US1302956A - Richard b - Google Patents

Description

R B. OWEN.

RUDDER.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 8. 1-915.

Patented May 6, 1919.

NVENTOH WITNESSES RICHARD B. OWEN, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

RUDDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 6, 1919.

Application filed October 8, 1915. Serial No. 54,843.

To all whom. it may concern: I

Be it known that I, RICHARD B. OWEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rudders, of which the following is a specification.

My invention pertains to marine rudders and it is an object to provide a rudder which may be fitted to and used in connection with a motor of the so called outboard type.

A further object is to provide a rudder of such form that it may be attached and used on various types of motors and which'may be operated as the sole steering means or fitted to act in conjunction with a propeller arranged to be swung laterally todrive the boat in a course to be steered, the rudder in this arrangement acting also to steer the boat when the power is out off and after the propeller has stopped, as for instance in making a landing.

A still further object is in mounting the rudder in such a manner that adjustment may be made to bring the rudder to the proper depth of submergenoe and that as any obstruction may be struck, the rudder will be raised and ride up over the same and will again return to its operative position.

With other objects in view, which will be referred to, my invention consists in the: particular construction and novel arrangement of parts which will be hereinafter described in connection with the accompanying drawings and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of an outboard motor with the invention fitted in place thereon.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail of the steering oke. y Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view through one of the supports taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 1 is a sectional view taken on the line 4.4 of Fig. 1 to better illustrate the construction of the rudder proper.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view in elevation of a modified form of support with parts in section.

Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 66 of Fig. 5.

And Fig. 7 is a fragmentary detail sectional view.

In the type of motor illustrated in the drawings, the motor 1 is mounted with the crank shaft disposed to revolve on a vertical axis. A housing 2 depends from the crank case 3 of the engine around the lower end of the crank shaft and at this lower end carries a housing 4, the propeller shaft on which the propeller 5 is mounted being disposed at right angles to the crank shaft of the motor and the main drive shaft extending therefrom and connected to drive the propeller shaft in a suitable manner.

In the present disclosure, the propeller 5 is illustrated as of the reversible type in which the blades 6 may be swung around their central axes to changethe angular disposition and the pitch, thus accomplishing a reversal of theaction of the propeller on the water, and the operating rod 7 is shown as extending out substantially parallel with the housing 2 and connected at its upper end to an operating handle 8. Where steering of the motor is accomplished by swinging the propeller laterally from the one side to the other to vary the angle at which the same drives with respect to the line of longitudinal extent of the boat, this handle 8 may also be used to turn the housing 2 by which the case 4 in which the propeller shaft is mounted may be turned.

The supports 9 and 10 as illustrated in the disclosure in Fig. 1 are constructed of two members, better illustrated in Fig. 3, and these members may be clamped around the housing 2 in an operative relation and secured thereto by the bolts 11 and 12. Each of the members of the supports 9 and 10, is cut away to form the opening 13 through which the operating rod 7 may work, and each of the members contains a half of the orifice 14 through which a rudder post 15 is mounted to be capable of turning and endwise sliding movement.

As shown in Fig. 1, the supports 9 and'lO are mounted at spaced points on the housing 2 and asthe rudder post 15 is passed through the orifices 14; of each of thesupports, this rudder post is disposed in a vertically extending relation parallel with the housing 2. A rudder 16 constructed of sheet metal or other suitable material is secured on the lower end of the rudder post15, this rudder being cut away at 17 to clear the propeller, and the lower end formed on a gradual incline at 18. In the form shown in Fig. 1, a

collar 19 is disposed around the rudder post 15 above one of the supports and is held in place by a set screw or bolt 20, thus holding the rudder post adj-ustedto give the rudder the proper depth of submergence.

The upper end of the rudder post is squared at 21 and a yoke 22 has a squared orifice 23 to fit over this squared portion of the rudder post, a nut 24 being threaded on to the extreme uppermost portion of the rudder post to secure the yoke in place' The ends of the yoke 22 have holes formed therethrough to receive a line 25 or other suitable actuating means.

