Drive system

Claim 2

In a ship drive system wherein the base for the drive unit is subjected to flexural deformation due to the operation of the ship, a combination comprising a drive unit having a housing and an output shaft which extends from said housing and is rotatable about a first axis; a pair of resilient transversely spaced supports engaging and supporting said housing and yieldable in the longitudinal direction of a second axis which crosses said first axis; and resilient connecting means connecting said housing with said supports for pivotal yielding about said second axis.

Claim 3

A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said connecting means comprises a pair of spring units, each associated with one of said supports.

Claim 4

A combination as defined in claim 2, wherein said spring units are jointly turnable about said second axis, and wherein the latter extends normal to said first axis.

Claim 5

A combination as defined in claim 3, wherein each of said spring units comprises a pair of concentric sleeves which surround one another with clearance and are coaxial with said second axis, one of said sleeves being fixedly connected to the associated support and the other sleeve being fixedly connected to said housing, said spring units each further comprising a plurality of radial spokes of resiliently yieldable material extending across said clearance and having inner and outer end portions which are fixedly connected with the respective sleeves.

Claim 6

A combination as defined in claim 4, wherein said spokes are steel strips.

Claim 7

A combination as defined in claim 4, wherein said plurality of spokes in each of said spring units is arranged in form of two discrete sets of spokes.

Claim 8

A combination as defined in claim 1; and further comprising hydraulic bolster means supporting said housing from below.

Claim 9

A combination as defined in claim 7, wherein said hydraulic bolster means comprises a plurality of bolster units each having a fluid chamber for Hydraulic fluid, and wherein said fluid chambers communicate with one another.

Claim 10

A combination as defined in claim 1; and further comprising a base for said housing, said base being subject to flexural deformation; and cooperating tongues and grooves on said base and said housing and extending longitudinally of said first axis to permit movement in the longitudinal direction of said first axis.

Claim 11

In a ship drive system wherein the base for the drive unit is subject to flexural deformation due to the operation of the ship, a combination comprising a base subject to flexural deformation; a drive unit having a housing and an output shaft which extends from said housing and is rotatable about a first axis; a pair of resilient transversely spaced supports connected to said base and engaging and supporting said housing and being yieldable in the longitudinal direction of a second axis which crosses said first axis; cooperating means on said base and said housing for permitting movement in the longitudinal direction of said first axis; resilient connecting means connecting said housing with said supports for pivotal yielding about said second axis; and hydraulic bolster means for supporting said housing from below.

Claim 12

In a ship drive system wherein the base for the drive unit is subject to flexural deformation due to the operation of the ship, a combination comprising a base subject to flexural deformation; a drive unit having a housing and an output shaft which extends from said housing and is rotatable about a first axis; a pair of resilient transversely spaced supports connected to said base and engaging and supporting said housing and being yieldable in the longitudinal direction of a second axis which crosses said first axis; cooperating means on said base and said housing for permitting movement in the longitudinal direction of said first axis; resilient connecting means connecting said housing with said supports for pivotal yielding about said second axis; and hydraulic bolster means for supporting said housing from below.