US3165086A

US3165086A - Oscillating propeller

Info

Publication number: US3165086A
Application number: US225989A
Authority: US
Inventors: Calvin W Eastep
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1962-09-25
Filing date: 1962-09-25
Publication date: 1965-01-12
Anticipated expiration: 1982-01-12

Description

Jan. 12, 1965 c. w. EAsTEP oscILLATING PROPELLER Filed sept. 25, 1962 l frz 24 United States Patent 3,165,656 @SClLLA'lSlNS PRPELLER Calvin W. Eastep, 39 Cayuga St., Trumanshurg, Nfl. Filed Sept. 25, 1962, Ser. No. 225,939 6 Claims. (1. 11S-28) This invention relates to a propeller of the fish-tail type adapted to be mounted at the rear of a boat and sculled back and forth.

An important object of the invention is to provide such a propeller which is highly eliicient in operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a propeller which is adapted to heavy duty or light duty service and in either service is strong and durable and will stand up to conditions of severe and constant use without getting out of order or requiring repairs.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a propeller which is not likely to be adversely affected by striking rocks or other obstacles and which also is not likely to become fouled up with weeds or the like and in fact is particularly adapted for service in weedy waters.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a propeller which is made of a plurality of rigid metal body members articulated so that as the propeller is oscillated back and forth, the row of rigid body members curve in the manner of a sh tail.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a propeller composed of articulated rigid body members additionally having spring means tending to maintain them in a common plane.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a propeller in which the spring means controlling the action of the articulated rigid body members can be designed to produce any required curving movement of the row of body members when the propeller is oscillated back and forth.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a propeller employing one form of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view thereof with its drive hub being shown in section.

FG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal section taken generally on line 3 4, FIG. l.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken generally on line 4 4, FfG. 2.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken generally on line 5 5, FlG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a top plan view similar to FIG. 2 and showing, in dot-dash lines, the position of the rigid body members at the extremities of the oscillation of the propeller.

FIG. 7 is a view, partly in section, similar to FIG. 1, of a modified form of the invention.

FIG. 8 is a horizontal section taken generally on the line 8 3, FIG. 7.

Referring to the form of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1-6, the propeller is shown as composed of a plurality of vertically elongated

rigid body members

10, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15 which can be made of metal or any other rigid or non rigid material. The body member at the front end of the propeller is provided with an upstanding drive hub 16 which is shown as being formed integrally with this body member. This body member is also shown as being of vertical semicylindrical form at its leading side, as indicated at 18, so as to provide minimum impedance in traveling and displacing the water t0 form a path through the water. This body member is also shown as being rounded at its top and bottom, as indicated at 19 and 2li, and its vertical sides 21 also preferably converge rearwardly.

.rigid body sections.

ICC

The rigid body sections 11, 12, and 13 are in trailing or tandem relation to the front end body member 10 and to each other and are of progressively decreasing height and transverse thickness, the sides 22 converging rearwardly and forming a planar continuation of the converging sides 21 of the leading body member 1t). Each of the sections 11, 12, and 13 also have rounding tops and bottoms 23 and Z4 forming a continuation of the rounding top and bottom 19, 20 of the leading body member 10.

The body member 14 which trails the body member 13 also has rearwardly converging sides 25 forming a continuation of the converging sides 22 of the body members 11, 12, and 13 but the rounding top and

bottom portions

25, 28 diverge rearwardly away from each other.

The rear rigid body member 15 also has sides 29 which converge rearwardly and form continuations of the sides 25 of the body member 14 and has top and bottom rounding portions 3@ and 31 diverging rearwardly and forming a continuation of the rounding tops and

bottoms

26, 28 of the rigid body member 14. The rear edge 32 of the body section 15 is in the form of a relatively thin edge and can be of V-shaped form in side elevation as shown.

The rear face 33 of each of the

body sections

10, 11, 12, 13, and 14 is in the form of a flat vertical face extending transversely of the propeller. The leading face 34 of each of the sections 11, 12., 13, 14, and 15 is of angular form, these faces being in the form of an obtuse included angle merging in a vertical central single nose 35 which is in closely spaced relation to the at rear face 33 of the preceding Vrigid body member.

