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A hydraulic thruster for vessel. The hydraulic thruster is intended for incorporation into a modular vessel thruster system, and is easily installed onto, and removed from, a vessel having such system. A housing is tiltably attached to a bracket, which in turn is removably mounted to a vessel. A cyl

A hydraulic thruster for vessel. The hydraulic thruster is intended for incorporation into a modular vessel thruster system, and is easily installed onto, and removed from, a vessel having such system. A housing is tiltably attached to a bracket, which in turn is removably mounted to a vessel. A cylinder is rigidly attached to the housing, and a tube is extensibly and rotatably disposed within the cylinder. A thrust means is disposed at a lower end of the tube. The instant thruster incorporates positive redundant down-tilt stop means, increased extension/retraction range, reduced shipping size, and means for securely and removably attaching the thruster to a vehicle deck.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A hydraulic thruster for vessel comprising a housing tiltably attached to a bracket, a cylinder rigidly attached to said housing, a tube slidably and rotationally disposed within said cylinder, a thrust means at a lower end of said tube, means of tilting said housing relative to said bracket, mea

1. A hydraulic thruster for vessel comprising a housing tiltably attached to a bracket, a cylinder rigidly attached to said housing, a tube slidably and rotationally disposed within said cylinder, a thrust means at a lower end of said tube, means of tilting said housing relative to said bracket, means of extending and retracting said tube relative to said cylinder, and means of rotating said tube relative to said cylinder, whereby said thrust means may be steered, said housing comprising a housing roof, a first housing side, a second housing side, and a housing floor, an upper edge of said first housing side being attached along one edge of said housing roof, an upper edge of said second housing side being attached along an edge of said housing roof opposite said first housing side, a lower edge of said first housing side being attached along one edge of said housing floor, a lower edge of said second housing side being attached along an edge of said housing floor opposite said first housing side, a cylinder aperture in said housing roof, a cylinder aperture in said housing floor, each said cylinder aperture being sized to admit said cylinder, said cylinder being disposed through said cylinder apertures. 2. The hydraulic thruster for vessel of claim 1 wherein said bracket comprises a first bracket side and a second bracket side mutually attached by a bracket front brace, said first bracket side being substantially parallel to said second bracket side, a bracket rear brace, and at least one bracket floor brace, one end of said bracket front brace being rigidly attached to one end of said first bracket side, and another end of said bracket front brace being rigidly attached to one end of said second bracket side, said housing being tiltably attached to said bracket at bracket pivot points disposed at ends of said first bracket side and said second bracket side opposite said bracket front brace, and a stop rigidly attached to each bracket side between said bracket pivot point and said bracket front brace, each said stop extending downwards from its respective said bracket side in a direction substantially perpendicular to said bracket side. 3. The hydraulic thruster for vessel of claim 2 further comprising redundant down-stop means, said down-stop means comprising a down-stop tab rigidly attached to at least one said housing side, said housing being tiltably attached to said bracket at a housing pivot point at an end of each said housing side closest said bracket, said down-stop tab being disposed between said housing pivot point and an end of said housing side opposite said bracket, whereby each said down-stop tab butts against a respective said bracket side said when said housing is fully tilted down relative to said bracket, and wherein an edge of said housing floor and lower edges of each said housing wall nearest said bracket butt against said at least one stop when said housing is fully tilted down. 4. A hydraulic thruster for vessel comprising a housing tiltably attached to a bracket; a cylinder rigidly attached to said housing; a tube slidably and rotationally disposed within said cylinder; a thrust means at a lower end of said tube; means of tilting said housing relative to said bracket; means of extending and retracting said tube relative to said cylinder; and means of rotating said tube relative to said cylinder, whereby said thrust means may be steered; said housing comprising at least one housing side; said means of tilting said housing relative to said bracket comprising a tilt arm rigidly attached to an end of said at least one said housing side opposite said bracket, said tilt arm extending upwards and substantially perpendicular to an upper edge of said housing side to which it is attached; one bracket tilt actuator attach point on said bracket corresponding to each said tilt arm; and a tilt actuator, one end of said tilt actuator being rotatably attached to said bracket tilt actuator attach point, an opposite end of said tilt actuator being rotatably attached to an end of said tilt arm opposite said housing. 5. The hydraulic thruster for vessel of claim 4 wherein each said bracket tilt actuator attach point is disposed on an upper portion of said bracket, and wherein each said a tilt actuator is disposed above said bracket, whereby said tube, cylinder and housing may be tilted up relative to said bracket, and said tube retracted into said cylinder into a compact shipping configuration. 