IL46366A - Outboard motor with dual cooling system - Google Patents

Description

INVENTORS George E. Miller Michael J. Griffith ' TITLE "OUTBOARD MOTOR WITH DUAL COOLING SYSTEM" BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates generally to outboard motors and, more particularly, to outboard motor engine cooling systems. Still more particularly, the invention relates to cooling systems for outboard motors having a plurality of aligned combustion chambers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention provides an outboard motor comprisin a propulsion unit connected to a boat attachment means for vertical and horizontal swinging movement of the propulsion unit relative to the attachment, which propulsion unit includes an internal combustion engine including first and second combustion chambers arranged in alignment with each other, and first and second water jackets respectively associated with the first and second combustion chambers and respectively including inlet ports and outlet ports, together with-a lower unit rigidly supporting the engine and including a gear box normally partially submerged in water, a propeller rotatably supported by the gear bo and operably connected to the engine, a. water pump driven' by the engine and having an inlet communicating with the water, and a water conduit communicating between the pump and separately with each of the first and second water jacket inlet ports. . .

. In further accordance with the invention, . the engine comprises a rotary internal combustion engine and the combustion chambers comprise aligned trochoid shaped cavities.

The. invention also provides an outboard motor comprising a propulsion unit connected to a boat attachment means. for vertical and horizontal swinging movement of the propulsion unit relative to the attachment means, which propulsion unit includes a rotary internal combustion engine including a first housing assembly comprising means defining aligned first and second trochoid shaped rotor cavities and means defining a first water jacket system adjacent to the first and second rotor cavities and having inlet, and outlet ports, a second housing assembly comprising means . defining aligned third and fourth trochoid shaped rotor cavities and means defining, a second water jacket system adjacent to the third and fourth rotor cavities and having inlet and outlet ports, and means securing together the first and second housing assemblies, together with a lower unit rigidly supporting the engine and- including a gear box normally partially submerged in water, a propeller rotatably supported by the gear box and operably connected to the engine, a water pump driven by the engine and having an inlet communicating with the water, and a water conduit communicating between . the pump and separately with each of the first and second water jacket system inlet ports.

In further accordance with the invention, the first and second rotor cavities are aligned with the third and fourth rotor cavities, and the first housing assembly comprises first and second housing members respectively including first wall, means at least partially defining the first and second rotor cavities and second wall means at least partially defining first and second water jackets formin a part of the first water jacket system with the first water jacket including the first water jacket system inlet port and with the second water jacket including the first water jacket system outlet port, together with an intermediate member' located between the first and second housing members and including wall means further defining the first and second rotor cavities and additional wall means defining a third water jacket communicating between the first and second v/ater jackets and forming a part of the first water jacket system. Still further, the second housing assembly comprises third and fourth housing members respectively including first wall means at least partially defining the third and fourth rotor cavities and second wall means at least partially defining fourth and fifth water jackets forming a part of the second water jacket system with the fourth water jacket including the second', water jacket system inlet port and the fifth water jacket including the second water jacket system outlet port, together with an intermediate member located between the third and fourth housing members and including wall means further defining the third and fourth rotor cavities and' additional wall means defining a sixth water 'jacket communicating between the fourth and fifth water jackets and forming a part of the second water jacket system.

One of the principal features of the invention is the provision of an outboard motor including an in-line multi-combustion chamber engine having two parallel water jacket systems with each system being associated with at least one combustion chamber.

Another of the principal features of the invention •is the provision of an outboard motor which includes a rotary internal combustion engine comprising two housing assemblies located in vertically aligned, relation to each other, and each including a. separate water jacket system supplied with cooling water from a common pump located in the outboard . motor lower uni .

Another of the principal features of the invention is the provision of an outboard motor as referred to in the preceding paragraph and in which each housin assembl includes two rotating combustion chambers.

Still another of the principal features of the invention is the provision of an outboard motor having an engine with aligned multiple combustion chambers, and a cooling arrangement adapted to optimize uniform coolin of the combustion chambers.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become known by reference to the following drawings, · general description, and claims.

THE DRAWINGS . Figure 1 is a side elevational view, partially broken away, partially in section, and partially' schematic of a marine propulsion device in the form of an outboard motor including a multi-rotor rotary internal combustion engine.

Figure 2 is a view taken generally along line 2--2 of Figure 1, with parts broken away and in section.

Figure 3 is a view taken generally along line 3—3 ^ of Figure 1, with parts broken away.

Before explaining the invention in detail, it is ■ to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of the construction and arrangement of parts set forth in the following general description or- illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not o limitation.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION Shown in the drawings is an outboard motor 11 which includes a propulsion unit 13 adapted to be connected . to the ste n of a boat by attachment means 15 affording horizontal swinging or steering movement of the propulsion unit 13 relative to the. boat and affording vertical swinging movement of the propulsion unit 13 relative to the boat.

