Wheel drive
AssigneeNautech Limited
InventorDerek J. Fawcett
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A wheel drive for a boat steering wheel comprises a front drivable ring for clamping to the spokes of the wheel, and a driving part including an autopilot-controlled motor supported on a rear ring that is itself supported on the front ring by a series of circumferential rollers engaging a grooved path around the front ring. A torque reaction engagement between the rear ring and an adjacent object prevents rotation of the driving part so that the motor can drive the front ring and the wheel in rotation by means of a drive belt. The engagement does not carry the weight of the driving part, which forms a self-contained unit with the drivable part.
Claims12
A motor-powered wheel drive for operating a boat steering wheel rotatably supported on a mount by a wheel axle defining a wheel axis, comprising:
- a drive part having a drive motor,
- a drivable part, the drivable part comprising an open ring and securing means for securing the drivable part substantially coaxially to the wheel, around the wheel axle between the wheel and the mount thereof, to rotate therewith;
- a drive coupling for applying drive from the drive motor to the ring of the drivable part to drive it and hence the wheel in rotation;
- control means for controlling the drive motor to drive the wheel so as to steer a predetermined heading;
- means for mounting the driving part on the ring of the drivable part, to be supported thereby with the drivable part rotatable relative to the driving part;
- and
- means on the driving part for making a torque reaction engagement with an adjacent object to restrain the driving part from rotation about the wheel axis.
An improved motor-powered wheel drive for a boat, the drive comprising a driving part having a drive motor, a drivable part adapted to rotate with the wheel, a drive coupling for transmitting drive from the motor to the drivable part to drive the drivable part in rotation, and an automatic pilot control system operatively associated with the drive motor for causing the boat to steer a predetermined heading;
- the improvement residing in the drivable part comprising a first ring with means for screwing the ring substantially coaxially to the wheel, the driving part comprising a second ring of substantially similar diameter to the first ring and mounted coaxially thereon, one ring having plural retaining engagement rollers spaced therearound and the other ring having a circumferential path for engagement by the rollers to hold the rings together axially with the driving part supported on the drivable part and the drivable part rotatable relative to the driving part, the automatic pilot and drive motor being fixed to the second ring to be supported therewith and the drive part having means for making a torque reaction engagement with an adjacent object to restrain it from rotation with the wheel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.