Composite and fairwater structures for marine vessels

Abstract: In a marine vessel having a drive shaft that extend rearwardly from its hull, wherein the drive shaft has a coupling and a bearing assembly along its length that are supported by struts, which struts are also secured to the hull of the vessel. A coupling cover encompasses the coupling and is mounted adjacent to a bearing assembly. A fairwater encompasses the coupling cover and is attached to the bearing assembly or the strut associated therewith to define a chamber and a clearance space between the fairwater and the coupling cover for directing fluids therethrough and through the bearing assembly to lubricate such bearing assembly. Vanes are located on the coupling cover or on a separate support located within such chamber to enhance the fluid flow through the bearing assembly. A laminate for use in the structures of such coupling cover; the fairwater, struts, vanes and supports wherein the laminate includes a fiber-reinforced toughened epoxy resin layer sandwiched between a vibration-damping elastomer layer and a biocidal elastomer layer. The marine laminate material can be shaped and sized into a marine structure such as described above, and exhibits desirable marine properties including cavitation-resistance, anti-fouling and vibration damping.

Description: This invention relates to propulsion shaft supports for marine vessels and more particularly to a new and improved means for fairing and protecting propeller shaft, strut barrels,and bearings in a marine environment while providing a unique means to force lubricate and/or cool the bearings for such shaft. The propulsion shaft of a marine vessel extends a considerable distance aft or to the stern from its exit position from such vessel or ship and requires a plurality of support points along such extension of the shaft to assure support of the shafts over hung load and stability as it rotates. On many vessels there may be up to three or four support points along its entire length that need support. In GB-A-236 763 an under-water shaft bearing is described. The bearing comprises a cylindrical shell with axial strips on the inside surface of the shell. The strips are orientated radially inwardly to hold the shaft. Axial passages are formed between the strips, the passages being disposed circumferentially around the shaft. Through the passages flows water for lubricating and cooling the shaft and the strips. At one end of the bearing a cap is attached to the shaft and is rotatable therewith. The cap is provided with vanes serving to induce water through the passages between the strips, when the shaft is rotating. The conventional strut supports for supporting the bearings and the coupling of the rotating shaft would include a metal housing or fairwater that encompasses these elements. The metal housing has a vertical extending support or strut whose upper portions is suitably connected to the vessel framework to provide stability to the support structure. Typically, the fairwater structure and strut supports are metallic in nature wherein such housings or fairwater structures are two hemispheres that are clamped onto the coupling of the drive shaft while desirably having a hydrodynamically balanced shape to reduce turbulence in that area. Such housings, as a practical matter, since in dealing with metal, take the shapes of cylinders and portions of spheres to enhance their handling and manufacture. Considerable shaping and welding and rewelding is required in the manufacture of such housings, which in effect are not ideally hydrodynamic in shape. It is an object of this invention to improve cooling and lubricating means of propulsion shafts of marine vessels. This object is achieved by the features of independent claims 1, 10, 11 and 14. The present invention solves these problems and provides other advantages by providing a cover or casing being attached to the drive shaft forwardly of the bearing structure with pumping vanes mounted thereon. The fairwater structure is then mounted over such cover and attached to the bearing housing to provide a clearance space therebetween so that as the drive shaft is rotated, the vanes will force water through the bearing structure to cool the shaft while providing lubricant to the bearing. In addition, such combination of the cover, pumping vanes and fairwater structure can be used on a coupling that joins axially aligned drive shafts for the propeller to enhance the hydrodynamic flow of water thereover and therethrough. In addition, such fairwater structure enhances serviceability while insuring the forced flow of the surrounding fluids