Improvements in and Connected with the Stern Bearings of Screw Propeller Shafts.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 8th July, 1887.
Specification Accepted, 9th Aug., 1887,
DY JOHN DIENZIES, O Dan Trancisco, omen Dates OT
America, Engineer.]
Improvements in and Connected with the Stern Bearings of Screw
Propeller Shafts.
I, STEWART MENZIES, of 63 Inglefield Terrace, Cathcart Road, Glasgow, Lanark-
shire, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement in writing, reference being had to the two Sheets of Drawings,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
This Invention has reference to and comprises certain improvements in and
connected with the construction of the stern bearings, and stern tube stuffing box
bearings, of screw propeller shafts of steam ships or other vessels; and has for its
object the fitting of these bearings in a portable manner, so as to be more simply and
easily removed, renewed, and inserted, and thus save the very expensive and trouble-
some necessity of keeping steam ships long in dock to remove the propeller and draw
in its end shaft.
And in order that my said invention and the manner of performing or carrying my
improvements into effect or practice may be properly understood, I have hereunto
appended two sheets of explanatory Drawings, in which the same reference letters are
used to indicate corresponding parts in all the figures where shown. Figure 1 Sheet 1,
shows a longitudinal section of the stern tube A with the stern journal bearing
, D, and the inner stuffing box journal bearing C, D, F of the propeller shaft S, as
fitted with my improved portable bushes C, C, and their fittings. Figure 2 is an end
view of the stern bearing C, D; and Figure 3 is a transverse section of the stern
bearing C, D, on the line 1- in Figure 1 while Figure 4 is an end view of the
inner stuffing box bearing C, D, F as taken on the line 2-2 Figure 1. Figures 5
and 6 on sheet 2 show a longitudinal section, and a corresponding end view respectively,
of a stern journals and bearing C, D at the extreme end of the propeller shaft S in
the stern post B beyond, the propeller, as fitted with my improved portable bush
bearing and fittings when a stern bearing is used.
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page_text: Referring to these Drawings:-The nature and novelty of my invention consist all
as follows: In boring the inner and outer ends at a a¹ of the stern tube A, and the
recess b, in the stern post B, Figures 5 and 6 (when that is fitted with a bearing)
of a round, long.tapered form, widest at the outer open ends a, b, and in fitting within
these recesses, a correspondingly tapered or angled bush C, CC, fitted with a strong
flange c on the outer end for securing them by screw pins c', or otherwise, to the
outer ends of the stern tube A and the stern post B. These bushes 0, 0, 0, are
preferably made of brass, and in one piece, but they might be in two or more sections,
especially for large shafts. The stern tube A is jointed and secured at the inner and
outer ends A' A² to the ship as usual; and the internal part of the bushes C, C¹, C²,
is fitted with parallel strips of lignum vitae or other such hardwood D much as these
bearings are at present, but fitted within the removable bushes C, C1, C2 instead of
the fixed bearings as heretofore. The inner ends of these bushes 0, 0, 0, are fitted
with flanges at projecting inwards nearly towards the journals of the shaft, and
against which the inner ends of the strips D of lignum vitae would bear; while a
ring flange E, preferably jointed in two parts at E' is screwed by pins e on the outer
end of the bushes C, C, C, to hear on the outer ends of the lignum vitae strips D
and secure them within the bushes. Two, three, or more longitudinal metal
strips D, D, preferably angled, are screwed or otherwise secured at uniform distances
to the interior of the bushes (, C, C², preferably angled on their sides, between the
strips of lignum vitae to secure these, and prevent their moving within their bush,
bearings, as particularly shown in Figure 3. The screw pins in the flanges c, are
equally divided, so that the bushes C, C, C, can be turned within their recesses a¹,,
to bring the upper unworn lignum vitae strips round to the lower side of the journals,
and raise the propeller shaft S to its original level. Three or more pinching screws
are fitted in the flanges e for drawing back the bushes C, 0, 0, to turn these round.
as stated, the weight of the shaft being raised by screw jacks or otherwise. The inner
bush bearing C of the stern tube is fitted with a stuffing box and stuffing gland F, F', as
shown in Figures 1 and 4, and has a brass ring fat the inner end of the stuffing box F,
bearing up against and retaining the lignum vitae strips D in an equivalent manner
to the ring flanges E of the stern bushes 0,03; and the suffing gland F¹ is screwed
up as usual by long screw bolts and nuts at f, which bolts may be formed on the pinsel,
The bushes C, C, 0,
which secure the bush C in its seat a, a', in the stern tube A.
or other metal fittings of these bushes, would preferably be tinned or otherwise coated,
to prevent galvanic action especially with their seats a¹, b¹. This arrangement of
portable removable tapered bearing bushes C, C, C, also admits of their being easily
removed and fitted with new lignum vitae wearing surface bearings D, and inserted
quickly in port without requiring to withdraw the shaft S. And although lignum
vitae bearings have been described as fitted in all the bushes C, 0, 0, any one or
more of these may be fitted with other bush wearing surfaces, such as the white
metals used for thrust blocks.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
First. The fitting of propeller shafts and stern tubes with portable or removable
stern journal bush bearings, C, C, C, and their fittings, substantially as and for the
purposes herein described, in reference to and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Second. The fitting of the stern journal bearings of propeller shafts with tapered
portable or removable bushes, C, C, 2 substantially as and for the purposes herein
described, in reference to and shown in the accompanying Drawings.