US2089853A - Propulsion device - Google Patents

Description

ug. l0, E937., G. s. rlELsoN 2,089,853

PROPULSION DEVICE F11ed sept. 11, 1956 .Fiyi

4H 6 ,ga-@w25 2 6 5 LA f j Patented Aug. l0, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in propulsion devices for pumping liquids and for propelling boats; and the objects of my improvement are, rst, to provide more efficient and less expensive means for pumping liquids, and for propelling boats; second, to provide means for propelling boats in shallow water without the usual danger of damaging the propelling device; and third to simplify pumping devices and boat propelling mechanisms.

I attain these objects by mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical section of a simple form of the device. y

, Figure 2 is a vertical section of a form of the device wherein certain automatic features are incorporated.

FigureS is a vertical section on line A--A in Figures l and 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged part section through the upper and foreward part of the propulsion tube, showing stoppers 39 and 35 more in detail.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In the present invention a propulsion tube I comprising an elongated expansion chamber 2, an elongated momentum chamber 3 which also serves as an inertia chamber, an inlet 4, an outlet 5, and a diaphragm 6, is immersed in a liquid l. Diaphragm 6 is preferably a flexible, elastic and good insulating material.

Near the foreward, or inlet, end of tube I another tube 8, such as a steam tube, connects propulsion tube I to boiler 9. Boiler 9 is sup-A ported'by legs Ill, and is provided with a rebox II, andv is used for producing a gas under pressure in the usual manner for boilers.

- A cutoff valve is connected in tube 8. Means such as valve I3 in fuel feed tube I4 is provided to regulate the flow of fuel from fuel reservoir I5 to i'lrebox I I. Throttle I6 may be used to control valve I3. Similarly valve I2 may be operated by handle I'I.

:When the device is beingused for propelling a boat the intake end 4 of the propulsion tube I is placed foreward.

.C The device illustrated in Figure 1 will operate as follows:

l The liquid in boiler 9 is heated until a high gas pressure is created in said boiler. Valve I2 is then opened for a moment thereby allowing a quantity of compressed gas to forcediaphragm 6 down to position 6a, thereby closing off the intake end 4 of tube I. In Figure 1 the foreward edges of diaphragm 6 are tightly attached to the upper side of expansion chamber 2 as indicated in Figure 3. As the compressed gas in expansion chamber 2 expands, diaphragm 6 will assume a series of positions indicated successively by 6a, 6b, and 6c and the uid in tube I will 5 be forced rearward and the boat will be propelled foreward with an equal force. The inertia of the mass of water in tube 3 will provide an effective force to back up the propelling force in tube 2.

When the diaphragm is in position Bc in Figure l the used gas will be exhausted. Diaphragm I5 is preferably stretched tightly across the upper part of tube 2 so that it will return more readily to its upper position after the gas is exhausted, thereby allowing a fresh supply of liquid to be drawn in through intake 4. Momentum tube 3 will assist in drawing in a fresh supply of water at intake yl because the momentum of the mass of liquid which has been caused to move rearward in tube 3 will create a partial vacuum in tube 2 and thereby draw in more liquid. When tube I is again lled with liquid, valve I2 may again be opened for a moment and the propelling action will be repeated. Clearly the propelling action is also a pumping action and Where the term propulsion device is used in this specification and the following claims, it is intended to comprehend therpump also, since the action of the device in each case is the same. 30

In Figure 2, diaphragm 6 is preferably attached to the upper wall of tube 2 on all edges of the diaphragm. An exhaust tube I8 connects the rear end of expansion tube 2 to a condenser I9. A valve 29 is connected in tube I8. 35

Valve I2 is operated by sprocket 2 I, valve 20 by sprocket 23, and pump 25 by sprocket 22; and sprockets 2I, 22, and 23 are preferably connected by a chain 24 in such a manner that valve 20 will be closed at the moment valve I2 opens. Means such as a paddle wheel 26 may be connected to sprocket 2l by spokes 2'I to rotate sprockets 2I, 22, and 23 when the boat is in motion. Pump 25 is preferably used to draw the fluid up from the condenser through tube 28 and to force it back into boiler 9 through tube 29. Preferably one or more elastic stopper bands such as bands 30 and 35, preferably having their foreward edges beveled and free to move, and their rear ends attached either to diaphragm 6 as shown for band 3U, or to tube I as shown for band 35, are stretched tightly Vacross the top of chamber 2 at spaced distances from its front edge. Said stopper bands will reduce the volume of the diaphragm inclosure necessary for closing off intake 4 and will prevent excessive backflow of gas in chamber 2 before intake 4 is closed. Until stopper band 3B is pulled away from its contact with the top side of tube I, by the down- 5 ward motion of diaphragm 6, said stopper band will be pressed tightly against tube I by the compressed gas in the foreward end of the expansion chamber, and practically no gas will be allowed to pass backward until the foreward end of diaphragm 6 has expanded sufficiently to close off intake l to tube I. Stopper band 35 has a similar action and function to band 30,7the only difference being that the rear end of band 35 is attached to a wall of chamber 2 instead of to diaphragm 6. This will increase the useful back- Vward thrust of diaphragm 6. a Y f When high pressure gas is injected into tube 2 it is preferable to use a swinging, reinforcing backing 3|, attached to the top foreward edge of tube 2, to support the foreward wall of diaphragm 6 against bursting. Y

The device illustrated in Figure 2 will operate similar to the one illustrated in Figure 1 except for the following. lThe exhaust gas from tube 2 will be transmitted through tube I8 to condenser I9 where the gas Will be condensed to a liquid and pumped through tubes- 28 and 29 back into boiler 9 where it willbe reused.

