Marine jet drive

Abstract

A jet drive for propelling a vessel has a rotatable impeller coupled to an engine. An impeller housing surrounds the impeller. A diffuser housing and a nozzle housing are attached to the impeller housing, which is supported by a transom. An intake duct is disposed in front of the impeller housing. The intake duct has an intake opening, the perimeter of which is defined by a forward edge portion substantially flush and a rear edge portion raised relative to the remainder of the edge, which is substantially parallel to the perimeter to the forward edge. A sloped surface connects the raised rear edge and the lowest point of the transom. The intake duct has a forward facing separator baffle depending from and substantially parallel to the wall and disposed interiorly thereof. The space defined between the separator baffle and the wall is in fluid communication through at least one discharge duct to either one of the transom and bottom.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.