Marine propulsion device including an overdrive transmission

A marine propulsion device including a rotatably mounted input shaft drivingly connected to a power source, a lower unit housing a drive shaft, a propeller shaft rotatably mounted in said lower unit and carrying a propeller, means drivingly connecting said drive shaft to said propeller shaft, and a transmission drivingly connecting said input shaft to said drive shaft, said transmission including a first drive gear mounted for common rotation with said input shaft, a first driven gear mounted for common rotation with said drive shaft and for rotation coaxially with and independently of said input shaft, clutch means drivingly connecting said input shaft to said drive shaft for affording common rotation of said input and drive shafts in one rotary direction and for permitting rotation of said drive shaft relative to said input shaft when said drive shaft is driven in said rotary direction at a rate of rotation higher than that of said input shaft, a second driven gear meshing with said first drive gear, a second drive gear mounted for rotation coaxially with and relative to said second driven gear and meshing with said first driven gear, the gear ratios of said gears being such that said drive shaft is driven at a rotational speed higher than said input shaft when said second driven gear and said second drive gear are drivingly connected together, and actuating means operably connected between said second driven gear and said second drive gear and movable between a first position wherein said second driven gear and said second drive gear are freely rotatable relative to each and a second position wherein a driving connection is established between said second driven gear and said second drive gear.