this motorization 10 is constituted by a screw 12, driven in rotation by means of a motor 13, this screw 12 cooperating with a nut 14 present at the level of the arm 9.
• the rotation of the screw 12 will therefore allow the displacement of the nut 14 and thus of the arm 9, propellant 1 assembly, according to FI or F2.
• guide columns 22 may be present, as is the case in FIG. 2; two electric jacks can also be mounted diametrically with respect to the axis 7 of the arm 9 and operate in synchronization, the play existing between the male part 6 and the female form 5 of the well 3 allowing a possible offset, as mentioned previously.
• the input and output means 2 are constituted by another type of mechanical motorization 1 1, ensuring said maneuvering movement of the arm 9.
• This mechanical motorization includes a traction line which can be a chain or cable 15, displaced according to F3 to allow exit according to FI, and according to F4 to allow entry according to F2 of the propellant 1, and moulted longitudinally by means of a jack 16 secured to the hull 4: one of the ends of the chain 15 is connected to the jack 16 while the other end is connected to the other end of the arm 9.
• a return pulley 17 is present between the jack 16 and the arm 9, substantially in the extension of the longitudinal axis of the well 3 and also of the arm 9.
• This pulley allows a return of the chain at an angle which is preferably less than 20 °, and even in FIG. 4 by 15 °, thus allowing the well 3 and the jack 16 to be brought closer as close as possible to the shell 4, so that the volume of the propellant 1 and its appendices 2, 3, 10 and 1 1 is as small as possible and picked up as closely as possible on said hull 4.

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• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Ocean & Marine Engineering (AREA)
• Transmission Devices (AREA)
• Toys (AREA)
• Actuator (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

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• 1995
  • 1995-12-01 FR FR9514806A patent/FR2741854B1/fr not_active Expired - Lifetime
• 1996
  • 1996-11-28 AU AU10338/97A patent/AU1033897A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1996-11-28 US US09/077,452 patent/US6056610A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1996-11-28 DE DE69602969T patent/DE69602969T2/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1996-11-28 WO PCT/FR1996/001885 patent/WO1997020733A1/fr active IP Right Grant
  • 1996-11-28 EP EP96941071A patent/EP0863837B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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