US2595863A - Mounting for driving units on motorboats - Google Patents

Description

May 6, 1952 A. e. LOOFBOURROW 2,595,363

MOUNTING FOR DRIVING UNITS 0N MOTORBOATS Filed July 7, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 IN VEN TOR.

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A. G. LOOFBOURROW MOUNTING FOR DRIVING UNITS ON MOTORBOATS Filed July 7, 1949 INVENTOR. /y/477 C2 Zoo/Zazzrvv a/wwfl W Patented May 6, 1952 MOUNTING FOR DRIVING UNITS ON MOTORBOATS Alan G. Loofbourrow, Birmingham, Mich., as-

signor to Chrysler Corporation, Highland Park, Mich, a corporation of Delaware Application July 7, 1949, Serial No. 103,412

6 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved mounting for the driving unit or power train of a motor boat and more particularly to mounting means operable to accommodate limited universal movement of the propeller relative to the hull of a motor boat.

In conventional motor boat construction a propeller shaft which operably connects an engine with a propeller is mounted so that it is inclined relative to the surface of the water or direction 1 of travel of the boat. In constructions of this type it is evident that the plane of rotation of the propeller is inclined to the vertical plane which would be normal to the direction of travel of the boat. The propeller is designed to operate as a screw movingon an axis corresponding to its propeller shaft while actually it is dragged through the water at an angle to its axis. This produces a dynamic unbalance which imparts lateral forces to the propeller which tend to move it and produce vibration. Heretofore, in the construction of motor boats the propeller shaft has been secured to the hull so that lateral movements thereof induced by the dynamic unbalance were transmitted to the hulland produced vibration therein.

It is a principal object of this invention to so mount the propeller and its shaft relative to' the hull of a boat that a limited amount of relatively unrestrained universal motion of the propeller relative to the hull is accommodated. This permits the propeller and. its shaft to move in response to forces imparted thereto by its dynamic unbalance without vibrating the hull.-

In order to accommodate a limited. universal movement of the propeller relative to the hull it becomes necessary to incorporate in the driving unit of the boat means to accommodate such.

universal movement and to provide means to transmit thrust from the propeller to the hull which is capable of accommodating such limited universal movement. It is an object of this invention to provide a novel. driving unit that possesses these necessary attributes.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view inside elevation and partly in section showing a motor boat incorporating my invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view partly in section of a stuffing box;

Fig. 3 is a view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 showing a strut which supports the propeller shaft on the hull;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view of the driving unit showing the propeller shaft in several of its possible positions;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view partly in section of a portion of the driving unit;

Fig. 6 is a section taken substantially on the line 6--6 of Fig. 5 with the supporting brackets included in the view as indicated by the line 6-6 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the device illustrated in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a section on the line 88 of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary enlargement of the bearing and associated parts shown in Fig. 5.

In Fig. 1 a motor boat Ii! is illustrated as including an engine [2 supported on the hull by engine mountings I4, a transmission It and a propeller shaft i8 carrying a propeller 28. A

' thrust transmitting device 22 connects the propeller shaft IS with the hull of the boat and a universal joint means 24 is interposed between the device 22 and a shaft 94 extending from the transmission IS. A strut or propeller shaft supporting bracket 26 which depends from the exterior of the hull has a portion while circumscribes the shaft [8 and includes a relatively flexible material operable to accommodate rocking movement of the shaft l8 relative thereto. The bracket 26 serves as a fulcrum about which the propeller shaft l8 rocks in response to lateral forces applied to the propeller by reason of its dynamic unbalance and the universal joint means 24 serves to drivingly connect the movable shaft [8 with the engine and its associated transmission. A stuffing box 28 serves to prevent the admission of water to the hull at the point where the hull is penetrated by the propeller shaft [8.

