Propulsion device for a ship
OwnerHenry North, David J. Dowhosinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A propulsion system for a vessel comprises a conventional screw and rudder arrangement and includes one or more rotor sails in the form of an elliptical cylinder upstanding from the deck of the vessel formed from a rigid outer surface which is rotatable about a central longitudinal axis. The rotation by the Magnus effect develops a propulsion force transverse to wind currents crossing the vessel. The speed of rotation, direction of rotation and a position of park of the cylinder can be controlled. The position of park allows the major axis to be aligned with the longitudinal axis of the vessel or with the direction of the wind for feathering or transverse to the longitudinal axis of the vessel to act as a conventional sail downwind.
Claims16
A propulsion device for a ship comprising an elongate substantially rigid integral body, means for mounting the body on the ship so as to be upstanding therefrom for engaging air currents passing across the ship, said rigid body having a cross sectional shape in planes transverse thereto which is in the form of a smooth closed curve free from inversions, the dimension of which in the direction of a major axis is longer than the dimension in the direction of a minor axis at right angles thereto, and powered drive means for causing rotation of the rigid body about a single axis longitudinal thereto such that both said major and minor axes rotate about the longitudinal axis to develop by the Magnus Effect a propulsion force transverse to the direction of the air currents, said drive means including means for halting said rotation at an angular orientation of said major and minor axes of said body about said longitudinal axis, said halting means being arranged such that said angular orientation can be adjusted to a plurality of different positions around said axis.
A propulsion device for a ship comprising an elongate substantially rigid integral body, means for mounting the body on the ship so as to be upstanding therefrom for engaging air currents passing across the ship, said rigid body having a cross sectional shape in planes transverse thereto which is in the form of a smooth closed curve free from inversions, the dimension of which in the direction of a major axis is longer than the dimension in the direction of a minor axis at right angles thereto, and powered drive means for causing rotation of the rigid body about a single axis longitudinal thereto such that both said major and minor axes rotate about the longitudinal axis to develop by the Magnus Effect a propulsion force transverse to the direction of the air currents, said drive means including means for halting said rotation at an angular orientation of said major and minor axes of said body about said longitudinal axis, said halting means being arranged such that said angular orientation can be adjusted to a plurality of different positions around said axis wherein said halting means is arranged such that when said body is halted said major axis lies longitudinally to the ship to reduce drag during forward movement of the ship.
A propulsion device for a ship comprising an elongate substantially rigid integral body, means for mounting the body on the ship so as to be upstanding therefrom for engaging air currents passing across the ship, said rigid body having a cross sectional shape in planes transverse thereto which is in the form of a smooth closed curve free from inversions, the dimension of which in the direction of a major axis is longer than the dimension in the direction of a minor axis at right angles thereto, and powered drive means for causing rotation of the rigid body about a single axis longitudinal thereto such that both said major and minor axes rotate about the longitudinal axis to develop by the Magnus Effect a propulsion force transverse to the direction of the air currents, said driven means including means for halting said rotation at an angular orientation of said major and minor axes of said body about said longitudinal axis, said halting means being arranged such that said angular orientation can be adjusted to a plurality of different positions around said axis, wherein said halting means is arranged such that when said body is halted said major axis lies transverse to the ship so that the body acts as a stationary sail in air currents which are parallel to the direction of movement of the ship.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.