GB2208110A

GB2208110A - Boat propulsion device extending through bottom of boat

Info

Publication number: GB2208110A
Application number: GB8814212A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David D Jones; David T Livingston
Original assignee: US Marine Corp
Current assignee: US Marine Corp
Priority date: 1987-06-15
Filing date: 1988-06-15
Publication date: 1989-03-01
Anticipated expiration: 2008-06-15
Also published as: CA1317166C; GB2208110B; JPH0194095A; GB8814212D0

Abstract

A propulsion device for a boat that mounts through a hole 78 in a bottom surface 79 of the boat 11. The engine 12 is positioned inside the boat and the propeller drive 23 is positioned under a bottom surface of the boat. The propulsion device includes a mounting assembly 16, a steering assembly 20 rotatably connecting the drive 23 to the mounting assembly 16 for steering the propeller drive under the boat and a trimming assembly 21 swingingly connecting the drive to the steering assembly 20 for trimming/tilting of the propeller drive under the boat at any steered position. A drive shaft means provides a drive connection between the engine and the propeller drive at any steered and trimmed position. <IMAGE>

Description

BOAT PROPULSION DEVICE The field of the present invention is a Ocat propulsion device and more particularly concerns tne mouting, steering and trimming/ti ting of a boat propulsion device having an engine inside a boat and attaching through a bottom surface of the boat to a drive under tce oat which s: nos upper the boat for steering and trimming/tilting.

P or boat Dropsision devices which provide steering and trimming of a drive include the stern drive an the outboard. The stern drive has an engine inside the sat 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 .th steering and trimming. In U.S. Patent, 2,209,302 issued t L.J. Johnson et al steering of a drive and tilting of a drive described. In U.S. Patents 2,976,836 and 2,164,:22 issued to L.J. Fageol steering and trimming of the entire boat propulsion device as an unit is described.

The stern drive and outboard are satisfactory 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 equivalent to the stern drive.

In the present 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 imDroved 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.

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 tnereby eliminating the difficulty associated with different axes.

Also employed with the drive steering is a trimming assembiv which achieves drive trim and tilt under the boat without 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 pivot 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 a manner which simplifies installation and maintenance. The mounting, rotatably on bearings, supports the drive and connects the steering arm inside the boat with easy accessibility for operation from the boat steering system, seals the mounting hole and maintains rigid alignment of the engine to the drive thereby avoiding separate mechanisms compensating for bending of the hull.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings: Figure la is a general side elevation view of the boat propulsion device of the invention.

Figure lb is 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 boat 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 boat propulsion device of Figure 2.

Flgure 4 is a back elevation view of the boat propulsion device of the invention; shown with Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a cross-section view of the boat propulsion device as shown in Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a cross-section view of the boat propulsion device as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary bottom elevation view similar to Figure Ic showing the steering range of the boat propulsion device.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary side elevation view similar to Figure la showing the trim/tilt range of the boat propulsion device.

L-dr 1 ve boat propulsion device or L-Drive 10 15 Shown mounted on a water craft or boat 11 in Figures 1 through 6.

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 Marine Force outboard may be used. The engine 12 is prevented from movement by attachment to the mounting assembly 13. ln the prefe'red embodiment the engine 12 is attached with the engine on a vertical axis and connected for power transmission as wili be described.

The mounting assembly 13 as shown in Figures through 5 includes an engine mounting portion '5 for attachment of the engine 12 to the mounting assembly 3, a boat mounting portion ic for attachment of the mounting assembly to the boat 11, and a drive mounting portion :7 for attachment of the drive 14 to the mounting assembly '8.

The engine mounting portion 16 as shown in Figures 3 and 5 is a spaced set of four engine pads or mounts 18 which extend or project downward from the engine adapter plate 19. The adapter plate 19 includes 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 lower unit 23, a lower unit adapter 24, and a drive shaft means 25. The drive 14 rotates from side-to-side about a vertical axis 26 or S-S In the mounting assembly 13 to steer and pivots uP-and-down about horizontal axis 27 or T-T to trim/tilt.

The boat mounting portion 16 includes a central member 28, a boat connecting member or mounting flange 29, and a resilient member 30 between the central member 28 and the mounting flange 29. 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 flange 29 has an inner retaining surface 35 and an outer mounting flange surface 36. The resilient member 30 is positioned ~:amDeC between the lower clamping surface 32, the upper clamping surface 34 and the inner retaining surface 35.