The stufiing. box 28 is illustrated in more detail in Fig. 2 and comprises a bearing 30 which circumscribes the propeller shaft 18 and a casting 32 which is secured to the hull around an opening therein. A rubber tube 3 1 surrounds the shaft l 8 and is fastened by a hose clamp 36 to the bearing 30. A second hose clamp 38 serves to secure the other end of the rubber tube to a collar 40" which is carried by the casting 32 so that a fluid seal is effected and the admission of water to the interior of the boat is thus prevented although the shaft [8 is permitted to rotate in the bearing 39 and to have universal movement rel ative to the casting 32.

In. Fig. 3' the propeller shaft supporting bracket 26 is illustrated as secured to the underside of the hull of the boat Hi. The bracket 26 is provided with an annular portion 44 which is penetrated by the shaft 13 and a relatively hard rubber bearing. 46 of conventional marine construction circumscribes the shaft [8 and is carried by the bracket 26 by means of a relatively soft rubber ring 48- which' permits limited rocking movement of the shaft i8 and bearing 46 relative to the bracket 26.

The thrust transmitting device 22 includes an arm or strut 59 which extends laterally of the boat and which is mounted in a manner to be described on brackets 52 carried by the hull of the boat. Any suitable means for connecting the arm or strut 50 to the propeller shaft I8 so that the shaft can rotate relative to the arm and yet transmit thrust to the arm would be satisfactory although the particular thrust transmitting connection illustrated will be described. In Fig. a collar 54 is illustrated as circumscribing the input end of the shaft I8 and being secured thereto by a plurality of bolts 56. A second collar 58 is carried by the first collar and secured thereto by bolts 60 and the collar 58 abuts an annular bearing element 62 which in turn abuts a hub or collar 64. The collar 58, bearing element 62 and hub 64 are bolted together by a splined stub shaft 66 and a pair of nuts 68 so that these part operate as an integral unit. The bearing element 62 and a second annular bearing element 19 carry aligned raceways in which a plurality of balls I2 are carried. A pair of complementary annular rings 14 and I6 are disposed on opposite sides of arm and abut the sides of annular bearing I0 to retain the latter in position. Hub 64, bearing element 62 and collars 58 and 54 rotate as a unit with shaft I8 and the balls I2 accommodate this rotation relative to the annular bearing element I0, arm 50 and annular rings I4 and I6. Longitudinal thrust from the shaft I8 is transmitted through collars 54 and 58 to bearing element 62 and through bearing element 62 to ball I2 which reacts against the raceway in annular bearing element I0 to impart thrust to annular ring I4 and arm 50, as illustrated in Fig. 9, so that the arm 50 moves forward as an incident to rotation of the propeller in the water.

The arm 50 which is carried in the manner described by the propeller shaft I8 is suspended from a plurality of bolts 80 carried by the brackets 52 which are secured to the hull of the boat. Each bolt 80 carries a pair of flexible cushion elements 82 and 84 which are preferably fabricated of rubber and which circumscribe the bolt 80 on opposite sides of the arm 50 as illustrated in Fig. 7. Each bolt 80 also carries a washer 86 which abuts the exposed end of the associated cushion element 82. The thrust transmitted to the arm 50 from the propeller, as above described, is in turn transmitted to the hull of the boat by compression of the flexible elements 84 against the brackets 52. If desired, the flexible elements 82 and 84, may be bonded to the arm 50 and washers 86. It will thus be seen that the shaft I8 is supported in the arm 50 for rotation relative thereto, but that radial movement of the shaft I8 and am 50 relative to the hull may be accommodated by distortion of the elements 82 and 84 so that vibration inherent in the shaft I 8 due to the dynamic unbalance of the propeller will not be transmitted directly to the hull.