through the bearing structure even when the drive shaft is at an idle speed and the propeller blades are feathered. The invention is directed to a bearing assembly and a coupling for a drive shaft of a marine vessel wherein the coupling has a coupling cover encompassing it and secured to the shaft with a fairwater further encompassing the coupling cover and secured to the bearing assembly. A plurality of vanes are either mounted on the coupling cover or on a separate support that is attached to the shaft between the coupling cover and the bearing assembly to direct the flow of fluids along the clearance space between the coupling cover and the fairwater to lubricate the staves in the bearing assembly. The housings of the bearing assembly, the coupling cover, the vanes and related accessories are molded from the new and improved composite to provide an impact and abrasion resistant, corrosion and cavitation-resistant, anti-fouling, self-dampening, light weight parts. This permits repair and easy removing of the parts under water. The composite structure is of a laminate or sandwiched construction which is cavitation-resistant, anti-fouling and vibration-dampening. Such composite can be formed or molded into various sizes and shapes to facilitate its application to a marine environment such as underwater ship structures and the like. Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the lower stern portion of a marine vessel having a propeller shaft and shaft support means; Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the lower stern portion of the marine vessel in Fig. 1 showing dual drive shafts with their propellers; Fig. 3 is a view of a coupling for a propeller drive shaft and a coupling cover and an outer shell cover along with a bearing unit with a portion broken away to show the flow path taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is an elevational view of the coupling cover and the outer shell taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a plan cross-sectional view of the coupling cover and the outer shell taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the coupling cover and the outer shell as in Fig. 5 but with portions thereof in cross section and showing the vanes on the coupling cover taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the bearing assembly taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 4 with a portion broken away to show the bearing staves; Fig. 8 is a front elevational view of the outer shell or fairwater cover taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 6; Fig. 9 is a front elevational cross-sectional view of the outer shell, coupling cover and propeller shaft taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 6; Fig. 10 is an enlarged view of a cross-sectional showing of the coupling cover and vane taken from Fig. 9; Fig. 11 is an exploded perspective view of the coupling cover with the drive shafts and coupling shown in phantom lines; Fig. 12 is a schematic perspective view illustrating the flow of water between the coupling cover and outer shell through the bearing assembly that is supported by a strut; Fig. 13 is a diagrammatic view of the bearing assembly and covers showing the water flow with the shaft rotating counterclockwise; Fig. 14 is a diagrammatic view of the bearing assembly and covers showing the water flow with the shaft rotating clockwise; Fig. 15 is a diagrammatic view of the bearing assembly as supported by a strut with the respective covers moved axially away from the bearing assembly for inspection and maintenance thereof; Fig. 16 is a side elevational view of a coupling cover and bearing assembly showing a modified form of pumping vanes on the coupling cover; Fig. 17 is a plan view of a single vane on the coupling cover as depicted by Fig. 16; Fig. 18 is a side elevational view of a further modification of a vane on a coupling cover; Fig. 19 is a plan view of the vane shown in Fig. 18; Fig. 20a is a side elevational view of the vane shown in Fig. 18; Fig. 20b is a side elevational view of the vane shown in Fig. 20a but with a portion broken away to show the elastomeric mounting; Fig. 21 is a side elevational view of a modified form of the pumping vanes mounted on an annular vane support located between a bearing assembly and a coupling cover; Fig. 22 is a front elevational view of the vanes and the annular vane support as depicted in Fig. 21; Fig. 23 is a cross-sectional view of the annular vane support taken on line 23-23 of Fig. 22; Fig. 24 is a side elevational view of an annular vane support as shown in Fig. 23 illustrating the flexibility of the vane in response