US1203557A - Propeller. - Google Patents

Description

E. F. GALLAUDET.

PROPELLER.

' AEPLICAUON FILED sEPT.9. 1913.

Atty

Inventor:

Patented Oct. 31,1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I E F. GALLAUDET.

PROPELLER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 9, 1913.

1916. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented Oct. 31,

E. F. GALLAUDET.

PROPELLER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 9, 1913.

Patented Oct. 31,1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Inventor: I y W 13.32:...

EM'K

7 .IIA I Atty . EDSON F. GALLAUDET, OF NORWICH, CONNECTICUT.

PROPELLER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 31, 1916.

Application filed September 9, 1913. Serial No. 788,895.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDSON F. GALLAUDET, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the town of Norwich, county of New London, and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Propellers, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to a propeller of the reversible screw type, and more particularly to a reversible screw propeller designed especially for use in a flying machine although capable of more general application.

It will often be found very advantageous,

as when starting theengine or whenever it I is desired to stop the forward thrust of the propeller without shutting off the engine, to be able to bring the propeller blades to neutral position and then to gradually increase their pitch to start the forward movement of the machine smoothly and gradually, or to reverse the blades of propellers of dirigible balloons and of hydro-aeroplanes when floating upon the water, and

to be able at all times to change the pitch of the blades as desired.

The object of my invention is to provide a propeller and the associated mechanism required for controlling the pitch of its blades which shall be so strong and light in construction as to be peculiarly adapted for the special use in view.

With this end in view the invention comprises certain novel features of construction, arrangement, and combination of parts as hereinafter fully described and specifically illustrated, in the form which constitutes the preferred embodiment of the invention,

in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of two of my variable pitch propellers applied to a flying machine of the hydro-aeroplane type, showing only so much of the body, in horizontal section, and such portions of the framework of the machine as are necessary for an understanding of the invention; Fig. 2, a detacl ed detail view showing, in perspective,

the hand lever and immediate connections by which the operator controls the pitch of the propeller blades; Fig. 3, an enlarged horizontal section, partly broken away, showing the shafts and casings of the left propeller of the machine (shown at the right in Fig. 1); Fig. 4, a vertical section on the line 4 4; of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows; and Fig. 5, a further enlarged view, partly in rear elevation and partly in verticalsection, of the central portion of the propeller with the rear conical cap removed.

Like reference characters are used to indicate like partsthroughout the several figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, A indicates the sides, and B a portion of the upper longitudinal frame tubing, of the body of the machine.

C is the main transverse spar, which is suitably mounted in the frame of the body and supports the two wings, and D is 'a rear transverse spar. E indicates some of the inner fore and aft ribs of the left, and E similar ribs of the right, wing, and F a portion of the covering of the left wing.

The engine G, suitably mounted within the body transversely thereof, as here shown, has sections of its shaft H and H extending to left and right, respectively. The two outer ends of this shaft are respectively journaled in bearings mounted on the inner side of the boX casings I and I, which at their front ends are journaled upon and supported bythe main spar and at their rear ends are provided with bearings in which are journaled the front ends of the shafts, inclosed in the tubular casings J and J, of the left and right propellers K and K. The rear bearings of the two propeller shafts are supported in any suitable manner; in part, as shown, by the tie-bars L and L which are secured at their inner ends the body.

M indicates the manual control for the blades oflthe propellers.

The left section H of the tubular engine shaft is journaled by means of ball bearings 10 and 11 in the inner wall of what may be called the main chamber of the box casing I-the inner ball race of each bearing fitting-the shaft and the split outer ball race of the bearing 11 being supported in an opening in the wall of the casing and that of the bearing 10 by the two annular sleeves 12 and 13 bolted to the wall of the casing-and upon its end, within the main chamber of the casing, is keyed the bevel gear 14. This box casing is made in two sections, antup er half 15 and lower half 16, which are olted together and form a main chamber 17 and forward chamber 18,

and an annular transverse sleeve 19 which 'bevel gear 21 in mesh with the gear 14, is

journaled in the ball bearings 22 and 23- the inner ball race of the bearing 22 being secured in place upon the shaft between an annular shoulder 24 at the end of the shaft and a sleeve 25 bearing at its rear end against the gear 21 and its outer split race being supported in an opening formed in a wall'of the casing between its main and forward chambers and provided with a shoulder 26 against which the front of the race abuts, while the inner ball race of the bearing 23 fits the shaft and the outerv split race is mounted Within'an opening formed in therear wall of the casing. The tubular casing J surrounding the propeller shaft is supported at its forward end by an annular tongue or projection 27 fitting within an annular groove 28 formed in the inner wall of a split sleeve 29, which, with the outer tapering sleeve 30 to hold its parts together, is bolted to the face of the rear wall of the casing, and its rear end terminates in or is joined to an enlarged sleeve or cup 31 which is supported in any suitable manner, as already stated, and within which are located the ball bearings 32 supporting the rearend of the propeller shaft-the inner ball race of this bearing being secured to the shaft while its outer split race is held in place within the cap by an annular flanged plate 33 screwed by its threaded flange to the rear end of the cup. The flanged rear end 34 of the propeller shaft, strengthened by an inner flanged sleeve 35 secured thereto by screws and extending forwardly beyond the ball bearings 32, is bolted to the front annular flange 36 of an annular shell or casting 37 which constitutes the hub and carries the blades of the propeller K.

