US1163352A - Steering-propeller for vessels. - Google Patents

Description

C. W. L|NSCOTT.

STEERING PROPELLER FOR VES SELS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-2. 1M5.

1,163,352. Patented Dec. 7, 1915.

Qvwuatoc CW LINSCO'TT alkouau:

CHARLES W. LINSCOTT, 0F JACKSON, MICHIGAN.

-STEERING-PROPELLEB FOR VESSELS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 7, 1915.

Application filed August 2, 1915. Serial No. 43,303.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that 1, CHARLES WY. LrN- scorr, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jackson, in the county ofJackson and State of Micliigan, have invented certa n new and useful Improvements in Steering- Propellers'for Vessels, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to an improved steering propeller for vessels and has for its primary object to provide a device for supplementingthe action of the ordinary rudder with which the vessel is equipped so as to facilitate and quicken the turning movement of the vessel,

It is another object of my invention to provide a rotary steering propeller for the above urpose, which is so mounted in the hull o the vessel that it is entirely protected against possible injury by foreign objects, in the movement of the vessel.

The invention has for av further object to provide a rotary steering propeller applicable to either steam or sailing vessels, and improved means for transmitting power to said propeller, which may be easily and quickly removed or placed in position.

\Vith the above and other objects in View, my invention consistsin'the novel features of construction, combination and arran ement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of the vessel, showing the same provided with a pair of my improved rotary steering propellers; and Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

As above stated, the present inventionresides in the provision of an improved rotary steering device wliichis' employed to supplement the action of the usual rudder mounted in the stern of the vessel, whereby the turning movement of the vessel may be facilitated in cases'of emergency, and the present applicationconstitutes, in part, a continuation of myflprior pendin -application for patent, filed May 5, 1915, erial No. 26,028.

' In the accompanyingdrawing, 5 designates the sternportion of a vessel. It will be understood that the present invention is not 'limited to any particular typeor construction of the vessel; but isequally applicable to both steam and sailing vessels. I have shown, in the present instance, a vessel equipped with the usual screw-propeller 6, and having a keel 7 extending rearwardly beneath said propeller to constitute a seat or support for a rudder 8. This rudder is preferably constructed and mounted in the manner shown and described in my prior application above referred to.

In'ordcr to supplement the action of the rudder 8 and uiekeii the turning movement of the vessel, provide the auxiliary steering device forming the subject matter of the present application. This steering device, when'em loyed upon a single screw- 'steam'er,' is pre erably located under the forefoot or the bow of the vesselshull; but for large, high-speed vessels having twin or quadruple propelling screws, the auxiliary steering device is preferably installed in the skeg or dead-wood, forwardly of the propelling screw and the rudder, and at such point as will not. interfere therewith, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. Provision is made in the skeg, immediately above the keelsoii of the vessel, for a metal casting 40 which is fixed in place by means of the vertical bolt 41 assing through the ends of the casting, the] eelson and the keel. The central portion of the casting -10 is cut out or recessed, as at 2, and the keelson is also recessed, as shown at 43. These opposed recesscs accommodate the rotary steering member which consists of a series of propeller blades H connected together by an annular metal band or rim tliwliiclris' shrunk and permanently secured upon said blades. The rim or band is provided upon one face with .gear teeth, as shown-at 46, and with the same, the driving gear 47, fixed upon the lower end of the vertical shaft 48, is engaged. Horizontal straps or bars 49 are socured to opposite sides of the casting l0 and extend across the recess 42, and in these straps the ends of the shaft 50 of the rotary steering member are journaled.

