Auxiliary keel system for marine crafts powered by jet propulsion systems
OwnerJeffrey T. Walkowiakinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention relates to an auxiliary system for providing positive steering to marine crafts using jet propulsion systems, typically personal jet driven watercrafts such as jet boats and jet skis. In one embodiment, it includes, among other features, a combination of keel members attached to a stern section of a hull. The keels are interconnected using tie rods to the directional steering drive assembly. In other embodiments, the keels are instead attached directly to the directional nozzle or integrally made with the nozzle, and where a hood is included in the directional nozzle assembly, notches may be included in the keels to allow for full operation of the hood into its lowest position.
Claims33
An auxiliary keel system for a jet propelled watercraft having a directional nozzle drive assembly at the stern of the watercraft and a movable hood that rotates over a directional nozzle to downwardly direct and force water from the directional nozzle below the watercraft for providing reverse thrust, the auxiliary keel system comprising:
- two tie rod members, each having a first end and a second end;
- means for attaching the first end of each tie rod member to an external portion of the directional nozzle drive assembly, wherein the means for attaching the first end of each tie rod member to the external portion of the directional nozzle drive assembly moves in unison with the movement of the directional nozzle;
- the first end of each tie rod member and the means for attaching the first end of each tie rod member to the external portion of the directional nozzle drive assembly being engaged such that the first end of each tie rod member is allowed to pivot with the movement of the directional nozzle;
- a keel connected at each of the second end of each tie rod member;
- each keel having a generally planar member forming the keel with a generally horizontal upper edge, the second end of each tie rod member being pivotally connected near a proximal end of said upper edge;
- and
- means for attaching each keel to the stern of the watercraft, each means for attaching the keel to the stern of the watercraft further having means for pivotally connecting the upper edge of the keel at a predetermined location between a distal end of the upper edge and the proximal end of the upper edge,
- wherein when the directional nozzle moves, each keel moves in unison with the directional nozzle to provide enhanced steering performance.
An auxiliary keel system for a jet propelled watercraft having a directional nozzle drive assembly at the stern of the watercraft and a movable hood that rotates over a directional nozzle to downwardly direct and force water from the directional nozzle below the watercraft for providing reverse thrust, the auxiliary keel system comprising:
- a generally C-shaped portion having means for attaching said C-shaped portion to an outside surface of the directional nozzle and being adapted to extend from a first end adapted to be located near a first side of a notch in a bottom outlet portion of the directional nozzle around a top surface of the directional nozzle to a second end to be located near a second side of the notch in the bottom outlet portion of the directional nozzle;
- and
- the first and second ends of the C-shaped portion each having a generally planar keel member angularly depending therefrom so that a distance between a lower edge of each planar keel member is greater than another distance between the first and second ends of the C-shaped portion,
- wherein when the directional nozzle moves, the planar keel members move in unison with the directional nozzle to provide enhanced steering performance.
An auxiliary keel system for a jet propelled watercraft having a directional nozzle drive assembly at the stern of the watercraft, the auxiliary keel system comprising:
- a generally C-shaped portion having means for attaching said C-shaped portion to an outside lower surface of the directional nozzle;
- and
- a generally planar keel member angularly depending from a location near each of a first end and a second end of the C-shaped portion so that a distance between a lower edge of each planar keel member is greater than another distance between the locations from which the planar keel members depend from the C-shaped portion,
- wherein when the directional nozzle moves, the planar keel members move in unison with the directional nozzle to provide enhanced steering performance.
An auxiliary keel system for a jet propelled watercraft having a directional nozzle drive assembly at the stern of the watercraft and a movable hood that rotates over a directional nozzle to downwardly direct and force water from the directional nozzle below the watercraft for providing reverse thrust, the auxiliary keel system comprising:
- a directional nozzle attachment portion having means for attaching said directional nozzle attachment portion to an outside surface of the directional nozzle and being adapted to extend from a first end adapted to be located near a first side of a notch in a bottom outlet portion of the directional nozzle around a top surface of the directional nozzle to a second end to be located near a second side of the notch in the bottom outlet portion of the directional nozzle;
- and
- the first and second ends of the directional nozzle attachment portion each having a generally planar keel member angularly depending therefrom so that a distance between a lower edge of each planar keel member is greater than another distance between the first and second ends of the directional nozzle attachment portion,
- wherein when the directional nozzle moves, the planar keel members move in unison with the directional nozzle to provide enhanced steering performance.
An auxiliary keel system for a jet propelled watercraft having a directional nozzle drive assembly at the stern of the watercraft, the auxiliary keel system comprising:
- a directional nozzle attachment portion having means for attaching said directional nozzle attachment portion to an outside lower surface of the directional nozzle;
- and
- a generally planar keel member depending from one of a location proximately aligned parallel to a center of the directional nozzle, spaced-apart on the directional nozzle attachment portion so that a distance between a lower edge of each planar keel member is greater than another distance between the locations from which the planar keel members depend from the directional nozzle attachment portion, and a combination of such locations to form three keel members depending from the directional nozzle attachment portion,
- wherein when the directional nozzle moves, the planar keel members move in unison with the directional nozzle to provide enhanced steering performance.
An auxiliary keel system for a jet propelled watercraft having a directional nozzle drive assembly at the stern of the watercraft, the auxiliary keel system comprising:
- a directional nozzle;
- and
- a generally planar keel member depending from the directional nozzle at one of a location proximately aligned parallel to a center of the directional nozzle, spaced-apart and divergently depending angularly from the directional nozzle such that a distance between a lower edge of each planar keel member is greater than another distance between the locations from which the planar keel members depend from the directional nozzle, and a combination of such locations to form three keel members depending from the directional nozzle,
- wherein when the directional nozzle moves, the planar keel members move in unison with the directional nozzle to provide enhanced steering performance.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.