US4459117A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Liquid jet propulsion
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1978-12-08
•
Granted: 1984-07-10
•
Expires: 1998-12-08
Abstract
Abstract The liquid jet propulsion unit is driven by the conventional outboard motor. The drive of the motor directly rotates an impeller which draws up the water into an impeller chamber where it is moved by isentropic radially extending impeller blades. These blades have three progressive stages from inlet to outlet, i.e., axial, transition, and radial. In the delivery of the intake liquid to the outlet chamber the twisting turbulence is reduced and is straightened out and is further straightened by the outlet vane to give a stream greater lineal length and force through the outlet nozzle, which drives the craft forward. Since the vertical distance between intake and outlet is only a matter of a few inches, shallow draft boats can be driven successfullyin shallow and rocky water.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert L. Jordan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 15:30
CPC Classifications
B; B63; B63H; B63H20/00; B63H11/00; B63H11/02; B63H11/04; B63H11/08; B63H11/10; B63H11/107; B63H11/11; B63H20/24; B63H20/245; B63H2011/087
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
186 words
A jet propulsion unit for coupling to a conventional power source having a drive shaft, a housing for said unit having a chamber in axial alignment with said drive shaft, said chamber being in the shape of a truncated cone for substantially the first portion of its height with the widest diameter being at the inlet which is open to receive fluid and continuing upwardly into a cylindrical shape for the remainder of its enclosure, a tangential outlet passage from the uppermost portion of said cylindrical portion of said chamber, an outlet tubular passage in said housing cooperating with said tangential outlet said tubular passage having an exhaust outlet, and impeller conforming in structure to the shape of the said chamber connected to said drive shaft for rotation in said chamber, said impeller having a plurality of radially offset blades shaped in a true helix for the first cone shaped portion of said chamber continuously passing to transition curves for the second and beginning of the cylindrical portion of said chamber with continuously substantially vertical radial blade portions for the said cylindrical portion of the chamber.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
186 words
A jet propulsion unit for coupling to a conventional power source having a drive shaft, a housing for said unit having a chamber in axial alignment with said drive shaft, said chamber being in the shape of a truncated cone for substantially the first portion of its height with the widest diameter being at the inlet which is open to receive fluid and continuing upwardly into a cylindrical shape for the remainder of its enclosure, a tangential outlet passage from the uppermost portion of said cylindrical portion of said chamber, an outlet tubular passage in said housing cooperating with said tangential outlet said tubular passage having an exhaust outlet, and impeller conforming in structure to the shape of the said chamber connected to said drive shaft for rotation in said chamber, said impeller having a plurality of radially offset blades shaped in a true helix for the first cone shaped portion of said chamber continuously passing to transition curves for the second and beginning of the cylindrical portion of said chamber with continuously substantially vertical radial blade portions for the said cylindrical portion of the chamber.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
The jet propulsion unit of claim 1 wherein the chamber is formed in two continuous portions, the first one-third of which is the truncated cone portion and the last two-thirds being the cylindrical portion.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
The jet propulsion unit of claim 1 wherein the exhaust outlet from said tubular passage of said housing lies in a transverse radial plane with respect to the axis of the said drive shaft.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
69 words
The jet propulsion unit of claim 1 wherein the power source is an internal combustion engine and the housing is provided with an internal second chamber having an inlet and an outlet, a passage for connection with and conveying the engine exhaust from said power source to said second chamber, said outlet being provided with an exhaust passage for conveying said engine exhaust for release externally of said housing.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
78 words
The jet propulsion unit of claim 1 wherein the power source is a liquid cooled internal combustion engine and wherein there is a small outlet in the upper portion of the cylindrical wall of the chamber relatively opposite to the main outlet therefrom, a passage in said housing for conveying a relatively small amount of liquid therethrough and a connection to said passage externally of said housing for connecting the same with the cooling passages for said engine.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
47 words
The jet propulsion unit of claim 1 wherein the internal wall of the outlet tubular passage of the housing at the discharge opening from the upper portion of the chamber is sharpened to provide a cutoff and direction means for the flow of fluid into said passage.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
85 words
A jet propulsion unit of claim 1 adapted for multi-stage operation wherein the impeller comprises three separate portions the first being the helical portion mounted on said drive shaft, means on said drive shaft for rotating the same in said chamber either independently from or in conjunction with the separate third portion, means on said drive shaft for rotating the said third portion either independently from or in conjunction with the said first portion, and means for maintaining the said second portion stationary during rotation.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2942556A
Cited
US3082732A
Cited
US3105353A
Cited
US3146587A
Cited
US3187190A
Cited
US3200754A
Cited
US3522997A
Cited
US3723019A
Cited
US4093401A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1987-07-10 | 1988-01-09 | 1988-07-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1991-07-10 | 1992-01-09 | 1992-07-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1995-07-10 | 1996-01-09 | 1996-07-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |