US3071194A - Marine drive assembly - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 1, 1963 w. c. GESKE MARINE DRIVE ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 13, 1961 IN YEA/TOR.

WILL mm C. 655/05,

By ATT RNEYS Jan. 1, 1963 w. c. GESKE 3,071,194

MARINE DRIVE ASSEMBLY Filed Feb. 15, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /A/\/EA/TOR"' WILLIAM (L. 6551(5 United States Patent 3,071,194 MARINE DRIVE ASSEMBLY Wiiliam C. Geske, 13 Pembroke Lake Drive, Ferguson 35, Mo. Filed Feb. 13, 1961, Ser. No. 88,976 1 Claim. (Cl. 170-156) This invention relates to a fluid drive assembly and particularly to a drive assembly for translating motor power into a driving force for watercraft. The invention has secondary utility as a water pump.

The broadest form of the invention comprises a sleeve fixed to a rotary impeller. in the preferred form of the invention, the sleeve is of frusto-conical shape, although a cylindrically shaped sleeve, and a curved sleeve may be used. The impeller is attached to a rotatable shaft by any conventional manner, and the sleeve is attached to the outer edges of the impeller. Consequently, the sleeve rotates with the impeller. As the impeller and the sleeve rotate, the impeller forces water through the sleeve, the

impeller acting to drive the watercraft through the water. However, the sleeve has an important effect in increasing the driving power of the assembly, which effect is produced in several different ways.

Regardless of the impeller used, and there are several different types possible, the sleeve prevents the radial escape of water by the impeller, holding the path of the driven water to a direction that is generally parallel to the path of movement of the watercraft. Therefore, the full pushing power of the impeller is put to use. In addition, because the sleeve is attached to the impeller and rotates with the impeller, there is not the frictional resistance to flow of the swirling water that would exist if the sleeve did not rotate. It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a fluid drive assembly including an impeller and a sleeve surrounding the impeller, which assembly eliminates radial discharge of fluid from the impeller, but does not add materially to the frictional resistance of fluid flow.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fluid drive assembly that makes maximum use of the energy to be transmitted to the assembly by a boat motor.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a fluid drive assembly that includes an impeller surrounded by a sleeve attached to the impeller, the sleeve being formed with a continually reducing internal diameter along the path of fluid through it. This aspect of the v invention produces a hydraulic action, the effect of which is to increase the speed and pressure of fluid flowing through the sleeve.

A further object of the invention is to provide a flui drive assembly that incorporates impeller means and means for confining fluid within the influence of the impeller and for increasing the fluid intake to the impeller. This object is accomplished particularly effectively in one embodiment of the invention wherein several cutting blades are attached to the impeller means and resolve as the impeller rotates. These cutting blades force water into the area both a head of and following the impeller means creating greater pressure and speed of the water. This object is also solved by other embodiments of the invention wherein the confining means comprise solid-wall sleeves with enlarged open ends for admitting a maximum amount of water, the body of the sleeve being tapered toward the open rear end thereof.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a fluid drive assembly having water cutting edges of greater overall length than those of conventional devices, thereby increasing the driving or propelling power of the as sembly.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fluid drive assembly having a throat constriction at the dis- I from the sleeve.

3,071,194 Patented Jan. 1, 1953 charge end for increasing the thrust, thereby increasing speed or driving power of the assembly.

Another object of the invention is to utilize in combination the laws of hydraulics, venturis and cyclones as speed and power magnifiers.

Further objects and advantages will be apparent from a more detailed description of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIGURE l is a sectional view through the longitudinal axis of one form of the fluid drive assembly;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view through the longitudinal axis of another form of the fluid drive assembly;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view through the longitudinal axis of another form of the fluid drive assembly;

FIGURE 4 is a view in section taken along the longitudinal axis of still another form of the invention;

FIGURE 5 is a side elevation view of still. another form of the fluid drive assembly;

FIGURE 6 is a view in section taken along the line 64-6 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a partial isometric view in section showing the shape of the blades of the fluid drive assembly of FIGURE 4; and

FIGURE 8 is an isometric view with parts broken away of still another form of the invention employing a plurality of stages of driving elements.

Referring to FIGURE 1 of the drawings, there is shown afluid drive assembly 10 that is mounted upon arotatable shaft 11. Theshaft 11 may be rotated by a typical boat motor, either outboard or inboard, it being understood that the fluid drive assembly is intended to be used under water.

