Marine propulsion – Screw propeller – Having transmission
Reexamination Certificate
2002-04-25
2003-11-18
Sotelo, Jesus D. (Department: 3617)
Marine propulsion
Screw propeller
Having transmission
C440S113000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06648704
ABSTRACT:
This invention concerns a propulsion motor angle gearbox device housing for floating or submersible craft, more particularly motors mounted on boat or ship bows and poops.
More specifically, the invention concerns a housing or box designed to protect an angle gearbox of the type comprising:
two shafts rotating respectively with respect to two perpendicular rotating shafts, of which a first shaft is driven in rotation by a motor and a second shaft drives at least one propeller in rotation;
as well as mechanical parts such as gears comprising toothed gears and ball-bearings for transmitting rotation from said first shaft to said second shaft.
This type of device is used more particularly in retracing or tilting propulsion devices for use on floating units, in particular for leisure activities in which the propulsion device must be installed well forward in the hull of the boat. In patent WO 97/20733, propulsion units of this type are described, in particular lateral or longitudinal propulsion motors in which the propulsion motor is associated with a guiding arm, the upper part of which includes a motor, while the guiding arm encloses a rotating shaft connected to the motor and driving, at the other end, an angle gearbox device to ensure rotation of the shaft on which a propeller is mounted.
In prior embodiments of the angle gearbox device housing in the maritime area, or in other industrial areas, they are always made of a metallic material with a main part protecting the angle gearbox device comprising a single hollow casting within which are inserted blind aid shafts and said mechanical devices ensuring the angle drive to ensure protection that offers sufficient mechanical strength to take up the considerable forces of mechanical stress induced by the thrust of the shaft supporting said propulsion propeller and to which the housing is exposed when the angle gearbox device is in action. In the case of an immersed device, manufacturers generally use heavy and costly materials such as bronze for the additional requirements of resistance to corrosion.
In addition, this hollow protection metal casting requires precision machining that is lengthy and difficult to obtain.
Finally, because of its structure in a single hollow part of cast metal, the assembly of the various mechanical parts of the angle gearbox device in the housing is lengthy and difficult because it is carried out blind. The fitting of the complete device, in particular to ensure total perpendicularity of the rotating shaft axes in said part is difficult and cannot be inspected when the angle gearbox device is assembled inside the housing. In addition, it is necessary to carry out the full assembly of the angle gearbox device in the housing and assemble the housing with the other mechanical parts assembled at the output of the housing in line with the two shafts to make sure that the angle gearbox device is properly fitted in the housing and verify its alignment according to the adjustment tolerances of the various other components at the output of the housing in line with the two shafts.
These difficulties of alignment and adjustment are all the more evident in that the hollow metal casting is difficult to reproduce uniformly in production because of the amount of precision machining involved in its manufacture.
In addition, the housing consists of an assembly with three other fitted metal parts which must also be machined accurately. These fitted parts ensure the closing of the orifices in said main hollow part through which the various main mechanical components of the angle gearbox device are inserted into said main hollow part. The fitted parts cosign the insertion orifices of the angle gearbox device in said housing are attached to said main metal hollow casting according to a junction plane perpendicular to the rotating axes and, more particularly perpendicular to the propulsion shaft supporting the propeller. Thus, the thrust forces of the shaft supporting the propeller must be taken up by the means of attaching the fitted parts to said main hollow casting at the output orifice of the propulsion shaft supporting the propeller.
In all, because of the structure of the housings in prior embodiments, the machining and assembly of said housings and component parts are particularly lengthy and costly.
Accordingly, in side or longitudinal propulsion motors of the type described in Wo 97/20733, the cost of the housing and the assembly of the mechanical parts of the angle gearbox device it contains represent approximately two-thirds of the cost of the propeller motor.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,946,698 and FR 2 517 018, there are known angle gearbox housings constructed from two half-shells of metallic alloy. In FR 2 517 018, the housing is no longer designed to be immersed in a marine environment for the propulsion of a propeller motor on a floating or submersible craft. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,946,698, the housing comprises two superimposed parts enclosing two angle gearbox devices in such a way that the rotating shaft connected to the motor is parallel to the rotating shaft connected to the propeller.
The problem of this invention is therefore of obtaining an angle gearbox drive device and ball-bearing housing for a floating or submersible craft propulsion motor wherein said angle gearbox device includes a rotating shaft connected to the motor and a perpendicular shaft connected to the propeller, and said housing sufficient mechanical strength to take up the mechanical thrust stresses transmitted by said device and taken up by the housing while overcoming the drawbacks of assembly and cost of prior metallic housings constructed of machined metal parts as described previously.
Another problem is of supplying a housing for use in a marine environment offering mechanical and watertightness stability properties, but also of hydraulic capability, in particular with a small volume and overall size, suitable for the conditions of use in immersion at a depth of at least 1 meter, and preferably at least 3 meters, with tightness designed more specifically to provide protection against the extended effects of immersion under pressure.
The research of the inventor in choosing the structure of the parts that may form the housing main protection body have resulted obtaining a solution to the problems raised with a housing whose main receptacle body for the angle gearbox device comprises several parts of a reinforced synthetic material cooperating to an appropriate junction plane.
More specifically, this invention supplies a propulsion motor angle gearbox device housing for boats intended to be immersed and to contain an angle gearbox device comprising:
two shafts rotating with respect to two perpendicular shafts, the first of which is driven in rotation by said motor, and a second shaft driving at least one propeller in rotation;
as well as the mechanical parts comprising the gears and ball-bearings for transmitting the rotation of said first shaft to said second shaft, characterized in that it comprises two assembled complementary half-shells made of a reinforced thermoplastic polymer synthetic material cooperating with one another according to a junction plane defined by said axes of rotation of said rotating shafts, and each offering in said junction plane:
a hollow area forming a receptacle for said angle gearbox device, and
a plane bearing surface outside said hollow area and serving as a support on the complementary shell.
Preferably, the two half-shells comprise, at their ends, half-sleeves in such a way that once the half-shells are assembled, they define a housing comprising;
an upper tubular sleeve through which said first shaft protrudes, and
at least one side tubular sleeve comprising at least one internal annular opening designed to receive said bearings, through which side sleeve a said second shaft penetrates,
and stable and sealed means of assembly of the two half-shells including tubular-shaped collars fitted around said tubular sleeves, which collars are preferably made of stainless steel.
Said collars provide a stable and
Cohen & Pontani, Lieberman & Pavane
Max Power
Sotelo Jesus D.
LandOfFree
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