Lewmar Limited

Ferranti International Plc

Lewmar Mrine Limited

Nicholas Charles Henly

Sean Daniel Wilson

Raymond J O'Connor

A retractable thruster assembly for a marine vessel has a propeller unit, a motor, a housing and a drive shaft linking the motor with the propeller unit. An actuator is operable to move the propeller unit from the storage configuration to a deployment configuration in a direction from inboard to outboard, the propeller unit being extended from the hull for use in the deployment configuration. The drive shaft comprises a motor-side universal joint for attachment to the motor and a propeller-side universal joint for attachment to the propeller unit. The universal joints permit folding of the drive shaft at least in the storage configuration. A motor-side telescopic section is disposed adjacent the motor-side universal joint. A propeller-side telescopic section is disposed adjacent the propeller-side universal joint. An intermediate telescopic section is disposed between the motor-side telescopic section and the propeller-side telescopic section.

Retractable thruster and drive shaft for retractable thruster

Disclosed is an assembly for assisting in the attachment of an appliance such as a winch to a surface (e.g. deck) of a watercraft such as a sailing boat. Fixing screws are retained in apertures in the winch by retaining means such as lock washers. The assembly of the winch and screws may therefore be produced at a location remote from the watercraft, the retaining means holding the screws against rotation during transportation and during fixing of the appliance to the surface of the watercraft.

Fixing assemblies and methods

A windlass assembly includes a single-turn gypsy for engaging the line and/or chain of an anchor rode of a water craft. This has to be driven from a drive shaft, but also has to have the capacity to rotate relative to the shaft under the influence of the anchor as it is paid out. A lever is movable between positions where it engages drive to and disengages drive from the gypsy. It is biased (e.g. by a spring) towards the engaged position, but in its other position can be pressed onto the gypsy to control the friction to which the latter is subject while rotating relative to the shaft.

Windlass assembly

A gypsy-type winch has a sheave for driving a rope, chain or rope-chain pulling element. The pulling element is urged into contact with the sheave by a spring assembly acting on the element at positions spaced apart from each other and in different sides respectively of a first diameter extending between the inlet and outlet runs of the element, but both on one side of a second diameter perpendicular to the first.

Winch

A valve which allows the rapid discharge of a fluid from a reservoir (13) to a working volume (12) includes a housing (10) and a cylindrical sleeve (14) movable axially within the housing between a closed position in which it separates the reservoir (13) from the working volume (12) and an open position in which the reservoir (13) communicates with the working volume (12). Sealing means (20, 21) are provided to prevent leakgage of the fluid when the sleeve is in the closed position. Actuating means are provided for moving the sleeve (14) between its two positions. The sealing means comprises seals (20, 21) located to engage one end (19) of the sleeve around the outer and inner peripheries respectively when the sleeve (14) is in the closed position. One seal (20) is forced into engagement with the sleeve (14) by the pressure of fluid in the reservoir (13) and the other seal (21) is forced into engagement with the sleeve (14) only when fluid pressure is applied by the actuating means to move the sleeve (14) from its closed position to its open position.

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Petersfield, United Kingdom

Nicholas Charles Henly