The resilient member 30 generally supports the L-Drive 10 ane provides a limited amount of vibration isolation. The flange surface 36 attaches to the boat 11. The drive mounting OtiOn :7 is the steering member 37 which is rotatably supported Spaced bearings 38 in the central member 28 shown in Figures 5 and 6.

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 hollow 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 of the steering member 37 with a key or saline (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 18 as shown in Figure 2. The two engine mounts 18 are positioned spaced to provide rotational steering range for the steering arm 40 and the height of the engine mounts 18 also provides height clearance for the steering arm 40. The steering 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 horizontal 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 engaging sides of the trunnions 43 and 45 each contains a pivot pin 46 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 used~ pivot 46 on the steering member 37 and a cylinder lower pivot 40 on the lower unit 23.Operation of the hydraulic trim =vi:noe- 47 divots the drive 14 uD-and-down about aligned pivot pins 4t for tr.m/tilt. Although 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 Outboard.

The lower unit adapter 24 as shown in Figure 5 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.

The drive shaft means 25 as shown in Figures 5 and 6 includes a first or upper vertical drive shaft 53, a second or lower drive shaft 54, and a flexible coupling or universal Jo;nt 55 connecting adjacent ends of the drive shafts 53 and 54. The upper drive shaft 53 is between the engine crankshaft 56 and the trimming pivot 44 and the lower drive shaft 54 ls between the trimming pivot 44 and the lower unit 23 attaching to the lower unit gearing (not shown) as is known. The upper drive shaft 53 includes an external spline 57 which slidably engages the internal spline 58 in the engine crankshaft 56. The lower drive shaft 54 is generally vertical when the propeller shaft is horizontal. The upper drive shaft 53 is positioned on the vertical axis S-S.The lower driveshaft 54 angles dOwn Zron 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 D ovidea as a depending portion of the engine mounting portion 5. he upper bearing support 59 is formed as a hollow member exçeocinS downward from the adapter plate 19 into the space between tne hollow spindle 42 and the upper drive shaft 53. The lower end of the uDDer support 59 contains an upper shaft bearing 6C 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 adacter 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 62 positioned adjacent the universal joint 55 for support of the lower drive shaft 54.

The steering assembly and trimming assembly generally include a central passdoeWay therein forming a closed compartment or enclosure 63 around the drive shaft means 25 and particularly the universal joint 55 as shown in Figure 5. The enclosure 63 extends from within the steering member 37 down to within the lower unit adapter 24. A tubular upper end portion 64 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 63. A flexible cover or universal joint bellows 66 extends between the upper end portion 64 and the lower end portion 65 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 clamD 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 23, an engine water cooling system including a drive shaft driven pump (not shown) and an engine exhaust system 68.

The Boat The boat ii as shown in Figures la, lb, and lc incluoes a planing hull 70 and a generally vertical upright transom 71. The hull70 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 76 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 78 as shown in Figure 4 is formed in the top 79 of the cavity 73 to attach the mounting assembly 13.

ODeration of the Steering and Trimming Svstem Steering and trimming of the L-Drive 10 Is easilv 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 cylinder 47 to lift or lower the drive 14. The steering of the drive 14 is about the horizontal axis T-T.

The steering is 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 resDect to Figure 3 and 5. When the steering arm 4C is moved by the steering system of the boat 11, it rotates the steering member 7 to steer the drive 14. Steering the drive 14 redirects the propeller thrust. The redirected propeller thrust changes the direction of the boat ii thereby directing or steering the boat in the desire0 Dath.

In Figure 7 (a bottom elevation view), the drive 14a (shown in phantom lines) illustrates steering to 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 8. When the drive 14 is being trimmed it swings up-and-down about the horizontal 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 or out trim position to the highest position available. The tilt range is used to change the propeller and to lift the drive 14 when removing the boat 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 8, the drive 14a (shown in phantom) shows a generally oDerating trim position and the drive 14b (shown in phantom) shows a generally up-tilt position.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A propulsion oevice for a boat comprising an engine for positioning inside the boat, a propeller drive for positioning under a bottom surface of the boat, a mounting assembly between said engine and said drive, said mounting assembly including a central member portion, a steering assembly rotatably connecting said drive to said mounting assembly, said steering assembly having a tubular portion extending upwardly through said mounting assembly about a generally vertical axis, a trimming system for connecting the drive to said steering assembly for providing a limited range of horizontal swinging movement therefrom, and a drive shaft means drivably coupling said drive to said engine.

