US3834342A

US3834342A - Water jet propulsion device

Info

Publication number: US3834342A
Application number: US00379198A
Authority: US
Inventors: H Schoell
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1973-07-13
Filing date: 1973-07-13
Publication date: 1974-09-10
Anticipated expiration: 1991-09-10

Abstract

A water jet propulsion device for propelling boats and the like having a housing whose inlet, water passageways and outlets are in substantially a horizontal plane with water deflecting shoulders extending horizontally on each side of the housing whereby the device is only partially submerged in the water when in operation to reduce its resistance to the flow of water. A vertical wall in the housing divides the flow of water into two streams that impinge on water deflector members mounted at the outlet in order to steer the boat or cause it to move backwardly.

Description

United States Patent [191 Schoell Sept. 10, 1974 WATER JET PROPULSION DEVICE [76] Inventor: Harry L. Schoell, l96ll N.W. 39th Ct., Miami, Fla. 33054 [22] Filed: July 13, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 379,198

[52] US. Cl 115/12 R [51] Int. Cl B63h 11/10 [58] Field of Search 115/12 R, ll, l4, 16; 60/221 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,073,277 l/l963 Lee 115/12 R 3,478,712 11/1969 Fox 115/12 R Primary ExamineF-Trygve M. Blix Assistant Examiner-Charles E. Frankfort Attorney, Agent, or FirmSalvatore G. Militana [57] ABSTRACT A water jet propulsion device for propelling boats and the like having a housing whose inlet, water passageways and outlets are in substantially a horizontal plane with water deflecting shoulders extending horizontally on each side of the housing whereby the device is only partially submerged in the water when in operation to reduce its resistance to the flow of water. A vertical wall in the housing divides the flow of water into two streams that impinge on water deflector members mounted at the outlet in order to steer the boat or cause it to move backwardly.

6 Claims, 17 Drawing Figures WATER JET PROPULSION DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION l. Field Of The Invention.

This invention relates to water propulsion devices for boats and is more particularly directed to a water jet propulsion device.

2. Description Of The Prior Art.

There are generally two types of water jet propulsion devices for boats in use at present, namely one which is completely submerged in the water and the other which is mounted on a boat above the water. Both of these jet propulsion devices are very ineffecient. The jet device that is completely submerged develops a great deal of drag and resistance due to the water surrounding the jet pump, while the device completely out of the water must lift the water entering the device and change the direction of flow of water which requires work being done on the water in having it pass through the device thereby reducing the efficiency of the propulsion device. Also, these devices require that the structure of the boat be modified or changed to adapt the device to the boat. Some require a large opening be made in the hull and stern of the boat to permit the flow of water into the device. The present invention contemplates avoiding all of the disadvantages of the present water jet propulsion devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, a principal object of the present invention is to provide a water jet propulsion device which planes; that is partially in the water causing the water to flow into and through the device in a substantially horizontal plane and thereby is most efficient in operation.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a water jet propulsion device which is fastened directly to the transom of a boat with only holes having to be drilled in the transom for the impeller drive shaft and the control cables whereby the device may be' mountable on any type or size'of boat.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a water jet propulsion device whose controls are simple in construction and readily manipulated for maneuvering the boat in any desired direction.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a water jet propulsion device that is only partially submerged in water with a planing shoulder or member extending along both sides of the device at the level at which the water enters the device whereby the water is deflected so that it cannot flow over the device.

With these and other. objects in view, the invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawings but may be changed or modified so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings: I 7

T FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of my water jet propulsion device shown mounted on the transom of a boat shown in part.

FIG. is a vertical cross sectional view taken along the line 2.2 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view. FIG. 4 is a top plan view of myv device as shown removed from the boat. I FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 are cross sectional view taken along the lines 5-5, 66 and 7-7'respectively of FIG. 2.

FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 88 of FIG. 5. i

FIGS. 9-12 are similar views showing the different positions of the water deflector members for steering.

the boat.

FIGS. 13-17 inclusive are fragmentary top plan views toillustrate the operation of the steering mechanism to effect the different positions of the deflector members as shown by FIGS. 8-12 inclusive.

Referring to the drawings wherein like numerals are used to designate similar parts throughout the several views; the numeral 10 refers to a water jet propulsion device constructed in accordance with my invention and shown in position fastened to the transom 11 of a boat 12 and extending rearwardly of the boat 12 with a water inlet opening 13 below the keel of the boat to permit a substantially horizontal flow of water intoand through the jet propulsion device 10.

