Reverse thrust bucket assembly for jet propulsion unit

A jet propulsion unit as in claim I additionally comprising an actuator coupled to the locking mechanism.

A watercraft comprising a hull defining a rider's area and an engine compartment, an engine being disposed within the engine compartment and including an output shaft, a jet propulsion unit being coupled to the engine output shaft and including an impeller disposed within a housing assembly, and a nozzle arranged downstream of the impeller, a thrust deflector pivotally supported relative to the nozzle and movable between a first position and a second position, the thrust deflector being disposed relative to the nozzle so as to redirect at least a portion of a water stream issuing from the nozzle when the thrust deflector is moved into the second position, first and second stops which cooperate with the thrust deflector to define the first and second positions of the thrust deflector, a releasable locking mechanism being attached to the thrust deflector and engaging the first stop and the second stop when the thrust deflector is positioned in the first position and the second position, respectively, and a lost motion connection between the thrust deflector and the locking mechanism so as to release the locking mechanism from one of the stops to move the thrust deflector from at least one of the first and second positions.

A jet propulsion unit for a watercraft comprising an impeller disposed within a housing assembly, a nozzle arranged downstream of the impeller, a thrust deflector pivotally supported relative to the nozzle and movable between a first position and a second position, means for establishing the first and second positions of the thrust deflector, the thrust deflector being disposed relative to the nozzle so as to redirect at least a portion of a water stream issuing from the nozzle when moved into the second position, a first stop fixed relative to the propulsion unit, a second stop fixed relative to the propulsion unit, means for releasably locking the thrust deflector directly to the first stop when the thrust deflector is in the first position and releasably locking the thrust deflector directly to the second stop when the thrust deflector is in the second position, and release means for releasing the thrust deflector from the locked first and second positions so as to move the thrust deflector from the respective position.

A jet propulsion unit for a watercraft comprising an impeller disposed within a housing assembly, a discharge nozzle and a steering nozzle arranged downstream of the impeller and in series such that the steering nozzle receives water issuing from the discharge nozzle, a thrust deflector pivotally movable between a first position and a second position, the thrust deflector being disposed relative to the steering nozzle so as to redirect at least a portion of a water stream issuing from the steering nozzle when the thrust deflector is moved into the second position, an actuator connected to the steering nozzle, and a bracket assembly supporting the thrust deflector, the bracket assembly including a pair of arms which are attached to the discharge nozzle and extend at least toward the steering nozzle, the thrust deflector being pivotally coupled to the arms, wherein at least one of the arms defines a hollow space extending along side the jet propulsion unit, and at least a portion of the actuator is disposed within the hollow space.