Improvements in Thrust Bearings for Propeller Shafts.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Nov., 1897-Accepted, 1st Jan., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Thrust Bearings for Propeller Shafts.
I, OREN FRITZELLO COOK, of San Jose, in the County of Santa Clara, and State
of California, 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 particu-
larly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to thrust bearings for horizontal shafts, such as the pro-
peller shaft of a steamer, its object being to provide an oil cushion to receive the
thrust of the shaft, the oil for forming the cushion being constantly circulated and
kept under pressure against a collar on the shaft. With this object in view, my
invention consists in the construction and combination of parts hereinafter fully
described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.
The drawing represents a side elevation of a portion of a propeller shaft pro-
vided with my improved thrust bearing, the latter being partly in section.
Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in the several
figures of the drawings.
1 represents the propeller shaft supported in bearings 2 in any usual and
approved manner. 3 represents an annular casing made of two dish-shaped
sections 4, each having a peripheral flange 5, said flanges being perforated for the
reception of bolts 6 by means of which they are firmly secured together, a suitable
Each
packing 7 being interposed between the flanges to make a tight joint.
section is centrally perforated as indicated at 8, for the reception of the shaft 1,.
and each is provided with a stuffing box 9 for the reception of the packing 10
around the shaft 1, the stuffing boxes having the usual followers 11 bolted to them
in the ordinary manner. The annular chamber 12 formed between the two
sections 4 encloses the collar 13 which is rigid on the shaft 1. The collar 13 is
of somewhat less diameter than that of the chamber 12 and also of a width less
than that of the chamber in order that the collar may revolve in the chamber
without coming in contact with it at any point. The central portion of the
inner face of each section 4 is cored out to form the annular recesses 14, said
recesses being of a diameter less than that of the collar 13, so that when the collar
engages the inner face of either section the recess in such section will form a
closed chamber of which the face of the collar will be one wall.
The shaft 1 is provided with an eccentric 15, the strap 16 of which is connected
to the piston rod 17 of an ordinary force pump 18.
19 represents an oil tank which may be located in any desirable position on the
vessel, and a pipe 20 leads from the tank to the pump. From the pump another
pipe 21 leads to one of the recesses 14, and from this pipe 21 a branch pipe 22 leads
to the other recess 14, and the pipe 21 and the branch 22 are provided with shut off
valves 23, of any approved pattern. From the lower part of the chamber 12, a
discharge pipe 24 leads to the oil tank 19. This pipe 24 is preferably of a diameter
somewhat larger than that of the pipe 21 and its branch 22, in order that the oil

page_text: may be freely circulated without subjecting the pump and supply pipes to unneces-
sary strain. It is of course to be understood that the pipes 20 and 21 are pro-
vided with suitable valves at their connection with the pump to permit ingress of
the oil and egress from the pump cylinder in the proper manner. It is also to be
understood that the casing 3 is firmly secured to the vessel in an approved manner,
but I have not deemed it necessary to show the connecting devices. 25 indicates
a pressure gage for the purpose of indicating the pressure within the casing 3.
The operation of the device is as follows:-
Assuming the vessel is being propelled in the direction of the arrow the thrust of
the collar 13 will be toward the left hand section of the casing and it will normally
tend to engage the inner face of the said section. Under these conditions the
valve in the branch pipe 22 will be closed and that in the pipe 21 open, and the
pump being operated by the revolution of the shaft will force the oil from
the tank to the recess 14, and as long as the collar 13 is in frictional engagement
with the face of the section, the oil cannot escape from the recess and it will
accordingly accumulate therein under pressure until sufficient force is generated
to force the collar 13 away from the face of the section 4 when the oil in the recess
will escape in a thin film between them into the chamber 12 and thence by the
pipe 24 to the tank 19. It is therefore apparent that the oil will be constantly
supplied to the recess 14 and maintained therein at such pressure as to form an
cil cushion and keep the collar out of frictional engagement with the inner face
of the section 4, and also that the oil will be constantly circulated through the
casing 3. It is also apparent that should the collar come into frictional engage-
ment with the inner face of the casing, it will quickly be forced therefrom. When
the vessel is propelled in the opposite direction, the valve in the pipe 21 will be:
closed and that in the branch 22 open.
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:
1. In a thrust bearing, the combination with the shaft and the collar rigid
thereon, of a casing enclosing the collar, the chamber of said casing being of
larger dimensions than the collar to permit the latter to rotate therein without
frictional contact, said casing having annular recesses in its opposite faces, said
recesses being of less diameter than that of the collar and each forming a closed
chamber when the collar frictionally engages the inner face of the casing in which
said recess is formed, an oil tank, a pump operated by the shaft and having a pipe
connection with the tank, a pipe leading from the pump to said recesses, and a
pipe leading from the interior of the casing to the tank, substantially as and for
the purpose specified.
2. In a thrust bearing, the combination with the shaft and the collar rigid
thereon, of a casing enclosing the collar, the chamber of said casing being of larger
dimensions than the collar to permit the latter to rotate therein without frictional
contact, said casing having annular recesses in its opposite faces, said recesses
being of less diameter than that of the collar and each forming a closed chamber
when the collar frictionally engages the inner face of the casing in which said
recess is formed, and means substantially as described to circulate oil under pressure
through the chamber and cause it to accumulate in the recesses whereby an oil
cushion is formed, substantially as and for the purpose described.
3. In a thrust bearing, the combination with the shaft and the collar rigid
thereon, of a casing enclosing the collar, the chamber of said casing being of 5
greater diameter than the collar to leave an annular space between them, said
casing having a recess formed in the inner face thereof at each side of the collar,
an oil tank, a pump operated by the shaft, a pipe leading from the tank to the
pump, pipes leading from the pump to said recesses, valves in the last named pipes
to control the flow of oil therethrough, and a return pipe leading from the annular 5
space in the casing to the oil tank, the construction being such that by operating

page_text: the said valves the oil can be pumped to either of the recesses and pass into the
said annular space to be returned to the tank, substantially as described.
Dated this 20th of November 1897
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.