US3040526A

US3040526A - Steering device for a jet boat

Info

Publication number: US3040526A
Application number: US15683A
Authority: US
Inventors: William T Austin
Original assignee: Buehler Corp
Current assignee: Buehler Corp
Priority date: 1960-03-17
Filing date: 1960-03-17
Publication date: 1962-06-26
Anticipated expiration: 1979-06-26

Description

w. T. AUSTIIN STEERING DEVICE FOR A JET BOAT June 26, 1962 Filed March 17, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet l .2 null lllllmllH INVENTOR. WILLIAM T. Aus'rm BY fimzzwm www A TTORNEYS June 26, 1962 w. T. AUSTIN STEERING DEVICE FOR A JET BOAT 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 17, 1960 R. S E W R WA m BY Km 50W, WWW

June 26, 1962 w. T. AU$TlN 3,040,526

STEERING DEVICE FOR A JET BOAT Filed March 17, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 U ,5" .23. W 2 i if Ella- IN V EN TOR. WlLLlAM T. Aus'rm ATTORNEYS INVENTOR.

ATTORNE Y5 June 26, 1962 w. T. AUSTIN STEERING DEVICE FOR A JET BOAT 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 17, 1960 WILLIAM T. AusTm fioamimmzawwaw the boat is floating or is supported.

3,046,526 STEERENG. DEVICE FOR A JET BQAT Wiliiam T. Austin, Indianapolis, Ind, assignor to The Buehler Corperation, a corporation of Indiana Filed Mar. 17, 19(6), Ser. No. 15,683 1 Claim. (Cl. tin-35.55)

The present invention relates to a device for deflecting a stream of matter and finds a primary utility as a steering device'for a water or liquid jet propelled boat or water craft.

At least one form of water-jet propelled boat involves an engine arranged to drive a pump which is located within a conduit passing through the boat. Water is drawn into the conduit through an intake opening at the bottom of the boat, is pumped through the conduit by the pump andis exhausted in a stream from-the rear of the boat, the stream leaving the boat above the water within which The propulsion principle depends directly on a basic law of physics which provides that every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Thus, as water is ejected astern, the boat moves forward.

One means of steering such a jet propelled boat involves the deflecting of the stream of water causing the rear of the boat to move oppositely to such deflection and resulting in the turning of the boat. It is, of course, necessary to exert a certain amount of force upon suitable steering mechanism to accomplish such deflection. Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide a jet boat steering device which requires the exertion of a relatively. small amount of force to deflect the jet'stream exhausted from the boat whereby the steering of the boat is facilitated.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a jet boat steering device which does not interfere with the jet stream when the boat is moving forwardly.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved steering device for a jet boat or water craft.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved device for deflecting a stream of matter.

Further objects and advantages will appear as the description proceeds.

One embodiment of the present invention involves a steering device for a liquid jet propelled boat, the boat having means for propelling a stream of liquid therefrom. The device comprises a pair of deflectors located on opposite sides of the stream, each of said deflectors pivotally mounted on the boat about a generally vertical axis. A link is pivoted to each of the deflectors at points equally spaced from the axes whereby the deflectors may be pivoted together. Each of the deflectors has a generally flat shape, a first portion of whichextends away from the axis toward said boat and a second portion of which extends away from the axis away from the boat. The first portion of each deflector is so proportioned and arranged that, when the deflectors are pivoted to a position wherein the stream is deflected thereby, the stream will act upon one of the first portions to aid in maintaining the deflector in the position.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims.

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a liquid jet propelled boat incorporating the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a rear view of a steering device forming a portion of the boat of FIG. 1 and embodying the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view, partly in section, of the steering device of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a vertical section taken along line 4--4 of FIG. 3 in the direction of the arrows.

" atdtit 3,049,526 Patented June 26, 1962 ating position in dotted lines).

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, there is illustrated a liquid jet propelled boat or water craft 10 having an engine 11 mounted therein and arranged to drive a schematically illustrated pump 12 positioned within a passage 13 extending from the bottom of'the boat to the rear thereof. The engine 11 drives the pump 12 causing it to pump water through the passage 13 and from the rear of the boat causing the boat to move.

It should be noted that the boat is propelled by a jet stream projected above the water within which the boat is floating. By causing the jet to be propelled above the water, steering of the boat is greatly facilitated because the surrounding water does not interfere with the deflection of the jet stream to change the direction of or to steer the boat. For. this reason, a steering device operating according to the present invention can turn a boat in j a very short radius.

- to the base 16 is a housing 20, one function of which is to contain a gate 21 which is movable within a vertically extending opening 22 in the housing to various positions. When the gate is in the upper position, illustrated in V the drawings, the water pumped by the turbine through the passage 13 is free to be exhausted from the rear of the boat. The gate is movable downwardly to various positions in one of which the water in the passage 13 is'bottled up and is prevented from being exhausted from the rear 7 V of the boat whereby the boat is caused to idle. The gate is also movable downwardly from the position illustrated in the drawings to a position wherein the water from the pump is deflected in a direction forward of the boat causing the boat to move rearwardly.