Each of the rigid body members are hinged together to swing about a vertical axis, the hinge connections being substantially the same and hence a description of one hinge being deemed to apply to the other hinges. The rear face 33 of each of the

rigid body members

10, 11, 12, 13, and 14 is provided with a semicylindrical central recess 4G, the axis of which is vertical and this recess providing

hinge knuckles

41 and 42 at the top and bottom of each of these rigid body members. Each of the

sections

11, 12, 13, 14, and 15 is provided with an integral forwardly projecting semicylindrical knuckle 43, the axis of which is vertical and which sets in the recess 40 of the preceding rigid body member as best shown in FIGS. 3-5. The

knuckles

41, 42. of each rigid body member Vare provided with alined threaded bores 44, 45 which support the upper threaded ends 46 of pins or pintles 48. The pins or pintles extend into a vertical through bore 49 in each knuckle 43.

It will be seen that the hinge connection between the several rigid body members provided by the

knuckles

41, 4?., 43 and pintles 48 permit the several sections to move from a central position, in which they are in a common plane, as indicated by full lines in FIG. 6, to a curved position at the extremity of each oscillation of the irnlpeller about the axis of its hub 16, as indicated by `the dot-dash lines in FIG. 6. It will also be observed from the dot-dash lines in FIG. 6 that the leading body member 1? can be oscillated about the vertical axis of its hub 16 at least about from one side to the other. It will be further seen that the angular forward face 34 of each of the

sections

11, 12, 13, 14, and 15 form stop or limiting faces in determining the maximum curvature which the row of rigid body sections can attain, by virtue of their engagement with the rear flat face 33 of the preceding It will therefore be seen that the amount of curvature which the propeller can attain can be adjusted by varying the degree of angularity of the forward faces 35, and it will also been that the row of body sections can be caused to assume compound curvature at the end of the throw of the impeller, should this be desired.

, A feature of the invention resides in the provision of spring means yieldingly returning the several rigid body sections lll, l1, l2, 13, ld, and l to a common plane as indicated by full lines in FIG. 6. For this purpose a flexible rod 5i), preferably of rubber or other elastomer, extends horizontally through all of these sections and intersects the axis of each hinge connection. To accommodate the ilexible rod Sil each of the body sections il, 12, 13, and Y14 is provided with a fore-and-aft through bore 51 midway between the round tops and bottoms and midway between the converging sides thereof. The forward end of each of these bores 5l preferably is of enlarging bell shaped form, as indicated at 52, to accommodate the llexible rod 50 in service. These bores 5l aline with a blind bore 53 in the leading rigid body member l@ and with a blind bore 54 in the rearmost rigid body member l5, the ilexible rod 5i! projecting into these blind bores.

In FIGS. 7 and S is illustrated a modified form of the invention in which the successive vertical elongated rigi body memberstl, 6l, 62, 63, 64, and 65 are shown as being made of hard rubber. The rigid body member 66 at the forward end of the impeller is shown as having rounded top and bottom surfaces and as being generally of cylindrical form about a vertical axis so as to provide a rounding rearwardly projecting salient surface 66. In the forward rigid body member 6) is also molded a metal hub member 63 projecting upwardly therefrom and through which the propeller is oscillated back and forth about a vertical axis. This hub member preferably is provided with vertical tins 69 to strengthen the connection between the hub and the front body member 6b.

Il `he second rigid body member 6l is also preferably of generally cylindrical form about a vertical axis so as to have salient front and rear portions 70 and 71. The next rigid body member 62 is of cylindroidal form but is ovaled fore-and-aft to provide salient front and rear faces 72, 73. The next vertically elongated rigid body member 63 is also of fore-and-aft oval form to have front and rear salient faces 74 and 75. The next vertically elongated rigid body member 64 is of keystoneshaped form with its sides converging toward its rearward end to provide salient front or

rear surfaces

76, 78. The rearmost body section 65 is of wedge form in horizontal section this providing a rounding forward surface 79 and trailing vertical edge Si) which can be V-shaped in side elevation as illustrated in PIG. 7.

The vertically elongated rigid body members dil-65 are bonded to one another by

elastomer bodies

81, 82, 33, 34, and 85 which provide the desired flexibility in the propeller so that the several rigid body members can assume the curved relation at the extremity of each oscillation as illustrated by dotted lines in FIG. 6, these elastomer bodies yieldingly returning the rigid body members to a common plane as illustrated by full lines in FIG. 6. These elastomer bodies are bonded to the opposing faces of the several rigid body members and completely lill the spaces therebetween. Since the opposing faces of the rigid body members are all of cylindroidal form about a vertical axis, it will be seen that each of the elastomer bodies is of hour-glass form in horizontal section to bond together large areas of the rigid body members and also to provide larger amounts of tlexible rubber at the sides of the propeller. The elastomer body members and the rigid body members are preferably made of rubber of different degrees of hardness and produced in a single molding operation, the hub member 68 also being molded in position at the time.

