US1667475A - Marine power installation - Google Patents

Description

April 24, 1928. 7' 1,667,475

' A. T. KASLEY MARINE POWER INSTALLATION Filed Avril .9 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 WITNESSES: I INVENTOR AJ'. Kas l ey ATTORNEY April 24, 1928. 1,667,475

. A. T. KASLEY MARINE POWER INSTALLAHION Filed April 25. 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR WITNESSES: AIlZKusky BY an 05 M ATTORNEY April 24, 1928. 1 ,667,475

A. T. KASLEY MARINE POWER INSTALLATION Filed Avril 25. 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 WITNESSE S: INVENTOR 5. AIKusle BY Mam ATTORN EY Patented Apr. 24, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDER T. KASLEY, or MOQ EJENNSYLV NIA, ASSIGNOR 'ro WESTINGHOUSE Macrame MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION or PENNSYLVANIA.

.. MABINE'POWER INSTALLATION.

Application filed April 25, 1927. Serial No. 186,361.

My invention relates to power developing apparatus, more particularly to marine propulsion systems, and has for its object the provision of apparatus of the character designated which is capable of developing relatively high power and which may be readily installed in a limited space in a vessel. 1 i

More specifically, the object of my invention is to provide means for transmitting power from one or more internal combustion engine units, each embodying a closed series of cylinders defining a polyhedron, to a propeller shaft in such a manner that the engines may be arranged with respect to the ships structure so as to occupy a minimum of space.

Apparatus embodying features ofmy invention is illustrated in'the accompanying drawings forming a part ofthis specification. wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view showing my improved marine propulsion system asapplied to a p; f i

Fig. 2 is an elevational view ofthe apparatus shown in'Fig. 1 with parts of the ships hull broken away; 1 i

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view, partly in section, of the gearing employed with one of the en-ginennits according to my invention; 1

Figs. 4 and 5 are diagrammatic views showing the arrangement of gears for other positions of the engine units with respect to the ships hull; and,

Figs. 6 and 7 are diagrammatic views of the arrangement of gears .according to my invention as applied to a six-sided and an eight-sided engine, respectively.

Mv invention is particularly applicable to marine installations employing internal combustion engine units having cylinders arranged to describe a polyhedron and of the type disclosed in the application Herbert T. Herr. Serial No. 86,494, filed February 6, 1926. and assigned to the Westinghouse El'cc. & Mfg. Company, although it will'be apparent that it may be employed with equal facility with other types of engines. 'With engines of the character described in the aforesaid application, the cylinders surround the propeller shaft with the shaft disposed centrally of the polyhedral frame of the engine and power from the cylinders is trans- "HnssuEn mitted tothe propeller shaft through the intermediary of suitable gearing.

\Vhile such an installation is ideal from the point of view of generating and trans- -mitting power, I have found that in marine installations, wherein thepropeller shafts are inclined rearwardly and outwardly .of the vessel, the dispositions of aplural'ity of such engines with their cylinders around the propeller shaft may take up'considerable, much needed room. My invention therefore consists primarily in a system of gearing for engines of the character described wherebythe point at which power is transmitted from the engine to the propeller shaft may be located in various positions with respect to the axis of the engine frame. More specifically, I transmit, power from the.engine cylinders to the propeller shaft through a system of gearingincluding idler gears, I

in such a manner that the major portion of the engine frame may be so located with respect to the propeller shaft as to accommodate itself to the ships structure and thus take up a minimum of room. 7

Referring now tov the drawings for a betterunderstanding of my invention, I show, in Figs. 1 and 2,a fragment of ships structureincluding side structure 10 and bottom structure 11. The vessel is propelled'by a pair of propellers 12 and 13, said propellers being inclined rearwardly and outwardly fromthe'vessel. Each of the propellers is driven from a' plurality of polyhedral engine units such as 16, 17 "and.18, all geared to a common propeller shaft 19. It will be noted from a consideration of Figs. 1 and 2 that the engine units 16, 17 and 18, as well as the associated units driving the propeller 13 are so arranged with respect to their respective propeller shafts that they arerelatively closely spaced with respect to the ships side and bottom. Referring now to Fig. 3, each of the-engine units comprises a closed series of similar cylinders such as 21, 22, 23 and 24, In each of the cylinders are a pair of opposed pistons such as 26 and 27. A piston of both the cylinders 24 and 26 is connected to a common crank shaft'28 and the piston 27 and a cooperating piston in the cylinder 22 are connected to a common crank shaft 29. Likewise, the pistons of the cylinder 23 are connected to crank shafts, with the remainthe propeller shaft ing pistons of the cylinders 22 and 24' (not shown). It will be seen from the foregoing that the cylinders 21, 22, 22 and 24 comprise a polyhedron having crank shafts at the vertices thereof.

Connected to the crank shafts of. the cngineare four driving gears 31, 32, 33 and 34 whicl'i transmit power developed in the cylinders to a driven gear S6 connected to 19, the propeller shaft being positioned by means of bearings 37, shown in dotted lines behind the driven gear 36, and suitably secured to a plate .member 38 which a part of the engine frame.

