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US 5,136,894 AGranted
Tiltable marine steering helm
AssigneeIMO Industries, Inc.
InventorsThomas G. Carter, Roger F. Olsen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tiltable marine steering helm assembly which includes a steering-wheel shaft mounted in a universal joint permitting the steering wheel shaft to be tilted at various angles and providing the full rotational movement of the wheel regardless of the tilt angle. The universal joint includes two pairs of yokes mounted perpendicularly to each other, and a coupling operatively engaged by these yokes. The wheel shaft is able to tilt vertically and to rotate freely due to the design of the universal joint. The components of tilt helm assembly may be reconfigured to permit mounting on either a vertical or a 20 degree tilt dashboard. Also provided in a flexible helm cover which can be installed to the helm assembly without hardware.
Claims24
A tiltable marine steering helm comprising:
- a universal joint assembly including first and second pairs of yokes perpendicularly mounted with respect to each other, and a coupling seated within said pairs of yokes and being at least partially rotatable in a first vertical plane and fully rotatable in a second vertical plane independent of the rotational position of said coupling in said first vertical plane, said first and second vertical planes being perpendicular;
- a steering wheel shaft, one end of which is operably associated with said first pair of yokes, and said coupling allowing said steering wheel shaft to be tilted in said first vertical plane and to rotate freely in said second vertical plane independent of the angle of tilt of said steering wheel shaft in said first vertical plane;
- a support frame having a port for passage and support of said steering wheel shaft;
- a helm base for pivotally support said support frame and having a flange for attachment of a helm cover;
- a pair of side plates mounted on opposite sides of said universal joint assembly, said plates being mounted approximately parallel to said first vertical plane;
- locking means for releasably locking said steering wheel shaft at a selected tilt angle;
- and
- a flexible helm cover attachable at one end thereof to said flange, and at the opposite end thereof about said steering wheel shaft.
5 more elements
A tiltable marine steering helm capable of mounting to the front face of a vertically disposed or inclined dashboard of a marine vessel, said tiltable marine helm comprising:
- a support frame having a port for passage and support of a steering wheel shaft;
- a pair of support frame mounting plates for pivotally mounting said support frame;
- and
- a helm base adapted for mounting to the dashboard of said marine vessel, said helm base having a pair of spaced-apart parallelly disposed helm brackets, each said helm bracket capable of being connected to one of said support frame mounting plates so that said pair of helm brackets are connectable to said support frame mounting plates in either a first mounting configuration or a second mounting configuration,
- wherein said support frame can be selectively pivotally supported in one of a range of tiltable positions when said helm base is mounted to an inclined dashboard and said helm brackets and said support frame mounting plates are connected in said first mounting configuration, and
- wherein said support frame can be selectively pivotally supported in one of said range of tiltable positions when said helm base is mounted to a vertically disposed dashboard and said helm brackets and said support frame mounting plates are connected in said second mounting configuration.
3 more elements
A tiltable marine steering helm comprising:
- a universal joint assembly including a first yoke portion and a second yoke portion operably associated by a coupling;
- a steering wheel shaft operably connected to said first yoke portion at one end of said steering wheel shaft;
- a support frame having a first port of passage and support of said steering wheel shaft, and a support frame flange disposed about said first port;
- a helm base adapted for mounting to a dashboard, and including support means for pivotally supporting said support frame over a range of tilt angles and a second port for passage of a drive shaft operably connectable at one end thereof to said second yoke portion, said helm base further including a helm base flange disposed about said helm base;
- locking means operably associated with said support frame and said helm base, for releasably locking said steering wheel shaft at a selected tilt angle;
- and
- a flexible helm cover for enclosing said support frame and said universal joint assembly, said flexible helm cover having a first end portion and a second end portion with flexible surface therebetween, said first end portion being generally open for passage of said support frame and said universal joint assembly and adapted for snap fit attachment about said helm base flange, and said second end portion having an opening for passage of said steering wheel shaft and being adapted to engage said support frame flange while permitting said steering wheel shaft to be releasably locked into a selected tilt angle within said range of tilt angles.
4 more elements
A tiltable marine steering helm comprising:
- a universal joint assembly including a first yoke portion and a second yoke portion operably associated by a coupling;
- a steering wheel shaft operably connected to said first yoke portion at one end of said steering wheel shaft;
- a support frame having first port for passage and support of said steering wheel shaft, and a support frame flange circumferentially disposed about said first port;
- a helm base adapted for mounting to a dashboard, and including support means for pivotally supporting said support frame over a range of tilt angles, and a second port for passage of a drive shaft operably connectable at one end thereof to said second yoke portion, said helm base further including a helm base flange circumferentially disposed about said helm base;
- locking means operably associated with said support frame and said helm base, for releasably locking said steering wheel shaft at a selected tilt angle;
- and
- a flexible helm cover for enclosing said support frame and said universal joint assembly, said flexible helm cover having a first end portion and a second end portion being adapted for attachment about said helm base flange and said steering wheel shaft and being adapted to engage said shaft to be releasably locked into a selected tilt angle within said range of tilt angles.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.