US1099701A - Feathering-propeller. - Google Patents

Description

E. M. HARTMAN.

PEATHERING PROPELLER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 3, 1913.

Patented June's, 1914.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J une 9, 1914.

Application filed July 3, 1913. Serial No. 777,325.

To all whomit may concern Be it known that I, ELISHA M. HARTMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at South Bend, in the county of St. Joseph and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Feathering- Propellers; and 1 do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. i

' This invention relates to improvements in feathering propellers.

One object of the invention is to provide a feathering propeller for air ships, balloons, submarine boats and the like having an improved construction and arrangement of blades which will open on the working stroke propellers and which when folded will reduce the resistance of the blades to a minimum.

Another object is to provide a propeller of this character having an improved means for operating and means for adjusting the same for operation in different positions.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, and the combination and arrangement of parts as will be more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is aplan view of a portion of the frame of an air ship showing my improved ropellers applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a side view thereof; Fig. 3 is an end View of the same; Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of one of the propellers; Fig. 5 is a vertical cross section thereof showingthe blades in open or operative positions; Fig. 6 is a similar view showing the blades folded.

Refer ing more particularly to the drawings, 1 denotes a portion of the frame of an air ship or the like on which is arranged a series of bearing brackets 2. Revolubly mounted in the brackets 2 are alined horizontally disposed tubular shafts 3 which are held against longitudinal movement in the hearingbrackets 2 by collars a which are secured to the shafts 3 by set screws or other suitable means. Revolubly mounted in the tubular shafts 3 is a propeller operating shaft 5 the ends of which project beyond the outer ends of the tubular shaft 3 and have fixed thereon crank arms 6. Rigidly secured to the tubular shafts 3 near their outer ends are propellersupporting standards 7 which are firmly held in position onthe shafts by brace bars ards 7 are pivotally secured the inner ends of propeller rods or stems 9 which project out wardly from the standards 7 and have hinged to the opposite sides of the outer portions thereof propeller blades 10. Rigadly secured to the outer sides of the standards 7 are outwardly projecting right angular dis posed guide bars 11 in the outer ends of which are secured guide sleeves 12 with which are slidably engaged propeller reciprocatin rods 14, the outer ends of which are pivotally connected with the stems 9 of the propellers. The inner'ends of the rods 14: have a hinged 0r pivotal connection with the outer ends of pitman rods 15, the inner ends of which are pivotally connected to the crank arms 6 on the propeller operating shaft 5. The ends of the pitinan rods 15 are held in engagement with the crank arms- 6 by collars 16 which are secured to the crank arms- 6 by set screws as shown. By connecting the stems of the propellers. with the propeller operating shaft 5 as herein shown and described, it will be seen that when the shaft 5 is driven the propellers will be reciprocated or swung backwardly and forwardly on their pivotal connections with the stand ards 7.

The propeller blades 10 may be of any suitable construction but preferably coniprise a series of cross bars 17 on the inner ends of which are formed hinge members 18 whereby the blades are hingedly connected to the stems 9. The body 19 of the blades 10 may be formed of any suitable material to which the cross bars 17 are riveted or otherwise rigidly secured as shown.

By hingedly connecting the blades 10 to the stems 9, itlwill be seen that when the stems are swung outwardly by the propeller operating mechanism in the manner described the resistance offered by the air or water in which the propellers are used will swing" the blades inwardly or fold the same to a position wherein they are about 5 apart at their outer edges. When in this position the blades will present such a small surface to the air or water in the direction of the movement of the propeller that the resist ance will be reduced to a minimum thus requiring very little power for operating the blades on their return stroke. On the other hand when the propellers are swung in wardly by the operating mechanism to pro- 8. To the outer ends of the standpropelling power extent as to prevent air or water from entering between the same when operated on the reverse or working stroke, I provide triangularly shaped stop blocks 20 which are secured to the lower sides of the stems 9 between the cross bars 17 of the blades. In order to limit the opening movement of the blades on the working --strokes of the propeller .I also provide stop blocks 21 which are secured to the upper sides of the stems 9 and are of such construction as to permit the'blades 10 to open to about 145 to 150. The stop blocks which limit the opening movement of the blades are preferably provided with cushioning springs 22 which are engaged by the cross bars and thus prevent the blades from being brought into forcible engagement with the blocks when the blades are swung outwardly to operative positions.

