Propulsion and directional control mechanism for an underwater device
US4648322A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 2, 1985 |
| Grant date | Mar 10, 1987 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 2, 2005 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF42B19/18
- WIPO fieldOther special machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A propulsion mechanism for an underwater device and, more particularly, a mobile mine having directional control provided by a pair of positionable fins each independently positionable by an associated fluid cylinder having a piston rod extending therefrom with a rack engaging with a pinion gear on a rotatable shaft supporting the fin. Control valve structure independently controls delivery of fluid under pressure to the two fluid cylinders for separate movement of the fins to produce the desired direction of travel. The propulsion mechanism utilizes a gas turbine which is supplied with hot gas under pressure from a gas propellant chamber which burns solid fuel and the gas turbine is located to enable substantially straight flow-through of gas from the gas propellant chamber through the turbine and through a tubular propeller shaft for exhaust aft of the mobile mine. The gas turbine has a turbine wheel with an axis of rotation offset from the axis of rotation of the propeller shaft and a speed-reduction gearbox is connected between the turbine wheel and the propeller shaft and with the bearing means for supporting the rotating components of the gas turbine, the speed-reduction gear…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.