Outboard Marine Corporation

Felt Products Mfg. Co.

Gerald E Kashmerick

Lawrence E Zdanowicz

Gerald A Rosenquist

Ronald G Johnson

A method of making a composite gasket. A composite gasket is formed from an annular coiled strip of heat-resistant core material having a metallic tanged core and a facing layer, as of a mica-based material, integrated with the strip. The coil is placed in a first die and axially compressed under a relatively low pressure into a preform having a plurality of crevices in its face. The preform and a temperature-resistant sealing material, such as expanded graphite, are placed in a second die and the graphite and preform are axially compressed under high pressure to integrate the sealing material with the preform and to mechanically interlock the sealing material with crevices in the surface of the core material. The preform and sealing material are substantially deformed during the second axial compression to provide an improved composite gasket.

Method of making composite gasket

A marine propulsion device comprises a steering member and a steerable member including a propeller. A steering mechanism operatively connects the steering member with the steerable member and includes an actuating and locking device. The actuating and locking device comprises a cylinder having opposite first and second end portions and a piston which is mounted for reciprocative movement within the cylinder between the first and second end portions. A drive assembly operatively connects the piston with the movable steering member to effect reciprocative movement of the piston in response to steering member movement. A driven mechanism operatively connects the piston with the steerable member such that piston reciprocation is transmitted into movement of the steerable member. The actuating and locking device includes hydraulic supply and hydraulic discharge systems which conduct hydraulic fluid into and out of the cylinder end portions in response to piston reciprocation occasioned by operation of the steering member. However, in the absence of operation of the steering member, the hydraulic discharge system locks the piston against movement in the cylinder, thereby also locking the steerable member. Unwanted steering movements caused by forces originating in or acting upon the steerable member are thus prevented.

Marine steering mechanism and associated actuating and locking device

Disclosed herein is a stern drive unit including a stationary housing adapted to be fixed relative to a boat hull and a movable housing mounted on the stationary housing for pivotal movement about a tilt axis which is substantially horizontal when the stationary housing is fixed to the boat hull. The stern drive unit also includes a propulsion leg including a rotatably mounted propeller, an input shaft in the stationary housing transverse to the tilt axis, and an output shaft journaled in the movable housing and having an axis transverse to the tilt axis, generally intersecting the tilt axis, and connected to the propeller. The stern drive unit also includes a reversing transmission connected to the input and output shafts for selectively controlling operation of the propeller, the reversing transmission including a transfer gear supported for rotation coaxially with the tilt axis, spaced bevel gears mounted for rotation coaxially with the transfer gear, a first clutch pack for selectively connecting and disconnecting the transfer gear to one of the bevel gears, and a second clutch pack for selectively connecting and disconnecting the transfer gear to the other of the bevel gears. The stern drive unit further includes a first gear mounted on one of the input shaft and the output shaft in mesh with the transfer gear, and a second gear mounted on the other of the input shaft and the output shaft and in mesh with both of the spaced bevel gears.

Stern drive gear box and clutching arrangement

Disclosed herein is a lower unit for a marine propulsion device including a drive shaft housing, a gearcase housing connected to the end lower of the drive shaft housing and having an interior wall defining an elongated, axially extending cavity, a propeller shaft extending axially in the gearcase housing cavity and carrying a propeller, and a hollow bearing carrier member generally encircling the propeller shaft and carrying a bearing for rotatably supporting the propeller shaft in the gearcase housing cavity. The bearing carrier member is removably fastened by bolts or the like to a resilient, annular anchoring element which fits into and frictionally engages an internal annular groove in the gearcase housing to retain the bearing carrier against the axial displacement relative to the gearcase housing and to minimize rotation of the bearing carrier relative to the gearcase housing. The bearing carrier member includes a radially extending rib which registers with a gap provided in the anchoring element to automatically index the bearing carrier member with the anchoring element during assembly.

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Lindenhurst, IL, United States of America

Gerald E Kashmerick