GB2054498A

GB2054498A - Steering gear utilizing the "Magnus Effect"

Info

Publication number: GB2054498A
Application number: GB8022752A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: TBW Industries Inc
Current assignee: TBW Industries Inc
Priority date: 1979-07-24
Filing date: 1980-07-11
Publication date: 1981-02-18
Also published as: GB2054498B; DE8019680U1; JPS5640098U; NL8004125A; NO802204L

Abstract

A vessel having longitudinally extending tow knees 27 is provided with vertically rotatable steering gear based on the "Magnus Effect". The rudders here employed consist of a pair of eighteen inch (45.7 cm.) diameter steel cylinders 3 oriented vertically abaft the propellers of a vessel, and have upper and lower end plates 4, 5. The lower end is guided by a skeg bearing, and a shaft extends upwardly through a bearing mounted between the tow knee and the main deck of the vessel, and is surmounted by a thrust bearing and motor coupling. Hydraulic motors are mounted atop the rudder shafts. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Steering gear vertical rotatable rudders The invention relates to vertically rotatable steering gear for vessels.

Vessels, such as tugs, and the like, employed in towing, docking, and other maneuvering of barges, or other vessels of various kinds, are handicapped by the time required to accomplish a change of direction. By utilizing this theory, it is an object of this invention to provide a steering means that will enable a vessel to be moved quickly at right angles to its forward direction, and to accomplish a much faster response to change of direction that is presently possible.

The invention provides vertically rotatable steering gearforvessels, mounted in a vessel, (1) abaft the propeller housing (2), said vessel having longitudinally extended tow knees (27) having a counter deck and structure, characterized by vertically rotatable rudders (3) one end of which are detachably secured to upper shafts (10) mounted in said tow knees (27) with rotating motors (19) mounted on the deck of said vessel above said upper shafts (10) rotating said upper shafts (10) through a drive shaft (20) extending through said deck.

The vertical controlled rudder has means for rotating the same at a sufficiently high speed so that it is rotated at a greater peripheral velocity than the velocity of the flow of the medium to accomplish change in direction of the vessel on which it is mounted.

In the drawings: Figure lisa top view of a catamaran barge employing vertical rotatable rudders; and Figure 2 is a side elevational view, in cross section, of the vertical rudder, taken along the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

In the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a vessel having tow knees 27 at the stern of the vessel and having a propeller housing 2 and the usual propellers 22, 22 which direct a stream of water directly on to a pair of vertical cylindrical rudders 3. Each of the rudders is formed of a tubular housing having bottom and top closure members 4, 5, respectively.

A cylindrical drive shaft 7 extends axially through the tubular rudder 3 and terminates at one end in a reduced area 25 forming a square axle mounted in a skeg bearing 30, and having a threaded cylindrical portion extending through the bottom closure member 4, where it is anchored by suitable nuts 8. The shaft 7 extends through the top closure member 5, and is joined by a flange coupling 9 to upper shaft 10. A pair of tip seals 11, 11 are mounted, one at the lower end of the rudder 3, and the other adjacent the upper end of the rudder 3, and a trash guard 26 extends downwardly from the tow knee structure 1, over the upper end of the rudder 3. The rudder 3 is filled with a suitable filler 6, such as plastic material, for strength.

A lower journal bearing 12 mounted in the vessel, receives the upper shaft 10 which extends through the tow knees 27, 27. A seal 13 is mounted on the shaft 10 to prevent water from entering the vessel. A thrust bearing 14 and thrust bearing collar 15 are mounted on the shaft 10 adjacent its lower end, and an upper journal 16, thrust bearing 17, and thrust bearing collar 18 are mounted on the upper end of the shaft 10. A motor 19 is mounted on the deck of the vessel over each rudder, and a drive shaft 20 extends therefrom into the upper shaft 10, and rotates each shaft and rudder.

The vessel 21 may be equipped with two of the rudders 3. The main engines 24 of the vessel 21 will drive the propellers 22, sending a stream directly against the rudders 3,3, said engines moving the propellers in counter rotation. The rudder design, in accordance with the "Kutta-Joukowski Vortex Formula" for each rudder, will develop a theoretical force to port orto starboard of 16,000 pounds (7257 kg.) when rotated at 200 RPM, with a forward velocity often miles per hour (16.1 km/hr). Brackets 24, 24 transfer the rudder forces to the hull structure.

Steering is accomplished through hydraulic motors (not shown) mounted atop the rudder shafts. The hydraulic circuitry will be electrically controlled. The motors are capable of a minimum of twenty five horsepower (1900 kg. -m./sec.). The units will be capable of turning the rudder shafts at speeds up to 200 RPM (revolutions per minute) in either direction of rotation and rapidly changing the direction of rotation without damage to the equipment from inertial forces.

1. Vertically rotatable steering gear for vessels, mounted in a vessel (1) abaft the propeller housing (2), said vessel having longitudinally extended tow knees (27) having a counter deck and structure, characterized by vertically rotatable rudders (3) one end of which are detachably secured to upper shafts (10) mounted in said tow knees (27) with rotating motors (19) mounted on the deck of said vessel above said upper shafts (10) rotating said upper shafts (10) through a drive shaft (20) extending through said deck.