The central annular shell of the propeller has formed equidistant therein two or more,

' here shown as three although the number is immaterial, outwardly projecting radial sleeves 38, within each of which is journaled the tubular shank 39 of a propeller blade 40 by means of ball bearings 41 and 42the'inner ball race of each bearing'41 abutting at its inner end against an annular shoulder 43 formed around the inner end of the shank and its outer race fitting within an enlarged chamber formed in the inner end of the shell and abutting against its inwardly projecting shoulder 44, while the outer ball race of each bearing 42 fits within asimilar enlarged chamber formed in the outer end of the sleeve and abuts against its outwardly projecting shoulder 45 and the inner ball race is held in place by an annular cap 46 which screws down upon the shank of the blade. Fitting within the inner end of the iaoaesa shank of each propeller blade is a short sleeve 47 which is keyed to the shank by means of a tapered pin 48 inserted through holes 50 formed for the purpose in the outer sleeve and secured by a nut 49 upon its threaded smaller end, and which is extend.

ed on one side to form an inwardly projectin crank-arm 51 terminating in an outturne slotted lug 52. The crank-arm thus formed at the inner end of each propeller blade is operatively connected by an adjustable link 53, pivoted at one end within the slotted lug and at the other end within a corresponding lug 54, to a cross-head 55 secured by a nut 56 to the rearwardly projecting end of a hollow rod 57 which extends forwardly through the central shell of the propeller and through the propeller shaft, within which it is adapted to reciprocate forward and backward.

The central shell of the propeller is inclosed, on its rear side, by a hollow conical cap 58 which is secured to the annular flange. The front end of the rod 57 which terminates Within the forward chamber of the box casing I, is there rotatably secured within a rearwardlv opening cap 59, carrying a slotted lug 60 projecting forwardly from the center of its front wall, by means of ball bearings 6l-the outer split ball race being held withinthe cap by an annular flanged plate 62 secured upon the rear edge of the cap and the inner race between the rear flanged end of a sleeve 63 fitting upon the reduced end of the rod and a nut' 64 by which the sleeve is secured to the rodforming a swivel joint. This cap is pivotally connected, by the slotted lug thereon, to the lever arm 65 of a shaft 66, mounted to rotate in bearings 67 set in openings pro vided therefor in the inner and outer walls of the box casing I, by three (for convenience in assembling) short links 68, 69,

and 70, the link 69 being pivoted, in addition to being ivoted to each of the other links, to a lug 1 carried by a disk 72 bolted to the bottom Wall of the casing. The inner end of the shaft 66, projecting inwardly through the side of the body where it is provided with a suitable bearing (not, shown), carries a lever arm 77 which is connected by the pivoted link 78 to a lever arm 79 fixed to the shaft 80. Upon this latter shaft, located toward the forward end of the body of the machine and suitably mounted therein, is keyed a hand lever 81 which is conveniently placed with respect to the operator and is held locked in position as desired; for example, by a springdog 82 acting in connection with a notched segmental rack 83.

The shaft carries a second lever arm 7 9 which is connected by a pivoted link 78 to a lever arm 77 fixed to the inner end of the shaft 66, which corresponds to" the shaft 66 and is similarly mounted at its outer end in bearings set in the side walls of the box casing I, by which the pitch of the blades' ling the two propellers will be understood from the above description. Briefly stated,

it is as follows: With the hand 'lever 81 locked in vertical position the blades of both propellers will be held in neutral position. By unlocking and swinging forward the upper end of this lever the operator will rock the shafts 66 and 66 so as to draw forward the cap 59 and with it the reciprocating rod 57, rotating with the shaft of each propeller, thus pushing forward the inwardly projecting crank-arms on their shanks and rocking the blades of both propellers to a position of forward or positive pitch, where they canbe locked in the desired position, the degree of the pitch of the blades being dependent upon the extent to which the lever has been thrown forward. In like manner, by drawing back the handle of the lever the operator pushes back the reciprocating rods and rocks the propeller blades first to neutral position and then to a reverse or negative pitch, where he can again lock them in the desired position.