Revolubly mounted in suitable bearings onthe frame 1 of the airship .or the like, is a main drive shaft 23lhaving on one end a pulley 24 which is operatively connected withthe motor of the air-ship or with any other suitablepower for'driving the shaft 23. On the'opposite end of the shaft 23 is fixed a beveled gear 25 which is operatively engaged with a similar gear 26 fixed on the propeller operating shaft 5 between the imiei' ends of the tubular shafts 3 in which said shaft 5 is revolubly mounted. By-thus connecting the driving mechanism with the shaft 5 it will be seen that the latter may be revolved in the proper direction for actuating the blade operating mechanism hereinbefore described.

In order to adjust the position of the pro pellers whereby they may be employed for raising, lowering or propelling the machine forwardly or rearwardly, I provide a pro peller adjusting mechanism comprising an adjusting shaft 27 which is revolubly mounted in suitable bearings on the frame 1 and on one end of which is fixed a hand wheel 28. On the opposite end of the shaft 27 is fixed a beveled gear pinion 29 which has an operative engagement with a beveled gear 30 fixedon a counter shaft 31 which is also revolubly mounted in suitable bearings on the frame 1 and which has fixed on its ends spur gear pinioits' 32. The pinions 32 have an operative engagement with spur gear pinions'33 which are fixed on the tubular shafts 3 as shown. 13y thus connecting the adjusting shaft 27 with the tubular shafts 3 the latter may be turned in either direction and the propeller supporting standards and the propellers carried thereby swung upwardly, downwardly, forwardly or rearwardly so that when the blades are operated in the manner described the airship or other device may be raised or lowered in a perpendicular plane or propelled forwardly or rearwardly as will be readily understood. I n order to hold the propellers in positions to which they have been adjusted by the adjusting mechanism hereinbefore described,

I provide a locking mechanism for the adjusting shaft 27, said mechanism being preferably in the form of pivotally mounted pawls 84 and 35 which are adapted to be engaged with teeth or notches formed in the shaft 27 as shown.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the invention will be readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of the claimed invention.

Having thus particularly invention, what I claim is:

1. In a propellerof the class described, the combination with a power shaft having a crank, a standard loosely mounted at its inner end on said shaft inside its crank, and means for adjusting the position of this standard around the shaft; of a stem ivotally connected with the outer end 0 said standard, a pair of foldable blades hingedly connected with said stem, and connections between the crank and stem for swinging the latter aboutits pivotal attachment with the standard whatever the position of the latter.

2. In 'a propellin mechanism for air ships and the like, t e combination with a tubular shaft having at its" outer end a radial standard, a. stem pivoted to said standard. and standing normally on a line substantially parallel with the axis of said shaft, a pair of blades hingedly connected described my with said stem, and a guiding sleeve carried by the standard; of means for adjusting the 3. In a propelling mechanism for air ships and the like, the combination with a tubular shaft mounted in bearings, a standard secured to its outer end and projecting radially from it, an oblique brace connecting said tubular shaft and standard, a guide bar projecting rigidly from said standard on a line parallel with said tubular shaft, a sleeve mounted in the outer end of said guide bar, a stem pivoted to the outer end of the standard, and a pair of folding blades hingedly connected with said stem; of a rod mounted for reciprocation through said sleeve and pivoted atone end to said stem, a shaft rotatably mounted Within the tubular shaft and having a crank beyond the end of the latter, and a pitman connecting said crank with said rod, for the purpose set forth.

4. in a device of the class described, the combination with a base having bearings, alined tubular shafts mounted in said bean ings and spaced from each other, standards projecting radially from said shafts near their outer ends, stems pivoted to said stand ards, and folding leaveshingedly mounted on said stems; of a power shaft rotatably mounted through said tubular shafts and having cranks at its ends, connections between said cranks and stems, driving mechanism connected with said shaft between the ends of the tubular shafts, spur gears on the latter, a counter shaft having spur gears engaging those mentioned, and means for manually setting said counter shaft, for the purpose set forth.

5. In a. propeller of the class described the combination with a stem, a series of single stop blocks projecting therefrom,

pairs of stop blocks projecting upward and downward from said stem and having cushions, and means for swinging said stein forward and backward; of .cross bars hingedly mounted on said stem and adapted to strike said springs when they are opened or strike said single stop blocks when they are folded together, and blades carried by said cross bars.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ELISHA M. HARTMAN. "Witnesses CHAS. P. DRUMMOND,

Assam l Morass,

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