EP3409576B1 - Finned rudder - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a fin rudder for a ship with a main rudder and a positively guided fin pivotably articulated thereon, which is connected to a sliding bolt which is connected via a joint to a vertically oriented pivot bolt mounted on the ship's hull.

In the case of a rudder arrangement designed as a fin rudder, a pivotable fin is arranged on the main rudder, which can be fastened to the rudder blade end strip, for example, by means of hinges. The fin is also deflected when the main rudder is placed and swiveled in the same direction in relation to the main rudder. This increases the lateral force generated and improves the maneuverability of ships. The deflection of the fin can be positively controlled via an articulation device connected to the ship's hull and the fin, so that there is a predetermined angular relationship between the deflection angle of the main rudder and the deflection angle of the fin.

From the EP 0 811 552 A1 is such a fin rudder, in which the articulation device comprises a sliding bolt which is mounted in a slide bearing formed on the fin and is connected to a articulation pin which is mounted on the hull. The connection between the sliding pin and the articulation pin is established by a hinge pin or a hinge joint, so that the sliding pin is oriented relative to the articulation pin in the transverse direction of the ship Axis swings. In this way, bending moments acting on the rudder can be compensated. In addition, the sliding bolt and the pivot bolt can be pulled out of their bearing housings after the hinge connection has been released, so that repairs can be carried out easily and without removing the fin.

A disadvantage of this rudder arrangement is that forces acting on the connection between the sliding pin and the articulation pin essentially have to be absorbed by the hinge pin. This requires a correspondingly large-volume design of the hinge pin or the hinge joint and the use of particularly strong materials. Often, however, only a relatively narrow installation volume is available for the articulation device and the materials required are relatively expensive.

The WO 2008/065056 discloses a linkage device for a fin rudder with a non-rotatable link pin. The articulation device comprises a articulation housing into which the sliding bolt and the articulation pin are inserted and which has a spherical bearing which makes it possible to pivot the sliding pin for deflecting the fin around the articulation pin and which furthermore makes it possible for the sliding pin to have the ship's longitudinal axis and the ship's vertical axis to pivot.

With this articulation device, the use of a hinge bearing is avoided and instead a spherical bearing is used, which generally has a higher stability. However, the spherical bearing has an increased susceptibility to wear. For example, the pivoting movement of the sliding pin around the pivot pin, which is used to deflect the fin, takes place regularly under load on the bearing, which can result in increased bearing wear. Lubrication of the spherical bearing is also provided. A disadvantage here is that when sea water penetrates, there is a loss of lubricant, which then has to be added in a complex manner.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a more robust connection between the pivot pin and the sliding bolt, which has a high stability and provides sufficient degrees of freedom for the relative movement between the pivot pin and the sliding bolt.

According to the invention, a fin rudder is proposed with a main rudder and a positively guided fin which is pivotably articulated thereon and which is connected to a sliding bolt which is pivoted vertically via a joint with a rotatably mounted on the ship's hull aligned pivot pin is connected. The sliding bolt has a fork-shaped section with two legs and the pivot pin is provided with a joint head which is arranged between the legs and has contact surfaces which cooperate with the legs and which are designed to provide a substantially non-rotatable connection between the longitudinal axis of the bolt Manufacture sliding pin and the pivot pin. The sliding bolt is also supported on the joint head by bearing shells arranged between the legs. The joint head has curved surfaces between the contact surfaces, and the bearing shells enclose the curved surfaces.

The dynamic forces acting on the fin are transmitted from the sliding bolt to the pivot bolt via the contact surfaces, so that a stable and robust connection between the sliding bolt and the pivot bolt is produced by means of the joint. Since a connection between the sliding bolt and the pivot bolt that is rotationally fixed with respect to the longitudinal axis of the bolt is produced by means of the contact surface, the susceptibility to wear of the joint is also significantly reduced.