Thedrive assembly 10 includes asleeve 12 of frustoconical shape havingopen ends 13 and 14. Thelarger end 13 is the normal leading end and has a. tapered edge to reduce water resistance as illustrated. Thetrailing end 14 is the smaller end of thesleeve 12 and there is a neck-downportion 15 adjacent theend 14. The purpose of the neck-downportion 15 is to produce a venturi effect upon the water passing through thesleeve 12 and thereby to increase the discharge pressure and speed of the water. The beginning 16 of theventuri section 15 is gradual, and the end of thesection 15 that terminates with theopening 14 is curved. This shape of theventuri section 15 minimizes the turbulence effect of the venturi section upon the water passing through it.

The inner surface of thesleeve 12 has attached to it the outer edge of a spirallywound rifling rib 19. Therifling rib 19 extends inwardly only a small distance from the inner surface of thesleeve 12. In addition, therib 19 terminates short of therear end 14 of the sleeve to somewhat ease the turbulence of the water emerging Therib 19 is attached byspokes 20 to ahub 21. Thespokes 20 are directed with the same pitch as that of the -rib 19. The number ofspokes 20 is optional. Also, the

spokes may be attached to either therib 19 or to the inner surface of thesleeve 12. Thehub 21 is taperedat both itsforward end 22 and itsrearward end 23 and is threaded, or otherwise formed, to receive theshaft 11. Apin 24 may be provided to lock thehub 21 to theshaft 11.

In addition to therifling rib 19, there may beadditional ribs 25 in any number (small portions of twosuch ribs 25 are illustrated in FIGURE 1). All theribs 25 should be spirally wound in substantially parallel relationship to one another. The pitch of the rifling ribs (as well as the spokes) may be set at any desired angle according to the power vs. speed requirements of specific drive assemblies. Also, thefluid drive assembly 10 has one or more external, spirallywound ribs 28. Therib 28 spirals in the same direction as therib 19 so that when theassembly 10 is rotated in a clockwise direction (as viewed from the left end of FIGURE 1) both theribs 19 and 28 will force water toward therear end 14 of the sleeve .12.

To further increase the power or thrust of thefluid drive assembly 10, there are a plurality of jets adjacent therear end 14 of thesleeve 12.

The inner ends 31 of thejets 30 are flush with the inner surface of thesleeve 12, and thejets 30 extend outwardly from the sleeve in a direction that is substantially parallel to the direction of theribs 19 and 28. Therefore, the jets will discharge a stream of fluid in a direction that is substanitally parallel to the direction of movement of the jets as thesleeve 12 rotates. Because of the direction in which thejets 30 project, they present a minimum of drag upon the normal movement of thefluid drive assembly 10. At the same time, the jets add to the effective area of the wall of still water against which the fluid drive assembly discharges moving water to provide motive power. In other words, thejets 30 add a discharge source to therear opening 14. Furthermore, the openings through the jets are quite small so that they discharge small streams of water at high pressure.

In operation, for forward drive, the fluid drive assembly is rotated in a clockwise direction as viewed from theleft end 14 in FIGURE 1. (Of course, the pitch of the driving elements may be reversed. If twin drive assemblies are to be used, there would be oppositely pitched assemblies, rotatable in opposite directions.) As the assembly rotates, the riflingribs 19 and 28 force water rearwardly, the internal rifling ribs drawing water into thesleeve opening 13. The water drawn into the sleeve is propelled further toward the rear of the sleeve. This action alone produces a driving force. In addition, the presence of a sleeve prevents the radial escape of water from a position in the driving path of theribs 19. Furthermore, the tapered shape of thesleeve 12 increases both the pressure and speed of water passing through it.

As the water within the sleeve approaches therearward end 14 of the sleeve it is released from the direct action of theribs 19. (It is still pushed rearward by the increasing flow of Water ahead.) The clearer span aft of the ends of theinternal rifling ribs 19 allows the water to congeal somewhat prior to its being discharged through the venturi opening and through thejets 30.

Although the pressure and speed of the water near the rear end of the sleeve are high, theventuri opening 15 provides a final increase in both pressure and speed that causes the water to fairly explode from the sleeve. As a result, the driving force or thrust of the assembly is very high. The thrust is increased by the presence of thejets 30 which spray fine streams of water at high speed pressure.

The assembly may be rotated in the reverse direction to produce back-up, but the motive power will be at a reduced level. However, it is normally desired that backing be performed at lower speeds.

The embodiment of FIGURE 2 is similar to thefluid drive assembly 10 of FIGURE 1, except that the fluid drive assembly of FIGURE 2 provides a different means for propelling water through thesleeve 12. As illustrated, thefluid drive assembly 35 includes thesleeve 12 having open ends 13 and 14, thesleeve 12 being attached to the outer edges of theinternal rifling ribs 19, which, in turn, is connected byspokes 20 to ahub 21.

However, in addition to the internal rifling or spirally woundribs 19, thefluid drive assembly 35 includes aspirally wound screw 36 attached to thehub 21. The pitch of thescrew 36 is the same as that of the rifling 19.

