Controllable pitch boat propeller

Claim 1

IN A MARINE PROPULSION DRIVE: A HUB HAVING PROPELLER PINION SHAFTS JOURNALLED IN SEALED EXTERNAL OPENINGS THEREIN, WITH THE SHAFTS GENERALLY IN A COPLANAR ARRANGEMENT WITH ONE ANOTHER AND IN RIGHT ANGULAR RELATIONSHIP TO THE HUB; A MAIN SHAFT ARRANGED IN THE HUB, AND WITH AN ANNULAR SPACE BETWEEN; A ONE-PIECE GEAR SLEEVE BETWEEN THE HUB AND SHAFT CAPABLE OF LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT WITHIN SAID SPACE; THERE BEING PINION SHAFT RECEIVING SLOTS FORMED IN THE ONE-PIECE GEAR SLEEVE, REGISTERED IN THE RADIAL DIRECTION WITH THE HUB OPENINGS AND ELONGATED IN THE LONGITUDINAL DIRECTION, THE PINION SHAFTS AND GEAR SLEEVE HAVING MEANS ESTABLISHING INTERENGAGEMENT THEREBETWEEN WITHIN THE SLEEVE SLOTS; FORWARD CLOSURE MEANS SEALING THE HUB AND A MAIN SLEEVE CONTINUATION OF THE GEAR SLEEVE AT A FIRST END; MEANS FOR IMPARTING ROTATIONAL MOVEMENT TO SAID SHAFT AND THEREBY TO THE HUB AND PINION SHAFTS FOR REVOLVING THE DRIVE AT A DESIRED SPEED SETTING; MEANS FOR IMPARTING THE LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT TO THE MAIN SLEEVE AND THEREBY TO THE GEAR SLEEVE FOR TURNING THE PINION SHAFTS INTO A DESIRED PITCH SETTING; AND REARWARD CLOSURE MEANS SEALING, AND PROVIDING THE SOLE MECHANICAL INTERCONNECTION BETWEEN, THE HUB AND SAID SHAFT AT A SECOND END; SAID INTERENGAGEMENT CHARACTERIZED BY PINIONS, AND MATING RACK TEETH (62) FORMED INTEGRAL WITH THE GEAR SLEEVE AND CONFINED WITHIN THE SLOTS; EACH PINION SHAFT CHARACTERIZED BY: A SMOOTH JOURNAL INTERMEDIATE THE ENDS THEREOF; A BLADE CARRIED AT THE OUTER END PREVENTING INWARD RADIAL MOVEMENTS OF THE SHAFT; AND ONE OF SAID PINIONS CARRIED AT THE INNER END, SAID PINION MESHING WITH THE ADJACENT RACK TEETH AND PREVENTING BOTH RELATIVE ROTATIONAL MOVEMENT OF THE GEAR SLEEVE AND OUTWARD RADIAL MOVEMENT OF THE SHAFT; THE MEANS FOR IMPARTING LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT CHARACTERIZED BY: A ROTATABLE ECCENTRIC (92); SCREW ADJUSTED GRIPPING MEANS ON THE ECCENTRIC; A LINK INTERCONNECTING THE GRIPPING MEANS AND THE MAIN SLEEVE CONTINUATION; AND MANUAL MEANS FOR ROTATING THE ECCENTRIC; THE SHAFT TAPERING IN THE DIRECTION OF THE SECOND END SO AS TO PROVIDE RELIEF WHEREBY THE SLOTS IN THE GEAR SLEEVE INTERCOMMUNICATE WITH ONE ANOTHER AND WITH THE SPACE BETWEEN THE SHAFT AND HUB AT SAID SECOND END; THE SLEEVE DIVIDING SAID SPACE INTO CHAMBER PORTIONS; AND LUBRICANT FITTING MEANS IN THE HUB COMMUNICATING WITH A PLURALITY OF SAID CHAMBER PORTIONS.