Marine surface propulsion device

A device for marine surface propulsion of a watercraft, comprising:

• a support member supportably interconnectable to and pivotable about at least a first axis relative to a watercraft transom;
• a propeller shaft supported by said support member for pivotable movement therewith about said first axis and rotatable relative to the support member, wherein a first end of the propeller shaft is interconnectable to a watercraft engine output for driven rotation thereby;
• a hub body interconnected to a second end of the propeller shaft for co-rotation therewith, wherein the hub is pivotable with the support member about the first axis;
• a plurality of propeller blades projecting away from the hub body and interconnected to the second end of the propeller shaft for co-rotation therewith, wherein the plurality of propeller blades are pivotable with the support member about the first axis;
• a variable pitch actuator, interconnected to said support member for pivotable co-movement therewith about said first axis, for adjustably controlling a pitch orientation of said plurality of propeller blades relative to a longitudinal axis of the propeller shaft and disposed for co-rotation with the propeller shaft, wherein said variable pitch actuator is a linear actuator comprising:
• a housing fixedly interconnected to said support member;
• a piston member having an end slidably disposed within said housing for linear and rotational movement relative thereto, wherein said linear actuator is actuatable to control linear movement of the piston member and thereby adjust said pitch orientation of said plurality of propellers;
• a force rod having a first end interconnected to said piston member for linear and co-rotational movement therewith, and having a second end interconnected to said second end of said propeller shaft for co-rotation therewith, wherein said pitch orientation of said plurality of propellers is adjustable in response to the linear movement of the force rod by said piston member, wherein said propeller shaft is tubular, and wherein said force rod extends through said propeller shaft from the first end to the second end thereof;
• and,
• a pitch control member fixedly interconnected to said second end of said propeller shaft for co-rotation therewith and to said second end of said force rod for linear and co-rotational movement therewith, wherein said pitch orientation of said plurality of propellers is adjustable in response to the linear movement of the pitch control member by said force rod and said piston member.