JPH0618194U - Marine outboard drive system - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] (Modified) [Purpose] To provide a water-based outboard drive system that reduces water resistance, is lightweight, and is easy to maintain and inspect. A marine outboard drive system according to the present invention is mounted on a stern plate 20 of a boat and has a support casing 22 having a ball socket joint, and a propulsion shaft having a ball freely pivoted by the ball socket joint at its front end. The bearing member 30, the drive shaft 38 journaled in the support casing and coupled to the inboard engine of the boat, and the journal bearing in the propulsion device shaft bearing member, the rear end of which is keyed to the propulsion device shaft, and as a whole It has a propulsion shaft extending in the longitudinal direction. Then, the universal joint device connects the shafts, and the center of the universal joint device coincides with the pivot point about which the ball rotates with respect to the socket.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates generally to a marine drive device, and more particularly to a marine inboard-outboard drive device equipped with the drive device.

[0002]

[Prior art]

 So-called inboard-outboard drives have been used for many years. Examples of these are given in U.S. Pat. No. 1,798,596, U.S. Pat. No. 2,977,923, U.S. Pat. No. 3,088,296 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,382,838. These inboard-outboard drives are commonly used in propulsion boats equipped with large inboard engines. These drives use a drive shaft that passes through the stern of a boat that is connected to a generally vertically extending shaft that is connected to the propulsion shaft. Such drives have many of the advantages of outboard motors. By way of example, the propulsion support of this drive can be rotatably lifted when the boat is in shallow water or for inspection and maintenance of the propulsion and its shafts. Another important advantage of such an inboard-outboard drive is that the trim of the boat can be adjusted by rotating the propulsion support member about a horizontal axis. In addition to this tilting feature, the inboard-outboard drive is generally rotatable about a vertical axis for steering the boat. Provided as a common device is a universal joint around which the propulsor support member of the drive can be tilted and steered, as seen in the device shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,088,296, supra. To do. While common inboard-outboard drives have provided the above-mentioned advantages and have been commercially successful, they also have substantial disadvantages at the same time. As an example, such drives are relatively heavy, expensive to manufacture and maintain, and do not adequately transfer power from the engine to the propulsion machine. Output losses as high as 17% occur due to gearing and joints compared to direct drives. In addition, the propulsion member carrying members of such drives generally extend a considerable distance below the surface of the water, so that they present a considerable resistance. Attempts have been made to overcome the disadvantages of conventional inboard-outboard drives, generally by eliminating the vertical axis and connecting the driveshaft directly to the propulsion shaft. Examples thereof are described in US Pat. Nos. 1,864,857 and 3,933,116. However, these conventional devices include complex and impractical mechanisms that do not lend themselves to commercial success. Thus, the drive system of U.S. Pat. No. 3,933,116 provides a water surface propulsion keyed to a propulsion shaft that is moved around a horizontal horizon for steering and around a vertical axis for trimming the boat. Using a machine. This drive design requires that the drive shaft be located a distance above the bottom of the boat stern. This requires the propulsion shaft to be tilted vertically to push the bow of the boat downwards at high speed.

[0003]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a marine outboard drive that provides the advantages of a conventional inboard-outboard drive and eliminates the disadvantages thereof.

[0004]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 The marine outboard drive system according to the present invention does not use a propulsion device support member that extends a considerable distance below the water surface. Instead, the device is particularly suitable for use with water-entry propulsion units, which drive most of the drive from the boat stern plate to the rear horizontally or at a small fraction of the horizontal. It is fixed at the rear end of this drive device at an angle. Therefore, the drive device according to the present invention exhibits a minimum amount of water resistance.

In addition to exhibiting the minimum resistance as described above, the marine outboard drive device according to the present invention is lighter in weight, can be operated by an amateur, and is easy to maintain as compared with a normal type inboard-outboard marine drive device. And easy to maintain. The device is constructed of a corrosion resistant material such as brass or stainless steel.

Further, the marine outboard drive system according to the present invention has high efficiency in transmitting the output from the inboard engine of the boat to the propulsion device. The device can also be used with a pair of inboard engines.

