Marine drive lower unit with sequentially loaded multiple thrust bearings
AssigneeBrunswick Corporation
InventorDaniel F. McCormick
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A marine drive unit (1) includes a lower torpedo housing (9). At least one propeller shaft (21) is mounted in the housing for rotation about a drive axis (17). The propeller shaft is driven by a driving gear (16) suitably connected to a marine engine (4) and mounted on the drive axis. A first forward thrust bearing (41) is disposed between the driving gear and the housing. In addition, a second forward thrust bearing (42) is disposed adjacent the forward end of the propeller shaft. A pre-loading device, in the present embodiment a washer-like Belleville spring (43) of a desired capacity, is disposed to provide an adjustable rearwardly biasing force on the second thrust bearing.
Claims9
In a marine drive, the combination comprising:
- (a) a generally vertical gear casing (7, 8) terminating in a lower generally horizontal fore-to-aft extending housing (9),
- (b) a propeller shaft (21) disposed within said housing for rotation about a longitudinal drive axis (17),
- (c) a propeller (10) connected to said propeller shaft at a rearward end of the latter,
- (d) drive means for connecting said propeller shaft to a marine engine and with said drive means including a rearwardly-facing drive gear (16) secured for rotation with said propeller shaft,
- (e) first forward thrust bearing means (41) confined between said gear and said housing,
- (f) second forward thrust bearing means (42) mounted in connected relationship to and adjacent a forward end portion of said gear and spaced fowardly of said first bearing means,
- (g) and biasing means (43) for pre-loading said second thrust bearing means in a rearward direction toward said first thrust bearing means.
In a rotary drive, the combination comprising:
- (a) a frame (9),
- (b) a shaft (21) disposed within said frame for rotation about a longitudinal axis (17), and with said shaft having a forward and rearward end and being adapted to carry forward thrust,
- (c) an annular member (16) secured for rotation with said shaft,
- (d) first forward thrust bearing means (41) confined between said member and said frame,
- (e) second forward thrust bearing means (42) mounted in connected relationship to and adjacent a forward end portion of said member and spaced forwardly of said first bearing means,
- (f) and biasing means (43) for pre-loading said second thrust bearing means in a rearward direction toward said first thrust bearing means to sequentially divide the forward thrust between said first and second bearing means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.