The ‘Clamp on Blade’ propeller (CoB) has been designed for use on merchant, commercial, military and leisure applications.
Many vessels will be able to carry spare blades and if required trim by the head to make the propeller accessible and replace the blades using a barge & crane rather than having to use a dry dock.
This will save time and cost deviating to a suitable dry dock that may be hundreds of miles away and costly.
The propeller provides an economic and flexible option for smaller vessels and super yachts. If vessel owners are worried about downtime on charter, it is quite easy for them to carry spare blades and if they sustain any damage, they can change blades, wherever they are in the world.
The propeller has been tested at sea on Teignbridge Propellers’ test boat HRV1 and the company already has a number of companies looking to place orders. Initial interest has come from vessel owners with fleets operating in regions where impact damage has occurred due to debris in the rivers and sea areas.
The company expects to secure class approvals this year.
The unique propeller is manufactured in aluminium bronze and is modular in design. Each blade can be removed and replaced if necessary. Individual parts fit into a standard container and the modular element of the design also means vessel owners only need to carry one or two spare blades, rather than a spare propeller, saving space and cost.
Compared to existing bolt on blade designs this is a significant improvement. There is no oil used in the system, the removal and refitting of blades is rapid, but most significantly the propeller boss is much smaller. This equates to increased propeller efficiency, meaning the CoB will out-perform it’s more complicated and costly rivals.
The world-wide patent is pending, and the UK patent was confirmed last month.
The CoB has attracted huge interest with many ship owners requesting additional details with the intention of ordering. The CoB can be retrofitted to any shaft.
An additional advantage is that propeller blades can be changed for different vessel operating conditions, such as changing for winter or summer work, changes for different cargo transportation, fast or slow speed operation, free running or towing.
The individual components are CNC precision machined for a close tolerance fit.
Each blade will also be fully CNC machined ensuring complete accuracy and balance. Spare blades will therefore be a perfect replica of the originals, whenever they are ordered.
The blades are held into position with a clamp and super-bolt securing arrangement.
Teignbridge have completed FEA and destructive testing on the CoB to ensure that the system is sufficiently robust for the often harsh operating environment. This will provide a more efficient means of vessel propulsion.
Call: +44 (0)1626 333 377
E-Mail: sales@teignbridge.co.uk
