GB897086A - A screw propeller marine propulsion and steering device - Google Patents

Abstract

897,086. Screw propulsion and steering units. LEIPERT, E. Dec. 17, 1958 [Jan. 20, 1958], No. 40714/58. Class 114. A boat propulsion device, of which one embodiment is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and another in Fig. 4, consists of an engine section comprising one engine, or two engines (41 in Figs. 1 and 2; 76 in Fig. 4), rigidly mounted in the boat on each side of a housing 14 in a slotlike cut-away in the stern of the hull 10 or on the transom 12, a propeller drive section swingably carried by the engine section and supported in the housing 14 or on the outer face of the transom, and means to rotate the propeller drive section independently of the engine section. In the first embodiment, forks 44 (Fig. 2) are shifted to cause gears 40 to engage engine driven gears 43 (or friction clutches or hydraulic couplings are employed) so that the engine drives a bevel gear 35 in the propeller drive gear housing 19 which is swingably mounted, trunnion fashion, at 32 in the housing 14. Gear 35 meshes with gear 25 on the vertical shaft 24 of the drive to the propeller 21, which is mounted in a housing 20 having an extension 18a rotatably surrounding an extension 18 of the housing 19. A spur gear 45 secured to the extension 18a is rotated by a gear 48 by means of a steering cable 56 which is wound round a pulley 52 secured on the shaft 50 of the gear 48. The cable 56 is operated by the boat's steering wheel, which also actuates a pointer to indicate the position of the propeller. The housing 20 may be rotated through 360 degrees. In the event of a cable failure the housing 20 may be rotated by means of flats 58 on the shaft 50. Normally the propeller drive shaft 24 is held vertical by contacts at the abutment 46 on the bottom member 47 and at the shoulder 68 on a dwell 67 of the housing 19, the shoulder being engaged by a spring loaded plunger 61 which engages a shoulder 69 when the propeller drive assembly is swung upwardly to its raised position. When the housing 20 encounters a submerged object the impact causes it to overcome the plunger spring 63 and to swing upwardly, upward movement of the plunger 61 causing arms 70 to actuate cut-off switches 71 which stops the engines. The propeller section may be lifted manually by means of a cable 73 attached to a handle 72. When the housing 19 is swung upwardly it takes the gear 45 out of engagement with the gear 48 but carries with it an anti-cavitation plate 95. In Fig. 4 the propeller housing is rotated directly by the steering cable 56 being wound on a pulley 80 secured on the extension 18a a spring 82 permitting the housing to be swung upwardly. Should an underwater object be struck, the housing 20 moves to pull a member 86 thereon free of a resilient member 85 and a lip 88 on the gear housing trips an arm 89 of a switch mechanism to stop the engines. The propeller may be raised manually by inserting a lever in a bore 91.