Brunswick Corporation

David C Entringer

Timothy P Wickman

Ervin H Voss, Jr

Terrel C Warhurst

John M Rath

David J Gruenwald

Edward C Eick

Gerald F Neisen

Robert J Hensel

Brian L Merten

Robert Kleeman

Gary R Polson

DuWayne C Schelter

Paul J Govek

Dale K Felix

A supporting structure for a fuel filter assembly provides a latch which is manually movable without the necessity of tooling into either a locking position or an unlocking position. By manually moving the latch, a collar of the fuel filter assembly can be freed to rotate about a supporting cover so that the reservoir can be removed. The assembly can also be manually removed from a support bracket without the use of tooling. The fuel filter assembly provides a resilient mounting system that isolates the fuel filter and its associated components from the vibrations that are inherent in an internal combustion engine.

Support and locking structure for a fuel filter

A device is provided for allowing a conduit to extend through a wall while providing a seal around the conduit. The conduit extends through an opening formed in the wall and the conduit has a first end, a second end, and a central axis extending within the cavity of the conduit and along its length. First and second protrusions of the first end of the conduit are shaped to be received through first and second slots of the opening formed through the wall. A resilient seal member is attached to the first end of the conduit and is compressible by moving the conduit out of a first position relative to the opening in which the first and second protrusions are aligned with the first and second slots. By moving the conduit away from its first position, the resilient seal member is compressed to provide a liquid seal which prevents liquid from leaking through the opening formed through the wall.

Sealing device for a conduit passing through a wall

A fuel supply system for a marine engine provides an additional fuel chamber, associated with a fuel vapor separator, that receives fuel vapor from a vent of the fuel vapor separator. In order to prevent the flow of liquid fuel into and out of the additional fuel chamber, a valve is provided which is able to block the vent of the additional chamber. In addition, a sensor is provided to provide a signal that represents a condition in which liquid fuel within the additional fuel chamber exceeds a predetermined level.

Engine fuel system with a fuel vapor separator and a fuel vapor vent canister

A fuel system for a marine propulsion system includes a reservoir that defines a cavity in which first and second fuel pumps are disposed. The first fuel pump is a lift pump which draws fuel from a fuel tank and pumps the fuel into the cavity of the reservoir. The second fuel pump is a high pressure pump which draws fuel from the cavity and pumps the fuel at a higher pressure to a fuel rail of an engine.

Fuel delivery system for a marine propulsion device

A fuel system for a marine propulsion system includes a reservoir that defines a cavity in which first and second fuel pumps are disposed. The reservoir is mounted on the marine propulsion system at a location which causes the reservoir to be at least partially submerged within, and in thermal communication with, water in which the marine propulsion system is operated when a propulsor of the marine propulsion system is inactive. The first fuel pump is a lift pump which draws fuel from a fuel tank and pumps the fuel into the cavity of the reservoir. The second fuel pump is a high pressure pump which draws fuel from the cavity and pumps the fuel at a higher pressure to a fuel rail of an engine.

Fuel reservoir mounted to a driveshaft housing of an outboard motor

A fuel pump is housed within the structure of a portable fuel tank. The inlet of the pump is located in the lower portion of the tank and an outlet of the pump is connectable in fluid communication with a flexible conduit. An opposite end of the flexible conduit is connectable in fluid communication with the fuel system of an outboard motor. A water sensor and a fuel level sensor can be provided in conjunction with the pump and attached to the pump in certain embodiments. A fuel pressure regulator is connected in fluid communication with the outlet of the pump and also located within the structure of the portable fuel tank.

Fuel delivery system for a marine engine

A control valve for a pressurized fluid-operated system, such as a marine power steering system, includes a housing having an inlet and at least one outlet, with one or more work ports located therebetween. Pressurized fluid is supplied to the inlet, and a spool member is mounted within the housing for controlling the supply of pressurized fluid to a work-performing system, such as the extendible and retractable rod of a hydraulic cylinder assembly. The spool member includes structure for blocking the one or more work ports when the spool member is in its neutral position, when it is desired not to operate the system. This prevents the cylinder from being exposed to reservoir fluid when the spool member is in its neutral position.

Control valve

A marine drive (10) has a driveshaft housing (20) including a bell housing (22) with an exhaust passage (30) therethrough directing exhaust gas and cooling water, and a shift shaft (34) extending through the exhaust passage and journaled in the bell housing by a bushing (52) in a bore (38) in a section (40) of the bell housing. The interface (50) of the bushing and the bore is subject to corrosion from exhaust gas and cooling water. Shifting is eased by enabling a portion (54) of the bushing to contract radially inwardly toward the shift shaft (34) due to the noted corrosion, without binding the shift shaft and otherwise impeding rotation thereof.

