GB2250552A

GB2250552A - Apparatus for the remote control of an engine and/or transmission including a quick release connection for a remote control box

Info

Publication number: GB2250552A
Application number: GB9125875A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Robert Duncan Glen
Original assignee: Barrus EP Ltd; EP Barrus Ltd
Current assignee: Barrus EP Ltd; EP Barrus Ltd
Priority date: 1990-12-05
Filing date: 1991-12-05
Publication date: 1992-06-10
Also published as: GB9125875D0; GB9026488D0

Abstract

A support body is attachable permanently to the outside of the engine for access to the engine's throttle and/or gear change internal controls. There is at least one lever arm (2, 3) pivotally mounted on the support body and operatively linkable with the respective internal control or controls; the support body having means for linking operatively a local manual control with the or each corresponding lever arm to allow local operation of the throttle and/or gear change of the engine; and a quick-release connection associated with the or each lever arm for demountable operative connection to a standard remote control box, without necessarily disconnecting the said manual control or controls. The apparatus preferably uses Bowden cables and quick release cable connections adjacent a gear-change arm (2), the inner wires of the cables being attached to a throttle control arm (3). <IMAGE>

Description

Apparatus for the Remote Control of an Engine This invention relates to apparatus for thé remote control of an engine, and is particularly, although not exclusively, useful for the demountable connection to a standard outboard marine motor of a standard remote control box, for throttle and gear change operation of the motor.

Conventional outboard motors for boats have manual controls in the form of a gear lever, usually on the side of the engine, and a throttle lever which can be mounted on the tiller handle. These local controls are permanently connected to the internal workings of the engine through an engine cowling. In order to provide greatex freedom in use, remote control boxes have been produced, allowing the boat to be driven from a forward position; this also provides better boat loading.

Standard remote control boxes comprise a single control lever rotatable in one direction for forward motion and in the opposite direction for reverse motion, with a neutral position in the middle. The control box responds to the lever position to move the gear change control to reverse, neutral or forward, and to move the variable throttle control to the position corresponding to the rotation t position of the lever arm. Bowden cables fox gear change and throttle control link this control box with internal engine controls.

One problem with the use of such conventional remote control boxes is that they can only be fitted by first removing the local controls, then removing the engine cowling, fitting the Bowden cables to the internal controls and then replacing the engine cowing This is a time-consuming and difficult process, and it means that the outboard engine cannot readily be taken away from the boat, when not in use, as is considered desirable. It also means that should the control box break down, or should the skipper decide to return to the stern of the boat in any event, it is not possible to operate the local controls.

A further disadvantage of conventional control boxes is the complexity of the interconnection of the control linkage cables with the throttle and gear change internal controls, requiring several linkages and connections. This makes the system expensive and complex to use.

In order to overcome the problem that connection of existing remote control boxes is relatively permanent and precludes the use of local controls, the present invention provides apparatus for the remote control of an engine, comprising: a support body attachable permanently to the outside of the engine for access to the engine's throttle and/or gear change internal controls; at least one lever arm pivotally mounted on the support body and operatively linkable with the respective internal control or controls; the support body having means for linking operatively a manual control with the or each corresponding lever arm to allow local operation of the throttle and/or gear change of the engine; and a quick-release connection associated with the or each lever arm for demountable operative connection to a standard remote control box, without necessarily disconnecting the said manual control. or controls.

Further, in order to overcome the problem of the complexity of the connection to the internal engine controls, the invention also provides apparatus for the remote control of an engine, comprising: a support body attachable permanently to the outside of the engine for access to the engine's throttle and gear change internal controls; first and second lever arms separately pivotally mounted on the support body and oepratively linkable respectively with the internal controls; and quick-release connections for the two Bowden-type cable linkages of a remote control box for gear change and throttle control, adapted to connect the inner wire of one and the outer sheath of the other cable linkage releasably to the pivot points of the first and second lever arms respectively, and to connect the outer sheath of the said one and the inner wire of the said other cable linkage to the second and first lever arms, respectively, remote from their respective pivot axes.

In order that the invention may be better understood, a preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a diagram - showing the releasable connection of two Bowden-type cables from a standard remote control box (not shown) to the throttle control arm and gear change control arm pivotally mounted on a mounting plate, which is itself adapted for permanent connection to an engine such as an outboard motor; Figure 2 is a plan view of the mounting plate (omitted from Figure 1), showing pivotal supports for the throttle control arm and gear change control arm of Figure 12 Figure 3 is a diagram showing the pivotal mounting of the gear change control arm through the support provided by the mounting plate; Figure 4 illustrates the throttle control arm; and Figure 5 is an elevational view of the mounting plate together with the throttle and gear change control arms, but omitting the quick-release connections for the Bowden cable linkage to the remote control box and omitting the linkages to the local control levers.

Although the local controls for gear change and throttle are not shown in the drawings, they are conventional controls mounted on the side of the engine or, in the case of the throttle, mounted on the tiller arm, which remains in place throughout the connection and disconnection of the engine from the remote control box.