In view of the fact that the forces of dynamic unbalance are applied on the outboard end of shaft I8 the shaft I8 and its associated parts fulcrum about strut or bracket 26 and a lateral movement or radial displacement of the hub 64 relative to shaft 94 is thereby produced. In order to accommodate this lateral movement of the hub 64 and provide a driving connection between this collar and. the engine and its associated parts which are fixed relative to the hull a pair of conventional universal joints generally designated by the numerals 90 and 92 are interposed between hub 64 and the shaft 94 which constitutes the driven shaft of the transmission I6. The shaft 94 has a hub I00 drivingly mounted thereon and this hub has a flange I02 extending radially from its inner end and carrying a housing I04. As

best shown by Fig. 8, the housing I04 is shaped to provide diametrically opposed guideways I06 and I08 and in intermediate passage IIO which is substantially larger than the guideways. The flange I02 has cavities or recesses II2 which in effect elongate the guideways. At the opposite end of the body I04, a circular plate H4 is fastened to the body. The plate I I4 extends radially inwardly and carries a cylindrical sleeve II6 which extends axially of the shafts I8 and 94. It will be observed that the plate I I4 acts as an end wall which extends over the ends of guideways I06 and I08.

An identical structure is fastened to the collar 64 with corresponding numerals identifying like parts. Thus, two sleeves II6--I I6 extend towards each other although it still be observed that they are spaced axially a substantial distance. For sealing the space between the ends of these sleeves, a sealing band, which may comprise rubber as indicated at II8, extends around the ends of the sleeves and in order to prevent loosening of the band, adjustable clamps I20 positively hold the ends of the band. It should be evident that this band permits either shaft with its housing and other parts connected thereto to move radially or at angle with respect to the othershaft and the parts connected to it.

A central connecting shaft 96 extends longitudinally in the sleeves I I8 and opposite ends of this shaft project into the central passages I In in the housings I04. Each end of this shaft has a diametrically extending pin I22 securely held in position and opposite ends of the pin are provided with ball elements and centering buttons indicated at I24 and I26 respectively.

Springs I28 are adapted to resiliently position the connecting shaft 96 axially of the joint assembly so as to prevent shifting of the member axially at least in an undesirable manner. In other words, the springs tend to centralize the connecting shaft 96 axially of the assembly while still permitting axial movement of the connecting shaft and other parts.

It will be apparent that the shafts I8 and 94 can be pulled apart or away from each other and that movement of ball elements I24 in guideways I96 and I08 and the band II8 will allow such movement. It is likewise apparent that the shafts can be moved towards each other if necessary against the action of the springs. Furthermore, it will be apparent that the shafts l8 and 94 can operate at an angle to each other and that the parts will take relative positions in accordance with the movements required. When the shafts I8 and 94 are at an angle to each other and the adjacent ends thereof are laterally displaced the collar 64 will be carried by shaft I8 and hub I00 will be carried by shaft 94. The ball elements I24 will move longitudinally and tilt in guideways I06 and I08 to accommodate the necessary tilting of connecting shaft 96 and the change in the distance between collar 64 and hub I00 will be accommodated by band H8 and movement of the ball elements longitudinally in the guideways.

Fig. 4 diagrammatically illustrates the positions assumed by the parts as an incident to movement of the propeller under the influence of the lateral forces imparted thereto by its dynamic unbalance. The motor I2, transmission I6 and shaft 94 are secured to the hull while the propeller shaft I8 carrying the propeller 20 is fulcrummedabout the str-ut or bracket 26. The universal joint means and 92 permits stub shaft 96 to assume positions similar to those illustrated on an exa gerated scale in Fig. 4 to accommodate a driving connection between the shafts 94 and 18- in spite of the lateral or radial movement of the inboard end of the shaft l8 and the thrust transmitting device 22 transmits longitudinal thrust to the hull of the boat from shaft l8 While the cushion ele ments 82 and 84 incorporated in the device 22 accommodate the movement of the shaft I 8 rela tive tothe hull.