6. A hydraulic thruster for vessel comprising a housing tiltably attached to a bracket, a cylinder rigidly attached to said housing, a tube slidably and rotationally disposed within said cylinder, a thrust means at a lower end of said tube, means of tilting said housing relative to said bracket, means of extending and retracting said tube relative to said cylinder, and means of rotating said tube relative to said cylinder, whereby said thrust means may be steered, said means of extending said tube relative to said cylinder comprising at least one extension actuator, each said extension actuator being attached at one end to said cylinder and at an opposite end to a collar having a collar bore sized to slidably admit said tube, an end of said tube opposite said thrust means being disposed within said collar bore. 7. The hydraulic thruster for vessel of claim 6 further comprising an extension actuator aperture in said housing roof, and an extension actuator aperture disposed in said housing floor, each said extension actuator aperture being sized to admit said extension actuator, one said extension actuator extending through said housing floor extension aperture and said housing roof aperture, whereby said extension actuator is supported by said extension actuator apertures. 8. A hydraulic thruster for vessel comprising a housing tiltably attached to a bracket, a cylinder rigidly attached to said housing, a tube slidably and rotationally disposed within said cylinder, a thrust means at a lower end of said tube, means of tilting said housing relative to said bracket, means of extending and retracting said tube relative to said cylinder, and means of rotating said tube relative to said cylinder, whereby said thrust means may be steered, said bracket comprising a first bracket side and a second bracket side mutually attached by a bracket front brace, said first bracket side being substantially parallel to said second bracket side, at least one bracket floor brace, at least one weld tab attached to said bracket by means of a weld tab fastener extending through a corresponding bracket floor brace bore and a threadably engaged with a corresponding mating weld tab threaded bore in said weld tab, said weld tab being attached to a vessel upon which said hydraulic thruster for vessel is mounted. 9. A hydraulic thruster for vessel comprising a housing tiltably attached to a bracket, a cylinder rigidly attached to said housing, a tube slidably and rotationally disposed within said cylinder, a thrust means at a lower end of said tube, means of tilting said housing relative to said bracket, means of extending and retracting said tube relative to said cylinder, and means of rotating said tube relative to said cylinder, whereby said thrust means may be steered, said means of rotating said tube relative to said cylinder comprising a steering motor mounted to said housing, a steering motor gear driven by said steering motor, a tube gear driven by said steering motor gear, a tube gear clamp rigidly attached to said tube gear and releasably attached to said tube, means of releasing an attachment between said tube gear clamp and said tube whereby when said tube gear clamp is released said tube is free to reciprocate within said tube gear clamp, and means of maintaining an angular relationship between said tube and said steering clamp. 10. The hydraulic thruster for vessel of claim 9 wherein said means of releasing an attachment between said tube gear clamp and said tube comprises a tube gear clamp first half and a tube gear clamp second half defining a tube gear clamp bore, said tube gear second half being rigidly attached to said tube gear, one end of said tube gear clamp first half being attached to one end of said tube gear clamp second half, and a tube gear clamp actuator connecting the other ends of said tube gear clamp first half and said tube gear clamp second half, whereby when said tube gear clamp actuator allows the ends of said tube gear clamp first half and said tube gear clamp second half to which it is attached to separate, said tube is free to reciprocate within said tube gear clamp bore, and when said tube gear clamp actuator holds the ends of said tube gear clamp first half and said tube gear clamp second half to which it is attached in close mutual proximity, said tube gear clamp clamps onto said tube, thereby preventing said tube from reciprocating within said tube clamp bore. 11. The hydraulic thruster for vessel of claim 10 wherein said means of maintaining an angular relationship between said tube and said steering clamp comprises a tube gear clamp key extending into said tube gear clamp bore, and a tube keyway longitudinally disposed on said tube, said tube keyway being sized to slidably admit said tube gear clamp key, said tube gear clamp key traveling within said tube keyway when said tube extends or retracts relative to said cylinder. 12. The hydraulic thruster for vessel of claim 11 further comprising at least one extension actuator attached at one end to said cylinder and at an opposite end to a collar having a collar bore sized to slidably admit said tube, an end of said tube opposite said thrust means being disposed within said collar bore, a swivel union comprising a swivel union stationary section and a swivel union rotating section, said swivel union rotating section being attached to an end of said tube opposite said thrust means, and means to prevent said swivel union stationary section from rotating relative to said cylinder, said housing, and said bracket. 13. The hydraulic thruster for vessel of claim 12 wherein said means to prevent said swivel union stationary section from rotating relative to said cylinder, said housing, and said bracket comprises an anti-rotation member rigidly attached to said swivel union stationary section; and at least one anti-rotation member guide sized to slidably admit said anti-rotation member rigidly attached to said housing, said anti-rotation member reciprocating within said at least one anti-rotation member guide as said tube extends and retracts relative to said cylinder. 