An outboard drive system for a ship according to the present invention is a support casing mounted on a stern plate of a boat and having a ball socket joint, and a propulsion shaft having a ball freely pivoted by the ball socket joint at its front end. The bearing member, the drive shaft journaled in the support casing and coupled to the inboard engine of the boat, the propulsion device shaft journaled in the support member and keyed at the rear end to the propulsion device as a whole in the longitudinal direction. It uses a propulsion shaft that extends. A universal joint device connects the shafts, and the center of the universal joint device coincides with the pivot point about which the ball rotates with respect to the ball socket. The device swings the propulsion motor shaft housing laterally about a steering axis extending generally vertically through the pivot point, and further vertically vertically about a horizontally extending trim axis line passing through the pivot point. Balance the propulsion unit shaft support members. The supporting casing and the propeller shaft bearing member extend rearward from the boat stern plate or at a very slight angle to the horizontal and the shaft is keyed to the water approach propulsor. The marine outboard drive system according to the present invention minimizes the number of concavo-convex parts used and exhibits the minimum water resistance as compared with the conventionally proposed marine drive system.

Further, the outboard drive system for a ship according to the present invention uses a hydraulic steering cylinder and a hydraulic trim cylinder to precisely control the boat and balance the boat while the boat is moving. It fits. These steering and trim cylinders are operatively connected to the propulsion shaft bearing member in such a way as to reduce the torsional effect of the propulsion torque.

[0009]

【Example】

 The above and other features of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description with reference to the drawings illustrating an embodiment of the present invention.

1 to 10 show a preferred embodiment of an outboard drive system for a ship according to the present invention, which is for an ordinary boat B having a stern plate 20 equipped with the outboard drive system. is there. The apparatus includes a support casing, generally indicated at 22, which is attached to the boat stern 20 and includes a ball and socket joint 24. A rearwardly extending propulsion device shaft bearing member 30, generally designated at 30, is provided at its front end with a ball 32 pivotally supported in a ball socket joint. The drive shaft 38 has its front end journaled in the support casing by hand in a state in which it can be connected to an inboard engine arranged in the shell of the boat B. The propulsion shaft 40 is journaled at its rear end by a propulsion device shaft supporting member 30 with a structure for mounting an ordinary sea surface cutting type propulsion device 44. A universal joint device, preferably in the form of a conventional dual universal constant velocity joint 46, joins the rear end of drive shaft 38 to the forward end of propulsion shaft 40. What is important here is that the center of the universal joint 46 as described above coincides with the pivot point where the ball 32 pivots with respect to the ball socket 24.

More specifically, as shown in FIG. 8, the support casing 22 has a cylindrical main body 50 having an open rear end. The front end of this body has an integrally formed boss 52. Needle bearings 54 and 56 for journaling the drive shaft 38 are provided at the front and rear portions of the boss 52, respectively. Oil seals 58 and 60 close the front and rear ends of hub 52 to contain the oil within the body. The support casing 22 is rigidly attached to the rear surface of the stern plate 20 by a plurality of bolts 62. The front end of the drive shaft 38 can be connected to a joint, such as a universal joint 63 that forms part of the drive mechanism rotated by the inboard engine. The ball socket 24 is preferably made of a synthetic plastic material such as nylon and includes a front body 24a and a rear end 24b. The front body 24a abuts the shoulder 64 of the support casing and the rear body 24b is attached by a snap ring 66. An O-ring 68 is interposed between the front body 24a and the rear body 24b of the ball socket 24 in a sealing engagement with the front and rear bodies and the outer surfaces of the balls 32.

The propelling shaft support member 30 includes a housing 70, the front portion of which forms the ball 32. The rear portion of the housing 70 includes an integrally formed outer threaded neck 72 which engages the inner threaded front portion of a frustoconical tube 74. The chamfered rear end of the tube 74 is provided with a needle bearing 76 disposed in front of a normal oil seal 78. A front oil seal 80 is located between the rear end of the outer threaded neck 72 and the front thrust bearing 82. A rear thrust bearing 84 is located adjacent to the front thrust bearing 82. The void between the oil seals 78 and 80 is preferably filled with oil. It is interposed between the front end of the tube 74 and the rear wall of the housing 70.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, a lower fin 90 hangs from a tube 74, the upper edge of which is secured to the tube. An upper fin 92 similar in shape to the lower fin 90 extends upwardly from the middle portion of the tube 74. The upper ends of the upper fins 92 support a horizontal cavitation plate 94, which is preferably attached to the front portion of the upper fins 92 by bolts 98. The rear edge of the cavitation plate 94 hangs above the propulsion unit 44 to prevent the propulsion unit from contacting a dock or the like. Such cavitation plates also include boat stern wave breaks. The middle portion on both sides of tube 74 has a pair of ears 100 and 102. These ears pivotally mount brackets 103 secured to starboard and port side powered hydraulic steering cylinders 108 and 110, respectively. Spheres 112 and 114 are provided at the front end of this steering cylinder. The spheres 112 and 114 are rotatably arranged in complementary recesses 116 and 118 formed in the pair of mounting portions 120 and 122. These mounting portions are preferably formed in the central portions on both sides of the support casing 22. The pivot points 112 and 114 at which the spheres 112 and 114 pivot relative to their sockets 116 and 118 pass through the pivot point 50 previously described about which the ball 32 pivots relative to its socket 24. Is located on a horizontal line (FIGS. 5 and 9) that is perpendicular to the vertical axis of the drive shaft 38. In the front and rear portions of the steering cylinders 108 and 110, as shown in FIG. 10, conduits 130, 131, 132 and 133 which are in communication with a normal hydraulic steering system are arranged.

