Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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S P E C I F I C ~ ~ 3 O N
~OQ~ PROPULSION DEVICE
2~C~GROUND OF T~E INVENT3ON
The field of the present invention i5 a ~Dat
Dropulsion device and more particularly concerns the
mounting, steering and trimming~tilting of a boat propulsion
device having an engine insirJe a boat and attaching through
a bottom surface of the boat to a drive under the coat wr-ich
s~jnos under the boat for steering and trimming/tilting.
Prior boat propulsion devices which prDvide
steerinq and trimming of a drive include the stern drive and
the outboard. The stern drive has an engine inside the boat
and a drive at the rear of the boat. The outboard is an
unit assembly of engine and drive mounted outside the boat
Other prior propulsion devices that have an engine inside
the boat and a drive under the boat do not provide the drive
with steering and trimming. In U.S. Patent, 2,20q,302
issued to L.J. Johnson et al steering of a drive and tilting
of ~ drive described. In U.S. Patents 2,~7~,33~ ancl
3,1~4 "22 issued to L.J. Fageol steering and trimming of
~he entire boat propulsion device as an unit is described.
The stern drive anrJ outboard are satisfactory
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propulsion devices, but they are large, complex and costly. The other prior
drives described above are not particularly desirable since they do not provide
an arrangement which provides steering and trimming eguivalent to the stern
drive.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention pertains to a propulsion device for a boat having a
bottom surface comprising an engine for positioning inside the boat; a
propeller drive for positioning under the bottom surface of the boat; and a
mounting assembly for mounting within the bottom surface of the boat between
the engine and the drive.
In one aspect, a steering assembly rotatably connects the drive to
the mounting assembly, the steering assembly having a tubular portion extending
upwardly through the mounting assembly and -the steering assembly rotating
within the mounting assembly about a generally vertical axis. A trimlling
system connects the drive to the steering assembly for providing a limited
range of horizontal swinging movement therefrom; and a drive shaft means
drivably couples the drive to the engine.
In another aspect the invention provides a steering assembly having a
trimming assembly moun-ted thereto, the steering assembly connecting the drive
to rotate on a generally vertical axis within the mounting assembly for
generally vertical rotation for steering, the trimming assembly providiny for
generally horizon-tal rotation for trimming. The steering and trimming assembly
includes a drive shaft passageway means providing a sealed enclosure within the
steering and trim~ing assembly during the trimming; and a drive shaft means
drivably couples the engine with the drive through the drive shaf-t passageway
means.
The invention also comprehends a propulsion device for a boat
comprising an engine for positioning inside -the boat, the engine positioned
with the crankshaft vertical and output end of the crankshaft down, and a
propeller drive for positioning under a bottom surface of the boat. A mounting
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assembly is between the engine and the drive, the mounting assembly including
an engine mounting portion for mounting the engine. A steering assembly
connects the drive to the mounting assembly, the steering assembly constructed
to rotate about a generally vertical axis with the mounting assembly, and the
steering assembly including a steering member having a steering arm fixed
thereto. A drive shaft means drivably couples the engine with -the drive, the
drive shaft means including an upper drive shaft drivably connecting through
the mounting assembly coaxial with the generally ver-tical axis.
Still further the invention provides a propulsion device for a boat
c~mprising an engine for positioning inside the boat; a propeller drive for
positioning under a bottom surface of the boat; a mounting assembly constructed
to be mounted at a generally horizontal surface of the boat between the engine
and the drive, and a steering and trimming assembly. The steering assembly
rotatably connects the drive to the mounting assembly, the steering assembly
having a depending first trunnion. The trimming assembly connects the drive to
the steering assembly and has an upwardly ex-tending second trunnion, the first
trunnion engaging with the second trunnion at a co~mon horizontal pivot means
for providing swinging upward movement of the drive. The steering and trim~ing
assembly have a drive shaft enclosure therein, and there is a drive shaft means
including an upper drive shaft, a lower drive shaft with a universal joint
connecting the upper and lower drive shafts, the upper and lower drive shafts
and the universal joint positioned within the drive shaft enclosure.
More particularly, in the presen-t invention the mounting arrangement
of a boat propulsion device supports a drive under and extending to the rear of
the boat to provide an advantageous drive connection vertically through the
boat hull. This arrangement achieves an improved orientation of the engine
spaced relatively close to the boat transom and results in a more efficient use
of the interior of the boat. In fact, the vertical placement of the engine
significantly enhances the arrangement of interior seating at the stern of the
boat.
