Importance

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Abstract

The present invention pertains to a device for changing the direction of travel of a watercraft with a drive with a gondola-like underwater housing 2 having a contour favorable in terms of flow outside the hull 1 of the watercraft, past which water flows and which is connected to the hull 1 of the watercraft by a shaft 3, one end of which is associated with the underwater housing and the other end of which is associated with the hull 1 of the watercraft. A drive shaft 7, which carries at least one propeller 6 outside the underwater housing, is led out of at least one end of the gondola-like underwater housing 2. The change in the direction of travel of the watercraft 1 is brought about by the shaft 3 being mounted at its upper end pivotably on the watercraft 1 and by a pivoting motor 24 (toothed ring 20, motor pinion 21) acting on the shaft. In addition or as an alternative to this possibility of pivoting, the direction of travel of the watercraft may be changed by the fact that means which act on the water flowing past the underwater housing to thus change the direction of travel of the watercraft are associated with the gondola-like underwater housing 2 and/or the shaft. The means may be high-energy fluid jets 22 which are discharged from nozzles 8, 9 and act directly on the flowing water or change the contour of a shell 23, which surrounds the gondola-like underwater housing 2 and/or the shaft 3. To change the contour, the shell consists, e.g., of an elastically deformable material.

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First Claim