The housing of my jet propulsion device 10 consists of two castings -A- and -B- cast, separately and bolted together by bolts 14 for the sake of production expediency. The front casting -A- which houses animpeller 15 is provided with a flat support plate 16 which lies against the transom 11 and is bolted thereto-by bolts 29. Extending from the support plate 16 is a brace plate 17 that supports the somewhat cylindrical housing 18 having inlet 13 and outlet 19 and a water passageway 20 extending therethrough. At the inlet 13 there is a plurality of spaced rods 30 that permit water to pass therethrough but prevent objects from entering the passageway 20 that woulddamagethe impeller 15.

A tubular shaft support 21 extends from the support plate 16 to a position adjacent the outlet 19 and has an impeller shaft 22 rotatably mounted therein with the impeller 15 mounted at its end. The drive shaft 22 that is journelled by bearings 23 at each end of the .shaft support 21 extends through an opening 24 formed in the transom ll of the boat 12 where it is coupled as at 57 to a source of power such as an engine 25. Along each side of the casting -A- in horizontal alignment with the keel 27 of the boat 12 are shoulders 28 forming water planing members whose function is explained hereinafter.

The casting -B- secured to the free end of the casting -A- by the bolts 14 is cylindrical in cross section at its forward or connected end portion and rectangular at the rear end portion to form two separated rectangular water passageways26. The water passageways 26 are separated by a vertically disposed wall 31 that is rectangular in cross section at its rear portion. At the forward end portion adjacent the impeller 15, the divider wall 31 has been ground to a knife edge as at 32 and curved along approximately half the length of the vwall 31 to form a pair of radially extending water flow straightening vanes at theforward portion of the divider wall 31. At right angle to the divider wall 31 and on each side thereof is a pair of second water flow straightening vanes 33 that extend from the forward edge of the casting -B- to the mid-portion thereof. On each side of the casting -B- there is a water deflecting shoulder 56 that extends diagonally from the top of the casting -B- at the discharge end thereof to the shoulders 28 at the position of the bolts 14. The shoulders 56, as does the shoulders 28, prevent the water from flowing over the device'10 as it moves along the water to reduce drag to a minimum.

' At the rear or discharge end portion of the casting -B- the divider wall 31 is provided with a pair of vertically disposed arcuate slots 34 that extend to the rear edge and receive arcuate water deflector members 35 for steering the boat 12. The deflectors 35 are each provided with

tabs

36 and 37 at the bottom and top ends that extend at right angle to the deflector members 35. The lower tabs 36 are pivoted about a pivot pin 38 secured to the lower surface of the casting -B-. The upper tabs 37 are provided with a stem 39 that extends upwardly through an opening and beyond the upper surface of the casting -B-. The free end of each of the stems 39 are secured to one end of a crank 40 while the other end of the cranks 40 have a pivot pin 41 rotatably mounted thereon.

The upper ends of the pivot pins 41 are received in a cam slot 42 formed in a cam plate 43. The cam slot 42 is symmetrically disposed on each side of the cam plate 43 and forms a generally C shape with each stem 39 so disposed as to slide only along one-half of the slot42. The cam plate 43 is pivotally mounted by a pivot pin 44 for rotational movement, the pivot pin 44 being mounted on a slide bar 45 mounted for sliding longitudinally along the top surface of the castings -A- and -B-. The ends of the cam slot 42 as well as the mid? portion thereof are idling positions and are formed as arcs of a circle with the pivot pin 44 as the center of the circle. When either of the crank pins 41 arrives at the end or center of the cam slot 42, the further pivotal movement of the cam plate 43 will not effect any turning movement of the deflector member 35 connected to that cam pin 41. By virtue of this construction, upon pivotal movement of the cam plate 43 on its pivot pin 44, the crank pins 41 will be made to slide along the cam slot 42 to cause the cranks 40 to rotate and the deflector plates to swing about their pivot pins 38 and stem 39.

