Claims
- 1. A method of straightening a propeller under the surface of the water, comprising the steps of:
- (a) placing an arbor press around a bent portion of the propeller, said arbor press having first and second opposed surfaces substantially parallel to each other and at a sufficient distance from each other to allow a propeller blade to fit between said first and second opposed surfaces, and a floatation collar positioned around said arbor press, said collar having sufficient buoyancy to substantially counteract the weight of the apparatus under the surface of the water and having a center of buoyancy that substantially coincides with a center of gravity of the apparatus;
- (b) bracing first and second pads positioned on said opposed surfaces against the propeller to generate first and second pressure points against the bent portion of the propeller; and
- (c) activating a ram piston positioned on one of said opposed surfaces to generate a third pressure point against the bent portion of the propeller to straighten the bent portion of the propeller by pressing two of said pressure points against a first side of the bent portion of the propeller and the remaining one of said pressure points against a second side of the bent portion of the propeller to straighten the bent portion of the propeller between said pressure points.
- 2. The method of claim 1, further including the step of adjusting the spacing between said first and second pads to control the the position of said first and second pressure points relative to said third pressure point.
- 3. The method of claim 1 wherein said first pad is slidably mounted on one of said opposed surfaces, the method further including the step of adjusting said first pad to control the position of said first pressure point on the propeller relative to said second and third pressure points.
- 4. The method of claim 1 wherein said arbor press includes a corrugated stop mounted in a fixed position on said one opposed surface and a corrugated surface on said first pad to mate with said corrugated stop to prevent slippage of said first pad when said ram press is activated, the method further including the step of adjusting said first pad to control the position of said first pressure point on the propeller relative to said second and third pressure points.
- 5. The method of claim 1 wherein said ram piston is hydraulically activated.
- 6. A method of straightening a propeller under the surface of the water, comprising the steps of:
- (a) lowering the apparatus into the water;
- (b) moving the apparatus to a position proximate to the propeller;
- (c) positioning an arbor press around a bent portion of the propeller, said arbor press having first and second opposed surfaces substantially parallel to each other and at a sufficient distance from each other to allow a propeller blade to fit between said first and second opposed surfaces, and a floatation collar positioned around said arbor press, said collar having sufficient buoyancy to substantially counteract the weight of the apparatus under the surface of the water and having a center of buoyancy that substantially coincides with a center of gravity of the apparatus;
- (d) bracing first and second pads positioned on said opposed surfaces against the propeller to generate first and second pressure points against the bent portion of the propeller; and
- (e) activating a ram piston positioned on one of said opposed surfaces against the propeller to generate a third pressure point against bent portion of the propeller to straighten the bent portion of the propeller by pressing two of said pressure points against a first side of the bent portion of the propeller and the remaining one of said pressure points against a second side of the bent portion of the propeller to straighten the bent portion of the propeller between said pressure points.
- 7. The method of claim 6, further including the step of adjusting the spacing between said first and second pads to control the position of said first and second pressure points relative to said third pressure point.
- 8. The method of claim 6 wherein said first pad is slidably mounted on one of said opposed surfaces, the method further including the step of adjusting said first pad to control the position of said first pressure point on the propeller relative to said second and third pressure points.
- 9. The method of claim 6 wherein said arbor press includes a corrugated stop mounted in a fixed position on said one opposed surface and a corrugated surface on said first pad to mate with said corrugated stop to prevent slippage of said first pad when said ram press is activated, the method further including the step of adjusting said first pad to control the position of said first pressure point on the propeller relative to said second and third pressure points.
- 10. The method of claim 6 wherein said ram piston is hydraulically activated.
- 11. A method of straightening a propeller, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) placing an arbor press around a bent portion of the propeller, said arbor press having first and second opposed surfaces substantially parallel to each other and at a sufficient distance from each other to allow a propeller blade to fit between said first and second opposed surfaces, said first opposed surface extending beyond said second opposed surface;
- (b) bracing a first and second pads positioned on said opposed surfaces against the propeller to generate first and second pressure points against the bent portion of the propeller; and
- (c) activating a ram piston positioned on one of said opposed surfaces against the propeller to generate a third pressure point against the bent portion of the propeller to straighten the bent portion of the propeller by pressing two of said pressure points against a first side of the bent portion of the propeller and the remaining one of said pressure points against a second side of the bent portion of the propeller to straighten the bent portion of the propeller between said pressure points.
- 12. The method of claim 11, further including the step of adjusting the spacing between said first and second pads to control the position of said first and second pressure points relative to said third pressure point.
- 13. The method of claim 11 wherein said first pad is slidably mounted on one of said opposed surfaces, the method further including the step of adjusting said first pad to control the position of said first pressure point on the propeller relative to said second and third pressure points.
- 14. The method of claim 11 wherein said arbor press includes a corrugated stop mounted in a fixed position on said one opposed surface and a corrugated surface on said first pad to mate with said corrugated stop to prevent slippage of said first pad when said ram press is activated, the method further including the step of adjusting said first pad to control the position of said first pressure point on the propeller relative to said second and third pressure points.
- 15. The method of claim 11 wherein said ram piston is hydraulically activated.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a division of U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 07/926,835, filed Aug. 7, 1992, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,315,856.
US Referenced Citations (4)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
0103918 |
Jun 1983 |
JPX |
Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
926835 |
Aug 1992 |
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