Cables from the local throttle and gear change controls terminate at respective slots, shown in Figure 5, formed in a flange plate projecting at 902 from the main surface of the mounting plate 1 shown in Figure 5. This projecting flange is illustrated in Figure 5 adjacent and to the right-hand side of the top right-hand oval aperture in the mounting plate 1. The inner wires of these Bowden cables are connected permanently to the appropriate ends of the lever arms 2,3. rn this way, local manual control of the engine is provided simultaneously with remote control from the remote control box, It will be apparent from Figures 1 and 5 that the cable linkages for the remote control box are connected at four points in the form of a parallelogram. The pivot axes of the lever arms 2,3 are parallel and spaced apart, and the cable components extending between the two lever arms are parallel. This arrangement has the advantage of simplifying the connection, since the anchor point for each cable coincides with the pivot point for the lever arm actuating the other cable.

As described below, the quick-release connections for the four connection points consist of bayonet-type fittings in key-hole slots, of which two slots are shown on the portion 4 of the throttle control arm 3 shown in Figure 4.

Dimensions shown on the drawings are in inches.

1 inch is equivalent to 2.54 cm.

This invention has been designed primarily for H. M.

Special Forces, to enable them to connect a standard control box to an engine, at night, by feel only in the shortest possible time. To achieve this, all the connections are of a quick release type e. g. spring loaded locking pins.

The advantages of this design will also have a great impact on the leisure side of boating, as it means that instead of having to use the standard tiller handle the boat can be driven from a conventional position and not from the stern, thus better boat loading can be achieved, it also has the advantage of being able to be fitted to the 6, 8, 9.9, 10 and 15 H.P. motors, without any further modifications.

The kit comprises of the following items:1) Mounting Plate 2) Gear change arm 3) Throttle control arm 4) Throttle control support 5) 4 off P. T. F. E. bushes 6) 2' R' clips 7) 2 spring loaded push, twist and lock pins Method of attachment The mounting plate (l) replaces the existing cable bracket fitted to the engine but utilises the existing bolts for attachment so no further holes need drilling in the engine, it is however necessary to drill a further hole in the tray of the cowl so that the throttle control arm (3) can be fitted. With the mounting plate (1) fitted the throttle cables from the tiller handle, can be refitted. Into the gear change support tube (which is part of the mounting plate) are fitted 2 of the PTFE bushes (5), these are self-lubricating and ensure smooth gear changing.The gear change arm (2) is passed through the bushes and locates on the internal gear change rod which is part of the engine. This is held in place by a screw and washer. The 2 remaining PTFE bushes (5) are fitted into the throttle control arm (3) and the throttle control support (4) inserted. This sub-unit is then offered up to the mounting plate (1) and then attached by means of screwing the throttle control support (4) to the stud affixed to the mounting plate (l) by way of an allen key inserted through the hole, in the end of the throttle control arm (3).

The cables from the remote control box can now be fitted. The gear cable is attached to the gear change arm (2) and is anchored in the end of the throttle control arm (3), therefore it is the outer cable which moves. However, the throttle cable is attached to the centre of the gear change arm (2) and fitted to the lower hole in the throttle control arm (3) so the inner cable moves. We feel that this is an innovative step in that the outer cable does the gear changing whilst the inner cable does the throttle work.

Claims

CLAMS

1. Apparatus for the remote control of an engine, comprising; a support body attachable permanently to the outside of the engine for access to the engine's throttle and/or gear change internal controls; at least one lever arm pivotally mounted on the support body and operatively linkdble with the respective internal control or controls; the support body having means for linking operatively a manual control with the or each corresponding lever arm to allow local operation of the throttle and/or gear change of the engine; and a quick-release connection associated with the or each lever arm for demountable operative connection to a standard remote control box, without necessarily disconnecting the said manual control or controls.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1, in which there are two such lever arms, for throttle and gear change respectively, and quick-release connections for corresponding control linkages of the remote control box.

3. Apparatus according to Claim l or 2, comprising for the or each lever arm a Bowden-type control cable whose sheath and inner wire are adapted to connect releasably respectively with the said quick-release connection to the lever arm and to an anchor point of the support body, or vice versa.

4. Apparatus according to Claim 3, as appendant to Claim 2, in which each anchor point coincides with the pivot axis of the other lever arm.

5. Apparatus for the remote control of an engine, comprising: a support body attachable permanently to the outside of the engine for access to the engine's throttle and gear change internal controls; first and second lever arms separately pivotally mounted on the support body and o ratively linkable respectively with the internal controls; and quick-release connections for the two Bowden-type cable linkages of a remote control box for gear change and throttle control, adapted to connect the inner wire of one and the outer sheath of the other cable linkage releasably to the pivot points of the first and second lever arms respectively, and to connect the outer sheath of the said one and the inner wire of the said other cable linkage to the second and first lever arms, respectively, remote from their respective pivot axes.

6. Apparatus according to any preceding claim for the remote control of an engine, further comprising a remote control box releasablg operatively connectable to the or each lever arm.

Apparatus according to any preceding claim for the remote control of an engine, further comprising local manual controls connected permanently to the or each lever arm to control the engine.

8. A marine outboard motor fitted with apparatus according' to any preceding claim.

9. A remote control apparatus, substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.