Steering system for marine propulsion unit
AssigneeSanshin Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsAkihiro Onoue, Masahiro Matsumoto
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Abstract
A hydraulic assisted steering mechanism for marine propulsion drive wherein the hydraulic assist is operated by a control valve having its valve element actuated by a wire actuator that is operated by the steering mechanism. The actuating element that interconnects the wire actuator to the control valve element is supported for movement in a variety of embodiments so as to confine the movement in same direction as the valve element.
Claims28
A hydraulic steering mechanism for a marine propulsion unit supported for steering movement about an axis and having a steering element, a hydraulic motor operably coupled to said steering element for providing a hydraulic assist for said steering, a remote steering operator for operator actuation, a flexible actuator operably connecting said steering operator to said steering element for steering thereof, a hydraulic control valve for selectively applying fluid pressure to said hydraulic motor, said control valve including a control valve element, actuating means operatively connected at one end to said flexible actuator and at another end to said control valve element for operating said control valve element upon the exertion of a force to said flexible actuator, and means for controlling the movement of said actuating means so that said actuating means only move in the direction of movement of said control valve element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.