to a change in the drive shaft's rotation; Fig. 25 is a perspective view of the annular vane support and the vanes mounted therein as depicted by Fig. 21; Fig. 26 is a side elevational view of a modified pumping vane on a separate annular support as shown in Fig. 21; Fig. 27 is a front elevational view of the modified form of the pumping vanes mounted in an annular support; Fig. 28 is a side elevational view of the pumping vanes and annular support as shown in Fig. 27, with a portion of the annular support broken away; Fig. 29 is a perspective view of the annular support and pumping vanes of the embodiment as shown in Figs. 26-28; Fig. 30 is a side elevational view of a modified form of a pumping vane and support mounted between a bearing assembly and cover with the drive Shaft connected to a propeller and with a rope guard adjacent thereto; Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, there is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 a pair of longitudinally extending propeller shafts or drive shafts 10 and 11, each supported by brackets or struts 12-14, which struts are themselves depending from and are suitably attached to ships hull 15. The shafts 10 and 11 have separate axial center lines and are similarly constructed and only shaft 10 will be described. Shaft 10 is composed of axially aligned shaft sections or drive shafts 16, 17 and 18 interconnected by couplings 19 as more specifically shown in Figs. 3, 5 and 6. All couplings are similar and only the coupling for adjacent end portions of shafts 17 and 18 will be described. The adjacent ends of shaft sections 17 and 18 have circular flanges 21 and 22 respectively which are secured together as by bolts 23 or by other suitable means. The one exposed end portion of shaft 16 extends into the hull 15 of the ship through a suitable stuffing box 24 for connection to the engine of the ship. Each shaft 10 and 11 have variably pitched propellers 26 and 27 respectively suitably mounted on their respective ends. The flanges 21 and 22 are covered by a pair of shell halves (Fig. 11) 28 and 29, joined together by suitable bolts. The shell halves 28 and 29 at the respective ends are recessed to closely encompass and frictionally engage shafts 17 and 18 close to the abutting ends of such shafts and their flanges 21 and 22. An annular gasket 31 may be interposed between the shaft sections 17 and 18 and the respective end portions of such shell halves 28, 29 to provide a sealed chamber to receive a suitable filler or preservative. The general contour of such joined shell halves 28 and 29 is generally ellipsoidal or oval shaped to define a support or coupling cover or casing 30. Although reference is ellipsoidal, other shapes are contemplated as discussed hereinafter. The coupling cover or housing 30 is firmly secured to the respective shaft sections 17 and 18 to rotate with them. The coupling cover has a plurality of circumferentially spaced vanes 32 mounted on the outer surface thereof in a spiral or helical path relative to the longitudinal center line or axial center line of the shaft 10. The vanes 32 are solid and can be molded with the molding of the shell halves 28 and 29 or molded separately and suitably attached to such shell halves. A vane is a thin flat or curved object that is made to rotate about an axis to cause a fluid to flow or that redirects a flow of fluid. The vanes can be helical as shown in Fig. 3 or a series of flat thin members as disclosed in Fig. 23. Mounted closely adjacent to the shell halves 28 and 29 is a bearing housing or strut barrel 40 supported by a strut 13. Housing or strut barrel 40 has a pair of spaced annular end surfaces 42 (Fig. 4), with threaded bores 43 extending into the housing. The housing 40 has a central opening or bore 44 with a central axis to accommodate a bearing unit to be described. The bearing unit has an outer cylindrical shell 45 which receives a plurality of circumferentially spaced bearing staves 46. Each stave 46 includes a rectangular bearing support element or backing support 47 made from a high quality non-corroding, ultra high molecular weight polyethylene. Suitably bonded to each support bearing element 47 is an elastomeric bearing element 48. The bearing housing, the cylindrical shell 45 and the staves define a bearing assembly that is supported by the strut 13, which strut may be integral with the bearing housing or suitably attached to it. An elastomer is defined as a substance that can be stretched at room temperatures to at least twice its original length and, after having been stretched and the stress removed, returns with force to approximately its original length