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US 5,108,325 AGranted
Boat propulsion device
AssigneeBrunswick Corporation
InventorsDavid T. Livingston, David D. Jones
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A propulsion device for a boat that mounts through a hole in a bottom surface of the boat. The engine is positioned inside the boat and the propeller drive is positioned under a bottom surface of the boat. The propulsion device includes a mounting assembly, a steering assembly rotatably connecting the drive to the mounting assembly for steering the propeller drive under the boat, a trimming assembly swingingly connecting the drive to the steering assembly for trimming/tilting of the propeller drive under the boat at any steered position, and a drive shaft means providing a drive connection between the engine and the propeller drive at any steered and trimmed position.
Claims26
A propulsion device for a boat having a bottom surface comprising
- an engine for positioning inside the boat,
- a propeller drive for positioning under said bottom surface of said boat
- a mounting assembly for mounting within said bottom surface of said boat between said engine and said drive, said mounting assembly including a central member portion,
- a steering assembly rotatably connecting said drive to said mounting assembly, said steering assembly having a tubular portion extending upwardly through said mounting assembly, said steering assembly rotating within said mounting assembly about a generally vertical axis,
- a trimming system for connecting the drive to said steering assembly for providing a limited range of horizontal swinging movement therefrom, and
- a driveshaft means drivably coupling said drive to said engine.
3 more elements
A propulsion device for a boat having a bottom surface comprising
- an engine for positioning inside the boat,
- a propeller drive for positioning under a bottom surface of said boat,
- a mounting assembly for mounting within said bottom surface of said boat between said engine and said drive,
- a steering assembly rotatably connecting said drive to rotate within said mounting assembly on a generally vertical axis, said steering assembly having a depending portion for horizontally pivotably connecting to said drive, said steering assembly having a drive shaft passageway therein,
- a trimming assembly having an upwardly extending portion for said horizontally pivotably connecting with said steering assembly, said trimming assembly supporting said drive for providing horizontal swinging movement thereof on a generally horizontal axis whereby said steering assembly rotates within said mounting assembly for steering of said drive and whereby said trimming assembly rotates as an unit with said steering assembly on said generally vertical axis during steering and further swings on said generally horizontal axis during trimming.
2 more elements
A propulsion device for a boat having a bottom surface comprising
- an engine for positioning inside the boat,
- a propeller drive for positioning under said bottom surface of said boat,
- a mounting assembly for mounting within said bottom surface of said boat between said engine and said drive,
- a steering assembly having a trimming assembly mounted thereto, said steering assembly connecting said drive to rotate on a generally vertical axis within said mounting assembly for generally vertical rotation for steering, said trimming assembly providing for generally horizontal rotation for trimming, said steering and trimming assembly including a drive shaft passageway means providing a sealed enclosure within said steering and trimming assembly during said trimming, and
- a drive shaft means drivably coupling said engine with said drive through said drive shaft passageway means.
2 more elements
A propulsion device for a boat having a bottom surface comprising
- an engine for positioning inside the boat,
- a propeller drive for positioning under said bottom surface of said boat,
- a mounting assembly for mounting within said bottom surface of said boat between said engine and said drive, said mounting assembly including a boat mounting portion for mounting with the boat and a drive mounting portion having a central member for mounting with the drive,
- a steering assembly for connecting said drive to said mounting assembly, said steering assembly constructed to rotate about a generally vertical axis within said mounting assembly,
- a trimming assembly for connecting the drive to said steering assembly for providing a limited range of horizontal swinging movement therefrom, and
- a drive shaft means drivably coupling said engine to said drive, said drive shaft means including an upper drive shaft drivably connecting through said mounting assembly coaxial with said generally vertical axis.
3 more elements
A propulsion device for a boat comprising
- an engine for positioning inside the boat, said engine positioned with the crankshaft vertical and output end of crankshaft down,
- a propeller drive for positioning under a bottom surface of the boat,
- a mounting assembly between said engine and said drive, said mounting assembly including an engine mounting portion for mounting the engine,
- a steering assembly for connecting said drive to said mounting assembly, said steering assembly constructed to rotated about a generally vertical axis with said mounting assembly, said steering assembly including a steering member having a steering arm fixed thereto, a trimming system for connecting the drive to said steering assembly for providing a limited range of horizontal swinging movement therefrom, and
- a drive shaft means drivably coupling said engine with said drive, said drive shaft means including an upper drive shaft drivably connecting through said mounting assembly coaxial with said generally vertical axis.
2 more elements
A propulsion device for a boat comprising an engine for positioning inside the boat, said engine positioned with the crankshaft vertical and output end of crankshaft down
- a propeller drive for positioning under a bottom surface of the boat,
- a mounting assembly between said engine and said drive, said mounting assembly including an engine mounting portion for mounting the engine,
- a steering assembly for connecting said drive to said mounting assembly, said steering assembly constructed to rotate about a generally vertical axis with said mounting assembly, said steering assembly including a steering member having a steering arm fixed thereto,
- said engine mounting portion including upwardly extending mounts providing vertical height clearance and rotational clearance between said engine and said drive to permit turning of said steering arm within a desired steering range,
- a drive shaft means drivably coupling with said drive, said drive shaft means including an upper drive shaft drivably connecting through said mounting assembly coaxial with said generally vertical axis,
- and an universal joint connected at the lower end of said upper drive shaft, said universal joint providing a drive angle change.
3 more elements
A propulsion device for a boat comprising
- an engine for positioning inside the boat,
- a propeller drive for positioning under a bottom surface of the boat,
- a mounting assembly constructed to be mounted at a generally horizontal surface of said boat between said engine and said drive,
- a steering and trimming assembly, said steering assembly rotatably connecting said drive to said mounting assembly, said steering assembly having a depending first trunnion, said trimming assembly connecting said drive to said steering assembly and having an upwardly extending second trunnion, said first trunnion engaging with said second trunnion at a common horizontal pivot means for providing swinging upward movement of said drive, said steering and trimming assembly having a drive shaft enclosure therein, and
- a drive shaft means including an upper drive shaft, a lower drive shaft, an universal joint connecting said upper and lower drive shafts, said upper and lower drive shafts and said universal joint positioned within said drive shaft enclosure.
2 more elements
A propulsion device for a boat comprising
- and engine for positioning inside the boat,
- a propeller dirve for positioning under a bottom surface of the boat, said drive having a first trim cylinder mounting pivot,
- a mounting assembly between said engine and said drive.
- a steering member supporting said drive within said mounting assembly for rotation about a generally vertical axis, said steering member having a second trim cylinder mounting pivot under said mounting assembly,
- a trimming asembly for connecting said drive to said steering member for rotation about a generally horizontal axis, said trimming assembly operatively rotating said drive about said generally horizontal axis for changing the trim angle, and
- a drive shaft means drivably coupling said engine with said drive.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.