While I have shown and described what I now consider to be the best form in which to embody my invention it will, of course, be understood that it may be variously modified in its several details without departing from the spirit or sacrificing the advantages thereof.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In propeller mechanism of the character described, a tubular propeller shaft flanged at its outer end and journaled in suitable ball-bearings, a hollow hub comprising an annular shell attached at one end to the flanged outer end of the propeller shaft and provided with a plurality of outwardly projecting elongated radial sleeves each enlarged in its inner diameter at its inner and outer ends, a plurality of blades with shanks each provided with an annular shoulder around its inner end and rotatably mounted one within each sleeve by means of outer and inner ball-bearings, the outer race of the inner bearing fitting within the enlarged inner end of the sleeve and the inner race abutting at its inner end against the shoulder on the inner end of the shank of the blade and the outer race of the outer bearing fitting within the enlarged outer end of the sleeve and the inner race being secured against outward'movement on the shank of the blade, and means for controlling the angular position of the shanks of the blades within the sleeves.

2. In propeller mechanism of the character described, a light tubular propeller shaft flanged at its outer end and journaled in ball-bearings, a flanged sleeve fitting'within and reinforcing the'fl'anged end of the propeller shaft, a light hollow -hub comprising an annular shell attached at one end to the flanged end of the propeller shaft and .its reinforcing sleeve and provided with a plurality of outwardly projectingelongated radial sleeves, a plurality of blades with tubular shanks rotatably mounted one within each radial sleeve by means of ball-bearings adapted to transmit the outward thrust of the blade from anannular shoulder on its shank to an annular shoulder within the sleeve, a reinforcing sleeve secured within the inner end ofthe shank of each blade and extended on one side inwardly within the hub to provide a crank-arm for the blade, a rod extending through the propeller shaft and carrying on its outer end within the hub a cross-head, adjustable links operatively connecting the arms of the cross-head with the crank-arms of the several blades, and means for reciprocating the rod forward and backward within the propeller shaft while permitting it to rotate therewith.

3. In propeller mechanism of the character described, a power shaft, a light tubular propeller shaft which at one end is geared with beveled gears to an end of the power shaft and at its other end carries a hollow hub comprising a light annular shell provided with a plurality of outwardly projecting elOngatedradial sleeves, a plurality of propeller blades with tubular shanks ro- I tatably mounted one within each radial sleeve, a rod extending through the propeller shaft and operatively connected at one end within the hollow hub with the several propeller blades, a cap mounted with a swivel joint upon the front end of the rod, a rocksha ft connected by a lever arm and links to the cap, and av box casing provided in its walls with bearings for the three shafts and inclosing the beveled gears, the swivel cap, and the lever arms and links.

4. In propeller mechanism of the character described, a suitably supported box casing divided longitudinally to form a front and rear chamber, a power shaft journaled at one end in bearings located centrally in one of the side walls of the rear chamber of the box casing, a tubular propeller shaft journaled at its front end in bearings in the rear and front walls of the rear chamber provided each with a crank-arm extending inwardly within the hub, a rod extending through the propeller shaft and carrying at its rear end within the hub a cross-head connected by links with the crank-arms of the several propeller blades, a cap mounted with a swivel joint upon the front end of the rod within the front chamber of the box casing, a rock-shaft mounted in bearings in the side walls of the front chamber of the box casing and operatively linked within said chamber, to the swivel cap, and means located outside the box casing for rocking the rock-shaft to control the pitch of the propeller blades.

5. In propeller mechanism of the character described, a box casing divided longitudinally to form a front and rear chamber and provided at its front end with a transversetubular sleeve whereby it may be sup: ported upon a rotatable member, a power shaft jo-urnaled at one end with ball-bearings located centrally in one of the side walls of the rear chamber of the box casing, a tubular propeller shaft journaled at its front end with balLbearings in the rear and front walls of the rear chamber of the box casing and geared within said casing to the end of the power shaft, a ball-bearing support for the flanged rear end of the propeller shaft, a hub comprising an annular shell provided with a plurality of outwardly projecting radial sleeves secured at its front end to the flanged rear end of the propeller shaft and inclosed bya cap at its rear end, propeller blades with shanks rotatably mounted with ball-bearings one in each of the radial sleeves of the hub and each carrying a crankarm extending inwardly within the hub, a

rod extending through the propeller shaft and carrying at its rear end within the hub a cross-head adjustably connected by links to the crank-arms of the several propeller blades, a cap mounted with a swivel joint upon the front end of the rod within the front chamber of the box casing, a rockshaft mounted in bearings in the side walls of the front chamber of the box casing and operatively linked within said chamber to the swivel cap, and means located outside the box casing for rocking the rock-shaft to move the rodbackward and forward within the propeller shaft to adjust the pitch of the propeller blades.

EDSON F. GALLAUDET. Witnesses: v

WM. B. WHITNEY, MAY F EVERT.

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