US2413173A

US2413173A - Ship propulsion

Info

Publication number: US2413173A
Application number: US602529A
Authority: US
Inventors: Cote Romeo
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1945-06-30
Filing date: 1945-06-30
Publication date: 1946-12-24
Anticipated expiration: 1963-12-24

Description

Dec. 24, 1946. CO 2,413,173

SHIP PROPULSION Filed June 30, 1945 v I 'lNVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 24, 1946 UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE SHIP PROPULSION Romeo Cote, Providence, R. I.

' Application June 30, 1945, Serial No. 602,529 5 Claims. (Cl. 115-49) My present invention relates to boats, and more particularly to a. novel type of ship propulsion.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a means of ship propulsion which will not be dependent on a single, central source of power.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a means of ship propulsion which will produce a considerable saving of power over the conventional screw propeller.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a means of ship propulsion which is easier and more economical to manufacture and install than the conventional screw propeller.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a, ship propulsion system which can readily be adjusted or repaired without interfering with the progress of the ship.

With the above and other objects and advantageous features in view, my invention consists of a novel arrangement of parts, more fully described hereinafter, in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, and more particularly claimed in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan view, partially diagrammatic, of a ship equipped with the propulsion system of the present invention;

Fig, 2 is a side elevation of one of the propulsion units;

Fig. 3 is a rear edge view of the same; and

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2, half of the casing being removed.

The conventional screw propeller ship propulsion is accompanied by certain recognized disadvantages which the art has been unable to overcome. The screw is driven by a single large power plant which takes up valuable cargo space and makes the ship highly vulnerable in a single spot. A disabled engine in time of war or peace means a crippled ship brought to a dead stop. Repairs are usually difficult at sea. Furthermore. the initial installation is slow and costly, the setting of the main shaft requiring the highest degree of accuracy. The screw propeller requires more power than its predecessor, the paddle wheel, because it does not drive as directly. The old side wheel steamers developed unusual speed with relatively small power.

The present invention is designed to eliminate the aforementioned disadvantages by utilizing the principle of the paddle wheel in a novel type of ship propulsion system.

Referring more in detail to the drawing illustrating my invention, the ship l (Fig. 1) i pro- 2 vided with a plurality of paddle wheel driving units ll, preferably arranged in tandem as shown. Each pair of units is independently driven by any suitable conventional power means l2 (dotted lines) such as steam, Diesel, gasoline, or electric, the source of power being immaterial.

Each driving unit I l comprises an integral onepiece housing l3 of generally inverted U-shape (Figs. 2 and 4) with flattened sides l4, a straight front end l5, and angularly disposed rear end 16. The sides M are provided with vertical slots I! (Fig. 4) oppositely disposed. The paddle wheel I8, housed in the housing [3, is mounted on a shaft l9 of sufilcient length to extend through the slots l1. Thus the shaft !9 and paddle wheel It! may be moved vertically in the slots I! to raise or lower the paddle wheel H! as desired. To seal the housing l3, the shaft I9 passes through doors 20 which are slidably mounted in channels 2| (Fig. 2) to cover the slots I! in any position of the shaft.

The shaft and paddle wheel are adjustably retained in position by journaling the shaft IS in bearings or collars 22 conventionally packed to seal the housing. Threaded rods 23 are rotatably mounted in the collars 22 and extend upwardly through threaded openings in tabs 24 extending laterally from the upper side portions of the casing (Fig. 3). The top of the rods 23 are squared,

as at 25, so that turning movement of the rods by means of a wrench or similar tool will raise or lower the shaft. The shaft I 9 is connected to the power means l2 through a, universal joint 26 (Fig. 3).

In installing or operating the unit I I, the bottom of the ship I0 is provided with an opening 21. The opening 27 may be sealed by a door 28 which is slidable horizontally as by means of the gear and crank arrangement 29 (Fig. 3); The unit II is bolted to the deck over the opening, the housing l3 having a sealed cut-out portion permitted movement of the door 28. After the door is withdrawn, the rods 23 are turned until the paddle Wheel 1-8 is suificiently immersed in the Water to drive the ship. To prevent the water from rising too high in the housing l3, the air in the housing may be maintained at a pressure of approximately four pounds by any conventional compressing means (not shown) and fed to the housing l3 through the connection 30.

The advantages of the above described construction are obvious, If any particular unit is disabled, it can be raised and repaired without cutting off the other power units or stopping the ship. Furthermore, the units are simple in construction, easy to install, economical to operate, and save considerable cargo space. It should be further noted that in a heavy sea, the conventional screw drive is often lifted clear of the water thus wasting its power. By the system of the present invention, some units of the system will always be immersed and driving in any position of the ship.

While I have described a specific constructional embodiment of my invention, it is obvious that changes may readily be made in the size, shape, and relative arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Iclaimz 1. A device for propelling ships comprising a housing having an open bottom and positioned over an opening in the bottom of a ship, a shaft mounted in said housing and extending through the sides thereof, a paddle wheel in said housing mounted on said shaft, means for vertically adjusting the height of said shaft and paddle Wheel in said housing, means for closing the opening in the bottom of the ship when the shaft and paddle wheel are in raised postion, and power means for rotating said shaft and paddle wheel.

2. A device for propellin ships comprising a housing having an open bottom and positioned over an opening in the bottom of a ship, a shaft mounted in said housing and extending through the sides thereof, a paddle Wheel in said housing mounted on said shaft, means for vertically adjusting the height of said shaft and paddle wheel in said housing, means for supplying air under pressure into said housing and power means for rotating said shaft and paddle wheel.

3. A device for propelling ships comprising a housing having an open bottom and positioned over an opening in the bottom of a ship, a shaft 4 4 mounted in said housing and extending through the sides thereof, a paddle wheel in said housing mounted on said shaft, means for vertically adjusting the height of said shaft and paddle wheel in said housing, means for closing the opening in the bottom of the ship when the shaft and paddle wheel are in raised position, means for supplying air under pressure into said housing, and power means for rotating said shaft and paddle wheel.

4. A device for propelling ships comprising a housing having an open bottom and positioned over an opening in the bottom of a ship, said housing having vertically disposed slots in opposite sides thereof, a cover slidably mounted on each side and adapted to seal said slots, a shaft in said housing extending through said slots and cover, the ends of said shaft being journalled in vertically adjustable bearings, a paddle wheel in said housing mounted on said shaft, means for closing the opening in the ship when said shaft and paddle wheel are in raised position, and power means for rotating said shaft.

5. A device for propelling ships comprising a housing having an open bottom and positioned over an openin in the bottom of a ship, said housing having vertically disposed slots in opposite sides thereof, a cover slidably mounted on each side and adapted to seal said slots, a shaft 30 iii ROMEO COTE.