Back to results
US 5,720,636 AGranted
Marine propulsor
OwnerDonald E. Burginventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Loading patent…
Loading patent…
OwnerDonald E. Burginventor
Estimating the term…
The instant invention describes an advanced marine propulsor that has a rotor that is, at least in its majority, enclosed by structure where the rotor, in its preferred embodiment, receives water over at least a majority of its lower portions and gas over at least part of its upper portions. It is possible to delete the gas flow by use of a valve or structure so that an approximate doubling of water flow rate occurs which is valuable as a thrust enhancer for low and mid-range marine vehicle speed operation. It is also possible to operate the rotor with water directed mainly to its lower portions but with little or no gas directed to its upper portions thus forming a partial vacuum over the upper portions of the rotor vanes. When used, a water directing valve that directs water to the rotor vanes preferably has a curvilinear water contacting surface so that water will adhere to and follow that surface. The inherent structural strength of the rotor can be increased by a rotor ring that can be inset into a recess in the adjacent housing to minimize drag of the rotor ring. A simple steering and reversing system for marine propulsors is also proposed. It includes a steering rudder that is in mechanical communication with reversing guide vanes or nozzles such that movement of the steering rudder causes a common movement of the reversing guide vanes or nozzles. A reversing gate is used to block discharge flow when in reverse and thereby redirect the discharge flow to the reversing guide vanes or nozzles. A water deflecting flap is optionally provided to deflect water from hitting the reversing guide vanes or nozzles when operating in a high speed ahead mode and whereby this water deflecting flap is rotated out of the way by force of the discharging water when in reverse.
In an improved marine propulsor for propelling a marine vehicle with said improved marine propulsor including a rotor having rotor vanes, a liquid flow to said rotor vanes when said rotor is rotating and the improved marine propulsor is propelling the marine vehicle, and said rotor vanes capable of accelerating fluids when said rotor is rotating to thereby provide propulsive thrust, the improvement comprising:
In an improved marine propulsor for propelling a marine vehicle with said improved marine propulsor including a rotor having rotor vanes, a liquid flow to said rotor vanes when said rotor is rotating and the improved marine propulsor is propelling the marine vehicle, and said rotor vanes capable of accelerating fluids when said rotor is rotating to thereby provide propulsive thrust, the improvement comprising:
In an improved marine propulsor for propelling a marine vehicle with said improved marine propulsor including a rotor having rotor vanes, a liquid flow to said rotor vanes when said rotor is rotating and the improved marine propulsor is propelling the marine vehicle, and said rotor vanes capable of accelerating fluids when said rotor is rotating to thereby provide propulsive thrust, the improvement comprising:
In an improved marine propulsor for propelling a marine vehicle with said improved marine propulsor including a rotor having rotor vanes, a liquid flow to said rotor vanes when said rotor is rotating and the improved marine propulsor is propelling the marine vehicle, and said rotor vanes capable of accelerating fluids when said rotor is rotating to thereby provide propulsive thrust, the improvement comprising:
In an improved marine propulsor for propelling a marine vehicle with said improved marine propulsor including a rotor having rotor vanes, a liquid flow to said rotor vanes when said rotor is rotating and the improved marine propulsor is propelling the marine vehicle, and said rotor vanes capable of accelerating fluids when said rotor is rotating to thereby provide propulsive thrust, the improvement comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.