In particular, in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, a hydraulic trim cylinder 140 and a plunger 142 extend between the boat stern plate 20 and the propulsion shaft carrying member 30. Plunger 142 is prevented from rotating with respect to cylinder 140 by the complementary spline / groove engagement means 143 in FIG. A spherical portion 144 is provided at the front end of the cylinder 140, and the spherical portion is received in a socket 145 provided in the fixture 146. The mount 146 has a pair of ears 148 and 150 that are bolted to the stern plate 20 by fasteners 151. At the rear end of the plunger 142, a bifurcated bracket 152 is provided which straddles an upwardly extending pad 154 fixed to the upper middle portion of the tube 74. A pivot pin 156 connects the bracket 152 and the pad 154. Hydraulic conduits 158 and 160 connect the front and rear ends of trim cylinder 140 with a conventional hydraulic system as shown in FIG.

In FIG. 3, the socket 145, and therefore the trim cylinder and its plunger 142, is mounted by an upright pin 170 located within an arcuate slot 172 formed below the bulb 144 along the centerline of the bulb 144. Rotation with respect to 146 is blocked.

The operation of the above embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the steering and trim control system system diagram shown in FIG. The system includes a conventional power source 180, such as a conventional electric motor, coupled to a hydraulic pump 181. A reservoir 182, conventional control valves 184, 186 and suitable conduits use the conduits 130, 131, 132, 133, 158 and 160 described above to direct the above elements to the steering cylinders 108, 110 and the trim cylinder 140. Connecting. The valve 184 is operatively connected to the steering handle 190 in a conventional manner, and the valve 186 is connected to the upper and lower trim levers 192 in a conventional manner. It is apparent that rotation of the steering handle 190 causes the valve 184 to rotate, thereby limiting the flow of pressurized working fluid from the pump 181 to the steering cylinders 108 and 110. In this way, the plungers 104 and 106 of these steering cylinders are simultaneously extended and retracted, thereby causing the generally vertical steering axis 5-5 through the point 50 at which the ball 50 pivots with respect to the ball socket 24. The thruster shaft supporting member 30 is swung around in the lateral direction. As shown in FIG. 9, the pivot point 164 about which the spherical portion 144 of the trim cylinder 140 rotates is also located on the steering axis 5-5. Similarly, movement of the upper and lower trim levers 192 causes the valve 186 to rotate, controlling the flow of pressure working fluid across the trim cylinder 140, thereby extending and retracting the plunger 142 relative to the trim cylinder. Then, the propeller shaft support member 30 is rocked vertically about a horizontally extending trim axis T--T that passes through the pivot point 50 and coincides with the aforementioned line 128 shown in phantom in FIG. The non-rotating connection between the trim cylinder sphere 144 and the housing 146, and between the trim cylinder 140 and its plunger 142, provides for any torsional forces applied to the propulsion shaft carrier member 30 when the propulsion unit 44 rotates. It turns out that also acts to resist. Similarly, the positioning of the steering cylinder and the plunger on the centerline of the propulsion shaft support member acts to resist the twisting forces as described above.

In FIG. 2, it can be particularly appreciated that the cohesive and compact form of the balls 32 and the ball sockets 24 allows the support casing 22 to be located in the lower portion of the boat stern 20. Therefore, the propulsion shaft 40 is accurately maintained in the vertical alignment state with the drive shaft 38 while the boat B is traveling forward. Therefore, the thrust line is maintained lower than the boat and below the center of gravity of the boat. This gives maximum efficiency for the transmission of torque. The drive shaft 38 may also be coupled to a conventional power transmission, and the engine may be located in the center of the ship or at any position on the boat, including through the use of a conventional transmission, immediately in front of the stern plate. It can also be installed at a convenient position.