Where it is desired that the motor be connected to operate in conjunction with a laterally swinging propeller, the supports 9 and 10 together with the remaining parts will be mounted as set forth and the set screws or bolts 26 mounted in the supports 9 and 10 to extend into the orifice 14 are tightened to prevent turning of the rudder.

' screws 26 are turned to the operative relation, it is preferable that the rudder post 15 have key way slots 27 formed longitudinal thereof into which the set screws 26 will fit and which will hold the post' against turning and yet permit vertical sliding move ment.

While the collar 19 fitted around the rudder post 15 may present perhaps the most simple form of stop, yet in some instances it may be desirable to support the lower end of the rudder post in a bearing, and under these conditions a separate supporting and bearing member 28, as illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, may be provided to be received around the housing 2 and clamped in place by the bolt 29, this member 28 having a step bearing 30 formed thereon to receive the projecting lower end 31 of the rudder post. With this modified construction, when the rudder strikes an. obstruction the same action will take place and the rudder post 15 will move endwise upwardly through the supporting members to permit the rudder to ride over the obstructiqn after which the weight of the structure will again return the rudder to the operative relation and the projecting end 31 ofthe rudder post will again set in the step bearing 30.

In the type of motor to which my invention is fitted in the drawings, a sleeve 32 is received around the upper end of the housing 2 to be capable of movement on the hous- .ing and to permit extension thereof to adjust relative disposition of the propeller gear housing 4 with respect to the crank case 3, and a clamp bolt 33 is provided on the lower end of this sleeve 32 to permit rigid mounting of the sleeve in connection with the housing 2, it of course being understood that the crank shaft is also made extensible. The adjustment of the rudder can be accomplished by changing the disposition of the collar 19 which is fitted around the rudder post 15. The housing 32 is mounted on the lower crank case bearing 34 to be capable of free turning movement and the steering handle 8 is connected with this sleeve so that as the steering handle is swung to the one side or the other, the sleeve 32 will be correspondingly turned and through the fastening of this sleeve on the housing 2, the propeller will be swung with the movement of the handle to accomplish a steering action. When it is desired to secure the sleeve 32 to hold the propeller in a relation to drive in a forward direction, the set screw or bolt mounted in the sleeve 32 may be tightened against the bearing 34 and sleeve 32, housing 2, and consequently the steering members 9 and 10 will be held against turning or side swinging movement and in this setting of the parts the rudder may be used as an independent and the sole steering means. hen the propeller is to be swung to accomplish the steering and the rudder is to be used as an auxiliary steering means, the set screw 35 is released from its set position and the set screw or bolt 26 is brought to an operative position and with the parts arranged in this manner, turning of the handie 8 will cause the sleeve 32 and housing 2 to be turned on the central axis and through the fact that the steering members 9 and 10 are secured to the members32 and 2, the rudder 16 will be given a like swinging action and will at all times extend in line with the axis of the propeller shaft.

While I have herein shown and described only specific forms ofmy invention, it will be understood that slight changes might be resorted to in the formation and arrange ment of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention .as claimed, and hence I do not wish to be limited to the exact construction and details herein described in the specification.

I claim l. A rudder to be fitted on and used with an outboard motor constructed to be used selectively as the sole steering means and to be held to act in conjunction with a swinging propeller as auxiliary steering means, and means to be adjustablyset with respect to parts of the rudder to limit the downward movement of the rudder to adjust the same to the proper depth of submergence 2. A rudder having the lower edge thereof cut away in a gradual incline to ride up over any obstruction which may be encountered, means to mount the rudder to be capable of raising and lowering movement in a vertical path, and means in the form of the collar and set screw to be adjustably set to limit downward movement of the rudder to hold the same in the proper depth of sub mergence.

3. A rudder having the lower edge thereof cut away on a gradual incline to ride up over any obstruction which may be encountered, means to mount the rudder in conjunction with an outboard motor and arranged to permit raising and lowering of the rudder in a vertical path when fitted in position for use to accomplish the desired purpose, and means to limit downward movement of the rudder to maintain the same in the proper operative relation.