Furthermore, the joint head in connection with the bearing shells enables the sliding bolt to be pivoted about a horizontal axis, which corresponds to the transverse axis of the ship when the main rudder and fin are aligned. This allows swivel movements of the fin to be compensated for about the transverse axis of the main rudder. The joint thus basically enables movements with the same degrees of freedom as the known hinge joint. Compared to the hinge joint, however, it has increased stability.

In one embodiment of the invention, the pivot pin is rotatably supported on the ship's hull by an upper bearing and a lower bearing, and the joint head is arranged between the bearings. Such a double-sided mounting of the pivot pin ensures high stability and improved load distribution. In particular, the load distribution is improved compared to known arrangements in which the pivot pin is only supported on one side. Furthermore, the bearings can be designed as slide bearings so that the pivot pin can be displaced in the bearings in the vertical direction in the event of fin movements.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the pivot pin together with the joint head is formed in one piece. This increases the stability of the pivot pin and the joint. In addition, by saving additional components, the robustness of the joint against defects and wear is increased.

In one embodiment of the invention, the limbs of the sliding bolt lie directly against the contact surfaces of the joint head, as a result of which particularly good power transmission between the sliding bolt and the pivot pin is achieved. The joint head is preferably fitted with a transition fit between the legs of the sliding bolt with as little play as possible.

Furthermore, the contact surfaces are preferably designed as flat surfaces. This further improves the transmission of force between the sliding pin and the pivot pin. In addition, in this embodiment, the sliding bolt can be pulled off in a simple manner from the contact surfaces of the joint head in order, for example, to carry out maintenance or repair work on the rudder arrangement.

In order to facilitate the pivoting movements of the sliding bolt about the horizontal axis, the contact surfaces are designed in the form of a circular disk in an embodiment of the invention.

The fact that the joint head has curved surfaces between the contact surfaces and the bearing shells enclose the curved surfaces ensures a stable mounting of the sliding pin on the pivot pin.

The curved surfaces are preferably essentially spherical. This ensures that the force and torque transmission between the sliding pin and the pivot pin essentially takes place exclusively via the contact surfaces. This further reduces the susceptibility to wear of the joint. In addition, a rod end with spherical surfaces is generally easier to manufacture than a rod end with non-spherical surfaces, such as cylindrical surfaces.

A further development of the invention provides that the joint head is made of metal, in particular steel, and the bearing shells are made of a plastic material. With regard to the bearing shells, it is alternatively also conceivable to manufacture them from metal and to provide their surfaces bearing on the joint head with a coating of a plastic material.

In these embodiments, additional (grease) lubrication of the joint can be dispensed with, which reduces the maintenance effort and environmental pollution can be avoided by escaping lubricant. To reduce the friction between the bearing shells and the joint head, water lubrication by penetrating sea water can be used. In order to further reduce the friction between the bearing shells and the joint head, provision can also be made to provide the curved surfaces of the joint head lying on the bearing shells with a plastic coating.

Furthermore, it is provided in one embodiment of the invention that the bearing shells are held in a press fit on the curved surfaces of the joint head. A further embodiment of the invention provides that the legs of the sliding bolt delimit a space in which the joint head is arranged between the bearing shells, and that the space is closed on one side with a closure element which is attached to ends of the legs. The closure element can be attached to the ends of the legs in such a way that the clamp fit exists between the bearing shells and the joint head.

These refinements make it possible, in particular, to disassemble the sliding bolt in a simple manner (for maintenance and repair purposes, for example) by detaching the closure element from the legs and then pulling the sliding bolt off the pivot bolt. In particular, disassembly with a fin attached to the main rudder is possible in this way.

Fig. 1

eine schematische und exemplarische Schnittansicht eines Flossenruders,

Fig. 2

einen schematischen und exemplarischen Längsschnitt durch eine Anlenkeinrichtung des Flossenruders, und

Fig. 3

eine schematische und exemplarische Darstellung von Komponenten der Anlenkeinrichtung in einer Explosionszeichnung.

