Electrically controlled shift and throttle system

Apparatus for controlling the shift and throttle systems of a marine craft having an engine with a throttle system and a transmission with a shift system for selecting one of forward, neutral, and reverse operating modes, the craft having at least two operator control stations, the shift system being of the type which has a shift gear linkage means for shifting a transmission among forward, neutral, and reverse operating modes, the throttle system having a throttle linkage means operably connected to the engine for controlling the operating speed of the engine, the apparatus comprising:

• a control unit located at each operator control station and being adapted to generate an electrical operating speed signal indicative of the operating speed and an electrical operating mode signal, each said control unit having a drive motor to selectively position the same responsive to an electrical positioning signal being received thereby;
• means associated with each of said control units for selecting one of said control units to control the operating mode and operating speed;
• a shift gear motor adapted to operate the shift gear linkage means to shift the transmission from one operating mode to another responsive to said operating mode signal being applied thereto;
• a throttle motor adapted to operate throttle linkage means for controlling the operating speed of the engine responsive to an operating speed signal being applied thereto;
• and
• processing means adapted to receive said operating mode and operating speed signals from said selected control unit and to generate said positioning signal and to generate signals for selectively operating said Shift gear motor and said throttle motor;
• said apparatus operating in a manner whereby selection of a lever control means enables an operator to position the same and select the operating mode and operating speed and generate said electrical operating speed and operating mode signals and communicate them to said processing means, said processing means communicating said positioning signal to at least said drive motor of the nonselected control unit for positioning the lever control means of the nonselected control unit in substantially the same position as the lever control means of the selected control unit.

Apparatus for controlling the shift and throttle systems of a marine craft having at least one engine with a throttle system and a transmission with a shift system for selecting one of forward, neutral, and reverse operating modes, the shift system being of the type which has a shift gear linkage means for shifting a transmission among forward, neutral, and reverse operating modes, the throttle system having a throttle age means operably connected to the engine for controlling the operating speed of the engine, the apparatus comprising:

• a first control unit located at a first operator control station and being adapted to generate electrical signals indicative of the operating speed and operating mode as a function of the position thereof, said control unit having a drive motor to selectively position the same responsive to positioning signals being received thereby;
• a shift gear motor adapted to operate the shift gear linkage means to shift the transmission among operating modes responsive to electrical shift signals being applied thereto;
• a throttle motor adapted to operate the throttle linkage means for controlling the operating speed of the engine;
• and
• processing means adapted to receive said signals from said control unit and to generate said positioning signals and to generate said shift signals for operating said shift gear motor and said throttle motor;
• said apparatus operating in a manner whereby a lever control means enables an operator to position the same and select the operating mode and operating speed and generate said electrical signals and communicate them to said processing means, said processing means communicating positioning signals to said drive motor.

An engine transmission and speed control unit for a marine craft comprising:

• a lever arm having a first resistive surface element;
• a pivotable base portion having a second resistive surface element, the pivotable base portion engageable with the lever arm;
• a stationary base having a first wiper assembly and a second wiper assembly, the first wiper assembly in operational engagement with the first resistive element and the second wiper assembly in operational engagement with the second resistive surface element;
• and
• a drive motor configured to position the pivotable base portion with respect to one of the first and the second wiper assembly based on a position of the other of the first and the second wiper assembly with respect to a respective resistive surface element.