I claim:

1. In a motor boat, a hull, a propeller shaft extending through said hull and having a, propeller secured thereto on its outboard end, a propeller shaft supporting bracket depending from the exterior of said hull and having a bearing circumscribing said propeller shaft and mounted in said bracket for limited rocking movement relative to said bracket to accommodate rocking movement of said propeller shaft in said bracket with said bracket as the fulcrum, an engine mounted in said hull and having a driving shaft terminating in close proximity to the inboard end of said propeller shaft, a double universal joint means driving- 1y connecting said driving shaft and the inboard end of said propeller shaft, said universal joint means including means to accommodate limited radial displacement between adjacent ends of said driving shaft and said propeller shaft effected by rocking movement of said propeller shaft about said bracket as a fulcrum, a strut extending transversely of said propeller shaft intermediate said bracket and said universal joint means and having a bearing circumscribing said propeller shaft and operable to accommodate rotation of said propeller shaft relative to said strut, cooperating means carried by said bearing and said propeller shaft operable to transmit thrust longitudinally of said propeller shaft to said strut, and a resilient supporting structure mounting said strut on said hull and operable to transmit said longitudinal thrust to said hull and accomodate limited radial movement of said propeller shaft and strut relative to said hull.

2. In a motor boat, a hull, a propeller shaft extending through said hull and having a propeller secured thereto on its outboard end, a propeller shaft supporting bracket depending from the exterior of said hull, said bracket including an annular portion, a bearing circumscribing said propeller shaft and located in said annular portion and a rubber ring circumscribing said bearing and mounted within said annular portion to accommodate limited rocking movement of said bear ing relative to said bracket as an incident to rocking movement of said propeller shaft in said bracket with said bracket as the fulcrum, an engine mounted in said hull and having a driving shaft terminating in close proximity to the inboard end of said propeller shaft, a double universal joint means drivingly connecting said driving shaft and the inboard end of said propeller shaft, said universal joint means including means to accommodate limited radial displacement between adjacent ends of said driving shaft and said propeller shaft eifected by rocking movement of said propeller shaft about said bracket as a fulcrum, a strut extending transversely of said propeller shaft intermediate said bracket and said universal joint means and having a bearing circumscribing said propeller shaft and operable to accommodate rotation of said propeller shaft relative to said strut, cooperating means carried by said bearing and said propeller shaft operable to transmit thrust longitudinally of said propeller shaft to said strut, and a resilient supporting structure mounting said strut on said hull and operable to transmit said longitudinal thrust to said hull and accommodate limited radial movement of said propeller shaft and strut relative to said hull.

3. In a motor boat, a hull, a propeller shaft extending through said hull and having a propeller secured thereto on its outboard end, a propeller shaft supporting bracket depending from the exterior of said hull and having a bearing circumscribing said propeller shaft and mounted in said bracket for limited rocking movement relative to said bracket to accommodate rocking movement of said propeller shaft in said bracket with said bracket as the fulcrum, an engine mounted in said hull and having a driving shaft terminating in close proximity to the inboard end of said propeller shaft, a double universal joint device drivingly connecting said driving shaft and the inboard end of said propeller shaft, said universal joint device including a hub drivingly carried by said driving shaft, a hub drivingly carried by said propeller shaft, each of said hubs being provided with diametrically opposed guideways extending longitudinally of their associated shaft, a, connecting shaft located intermediate said hubs and having a diametrically extending pin secured to each end portion thereof, each of said pins having a ball element carried by each end thereof, one of said ball elements being positioned in each of said guideways to mount said connecting shaft for universal movement relative to said driving shaft and relative to said driven shaft, said ball elements being adapted to move longitudinally of said guideways to accommodate limited longitudinal extension and contraction of said device which occurs as an incident to relative radial displacement of the adjacent ends of said driving and driven shafts effected by rocking movement of said propeller shaft about said bracket as a fulcrum, a strut extending transversely of said propeller shaft intermediate said bracket and said universal joint device and having a bearing circumscribing said propeller shaft and operable to accommodate rotation of said propeller shaft relative to said strut, cooperating means carried by said bearing and said propeller shaft operable to transmit thrust longitudinally of said propeller. shaft to said strut, and a resilient supporting structure mounting said strut on said hull and operable to transmit said longitudinal thrust to said hull and accommodate limited radial movement of said propeller shaft and strut relative to said hull.

