Ship{40 s propeller

Claim 2

Ship''s propeller for axial propulsion, comprising a leading and a trailing hub member mounted in axial alignment with each other on a propeller shaft and having a juncture at which they abut, each hub member havin a hub bore through which said propeller shaft extends; a common sleeve mounting said hub members on said shaft; a sealing member between and in engagement with said hub members; connecting means connecting said hub member rigidly but releasably with one another; and at least one outwardly projecting blade member integral with the respective hub member, each of said blade members being helically twisted about its longitudinal axis and having a root portion, a radially outer blade area and a free curved outer tip, each blade member on said leading hub member having a rearwardly declined generatrix and each blade member on said trailing hub member having a forwardly declined generatrix so that said outer blade areas of all blade members have substantially the same confiGuration and radial pitch distribution and said outer blade areas axially overlap said juncture with said free outer tips being located in a common propeller plane extending transversely of the axis of said propeller shaft, whereby the propeller configuration in the region of said outer blade areas corresponds to that of a conventional one-piece ship''s propeller.

Claim 3

A ship''s propeller as defined in claim 1, wherein said connecting means comprises expansion bolts engaging said hub members.

Claim 4

A ship''s propeller as defined in claim 1, wherein said hubs have juxtaposed end faces each provided with an annular groove which surrounds said shaft and faces the respective other groove; and wherein said sealing member is partly located in each of said grooves.

Claim 5

Ship''s propeller for axial propulsion, comprising a leading and a trailing hub member having tapering bores and mounted in axial alignment with each other on a tapering propeller shaft, said hub members having juxtaposed end faces which abut and which are each formed with an annular recess surrounding said shaft, said recesses facing one another and together forming an annular channel; sealing means located in said channel in sealing engagement with both of said hub members; connecting means releasably connecting said hub members to one another; and at least one outwardly projecting blade member integral with the respective hub member, each of said blade members being helically twisted about its longitudinal axis and having a root portion, a radially outer blade area and a free curved outer tip, each blade member on said leading hub member having a rearwardly declined generatrix and each blade member on said trailng hub member having a forwardly declined generatrix so that said outer blade areas of all blade members have substantially the same configuration and radial pitch distribution and said outer blade areas axially overlap said juncture with said free outer tips being located in a common propeller plane extending transversely of the axis of said propeller shaft, whereby the propeller configuration in the region of said outer blade areas corresponds to that of a conventional one-piece ship''s propeller.

Claim 6

Ship''s propeller for axial propulsion, comprising a leading and a trailing hub member having tapering bores and mounted in axial alignment with each other on a tapering propeller shaft, said hub members having juxtaposed end faces which abut and which are each formed with an annular recess surrounding said shaft, said recesses facing one another and together forming an annular channel; sealing means located in said channel in sealing engagement with both of said hub members; connecting means releasably connecting said hub members to one another; and at least one outwardly projecting blade member integral with the respective hub member, each of said blade members being helically twisted about its longitudinal axis and having a root portion, a radially outer blade area and a free curved outer tip, each blade member on said leading hub member having a rearwardly declined generatrix and each blade member on said trailng hub member having a forwardly declined generatrix so that said outer blade areas of all blade members have substantially the same configuration and radial pitch distribution and said outer blade areas axially overlap said juncture with said free outer tips being located in a common propeller plane extending transversely of the axis of said propeller shaft, whereby the propeller configuration in the region of said outer blade areas corresponds to that of a conventional one-piece ship''s propeller.

Claim 7

A ship''s propeller as defined in claim 4; and further comprising a common sleeve mounting both of said hub members on saiid shaft.

Claim 8

A ship''s propeller as defined in claim 4; wherein said connecting means comprises expansion bolts which engage said hub members.