14. A hydraulic thruster for vessel comprising a housing tiltably attached to a bracket, a cylinder rigidly attached to said housing, a tube slidably and rotationally disposed within said cylinder, a thrust means at a lower end of said tube, means of tilting said housing relative to said bracket, means of extending and retracting said tube relative to said cylinder, and means of rotating said tube relative to said cylinder, whereby said thrust means may be steered; said bracket comprising a first bracket side and a second bracket side mutually attached by a bracket front brace, at least one bracket floor brace attached to ends of said bracket sides opposite said housing, a bracket pivot point at an end of each said bracket side opposite said bracket front brace, and a stop rigidly attached to each bracket side between said bracket pivot point and said bracket front brace, said housing being tiltably attached to said bracket at said bracket pivot points, each said stop extending downwards from its respective said bracket side in a direction substantially perpendicular to said bracket side. 15. The hydraulic thruster for vessel of claim 14 wherein said housing comprises a housing roof, a first housing side, a second housing side, a housing floor, a cylinder aperture in said housing roof, and a cylinder aperture in said housing floor, each said cylinder aperture being sized to admit said cylinder, said cylinder being disposed through said cylinder apertures, an upper edge of said first housing side being attached along one edge of said housing roof, an upper edge of said second housing side being attached along an edge of said housing roof opposite said first housing side, a lower edge of said first housing side being attached along one edge of said housing floor, a lower edge of said second housing side being attached along an edge of said housing floor opposite said first housing side. 16. The hydraulic thruster for vessel of claim 15 wherein said means of tilting said housing relative to said bracket comprises a tilt arm rigidly attached to an end of at least one said housing side opposite said bracket, said tilt arm extending upwards and substantially perpendicular to an upper edge of said housing side to which it is attached; one bracket tilt actuator attach point on said bracket corresponding to each said tilt arm; and a tilt actuator, one end of said tilt actuator being rotatably attached to said bracket tilt actuator attach point, an opposite end of said tilt actuator being rotatably attached to an end of said tilt arm opposite said housing. 17. The hydraulic thruster for vessel of claim 16 further comprising redundant down-stop means, said down-stop means comprising a down-stop tab rigidly attached to each said housing side, said housing being tiltably attached to said bracket at a housing pivot point at an end of each said housing side closest said bracket, each said down-stop tab being disposed between said housing pivot point and an end of said housing side opposite said bracket, whereby each said down-stop tab butts against a respective said bracket side when said housing is fully tilted down relative to said bracket, and wherein an edge of said housing floor and lower edges of each said housing wall nearest said bracket butt against said stops when said housing is fully tilted down. 18. The hydraulic thruster for vessel of claim 16 wherein said means of extending said tube relative to said cylinder comprises a pair of extension actuators attached at one end to said cylinder and at an opposite end to a collar having a collar bore sized to slidably admit said tube, an extension actuator aperture in said housing roof, and an extension actuator aperture disposed in said housing floor, each said extension aperture being sized to admit one said extension actuator, at least one said extension actuator extending through said housing floor extension actuator aperture and said housing roof extension actuator aperture whereby said extension actuator is supported by said extension actuator apertures, an end of said tube opposite said thrust means being disposed within said collar bore. 19. The hydraulic thruster for vessel of claim 18 wherein said means of tilting said housing relative to said bracket comprises a tilt arm rigidly attached to at an end of each said housing side opposite said bracket, each said tilt arm extending upwards and substantially perpendicular to an upper edge of said housing side to which it is attached; one bracket tilt actuator attach point on said bracket corresponding to each said tilt arm; and a tilt actuator corresponding to each said tilt arm, one end of each said tilt actuator being rotatably attached to one said bracket tilt actuator attach point, an opposite end of each said tilt actuator being rotatably attached to an end of a corresponding said tilt arm opposite said housing. 20. The hydraulic thruster for vessel of claim 19 wherein said means of rotating said tube relative to said cylinder comprises a steering motor mounted to said housing, steering motor gear driven by said steering motor, a tube gear driven by said steering motor gear, a tube gear clamp rigidly attached to said tube gear and releasably attached to said tube, means of releasing an attachment between said tube gear clamp and said tube whereby when said tube gear clamp is released said tube is free to reciprocate within said tube gear clamp, and means of maintaining an angular relationship between said tube and said steering clamp. 