in a short time (see Glossary of Terms as prepared by ASTM Committee D11 on Rubber and Rubberlike Materials published by the American Society for Testing Materials). The elastomeric or rubber material that can be used can be any of the well known elastomers including for example natural rubber, copolymers of butadiene and acrylonitrile, copolymers of butadiene and styrene, copolymers of butadiene and alkyl acrylates, butyl rubber, olefin rubbers such as ethylene-propylene and EPDM rubber, fluorocarbon rubbers, fluorosilicone rubbers, silicone rubbers, chlorosulfonated polyethylene, polyacrylates, polybutadiene, polychloroprene and the like. The outer shell 45 and the staves 46 are located within such central bore 44 of the housing 40 such that the respective ends abut a pair of semicircular retainer rings 49 which are secured to the end sections of the housing 40. Rings 49 have a plurality of circumferentially spaced bores which receive bolts 51 which in turn are threaded into the respective threaded bores 43 to securely fasten the bearing units within housing 40 with the respective staves 46 surrounding and supporting the propeller shafts 10. As seen in Fig. 7, the staves 46 have a clearance space between adjacent ones defining a plurality of circumferentially spaced grooves to insure a proper flow of water for lubricating the rubber bearing surfaces as well as cool the bearing assembly. The respective staves 46 are replaceable and are easily accessible by the removal of retainer rings 49. A metal oval shaped housing, shell, cover or fairwater nose 53 composed of two half shell sections 54 and 55 (Figs. 1 and 4) are suitably secured together by bolts 56. The one end of fairwater nose 53 is suitably connected to the retainer ring 50 or bearing housing 40 to permit selective detachment for inspection of the bearings and maintenance thereof. The other end portion of fairwater 53 tapers downwardly over the coupling cover 30 to provide an annular clearance space 57 between such fairwater and the outer peripheral surface of shaft section 17. The general outer and inner shape or contour of fairwater 53 is to the general outer ellipsoidal shape of the coupling cover 30 as depicted by Fig. 3 to define an annular flow path 58 therebetween, which flow path is of sufficient clearance to accommodate the spiral pumping vanes 32 that are on the outer surface of coupling cover 30. Thus as the drive shaft 16 is rotated, the coupling cover 30 and the vanes 32 rotate with it drawing in water at the clearance space 57 and force pumping the water through the annular flow path 58 and forcing the water through the clearance space between adjacent bearing staves 46 to lubricate the bearing surfaces as well as to also cool the bearing assembly. Located rearwardly of the bearing housing 40 and the fairwater nose 53 is a conical shaped housing or fairwater tail 61 that is similar in contour as fairwater nose 53, however shorter in overall length. Fairwater 61 has an oval base 62 that tapers down into a smaller oval portion 63 (Fig. 15) to present a dynamically contoured housing to facilitate the smooth flow of water thereover. In a similar manner, the interior or fairwater 61 has a smooth contour that directs the flow of water away from the fairwater 53 and the bearing assembly 40 outwardly therefrom to maintain a smooth flow path. The fairwater 53 is referred to as the fairwater nose while the fairwater 61 is referred to as the fairwater tail. Fig. 11 discloses in phantom lines the axially aligned shaft sections 17 and 18 fastened together by a coupling 19, which coupling 19 has a pair of half shells 28 and 29 securely fastened to the shaft sections to provide a rotating coupling cover 30 with helical vanes 32 thereon, which in turn is encompassed by a fairwater 53 composed of two half shell sections 54 and 55. A modification of the invention is shown in Fig. 16 which discloses a coupling cover, designated 64, having a plurality of vanes or fins 65 suitably connected to the upstream or rearwardly disposed portion of such coupling cover 64. Such fins are made from a flexible elastomeric compound to permit a slight flexing thereof in accordance with the direction of rotation of the shaft sections. In this configuration of the coupling cover 64, the cover is generally cylindrical for the major portion of its axial length and tapers sharply as at 66 on its rearward portion to closely encompass and frictionally engage the shaft sections and to be suitably secured thereto to ensure simultaneous rotation therewith. This type of arrangement of vanes or fins insures that the pumping action of the vanes or fins pumps water