Brunswick Corporation

Douglas A Kiesling

Richard A Davis

Randall J Poirier

Michael A Karls

John A Tuchscherer

Robert B Weronke

Donald F Harry

Mitesh B Sheth

Francis E Bertram

Daniel J Schlagenhaft

A torque transmitting device for use in conjunction with a marine propulsion system provides an adapter that is attached in torque transmitting relation with a propulsor shaft for rotation about a central axis of rotation. The first insert portion is attached in torque transmitting relation with the adapter and a second insert portion is attached in torque transmitting relation with a hub of the propulsor hub which can be a marine propeller or an impeller. A third insert portion is connected between the first and second insert portions and is resilient in order to allow the first and second insert portions to rotate relative to each other about the central axis of rotation. The adapter is shaped to prevent compression of the first, second, and third insert portions in a direction parallel to the central axis of rotation. The relative shapes of the various components and the resilience of the third insert portion, which can be a plurality of titanium rods, provides significant compliance of the device under low torque magnitudes, but at higher torque magnitudes it provides a significantly decreased compliance to facilitate torque transfer between a propulsor shaft and the propulsor hub.

Torque transmitting device for mounting a propeller to a propeller shaft of a marine propulsion system

A marine propulsion device (11) is provided wherein a pair of generally telescoped bellows (31; 38,46) surround the universal joint (18) and provide an exhaust passage (44) therebetween which communicates between the inboard engine (9) and the stern drive unit (2). In the embodiment disclosed herein, the inner bellows (31) rotates with the universal joint while the outer bellows (38,46) is stationary. The bellows are preferably of helical or spiral configuration and the rotating inner bellows forms an exhaust pump. In one embodiment, (FIGS. 1-3), the bellows (31,38) are concentrically disposed, while in another embodiment (FIGS. 4-5) the bellows (31,46) are eccentrically mounted.

Marine propulsion unit universal drive assembly with through-bellows

A stern drive for a marine vessel is provided with a series of internal passageways that route the hydraulic fluid to the trim cylinders so that external hydraulic hoses can be eliminated.

Internal routing of hydraulic fluid for trim cylinders

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West Bend, WI, United States of America

Douglas A Kiesling