21. The hydraulic thruster for vessel of claim 20 wherein said means of releasing an attachment between said tube gear clamp and said tube comprises a tube gear clamp first half and a tube gear clamp second half defining a tube gear clamp bore, said tube gear second half being rigidly attached to said tube gear, one end of said tube gear clamp first half being attached to one end of said tube gear clamp second half, and a tube gear clamp actuator connecting the other ends of said tube gear clamp first half and said tube gear clamp second half, whereby when said tube gear clamp actuator allows the ends of said tube gear clamp first half and said tube gear clamp second half to which it is attached to separate, said tube is free to reciprocate within said tube gear clamp bore, and when said tube gear clamp actuator holds the ends of said tube gear clamp first half and said tube gear clamp second half to which it is attached in close mutual proximity, said tube gear clamp clamps onto said tube, thereby preventing said tube from reciprocating within said tube clamp bore. 22. The hydraulic thruster for vessel of claim 21 wherein said means of maintaining an angular relationship between said tube and said steering clamp comprises a tube gear clamp key extending into said tube gear clamp bore, and a tube keyway longitudinally disposed on said tube, said tube keyway being sized to slidably admit said tube gear clamp key, said tube gear clamp key traveling within said tube keyway when said tube extends or retracts relative to said cylinder. 23. The hydraulic thruster for vessel of claim 22 further comprising at least one extension actuator attached at one end to said cylinder and at an opposite end to a collar having a collar bore sized to slidably admit said tube, an end of said tube opposite said thrust means being disposed within said collar bore, a swivel union comprising a swivel union stationary section and a swivel union rotating section, said swivel union rotating section being attached to an end of said tube opposite said thrust means, and means to prevent said swivel union stationary section from rotating relative to said cylinder, said housing, and said bracket. 24. The hydraulic thruster for vessel of claim 23 wherein said means to prevent said swivel union stationary section from rotating relative to said cylinder, said housing, and said bracket comprises an anti-rotation member rigidly attached to said swivel union stationary section; and at least one anti-rotation member guide sized to slidably admit said anti-rotation member rigidly attached to said housing, said anti-rotation member reciprocating within said at least one anti-rotation member guide as said tube extends and retracts relative to said cylinder. 25. A hydraulic thruster for vessel comprising a housing tiltably attached to a bracket, a cylinder rigidly attached to said housing, a tube slidably and rotationally disposed within said cylinder, a thrust means at a lower end of said tube, means of tilting said housing relative to said bracket, means of extending and retracting said tube relative to said cylinder, and means of rotating said tube relative to said cylinder, whereby said thrust means may be steered, a length said cylinder being substantially 28%-48% of a length of said tube, a height of said housing being substantially 5%-20% of said length of said tube, said means of extending said tube relative to said cylinder comprising at least one extension actuator attached at one end to said cylinder and at an opposite end to a collar having a collar bore sized to slidably admit said tube, a retracted length of each said at least one extension actuator being 26%-46% said length of said tube. 26. A method of removably attaching a hydraulic thruster for vessel to a vessel deck comprising the steps of: A. Providing a vessel having a vessel deck;B. Providing a hydraulic thruster for vessel comprising a housing tiltably attached to a bracket having a bracket floor brace with bracket floor brace bore, a weld tab having a weld tab threaded bore, a weld tab fastener sized to fit through said bracket floor brace bore and mate with said tab threaded bore, a cylinder rigidly attached to said housing, a tube slidably and rotationally disposed within said cylinder, a thrust means at a lower end of said tube, means of tilting said housing relative to said bracket, means of extending and retracting said tube relative to said cylinder, and means of rotating said tube relative to said cylinder;C. Attaching said weld tab to said bracket floor brace by inserting said weld tab fastener through said bracket floor brace bore, and threading and tightening said weld tab fastener into said weld tab threaded bore;D. Positioning said hydraulic thruster for vessel on said vessel deck as desired; andE. Attaching said weld tab to said vessel deck. 27. The method of removably attaching a hydraulic thruster for vessel to a vessel deck of claim 26 comprising the further steps of: F. Unscrewing said weld tab fastener from said weld tab threaded bore, and removing said weld tab fastener from said weld tab threaded bore and from said floor brace bore; andG. Removing said hydraulic thruster for vessel from said vessel deck. 28. The method of removably attaching a hydraulic thruster for vessel to a vessel deck of claim 27 comprising the further steps of: H. Positioning said hydraulic thruster for vessel on said vessel deck so said bracket floor brace bore aligns with said weld tab threaded bore; andI. Re-attaching said hydraulic thruster for vessel to said vessel deck by inserting said weld tab fastener through said bracket floor brace bore, and threading and tightening said weld tab fastener into said weld tab threaded bore. 29. The method of removably attaching a hydraulic thruster for vessel to a vessel deck of claim 28 comprising the further step of attaching said weld tab to said vessel deck by welding. 30. A hydraulic thruster for vessel comprising a housing tiltably attached to a bracket; a cylinder rigidly attached to said housing; said cylinder extending completely through said housing; a tube slidably and rotationally disposed within said cylinder; a thrust means at a lower end of said tube; means of tilting said housing relative to said bracket; means of extending and retracting said tube relative to said cylinder; and means of rotating said tube relative to said cylinder, whereby said thrust means may be steered. 31. The hydraulic thruster for vessel of claim 30 wherein said tube extends completely through said housing. 32. The hydraulic thruster for vessel of claim 31 wherein a length said cylinder is substantially 28%-48% of a length of said tube, and a height of said housing is substantially 5%-20% of said length of said tube.