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US 6,821,169 B2Granted
Drive system for counter-rotating propellers
OwnerW. Bishop Jordaninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A hybrid gear/sprocket-based transmission is provided for driving a pair of coaxial, counter-rotating propellers in vessels. A drive shaft couplable to an engine crank shaft extends rearward into the transmission case, and a pair of coaxial driven shafts extend rearward out of the transmission case, to which are attachable a pair of propellers. A gear train, containing an even number of gears, reverses the rotational direction of the engine; a flexible member retains the rotational direction of the engine. Improved stability characteristics are imparted by supporting the drive shaft at two points and also by positioning the drive and the driven shafts in vertical alignment.
Claims30
A drive system for a propeller-driven vessel comprising:
- an inner shaft having means adjacent an aft end for affixing an outer propeller thereto to achieve rotation thereof;
- a hollow outer shaft having a longitudinal bore therethrough dimensioned to admit the inner shaft in coaxial relation, the outer shaft having means adjacent an aft end for affixing an inner propeller thereto to achieve rotation thereof;
- a fore driven gear having teeth, the fore driven gear coaxially affixed to the inner shaft;
- aft driven means comprising a flexible, continuous member engageable with the outer shaft for achieving corotation therewith;
- a drive shaft having means for being rotatably driven adjacent a fore end;
- a fore drive gear coaxially affixed for corotation with the drive shaft and having gear teeth positioned for meshing with the fore driven gear teeth for driving the fore driven gear in a first direction;
- and
- aft drive means affixed for corotation with the drive shaft and having means for driving the flexible member in a second direction opposite the first directon.
5 more elements
A drive system for a propeller-driven vessel comprising:
- an inner shaft having means adjacent an aft end for affixing an outer propeller thereto to achieve rotation thereof;
- a hollow outer shaft having a longitudinal bore therethrough dimensioned to admit the inner shaft in coaxial relation, the outer shaft having means adjacent an aft end for affixing an inner propeller thereto to achieve rotation thereof;
- an aft driven gear having teeth, the aft driven gear coaxially affixed to the outer shaft;
- fore driven means comprising a flexible, continuous member engageable with the inner shaft for achieving corotation therewith;
- a drive shaft having means for being rotatably driven adjacent a fore end;
- an aft drive gear coaxially affixed for corotation with the drive shaft and having gear teeth positioned for meshing with the aft driven gear teeth for driving the aft driven gear in a first direction;
- and
- fore drive means affixed for corotation with the drive shaft and having means for driving the flexible member in a second direction opposite the first direction.
5 more elements
A drive system for a propeller-driven vessel comprising:
- a drive shaft having means for being rotatably driven adjacent a fore end;
- bearing means for rotatably supporting the drive shaft adjacent an aft end and between the aft and the fore end;
- a fore drive gear coaxially affixed for corotation with the drive shaft and having gear teeth positioned for meshing with a fore driven gear having gear teeth for driving the fore driven gear in a first direction, the fore driven gear affixable to an inner shaft, the inner shaft having means for affixing an outer propeller thereto for corotation thereof;
- and
- aft drive means affixed for corotation with the drive shaft and having means for driving a flexible member in a second direction opposite the first direction, the flexible member engageable for corotation with a hollow outer shaft positionable coaxially with the inner shaft, the outer shaft having means for affixing an inner propeller thereto for corotation thereof.
2 more elements
A drive system for a propeller-driven vessel comprising:
- a drive shaft having means for being rotatably driven adjacent a fore end;
- bearing means for rotatably supporting the drive shaft adjacent an aft end and between the aft and the fore end;
- an aft drive gear coaxially affixed for corotation with the drive shaft and having gear teeth positioned for meshing with an aft driven gear having gear teeth for driving the aft driven gear in a first direction, the aft driven gear affixable to a hollow outer shaft, the outer shaft having means for affixing an inner propeller thereto for corotation thereof;
- and
- fore drive means affixed for corotation with the drive shaft and having means for driving a flexible member in a second direction opposite the first direction, the flexible member engageable for corotation with an inner shaft positionable within a lumen of the hollow outer shaft, the inner shaft having means for affixing an outer propeller thereto for corotation thereof.
2 more elements
A propeller-driven vessel comprising:
- an outer and an inner propeller;
- an inner shaft having means adjacent an aft end for affixing the outer propeller thereto to achieve rotation thereof;
- a hollow outer shaft having a longitudinal bore therethrough dimensioned to admit the inner shaft in coaxial relation, the outer shaft having means adjacent an aft end for affixing the inner propeller thereto to achieve rotation thereof;
- a fore driven gear having teeth, the fore driven gear coaxially affixed to the inner shaft;
- aft driven means comprising a flexible, continuous member engageable with the outer shaft for achieving corotation therewith;
- a drive shaft having means for being rotatably driven adjacent a fore end;
- a fore drive gear coaxially affixed for corotation with the drive shaft and having gear teeth positioned for meshing with the fore driven gear teeth for driving the fore driven gear in a first direction;
- and
- aft drive means affixed for corotation with the drive shaft and having means for driving the flexible member in a second direction opposite the first direction.
6 more elements
A propeller-driven vessel comprising:
- an inner and an outer propeller;
- an inner shaft having means adjacent an aft end for affixing the outer propeller thereto to achieve rotation thereof;
- a hollow outer shaft having a longitudinal bore therethrough dimensioned to admit the inner shaft in coaxial relation, the outer shaft having means adjacent an aft end for affixing the inner propeller thereto to achieve rotation thereof;
- an aft driven gear having teeth, the aft driven gear coaxially affixed to the outer shaft;
- fore driven means comprising a flexible, continuous member engageable with the inner shaft for achieving corotation therewith;
- a drive shaft having means for being rotatably driven adjacent a fore end;
- an aft drive gear coaxially affixed for corotation with the drive shaft and having gear teeth positioned for meshing with the aft driven gear teeth for driving the aft driven gear in a first direction;
- and
- fore drive means affixed for corotation with the drive shaft and having means for driving the flexible member in a second direction opposite the first direction.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.