2. The steering gear of Claim 1, characterized in that said rudders (3) have a flange coupling (9) on their upper ends, joining said ends with the lower ends of the upper shafts (10), and annular tip seals (11) mounted at the lower end of said rudder (3) and adjacent the upper end thereof and extending laterally from said rudders.

3. The steering gear of Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said upper shafts (10) extend through the structure of the tow knees (27), and brackets (24) are secured to the vessel maintaining journals (12) and thrust bearings (12-15; 16-18) around said upper shaft.

4. The steering gear of Claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that said rudders (3) are tubular having a cylindrical shaft (7) extending therethrough, a bottom and top member (4, 5) closing said rudders, and a filler (6) in said rudders around said shafts.

5. The steering gear of any preceding claim, characterized in that a trash guard (26) is mounted on the vessel and extends over the upper ends of said rudders (3).

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Steering gear vertical rotatable rudders The invention relates to vertically rotatable steering gear for vessels. Vessels, such as tugs, and the like, employed in towing, docking, and other maneuvering of barges, or other vessels of various kinds, are handicapped by the time required to accomplish a change of direction. By utilizing this theory, it is an object of this invention to provide a steering means that will enable a vessel to be moved quickly at right angles to its forward direction, and to accomplish a much faster response to change of direction that is presently possible. The invention provides vertically rotatable steering gearforvessels, mounted in a vessel, (1) abaft the propeller housing (2), said vessel having longitudinally extended tow knees (27) having a counter deck and structure, characterized by vertically rotatable rudders (3) one end of which are detachably secured to upper shafts (10) mounted in said tow knees (27) with rotating motors (19) mounted on the deck of said vessel above said upper shafts (10) rotating said upper shafts (10) through a drive shaft (20) extending through said deck. The vertical controlled rudder has means for rotating the same at a sufficiently high speed so that it is rotated at a greater peripheral velocity than the velocity of the flow of the medium to accomplish change in direction of the vessel on which it is mounted. In the drawings: Figure lisa top view of a catamaran barge employing vertical rotatable rudders; and Figure 2 is a side elevational view, in cross section, of the vertical rudder, taken along the line 2-2 of Figure 1. In the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a vessel having tow knees 27 at the stern of the vessel and having a propeller housing 2 and the usual propellers 22, 22 which direct a stream of water directly on to a pair of vertical cylindrical rudders 3. Each of the rudders is formed of a tubular housing having bottom and top closure members 4, 5, respectively. A cylindrical drive shaft 7 extends axially through the tubular rudder 3 and terminates at one end in a reduced area 25 forming a square axle mounted in a skeg bearing 30, and having a threaded cylindrical portion extending through the bottom closure member 4, where it is anchored by suitable nuts 8. The shaft 7 extends through the top closure member 5, and is joined by a flange coupling 9 to upper shaft 10. A pair of tip seals 11, 11 are mounted, one at the lower end of the rudder 3, and the other adjacent the upper end of the rudder 3, and a trash guard 26 extends downwardly from the tow knee structure 1, over the upper end of the rudder 3. The rudder 3 is filled with a suitable filler 6, such as plastic material, for strength. A lower journal bearing 12 mounted in the vessel, receives the upper shaft 10 which extends through the tow knees 27, 27. A seal 13 is mounted on the shaft 10 to prevent water from entering the vessel. A thrust bearing 14 and thrust bearing collar 15 are mounted on the shaft 10 adjacent its lower end, and an upper journal 16, thrust bearing 17, and thrust bearing collar 18 are mounted on the upper end of the shaft 10. A motor 19 is mounted on the deck of the vessel over each rudder, and a drive shaft 20 extends therefrom into the upper shaft 10, and rotates each shaft and rudder. The vessel 21 may be equipped with two of the rudders 3. The main engines 24 of the vessel 21 will drive the propellers 22, sending a stream directly against the rudders 3,3, said engines moving the propellers in counter rotation. The rudder design, in accordance with the "Kutta-Joukowski Vortex Formula" for each rudder, will develop a theoretical force to port orto starboard of 16,000 pounds (7257 kg.) when rotated at 200 RPM, with a forward velocity often miles per hour (16.1 km/hr). Brackets 24, 24 transfer the rudder forces to the hull structure. Steering is accomplished through hydraulic motors (not shown) mounted atop the rudder shafts. The hydraulic circuitry will be electrically controlled. The motors are capable of a minimum of twenty five horsepower (1900 kg. -m./sec.). The units will be capable of turning the rudder shafts at speeds up to 200 RPM (revolutions per minute) in either direction of rotation and rapidly changing the direction of rotation without damage to the equipment from inertial forces. CLAIMS

6. The steering gear of Claim 1, characterized in that the propeller housing (2) directs a stream of water against the rudders (3), and the vessel caused to be moved quickly and at right angles to the rudder when the peripheral velocity of the rudders (3) exceeds the velocity of the propeller stream.

7. Vertically rotatable steering gear substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.