A well or casing 5l,is built in the hull of the vessel andextends below the deck thereof. This casin provides a protecting housing for the s haft 48. Upon the shaft 48, adjacent its lower end, a collar 52 is fixed, and'a bearin block 53 is disposed in the lower end of tie casing 51 and seated upon the casting 42. The casting 42 is further provided with an opening,.shown at 54, whiclris slightly greater indiaiiieter ing may than the diameter of thepinion 47-, so that the shaft may be lifted from the well, when desired. Between the collar 52 and the bearing member 53, rollers or bearing balls are arranged. A cap 55 is secured upon the upper end of the well or casing 51, and this cap is co mectcd by a plurality of vertical rodsto the bearing block53, said rods being fixed in the blockand projecting below the same, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The extremities of these rods are adapted to seat in recesses formed in the casting 40. Upon the upper end of the shaft 48, projcctingabove the cap 55, the gear 50 is tixed, anti-friction bearing members being arranged between the face of said gear and the opposed face of the cap 55. 5'7 designates a longitudinally disposed track suitabl mounted 'above the deck of the vessel an upon which the sheave blo'ck, indicated at 58, is mounted for travel. A'hoist chain which is trained over the sheave, is adapted to be connected to the upper end of the shaft 48, whereby the same may be readily removed. from the well 51 or replaced in operative position. It is, of course obvious that in place of the gearing above escribe'd, a miter or bevel gear or a worm drive gearbe substituted. {The power gear, shown at 59, which meshes with the gear 56, may be driven from a gas engine, electric motor, 'r any other suitable source of power. It is also to be born'e in mind that, while I have shown only oneof the rotary steering devices, the same may be employed in multi les of two or more. By the provision of tiisrotary steering member, the 'action of the rudder 8 is supplemented so that the vessel may be quickly turned and liabilit of collision with other vessels thus 'avoidec. It is also to be particularly observed that the vertical plane of rotation of the rotary 'pro eller is coincident with the central longituc inal line of the vessels hull so that the blades of the )ropeller are entirely housed'and 'rotecte against mutilation or distortion y logs or other objects striking against the sides of the vessel. It is, of course, apparent that the vessel is turned in one direction or the other by means of the rotary propeller, by simply transmitting rotation to the propeller blades in the pro er direction.

From 'tie above, it will be appreciated that the present invention is in the nature of a life-saving ap liance for vessels as it, to a rent extent, 0 viatcs theprobable loss of li e due to shipwreck or "collision. The rotation of the steering member may be easily and quickly rever'scdi by theutilization of a suitable lever under the control of the 'operatonso as to uickly, turn or steer the vess'eljn the desired direction."

From the foregoing description, taken in connection withthe accompanying drawing,

the construction, manner of operation, and several advantages of my invention will be clearly and fully understood. By mounting the auxiliary steering propeller in the manner referred to, the same is protected against injury without, in any way, lessening its effectiveness in operation.

The invention as a whole is also comparetively simple in its construction and may beeinbodied in various types of vessels without greatly increasing the cost thereof.

Owing to the easv accessibility of the seveial parts of the evice, the same may be readily removed or replaced in operative position with a minimum of manual labor or loss of time in cases of emergency.

While I have shown and dcscribed the preferred construction and arrangement of the several elements employed, it is to be understood that the invention is susceptible of considerable modification therein and I, therefore, reserve the privilege of resorting to all such 1 gitimat'e changes as may be fairly emb'odie within the spirit and scope of tho invention as claimed.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I desire to claim'imd secure by Letters Patent is 1. The combination with a vessel, of a rotary steerin device including a casting fixed in 'the hu 1 of the vessel, a rotary steering member mounted in said casting, a vertically disposed casing, a bearing and means for seatin said bearing upon the casting within the l'ower endof the casing and holding the bearing against rotary movem'en't, a vertical shaft disposed through said casing and mounted in the bearing, gearing connecting said shaft to the rotary steering member, and means for elevati'rv the vertical shaft and its bearing to the deck of the ve'sseL' 2. The combination with a vessel, of a rotary steering device including a casting fixed in the hull of the vessel, a rotary steering member having a transversely disposed shaft journal'ed in bearings on said casting, a vertically disposed c'asmg, an operating shaft rem'ovably moun't'ed in said casing and provided upon its lower 'end with a gear, an annular gear on one face of said rotary steering member engaged by the gear on said shaft, and means for removing the op erating shaft from the deck of the vessel or placing "the same in operative position.

3. The c'oinbina'ti on 'with a vessel, of a rotary steering device including a casting fixed in the hull of the vessel, a rotary steering member mounted in said casting and having a pluralit of blades rotating in a vertical plane coincident with the central longitudinal line of the vessel, a vertically disposed casing, a da for said casing, a bearing, a "vertical shaFt mounted in the 'cap and bearing, a plurality of rods connecting llt said can and bearing and adapted to seat Intestimony whereof I hereunto afiix my at thein lower ends in recesses formed in signature in til fgresence of two witnesses. said casting, gearing connecting said verti- C RLES W. LIN SCOTT. cal shaft to the rotary steering member, and Witnesses:

means for elevating the vertical shaft and E'rm WHIPPLE,

its bearing to the deck of the vessel. v ALBERT B. LINOOLN.

Oopies oi this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by eddreasin: the "Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. O.

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