through the bearing assembly regardless of which direction the shaft sections are rotated. As in the first described embodiment, a fairwater or cover 68 encompasses the coupling cover 64 and is attached to the bearing assembly 40 while providing an annular clearance space between its interior surface and the coupling cover 64 while terminating at its forwardly disposed position with a clearance space around shaft section 17 to insure a proper flow of lubricant fluids. This modification as well as other modifications are described with respect to shaft sections 17 and 18 and their coupling 19 for simplicity are equally applicable to other shaft sections or to wherever a supporting strut may be required. In certain instances where a strut and bearing assembly is used to support a shaft section, a coupling cover may be used even though a coupling is absent so that the function is to provide the means for lubricating the staves of a bearing assembly. A further modification of the invention is shown in Figs. 18, 19 and 20 and which discloses a coupling cover designated 71. Cover 71 is substantially identical in construction and contour to the rotating coupling cover 30 described in the first embodiment of Figs. 3 through 6 except that the vanes 72 on cover 71 are made from a flexible elastomeric compound that may have fabric reinforcing them or, if desired, a stiffening rib embedded therein to give the vane 72 some stiffness, yet permitting flexing thereof as shown in Fig. 19. Vanes 72 are in effect flexible vanes in comparison to the fixed vanes of the first embodiment (vanes 32). Vanes 72 are oblong in shape in plan view having a rounded forward end 73 and a rearwardly disposed tapering end 74. The forwardly disposed end 73 of vane 72 has a greater thickness than the remaining portion of the vanes to provide a clearance space indicated as "A" in Fig. 20 (as viewed in side elevation) to facilitate the deflection of the rearwardly disposed portion 74 to permit its pumping of water as the coupling cover 71 rotates in either direction. The forwardly disposed end portion 73 is suitably and firmly secured to the coupling cover, which in Fig. 19 is shown as a threaded bolt 75. More than one bolt may be used to assure the alignment of the vanes 72 on coupling cover 71. As in the other embodiments, the coupling cover 71 is encompassed by a fairwater 76 to provide an annular clearance space 77 for the passage of water between such fairwater 76 and the outer surface of coupling cover 71 to provide lubricant to the bearing assembly as previously described. A further modification of this invention would be to have the fins 72 of rigid material and have an elastomeric connection in lieu of the threaded bolt 75 to thus allow the rigid vane to yield at its elastomeric connection which in effect would act as a torsion spring as illustrated in Fig. 20b. The fin 72' is illustrated as secured to an elastomeric bushing 69 that is square in plan view, and which bushing 69 is bonded to a hex or square threaded bushing 70 to provide means for securing it to a coupling cover. The elastomeric bushing 69 with its interconnection to the coupling cover and the fin 72' acts as a torsion spring. A further modification of the invention is shown in Figs. 21 through 25, which discloses a coupling cover 80 similar in contour to the coupling cover 64 of Fig. 16 although any hydrodynamically contoured shape is contemplated including that of Fig. 6. Upstream of the coupling cover 80 is the bearing housing 40 containing its staves as previously described. Encompassing the coupling cover 80 and suitably attached to bearing housing 40 is a fairwater or outer shell 81 having a forwardly disposed hemispherical portion 82 and a longitudinally extending cylindrical portion 83 to define a chamber 84 therebetween. As in the previously described embodiments, the contour of the fairwater 81 follows the general contour of the coupling cover 80 to define an annular clearance space 58 therebetween to facilitate the flow of water into chamber 84 for lubricating the staves of the adjacent bearing assembly within bearing housing 40. In addition, the forwardly disposed end of hemispherical portion 82 closely encompasses the drive shaft to permit the flow of water into chamber 84. Located between bearing housing 40 and the coupling cover 80 is a hub 85, composed of two half sections containing inner rim portions 86, 87 and outer rim portions 88, 89. The inner rim half portions 86, 87 are secured to the outer rim half portions 88, 89 by radially extending members that are interconnected by suitable bolts to form such hub 85 that frictionally engages