The action of the device may be started by y30 turning sprocket 2I by hand, or by other means,

trolled by throttle `I6 because the faster the fuel.

is supplied to thehrebox the greater will be the pressure in the boiler. To reverse the motion of the boat it is obvi ously only necessary to provide a system of tubes l that will inject the gas flowing through valve I2 into tube 2 through tube I8 and that will exhaust the gas from tube 2'to tube 8 on up through valveZ. Y .Y

In the drawing 32 isthe floor, 33 the bottom, and 34 the back of the boat, or ofthe container for the device. Y 4 Y Due to the fact that diaphragm" 6 and the top of chamber 2 may be made of good insulating material the heat loss of the compressed gas will be small. In the device illustrated in Figure 2, where there is no lossof boiler fluid, a uid having a low boiling point, and low heat of vaporization may be used to advantage. Y The size of chamber 3 may be made to contain a quantity of water of such mass-'as will utilize the energy from tube 2 most efficiently. To explain more fully, if chamber 3 ismade too short, the mass of the water therein will be so l'small that it will be forced out too rapidly for ecient propulsion at ordinary boat speeds; and if chamber 3 is made teo long the water friction against `the walls of the tube vwill be excessive.'Y f f It willv be observed that very few operating parts are necessary inthe present invention and the mechanical losses ordinarilyuaccompanying the use of screw propellers with gasolene or steam engines are entirely avoided.

My propulsion device owes its increased-effif c iency over present propulsion mechanisms chiefly to the features mentioned above. Because of its simplicity it will be inexpensive to make.

It is also evident that tube I may be made to` extend a considerably shorter distance below the bottom of the boat than is required by an ordinary propeller blade. For this reason a boat equipped with my propulsion ldevice may be made to navigate in shallower water than is ordinarily possible for small boats. Furthermore my propulsion tube will not be as damageable as the ordinary screw propeller. Y

No batteries or electric ignition system is necessary to this device.

It is not my intention to limit my device toI the specic form shown and described in this application since other forms involving the same invention will suggest themselves upon reading the abovespecication.

Having described my invention what I now claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows:

l. In a propulsion device a propulsion tube comprising an expansion chamber having an inertia chamber joined thereto, a diaphragm disposed substantially across Vthe expansion chamber and having its foreward edges tightly attached thereto whereby said chamber is divided intoV a plurality of longitudinal sections, a stopper band having one edge attached to the diaphragm and having a beveled free moving edge, said stopper band being disposed substantially across the eX- pansion chamber a spaced distance from its ends, means whereby a compressed gas may be periodically injected into one section of the expansion chamber, and means whereby the gas'may be exhausted from the expansion chamber.V

2. In a propulsion device a propulsion tube comprising Aan expansion chamber. having an inertia chamber joined thereto;a diaphragm disposed substantially across the expansion chamber and having all'its edges tightly attached thereto whereby said chamber is divided into a plurality of longitudinal sections, a stopper band having one edge attached `to the diaphragmand having a beveled free moving edge, said stopper band being disposed substantially across the expansion chamber a spaced distance from its ends, means whereby a compressed Vgas may be periodically injected into oneY section ofthe expansion chamber, an-d means wherebythe gas may be exhausted from the expansion chamber.

3. In a propulsion device Va propulsion tube having an expansion chamber, a diaphragm disposed substantially across the expansion chamber and having its forward edges tightly attached'thereto whereby said chamber is divided into a plurality of longitudinal sections, a stopperA band having one edge attached to the diaphragm andV having a beveled free moving edge, .said stopper band being disposed substantially across the expansion chamber a spaced distance from its ends, means whereby a compressed gas may be periodically injected into one section of the expansion chamber, and means whereby the gas may be exhausted from the expansion chamber. j i

4. In a propulsion device a propulsion tube'having an expansion chamber, a diaphragm disposed substantially across the expansion chamber and having its foreward edges tightly attached thereto whereby said chamber is divided into a plurality of longitudinal sections, means whereby a compressed gas may be periodically injected into the forward portion of one section of 'the expansion chamber, whereby the expansive action of the diaphragm will first close off said portion of the expansion chamber and thereafter force the liquid in the expansion chamber rearward as said diaphragm continues to expand progressively rearward, and means whereby the gas may be exhausted from the expansion chamber.

5. In a propulsion device a. propulsion tube comprising an expansion chamber having an inertia chamber joined thereto, means whereby the expansion chamber is divided into a plurality of longitudinal sections, means whereby a compressed gas may be periodically injected into the forward portion of one section of the expansion chamber, whereby the expansive action of the diaphragm will rst close off said portion of the expansion chamber and thereafter force the liquid in the expansion chamber rearward as said diaphragm continues to expand progressively rearward, and means whereby the gas may be exhausted from the expansion chamber.

6. In a propulsion device a propulsion tube having an expansion chamber, 'elastic means whereby the expansion chamber is divided into a plurality of longitudinal sections, means whereby compressed gas may be periodically injected into the forward portion of one section of the expansion chamber, whereby the expansive action of the elastic dividing means will rst close oif said portion of the expansion chamber and thereafter force the liquid in the expansion chamber rearward as said elastic dividing means continues to expand progressively rearward, and means whereby the gas may be exhausted from the expansion chamber.

'7. In a propulsion device a propulsion tube having an expansion chamber, a diaphragm disposed substantially across the expansion chamber and having its foreward edges tightly attached thereto whereby said chamber is divided into a plurality of longitudinal sections, a stopper band having one edge attached to the wall of the expansion chamber and having a beveled free moving edge, said stopper band being disposed substantially across the expansion chamber a spaced distance from its ends, means whereby a compressed gas may be periodically injected into one section of the expansion chamber, and means whereby the gas may be exhausted from the expansion chamber.

GEORGE S. NELSON.

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