The operation of thefluid drive assembly 35 is similar to that of the assembly 10except thescrew 36 adds greater pushing power to the water inside thesleeve 12.

It should be appreciated that thejets 30 and the external rifling ribs '28 could be added to theassembly 35.

In the embodiment of FIGURE 3, the frusto-c onical shapedsleeve 12 is used. However, thefluid drive assembly 40 of FIGURE 3 does not have-the riflingribs. The

impeller comprises alarge spiral screw 41, the outer edges of which are attached to thesleeve 12. Thescrew 41 tapers toward itsrear end 42 in conformity with the shape of thesleeve 12 and therear end 42 of thescrew 41 is spaced from theend 14 of thesleeve 12. The free space adjacent the end of thesleeve 12 allows the water to subside in turbulence before being discharged from the sleeve.

FIGURE 4 illustrates afluid drive assembly 45 that comprises acylindrical sleeve 46 having open ends 47 and 48. Thedrive assembly 45 may be attached to arotary shaft 11 by means of ahub 21 similar to the hubs already described. Thedrive assembly 45 includes riflingribs 49 having a spiral shape; the inner edges of the riflingribs 49 are attached byspokes 50 to thehub 21, and the outer edges of theribs 49 are attached to the inner surface of thecylindrical sleeve 46.

The purpose of the cylindrically shapedsleeve 46 is to restrict the flow of water in a radial direction. In other Words, because of the presence of thesleeve 46, the water that is driven through the sleeve by rotation of the riflingribs 49 will be maintained within the confines of thesleeve 46 to increase the thrust of the assembly. Since thesleeve 46 is attached to the riflingribs 49, and, therefore, rotates with theshaft 11, the friction of water against thesleeve 46 is reduced to a minimum.

The embodiment of FIGURE 5 is somewhat different from those described in conjunction with FIGURES 1 through 4. The drive assembly of FIGURE 5 has a pair ofmulti-blade impellers 56 attached to thehub 21 which is secured to theshaft 11. Any number ofsuch impellers 56 may :be provided, and the number of blades of eachimpeller 56 may vary. As illustrated, each of theimpellers 56 has threeblades 57, and the pitch of theblades 57 is such that theimpellers 56 will force wa ter rearward when theassembly 55 is rotated in the direction of the arrow in FIGURE 6.

There is acylindrical band 58 attached to the outer ends of theblades 57 of eachimpeller 56. As can be seen in FIGURE 5, the bands and therefore theimpellers 56, are spaced axially from one another.

Instead of the sleeve previously described, theimpellers 56 are surrounded by a plurality ofelongated blades 60. Theblades 60 are all attached to the band '53 and project outwardly from thebands 58 at an angle, as illustrated in *FIGURE 6. Toward the rearward end of the assembly 55 (the left end as viewed in FIGURE 5) there is anotherband 61 to which the 'blades 60 are also attached, theband 61 serving to mainttain the relative positions of theblades 60 at the rearward end of theassembly 55.

Theblades 60 are water cutting 'blades. As can beseen in FIGURE 7, theedges 62 of the blades 6% are tapered to provide a sharper cutting edge along one side of theblades 60 and to reduce turbulence at the trailing edge of the blades. 7

Thefluid drive assembly 55 is intended to have water driven through it from right to left as viewed in FIG- URE 5, when the assembly is rotated in the direction of the arrow in FIGURE 6. As it is so rotated, the leadingedges 62 of 'theblades 60 cut into the water and actually draw water into theassembly 55. Also, as theassembly 55 rotates, theblades 57 of theimpellers 56 draw water into the central part of the assembly and force it rearward. Theimpellers 56 at the same time force rearward the Water that is drawn in by theblade 60. The result is an increase in pressure of the water that is drawn into the center of the assembly, which increase enhances the discharge force of the water, increasing the thrust of theassembly 55.

It is known that the greater span of cutting edge in a marine driving mechanism, the greater will be the thrust capacity of the driving mechanism. tion of thefluid drive assembly 55, it can be seen that "there is a great increase in the number of cutting edges From an examina- 62 that supplement the cutting edges of theblades 57 of theimpellers 56. Because of this increase in water cutting capacity, together with the angle of theblades 69 that causes the water to be forced inward of theassembly 55, the speed of the water through the assembly is also increased. The increase in speed of the water further adds to the driving power that can be produced by thefluid drive assembly 55.

Finally, in FIGURE 8, anotherdrive assembly 65 is illustrated that employs a plurality of stages of driving components. Thefluid drive assembly 65 is attached to anelongated rotary shaft 66 that is rotated by a conventional boat motor (not shown). There are threeimpellers 67, 68 and 69 each havingblades 76 attached to ahub 71. Thehubs 71, each having tapered forward and rearward ends 72 and 73, respectively, are attached to theshaft 66 bypins 74.

