Daniel Dobbs

US Patent:

46483225, Mar 10, 1987

Filed:

Jul 2, 1985

Appl. No.:

6/751507

Inventors:

Steven A. Heitz - Rockford IL
Daniel R. Dobbs - Rockford IL

Assignee:

Sundstrand Corporation - Rockford IL

International Classification:

F42B 1901
F42B 1918

US Classification:

102411

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 gearbox and the propeller shaft being mounted to a common, rigid mounting structure in the form of a tail cone to assure accurate bearing alignment for the rotating components.

US Patent:

46900853, Sep 1, 1987

Filed:

Jul 9, 1986

Appl. No.:

6/883634

Inventors:

Daniel R. Dobbs - Rockford IL

Assignee:

Sundstrand Corporation - Rockford IL

International Classification:

F16C 3506
F16C 3374

US Classification:

114 202

Abstract:

The size of a bearing 34 required to journal a propeller 16 may be reduced by mounting the bearing 34 on a piston 44 received in a cylinder 46 and by locating a piston 62 in a groove 52 on the hub 18 of the propeller 16. The groove 52 acts as a second cylinder and opens oppositely of the cylinder 46. The two are interconnected by bores and ports 64, 66, 68, 70 and filled with an incompressible fluid.