the outer peripheral surface of shaft section 18 to insure rotation therewith. A plurality of circumferentially spaced elastomeric vanes 90 are suitably secured between the inner rim portions 86, 87 and the outer rim portions 88, 89. The vanes 90 may be constructed of an elastomeric compound with or without fabric reinforcing elements to restrict the flexibility of their deflection. The cross-sectional plan view of each vane 90 has one end of a rounded configuration as at 91 whose respective sides taper to an apex 92. As seen in Fig. 23, the respective vanes in this embodiment are molded integrally with the inner and outer rim sections 86, 87 and 88, 89 respectively. In the normal stationary condition of such hub 85 as mounted on the shaft section 18, the vanes 90 have their apexes 92 disposed along planes that pass through the axial center line (designated B in Fig. 22). Thus as the shaft section 18 is rotated, the vanes will deflect to provide a pumping action to the water contained in the chamber 84 through the bearing assembly to lubricate the staves. Although Fig. 21 discloses the hub 85 with its vanes 90 located between the coupling cover 80 and the bearing housing 40, such hub 85 and its vanes 90 may be used where there is no coupling 19 and no need for a coupling cover 80 but only a fairwater or outer shell 83 and a bearing assembly and housing 40. Upon rotation of the shaft and the hub 85 in the normal manner to move the vessel or ship forward, the vanes will act as pumps to force flow the water to the staves in the bearing assembly. When the rotation of the shaft is reversed, these same vanes will act to pull the water through the bearing assembly. A further modification of the invention is shown in Figs. 26 through 29 which disclose a hub 95 similar in construction to that disclosed in Fig. 18-23, which hub 95 has the two half sections joined together to facilitate its attachment to a drive shaft. In this embodiment, a plurality of circumferentially spaced pumping vanes 96 are suitably secured at one end to the hub 95 between an inner rim portion and an outer rim portion with the vanes lying generally within the structure of the hub such that in their normal condition the vanes are disposed in a circumferential plane that is normal to the axis of rotation of such hub 95, which axis is designated C in Fig. 27 and C-C in Fig. 29. Each vane has one end secured by a pin 97 to the hub 95 allowing the remaining portion of the vane 96 to deflect upon rotation of the drive shaft to which such hub is connected to and pumps water to the staves of a bearing unit with which it is associated with as described in the other embodiments. A further modification of the invention is shown in Fig. 30 which disloses a propeller or drive shaft 100 journaled in a bearing assembly 101 similar to that described above and disclosed by Figs. 4, 7, 21 and 26, which bearing assembly has a strut barrel or housing 102 suitably supported by a strut 103. Mounted adjacent to the strut barrel 102 is a cylindrically shaped rope guard 104 secured to shaft 100 and mounted adjacent to rope guard 104 is a cylindrically shaped hub 105 with propeller blades 106 extending radially outwardly therefrom. Mounted on the end portion of shaft 100 and adjeacent to hub 105 is a hemi-spherically shaped dunce cap 107 with a plurality of apertures 120 therein to facilitate the exiting flow of water from the bearing asembly 101. Secured to the shaft 100 is a hub 108 with vanes 109 identical to the previously described hub 85 and vanes 90 described above with respect to Figs. 21 through 26 wherein vanes 109 pump water through the bearing assembly. A cover 110 encompasses the hub 108 and the portion of the shaft 100 adjacent thereto. One end 111 of cover 110 is suitably secured to the strut barrel 102 while the other end 112 closely encompasses the shaft 100 leaving a clearance space therebetween by which water enters into the chamber 115 defined by the outer surface of shaft 100, cover 110 and the bearing assembly 101. As shaft 100 rotates, the vanes 109 pump the water from chamber 115 through the bearing assembly 101 and out through the apertures 120. In the above described pumping action by the elastomeric or resilient vanes, such vanes by their flexibility and restricted yielding in the hub that is attached to the rotating shaft will pump water in either direction of rotation of the drive shaft. Such vanes are especially applicable where water flow is needed as for lubricating a bearing even though the fairwater/coupling cover condition is not present, as where only a hub and its vanes are mounted adjacent to a bearing assembly.