The slide bar 45 is guided in its sliding movement by a slot 46 formed in the slide bar 45 and a pair of pins 47 secured to the upper surface of the casting -B- and received by the slot 46. Each of the pins 47 limit the sliding movement of the slide bar 45 in each direction upon the pin 47 engaging the bar 45 at the ends of the slot 46. The sliding movement of the slide bar 45 is controlled by a pull rod or cable 48 secured as at 52 to the slide bar 45 and whose sheath 49 is secured to the brace plate 17 by a clamp 50. The control cable 48 and sheath 49 extend through an opening 51 in the transom l1 and extends to an operating member (not shown). The control cable 48 which effects the sliding movement of the slide plate 45 and cam 43 controls the forward and reverse movement of the boat 12 as well as placing the jet propulsion device 10 in neutral as is ex- A sheath 55 in which the control cable 53 is slidably positioned is fastened by a clamp 58 to the slide bar 45 so that sliding movement of the slide bar 45 does not cause any movement of the control cable 53 with relation to the cam plate 43. This arrangement of parts permits the actuation of either of the

control cables

48 or 53 without affecting the position of the other control cable. The control cable 53 extends through an opening 59 formed in the transom l 1 of the boat 12 and extends to a control lever (not shown).

In order to mount my water jet propulsion device 10 to the transom of a boat, all that need bedone is drill three holes or bores 24, 51 and 59 for the drive shaft 22 and

control cables

48 and 53 to extend therethrough. Thenthe support plate 16 is bolted as at 29 to the transom 11 with the planing members or shoulders 28 in horizontal alignment with the bottom surface of the boat. The bottom as shown by FIG. 2 must be made to taper upwardly as at 60 so that the planing shoulders 28 can placed in alignment with the bottom of the boat 12 and there by an unobstructed horizontal flow of water into the inlet 13 of my water jet propulsion device 10. 1 I

Only two controls are needed to effect the proper steering of my device 10, which controls (not shown) are connected to the

cables

48 and 53. As illustrated by FIGS. 8-17 inclusive, actuation of the controls causing sliding movement of the

cables

48 and 53 will effect the forward, reverse and all turning movements of the boat. FIGS. 8 and 13 show the relative position of various parts of the steering mechanism that cause the boat to travel straight ahead. In this case, the slide bar 45 has been pulled forwardly to slide to its most forward position by means of the cable 48. The cam plate 43 which is pivotable about the pivot pin 44 is square with the fore and aft axis of the slide bar 45 positioning the two deflector members 35 within the confines of the arcuate slots 34. Two streams of water will flow through the water passageways 26 and being discharged directly rearwardly, the boat will move in a straight forward direction.

If it is desired that the boat be made to move in a straight rearward direction, all that need by done is actuate the control that causes the cable 48 to slide the slide bar 45 to its rearmost position as shown by FIGS. 9 and 14. In this instance the forwardmost pin 47 will abut against the forward end portion of the slot 46 and the crank pins 41 will have moved towards the ends of the C shaped cam slot 42. The deflector members 35 will have pivoted about their pivot pins 38, 39 out of the arcuate slots 34 and now extend across the outlet of the passageways 26 leaving an opening 61 in each passageway 20 between the outside vertical wall of the casting -B- and the edge of the deflector member 35 to cause the water being propelled through the passageways 26 to be discharged in a forwardly direction. This causes the boat 12 to move rearwardly.

If it is desired to turn while moving in a forwardly direction, theslide bar 45 is made to slide to its forward most position and the cable 53 is actuated to cause the 44 as viewed in FIG. 15, the upper crank pin 41 will slide along the cam slot 42 to cause the upper deflector member 35 to partially obstruct one of the passageways 26 and compel the discharge of the water at an angle to the device 10. This effects a turning movement that will cause the boat to turn to the left as it moves forwardly.

To cause the boat to turn while moving in reverse, the slide bar 45 is brought to its rearmost position and then causing the pivotal movement of the cam plate 43 in the direction it is desired that the boat be made to turn. As shown by FIGS. 11 and 16, the rearmost positioning of the slide bar 45 causes the deflector members 35 to pivot out of the arcuate slots 34 and into the path of the water flowing through the passageways 26. Upon actuating the cable 53 to cause the cam plate 43 to pivot about its pivot pin 44 in a clockwise direction, the deflector members 35 will pivot about their pivot pins 38, 39 to the extent that their respective cam pins 41 slide along the cam slot 42. In this instance, the upper or left deflector plate 35 will have pivoted more than the other so that the water being discharged through the passageway 26 impinging on the upper deflector member 35 will be deflected toward a more forwardly direction than by the other deflector member 35 and so the boat will move rearwardly and to the right.

