Improvements in Steering Propellers.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Jan., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 1st May, 1894-Arcented, 10th Nov., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by HENRY SCHUYLER Ross, of 56, Leonard Street,
New York, in the State of New York, United States of America, Engineer,
U.S. Navy, and SAMUEL SEABURY, of 33, Fifth Avenue, in the City of
New York aforesaid, Lieutenant. U.S. Navy.]
Improvements in Steering Propellers.
I, PHILIP ARTHUR NEWTON of The Office for Patents 6 Bream's Buildings,
Chancery Lane in the County of London, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in steering propellers for ships, and more
particularly to the means for securing the propeller to the driving shaft.
The object is to provide an extended bearing for receiving the thrust and
variable movement of the propeller hub, and to materially strengthen and simplify
the connection between the propeller and the driving shaft.
According to the present invention, the propeller, which is adapted to follow
the movements of the rudder, is joined to the driving shaft in the following
manner :-
To the end of the driving shaft, which projects beyond the stern post of the
vessel, is directly fixed a globular bearing.
This globular bearing is enclosed by the hollow hub of the propeller, which fits
upon the rounded face, and bears thereon, after the manner of a ball and
socket joint.
A connection between the globular bearing and the surrounding hub is effected
by a journal piece having upon it two sets of journals located on axes at right
angles to each other.
One set of journals is mounted in bearings in the globular bearing aforesaid, and
the other set of journals has the propeller hub mounted thereon, the said hub at
the same time embracing and bearing upon the globular bearing, as before
explained.
In this manner, a flexible joint between the propeller and the driving shaft,
having the advantage of an extended bearing, which gives strength and rigidity in
the proper direction, is provided.
Dated this 1st day of January 1894.
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Steering Propellers.
I PHILIP ARTHUR NEWTON of The Office for Patents, 6 Bream's Buildings,
Chancery Lane in the County of London, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The invention relates to improvements in steering propellers, and more
particularly to the means for securing the propeller to the drive shaft.
The object is to provide an extended bearing for receiving the thrust and
variable movement of the propeller hub, and to materially strengthen and simplify
the connection between the propeller and the drive shaft.

page_text: The invention, briefly stated, contemplates a globular bearing fixed directly on
the drive shaft, a journal piece comprising a single forging having two sets of
journals located upon axes at right angles to each other, one set of journals being
mounted in bearings in the aforesaid globular bearing, and the other set having
the propeller hub mounted thereon, the propeller hub at the same time embracing
and bearing upon the curved face of the globular bearing.
In the accompanying drawings:
Fig. 1 represents in side elevation a four-bladed steering propeller in operative
position at the stern of a boat.
Fig. 2 is an enlarged horizontal section through the globular bearing, showing
the propeller hub turned off to one side, the blades of the propeller being
omitted.
Fig. 3 is a transverse section through the globular bearing, showing the hub of
the propeller in position in alignment with the drive shaft.
Fig. 4 is a similar view, showing a simplified structure.
Fig. 5 is a central transverse section through one half of the globular bearing.
Fig. 6 is a face view of said half bearing.
Fig. 7 is a central transverse section through the opposite half of the globular
bearing.
Fig. 8 is an exterior end view of one of the quarter sections of the hub; and
Fig. 9 is an interior face view of said hub section.
The drive shaft is denoted by A. Its end, which protrudes through the stern
post B on the vessel, has keyed thereon a globular bearing connecting the two
sections C and C. The meeting faces of the sections C and C₁ interlock,-a
recess c, which extends diametrically across the face of the section C, being adapted
to receive a corresponding tongue c which extends diametrically across the face of
the section C. Half bearings 2 and care formed in the bottom of the recess c
and face of the tongue c¹ respectively, upon opposite sides of the shaft A, for the
reception of the set of journals d of the journal piece D, and when the latter is in
position, and the sections of the globular bearing adjusted with their faces in
proximity to each other, the said sections are locked against longitudinal displace-
ment along the shaft, by a nut a screwed onto the threaded end a' of the shaft.
The sections C and C₁ may be keyed to the shaft, to rotate therewith, by a
feather a² and groove a³.
