| 摘要 |
A universal apparatus for quickly and safely sealing the external opening between a propeller shaft and a stern tube on a ship on which the stern tube has a lower portion which terminates in an aft face that is approximately perpendicular to the tube's longitudinal axis and an upper portion which extends further aft. The apparatus includes a rigid housing for generally covering said external opening; closure means coupled to the housing for creating a seal between the housing and the shaft and between the housing and the lower portion of the tube; and a mechanical expansion assembly for creating a seal between the housing and the extended upper portion of the tube. The expansion assembly includes a rigid backing plate that is integral to the housing; a movable crush plate; a malleable gasket supported by the housing and sandwiched between the plates; and means for forcing the plates together to force the gasket to expand outward from the housing to create a seal against the inner surface of the tube's extended upper portion. The housing consists of two halves that are compressed together around the shaft. The closure means includes a gasket for creating a seal around the bottom of the tube at the aft termination; and the housing includes a lip for retaining the compression gasket around the bottom of the tube to create the seal between the housing and the bottom of the tube. Two ports in the housing enable water to be evacuated from the stern tube when the apparatus seals the opening and enable air to enter the stern tube to replace the evacuated water.
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