Patent ID: 6554666
Filing Date: 2003-04-29
Classification: B63H,B64C,F02B

Abstract:
A propulsion apparatus for propelling a vessel on water, including:at least one generally horizontal driving shaft; at least one gear-box mounted on said driving shaft and including four radial shafts disposed along two intercrossed axes that are generally perpendicular to the axis of said driving shaft and to each other; four fluid moving means mounted on said radial shafts and disposed generally in the planes of rotations around the axes of said radial shafts; and means for rotating said driving shaft together with said gear-box and said fluid moving means, wherein: said fluid moving means are constrained by said gear-box to rotate around said radial shafts with a speed of rotation of said driving shaft and being oriented so that two of said fluid moving means extend generally vertically downward, while the other two of said fluid moving means extend generally horizontally in opposite directions parallel to the axis of said driving shaft; said generally horizontal driving shaft with said gear-box being disposed over the level of said water so that said fluid moving means extend into the water when their orientations are changed from horizontal to vertical positions during said rotation.