The piece D, which is herein termed a journal piece, is, by its set of journals d,
itself journalled in rocking adjustment to the globular bearing fixed to the shaft A,
and said journal piece is further provided with a set of journals d', which project
beyond the curved face of the globular bearing, for connection with the hub of
the propeller. The journal piece D is made to straddle the shaft, and the
opening d therein, through which the shaft extends, is elongated, and preferably
has its ends bevelled, as shown at d³, to permit the rocking movement of the
piece D on its journals d. Provision is further made for such rocking movement
of the journal piece, by openings and in the globular bearing, which openings
extend in opposite directions from the centre of the globular bearing to its outer
surface, and are formed with a view to the free passage of the opposite ends of
the piece D back and forth, in its rocking movement. The piece D, because of
the means for adjusting it in working position, may be forged of a single piece
of material.
The hub of the propeller is formed in quarter sections E, provided with
connecting flanges e, and adapted, when assembled, to embrace the globular bearing,
but cut away at the end, toward the stern post, to permit the hub to assume
varying positions on the bearing. The said quarter sections E are further
provided, on opposite sides of the hub, with bearings e¹, for the reception of the
set of journals d' on the journal piece D.
The propeller blades F radiate from the hub; in the present instance, one from
each quarter section, and a spindle G fixed to the rear end of the hub, has a
bearing hin the arched rudder post H, pivotted to the boat, above and below the

page_text: propeller, as, for example, as at h¹ and h³, and in the plane of the centre of the
globular bearing.
The fit of the hollow propeller hub to the globular bearing is preferably such
that, while the hub may rock on the journals d¹ of the journal piece, and is locked
to rotate with the drive shaft and globular bearing by such journal connection,
the interior of the hub will nevertheless bear upon the curved face of the globular
bearing, rather than on the journals d'.
To ensure the openings and c from the accumulation therein of any foreign
substance, openings are provided in the quarter section E, through which a current
of water will naturally rush when the wheel is in motion.
By the above structure and arrangements of parts, the combined main driving
and steering wheel can be located under cover of the stern, in proximity to the
stern post, and supported upon an extended bearing directly upon the main shaft,
and a strong, economical journal piece provided in a single forging, while the
manipulation of the wheel is easy and its frictional wear upon its bearing slight.
A propeller wheel has been chosen to illustrate a practical embodiment of this
invention, but it is obvious that the connection may be utilized to connect the hub
of a pulley, or power transmitting shaft, to the drive shaft.
In the form shown in Fig. 4, the same principles of construction are followed
as hereinbefore explained in connection with Figs. 1, 2, and 3, but in detail the
structure is simplified, the division of the hub being made at the sides of the
bases of two opposite blades, and the sockets for the reception of the journals
or trunnions d¹ being formed in the hub at the bases of the blades, as shown
at I, I.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The combination with a shaft having a globular bearing fixed thereon, of a
part to be driven having a hollow hub for embracing the globular bearing, and
having a bearing contact therewith, and a connecting piece having a rocking
engagement with the globular bearing, the hollow hub having a rocking engagement
with the connecting piece, substantially as set forth.
2. The combination with a shaft having a globular bearing fixed thereon, of a
part to be driven having a hollow hub for embracing the globular bearing, and a
journal piece provided with two sets of journals, one for connecting the piece with
the globular bearing, and the other set for connecting the hollow hub with the
journal piece, substantially as set forth.
3. The combination with a shaft having a sectional globular bearing fixed
thereon, and a journal piece mounted in the globular bearing, of a part to
be driven having a hollow hub for embracing the globular bearing, the said
hollow hub having a rocking connection with the journal piece, substantially as
set forth.
4. The combination with the drive shaft having a globular bearing fixed thereon,
of the propeller wheel provided with a hollow hub adapted to embrace and bear
upon the globular bearing, a rocking connection between the hub and the globular
bearing, and the swinging rudder post connected with the hub of the propeller
wheel, substantially as set forth.
5. The combination with the drive shaft, having a globular bearing fixed
thereon, of a sectional propeller wheel having its hub fitted to embrace and bear
upon the globular bearing, and a journal piece journalled to the wheel hub and to
the globular bearing, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 30th day of April 1894.
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.