Torque limiting drive for watercraft
OwnerMichael Clesceriinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for limiting the torque from an engine to the drive train of a watercraft. A torque limiting clutch is mounted to the flywheel of the engine. The output of the clutch is connected to the drive train of the watercraft. The clutch allows all of the engine's torque to be delivered to the drive train during normal conditions and less than all of the engine's torque to be delivered to the drive train during conditions in which the drive train experiences periods of excessive force. When normal conditions return, the apparatus automatically delivers all of the engine's torque to the drive train.
Claims8
A method of reducing torque from an engine to the stern drive of a watercraft comprising the steps of:
- a. attaching a flywheel of the engine to an input portion of a torque limiting clutch;
- b. attaching a drive shaft of the stern drive to an output portion of the torque limiting clutch;
- c. providing a driving rotational force to the input portion of the torque limiting clutch which provides substantially all of the driving force to the output portion and to the drive shaft during normal operation;
- d. limiting the driving rotational force to the drive shaft by means of the torque limiting clutch when the drive shaft experiences a counter rotational force above a predetermined level to reduce the stress on the drive shaft.
A method of protecting the drive train of a watercraft comprising:
- mounting a torque limiting clutch between the engine and the stern drive to transmit substantially all of the engine's torque to the stern drive during normal operating conditions when the propeller is freely rotating due to the power provided from the engine and causing the clutch to slip and transfer less than all of the engine's power when the stern drive experiences a force that exceed a predetermined force that will otherwise damage the stern drive.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.