Any suitable construction can be employed for. such attachment means 15· .

The propulsion unit 13 comprises a lower unit including a gear box 19 which can include a reversing . transmission 21 and which rotatably supports a propeller 23. Rigidly carried on the top of the lower unit 17 below the at-rest water line 25 is a bucket or water guard 27 · Rigidly' carried on the top of the lower unit 17 within the bucket or water guard 27 is an internal combustion engine 29 having · . a plurality of vertically in-line combustion chambers.

Various reciprocating and rotary piston internal com construction, the engine 29 is a rotary internal combustion engine .assembled from a vertically extending series of horizontally extending members, each of which includes one or more flat surfaces for mating with an adjacent flat'1 surface of an adjacently located member.

More specifically, the rotary internal combustion engine 29 comprises lower and upper housing assemblies 1 . and 33.» each including two rotor cavities. Still more particularly, the lower housing assembly 31 comprises first and second housing members 35 and 37 respectively including first wall means partially defining first and second trochoid shaped rotor cavities 39 and 4l, and second wall means at least partially defining first and second water jackets 3 and 45 extending circumferentially of the rotor cavities 39 and 4l.

Located between the first and second housing members 35 and 37 is an intermediate member 47 including means further defining the first. and second rotor ** Hi cavities ¾) and and the first and second water jackets 4 and and additional means defining a third water jacket 49 arcuately extending intermediate the first and second rotor cavities 39 and 41 and providing a coolant passage connecting the first and second water jackets 43. and 45. Located below the first housing member 35 is a lower end wall member 51 which further defines the. first rotor cavity 39 ■· and the first water jacket 43, and which includes . (See Fig. 2) an inlet port 53 communicating with the first water jacket 3. Located above the second housing member 37 is an upper end' wall member 55 which further defines the second rotor cavity 4l and the second water jacket 45 first and second housing members 35 and 37* the intermediate, member k7, and the lower and upper end wall members 51 and 57 are assembled in parallel relation to one another with the trochoid shaped rotor cavities 39 and l in aligned relation by any suitable means, such as the bolts 59.

The upper housing assembly 3 includes third and fourth housing members 6l and 63 respectively including ■ first wall means partially defining third and fourth trochoid shaped rotor cavities 65 and S and second .wall means at least partially defining fourth and fifth v/ater jackets 69 and 71 extending circumferentially of the third and fourth cavities 65 and 67. Located between the third and fourth housing members 6l and 63 is a second intermediate member.7 including wall means further defining the third and fourth cavities 65 and 6j and the fourth and fifth water jackets 69 and 71 and additional means defining a sixth water jacket 75 extending arcuately intermediate the third and fourth rotor cavities 65 and 67 and providing a coolant passage between the fourth and fifth water jackets 6 and 71. Located below the third housing member 6l is a lower end wall member 77 which further defines the third rotor cavity 6 and the fourth water jacket 69 and which includes an inlet, port 79 communicating with the fourth water jacket 69.

Located above the fourth housing member 63 is an upper end wall member 8l which further defines the fourth rotor cavity 67. and the fifth v/ater jacket 71 and which includes-' an outlet port 83 for the fifth cooling jacket 71. The upper and lower housing . members 6l and 63, the intermediate member 73, and the lower and upper end wall members 77 and. 8l are assembled in parallel relation to each other with the third and fourth trochoid shaped rotor cavities 6.5 and v 67 in aligned relation by any suitable means, such as the bolts 85.

Thus, it will be seen that the first, second, and third water jackets 43, 4 and 4 constitute a first water jacket system having an inlet port 53 and an outlet port 57, and the fourth, fifth and sixth water jackets 69, 71 and 75 constitute a second water jacket system having an inlet port 79 and an outlet port 83. · .' Extending vertically through the lower and upper housing assemblies 31 and 33 is a crankshaft 91 which includes a lower crankshaft portion 93 which is rotatably supported by the lower housing assembly 31 and which extends through the first and second rotor cavities 39 and 41, and an upper crankshaft portion 95 which. is physically separate from the lower crankshaft portion 93/ which is rotatably supported by the upper housing assembly 33, and which extends through the third and fourth rotor cavities 65 and 67.

, Still more specifically, the lower crankshaft portion 93 includes first and second eccentric portions 97 and 99 respectively rotatably supporting first and second rotors 101 and 103 in the first and second. rotor cavities 39 and 41, and the upper crankshaft portion 95 includes third and fourth eccentric portions 105 and 107 respectively rotatably supporting third and fourth rotors 109 and 111 extending in the third and fourth rotor cavities 6 and 67. Each of the rotors 101, 103, 109 and 111 is generally triangular in shape and, in response, to respective rotation in the first, second, third and fourth rotor cavities 39, 41, 65 and 67 generates first, second, third and fourth rotatable chambers in which combustion takes place. ' Provided on each of the rotors 101, 103, 105 and 107 and on the associated housing assemblies 31 and 33 is gear means 115 for effecting relative rotation between the rotors 101, 103, 109 and' 111 and the housing assemblies 31 and 33 and between the rotors 101, 103, 109 and 111 and the crankshaft 91 in response to combustion in the rotatin chambers .

