Patent ID: 6352455
Filing Date: 2002-03-05
Classification: B63H,F01B,F04B

Abstract:
A propulsion device for moving a vessel through water, comprising:a housing having a throughbore about a central axis; an incoming end cap and an outflowing end cap each mounted along said throughbore and spaced axially from each other, one of said end caps being mounted for movement along the central axis relative to the other end cap; a flexible generally tubular bladder interconnected at one end to said incoming end cap and at an opposite end to said outflowing end cap, the bladder defining (a) an inner chamber therein and between the end caps, and (b) an outer chamber between the bladder and the housing and between the end caps; an incoming inner chamber check valve along a flow path interconnecting the water with the inner chamber; an outflowing inner chamber check valve along a flow path interconnecting the inner chamber with the water; at least one incoming outer chamber check valve each along a flow path interconnecting the water with the outer chamber; at least one outflowing outer chamber check valve each along a flow path interconnecting the outer chamber with the water; and a power supply for controlling the attraction and repulsion of the end caps to cyclically move said one end cap with respect to the other end cap along the central axis in a manner which cyclically varies the volume of both the inner chamber and the outer chamber, thereby creating propulsion as water is drawn into and discharged from the device.