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Stern tubes
Stern tubes
Stern tubes
simplex seal
A very common arrangement for oil lubricated stern tube bearings. A
simplex seal arrangement is fitted to both inner and outer ends.
The replaceable chrome liner prevents damage to the prop shaft which
would be expensive to repair.
Not shown is a rope guard bolted to the hull which prevents material from
being 'wound' into the gap and damaging the seal. Rope cutters may be
fitted with a fixed blade attached to the hull and a moving blade to the
propeller.
Oil pressure is fed to the area between the two opposite facing seals.
This pressure is governed by the draught of the vessel and is often
supplied via tanks situated at set heights. This pressure balances the sea
water pressure on the seal and prevents sea water ingress, by opening
the correct tank the pressure exerted by the oil is insufficient to cause oil
to leakage out.
Stern tube seals with oil lubrication have tended to use rubber rings
increasingly. Viton with additives has been shown to be more effective
than nitrile butadiene rubber for seal rings
Shaft alignment
At the for'd end of the
engine room a light box
emitting light through a
pin hole is fixed from the
design height of the
crankshaft. Using the
sighting gear in stern
frame boss with solid
piece fitted. The stern
frame boss is marked off
for boring . The solid
piece is then exchanged
for a sighting piece
A second sighting gear with sighting piece is fitted to the bore hole in the aft peak
bulkhead. This is adjusted until the light source can be seen through the boss and
aft peak bulkhead sighting pieces. The sighting piece is replaced by the fixed
piece and the bulkhead may be machined. The stern tube is scribed out and the
p.c.d. of the bolts which will support the stern tube flange marked off. A similar
procedure is repeated for other bulkheads. When boring out is completed the
stern tube is hauled into position, wood packing being fitted under the flange
before bolting up at the aft peak bulkhead, the external stern tube nut is screwed
up hard making a rigid connection at the after end. The tail end shaft is now fitted
into the stern tube, subsequent to the installation of bearing. The flange of the tail
end shaft is now the standard by which the remaining line shafting will be aligned.
Shaft alignment
Taut wire method (Pilgrims wire)
Consists of steel wire anchored above shaft at one end of system and
led over a pulley with suspended weight at the other end.
The height of the pulley and fixed anchorage are adjusted so that they
are the same distance above the shaft and are positioned vertically
over the shaft centre line. A microstaff is employed to measure the
differences in height at bearing support points between shafts and wire,
an allowance being made for wire sag.
A master inclinometer is employed to monitor ships movement during
the aligning process.
Shaft Bearings
The intermediate shafting if supported in plain or tilting pad bearings, has an
after most bearing which is lined top and bottom. Roller bearings are installed in
some vessels.
Plain and tilting pad bearings
The shaft supported in a plain journal bearing, will as it rotates, carry oil to its
underside and develop a film of pressure. The pressure build up is related to
speed of rotation. Thus oil delivered as the shaft turns at normal speed, will
separate shaft and bearing, so preventing metal to metal contact. Pressure
generated in the oil film, is effective over about one third of the bearing area
because of oil loss at the bearing ends and peripherally. Load is supported and
transmitted to the journal, by the area where the film is generated. The
remaining two thirds area does not carry load
Replacement of the ineffective side portions of the journal by pads capable of
carrying load will considerably increase its capacity. Tilting pads based on those
developed by Mitchell for thrust blocks are used for the purpose. Each pad tilts
as oil is delivered to it so that a wedge or oil is formed. The three pressure
wedges give a larger total support area than that obtained with a plain bearing.
The tilt of the pads automatically adjusts to suit load, speed and oil viscosity.
The wedge of oil gives a greater separation between shaft and bearing than
does the oil film in a plain journal. The enhanced load capacity of a tilting pad
design permits the use of shorter length or less bearings.
Shaft Bearings
Coupling bolts
Elongation of a bar produces a related reduction in cross sectional area.
A bar with the same elastic properties in all directions will have a constant
relationship between axial strain and lateral strain. This is termed the Poissons
Ratio and given by the symbol n.
A bolt when tightened similarly causes a loss in area and diameter. In a
clearance hole this is not a problem. With a fitted bolt however, the positive
contact or 'fit' between the accurately machined bolt and reamed hole would be
affected.
Shaft coupling bolts are tightened to force the faces of the flange together so the
friction between the faces will provide some proportion of the drive. However,
fitted bolt shanks are also designed to take a proportion of the drive. A clearance
bolt could provide the first requirement but not the second. A fitted bolt when
tightened and subject to reduction in cross section would also fail on the second
count and probably be damaged by fretting. A tapered bolt may be used instead
of a conventional coupling bolt to obtain a good fit and required tightening.
Coupling bolts
Parallel shank fitted bolts
have Interference fit in holes so that in the event of loss of frictional grip between
flanges then each bolt will take on equal share of the shear stress due to torque
transmission.
Parallel bolts become slack after one or two refits. Therefore taper shank bolts
have been used. An alternative is the sleeved coupling bolts.
The fit of the bolt is achieved by the tensioning of the taper shank bolt. Should
wear occur in the sleeve then this can be renewed, reusing the rest of the
assembly
PILGRIM NUT
PILGRIM NUT
Assembly
Propeller bedded to tail shaft and jacked up to usual shop mark. The Pilgrim nut
is then screwed on the shaft with the loading ring against the prop boss. With
the lever operated, high pressure grease gun, grease is pumped into the inner
tube inside the nut at around 600 bar, ( w.p. stamped on nut, not to be
exceeded), the prop will be pushed sufficiently up the taper to give the required
frictional grip. The pressure is then released and the nut is rotated until it is hard
up against the aft face of the prop hub and locked, fair water cone then fitted
Removal
After removal of fair water cone and the locking plate, the pilgrim nut is
removed, reversed and together with a loose shock ring is screwed back onto
the shaft. A strong back is fitted and secured with studs to the prop boss.
Grease is now inserted to the system expanding the inner tube forcing the
loading ring, strong back, withdrawal studs and prop aft.