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Included with the drive positioning under the boat is a steering
assembly which accomplishes the steering of the drive on the axis of the
vertical engine thereby eliminating the difficulty associated with different
axes. Also employed with the drive steering is a trimming assembly which
achieves drive trim and tilt under the boat withou-t the necessity of lifting an
entire outboard or the equally massive stern drive. The trim is accomplished
with a horizontal pivot across which a trim adjusting system changes the trim
and tilt angle. The drive transmission with ultimate design simplicity passes
through the horizontal pivo-t with a flexible coupling resulting in a drive
transmission configuration not realized with the conventional drives. The
drive transmission flexible coupling also is conveniently enclosed and
supported by drive shaft bearings.
The device of the present invention provides other
advantages in the boat mounting, steering and trim/tilt
mechanism which interfaces with the engine and the drive in
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a manner which simplifies installation and maintenance. ~he
mountlng rotatably on bearings supports the arive and connects
the steering arm inside the boat with easy accessibility for
operation from the boat steering sy5tem seals the mounting hole
and maintains rigid alignment of the engine to the drive thereby
avoiding separate mechanisms compensating for bending of the
hull.
8RIEF DESCRIPTlDN OF THE DR~WIN5S
Fjgure la is a general side elevatiDn view of the
0 boat propul~ion device of the invention.
Figure Ib i5 a general end elevation view of the boat
propulsion device and boat of Figure la.
Figure Ic is a general bottom elevation view of a
ooat propulsion device and boat of Figure la.
Figure 2 is a front elevation view of the boat
propulsion device of the invention.
Figure 3 is a right side elevation view of the
DOat propulsion device of Figure 2.
Flgure 4 is a back elevation view of the boat
20 prDpulsion device of the invention; shown wlth Figure 2.
Figure 5 is a cros5-5eCtion view of the boat
propulsion device as shown in Figure 3.
Figure b is a cross-section view of the boat
propulsion dævice as shDwn in Figure 2.
Figure 7 is a fragmentary bottom elevation view
similar to Figure Ic showing the steering range o~ the boat
propulsion device.
Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevation view
similar to Figure la showing the trimitilt range of the boat
propulsion device.
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DETQILED DES~RIPTION OF ~lE _ FERRED EM~OD~ENT
L-drive
A boat propulsion device or L-Drive ~0 15 shown
mounted on a water craft or boat 11 in Figures I through ~.
The boat propulsion device 10 includes an engine 12, a
mounting assembly 13 and a propeller drive 14.
The engine 12 may be of either a 2 or 4 cycle
internal combustion type. In the preferred embodiment an
eighty five horsepower engine as used on the US Marine Force
outboard is used. For increased horsepower, the one hundred
twenty five horsepower engine as used on the US ~arine Force
outboard may be used. The engine 12 is prevented from movement
oy attachment to the mounting assembly 13~ ln the preferred
embodiment She engine 12 is attached with the encJine on a
vertical axis and connected for power transmission as will be
described.
The mounting assembly 13 as shown in Figures 2
through 5 includes an engine mounting pDrtion IS for
attachment Df the engine 12 to the mounting assembly 13, a
boat mounting portion 16 for attachment of the mounting
assembly to the boat 11, and a drive mounting`portion 17 for
attachment of the drive 14 to the mounting assembly 13.
The engine mounting portion 16 as shDwn in Figures
3 and S is a spaced set of four engine pads or mounts l9
which extend or project downward from the engine adapter
plate ~8. The adapter plate 18includes a mounting bolt
pattern ~not shown) which matches the attachment bolt
pattern (not shown) on the engine 12 to align the engine
crankshaft.
The drive 14 as shown in Figure 2 through 5
includes a steering assembly 20, a trimming assembly 21 with
a trim adjusting system 22, a propeller drive lDwer unit 23, a
lower unit adapter 24, and a drive shaft means 25. The drive 14
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rotates from si~e-to-sl~e about a vertical axis 2~ or S-S in t~e
mounting assembly 13 to steer and pivots up-and-down about a
hori~ontal axis ~7 or T-T to trim/tilt.
The boat mounting portion 1~ includes a central member
22, a boat connecting member or mrunting flange 29, and a
resilient member 30 between the central member 28 and
the mounting flange 2~. The central member 28 has a lower
portion 31 forming a lower clamping surface 32 and an upper
portion 33 forming an upper clamping surface 34. The mounting
0 flange 29 has an inner retaining surface 35 and an outer mounting
flange surface 3~. The resilient member 30 is positioned clamped
between the lower clamping surface 3Z,
the upper clamping surface 34 and the inner retaining 5urface 35.