2. A DroDuision device for a boat substantialy as nescr Dec aDove ith reference t the accompanying drawings.

2. The propulsion device defined in claim wherein said central member portion and said tubular port ion include a cooperating bearing support, and said steering asseme;v includes a bearing within said cooperating bearing support, sad bearing rotatably supporting said steering assembly in said central member fo rotation about said generally vertical at .5

3. The propulsion device defined in claim I wherein said drive shaft means includes an upper drive shaft drivably connected through said mounting assembly, said upper drive shaft positioned through a drive shaft passageway formed in said steering member.

4. The propulsion device defined in claim 3 wherein said upper drive shaft and said steering member are concentrically positioned for relative rotation with said mounting assembly.

5. A propulsion device for a boat comprising an engine for positioning inside the boat.

a propeller drive for positlonlng under a bottom surface of the boat, a mounting assembly between said engine and said drive, a steering assembly rotatably connecting said drive to said mounting assembly, said steering assembly having a depending portion for horizontally pivotable connecting to said drive, said steering assembly having a drive shaft passageway therein, a trimming assembly having an upwardly extending portion for said horizontally pivotabiv conneot no with said steering assembly, said trimming assembly supporting said drive for providing horizontal swinging movement thereof.

6. The propulsion device defined in claim 5 wherein said steering assembly and said trimming assembly nave a common passageway therebetween, said passageway forming a drive shaft enclosure.

7. The propulsion oevice defined in claim 6 further including a lower end portion between said defending portion, an upper end portion between said upwardly extending portion and a drive shaft flexible housing sealably connected between said upper end portion and lower end portion.

8. A propulsion device for a boat comprising, an engine for positioning inside the boat, a propeller drive for positioning under a bottom surface of the boat, a mounting assembly between said engine and said drive, a steering and trimming assembly for connecting said drive to said mounting assembly for generally vertical rotation for steering and for generally horizontal rotation for trimming, said steering and trimming assembly including a drive shaft passageway means providing a sealed enclosure therein during said trimming, and a drive shaft means drivably coupling said engine with said drive through said drive shaft passageway means.

9. The propulsion device defined in claim e wherein said drive shaft means includes an upper drive shaft, a lower drive shaft and an universal joint connecting said upper and lower drive shafts, said upper and lower drive shafts and said universal joint positioned within 5a:d drive shaft passageway means for providing drive power transmission therethrough during said steering and sald trimming.

10. The propulsion device defined in claim 9 wherein said universal joint is positioned within a ZieriS portion of said steering and trimming assembly, said flexible portion providing flexing during said t~.mmlng.

A C propulsion device for a boat comprising an engine for positioning inside the boat, a propelle drive for positioning under a bottom surface of th bOat a mounting assembly between said engine and said drive, said mounting assembly including a boat mounting portion for mounting with the boat, a steering assembly for connecting said drive to said mounting assembly, said steering assembly constructed to rotate about a generally vertical axis w thin said mounting assembly, a trimming assembly for connecting the drive to said steering assembly for providing a limited range of horizontal swinging movement therefrom, and a drive shaft means drivably coupling said engine to said drive, said drive shaft means including an upper drive shaft drivably connecting through said mounting assembly coaxial with said generally vertical axis.

15. The propulsion device defined in claim 11 wherein said drive mounting assembly includes a boat connector for attaching to a boat bottom surface, and a retaining member removably positioned between said drive mounting portion and the boat connector.

13. The propulsion device defined in claim 12 wherein the retaining member is resilient for providing sealing and vibration isolation from the device to the boat.

i4. The propulsion device defined in claim i2 wherein one of the central member and boat connector include two opposing portions which clamp said retaining member the-ebetween: one of said opposing portions being removable to disengage said central member from said boat connector.

:5. Q propulsion oevice for a boat comprising an engine for positioning insioe the boat said engine positioned With the crankshaft vertical and output end of crankshaft Cown, a propeller drive for positioning under a bottom surface of the boat, a mounting assembly between said engine and said drive, said mounting assembly including an engine mounting portion for mounting the engine, a steering assembly for connecting said drive to said mounting assembly, said steering assembly constructed to rotate about a generally vertical axis with said mounting assembly, said steering assembly including a steering assembly having a steering arm fixed thereto, and a drive shaft means drivably coupling said engine with said drive, said drive shaft means including an upper drive shaft drivably connecting through said mounting assembly coaxial with said generally vertical axis.