Formed integrally with the housing 20 is a plurality of rearwardly extending

projections

25 and 26. The projections 25 provide a pivotal mounting about a generally vertical axis for a steering quadrant 27 and a deflector plate 30, the quadrant 27 and the plate 30 being pivotally received on a shaft 29 mounted within suitable bores in the projections 25. The quadrant 27 is attached to the plate 30 by a screw 28 whereby pivoting of the quadrant,

also pivots the plate. The quadrant is provided with a peripheral groove 31 adapted to receive a steering line 32 (FIG. 1) which is operatively associated with a steering wheel or similar steering means located within the boat. Thus, if the quadrant is pivoted by means of the steering line, the deflector 30 will also be pivoted.

The projections 26 provide a pivotal mounting for a further deflector plate 35 which is also pivotal about a generally vertical axis. A link 36 is pivoted at its opposite ends and by means of

screws

28 and 34 to the

deflectors

30 and 35, the pivotal connections to the defiec tors being equally spaced from the respective axes of pivotal mounting of the deflectors upon the

projections

25 and 26, whereby, as the deflector 30 is pivoted through a given angle by means of the steering quadrant, the deflector 35 will move through an equal angle.

The housing 20 is provided with a circular aperture 37 which is arranged in registry with the aperture 17. Thus,

1 as a stream of water is expelled from the rear of the boat by means of the pump 12, it passes through the aperture 17 and through the aperture 37. It can be seen that the

deflectors

30 and 35 are mounted upon the boat in such a manner that, when the deflectors are in the position of FIGS. 2-4 and the gate 21 is in the upward position of FIG. 4, the stream of water from the turbine can pass directly out of the rear of the boat without interference from the deflectors. It can be appreciated that, if the deflectors were positioned in the stream of water, the velocity of the stream would be decreased and as a result, the velocity of the boat would be decreased.

Each of the

deflectors

30 and 35 is provided with a first portion 40 and 41 which extends away from the axis of mounting of the deflectors toward the boat. The deflectors are also provided with

portions

42 and 43 which extend away from the axis of mounting of the deflectors and away from the boat. The portions 40 and 41 are so proportioned and arranged that, when the steering quadrant is operated to pivot the deflectors into a position where the stream of water is deflected, either the portion 41 or the portion 40 will be acted upon by the stream of water to aid in maintaining the deflectors in that position. For example, FIG. 5 shows (in solid lines) the deflectors pivoted to a position wherein the stream of water is deflected rightwardly. As the stream of Water acts upon the portion 43 of the deflector 35 and more especially acts upon the portion 42 of the deflector 30, it will tend to return the deflectors to the position of FIG. 3; however, a certain portion of the stream will act upon the portion 41 of the deflector 35 producing a moment which aids in maintaining the deflectors in the position of KG. 5.

It can, therefore, be seen that the steering of the boat will be made easier because whenever the deflectors are moved to a position wherein the direction of the stream of water is changed, a moment will be created upon either the portion 40 or the portion 41 which will aid in maintaining the deflectors in that position. Of course, Whenthe deflectors are being used to change the direction of the stream of water, the water will contact the deflectors reducing the velocity of the stream and also reducing the velocity of the boat; however, when the boat is turning, it is not desirable to maintain the velocity of the boat at a maximum value.

From the above description, it can be seen that the present invention provides a jet boat steering device which requires the'exertion of a relatively small amount of force to deflect the jet stream exhausted from the boat whereby the steering of the boat is facilitated. Further, the pres- 4 ent invention provides a jet boat steering device which does not interfere with the jet stream when the boat is moving forwardly and, therefore, allows the boat to move at maximum velocity. It can also be seen that the present invention may find application in deflecting matter other than water and that, therefore, the present inventio also provides an improved device for deflecting a stream of matter.

While the invention has been disclosed and described in some detail in the drawings and foregoing description, they are to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, as modifications may readily suggest themselves to persons skilled in this art and within the broad scope of the invention, reference being had to the appended claim.

The invention claimed is:

A steering device for a liquid jet propelled water craft comprising means for discharging a stream of liquid from the craft through the air above the surface of the water sustaining said craft, a pair of flat deflectors located on opposite sides of said stream in proximity thereto, each of said deflectors pivotally mounted on said craft about generally vertical axes, a link pivoted to each of said deflectors at points equally spaced from said axes whereby said deflectors pivot together, a first portion of each deflector extending away from said axis toward said craft and a second portion extending away from said axis away from said craft.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 164,033 Pratt June 1, 1875 1,344,518 Rees June 22, 1920 1,415,705 Rees May 9, 1922 2,744,381 Geisel May 8, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 188,683 Germany Aug. 18, 1906 902,229 Germany Oct. 18, 1954 OTHER REFERENCES Robberson: Wet-Jet Propulsion, Yachting Magazine, vol. 106, No. 5, pp. -71, Nov. 1959.