US45473A - Improved stern-bearing for propeller-shafts - Google Patents

Description

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

B. E. CAMPBELL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

Specification forming part of Letters Batent No. 45,473, dated December 20, 1864.

To all whom 'it may concern Beit known that I, 1t. E. CAMPBELL, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Stern-Bearing for Propeller-Shafts 5 and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the saine, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this speciiication, in which- Figure lis a face viewot' this invention, partly in section. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section ofthe same, the line a ac, Fig. l, indicating the plane of section. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section ofthe same, taken in the plane indicated by the line y y, Fig. l.

Similar letters ot' reference indicate like parts.

This invention consists in the application of a wedge acted upon by a key, in combination with the lower box ot' a stern-bearing in such a manner that by the action of the key and wedge said box can be readily adjusted as it wears, and when it has completely worn out it can be easily removed and replaced by a new one without disturbing the bracket.

A represents the bracket ot the stern-bearing, which is constructed in the ordinary manner, ofcast-iron or any other suitable material, and secured to the stern-post by screw-bolts or any other desirable means in the most permanent a-nd durable manner. This bracket is provided with a tubular seat, B, that forms the bearing for the propeller-shaft. The lower part ot' said seat is lined with a box, C, ot' brass, composition, or other suitable material, which is so arranged that it can be adjusted up and down. lt is supported by a wedge, D, which is fitted into a cavity under the seat B, and the bottom of said cavity may be made to form an inclined plane; or the wedge itself may be so shaped that by forcing the same in the direction of the arrow marked on it in Fig. l of the drawings the box G is raised, and

by moving the wedge in the opposite direction the box is lowered. The position of the wedge Ais governed by a key, E, which passes in a transverse direction through a slot, b, in the outer end of the tubular seat B, and through a notch, a, in the upper edge ot' the wedge. The key is wedgeshaped, and it bears with one edge on the shoulder formed at the inner edge ot' the notch a., and its other edge bears on a gib, F, which is iitted into the slot b, as clearly shown in Fig. 3 ofthe drawings. By driving the key E the wedge D is moved in the direction of the arrows marked thereon in Figs. 2 and 3 ofthe drawings, and the box C closes up. By this arrangement said box can always be adjusted as it wears down, and the bearings of the shalt can easily be kept inline. The strain on the stern-post is thereby greatly reduced, and any waste of power from a useless strain on the shaft is avoided. lf the box O has worn out completely, it can easily be removed and replaced by a new one without disturbing the bracket A.

By the use of a sternbearing c( nstructed according to my invention a great saving is eti'ected in repairs of the bearing and adjoining parts, and also in power requisite to turn the propellershat't by keeping the bearings of the same always in line.

Instead ot' adjusting the wedge by the key E, it might be adjusted from the inside of the vessel by a screw or by levers or any other suitable contrivance, and in order to reduce friction it may be supported by friction-rollers.

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- The combination of the box G, wedge D, and one or more keys, E F, arranged and operating as described.

R. E. CAMPBELL.`

Witnesses:

JOHN P. J AMISON, W. HAUEE.

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