Exhaust control assembly for marine stern drive
AssigneeBrunswick Corporation
InventorsArvid E. Winberg, John J. Litjens
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A stern drive marine propulsion system (2) has an inboard engine (4) with an exhaust (6), an outboard drive unit (8) operatively coupled to the engine (4) and separated therefrom by a transom (10) having two exhaust passages (28 and 34) therethrough, and an exhaust control assembly (16) aft of the engine exhaust (6) and forward of the transom (10) and within the boat (12). The assembly (16) has an inlet (18) connected to the engine exhaust (6), and has first and second outlets (22 and 24) communicating with the respective exhaust passages (28 and 34) extending aft through the transom (10). A valve (26) in the assembly (16) selectively controls communication of the inlet (18) with the first outlet (22).
Claims10
In a stern drive marine propulsion system having an inboard engine with an exhaust and having an outboard drive unit and propeller operatively coupled to said engine and separated therefrom by a transom, an exhaust control assembly aft of said engine exhaust and forward of said transom, said assembly having an inlet connected to said engine exhaust, and having first and second outlets, valve means in said assembly for selectively controlling communication of said inlet with said first outlet,
- wherein said first outlet is connected to a first passage extending aft through said transom, said second outlet is connected to a second passage extending aft through said transom and through said outboard drive unit and discharging at said propeller, said valve means has a first position passing engine exhaust to said first passage, and has a second position blocking passage of engine exhaust to said first passage, and wherein said second passage is always in communication with engine exhaust at said inlet, regardless of the position of said valve means, such that said propeller is always in communication with engine exhaust.
A stern drive marine propulsion system for a boat having a transom, comprising:
- an inboard engine with an exhaust;
- an outboard drive unit and propeller operatively coupled to said engine and separated therefrom by said transom;
- a first aperture in said transom;
- a second aperture in said transom;
- an exhaust control assembly aft of said engine exhaust and forward of said transom, said assembly having an inlet connected to said engine exhaust, and having first and second outlets, and valve means in said assembly for selectively controlling communication of said inlet with said first outlet;
- first passage means connected to said first outlet of said assembly and extending aft through said first aperture in said transom;
- second passage means connected to said second outlet of said assembly and extending aft through said second aperture in said transom to said outboard drive unit to discharge said exhaust through said outboard drive unit at said propeller,
- wherein said valve means has a first condition passing engine exhaust to said first passage means, and has a second condition blocking passage of engine exhaust to said first passage means, and wherein said second passage means is always in communication with engine exhaust at said inlet, regardless of the condition of said valve means, such that said propeller is always in communication with engine exhaust.
A stern drive marine propulsion system for a boat having a transom, comprising:
- an inboard engine with an exhaust;
- an outboard drive unit operatively coupled to said engine and separated therefrom by said transom;
- an exhaust control assembly aft of said engine exhaust and forward of said transom, said assembly having an inlet connected to said engine exhaust, and having first and second outlets, and a valve in said assembly having a first condition providing communication of said inlet with said first outlet, and a second condition blocking communication of said inlet with said first outlet;
- first passage means connected to said first outlet and extending aft through said transom;
- second passage means connected to said second outlet and extending aft through said transom;
- control circuitry for said valve comprising:
- an air cylinder operatively coupled to said valve for selectively controlling actuation of said valve between said first and second conditions;
- an air pump for supplying pressurized air to said air cylinder;
- a regulator valve for regulating the pressure supplied by said air pump to said air cylinder;
- a check valve between said air pump and said air cylinder blocking back-pressure from said air cylinder to said air pump;
- a relief valve for affirmatively depressurizing said air cylinder and changing the valve conditon;
- a source of electrical power;
- electric switch means for selectively completing an electric circuit from said source of electrical power to said air pump to actuate the latter to supply said pressurized air to said air cylinder, and for selectively completing an electric circuit from said source of electrical power to said relief valve to actuate the latter to depressurize said air cylinder.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.