The propeller shaft may partly support.

the engine. In the example shown, the engine is at least partly supported from the ships bottom structure as by means of suitable supports 41 and 42. It will be noted from a consideration of Fig. 3 that should the engine be so located with respect to the propeller shaft 19 that the shaft would be centrally of the engine frame axis, that the engine would occupy a position more to the left of that shownv in the figure and would thus probably interfere with the positioning of the engines on the other side of the vessel. Furthermore, it would leave vacant a space near the ships hull, toward the right of the figure, which would serve no useful purpose.

It is to overcome this peculiar difficulty that my invention is particularly directed. In order that the engine may occupy a position as close to the side and bottom structure of the vessel as may be desirable, I interpose between the driving gears 29 and 33, and the driven gear-36, a pair of idler gears 43 and 44. The power from the gears 31. and 34 is transmitted directly to the driven gear 36, while power from the gears 32 and 33 is transmitted through the idler gears 43 and 44. The eifect of the idler gears 43 and 44 is to displace the engine frame with respect to the propeller shaft so that it may be more closely located with respect to the ships side and bottom. It will furthern'iore be apparent from Fig.3, that my improved gearing means permits the inclination of the engine with respect to the horizontal so that it may more readily conform to the ships side.

In Fig. 4, I show, diagrammatically, the arrangement of gears for the engine 16. In this view driving gears 51 and 52 transmit power to a driven gear 53 through the intermediary of a pair of idler gears 54 and 56, while driving gears 57 and 58 transmit power directly to the driven. gear 53. With this arrangement, the propeller shaft is located in a position with respect to the engine frame 19, below the axis of the engine frame.

In Fig. 5, I show an arrangement of gearing for the engine, similar to that in Fig. 3, but wherein it is not necessary to tilt the engine frame in order to accommodate it to the ships side such as is shown in Fig. 3. In this figure, driving gears 61 and 62 transmlt power to a driven gear 63 through the 'intemediary of idler gears 64 and 66, while driving gears 67 and 68 transn'iit power directly to the driven gear From the examples given, it will be plain that this improved gearing arrangement may be so applied to an engine of the character described in transmitting power to the propeller shaft, that the engine frame may be located in a variety of positions with respect to the propeller shaft and so as to accommodate the engine structure to the space allotted.

In Fig. 6, I show diagrammaticallya polyhedral engine comprising a closed series of cylinders 71, 72, 73, 74, and 76. The pistons within the cylinders 71 and 7 6 inclusive are connected to driving gears 81, 82, 83, 84, and 86, respectively. In the example shown, the driving gear 82 transmits power to a driven gear 88 through the intermediary of an idler gear 89, while the driving gears 81 and 86 mesh directly with the driven gear 88. The driving gear 85 transmits power to a driven gear 89 through the intermediary of an idler gear 91, while the driving gears 84 and 83 mesh "directly with the driven gear 89, and the driven gear 89 meshes with the driven gear 88. In the arrangement of gearing such as is here shown, power may be transmitted from the engine through either of the driven gears 88 or 89 and the shaft for either of these gears may be included in the propeller shaft.

In Fig. 7, I show yet another modification of my invention wherein thereis employed a polyhedral engine embodying a closed series of eight cylinders 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107 and 108. The cylinders 101 to 108 transmit power through a series of driving gears 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, and 116, respectively. The driving gears 111 and 112 mesh directly with a driven gear 121 while the driving gears and.113 transmit power to the driven gear 121 through the intermediary of idler gears 122 and 123. The driving gears 115 and 116 transmit power directly to a driven gear 124'which meshes with the driven gear 121, while the driving gears 114 and 109 transmit power to the driven gear 124 through the intermediary of idler gears 126 and 127.- In this arrangement the power from the engine may be transmitted through either of the driven gears 121 or 124 and the propeller shaft may be located coincidental with the shaft of either of these gears. With either arrangement, it will be seen that the major portion of the engine frame will be to one side of the propeller shaft and that the engine may be so disposed in a ships hull as to accom modate itself to the space allotted.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent ltlTi that I have devised an ilnproved marine prop-ulsion system, whereby the power units of such systems may be the most advantageously disposed with respect'to the ships piopeller shaft and the ships structure.

IVhile I have shown my invention in several forms, it will be obvious to those skilled internalcombustion engine unit encompass ing the propeller shaft, gearing means transmittmg power from the engine unit to the propeller shaft, and means for offsetting the engine unit with respect to -the propeller shaft.

2. In a marine power installation, the

combination of a propeller shaft, a polyhedral internal combustion engine unit encompassing the propeller shaft, gearing means for transmitting power from the engine unit to the propeller shaft, and means included in the gearing means for varying the angular relation of the engine unit with respect to the propeller shaft.

8. In a marine power installation, the combination of a propeller shaft, a polyhedral internal combustion engine unit encompassing the propeller shaft, gearing means for transmitting power from the engine unit to the propeller shaft, means included in the gearing means for varying the angular rela-v tion of the engine unit with respect to the propeller shaft, and means for supporting the engine unit on the propeller shaft and for establishing the relations of the gear means.

i. In a. marine power installation, the

combination of a propeller shaft, a plurality of polyhedral internal combustion engine units each encompassing the propeller shaft, gearing means for transmitting power from the engine units to the propeller shaft, and means included in the gearing means for offsetting the engine units with respect to the propeller shaft.