The above-mentioned and other special features of the invention are also clear from the following description of exemplary embodiments of the invention with reference to the figures. From the figures shows:

Fig. 1

1 shows a schematic and exemplary sectional view of a fin rudder,

Fig. 2

a schematic and exemplary longitudinal section through an articulation device of the fin rudder, and

Fig. 3

is a schematic and exemplary representation of components of the articulation device in an exploded view.

The figures schematically and exemplarily show a fin rudder in a side view. The fin rudder is arranged in the stern area of a ship's hull 1. In particular, the fin rudder (in the longitudinal direction of the ship) behind a propeller 2 for driving the Ship or behind or in a propeller nozzle, but arrangements outside the propeller jet are also possible. The fin rudder comprises a main rudder 3, in which a rudder shaft 4 is firmly inserted in a manner known to the person skilled in the art. The rudder post 4 is guided into the interior of the ship's hull 1 by a coker 5 which is firmly inserted into the ship's hull 1 and is connected there to a rowing machine 6. The rudder shaft 4 can be rotated about its longitudinal axis by means of the rowing machine and thus the main rudder 3 can be pivoted in order to maneuver the ship.

A fin 7 is attached to the rear edge of the main rudder 3 such that it can be pivoted relative to the main rudder 3. The fin 7 can extend over the entire height of the main rudder 3. Likewise, however, it can also be provided that the fin 7 extends only over an (upper) part of the height of the main rudder 3. A hinge 8 can, for example, be provided for fastening the fin 7 to the main rudder 3. The fin 7 is positively controlled by means of an articulation device 9 which couples the deflection of the fin 7 to the deflection of the main rudder 3. When the main rudder 3 is deflected, the fin 7 is deflected in the same direction due to the positive guidance and thereby increases the transverse force caused by the rudder arrangement. The configuration of the articulation device 9 determines the relationship between the deflection angle of the main rudder 3 with respect to the longitudinal axis of the ship and the deflection angle of the fin 7 with respect to the main rudder 3. This ratio changes with the deflection angle of the main rudder 3 and the articulation device 9 can be designed, for example, in such a way that it has a desired value at a given deflection angle of the main rudder 3, for example at the maximum deflection angle.

The articulation device 9 is arranged above or in the upper region of the main rudder 3. It comprises a vertically (ie in the vertical direction of the ship) articulation pin 10, which is rotatably mounted on the ship's hull 1 or the koker 5. The bearing is preferably carried out at both ends of the pivot pin 10 by means of an upper pivot bearing 11a and a lower pivot bearing 11b. The pivot bearings 11a and 11b can, for example, each be arranged on a carrier element 12a, 12b which is attached to the coker 5. However, other configurations are also possible. For example, the upper pivot bearing 11a can also be attached directly to the hull 1 or a skeg provided thereon. The pivot bearings 11a and 11b can be manufactured in a conventional manner from steel, in particular stainless steel. However, plastic bearings can also be used, whereby the friction between the pivot pin 10 and the pivot bearings 11a and 11b can be reduced.

The pivot pin 10 is connected via a joint 15 to a horizontally oriented sliding pin 13 which is guided in a slide bearing 14 provided on the fin 7, in particular on its upper edge. The joint 15 is designed in such a way that there is an essentially rotationally fixed connection between the pivot pin 10 and the sliding pin 13 with respect to the vertical axis of the ship or the longitudinal axis of the pin, i.e. the sliding bolt 13 can essentially not be pivoted about the longitudinal axis of the bolt relative to the pivot bolt. The joint 15, however, enables the sliding bolt to be pivoted relative to the pivot bolt 10 about a horizontal axis which, when the main rudder 3 and the fin 7 are in alignment, corresponds to the transverse axis of the ship. In this way, pivoting movements of the fin 7 about the transverse axis of the main rudder 3 can be compensated for.

In order to compensate for movements of the fin 7 in the vertical direction, it can also be provided that the rotary bearings 11a and 11b are designed as slide bearings for the rotatable mounting of the pivot pin 10, so that the pivot pin 10 can be displaced in the vertical direction of the ship with respect to the ship's hull 1.