Claims: A marine vessel having a boat hull (15), an engine within said hull (15), a propeller (26,27) at the stern of said marine vessel, under-water shafts (16,17,18) drivingly connecting said engine to said propeller (26) and bearing means (45-48) encompassing said shafts (16,17,18) for supporting said shafts (16,17,18) for rotation, characterized by at least two separate shafts (17,18) in axial alignment connecting said engine and said propeller (26), one of said shafts (17) connected to said engine and the other one of said shafts (18) connected to said propeller (26), coupling means (19) interconnecting said two shafts (17,18) to secure said shafts (17,18) together for simultaneous rotation, a coupling cover (30;64;71) encompassing said coupling means (19) and secured to said shafts (17,18) for rotation therewith, a support member (12,13,14) secured to said hull (15) and extending downward to adjacent said coupling cover (30;64;71), said bearing means (45-48) connected to said support member (12,13,14) and encompassing said other one of said shafts (18) an outer cover (53;68;76) encompassing said coupling cover (30;64;71) and secured to said support member (13), said coupling cover (30;64;71) having a clearance space (57;77) between said coupling cover (30;64;71) and said outer cover (53;68;76) to facilitate the flow of after therebetween and through said bearing means (45-48) to lubricate said shaft (18) and bearing means (45-48), and a plurality of vanes (32;65;72;72') mounted on said coupling cover (30;64;71) for pumping water through said clearance space (57;77) and through said bearing means (45-48) upon rotation of said shafts (17,18) A marine vessel as set forth in claim 1, wherein the outer contour of said coupling cover (30,71) is an oval. A marine vessel as set forth in claim 1 or 2, wherein said vanes (32;65;72;72') are circumferentially spaced around said coupling cover (30;64;71). A marine vessel as set forth in claim 3, wherein said vanes (32) extend around said coupling cover (30) in helixes. A marine vessel as set forth in one of claims 1 - 3, wherein each of said vanes (65;72;72') is a flexible longitudinally extending member with a pivotal connection on the downstream portion of said vane (65;72) to said coupling cover (64;71). A marine vessel as set forth in on of claims 1 - 3, wherein each of said vanes (65;72;72') is made from an elastomeric material to provide a flexing to said vane (65;72), and said vane (65;72) has a downstream portion secured to said coupling cover (64;71) which facilitates a deflection to upstream portion of said vane (65; 72) as said shafts (17,18) rotate. A marine vessel as set forth in one of claims 1 - 3, wherein said vanes (72') are rigid vanes, and said vanes (72') are connected to said coupling cover (71) by a torsion spring (69,70) to facilitate a relative rotation to pump water through said bearing means (45-48). A marine vessel as set forth in one of claims 1 - 3, wherein said bearing means (45-48) has a plurality of circumferentially spaced staves (46) interleaved with grooves on its inner periphery to facilitate the flow of water through said grooves as pumped by said vanes (32;65;72;72'). A marine vessel as set forth in one of claims 1 - 8, wherein said pumping vanes (32;65;72;72') are molded from an anti marine fouling elastomeric compound. A fluid lubricated bearing comprising a shaft (18) rotatably mounted in a bearing assembly (45-48), said bearing assembly (45-48) encompassing said shaft (18) and having a plurality of circumferentially spaced lands (46) separated by grooves wherein said lands (46) contact portions of said rotating shaft (18) for support thereof, characterized by a support (13) connecting the bearing to the hull (15) of a ship, the bearing assembly (45-48) being secured to said support (13), and the shaft (18) being rotatably mounted in said support (13), an outer shell (53;76) being secured to said support (13) and encompassing a portion of said shaft (18), one end of said outer shell (53;76) having a clearance space between its outer end and said shaft (18) to facilitate the flow of water through said grooves of said bearing, an oval shaped cover (30;71) being mounted between said outer shell (53;76) and said shaft (18) providing a clearance space (57; 77) therebetween, and said oval cover (30; 71) being secured to said shaft (18) for rotation therewith and a plurality of vanes (32;72) mounted on said cover (30; 71) for rotation with said cover (30;71) for forcing water through said clearance space (57; 77) between said cover (30; 71) and said shell (53;76) to lubricate said lands (46) on said bearing assembly (45-48). A housing structure for use with a drive shaft (17,18), comprising a first housing (53,76) encompassing said shaft (17,18), characterized by a coupling (19) being secured to said shaft (17,18) for rotation therewith, a second elongated oval shaped housing (30;71) having an exterior surface and a pair of spaced end portions with bores therethrough to facilitate the passage of said shaft (17,18) therethrough and for securing said oval housing (30;71) to said shaft (17,18), said first housing (53;76) encompassing