The resilient member 30 generally supports the L-Drive 10 and
provides a limited amount of vibration isolation. The flanoe
surface 36 attaches to the boat 11. The drive mounting por'ion
17 i5 the steering member 37 which is rotatably supported in
spaced bearings 38 in the central member 28 shown in Figures 5
and ~.
The steering assembly 20 includes a steering
member 37 and a steering arm 40 for rotating the steering
member 37 to steer the boat 11. The steering member 37 as
shown in Figures 3 and 5 is formed with an upper generally
tubular portion or hr,llow spindle 42 which extends up
through the mounting assembly 13 to a position above the
mounting assembly 13 and within the engine mounting portion
15. The steering member 37 rotates on the axis S-S.
The steering arm 40 is attached to the top of the
hollow spindle 42 o~ the steering member 37 with a key or spline
(not shown~ so that they rotate as one unit. The steering arm 40
extends out generally horizontal from the hollow spindle 42
within the engine mounting portion 15 between two of the engine
mounts 13 as shown in Figure 2. The two engine mounts 13 are
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positioned spaced to provi~e rotational steering ranae for the
steering arm 40 and the height of the engine mounts 18 also
provioes height clearance for the steering arm 40~ The steer~no
arm 40 is connected with a boat steering system which rotates the
steering member 37 to steer the drive 14.
The steering assembly 20 also Includes a lower
depending portion, yoke or downward trunnion 48 which
provides the hori20ntal trimming pivot 44 for the trimming
assembly 21.
The trimming assembly 21 includes an upward
trunnion 43 on the lower unit adapter 24 which pivotally
mounts the adapter 24 to the downward trunnion 45 on the steering
member 37 at trimming pivot 44. The overlapping or enoaging
sides of the trunnions 43 and 45 each contains a pivot pin 4~ at
trunnion pivot 44. The trimming assembly 21 also utilizes a trim
adjusting system 22 which includes a hydraulic trim cylinder 47
on each side of the drive 14 connected between a cylinder upper
pivot 48 on the steering member 37 and a cylinder lower pivot 4
on the lower unit 23. Operation of the hydraulic trim cylinder
47 pivots the drive 14 up-and-down about aligned pivot pins 4
for trim/tilt. ~Ithough two trim cylinders 47 are shown, one
cylinder 47 may be used.
The lower unit 23 as shown in Figure 2 through 4
includes the propeller 50, a propeller shaft including
reversing clutch and gearing (not shown), an anticavitation
plate 51 and a trim fin 52 under the anticavitation plate
51. The lower unit 23 is of known construction used in an
outboard. The preferred lower unit 23 is an eighty-five
horsepower lower unit used in the Force ~utboard.
The lower unit adapter 24 as shown in Figure S
mounts to the top of the lower unit 23 to detachably
interface or adapt from the lower unit 23 to the trimming
assembly 21 at the trimming pivot 44.
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The drive shaft means 25 as shown in Figures ' an~
includes a first nr upper vertical drive shaft 53, a second or
lower ~rive shaft 54, and a flexible coupling or universal Joint
55 connecting adjacent ends of the ~rive shafts 53 and 54. ~he
upper drive shaft 53 is between the engine crankshaft 5~ and the
trimming pivot 44 and the lower drive shaft 54 is between the
trimming pivot 44 and the lower unit 23 attaching to the lo~er
unit gearing ~not shown) as is known. The upper drive shaft 53
incluoes an external spline 57 which slidably engages the
o internal spline 58 in the engine crankshaft 56. The lower drlve
shaft 54 is generally vertical when the propeller shaft is
horizontal. The upper drive shaft 53 is positioned on the
vertical axis 5-5. The lower driveshaft 54 angles down from
the upper drive shaft 53 at the universal joint 55 during
trim/tilt. The upper and lower drive shafts 53 and 54 are
coplanar with a plane that is perpendicular to the axis T-T
of the trimming pivot 44.
A drive shaft upper bearing support 59 is also provided
as a depending portion of the engine mounting portion 15. The
upper bearing support 59 is formed as a hollow member extending
downward from the adapter plate 19 into the space between the
hollow spindle 42 and the upper drive shaft S3. The lower end of
the upper support 5q contains an upper shaft bearing 60
positioned adjacent the unusuas joint 55 for support of the upper
drive shaft 53. The upper shaft bearing 60 aligns the upper
drive shaft 53 with the engine crankshaft 56.
