Outboard Marine Corporation

M Jeremy Lieb

Richard P Kolb

Anthony P Prince

Jeffrey A Olson

Paul T Ng

Dennis J Friedle

Raymond D Collis

William W Bowers

Robert J Shockey

Stanley W Nerstrom

Disclosed herein is an apparatus for assisting transmission shifting in a marine propulsion device having an internal combustion engine including an ignition system, the transmission being shiftable between a neutral condition and a drive condition, which apparatus comprises a shift lever mounted remotely from the engine and operably connected with the transmission for shifting the transmission between the drive position and the neutral position, a normally closed switch mounted on said shifting lever and connected with the ignition system for interrupting operation of the ignition system in response to movement of the shift lever from the drive position to the neutral position, and an actuator moveably mounted on the shifting lever for actuating the normally closed switch in response to movement of the shift lever from the drive position to the neutral position.

Apparatus for assisting transmission shifting in a marine propulsion

Disclosed herein is an internal combustion engine comprising a cylinder defining a combustion chamber, a primer fuel conduit communicating with the combustion chamber for supplying a primer fuel to the combustion chamber, and a valved supply conduit for introducing an engine maintenance fluid into the primer fuel conduit.

Engine maintenance fluid introduction system

A visual and audible warning device has a piezoelectric element operable to cause vibrations which are transmitted through a light transmitting member, and a light emitting element which upon actuation causes a visual warning to be transmitted through the light transmitting member. The visual and audible warnings transmitted by the light transmitting member are intended to attract the attention of the operator of a vehicle, such as a boat, above the sound of the engine or other noise. The device has circuit means coupled with the piezoelectric element and the light emitting element for causing a predetermined electrical signal to be applied to the piezoelectric element and causing energization of the light emitting element upon actuation. The device may include a housing having support portions for supporting the light transmitting member and one or more light emitting elements in position while sealing the light transmitting member and electronic components within the housing from the ambient atmosphere, including weather elements which may otherwise result in corrosion and failure of the device.

Visual and audible warning device

Disclosed herein is a marine propulsion device comprising a transmission supported on the marine propulsion device and including a clutch member movable between a neutral position and a drive position, a shift lever supported on the marine propulsion device by a pivotal mounting and connected to the clutch member to effect movement of the clutch member in response to movement of the shift lever, and cam and follower structure adapted to be connected to a remotely actuated link and connected to the shift lever for displacing the shift lever to effect movement of the clutch member, and for permitting over-travel of the link without displacing the shift lever after shift lever movement effecting movement of the clutch member to the drive position, and for temporarily disabling engine ignition at the time of clutch member movement from the drive position.

Shift linkage for marine propulsion device

A control for adjusting the trim of a motor boat having a drive unit mounted on the boat for adjustment of the thrust angle relative to the boat. A trim motor adjusts the drive unit relative to the boat. A boat speed responsive pick up and control provides an output signal indicative of boat speed. A microprocessor controls the trim motor and is connected to receive the speed signals. The microprocessor reads boat speed at intervals and compares the latest speed reading with the prior reading to determine whether boat speed is increasing. The microprocessor commands the trim motor to move the drive unit in increments in one direction so long as each adjustment results in increasing speed and then to move the trim motor to adjust the drive unit in increments in the opposite direction so long as the adjustment results in increasing speed. The microprocessor hunts for optimum adjustment by adjusting the drive unit in both directions until boat speed has been maximized, or nearly so, and then stops adjusting the drive unit. The microprocessor delays hunting for maximum boat speed until boat speed is constant following activation of the control. There is a time delay following each adjustment of the drive unit before present boat speed is determined for comparison with the prior speed reading.

Automatic trim system

Apparatus for pivotally mounting a structure on a boat hull for pivotal movement between a position wherein the structure extends downwardly into the water and a retracted position. The apparatus includes a first hinge member adapted to be fixed to the boat hull, and having a pair of spaced apart flanges including apertures. A second hinge member adapted to support the structure, is positioned between the spaced apart flanges and pivotally connected to said first hinge member for pivotal movement with respect to said first hinge member between a first position and a second position, said second hinge member including, a first side having a surface adjacent one of said spaced flanges of said first member, and said first side including an aperture, a second side having a surface adjacent the other of said spaced flanges of said first member, means for pivotally connecting said second hinge member to said first hinge member such that said second hinge member is moveable with respect to said first hinge member between said first position and said second position, and detent means for releasably holding said second hinge member in said first position, said detent means including a ball carried by said second hinge member for movement toward and away from said one of said spaced flanges of said first hinge member, and spring means for resiliently biasing said ball toward said one of said spaced flanges, and a portion of said ball being housed in said aperture when said second hinge member is in said first position.

Growing community of inventors

Northbrook, IL, United States of America

M Jeremy Lieb