Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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PROPELLING SYSTEM OF POWERED SHIP
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to propelling systems of powered ships and,
more particularly, to a propelling system conducive to enhancement of
propulsion
efficiency and applicable even when the ship has a shallow draft.
2. Description of the Related Art
An outboard motor is a demountable power device affixed to the stern of a
ship and designed to transmit power (for example, that supplied by an internal
combustion engine or a generator) to a propeller such that the propeller
rotates. The
rotation of the propeller causes the ship to move forward. The outboard motor
is
suitable for small ships sailing on rivers, lakes and coastal waters.
To ensure that the outboard motor has high propulsion efficiency, the prior
art discloses immersing the propeller in water such that the propeller has a
sufficiently
deep draft. The prior art, however, is disadvantaged by an increase in water
drag and an
increase in the likelihood that the propeller hits the beds of the
rivers/lakes/coastal
waters or entangles itself with foreign bodies, such as plastic bags, fishing
nets and
waterweed, in the water. The latter disadvantage causes damage to the
propeller and
even marine organisms.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an objective of the present disclosure to provide a propelling system of
a
powered ship such that the propelling system is conducive to enhancement of
propulsion efficiency and applicable even when the ship has a shallow draft.
In order to achieve the above and other objectives, the present disclosure
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provides a propelling system comprising a support, an outboard motor, a guide
component and a water inlet unit. The support is disposed at a stern of the
powered
ship. The outboard motor is disposed at the support and has a blade wheel. The
axis of
the blade wheel is higher than a hull of the powered ship. The guide component
has a
guide ring and a nozzle. The guide ring conceals the blade wheel. The nozzle
is
connected to the back of the guide ring and disposed proximate to the blade
wheel. The
water inlet unit is disposed at the stern of the powered ship and below the
support. A
water inlet hole is disposed at the bottom of the water inlet unit. The water
inlet unit
has a water outlet hole opening toward the guide ring. A water inlet channel
is formed
between the water inlet hole and the water outlet hole.
Therefore, as soon as the blade wheel rotates, water in the hull is admitted
to
the water inlet channel through the water inlet hole of the water inlet unit,
then
conveyed to the guide ring through the water outlet hole of the water inlet
unit, and
finally subjected to commutation performed by the blade wheel before being
ejected
from the nozzle, enabling water to be conveyed at low pressure and ejected at
high
flow rate. Therefore, the propelling system of a powered ship according to the
present
disclosure is conducive to enhancement of propulsion efficiency and applicable
even
when the ship has a shallow draft.
Fine structures, features, assembly or operation of the propelling system of
the present disclosure are illustrated by embodiments and described below.
However,
persons skilled in the art understand that the description below and the
specific
embodiments are illustrative of the present disclosure rather than restrictive
of the
claims of the present disclosure.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG 1 is a schematic view of how a propelling system is mounted on a
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powered ship according to the present disclosure.
FIG 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of the propelling system of the
present disclosure.
FIG. 3 is a partial rear view of the propelling system of the present
disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Directional wording used hereunder must be interpreted in accordance with
the accompanying drawings. Identical reference numerals used hereunder and in
the
accompanying drawings denote identical or similar components or structural
features
thereof.
Referring to FIG. 1 through FIG 3, a propelling system 16 of the present
disclosure comprises a support 18, an outboard motor 20, a guide component 34
and a
water inlet unit 40.
The support 18 is fixed to a stern 12 by welding or by screws and disposed
proximate to the top of the stern 12.
The outboard motor 20 has a casing 22 for concealing its engine (which is
disclosed by prior art and is not shown in the accompanying drawings). An
extension
box 24 is connected to the casing 22 from below and adapted to contain a
driving shaft
(which is disclosed by prior art and is not shown in the accompanying
drawings). A
bracket 26 is disposed on the front of the extension box 24. The outboard
motor 20 is
hung on the support 18 by the bracket 26. A gear box 28 is connected to the
extension
box 24 from below and adapted to connect to the driving shaft. An eddy-
preventing
baffle 32 is disposed between the gear box 28 and the extension box 24. A
blade wheel
is connected to the gear box 28 from behind, as shown in FIG 2. The axis of
the
25 blade wheel 30 is higher than a hull 14. Therefore, power generated by the
engine is
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transmitted to the gear box 28 by the driving shaft. The power undergoes a
deceleration
process performed by the gear box 28 before being transmitted to the blade
wheel 30,
enabling the blade wheel 30 to rotate.
The guide component 34 has a guide ring 36 and a nozzle 38. The guide ring
36 is disposed at the eddy-preventing baffle 32 of the outboard motor 20 and
conceals
the blade wheel 30 completely and the gear box 28 partially. The nozzle 38 is
connected to the back of the guide ring 36 by screws and disposed proximate to
the
blade wheel 30.
The water inlet unit 40 is fixed to the stern 12 by welding or by screws and
disposed below the support 18. A water inlet hole 42 is disposed at the bottom
of the
water inlet unit 40. The water inlet hole 42 is substantially as high as the
hull 14. A
water outlet hole 44 opening toward the guide ring 36 is disposed on the back
of the
water inlet unit 40. A water inlet channel 46 extending obliquely is formed
between the
water inlet hole 42 and the water outlet hole 44.
Therefore, as soon as the blade wheel 30 rotates, water in the hull 14 is
admitted to the water inlet channel 46 through the water inlet hole 42 of the
water inlet
unit 40, then conveyed to the guide ring 36 through the water outlet hole 44
of the
water inlet unit 40, and finally subjected to commutation performed by the
blade wheel
30 before being ejected from the nozzle 38, enabling water to be conveyed at
low
pressure and ejected at high flow rate. To slow down or stop a ship 10, all it
needs to
do is control the blade wheel 30 to decelerate, stop and rotate reversely.
In conclusion, compared with the prior art, the propelling system 16 of the
present disclosure has advantages as follows:
1) First, the support 18 enables the outboard motor 20 to be mounted higher.
Second, the rotation of the blade wheel 30 is confined to the guide ring 36.
The first
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and second advantages together not only reduce the likelihood that the blade
wheel 30
hits riverbeds or entangles itself with foreign bodies and thus gets damaged,
but also
reduce the likelihood that the blade wheel 30 injures the fish, swimmers or
divers in
the vicinity of the hull 14. Therefore, the propelling system 16 of the
present disclosure
is applicable to the ship 10 with a shallow draft and rescue ships 10.
2) When the propelling system 16 of the present disclosure is in operation,
water is admitted to the water inlet unit 40, then conveyed from the water
inlet unit 40
to the guide ring 36, and finally subjected to the commutation performed by
the blade
wheel 30 before being ejected from the nozzle 38. Therefore, eddies are
unlikely to
occur behind the stern 12, thereby enhancing propulsion efficiency and
augmenting
controllability of the ship 10.
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