A lower driveshaft bearing support 61 is also provided
as a hollow member extending upward from the lower unit adapter
24 into the space between the upward trunnion 45 and the lower
drive shaft 54. The upper end of the upper bearing support 59
contains a lower drive shaft bearing ~Z positioned adjacent the
universal joint 55 for support of the lower drive shaft 54.
The steering assembly and trimming assembly
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generally include ~ central passdgeway t~rein forming a clc,sed
compartment or enclosure ~3 around the drive shaft means 25 and
particularly the universal ioint 55 as shown in Figure 5. The
enclosure b3 extends from within the steering member 37 do~n to
within the lower unit adapter 24. A tubular upper end portion ~4
within the steering member 37 forms the upper portion of the
enclosures 63 and a tubular lower end portion 65 between the
upward trunnion 45 forms a lower end of the enclosure b3.
flexible cover or universal jo}nt bellows b6 extends between the
upper end portion b4 and the lower end portion bS to cover the
universal joint 55. The bellows 66 is a resilient tubular
connector which is slipped over the end portions 64 and 65 and
fastened therewith by a hose clamp 67. The enclosure protects
the universal joint 55 from water.
The L-Drive 10 also includes a shift assembly ~not
shown) for operating the clutch ~not shown) in the lower
unit Z3, an enoine water cooling system including a drive
shaft driven pump ~not shown) and an engine exhaust system
~8.
The ~oat
The boat 11 as shown in Figures la, lb, and lc
includes a planing hull 70 and a generally vertical upri~ht
transom 71. The hu1170 includes a bottom planing surface
72 and cavity 73 adjacent the transom 71. The cavity 71
extends upwardly into the hull 70 and has an open end
extending through a notch 74 in the transom 71.
The cavity 73 includes a first portside wall 75, a
second starboard side wall 7b and a third forward wall 77.
The forward wall 77 is preferably vertically upright similar
to the transom 71. The forward wall 77 is positioned as far
rearward as possible against the drive 14 to provide maximum
bottom planing surface 72 forward of the drive 14. A hole 73 as
shown in Figure 4 is formed in the top 77 of the cavity 73 to
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attac~ the mounting assembly 13.
ODeratior. of the Steering and ~rimming Svstem
Steering and trimming of the L-Drive 10 is easily
accomplished. To steer the boat 11, the driver turns the
boat steering wheel which operates the boat steering system
to turn the drive 14. To trim the boat 11, the operator
operates the boat hydraulic system to power the hydraulic
trim cylin~er 47 to lift or lower the drive 14. The
steering of the drive 14 is about the horizontal axis T-~.
The steering i5 totally independent from the trimming or
tilting. In other words, the operator can steer at any trim
position and the operator can trim at any steered position.
The steering of the drive 14 is further described
with respect to Figure 3 and 5. When the steering arm 40 is
moved by the steering system of the boat 11, it rotates the
steering member 37 to steer the drive 14. Steering the
drive 14 redirects the propeller thrust. The redirected
propeller thrust changes the direction of the boat 11
thereby directing or steering the boat in the oesired path.
In Figure 7 ~a bottom elevation view)~ the drive 14a ~shown
in phantom lines) illustrates steering trJ starboard and the
drive 14b ~shown in phantom lines) illustrates steering to
port.
The trimming of the drive is further described
with respect to Figures ~. When the drive 14 is being
trimmed it swings up-and down about the hori20ntal pivot
axis 27 or T-T. Swinging of the drive 14 changes the angle
of the propeller thrust direction to lift or lower the bow
of the boat. The range of angular direction of the
propeller thrust from a boat stopped condition to an on
plane condition generally defines the range of trim. The
range of tilt is upwardly from the maximum up r,r out trim
position to the highest position available. The tilt range
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is used to change the propeller and to lift the drive 14 when
removing the ~oat 11 from the water on a trailer of for
transporting storage. The propeller thrust is generally not
used or available i the tilt-range therefore steering does
not occur. In Figure a, the drive 14a (shown in phantom)
shows a generally operating trim position and the drive 14b
~shown in phantom) shows a generally up-tilt position.
While an embodiment and application of the
invention has been shown and describèd, it would be apparent
0 to those skilled in the art that modifications are possible
without departing from the invention concepts herein.
Therefore, the invention is not to be restricted other than
by the scope and equivalency of the following claims.
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