a major portion of said second housing (30; 71) and spaced therefrom to define a clearance space (57; 77) therebetween, said first housing (53;76) being secured to a strut (13) for attachment to the hull (15) of a ship, and vanes (32;72) being mounted on said exterior surface of said oval housing (30;71) and rotated therewith to pump fluid through said clearance space (57;77) upon rotation of said shaft (17,18). A housing structure as set forth in claim 11, wherein said vanes (32) extend as helixes along said exterior surface of said oval housing (30). A housing structure as set forth in claim 12, wherein said outer surface of said oval housing (30) is made from an anti-foulant material to prevent the barnacle and marine growth build-up hereon. In combination with a boat hull (15) including a stern tube bearing, a drive shaft (18;100) extending from said boat hull (15) through said stern tube bearing (45-48) out and away therefrom, said drive shaft (18;100) having an axial center line (C), a propeller (26;105,106) mounted on said drive shaft (18;100) for rotation therewith, bracket means (12-14;103) attached to said hull (15) for supporting said drive shaft (18;100), a bearing assembly (45-48) mounted in said bracket (12-14;103), said bearing assembly (45-48) having a central opening with a central axis, said central axis is coincident with said axial center line (C), a plurality of circumferentially spaced staves (46) mounted in said bearing assembly (45-48) and extending into said central opening to support said drive shaft (18;100) for rotation; a plurality of grooves in said bearing assembly (45-48) located between said spaced staves (46) to allow for the flow of water through said bearing assembly (45-48), a support member (85;95;108) mounted on said drive shaft (18;100) adjacent to said bearing assembly (45-48) and secured to said drive shaft (18; 100) for rotation therewith, a plurality of circumferentially spaced vanes (90;96;109) mounted on said support member (85;95;108) and operative upon rotation of said drive shaft (18;100) for forcing water through said grooves on said bearing assembly (45-48), characterized in that each of said vanes (90;96;109) is a generally flat elastomeric member with a spaced end portion, and one end portion of each of said vanes (90;96;109) is secured to said support member (85;95;108) to facilitate the forced flow of fluids by said vanes (90;96;109) on rotation of said drive shaft (18;100). A combination as set forth in claim 14, wherein all of said generally flat elastomeric vane members (96) lie in a plane that is normal to said axial center line (C) when said drive shaft (18;100) is non-rotating. A combination as set forth in claim 14, wherein each of said generally flat elastomeric members (90) lies in a plane that passes through said axial center line (C) when said drive shaft (18;100) is non-rotating. A combination as set forth in one of claims 14-17, wherein said support member (85;95;108) has an inner circumferentially extending rim member (86,87), said rim member (86,87) having an axis that is coincident with said axial center line (C), and said vanes (90;96;109) are mounted between said rim member (86,87) and an outer rim member (88,89) and attached thereto for forcing fluids through said bearing assembly (45-48) on rotation of said drive shaft (18;100). A combination as set forth in claim 14 wherein said support member is an oval shaped shell (80) encompassing a portion of said drive shaft (18), an outer shell (81) encompasses said oval shaped shell (80) and is attached to said bearing assembly (45-48), and said outer shell (81) has a clearance space (58) between its inner peripheral surface and said oval shaped shell (80) to facilitate the flow of fluids through said bearing assembly (45-48). A marine vessel as set forth in one of claims 1-9, wherein said outer cover (53;68;81;110) is a laminate structure with an intermediate epoxy resin layer, said epoxy layer is sandwiched between a biocidal elastomeric composition layer and a vibration damping material layer. A marine vessel as set forth in one of claims 1-9 and 19, wherein said coupling cover (30;64;71) is a laminate structure with an intermediate epoxy resin layer, said epoxy layer is sandwiched between a pair of vibration damping material layers. A marine vessel as set forth in claim 20, wherein each of said damping layers having an inner surface and an outer surface, said inner surfaces of said damping layers being adhered to said epoxy layer,and each of said outer surfaces adhered to one surface of biocidal elastomeric composition layer. A marine vessel as set forth in one of claims 1-9, 20 and 21 wherein said outer cover (53;68;81;110) is a laminate structure with an intermediate epoxy resin layer, and said epoxy layer is sandwiched between a pair of biocidal elastomeric composition layers.

Inventors: DUTTON DEAN THOMAS, RAFFERTY GARY MICHAEL, TUCKER W RANDALL, DUTTON, DEAN THOMAS, RAFFERTY, GARY MICHAEL, TUCKER, W. RANDALL
Applicants: GOODRICH CO B F, THE B.F. GOODRICH COMPANY
Application year: 1992
Main classification: B63H23
IPC codes: F16C17, B63B3, B32B27, B32B7, B63H23, B32B25