The joint 15 comprises a joint head 31, which is formed on the pivot pin 10. In particular, it can be provided that the pivot pin 10 together with the joint head 31 is formed in one piece, whereby a high stability can be achieved. Stainless steel is preferably used to produce the pivot pin 10 with the joint head 31. The joint head 31 is preferably arranged substantially centrally on the articulation pin 10, so that there are essentially equal distances between the two ends of the articulation pin 10, which are mounted in the upper and lower pivot bearings 11a and 11b, and the articulated head. Likewise, the joint head 31 can, however, be arranged displaced from the central position.

The end sections of the pivot pin 10 arranged in the area of the pivot bearings 11a and 11b preferably have a diameter which corresponds to or is greater than the diameter in the area of the joint head 31. As a result, the articulation pin can be pushed through one of the pivot bearings 11a and 11b, in particular through the lower pivot bearing 11b, in order to dismantle the articulation device 9. In the sections between the end sections and the joint head 31, the articulation pin 10 preferably has a smaller diameter.

The sliding bolt 13 is fork-shaped in its fin-side end section, the two legs 32a and 32b of the fork-shaped end section engaging around the joint head 31. The joint head 31 furthermore has contact surfaces 33a and 33b on opposite sides which face the legs. These cooperate with the legs for the transmission of force between the sliding pin 13 and the pivot pin and serve to produce the connection between the pivot pin 10 and the sliding pin 13 which is rotationally fixed with respect to the longitudinal axis of the pin.

The contact surfaces 33a and 33b are designed as a flat surface (plane surfaces) and the inner surfaces of the legs 32a and 32b preferably rest against the contact surfaces without play. For this purpose, the joint head 31 is fitted in a transition fit between the legs 32a and 32b in such a way that the distance between the contact surfaces 33a and 33b essentially corresponds to the distance between the inner surfaces of the legs 32a and 32b. In this way, a particularly effective and robust power transmission between the sliding pin 13 and the pivot pin 10 is achieved. At the same time, a moderate relative force enables a sliding relative movement between the contact surfaces 33a and 33b of the joint head 31 and the legs 32a and 32b of the sliding bolt. In particular, the sliding bolt 13 can be pivoted to compensate for vertical movements of the fin 7 about a horizontal axis which is oriented transversely to the contact surfaces 33a and 33b or in the direction of the surface normal and, when the main rudder 3 and the fin 7 are aligned, corresponds to the transverse axis of the ship. In order to further facilitate such pivoting, the contact surfaces 33a and 33b are preferably essentially in the form of circular disks.

Between the contact surfaces 33a and 33b, the joint head 31 has curved surfaces 34a and 34b on its sides facing towards and away from the fin 7. These can be configured essentially spherically, ie essentially correspond to a spherical section. Likewise, however, the curved surfaces can also be designed in a different way. In particular, they can be essentially cylindrical and correspond to sections of a cylinder surface whose longitudinal axis is oriented transversely to the longitudinal axes of the sliding bolt 13 and the pivot bolt 10. In comparison with a spherical design, a cylindrical design enables larger contact surfaces 33a, 33b. A spherical configuration of the curved surfaces 34a and 34b is usually preferred, however, since the transmission of forces and moments between the sliding bolt and the pivot pin in the case of spherical surfaces 34a and 34b essentially takes place exclusively via the contact surfaces. This will reduces the susceptibility to wear of the joint. In addition, the hinge pin 10 is easier to manufacture in this embodiment.

The curved surfaces 34a and 34b are enclosed by bearing shells 35a and 35b, which are arranged between the legs 32a and 32b, so that the joint head 31 is arranged between the bearing shells 35a and 35b. The surfaces of the bearing shells 35a and 35b facing the joint head 31 have a curvature corresponding to that of the curved surfaces 34a and 34b of the joint head 31, so that they rest against these curved surfaces 34a and 34b essentially without play. Furthermore, the bearing shells 35a and 35b are fitted between the legs 32a and 32b essentially without play.

