US2472836A - Reversible propeller - Google Patents

Description

June 14, 1949.

E. R. KENNEDY ET AL 2,472,836 REVERSIBLE PROPELLER Filed July 31, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Invent/2r Edbfiesffikakea? jowelil 6%7z Flea? June 14, 1949 E. R. KENNEDY ET AL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 31, 1946 liver/tor .Zarrzsffi. ji eruzeiy jazz/ell .F

Patented June 14, 1949 UNITE!) STATES 01F FillCiE ZREWTERSIBLE PRQHEIZIJER :Earnest lt ilfienneily and MQHZE- neliancaflounts, 91110 The present invention relates to mew and vuse ful iimpronements in propellers and more particularly tomiarine propellers and the invention has for its primary object toprovide means for reversing the pitch of the propeller blades to thus protide for a forward and reversing drive *for the propellers.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a hydraulically operated reversing mechanism for the blades iof the propeller.

rfurtther 10121801 of the intention is o anroxid a {device of this character of simple and practical construction. which is eilicient and reliable in operation, melatively inexpensive to mannfactpre and'othenwise well adapted for the puma-fies tier which the same is intended.

@ther objects and advantages zreside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal Sectional view through the hub of the propeller and showing the control valve for reversing the pitch of the blades of the propeller.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on a line 3-3 of Figure 1 of the coaxial fluid inlet and outlet tubes and Figure 4 is a perspective view of the reciprocating piston for reversing the blade.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein for the purpose of illustration, we have disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 5 designates the propeller hub generally which includes a ring member 6 closed at its ends by end plates 1 and 8 secured to the ring by bolts or the like 9.

A pair of propeller blades are shown at l which are formed at their inner ends with a flanged stub-shaft ll journaled in diametrically opposite sides of the ring 6. A pin l2 projects inwardly at the inner end of the stub-shaft ll eccentrically to the axis thereof and is received in a circumferential groove 13 of a piston l4, preferably of square-shaped construction as shown in Figure 4 of the drawing and is slidably positioned in a correspondingly shaped chamber l formed on the inside of the ring 6.

A tube I'B extends through the end plates 1 and 8 and also through a central opening I! in the piston M for sliding action of the piston-in the chamber on the tube. The tube is formed with .a :pair ,ofzlateralgiorts and & committ calling with the .chamber 4 5 po -si e sides at the pis on.

n eylmdnical salve 22D isslidablymmntedin iii-he tube .16 having lon itudinally extending na saee therein extending EJ310111 end to {and o the valve communicating with a'pair {Qf lateral has sages 1-22 :and are adjacent the front and ref th rams, the enter ends of the massa es #2 :and 22$ terminating in circumstantial stoo es 21 and 25,, respectively in the ralae remotes ril iant 25 are arranged to alternate vre i te with the port N3 of thaedmhe E fi- The rear end of the valve 20 is formed-trim a 'lmre tudina passagezfi adiaeent oneisideitheneof with which a pair rof ile eral passages and .28 connnuniaate the rear end ef th passage e 5 beingiopen at the (end i f t e salve Z'fQI' communieating with the tube Hi. The lateral passages 21 and 28 are arranged to alternately register with the port I!) of the tube l6.

An apertured guide or spider 29 is secured in the tube I 6 behind the valve 20 and through which a smaller inner tube 3|] extends for positioning longitudinally in the larger outer tube I 6, the front end of the tube 30 being slidably received in the rear end of the passage 2|. A coil spring 3| is positioned on the tube 30 between the guide 29 and the rear end of the valve 20 and a coil spring 32 is positioned between the front end of the valve 20 and a plug 33 secured in the front end of the tube I6, the springs 3| and 32 cooperating to maintain the valve 20 in a neutral position in the tube It with the passages 22 and 23 out of registry with the port l8 and with the passages 21 and 28 out of registry with the port l9.

In the operation of the device the tubes l6 and 30 communicate with a common source of fluid pressure having suitable control means (not shown) for supplying fluid under pressure to the chamber l5 through either of the tubes, the other tube constituting a return line.

When fluid pressure is supplied to the inner tube 30 the fluid will enter the passage 2| for acting against the front end of the valve 2ll v whereby the valve is moved rearwardly in the tube I6 to register the passage 22 with the port l8 and exert its influenceagainst the front side of the piston to move the same rearwardly in the chamber IS.

The rearward movement of the piston will carry the pin l2 with it, which by reason of its eccentric position at the inner end of the shaft II will rotate the shaft to reverse the position of the 3 blades 10. At the same time the passage 21 will register with the port l9 and permit the exhausting of the fluid from behind the piston through the tube IE to the supply.

Release of the pressure against the front end of the valve will enable the springs 3| and 32 to return the valve to its neutral position and the blades will be held in their adjusted position.

A reverse movement of the blades is obtained by admitting fiuid under pressure through the tube [6 behind the valve 20 thereby sliding the valve forwardly to register the passage 28 with the port I9 to subject the rear of the piston l4 to fluid pressure to thus slide the piston forwardly in the chamber l5 and at the same time register the passage 23 with the port I8 for return of the fluid at the front end of the chamber through the tube 30.

The hub 5 may be connected to a drive shaft (not shown) in any suitable manner.

In View of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings it is believed that a clear understanding of the construction, operation and advantages of the device will be quite apparent to those skilled in the art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention the same is susceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of the invention as herein described and the scope of the appended claim.

We claim:

A reversible propeller comprising a housing having a chamber therein, a pair of propeller blades each including a root journaled in diametrically opposite sides of the housing, a piston 4 working in the chamber, interconnecting means between the roots and the piston operable to transmit reciprocating movement of the piston to rotary movement of the root to vary the pitch of the blades, a tube extending through the housing having ports communicating with the chamber at opposite sides of the piston and adapted to subject the piston to fluid pressure, said piston being slidable on the tube, a sliding reversing valve in the tube controlling the ports in the tube to oppositely actuate the piston, said valve having a passage therethrough, and a fluid pressure supply pipe connected to the passage at one end of the valve to supply fluid pressure behind an opposite end of the valve to move the valve in 'one direction, the first named end of the valve being subjected to fluid pressure in the tube to move the valve in an opposite direction, and said tube and said supply pipe alternately providing fluid pressure supply and return conduits for the chamber upon reversing of the valve.

EARNEST R. KENNEDY. LOWELL E. KENNEDY.

REFERENCES CITED The following referenlces are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,802,808 De Narde Apr. 28, 1931 2,229,058 Dicks Jan. 21, 1941 2,244,770 Englesson June 10, 1941 2,282,297 Keller May 5, 1942 2,355,039 Eves Aug. 1, 1944 2,391,629 Keller Dec. 25, 1945 2,413,439 Drake Dec. 31, 1946

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