There are three frusto-conical sleeves 75, 76 and 77. Thesleeve 75 is attached to the outer edges of theblades 79 of theimpeller 67. Thesleeve 76 is attached to the outer edges of theblades 70 of the impeller 63, and thesleeve 77 is attached to the outer edges of theblades 76 of theimpeller 69. Each of thesleeves 75, 76 and 77 has open forward and rearward ends 7% and 79, respectively, the ends 78 and 79 being tapered to sharp edges.

The pitch of theblades 70 of theimpellers 67, 63 and 69 are all in the same direction so that the impellers will all drive water in the same direction, depending upon which direction theshaft 66 is rotated. The pitch of the blades of the impellers may be the same or they may increase with increased distance from the front of thefluid drive assembly 65 to take into account the increased speed of the water toward the end of the assembly.

To operate thefluid drive assembly 65, it is rotated. Theimpeller 67 drives water through thefront end 73 of thesleeve 75. That water is driven through thesleeve 75 and discharged into the open forward end of thesleeve 76 Theimpeller 68 further drives that water rearward and, at the same time, additional water is introduced into the second sleeve "/6 through the space between thefront end 78 of thesleeve 76 and the rearward end '79 of thesleeve 75. Consequently, a greater amount of water passes through thesleeve 76 than through thesleeve 75, with a resulting increase in both the pressure and the speed of the water traveling through thesleeve 76. Virtually all of the water discharged from therearward end 79 of thesleeve 76 is picked up by theimpeller 79 and driven through thesleeve 77. In addition, thesleeve 77 picks up still more water through the space between theforward end 78 of thesleeve 77 and therearward end 79 of thesleeve 76. There is, therefore, an even greater pressure and speed of the water traveling through thesleeve 77. Consequently, as Water is discharged through therearward end 79 of thesleeve 77, its discharge force is very high, and, therefore, the forward thrust imparted to theassembly 65 is very great.

Although the operation of each of the embodiments has been individually described, there are several principles of fluid action that are incorporated into the invention, and each of the embodiments incorporates one or more of these principles.

First of all, there is the cyclone effect of the water as it traverses the interior of the sleeve. Under this effeet, the swirling action imparted to the water tends to force it outwardly toward the inner surface of the sleeve.

It is along this inner surface of the sleeve that the rifling ribs are positioned so that the ribs exert their push against the water at the areas of highest pressure and velocity of the Water. In addition, the cyclone effect results in gradually higher pressures of the water as its distance from the center of thesleeve 12 increases, so that the water discharged from the rear end of the sleeve has a pressure concentration over a large area. This results in a further increase in the thrust of the fluid drive assembly.

The second principle involved and incorporated into the invention is the hydraulic effect of the water that is forced through the sleeve. This hydraulic effect produces a ram thrust of the water as it escapes from the sleeve.

The third principle involved is the venturi effect of the neck-down portion of the sleeve adjacent the rear end. This neck-down portion produces a greater concentration of pressure just prior to the expulsion of the water from the sleeve, and this greater pressure produces a greater thrust.

The fourth principle incorporated into the design of the fluid drive assembly is the screw effect. This effect is produced in various ways, as illustrated in the several embodiments, including the riding ribs, the screws, and the multi-blade impellers.

Various changes and modifications may be made within the process of this invention as will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications are within the scope and teaching of this invention as defined by the claim appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

A fluid drive assembly comprising a frusto-conical sleeve, a plurality of blades attached to the inner surface of the sleeve, each extending only part of the Way toward the axis of the sleeve, each blade defining a spiral extending from adjacent one end of the sleeve toward the other and all the blades being parallel, a hub along the axis of the sleeve and extending forward of the larger end of the sleeve for attachment of the sleeve to a drive axis, a plurality of blades connecting the spiral blades to the hub, the connecting blades being parallel to the spiral blades, a plurality of outer blades on the outer surface of the sleeve, the outer blades being paraliel to the spiral blades, and a plurality of jet nozzles adjacent the smailer end of the sleeve, the jet nozzles extending substantially parallel to the blades and having holes through them in communication with the interior of the sleeve.

References Cited in the tiie of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 588 Ericsson Feb. 1, 1838 2,230,398 Benjafield Feb. 4, 1941 2,511,165 Gloss June 13, 1950 2,903,076 Johannesen Sept. 8, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 19,997 Great Britain 1911 15,012 Denmark Aug, 12, 1911 162,066 Great Britain Apr. 20, 1921 175,922 Great Britain Mar. 2, 1922 662,032 Germany July 2, 1938 530,483 Great Britain Dec. 12, 1940

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