US107376A - Improvement in propellers - Google Patents

Description

noBnarHUNTEa-or NEW Yoan, N.. Y.

Lette-.rs Patent No. 107,376, dated September 13, 1,87

IMPROVEMENT -IN PROPELLRS.

The Schedule referred to in these L etters Patent and makn'g part 0f the same..

I, ROBERT:` HUNTER, of' thecity of `New York, doctor of medicine, have invented a new and useful Im# provement in Propellers, of which the'. followingr is a` specifica-tion.

-A'aturc all (Ng/'acts of the Invention.

i My invention relates chiefly to a class ofreeiproeatingpropellers, adapted,.by their construction, to act in a manner siinila-r to the tail. of a fish, and consists in constructing such propellcrs with solidbladesof l ndia rubber, .tapering in thickness, and clanipedby l their thick edges between metallic bars in a vibrating tienne, as hereinafter described.

Description of the Accompanying Brewing. Figure 1 isa vertical longitudinal sect-ion ot' a' portion of' thc stern ot' a vessel, with my invention applied.`

FigureQ represents a horizontal section of the. propcller at refr, iig.

General Description. Y A represents a parli of a ressels hull within which, at or near the steril, or at the bow, o r in any other place where it may he desired to apply the propeller,

is a vertical casing or well, 15,'open to' the water-at betteln and to the air at top. lhc said casing ex- 'tends upward well above the water-line, and, prefera-r bly,np to the deck, so that,-though thewater rises freely within the casing, it cannot thereby enter the vessel.

C is a shaft, so mounted as to turn or oscillatc freely within the casing B.

Upon thelower part of this shaft. is mounted the propeller-frame, made preferably ot' iron or steel, and consisting of two ormore dat bars, l) 1),'piojecting horizontally or at rright angles to the shaft C, and a -number of bars, E, arranged in pairsparallel'withthe shaft C, and connecting the bars D.

'The two bars E of each pair are set at the. necessary distancc asnnder to serve as a socket forthe reception'of the propelling-blades F, each of which is made'of wedge shape, of India rubber, -and bolted by -its thick edgebetween the two 'bars E.'

s The more flexible thin edge ofthe blade projects backward, so that, as the shaft is vibrated, the blades will', by the resistance ofthe water, assume an oblique position on one side or the other, asindicated by dotted lines in lig. 2, and, by the Obliquity of the surfaces thus presented, exert a powerful propellingr force nnder the vibration of the propeller.

The bars are preferably taperediu thickness,

backward or toward the flexible blades, as shown in tig. 2. y The vibratory movement may be imparted to the shaft C through thev medium of an arm, G, within or in relation to which the shaft may be reversed, so. as to present thepropcller in either direction, and thus propel the vessel either 'forward or backward. The` arm G is to be actuated by a pitman or connectingrod from a crank or reciprocating engine.

The shaft G is supported by a collar, H, secured by set-'screws I, or equivalent means, and removable when required, so that the shaft may be passed downward Vthrough the casing B, and suspended by ac hain,

Lattachd to an eye-bolt, K, a second chain or line,

eitherpermanently attached or provided with a hook or'suitable grapple, being employed to take the'- propeller in board. It may thus be unshipped for examination, repair, or otlierpui'poses, with greatpconvenience while the vessel is afloat, and afterward replaced by passing -it over the side and drawing it np into its place, with equal facility. Y

A propeller of the construction described 'may be ,arranged on a horizontal shaft, if' preferred.

I am aware that propcllers 4have been made with tapering steel blades.` This, therefore, Ido not claim.

Mysolidrubbcr blades, usedin the manner described, possess several important advantages. lhey weigh nothing in water, are'not'subjectto corrosion, and, by having much-greater thickness at the base than is practicable in steel bladesthey are found to assume, under the resistance of the' water, a better form for propulsion. y

The compressibility of thematerial is also of great practical value in this connection, adapting it tol be clamped firmly between the metallic bars, without thedrilling that is necessary with steel blades'. The metallic bars being clamped upon the 1ubber,lbecom e imbedded in it, soas to hold it with perfect security,

and in this way .a defective blale may be removed, and anew one inserted,.at any time, bythe boats crew, without thc'aid of askilled mechanic.-

Claim;

'I claim as my invention-V The propeller herein described, consisting of blades-.

of India rubber, taperingin thickness, bolted between metallic bars or plat-es, attached to a shaft, substanf tially as hereindescribed.

Y R. HUNTER. Witnesses:

W. M. AMPH, OGTAVIUs KNIGHT.

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