Propeller power transmission device for 1-engine, 2-shaft vessel

Abstract

A propeller power transmission device according to the present invention comprises an input shaft 9 connected to a drive shaft 7 of an engine 3 via a coupling 8 ; a pair of right and left output shafts 12 and 13 connected to the right and left propeller shafts 5 and 6 via couplings 10 and 11 , respectively; a gear train comprised of gears 20 to 30 for transmitting the power of the input shaft 9 to each of the output shafts 12 and 13 through clutch mechanisms 14, 15, 16 and 17 , and causing the output shafts to undergo forward or reverse rotation in response to switching between forward and reverse rotation clutch mechanisms; and a gear case 4 for containing the input shaft 9 , the output shafts 12 and 13 , the gear train of gears 20 to 30 , and the forward and reverse rotation clutch mechanisms 14 to 17.

1 . A propeller power transmission device for a 1-engine, 2-shaft vessel in which an engine drive shaft has a pair of right and left propeller shafts,
 the propeller power transmission device comprising:   a gear case;   an input shaft that is supported by a bearing inside the gear case and that is connected to the drive shaft of the engine via a coupling;   a pair of right and left output shafts that are supported by bearings inside the gear case and that are connected to the right and left propeller shafts, respectively, via couplings; and   a gear train contained in the gear case for transmitting power of the input shaft to the pair of output shafts via a clutch mechanism;   wherein the clutch mechanism includes a forward and reverse rotation clutch mechanism for switching the gear train so as to change rotation of the output shaft between forward and reverse.   
   
   
       2 . A propeller power transmission mechanism according to  claim 1 , wherein the gear train is comprised of a plurality of cylindrical gears and one or two cone gears, and
 the shaft lines of the right and left propeller shafts are inclined by the cone gear(s) relative to the shaft line of the engine drive shaft.   
   
   
       3 . A propeller power transmission device according to  claim 1 , wherein the gear train comprises:
 a driving bevel gear that is fixed to the input shaft;   a pair of driven bevel gears that are rotatably supported by an intermediate shaft extending orthogonally to the input shaft and that engage with the driving bevel gear; and   a set of bevel gears for drivably connecting each of the output shafts with each end of the intermediate shaft substantially intersecting with the output shafts;   wherein the forward and reverse rotation clutch mechanism selectively connects one of the driven bevel gears to the intermediate shaft so as to cause the intermediate shaft to undergo forward or reverse rotation.   
   
   
       4 . A propeller power transmission device according to  claim 3 , wherein the clutch mechanism is provided on the intermediate shaft and includes a pair of power transmission clutches for transmitting or blocking power to the output shafts. 
   
   
       5 . A propeller power transmission device according to  claim 4 , wherein each driven side of the power transmission clutches is provided with a brake for controlling the intermediate shaft. 
   
   
       6 . A propeller power transmission device according to  claim 4 , wherein the intermediate shaft comprises a first intermediate shaft, a second intermediate shaft and a third intermediate shaft;
 the first intermediate shaft is provided with a forward and reverse rotation clutch mechanism that rotatably supports the pair of driven bevel gears that engage with the driving bevel gear and selectively connects one of the driven bevel gears to the first intermediate shaft so as to cause the first intermediate shaft to undergo forward or reverse rotation;   the second intermediate shaft and the third intermediate shaft include a set of bevel gears drivably connected to the respective output shafts;   the first intermediate shaft connects to the second intermediate shaft and the third intermediate shaft via a gear train containing the power transmission clutches; and   the clutch mechanism includes a rotational direction inverting clutch mechanism which rotates the second intermediate shaft and the third intermediate shaft in opposite directions at a butt joint of the second intermediate shaft and the third intermediate shaft, the rotational direction inverting clutch mechanism being brought into operation only in a state where power transmission of one of the power transmission clutches is blocked.   
   
   
       7 . A propeller power transmission device according to  claim 1 , wherein the gear train includes two or more speed-changing gear trains, each of which includes a driving, speed-changing gear and a driven, speed-changing gear, and
 the clutch mechanism further includes a speed-changing clutch mechanism for transmitting or blocking power by selecting one of the speed-changing gear trains.   
   
   
       8 . A propeller power transmission device according to  claim 7 , wherein each driving, speed-changing gear is provided on the input shaft, and each driven, speed-changing gear is provided on a rotation axis disposed in parallel with the input shaft. 
   
   
       9 . A propeller power transmission device according to  claim 1 , wherein the forward and reverse rotation clutch mechanism is comprised of hydraulic clutches;
 the propeller power transmission device further comprising a control lever for operating, by remote control, an output control device of the engine in conjunction with electromagnetic valves for controlling supply of a working oil to the hydraulic clutches.   
   
   
       10 . A propeller power transmission device according to  claim 9 , wherein the speed-changing clutch mechanism is comprised of hydraulic clutches;
 the propeller power transmission device further comprising a switch for activating and deactivating the electromagnetic valves for controlling the supply of a working oil to the hydraulic clutches.   
   
   
       11 . A propeller power transmission device according to  claim 7 , wherein the gear train includes a branch gear train for transmitting power of the input shaft by dividing it into the right and left output shafts;
 the speed-changing clutch mechanism is disposed closer to the input shaft than the branch gear train in the gear train; and   the forward and reverse rotation clutch mechanism is disposed closer to the output shaft than the branch gear train in the gear train.   
   
   
       12 . A propeller power transmission device as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein each of the forward and reverse rotation clutch mechanism and the speed-changing clutch mechanism is comprised of hydraulic clutches,
 each axis for supporting each hydraulic clutch is provided with an oil seal case having a port connected to a working oil supply source on one end, and at least one internal oil path for supplying a working oil to the hydraulic clutch;   the hydraulic clutches of the forward and reverse rotation clutch mechanism are supported by a pair of axes linearly arranged along a shaft line with their oil seal cases oppositely arranged;   the hydraulic clutches of the speed-changing clutch mechanism are supported by an axis disposed orthogonally to the shaft line on which the axes for supporting the hydraulic clutch of the forward and reverse rotation clutch mechanism are arranged, with its oil seal case disposed in the vicinity of the oil seal cases of the axes supporting the hydraulic clutches of the forward and reverse rotation clutch mechanism.   
   
   
       13 . A propeller power transmission device according to  claim 1 , wherein the forward and reverse rotation clutch mechanism separately operates the individual output shafts to undergo forward or reverse rotation.