Brunswick Corporation

Robert B Weronke

Michael A Karls

Edward C Eick

Donald F Harry

Gary L Meisenburg

Phillip D Magee

Charles M Mixon

Roger E Koepsel

Woody R Smith

Jeffrey J Andrews

Waylon D Shields

Steven J Pavey

Richard A Davis

Randall J Poirier

John A Tuchscherer

Herbert A Bankstahl

Mitesh B Sheth

Hubert S Gilgenbach

Daniel J Schlagenhaft

Douglas A Kiesling

William D Haasl

John C Leroux

In a marine transmission, trailing faces of each of a plurality of gear projections extending axially from a forward gear are provided with a rake angle. This rake angle of each trailing face cooperates with an associated surface of each of a plurality of clutch projections to retain a dog clutch in an axial position relative to the forward gear even during periods when a marine vessel is rapidly decelerating and, as a result, the dog clutch moves into driving relation with the forward gear.

Clutch retention system for a marine propulsion device

A retaining member is provided and attached to a bevel gear in order to allow the bevel gear to be attached, prior to assembly, to a bearing adapter. The retaining member is provided with first and second protuberances that extend radially outwardly from diametrically opposite positions on the retaining member so that the protuberances can be inserted through first and second slots in a generally cylindrical member, or bearing adapter, during the assembly of individual components to form a subassembly. Since the bearing adapter is attached to a bearing carrier, misalignment of the protuberances and the slots allow the bevel gear and several other assorted components to be retained in contact with the bearing carrier so that the components are not free to move in axial directions away from each other to allow separation of these components. Since the individual components are retained in axial positions relative to each other and relative to the bearing carrier, insertion of this subassembly into a gearcase makes the assembly much easier than would otherwise be possible.

Gear and bearing mechanism for improved ease of assembly within a gearcase

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 is provided with a water inlet system that comprises at least a plurality of frontal inlet openings at the tapered forward end of a gearcase portion of a housing structure. The water inlet system can be provided for an outboard motor or a stern drive unit. Additional water flow can be provided through side inlet formed in the housing structure of the marine propulsion device where both the frontal inlet openings and side inlet openings are connected with fluid communication with the water pump mounted within the housing structure.

Marine propulsion unit with water inlets in all quadrants of the front

An improved twin propeller marine propulsion unit. A vertical drive shaft is journaled in the lower gearcase and drives a pair of bevel gears. A pair of concentric propeller shafts are mounted in the lower torpedo section of the gearcase and each shaft carries a propeller. A slidable clutch is movable between a neutral, a forward, and a reverse position and serves to operably connect the outer propeller shaft with one of the bevel gears when the clutch is moved to the forward drive position. A gear is mounted for sliding movement in unison with the clutch and acts to operably engage the inner propeller shaft with the second bevel gear when the clutch is in the forward drive position so that both propellers are driven in opposite directions to provide forward motion for the watercraft. The propulsion unit also includes a dual cooling water pick-up system in which seawater is drawn to the water pump both through a series of vertical inlet ports in the gearcase and through a plurality of inlet holes that are located in the forward end of the lower torpedo section. Exhaust gas from the engine is discharged through the rear end of the lower housing section through axial passages in the hub of the forward propeller and then across the outer surface of the rear propeller.

Marine propulsion unit with dual water inlet structure

Twin propeller marine propulsion unit

A marine propulsion system with counter-rotating propellers is provided with the capability of causing the propellers to rotate at different speeds. A first gear is attached to an inner propeller shaft and a second gear is attached to an outer propeller shaft. The inner and outer propeller shafts are arranged in coaxial and concentric relation for rotation about an axis of rotation. A driveshaft is connected to a pinion gear which engages the teeth of the fore and aft gears at different effective diameters. The pinion gear meshes with a first plurality of gear teeth on a beveled surface of the fore gear while a second set of gear teeth of the pinion gear mesh with a second plurality of gear teeth on a beveled surface of the aft gear. Because of the different effective diameters of the first and second pluralities of gear teeth, the inner and outer shafts rotate at different speeds.

Marine counter-rotational propulsion system

A marine drive (10, 310) has two counter-rotating propellers (12 and 14, 312 and 314). Inner and outer concentric counter-rotating propeller shafts (40 and 42, 340 and 338) are supported by a spool (38, 336) in the lower horizontal bore (28, 328). Passages are provided in the housing for communicating lubrication and/or exhaust with the horizontal bore. Locking structure (50, 404) holds the driven gears and bearings in place in the lower horizontal bore.

Marine dual propeller lower bore drive assembly

A marine drive (10) has two counter-rotating surface operating propellers (12, 14). Inner and outer concentric counter-rotating propeller shafts (40, 42) are supported by a spool assembly (38) locked and retained against rotation and against axial movement in the lower horizontal bore (28) in the torpedo (34) of the drive housing (26) by axially spaced left and right hand threads (44 and 46). A thrust bearing assembly (98) transfers thrust from the outer propeller shaft to the inner propeller shaft during rotation of the propeller shafts in opposite axial direction and is axially located between fore and aft driven gears (76 and 78). Propeller shaft sealing and bearing structure, and propeller self-centering mounting structure is provided.

Marine drive having two counter-rotating surfacing propellers and dual

A marine drive (10) has two counter-rotating surface operating propellers (12 and 14). An upper adaptor spool (48) has a lower threaded outer portion (50) mating with a threaded portion (46) of the vertical bore (26) of the drive housing (20) and supporting the upper gear (42) for rotation about the driveshaft (36) and supporting the driveshaft (36) for rotation within the adaptor spool (48). Vertical bore structure enables assembly from above of the majority of the vertical drive train components into a one-piece unitary integrally cast housing. The vertical distance between the adaptor spool (48) and the lower bearing (118) supporting the vertical driveshaft (36) is about equal to propeller radius. The lower concentric counter-rotating propeller shafts (156, 158) are spaced from the upper input shaft (28) by a distance along the driveshaft (36) in the range of about 9 to 15 inches.

Counter-rotating surfacing marine drive

A continuity spring (27) is provided to make electrical contact between the cylinder (13) and piston rod (14) of a hydraulic piston-cylinder (10). The spring (27) is mounted in an annular groove (28) in the end cap (15) of the cylinder. A straight section (29) of the spring (27) contacts both the cylinder (13) and the piston rod (14) to establish electrical contact between the piston rod (14) and a cathodic protection system (25).

Continuity spring for a hydraulic cylinder

In a stern drive for watercraft, of the type using a gimbal ring to support the external propulsion unit, the gimbal ring is provided with an upper vertical square bore, a slot across the bore, and clamping bolts to provide full engagement with the square sides of a steering swivel shaft.

Growing community of inventors

Oshkosh, WI, United States of America

Robert B Weronke