From the foregoing it will be seen that both forms of the fish-tail like propeller comprise a plurality of elongated rigid body members arranged in a row in closely spaced, side byside, parallel relation to one another to form a paddle-like body outlined at two opposite edges by the ends'of these body members and at the other two opposite edges by the endmost body members of the row,

spring means yieldingly connecting these body members together and yieldingly maintaining them in parallel relation in a common plane but permitting them to be displaced laterally of said common plane and hub means for oscillating one of the endmost body members about a major axis whereby the resistance of the medium in which the propeher is immersed causes the row of parallel body members to curve as the row swings transversely away from the common plane.

What is claimed is:

l, propeller comprising a plurality of elongated rigid body members arranged in a row in closely spaced, side by side, parallel relation to one another to form a paddle-like body outlined at two opposite edges by the ends of said body members and at two other opposite edges by the endmost body members ot said row, a hinge knuckle iixed to each body member mating with a hinge knuckle lixed to an adjacent body member, a vertical pivot pin connecting each mating ot hinge knuckles together and connecting the trailing end of each body member to the leading end of each succeeding body member, a transversely elastic rod extending through bores in said body members transversely' of the axes of said pivot pins and forming spring means yieldingly connecting said body members together and yieldingly maintaining them in parallel relation in a common plane but permitting them to displaced laterally o l common plane, said elastic rod being :Iran d generali,Y parallel with steld unmmon plane and intersec of said pivot pins, the

said axe-s leading side of the leading body member being of generally vertical semicylindrical forms to minimize impedance in displacing the medium in which the propelle is irnmersed in forming a path therethrough, and a vertical drive hub fixed to said leading body member generally concentric with its semicylindrical leading side and adapted to oscllate said leading body member at least about 96 about the axis of, said drive hub, the resistance of said medium in which the propeller is immersed to such oscillation of said leading body member and of the succeeding body members so connected thereto by said pivot pins causing said row of body members to form a curve as the row swings transversely' away from said common plane.

2, A propeller comprising a plurality of elongated rigid body members arranged in a row in closely spaced, side- 1oy-side, parallel relation to one another to form a paddleike body outlined at two opposite edges by the endmost body members of said row, vertical axis hinge means connecting the trailing end of each body to the leading end of tie next succeeding member, spring means yieldingly connecting said body members together and yieldingly maintaining them in parallel relation in a cornmon plane but permitting them to be displaced laterally of said common plane, the leading side of the leading body member being of generally vertical semicylindrical form to minimize impedance in displacing the medium in which the propeller is immersed in forming a path therethrough, and an opstanding drive hub fixed to said leading body member generally concentric with its semicy'iindrical leading side and adapted to oscillate said leading body member at least about 9Gs about the axis of said drive hub, the resistance of said medium in which the propeller is immersed to such oscillation of said leading body member and the succeeding body members so connected thereto by said vertical hinge means causing said row of body members to form a curve as the row swings transversely away from said common plane, said hinge means comprising a hinge knuckle fixed to each `body member mating with a hinge knuckle xed to an adjacent body member, a vertical pivot pin connecting each mating pair of knuckles together, said spring means comprising a transversely elastic rod extending through a bore through said knuckle of each body member, generally parallel with said common plane, and intersecting said axes of said hinge means.

3. A propeller comprising a plurality of elongated rigid body members arranged in closely spaced, side by side, parallel relation to one another in a common plane to form a paddlealike body outlined at two opposite` edges by the ends of said body members and at two other opposite edges by the endmost body members of said row, vertical hinge means connecting the trailing end of each body member to the leading end of the next succeeding body member, the opposing faces of said body members vbeing of cylindroidal form having their points of closest approach in a common plane, elastomer bodies of hourglass form in transverse cross section interposed between and bonded to said opposing faces of each pair of said body members and forming spring means yieldingly connecting said body members together and yicldingly maintaining-them in parallel relation in said common plane but permitting them to be displaced laterally of said common plane, the leading side of the leading body member being of generally vertical semicylindrical form to minimize impedance in displacing the medium in which the propeller is immersed informing a path therethrough, and a vertical drive hub fixed to saidle'ading body mer 'oer generally concentric with its semicylindrical leading side and adapted to oscillate said leading body member at least 90 about the axis of said drive hub, the resistance of said medium in which the propeller is immersed to such oscillation of said leading body member and of tie succeeding body members so connected thereby said vertical hinge means causing said row of body members to form a curve as the row swings transversely away from said common plane.

