US1956051A - Pivotally supported gearing - Google Patents

Description

April 24, 1934. sTURM r AL 1,956,05l

PIVOTALLY SUPPORTED GEARING Filed May 24, 1953 11 I I o 4 I 9 d J 21 fn ezliom':

M WW Patented Apr. 24, 1934 PATENT QFFICE I 1,956,051 PIVOTALLY SUPPORTED GEARING Fritz Sturm and Eugen Hartmann, Friedrichshafen,

Zeppelin Gesellschaft tung, Friedrichshafen, Germany Germany, assignors to Luftschiffbau mit beschrankter Haf- Application May 24, 1933, Serial No. 672,607 In Germany July 1, 1932 2 Claims.

Our invention relates to gears, especially to gears in airships, airplanes and vehicles of this kind in which it is desirable to have the possibility of swinging the propeller shaft into different directions, as circumstances may afford.

Gears of this kind are not new per se. They are used especially in airships lighter than air for the purpose of letting the propeller work in horizontal as well as in vertical direction. When working in horizontal direction the ship is propelled in the usual way, but when positioned to work vertically the propeller causes the ship to rise or to sink, according to the direction in which the propeller rotates. Of course an airship generally has a plurality of propellers, and all of them or only a few may be provided for being swung so as to have different directions of action. It is also possible to have intermediate inclined positions for the propeller shaft, not only horizontal or vertical.

Our invention has reference to gears of the above described type in which the driving shaft coming from the motor and the driven shaft are arranged substantially in alignment with each other when working for horizontal propulsion of the airship. I provide means for having a very compact and light gearing inclosed in a gear case so that the gears can be running constantly in oil in spite of the propeller shaft being apt to be swung around into the desired direction for propulsion.

An example embodying our invention is represented in the drawing.

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through the gear case showing the gears in view, whereas Fig. 2 is a horizontal section through the same case, taken on line IIII of Fig. 1 and showing only the shafts in view.

The driving shaft 1 and the driven shaft 2 are normally in alignment with each other, as represented in Fig. 1, but shaft 2 can be swung around as indicated by arrow S, shaft 3 forming the centre for such swinging movement. Shaft 3 is journaled in recesses of gear case 4. There is a special bearing 3' provided in shaft 3 for journaling the end of propeller shaft 2. Furthermore, a thrust bearing 5 for propeller shaft 2 is provided in forked member 6. This member 6 is keyed to shaft 3, so as to rotate together with this shaft, subject to the inclination given to propeller shaft 2.

There is a bevelled gear '7 fixed to shaft 1 and meshing with bevelled gear 8 loosely journaled on shaft 3. Gear 8 is in rigid connection with bevelled gear 9, also loosely journaled on shaft 3. Bevelled gear 11 fixed to shaft 2 meshes with bevelled gear 9. The dimensions of these gears are so chosen that the propeller shaft is driven at the desired number of revolutions per minute, as compared with the speed of rotation of the driving shaft.

For the purpose of tightening the gear case against loss of oil there is a member 12 in rigid connection with forked member 6 which serves for covering the slit in the casing 6 allowing for the propeller shaft to be swung around. This member 12 is provided with adequate tightening means at its edges or the edge of the slit may have such tightening means 13 arranged in a special frame fixed to the casing 4. There are brackets 15 or the like for fastening the gear case 4 to the car of the airship or to other suitable members of the vehicle in which the gearing is used.

For the purpose of swinging shaft 2 into the desired direction a worm gear 16 is fixed to forked member 6 adapted to be driven by worm 17 in any well known manner from outside of the case 4 (the means therefor being not represented). Worm gear 16 and a corresponding recess 19 in casing 4 are provided with inwardly extending teeth. Member 18 having outwardly extending teeth adapted to fit into the forementioned inwardly extending teeth thus forming a claw coupling, can be shifted by means of member 21 so as to cause connection between casing 4 and gear 16 thereby locking forked member 6 and shaft 2 in the desired position of inclination.

With our new gearing it is possible to have the airship propelled in any desired direction and to alter this direction without being obliged to interrupt any transmission. It is assumed that the direction of rotation of the motor can be changed so that the propeller may act in both directions. Instead of making the engine reversible the propeller blades may be made to be turned so as to cause reversion if desired.

Gears 8 and 9 may be arranged on either side with regard to shaft 2. It is preferred to make the arrangement so that the reaction of gear 11 when in the vertical position of shaft 2 and causing lifting power on the starting airship is directed upwardly, because then the pressure on the teeth will facilitate the swinging around of shaft 2 into its horizontal position for forward propulsion. Therefore the place for gears 8 and 9 is subject to the normal direction of rotation of shaft 1.

We do not want to be limited to the details described or shown in the drawing, as many variations will occur to those skilled in the art.

What we claim is: V I i 4 1. A gearing for airships and the like comprising: a driving shaft; a driven shaft; bevelled gears for driving said driven shaft by said driving shaft; both said shafts being substantially in alignment with each other .in the normal position of said driven shaft; means for swinging said driven shaft from its normal horizontal position into a vertical position; said swinging means comprising: a stub shaft; a forked member journaled with both its arms on said stub shaft; a bearing in said stub shaft for journaling the end of said driven shaft, and a thrust bearing in :said

moved with said driven shaft for covering said slit in an oil-tight manner.

FRITZ STURM. EUGEN HARTMANN.

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