16. The propulsion device defined In claim 15 wherein said engine mounting portion includes upwardly extending mounts providing vertical height clearance and rotational clearance therebetween to permit turning of said steering arm within a desired steering range.

17. The propulsion device defined in claim 16 wherein said drive shaft means includes an upper drive shaft coaxial to said vertical steering axis, said drive shaft coaxial coupling with said output end of said engIne crankshaft.

16. The propulsion device defined in claim 17 wherein said coupling is within said engine mounting portion.

19. The propulsion device defined in claim ;7 wherein said coupling is an internal sol ine within said crankshaft output end and an engaging external sl;ne on the under end of said driveshaft.

2C. The propulsion device defined in claim 16 further including an universal joint connected at the lower end of said upper drive shaft, said universal joint providing a drive angle change at about said horizontal trimming axis.

21. The propulsion device defined in claim 16 wherein said engine mounting portion includes an engine adapter member removably attached between said upwardly extending mounts and the mounting means of said engine.

22. A propulsion device for a boat comprising an engine for positioning inside the boat, a propeller device for positioning under a bottom surface of the boat, a mounting assembly between said engine and said drive1 a steering and trimming assembly, said steering assembly rotatably connecting said drive to sa d mounting assembly1 said steering assembly having a depending first trunnion, said trimming assembly connecting said drive to said steering assembly and having an upwardly extending second trunnion, said first trunnion engaging with said second trunnion at a common horizontal pivot means for providing swinging upward movement of said drive, said steering and trimming assembly having a drive shaft enclosure therein, and a drive shaft means including an upper drive shaft, a lower drive shaft, an universal joint connecting said upper and lower drive shafts, said upper and lower drive shafts and said universal joint positioned within said drive shaft enciosure.

23. The propulsion device defined in claim 22 wherein said upper and lower drive shafts are rotatably supported by a drive shaft bearing within said enclosure adjacent saic universal joint.

2a. The propulsion device defines in chair c2 wnerein said said enclosure adjacent said universal joint :s a flexible bellows tubular connector, said tubular connector bending without touching said universal joint during swinging of said drive about said horizontal pivot means to trim.

25. A propulsion device for a boat comprising an engine for positioning inside the boat, a propeller drive for positioning under a bottom surface of the boat, said drive having a first trim cylinder mounting pivot.

a mounting assembly between said engine and said drive, a steering member supporting said drive within said mounting assembly for rotation about a generally vertical axis, said steering member having a second trim cylinder mount: nag pivot under said mounting assembly, a trimming assembly for connecting said crave to said steering assembly for rotation about a trim cylinder means, said trimming assembly operatively rotating said breve about sac generally horizontal axis for chancing the trim ang e, arc a drive shaft means driva@ly couol :ng said engine with said drive.

~j. Te propulsion device defined : = a:r 25 wherein said first and second trim cylinder noun in are positioned and connected bv said trim V noer meats with said trim wvl1noe- means about retracted at about in-trim condition, said cylinder means extending to lift said drive.

27. An independently steeraole and trimmable drive for mounting through a hole in a bottom surface of a boat comprising a steering assembly for connecting the drive through the hole in the bottom surface of the boat, said steering assembly constructed to rotate about a generally vertical axis, a trimming assembly for connecting the drive to said steering assembly for providing a limited range of horizontal swinging movement therefrom.

28. A drive according to claim 27 wherein the steering assembly and trimming assembly are connected by a horizontal pivot means.

29. A drive according to claim 27 or claim 28 further comprising a drive mounting assembly for mounting the drive through the hole in a bottom surface of the boat and a drive means having a generally vertical first portion depending from said drive mounting assembly and extending into the steering assembly and trimming assembly, and a generally horizontal second portion extending outwardly from the downward end of said first portion, said first and second portions providing an L-shape to the drive.

30. A drive according to claim 27 wherein the trimming assembly includes a trim adjustment means mounted thereto and extending downward therefrom for trimming the drive.

31. A combination steering and trimming assembly for a boat propulsion device, said combination designed to mount through a hole in a bottom surface qf the boat, the combination comprising a steering and trimming assembly including a steering assembly member extending upwardly through the hole in the bottom surface of the boat, said steering assembly member constructed to rotate about a generally vertical axis, and a trimming assembly member for trimming the drive, said trimming assembly member connecting horizontal pivot means to said steering assemDiv member. said trimming assembly member constructed to rotate about a generally horizontal axis.