4. A propeller comprising a plurality of elongated rigid body members arranged in a row closely spaced, side by side, parallel relation to one another to form a paddle-like body outlined at two opposite edges by the. ends of said body members and at two other` opposite edges by the endm'ost body members of said row, a hinge knuckle fixed rto each body member mating with a hinge knuckle lixed to an adjacent body member, a vertical pivot pin connecting each mating pair of hinge knuckle together and connecting the trailing end ot each body member to the leading end of each succeeding body member, a transversely elastic rod extending through bores in said body `members transversely of the axes of said pivot pins and forming spring means yieldingly connecting said body members together and yieldingly maintaining them in parallel relation in a common plane but permitting them to be displaced laterally of said common plane, said elastic rod being arranged generally parallel with said common plane and intersecting said axes of said pivot pins, and means arranged to oscillate the leading body member at least about 90 about a vertical axis adjacent its leading edge, the resistance of said medium in which the propeller is immersed to such oscillation'of said leading -body member and of the succeeding body members so connected thereto by said pivot pins causing said row of body members to form a curve as the row swlngs transversely away from said common plane.

5. A propeller comprising a plurality of elongated rigid body members arranged in closely spaced, side by side, parallel relation to one another in a common plane to form a paddle-like body outlined at two opposite edges by the ends of said body members and at-two other oppositeedges by the endmost body members or" said row, vertical hinge means connecting the trailing end of each body member to the leading end of the next succeeding body member, the opposing faces of said body members being of cylindroidal form having their points of closest approach in a common plane, elastomer bodies of hourgiass form in transverse cross section interposed between and bondedA to the said opposing faces of each pair of plane but permitting them to be displaced laterally of said common plane, and means arranged to oscillate the leadingv body member at least about 90 about a vertical axis adjacent its leading edge, the resistance of said medium in which the propeller is immersed to such oscillation of said leading body member and ot the succeeding body members so connected thereto by said pivot pins causing said row or" body members to form a curve as the row swings transversely away from said common plane.

(n A propeller comprising a plurality of elongated rigid body members arranged in closely spaced, side by side, parallel relation to one another ina common plane to forma paddle-like body outlined at two opposite edges by the ends of saidbody members and at two other opa vertical axis, an elastomer body intersected by each of `said axes and operatively connected to the companion pair of body members to provide spring means yieldingly connecting said body members together and yieldingly maintaining them in parallel relation in a common plane but permitting them to be displaced laterally of said common plane, and means arranged toloscillate the leading body member at least about about a vertical axis adjacent its leading edge, the resistance of said medium in which the propeller is immersed to such oscillation of said leading body member and of the succeeding body members so connected thereto by said pivot pins causing said row of body members to form a curve as the row swings transversely away from said common plane. References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES 'PATENTS

Claims

6. A PROPELLER COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF ELONGATED RIGID BODY MEMBERS ARRANGED IN CLOSELY SPACED, SIDE BY SIDE, PARALLEL RELATION TO ONE ANOTHER IN A COMMON PLANE TO FORM A PADDLE-LIKE BODY OUTLINED AT TWO OPPOSITE EDGES BY THE ENDS OF SAID BODY MEMBERS AND AT TWO OTHER OPPOSITE EDGES BY THE ENDMOST BODY MEMBERS OF SAID ROW, VERTICAL HINGE MEANS CONNECTING THE TRAILING END OF EACH BODY MEMBER TO THE LEADING END OF THE NEXT SUCCEEDING BODY MEMBER, EACH OF SAID HINGE MEANS WORKING ABOUT A VERTICAL AXIS, AN ELASTOMER BODY INTERSECTED BY EACH OF SAID AXES AND OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO THE COMPANION PAIR OF BODY MEMBERS TO PROVIDE SPRING MEANS YIELDINGLY CONNECTING SAID BODY MEMBERS TOGETHER AND YIELDINGLY MAINTAINING THEM IN PARALLEL RELATION IN A COMMON PLANE BUT PERMITTING THEM TO BE DISPLACED LATERALLY OF SAID COMMON PLANE, AND MEANS ARRANGED TO OSCILLATE THE LEADING BODY MEMBER AT LEAST ABOUT 90* ABOUT A VERTICAL AXIS ADJACENT ITS LEADING EDGE, THE RESISTANCE OF SAID MEDIUM IN WHICH THE PROPELLER IS IMMERSED TO SUCH OSCILLATION OF SAID LEADING BODY MEMBER AND OF THE SUCCEEDING BODY MEMBERS SO CONNECTED THERETO BY SAID PIVOT PINS CAUSING SAID ROW OF BODY MEMBERS TO FORM A CURVE AS THE ROW SWINGS TRANSVERSELY AWAY FROM SAID COMMON PLANE.