In' order to operatively unify the upper and lower crankshaft portions 93 and 95, suitable coupling means 117 ' are provided therebetween to maintain the crankshaft ; portions 93 and 95 in proper angular relationship and to transmit torque.

Means are also provided for securing together the lower and upper housing assemblies 31 and 33 with all of the trochoid shaped rotor cavities 9, ^l, 65 and 6j in alignment with.one another. In the illustrated construction, such securing means is provided by through bolts 119 extendin through the lower and upper housing assemblies 31 and 33· As also can be seen from the drawings,, the upper ■ end wall member 55 of the lower housing assembly 31 extends forwardly above the guard or bucket 27 and is connected to a kingpin 121 which forms a part of the beforementioned attachment means 15 and which also extends into the lower unit 19 at 123.

The upper crankshaft portion 95 extends above the upper end wall member 8l and is connected to a flywheel 125 which carries various components of a suitable ignition · system.

In order to supply cooling water to the cooling jackets, the lower unit 17 further includes, a water pump 131 which is driven by the engine 29 and which includes an inlet .133 normally located underwater. While other arrangements could be employed, in the illustrated construction, the inlet 133 is located at the front end of the gear box 19 and communicates with the pump 131 through a duct 135 and through a passage 137 in the lower unit 17. ' In order to separately supply water to each o the cooling jacket systems, there is provided conduit means which communicates with the pump 131 and separately with each of the first and fourth water jackets 3 and 69. More particularly, such conduit means includes a pump discharge pipe or line 139 which communicates with the pump 131, which extends through the bucket 2J, and which includes a first branch pipe 141 communicating with the first water . jacket inlet port 53 in the lower end wall member 51 of the lower housing assembly 31, together with a second branch pipe 1^3 which communicates with the fourth cooling jacket inlet port 79 located in the lower end wall member 77 of . the upper housing assembly 33.

Conduit means are also provided for discharging cooling water from the second and fifth water jackets A and 71. More specifically, the second wate jacket outlet port 57 in the upper end wall 55 of the lower housing assembly 31 communicates with a discharge duct 151 which . drains into a water jacket 153 extending around an exhaust gas discharge pipe 155 communicating with the rotor cavities 39, 41, 65 and 67 . In addition, the' ifth water jacket outlet port 83 in the upper end wall member 8l of the upper housing assembly 33 communicates with a discharge duct l6l which also drains into the water jacket 155 extending around the exhaust gas discharge pipe 155.

At its' lower end, the exhaust gas discharge pipe 155 is supported from the lower unit 17 for communication with an underwater exhaust gas discharge outlet 163 by a spider 16 having a plurality of angularl spaced openings Ιβγ through which cooling water drains from the water jacket 155 into the exhaust gas discharge outlet 163 for mixture with the exhaust gas and for discharge into the water behind the outlet 1β3 ·. Various other arrangements can be employed for draining or discharging cooling water from the second and fifth water jackets ^5 and 71.

In operation, one portion of the flow of cooling water discharged from the pump 131 flows through the first branch pipe 1^1 to the first water jacket 3 and then flows, in series, through the third water jacket K9 and through the second water jacket ½ and through the discharge duct 151 for overboard discharge. Another portion of the cooling · water discharged from the pump 131 flows through the second branch pipe l4j5 to the fourth water jacket 69 and then flows, in series, through the sixth water jacket - 75, and through the fifth water, jacket 71, and through the. discharge duct l6l for overboard discharge in common with .the discharge from the discharge duct 151. However, if desired, separate-overboard discharges for the. second and fifth water jackets 5 and Jl can be employed.

As a consequence of the foregoing, the in-line : engine block includes two parallel water jacket systems ea.ch cooling one or more . combustion chambers so as. to reduce variation in heat withdrawn from the various combustion chambers and thereby to provide for more uniform engine temperature and operation.

Various of the features of the invention are set forth in the following claims.

