GB764005A - Improvements in or relating to ship propelling installations - Google Patents

Abstract

764,005. Propelling ships. AKT.-GES. WESER. July 6, 1954 [July 7, 1953], No. 19802/54. Class 114. [Also in Group XXVII] In a marine propulsion plant comprising a number of internal combustion engines which are connected via a common gearwheel drive and through the medium of fluid clutches to the propeller shaft a gearwheel is provided preferably with the interposition of a fluid clutch on each of the crank shafts of at least two of the internal combustion engines forming the plant these gearwheels being in permanent geared connection with each other and the crankshaft gearwheels being in permanent geared connection with two first pinions arranged to rotate in opposite directions to each other, the pinions being mounted each on an associated shaft which drives via a fluid clutch a second pinion meshing with a gearwheel on the propeller shaft the arrangement being such that when the plant is in operation, engagement of one of the latter fluid clutches causes the propeller shaft to be rotated in one direction and engagement of the other of these fluid clutches causes the propeller shaft to be rotated in the opposite direction. In Fig. 1, non- reversing internal combustion engines 1, 2, 3, 4 are connected to a propeller shaft 22 through the gearing shown and fluid clutches 11-14 and 17 and 18. For travel ahead the clutch 17 is filled and the clutch 18 is emptied and vice versa for travel astern. The plant can be doubled for craft having two screws. A slow speed stage is obtained by an electric motor 24 which is supplied for example, from a generator 23. In Fig. 2 the engines 2, 3 drive a gear wheel 21 on a propeller shaft 22 respectively through pinions 19, 20. The engines 1, 4 drive the wheel 21 through pinions 28, 29. As in Fig. 1 a very slow speed stage can be coupled with the plant and is supplied for example, from the generator 23. It is possible to couple with the plant other auxiliary power units which for example permit of a very slow speed stage and which can be either an internal combustion engine or an electrical driving unit. Also reference is made to interposition of additional fluid or mechanical clutches between the transmission gearing and the engines. The clutches 17 and 18 are of such size and design that the inner internal combustion engines can be placed so close to one another that only a catwork remains free between them without the clutches coming in contact with one another. In the space thereby gained at the outside of the engines auxiliary engines such as pumps or the like can be arranged.