l. In a motor boat, a hull, a propeller shaft extending through said hull and having a propeller secured thereto on its outboard end, a propeller shaft supporting bracket depending from the exterior of said hull and having a bearing circumscribing said propeller shaft and mounted in said bracket for limited rocking movement relative to said bracket to accommodate rocking movement of said propeller shaft in said bracket with said bracket as the fulcrum, an engine mounted in said hull and having a driving shaft terminating in close proximity to the inboard end of said propeller shaft, a double universal joint means drivingly connecting said driving shaft and the inboard end of said propeller shaft, said universal joint means includ- 'ing means to accommodate limited radial displacement between adjacent ends of said driving shaft and said propeller shaft effected by rocking movement of said propeller shaft about said bracket as a fulcrum, a strut extending transversely of said propeller shaft intermediate said bracket and said universal joint means, a second bearing in which said propeller shaft is journalled, said second bearing being carried by said strut and adapted to accommodate rotation of said propeller shaft relative to said strut, cooperating means carried by said bearing and said propeller shaft operable to transmit thrust longitudinally of said propeller shaft to said strut, and a supporting structure mounting said strut on said hull and operable to transmit said longitudinal thrust to said hull and accommodate limited radial movement of said propeller shaft and strut relative to said hull, said supporting structure including a bolt extending through said strut and having a first end thereof secured to said hull and a pair of rubber cushion elements interposed respectively between said first end of said bolt and one side of said strut and between the other end of said bolt and the other side of said strut.

5. In a motor boat, a hull, an engine supported in said hull and having a driving shaft, a propeller shaft extending through said hull and having a propeller secured thereto on its outboard end, a propeller shaft supporting bracket mounted on the exterior of said hull, a bearing circumscribing the outboard portion of said propeller shaft and carried by said bracket for limited rocking movement relative thereto, a bearing mounted on said hull for the transmission of longitudinal thrust thereto and for limited movement transverse of the propeller shaft and operable to transmit thrust longitudinally of said propeller shaft to said hull, said propeller shaft being journalled in said bearing, cooperating means carried by said propeller shaft and said bearing to transmit thrust longitudinally of said propeller shaft to said bearing, and means forming a drive transmitting connection between said driving shaft and said propeller shaft and operable to accommodate relative lateral movement between the inboard end of said propeller shaft and said driving shaft to accommodate rocking of said propeller shaft about said bracket as a fulcrum.

6. In a motor boat, a hull, a propeller shaft extending through said hull and having a propeller secured thereto on its outboard end, a

propeller shaft supporting bracket depending from the exterior of said hull and having a bearing circumscribing said propeller shaft and mounted in said bracket for limited rocking movement relative to said bracket to accommodate rocking movement of said propeller shaft in said bracket with said bracket as the fulcrum, an engine mounted in said hull and having a driving shaft terminating in close proximity to the inboard end of said propeller shaft, a double universal joint means drivingly connecting said driving shaft and the inboard end of said propeller shaft, said universal joint means including means to accommodate limited radial displacement between adjacent ends of said driving shaft and said propeller shaft effected by rocking movement of said propeller shaft about said bracket as a fulcrum, an arm carried by said propeller shaft intermediate said bracket and said universal joint means, cooperating means carried by said shaft and said arm to establish a connection therebetween for the transmission of thrust longitudinally of said propeller shaft, and a resilient supporting structure mounting said strut on said hull and operable to transmit said longitudinal thrust to said hull and accommodate limited radial movement of said propeller shaft and strut relative to said hull.

ALAN G. LOOFBOURROW.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 821,925 Collier May 29, 1906 830,908 Martin Sept, 11, 1906 833,364 Arthur Oct. 16, 1906 1,555,214 Johnson Sept. 29, 1925 2,002,517 Balduf May 28,- 1935 2,046,558 Hussman July 7, 1936 2,103,087 Morris Dec. 21, 1937 2,265,079 Mettair Dec. 2, 1941 2,306,664 Scott-Paine Dec. 29, 1942 2,338,796 Berquist Jan. 11, 1944 2,360,786 Miguelon Oct. 17, 1944 2,465,785 Berno Mar. 29, 1949

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