Brunswick Corporation

Charles F Gray, Jr

Gary L Meisenburg

Alvin R Zemlicka

Niel M Schueller

A weed grate for a watercraft having a jet propulsion unit. The weed grate includes a plurality of cantilever tines each joined to a pivot rod. The cantilever tines extend across the inlet opening for the jet drive to prevent debris from entering through the water inlet opening. A spring member is mounted between the cantilever tines and a mounting frame such that the spring member provides an outward rotational bias force against the rotatable cantilever tines. During operation of the watercraft, if a mass of weeds becomes clogged in the cantilever tines, the upward and inward suction force of the jet drives causes the cantilever tines to rotate upward against the rotational bias force and allow the weeds to be ingested by the jet drive.

Self-activating marine jet drive weed grate cleanout system

An apparatus and method for providing improved oil circulation in a marine propulsion system. A supply passage is formed in the gearcase, having its inlet in communication with a space located forwardly of the lower face of the driven gear located in the propeller shaft cavity. The supply passage communicates oil to a drive shaft housing supply passage, and communication between the drive shaft housing supply passage and the upper cavity formed in the drive shaft housing, within which are disposed the lower and upper gears and the input gear, is cut off. Oil flowing through the drive shaft housing supply passage is routed to the universal joint bearings, and temperature of oil at the universal joint bearings is significantly reduced. An improved top cover for placement on top of the drive shaft housing includes an inlet in the top cover for receiving circulating oil pumped by the upper driven gear, which is routed to a recess formed in the underside of the top cover for distribution throughout the upper area of the drive shaft housing. A return passage is formed in the drive shaft housing and the gearcase for routing oil back to the propeller shaft cavity.

Apparatus and method for providing oil circulation in a marine

A marine drive (10) is provided with a shift mechanism (200) including a detent canister assembly (202). A cylindrical canister (204) contains a ball (206) biased by a pair of concentric springs (208 and 210) into engagement with a shifter lever arm (124) to center the latter in a neutral position. The canister assembly (202) is a self-contained modular unit inserted into the marine drive housing (23). The cylindrical canister (204) has a left end wall (214) with an aperture (216) therethrough and has an open right end containing the ball (206). The first spring bears (208) at its right end against the ball (206) and extends axially leftwardly through the aperture (216) in the left end wall (214) of the canister (204) and bears at its left end against the housing (23). The second outer concentric spring (210) bears at its right end against the ball (206) and is entirely within the canister ( 204) and bears at its left end against the left end wall (214) of the canister (204). Upon axial leftward depression of the ball (206) by the shift lever arm (124), the first inner spring (208) compresses and the canister (204) moves axially leftwardly until the left wall (214) of the canister (204) strikes the housing wall (218) to close a tolerance-accommodating gap (220), whereafter both springs (208 and 210) compress during further leftward depression of the ball (206). Particular constructional details of the shift lever arm (124) are also disclosed.

Growing community of inventors

Fond du Lac, WI, United States of America

Charles F Gray, Jr