4. A rudder to be used as an attachment with an outboard motor having a steering post extending upwardly therefrom, supporting members clamped to the structure of the outboard motor and having the rudder post passed therethrough to be capable of endwise sliding movement freely when fitted in the position for use, and means to limit the movement of the rudder post within the supporting members to hold the rudder in the proper adjusted position.

5. A rudder to be used with an outboard motor having a steering post extending upwardly therefrom, supporting members clamped to the structure of the outboard motor and having the rudder post passed therethrough to be capable of endwise sliding movement, means to operate the rudder to accomplish an independent steering action, and means to secure the rudder to act in conjunction with the swinging structure of the outboard motor.

6. A rudder to be used as an attachment with an outboard motor comprising a mid i der blade provided with an upwardly extending rudder post and said blade at its forward edge shaped to fit over the pro peller, the lower edge of the rudder blade shaped on a gradual incline to rise over 0bstructions which may be encountered, means in which the rudder post is slidably mounted arranged to be fitted on the structure of the outboard motor to support the rudder and post in a position for use and to be capable of up and down movement in a vertical path, and means to limit the downward movement of the rudder and to maintain the same in a position to clear the propeller and in the proper depth. of submergence.

7. A rudder to be used with an outboard motor having portions of the structure arranged to swing the propeller to accomplish a steering action and said rudder provided with an upwardly extending steering post, supporting members mounted around said steering post to permit sliding thereof and connected with a swinging part of the motor structure, means to support the rudder at the proper point, means to actuate the rudder independently to accomplish a steering action, and means to secure the rudder post against turning movement within, the supporting members in a relation that the rudder is carried by the swinging of the propeller and accomplishes an auxiliary steering action.

8. A rudder to be used with an outboard motor having portions of the structure arranged to swing the propeller to accomplish a steering action and said rudder provided with an upwardly extending steering post, supporting members mounted around said steering post to permit sliding thereof and connected with "a swinging part of the motor structure, means to support the rudder at the proper point, means to actuate the rudder independently to accomplish a steering action, means carried by the supporting members to secure the rudder post against turning movement and in a relation to swing with the swinging of the propeller, and all of said parts so arranged that as obstructions may be encountered by the rudder the rudder post will have upward sliding movement through the supporting members and upon passing the obstructions the rudder will again fall to an operative relation.

9. The combination with an outboard mo tor of a drive shaft housing mounted to be capable of turning movement to swing the propeller laterally to accomplish steering action, a rudder, means to mount the rudder on said housing to be capable of independent swinging movement and to permit up and down movement of the rudder, and means to secure the rudder against said independent movement and to swing with the propeller.

10. The combination with an outboard motor of a drive shaft housing mounted to be capable of turning movement to swing the propeller laterally to accomplish steering action, a rudder, means to mount the rudder on said housing to be capable of independent swinging movement and to permit up and down movement of the rudder, means to secure said housing against turning movement when the parts are to be set for use of the rudder as the sole steering means, and means to secure the rudder to turn with the housing to act as auxiliary steering means.

11. The combination with an outboard motor of a drive shaft housing mounted to be capable of turning movement to swing the propeller laterally to accomplish steering action. a rudder, means to mount the rudder on said housing to be capable of independent swinging movement and to permit up and down movement of the rudder, means to secure said housing against turning movement to permit use of the rudder as the sole steering means, means to secure the rudder to turn with the housing to act as auxillary steering means, and means to limit down Ward movement of the rudder to hold the 10 ing propeller as auxiliary steering means,

and means to be adjustably set with respect to the part of the rudder to limit the independent downward movement of the rudder with respect to said swinging propeller.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature 15 in presence of two witnesses.

RICHARD B. ()VEN. lVitnesses IDALENE T. Coon, FLOYD PATCH.

Copies of this patent may be obteinedifor five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

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