Apparatuses for removably supporting a steerable marine drive on a marine vessel
AssigneeBrunswick Corporation
InventorsJeremy J. Kraus, Aaron J. Novak
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatuses are for removably supporting a marine drive on a marine vessel. The apparatuses have a transom bracket assembly having a swivel cylinder, a steering bracket assembly having a swivel tube disposed in and steerable relative to the swivel cylinder through a steering range, the steering range being delimited by opposing steering stops, wherein the transom bracket assembly comprises annular mouth configured so that as the swivel tube is inserted into the swivel cylinder, the steering bracket assembly operably engages the annular mouth and is thereby caused to rotate into alignment with the steering range.
Claims20
An apparatus for removably supporting a marine drive on a marine vessel, the apparatus comprising:
- a transom bracket assembly having a swivel cylinder;
- a steering bracket assembly having a swivel tube that is steerable relative to the swivel cylinder within a steering range, the steering range being delimited by operative engagement between an engagement member and opposing steering stops;
- and
- a ramped surface configured so that as the swivel tube is inserted into the swivel cylinder the engagement member slides along the ramped surface, which rotates the steering bracket assembly relative to the transom bracket assembly until the engagement member is brought into alignment between the opposing steering stops.
An apparatus for removably supporting a marine drive on a marine vessel, the apparatus comprising:
- a transom bracket assembly having a swivel cylinder and an annular mouth;
- and
- a steering bracket assembly having a steering arm and a swivel tube that extends transversely from the steering arm and defines a steering axis for the marine drive, the swivel tube being insertable into and steerable relative to the swivel cylinder through a steering range delimited by opposing steering stops;
- wherein the steering bracket assembly comprises an engagement member that extends transversely from the steering arm and is spaced apart from the swivel tube, the engagement member being configured to operably engage the annular mouth as the swivel tube is inserted into the swivel cylinder, which causes the steering bracket assembly to rotate about the steering axis into alignment with the steering range.
An apparatus for removably supporting a marine drive on a marine vessel, the apparatus comprising:
- a transom bracket assembly having a swivel cylinder;
- a steering bracket assembly having a swivel tube disposed in and steerable relative to the swivel cylinder through a steering range delimited by opposing steering stops;
- wherein the transom bracket assembly comprises an annular mouth configured so that as the swivel tube is inserted into the swivel cylinder, the steering bracket assembly operably engages the annular mouth and is caused to rotate into alignment with the steering range, the annular mouth including diametrically opposed ramp surfaces configured for engagement by an engagement member on the steering bracket assembly during insertion of the swivel tube into the swivel cylinder;
- and
- a locking mechanism including a locking arm that extends through a body of the annular mouth and between the diametrically opposing ramped surfaces, the locking arm being movable into a locked position in which the locking arm prevents removal of the swivel tube from the swivel cylinder and an unlocked position in which the locking arm permits removal of the swivel tube from the swivel cylinder.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.