METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING THE ATTACHMENT OF FOREIGN BODIES TO CONTROLLABLE PITCH PROPELLER LINKAGES OF WATERCRAFT

摘要

A watercraft has a rotatable propeller drive shaft connected to a driving engine. A coupling is slidably disposed along the shaft. The coupling has a rotatable first section secured to the shaft and a non-rotatable second section spaced from the shaft with a bearing arrangement in which the first section is rotatably disposed. A variable pitch propeller has a hub secured to the shaft. A plurality of propeller blades are rotatably disposed in bearing housings to the hub. Connecting rods are slidably disposed in the bearing housings. Each connecting rod has a position of protection at which it is disposed completely in the corresponding bearing housing wherein it cannot be attacked by foreign bodies. Devices for coupling one end of each rod to the base of the corresponding blade are provided. Each connecting rod at its other end has a tie rod which partially extends out of the bearing housing in the operative position of the engine but is concealed within the bearing housing in the inoperative position of the engine. The movement of the second section of the coupling back and forth along the shaft appropriately adjusts the pitch of the blades.