Marine drive with easier shifting

A shift cable assembly for a marine drive having a clutch and gear assembly (18), includes a remote control (11) for selectively positioning the clutch and gear assembly into forward, neutral and reverse, a control cable (10) connecting the remote control to a shift lever (3) pivotally mounted on a shift plate (2), a drive cable (17) connecting the shift lever on the shift plate to the clutch and gear assembly, and a spring guide assembly (100) with compression springs (101, 102, 103) biased to a loaded condition by movement of the remote control from neutral to forward and also biased to a loaded condition by movement of the remote control from neutral to reverse. The bias minimizes chatter of the clutch and gear assembly upon shifting into gear, and aids shifting out of gear and minimizes slow shifting out of gear and returns the remote control to neutral, all with minimum backlash of the cables. The spring guide assembly includes an outer tube (106) mounted to the shift plate, and a spring biased plunger (107) axially reciprocal in the outer tube and mounted at its outer end (10a) to the shift lever.

Marine shift cable assembly with spring guide

The power steering and trim functions of a marine drive unit are combined in a fluid pressure supply system which utilizes a single electric motor drive hydraulic pump to provide operating fluid for both functions. Fluid pressure to operate the power steering is supplied by an accumulator which, in turn, is charged by the hydraulic pump. The pump is also operable in response to operator input to supply fluid pressure for the trim system. Appropriate controls, responsive to the upper and lower pressures limits of the accumulator, are used both for charging the accumulator and for providing operational priority to the power steering system by disabling operation of the trim system during charging of the accumulator.

Combined power trim and steering system

An adjustment assembly for axially positioning the spool and associated centering spring within the bore of a valve body includes a cylindrical sleeve disposed around and connected to the cylindrical surface of the spool. The cylindrical sleeve includes radial surfaces that act to adjust the spring seats for the centering spring so that axial movement of the cylindrical sleeve results in axial movement of the spool and the spring seats for the centering spring.

Adjustment assembly for valve spool and associated centering spring

A shift cable assembly for a marine drive includes a shift plate, a shift lever pivotally mounted on the plate, and a switch actuating arm pivotally mounted on the plate between a first neutral position and a second switch actuating position. A control cable and drive cable interconnect the shift lever and switching actuating arm with a remote control and clutch and gear assembly for the marine drive so that shifting of the remote control by a boat operator moves the cables to pivot the shift lever and switch actuating arm which in turn actuates a shift interrupter switch mounted on the plate to momentarily interrupt ignition of the drive unit to permit easier shifting into forward, neutral and reverse gears. A spring biases the arm into its neutral position and the arm includes an improved mounting for retaining the spring in its proper location on the arm.

Shift cable assembly for marine drive

A coupling assembly (17) for coupling the crankshaft (18) of an inboard engine (11) to the input shaft (19) of an outboard propulsion unit (15) has a coupling member (21) stamped from steel. The coupling member (21) is attached to the engine flywheel (20) at three points at the vertices of the triangular coupling member base. An elastomeric annulus (23) couples the coupling member (21) to the input shaft (19).

Engine coupler for stern drive

A marine propulsion system (2) is provided with an exhaust elbow (10) having an intake exhaust passage (22) extending upwardly from the engine (4) and communicating through a bend (24) with a discharge exhaust passage (26), and a water jacket (27) having pockets around the exhaust passages for cooling the latter. A central channel (44) extends longitudinally along the exterior of the exhaust passages to guide water therealong to the end (42) of the discharge exhaust passage to mix with exhaust thereat. The central channel has a pair of sidewalls (50 and 52) extending longitudinally and laterally tapered away from each other (54 and 56) at the outer end of the discharge exhaust passage to create an outward draw from the central channel to minimize break-up of longitudinally outward water flow and maintain the end tip of the discharge exhaust passage dry and prevent water ingestion and creeping back into the discharge exhaust passage due to pulsations of the engine. Dam and port structure is also provided enabling faster heating of the exhaust passage and in turn minimizing condensation within the elbow which may otherwise ingest back into the engine.

Exhaust elbow for marine propulsion system

A marine jet drive unit includes a continuously running pump. A reversing gate is positioned partially or wholly within the forward jet to establish a corresponding reverse jet. For neutral drive, the gate is positioned such that the reverse jet just balances the forward jet. A remote shift control unit includes a detent means for locating and holding a rotatable shift lever in neutral. The detent means includes a pair of detent pins carried by a plate which is connected to a support wall by a slot and bolt lost motion connection. The pins are located to opposite sides of the lever and the connection permits angular adjustment about the pivot axis of the lever. The plate supports the detent pin in alignment with a circular outer periphery of the lever plate having oppositely located radial detent grooves. The lever is connected by a push-pull cable to the gate. The precise neutral position of the lever may vary for different drive units. The lever and gate are positioned to establish neutral setting for the particular engine-pump unit. The detent plate is then adjusted to align the detent pins with the grooves and the bolts drawn up to lock the detent plate in a fixed neutral position.

Growing community of inventors

Wautoma, WI, United States of America

David C Entringer