Marine propulsion system

Claim 2

In a marine propulsion system including a tapered duct having a large entrance port and pump means contained therein, said pump means including at least two turbine-type stages, one behind the other, and driven at different rotational speeds, the improvement comprising drive means for said pump means, said drive means including two prime movers, one of which is operable to drive a single stage of said pump means, the other of which is operable to drive all stages of said pump means and means between said prime movers and said pump means whereby only one stage of said pump means may be driven for one mode of operation and whereby both stages of said pump means may be driven for a second mode of operation.

Claim 3

The improved marine propulsion system of claim 1 wherein said means between the prime movers and said pump means is a gear drive having clutch means therein for selectively disengaging one stage of said pump means from the prime movers.

Claim 4

The marine propulsion system of claim 1, wherein one of said prime movers is a conventional Diesel engine and the other of said prime mover is a gas turbine, the latter being operatively connected to both pump stages; the former being drivingly connected to only a single pump stage.

Claim 5

The marine propulsion system of claim 1 wherein the operative connection of said prime mover to all of said pump stages include overrunning clutch acting to automatically engage or disengage said prime mover from its driving connection to one of the pump stages.

Claim 6

The marine propulsion system of claim 1 wherein said leading pump stage is of larger diameter than said trailing pump stage and is operated at all times during propulsion of a vehicle in which the system is installed and said trailing pump stage is operated selectively at a rotational speed greater than that of said leading pump stage to provide greater propulsive effort when desired.

Claim 7

A marine propulsion system including a tapered open ended duct having a turbine type multistage pump therein, one stage of which is of larger diameter than any succeeding stage; a pair of prime movers; means operatively connecting said prime movers to said pump for operation of the pump stages in accordance with a given set of conditions, said means comprising a gear case; a pair of coaxial driven shafts carried thereby, each shaft driving a single pump stage, one of said shafts driving said larger of said pump stages and being operatively connected to both prime movers, the other of said shafts being connected to only one of said prime movers, said operative connection between said one of said shafts and both of said prime movers including clutches whereby power to said shaft may be obtained from either one of said prime movers selectively.

Claim 8

A marine propulsion system including a tapered open ended duct having a turbine type multistage pump therein, one stage of which is of larger diameter than any succeeding stage; a pair of prime movers; means operatively connecting said prime movers to said pump for operation of the pump stages in accordance with a given set of conditions, said means comprising a gear case; a pair of coaxial driven shafts carried thereby, each shaft driving a single pump stage, one of said shafts driving said larger of said pump stages and being operatively connected to both prime movers, the other of said shafts being connected to only one of said prime movers, said operative connection between said one of said shafts and both of said prime movers including clutches whereby power to said shaft may be obtained from either one of said prime movers selectively.

Claim 9

A marine propulsion system as defined in claim 6 wherein said clutches are automatically engaged when the power output of either of said prime movers exceeds that of the other of said prime movers and vice versa.

Claim 10

A marine propulsion system as defined in claim 7 wherein the prime mover driving both of said pump stages is a gas turbine and the prime mover driving only said large diameter stage is a Diesel engine.

Claim 11

A marine propulsion system as defined in Claim 7 wherein said gear case includes further a countershaft mounted therein, said countershaft carrying gear means thereon, a first of said gear means being keyed thereon and driven by one of said movers, a second gear means keyed thereon and driving said turbine driving shaft; a third gear keyed thereon and driven by said second prime mover, the driving engagement of each prime mover to said first and third gear means including overrunning clutches.