Claims (1)

1. 46366/2 1. An outboard motor comprising means adapted for attachment to the stern of a boat and a propulsion unit cojnnected to said attachment means for vertical and horizontal swinging movement relative to said attachment means, said propulsion unit including a rotary internal combustion engine comprising a first housing assembly including means defining a first trochoid shaped rotor cavity and means defining a water jacket adjacent to said first rotor cavity and including inlet and outlet ports, a second "housing assembly including means defining a second trochoid shaped rotor cavity aligned with said first rotor cavity, and means defining a second water' jacket adjacent to said second rotor cavity and including inlet and outlet ports, and means securing together said first and second housing assemblies, a lower unit rigidly supporting said engine and including a gear box normally i partially submerged in water, a propeller rotatably supp ' '. i ■ ported by said gear box and operably connected to said engine, water pump driven by said engine and having an , inlet ^communicating with the water, and a water conduit communicating between said pump and separately with each of said first and second water jacket inlet ports. Claim l and further including means connected to each of said outlet ports for overboard discharge of water. I 1 3.'An outboard motor in accordance with Claim 2 and further including an exhaust pipe communi¬ cating with said rotor cavities and wherein said over- board water discharge means includes a water jacket located around said exhaust pipe and communicating with an underwater discharge outlet. 4. An outboard motor comprising means adapted for attachment to the stern of a boat and a propulsion unit connected to said attachment means for vertical and horizontal swinging movement relative- to said attachment means, said propulsion I ' ... . . .. unit i including a rotary .internal combustion engine including a • .' i first housing assembly comprising means defining aligned first : i . ' ' ' ' · and second trochoid shaped rotor; cavities and means defining a first water jacket system adjacent to said first and second rotor i cavities and having inlet and outlet ports, said first housing assembly further comprising first and second housing members respectively including first wall means at least partially defining said first and second rotor cavities and second wall means at least partially defining first and second water jackets i · ■ . . . .. . forming a part of said first water jacket system, said first I · . water jacket including said first water jacket system inlet port ! - . . . / and said second water jacket including said first water jacket system! outlet port, a second housing assembly comprising means 46366/2 defining aligned third and fourth trochoid shaped rotor cavities and means defining a second water jacke system adjacent to said third and fourth rotor cavities and having inlet and outlet ports, said second housing assembly comprising third and fourth housing members respectively including first wall means at least partially defining said third and fourth rotor cavities and second wall means at least partially defining third and fourth water jackets forming a part of said second water jacket system, said third water jacket including said second water jacket system inlet port and said fourth water acket including said second water jacket system outlet port, and means securing together said first and second housing assemblies, a lower unit rigidly supporting said engine and including a gear box normally partially submerged in water, a propeller rotatably supported by said gear box and operably connected to said engine, a water pump drive, by said engine and having an inlet communicating with the water, and a water conduit communicating vrtth said pump and separately with each of said first and second water jacket system inlet ports. 5. An outboard motor comprising means adapted for attachment to the stern of a boat and a propulsion unit connected to said attachment means for vertical and horizontal swinging movement relative to said attachment means, said propulsion unit including a rotary internal combustion engine including a first housing assembly comprising means defining aligned first and second trochoid shaped rotor cavities and means defining a first water jacket system adjacent to said first and second rotor cavities and having inlet and outlet ports, said first housing assembly further comprising first and second housing members respectively including first wall means at least partially defining said first and second rotor cavities and second wall means at least partially defining first and second water jackets forming a part of said 46366/2 housing assembly further comprising an intermediate member ("' located between said first and second housing members and including wall means further defining said first and second rotor cavities and additional wall means defining a third water jacket communicating between said first and second water jackets and forming a part of said first water jacke system, a second housing assembly comprises means defining aligned third and fourth trochoid shaped rotor cavities and means defining a second water jacket system adjacent to said third arid fourth rotor cavities and ' having inlet and outlet ports , said second housing assembly comprising third and fourth housing members respectively including first wall means at least partially defining said third and fourth rotor cavities and second wall means at least partially de¾ning fourth and fifth water jackets forming a part of said second water jacke system, said fourth water jacket including said second water jacket system inlet port and said fifth water jacket including said second water jacket system outlet port, said second housing assembly further comprising an intermediate member located between said third and fourth housing members and including wall means further defining said third and fourth rotor cavities and additional wall means defining a sixth water jacket communicating between said fourth and fifth water jackets and forming a part of said second water jacket system, and means securing together said first and second housing assemblies, a lower unit rigidly supporting said engine and including a gear box normally partially submerged in water, a propeller rotatably supported by said gear box and operably connected to said engine, a water pump driven by said engine and haying an inle communicating with the Water, and a water conduit communicating with said pump and separately with each of said first and second water jacket system inlet ports. , 46366/2 6/ An outboard motor in accordance with Claim 5 and- further including means connected to each of said outlet ports for overboard discharge of water. '. 7. An otiboard motor in accordance with Claim 6 and further including an exhaust pipe communicating with said combustio chambers and wherein said overboard water discharge means includes a water jacket located around said exhaust pipe and communicating with an underwater discharge outlet. 8. Ah outboard motor in accordance with Claim 5 wherein said first and second rotor cavities are aligned with said third and fourth cavities. HE:mr