If it is desired to place the boat in a neutral or nonmoving position, the slide bar 45 is caused to be moved to a mid-position between that of its rearmost position as shown by FIG. 13 and its forwardmost position as shown by FIG. 14. In this position the deflector members 35 will have slid out of their arcuate slots 34 and extend part way across the outlet of the water passageways 26. The water is so deflected that they flow at right angle to the axis of the device in two streams whose momentum counteract each other to compel the boat to remain motionless in the water.

As stated hereinabove the high efficiency of my water jet propulsion device 10 results from the fact that my device 10 is partially submerged in water to cause the water to flow in a horizontal direction into and through my device. Those of the conventional devices that are completely submerged in the water, though the flow of water therethrough is horizontal, the resistance of the completely submerged device to its movement in the water is considerable and consequently less efficient than my device 10.

Those conventional jet propulsion devices that are mounted on a boat out of the water incur a built in work load that consists of having to lift the water into the device. This head reduces the efficiency of the device considerably and is known to be less efficient than my device 10. In my device, the inlet 13 is positioned at the keel or lower surface 27 of the boat 12. As can be readily seen, water will flow horizontally into and through my jet propulsion device 10. Also, to reduce the resistance offered by the water that comes into contact with the outer surface of the device 10, the planing

members

28 and 56 compel the water to engage only the lower half of the device 10 by preventing any water from flowing over the sides and top of the castings -A- and -B-. I

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A water jet propulsion device for boats and the like comprising a housing having an inlet and an outlet, a passageway communicating with said inlet and said outlet, water impeller means mounted in said passageway in proximity of said inlet, substantially vertically disposed wall means mounted in said passageway extending from adjacent said impeller means to said outlet forming a pair of ducts, a plurality of water deflecting members, said water deflecting members having a blade portion, means pivotally mounting one of said blade portions in proximity of each of said ducts at said outlet, each of said blade portions engaged by water flowing only through said duct at which said blade portion is mounted, said vertical wall means having slots for receiving said blade portions within the confines of said wall means and out of the path of water flowing through said ducts and control means operatively connected to said pivotal mounting means for steering a boat.

2. The structure as recited by claim 1 taken in combi' nation with said passageway being substantially horizontal and water deflecting shoulder means mounted along each side of said housing preventing the flow of water over said housing as the boat is propelled through the water.

3. The structure as recited by claim 2 wherein said blade portions are arcuate and having a tab extending at right angle at each end of said arcuate blade portions whereby said arcuate blade portions are positioned out of the path of water flowing through said ducts when received by said slots.

4. The structure as recited by claim 3 wherein said control means comprises a pair of crank members secured at one end to each of said pivotal mounting means above said casing and having a crank pin at the other end, a slide bar, means mounting said slide bar on said housing, a cam plate pivotally mounted on said slide bar, said cam plate having an arcuate slot therein, said crank pins being received by said arcuate slot whereby upon the sliding movement of said slide bar and said cam plate both of said arcuate blade portions pivot simultaneously for effecting the forward or reverse movement of the boat and the steering of the boat being effected upon the pivotal movement of said cam plate.

5. The structure as recited by claim 4 taken in combination with a plurality of water flow straightening vanes mounted on each side of said vertically disposed wall adjacent said impeller means and said edge portion of said vertically disposed wall adjacent said impeller means being knife edge and shaped to form further water flow straightening vanes.

6. The structure as recited by claim 5 taken in combination with a support plate mounted at said inlet portion of said housing, a drive shaft extending through said support plate, means connecting said drive shaft and said impeller means and control cables connected to said slide bar and said cam plate extending through said support plate.

Claims

1. A water jet propulsion device for boats and the like comprising a housing having an inlet and an outlet, a passageway communicating with said inlet and said outlet, water impeller means mounted in said passageway in proximity of said inlet, substantially vertically disposed wall means mounted in said passageway extending from adjacent said impeller means to said outlet forming a pair of ducts, a plurality of water deflecting members, said water deflecting members having a blade portion, means pivotally mounting one of said blade portions in proximity of each of said ducts at said outlet, each of said blade portions engaged by water flowing only through said duct at which said blade portion is mounted, said vertical wall means having slots for receiving said blade portions within the confines of said wall means and out of the path of water flowing through said ducts and control means operatively connected to said pivotal mounting means for steering a boat.

2. The structure as recited by claim 1 taken in combination with said passageway being substantially horizontal and water deflecting shoulder means mounted along each side of said housing preventing the flow of water over said housing as the boat is propelled through the water.