5. In a marine power installation, the combination of a propeller shaft, a plurality of polyhedral internal combustion engine units each encompassing the propeller shaft,

and gearing means for transmitting power from the engine units to the propeller shaft, and means included in the gearing means for varying the angular relations of the engine units with respect to the propeller shaft.

6. In a marine power installation, the combination of a propeller shaft, a plurality of polyhedral internal combustion engine units each encompassing the propeller shaft, gearing means for transmitting power from the engine units to the propeller shaft, means included in the gearing means for varying the angular relations of the engine units with respect to the propeller shaft, and means for supporting each engine unit on the propeller shaft and for establishing the respective Ielations of the gear means.

7. In a marine power installation, the coinbin'a'tion'of a propeller shaft, a plurality of polyhedral internal combustion engine units each encompassing the propeller shaft, a driven gear on the propeller shaft, a plurality of driving gears carried by each engine unit some of which mesh with the driven gear, and idler gears int-erpo'sedbetween the other driving gears and the driven gear.

8. In a marine power installation, the combination of a propeller s haft,-'a plurality of I polyhedral internal combustion engine units each encon'ipassing the propeller shaft, a

driven gear on the propellershaft, a plural-- ity of driving gears carried by each engine unit some of which mesh with the driven gear, and idler gears interposed between the other driving gears and the driven gear, an engine frame uni-textending transversely of the propeller shaft, and a bearing member carried by the engine frame unit and cooperating with the propeller shaft.

9. In a marine power installation, the combination of a. propeller shaft, a plurality of polyhedral internal combuaion engine units for/driving the propeller shaft, said engine units each encompassing the propellershaft, a plurality of crank shafts embodied in each engine unit, gearing means for transmitting power from each of the crank shafts to the propeller shaft, and means included in the last-mentioned means for offsetting each of the engine units with respect to the propeller shaft.

lOrIn a marine power installation, the combination of a propeller shaft, a plurality of polyhedral internal combustion engine units for'driving the propeller shaft, said engine units each encompassing the propeller shaft, a plurality of crank shafts embodied in each engine unit, gearing means for transmitting power from each of the crank shafts to the propeller shaft, and means included in the last-mentioned means effective to offset each of the engine units with respect to the propeller shaft and with respect to each other.

11. In a marine power installation, the combination of a propeller shaft, a plurality of polyhedral internal combustion engine units for driving the propeller shaft, said engine units each encompassing the propeller shaft, a plurality of crank shafts, embodied loo to the propeller shaft, and 'n'ieans included in the last-mentioned means for offsetting each of the engine units with respect to the propeller shaft.

l2. In a marine power installation, the combination of a, propeller shaft, a plurality of polyhedral internal coml'mstion engine units for driving the propeller shaft, said engine units each encompassing the propeller shaft, a plurality of cram: shafts embodied in each engine unit, gearing means for transmitting power from each of the crankshafts to the propeller shaft, and means included in the last-mentioned means for offsetting each of the engine units with. respect to the propeller shaft, and with respect to each other.

13. In a marine power installation, the combination of a propeller shaft, a plurality of polyhedral internalcombustion engine units for driving: the propeller shaft, said engine units each encompassing); the propel ler shaft, a plurality of crank shafts embodied in each engine unit, gearing means for transmitting; power from each of the crank shafts to the propeller shaft, and means included in the last-mentioned means for oilsettine' each ofthe engine units with. respect to the propeller shaft and with respect to each other and for varying the angular relation of the several engine units with respect to each other.

14. In a marine propulsion system, the combination of a propeller shaft, a plurality of internal combustion engine units for driving the propeller shaft, a closed series of cylinders defining a polyhedron included in each of the engines and encompassing the propeller shaft, opposed. pistons in each of the cylinders, a crank shaft, at each vertex of the polyhedron and connected'to adjacent pistons, a driving gear carried by each of the crank shafts, a driven gear -arried by the propeller shaft and meshing directly with some of the driving gears, and idler gears between the driven gear and the remaining driving gears. r

15. In a marine power installation, the con'ibination of a polyhedral internal combustion engine unit having, a plurality of parallel crank shafts arranged at corners of the polyhedron, a propeller shaft arranged so that its axis intersects a polygon defined by the crank shaft axes, and gearing for transmitting power from the crank shafts to the propeller shaft and providing for offset-- ting of the engine unit with :respect to the propeller shaft. e

16. In a marine power installation, the combination of a polyhedral internal combustion engine unithaving a plurality of parallel er: 11k shafts arranged at corners of the polyhedron, a propeller shaft having its axis so arranged that it intersects a polygon defined by the crank shaft axes, gears carried by the crank shafts, propeller shaft gear means meshing with some of said crank shaft gears, and idler gears arranged between the remaining crank shaft gears and the pro peller shaft gear means.

In testimony whereof, I have hereuntosubscribed my name April, 1927.

ALEXANDER 'r. nastier this nineteenth day of

Images