The bearing shells 35a and 35b are held in a press fit on the joint head 31 or its curved surfaces 34a and 34b. For this purpose, the bearing shells 35a and 35b in one embodiment are inserted into the space formed between the legs 32a and 32b of the sliding bolt 13 such that the bearing shell 35a facing the fin 7 bears against the inner surface of the sliding bolt 13 formed between the legs 32a and 32b and that the bearing shell 35b facing away from the fin is approximately flush with the legs 32a and 32b. Furthermore, the space on its side facing away from the fin 7 is closed by a closure element 36 such that the bearing shell 35a facing away from the fin 7 bears against the closure element 36 and the clamp fit is produced.

The closure element 36 is fastened to the two legs 32a and 32b of the sliding bolt 13. The closure element 36 can in particular be screwed to the legs 32a and 32b. For this purpose, the legs 32a and 32b can have one or more, in particular two, threaded blind holes extending in the longitudinal direction of the sliding bolt, into which screws extending through the closure element 36 are screwed in order to fasten the closure element 36. By tightening the screws, one of which is provided with the reference number 39, the clamp fit between the bearing shells 35a, 35b and the joint head 31 is produced. This is preferably done in such a way that a minimal play is set between the bearing shells 35a, 35b and the curved surfaces 34a and 34b of the joint head. To secure against loosening of the clamp seat, the closure element 36 can then additionally be welded to the legs 32a, 32b of the sliding bolt and / or the screws 39 can be secured against loosening with welded seams.

In order to fix the bearing shell 35b lying against the closure element 36 vertically, in one embodiment the closure element 36 has upper and lower horizontal edge sections 37a and 37b which close the space between the legs 32a and 32b in the region of the bearing shell 35b upwards and downwards or cover. Upper and lower holding elements 38a and 38b, which cover the space between the legs 32a and 32b in the region of this bearing shell 35a, serve for the vertical fixation of the bearing shell 35a facing the fin. In this way, a pocket is formed between the legs 32a and 32b and the holding elements 38a and 38b, in which the bearing shell 35a is inserted. The bearing shells 35a and 35b preferably completely fill the space between the legs 32a and 32b over its entire height, so that they rest against the horizontal edge sections 37a and 37b or the holding elements 38a and 38b. The holding elements 38a and 38b can be holding plates which are welded to the sliding bolt 13, in particular to its legs 32a and 32b. Likewise, the holding elements 38a and 38b can be made in one piece with the sliding bolt.

In this way, the sliding pin 13 can be held on the joint head 31 by means of the bearing shells 35a and 35b and thus connected to the articulation pin 10. The curved surfaces 34a and 34b of the joint head 31 can slide relative to the bearing shells 35a and 35b and thus enable the previously described pivoting of the sliding bolt 13 about the horizontal axis.

The pivot pin 10 and the joint head 31 provided thereon are preferably made of metal, in particular stainless steel, in order to ensure sufficient strength. In one embodiment, the bearing shells 35a and 35b are made from a sufficiently strong plastic material. Elastomers are particularly suitable as the plastic material, since these generally also have a low abrasion rate. Alternatively, the bearing shells 35a and 35b can also be made of metal, in particular stainless steel, and the surfaces facing the joint head 31 can be provided with a coating of a plastic material.

The use of plastic for the manufacture of the bearing shells 35a and 35b or their coating reduces the friction between the bearing shells 35a and 35b and the joint head 31 (compared to bearing shells 35a and 35b made of steel), so that no additional (grease) lubrication of the Joint 15 is required. Due to the use of the plastic material, the joint 15 can in principle already be used without the use of a lubricant. During operation, water lubrication of the Joint used by penetrating water forms a water film between the bearing shells 35a and 35b and the joint head 31, which reduces the friction between the bearing shells 35a and 35b and the joint head 31.

