Improvements in or connected with Screw Propellers, Ventilating Fans, Boring Tools, and the like, and in Apparatus for Actuating the same.
Year: 1892

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Screw Propellers, Ventilating
Fans, Boring Tools, and the like, and in Apparatus for Actuating
the same.
I, BENNY BERNSTEIN of 225 Broadway, New York in the County and State of
New York, United States of America, Gentleman, 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 :-
My invention relates to devices for actuating screw propellers, ventilating fans,
boring tools and the like, and its object is to provide a simple and easily operated
means whereby such propellers, fans and tools may be caused to travel alternately
backward and forward as they are rotated, without necessitating a change in the
direction of rotation of the driving shaft, to the end that the articles named may
have a screw-like course and exert their power to its fullest extent and continuously,
in an outward direction.
The accompanying drawings forming a part of this Specification, illustrate my
invention, similar numerals of reference designating corresponding parts in the
several views.
Figure
Figure 1 is a plan view of the propelling device as utilized to actuate a screw-
propeller;
is a vertical longitudinal section of the same on the line X-X in
Figure 3 is a vertical transverse section of the same, on the line Y-Y in
Figure 2.
Figure 1; and
In carrying out my invention, I provide a casing 10, constructed of any suitable
metal and of any requisite length, the casing being circular in cross section, open
at its inner end and of somewhat conical shape at its outer end, the latter being
centrally apertured for a purpose which will presently appear.
Within the casing 10 is fitted a cylinder 11, corresponding in cross section to
the body of the casing, and on which the latter is free to rotate and reciprocate,
the cylinder being formed with a flange 12 which may be circular as shown, or of
any other desired shape and by means of which the cylinder may be attached by
screws or bolts to the stern of a vessel or any other suitable support, dependent
upon the use to which the propelling device is to be put.
About midway between the extremities of the cylinder is formed a double
ellipsoidal groove 13, that is, a continuous groove in the shape of a figure "8."
The cylinder is fitted with a bearing sleeve 14, which receives the driving shaft 15,
connected with mechanism for imparting a rotary motion to the shaft. I have not
shown such mechanism, as any of the ordinary and well known means may be
employed for the purpose and the selection is dependent upon the situation of the
propelling device and the object to be attained by its use, as will be readily
understood.
The sleeve 14 is internally threaded to receive a thread 15 on the shaft 15,
which has a bearing at its outer portion in the aperture in the outer end of the
casing 10, and on the shaft 15 is located a collar 14 held to the shaft 15 by a set
screw. The collar 14 carries a pin 16 which enters a recess 10" in the casing 10
for a purpose hereinafter explained.
The inner portion of the shaft 15 is reduced in diameter near the thread 15%, and
a collar 17 is held thereon by a set screw, said collar and the collar 14*, determining
the outward travel of the shaft.
The propeller blades 18 are attached in the ordinary or any proper manner to a

page_text: collar or enlargement 19 formed in one with the casing 10, the blades being of
conventional form and of any desired number. In the collar or enlargement 19 a
threaded aperture is formed to receive an externally threaded nut 20, in which is
fitted or formed integral therewith a pin 21, having a straight body member from
which extends a semi-circular member extending into the groove 13 and having a
reduced or tapered lower edge, the semi-circular member entering the groove 13
in the cylinder 11, as shown best in Figure 2.
The propelling device, when used in connection with a screw propeller, is entirely
submerged in the water and as the shaft 15 is revolved, the pin 16 on the collar 14³
held to the shaft, causes the casing 10 to rotate on the cylinder 11 and carry
with it the blades 18. At this time the pin 21 travels in the groove 13 in the
cylinder, passing continuously from one ellipsoidal portion of the groove to the
other, so that as the casing 10 reciprocates and rotates, the guide 21 travelling in
the groove 13 which is in the shape of the figure 8 reverses the travel of the
blades 18 from right to left or vice versa of what may be termed the axis of
motion .. the shaft 15 and cylinder 11; the blades thus exert their force in the
direction of the outer end of the shaft 15 whether the casing moves inward or
outward.
As the cylinder 11 is stationary and the pin 21 is not only held in place by its
nut but rests upon the bottom of the groove 13, the rotation and reciprocation of
the casing and the propeller blades are steady and uniform; and further, as the
two portions of the groove 13 in the cylinder gradually merge, the reciprocation of
the casing and blades is smooth and even and no jarring takes place. Moreover it
will be seen that, by the conjunction of the pin 21 and the peculiar groove 13, the
blades are reversed in their direction of rotation by first one and then the other of
the portions of the groove, while the driving shaft rotates in one direction only,
and the blades exert a backward pressure on the fluid in which they move, at
all times when in action.
While I have shown and described my invention as applied to a screw propeller,
I desire it to be understood that such is only an instance of its utility, as it may be
equally well applied to ventilating fans and to tools for boring wood or metal,
particularly in the latter case to tools employed for boring armour or boiler plates,
where a steady return of the tool is necessary after each boring is accomplished.
In this case the propelling device would operate vertically instead of horizontally.
At the downward movement of the casing, the cutters (which it must be understood
are such as are ordinarily employed to cut or bore holes in metal) would act on the
metal and be quickly reversed in rotation as the casing rises and again quickly act
on the metal as the casing moves downwards again. The use of the device in con-
nection with boring tools is however only cited as being one of the directions in
which this invention will be of practical utility.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A propelling device, consisting of a cylinder adapted to be fitted on a driving
shaft, a casing rotatable and reciprocable on the cylinder, and means for rotating
and reciprocating said casing by the rotation of the driving shaft, substantially as
shown and described.
2. A propelling device, consisting of a horizontal cylinder, mounted on a rotatable
driving shaft, a casing rotatable and reciprocable on said cylinder, and carrying
blades or fans, the means for rotating and reciprocating said casing substantially
as shown and described.
3. A propelling device, consisting of a horizontal cylinder having a central bore,
and a double ellipsoidal through groove in its body, a bearing sleeve fitting the
bore of the cylinder, a casing rotatable and reciprocable on said cylinder and
carrying blades or fans, a driving shaft extending through the sleeve and casing, a
pin carried by the shaft and entering a recess in the casing, and a pin carried by

page_text: the casing and entering the groove in the cylinder, substantially as shown and
described.
4. In a propelling device, the combination with a driving shaft, a bearing sleeve
mounted on said shaft and carrying a pin at one end, and a cylinder fitted on said
sleeve and provided with a double ellipsoidal through groove in its body, of a
casing fitted to rotate and reciprocate on said cylinder and formed with a recess to
receive the pin on the bearing sleeve, blades or fans on an enlargement of said
casing and a nut fitted in the enlargement of the casing and carrying a pin entering
the groove in the cylinder and over-lapping the bearing sleeve substantially as
shown and described.
Dated this 14th day of December 1892.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.