In order to further reduce the friction between the bearing shells 35a and 35b and the joint head 31, it can also be provided that the curved surfaces 34a and 34b of the joint head 31 abutting the bearing shells 35a and 35b are provided with a plastic coating.

In the previously described embodiments, a joint 15 with sufficient degrees of freedom can be provided, which is simple in construction, robust and wear-resistant. In addition, the joint 15 is low-maintenance, in particular due to its dry running properties or the water lubrication provided. In addition, the joint 15 enables the articulation device 9 to be easily disassembled when the fin 9 is mounted. Thus, the sliding bolt 13 can be removed in a simple manner by removing it from the articulation pin 10 after the screwed closure element 36 has been detached through the slide bearing 14 arranged on the fin 9 is subtracted. The hinge pin 10 which has become free in this way can then be pushed through one of the rotary bearings 11a, 11b and can also be easily removed as a result.

Reference numerals

1

Hull

2nd

propeller

3rd

Main rudder

4th

Rudder stock

5

Koker

6

Rowing machine

7

fin

8th

hinge

9

Articulation device

10th

Pivot pin

11a

upper pivot bearing

11b

lower pivot bearing

12a

upper support element

12b

lower support element

13

Sliding bolt

14

bearings

15

joint

31

Rod end

32a

first leg of the sliding pin

32b

second leg of the sliding pin

33a

first contact surface

33b

second contact surface

34a

first curved surface

34b

second curved surface

35a

first bearing shell

35b

second bearing shell

36

Closure element

37a

upper edge section

37b

lower margin

38a

upper holding element

38b

upper holding element

39

screw

Claims (9)

1. Flap rudder having a main rudder (3) and, pivotably linked thereto, a forcibly guided flap (7) which is connected to a sliding bolt (13) which is connected by means of a joint (15) to a vertically oriented linkage bolt (10) rotatably mounted on a ship's hull (1),
   the sliding bolt (13) having a fork-shaped portion with two legs (32a, 32b) and the linkage bolt (10) being provided with a joint head (31) which is disposed between the legs (32a, 32b) and has contact surfaces (33a, 33b) co-operating with the legs (32a, 32b) which are designed to establish a substantially non-rotating connection between the linkage bolt (10) relative to the longitudinal axis of the linkage bolt (10) and sliding bolt (13), and the sliding bolt (13) is also mounted on the joint head (31) by means of bearing shells (35a, 35b) disposed between the legs (32a, 32b), characterised in that
   the joint head (31) has curved surfaces (34a, 34b) between the contact surfaces (33a, 33b) and the bearing shells (35a, 35b) surround the curved surfaces (34a, 34b).
2. Flap rudder as claimed in claim 1, wherein the linkage bolt (10) is mounted by means of an upper bearing (11a) and a lower bearing (11b) so as to be rotatable on the ship's hull (1) and the joint head (31) is disposed between the bearings (11a, 11b).
3. Flap rudder as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the legs (32a, 32b) of the sliding bolt (13) lie in contact with the contact surfaces (33a, 33b) of the joint head (31).
4. Flap rudder as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein the contact surfaces (33a, 33b) are designed as substantially flat surfaces.
5. Flap rudder as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein the curved surfaces (34a, 34b) are of a substantially spherical design.
6. Flap rudder as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein the bearing shells (35a, 35b) are made from a plastic material.
7. Flap rudder as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein the bearing shells (35a, 35b) are retained on the curved surfaces (34a, 34b) of the joint head (31) in a press fit.
8. Flap rudder as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein the legs (32a, 32b) of the sliding bolt (13) bound a gap in which the joint head (31) is disposed between the bearing shells (35a, 35b), and the gap is closed on one side by a closure element (36) which is attached to the ends of the legs (32a, 32b).
9. Flap rudder as claimed in claims 7 or 8, wherein the closure element (36) is attached to the ends of the legs (32a, 32b) in such a way that the press fit is created between the bearing shells (35a, 35b) and the joint head (31).

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