FIGS. 11 and 12 show a second embodiment of a marine vessel outboard drive device according to the present invention for use with a pair of inboard engines (not shown) mounted in the shell of a boat B '. This embodiment includes a pair of marine outboard drive devices A-1 and A-2 which are substantially the same as the marine outboard drive system A described above. Accordingly, similar parts are designated by the same reference numeral with a dash.

The marine outboard drive system of FIGS. 11 and 12 uses a steering cylinder system different from that used in the embodiment of FIGS.

The device includes right and left hydraulic steering cylinders 200 and 202 with plungers 204 and 206. The forward ends of these cylinders are attached to spheres 208 and 210, respectively. These spheres are rotatably located in sockets 214 and 216 formed in the rear portion of fixture 216. The fitting 216 is attached to the boat stern 20 'by fasteners 218. The points 220 and 222 about which the spheres 208 and 210 pivot with respect to their sockets are on a horizontal line 224 that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the drive shafts of the outboard drive units A-1 and A-2. It is arranged. Line 224 passes through a pivot point 50 'where the balls 32' pivot about their sockets 24 '. Line 224 coincides with the trim axis T'-T 'of the thruster shaft carrier 30'.

The rear ends of the steering plungers 204 and 206 are connected by pins 236 and 238 to ears 228 and 230 that are pivoted to brackets 232 and 234.

These brackets are fixed to the inner surface of the middle portion of tube 74 '. The retaining rod 220 is attached at its opposite ends to the brackets 232 and 234 by means of pins of the same shape. The front ends of the steering cylinders 200 and 202 are provided with hydraulic conduits in communication with a conventional control system (not shown), which control system simultaneously extends and retracts the plungers 204 and 206, thereby causing a trim axis. The propulsion unit shaft support member 30 'is swung about a pair of generally vertical steering axes S'-S' passing through T'-T 'and the pivot point 50'.

The propulsion device shaft support members 30 'each include a trim cylinder (not shown) identical to the above-described trim cylinder that swings the support member about the trim axis T'-T'. As shown in FIG. 12, the pivot points 164 'about which the trim cylinder spheres 144' pivot with respect to their sockets 145 'are located on each steering axis S'-S'.

The operation of the two-engine marine outboard drive system of FIGS. 11 and 12 is clearly similar to the operation of the system of FIGS. 1-10. Both embodiments of the present invention provide highly efficient, minimal resistance and weight, extremely easy to handle, economically manufacturable and maintainable performance. For maintenance, the propulsion machine shaft can be easily replaced and installed by removing the universal joint 46. Boat trim can be easily adjusted depending on load and wave conditions. In addition, it is particularly advantageous to lift the propulsion device above the water surface and spin the propulsion device to increase the engine revolutions per minute to match the output curve of the engine and then increase the water surface as the boat speed increases. Maximum acceleration can be obtained by lowering the propulsion device.

Various modifications may be made to the details described above without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a rear perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a marine vessel outboard drive system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the device of FIG.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cutaway vertical sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG.

4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a scaled-down partial cross-sectional view of the steering system used in the device of the present invention.

6 is a broken vertical sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG.

7 is a broken vertical sectional view taken along the line 7-7 in FIG.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken along line 8-8 of FIG.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory view of the device of the present invention, particularly showing the relationship between the steering axis and the trim axis.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory view showing a steering and trim control system of the device of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a top view of another embodiment of the device of the present invention, in which a pair of marine outboard drive devices is used.

12 is a broken vertical sectional view taken along line 11-11 of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 20 Stern Plate 22 Support Casing 24 Socket 30 Propulsion Machine Shaft Supporting Member 32 Ball 38 Drive Shaft 40 Propulsion Machine Shaft 44 Propulsion Machine 46 Universal Joint 50 Ball 63 Universal Joint 70 Housing 90 Lower Fin 92 Upper Fin 94 Cavitation Plate 126 Axis Point 128 Horizontal Line 140 Trim Cylinder 143 Spline / groove engaging means 144 Sphere

Claims (9)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A ship outboard drive device mountable on a stern plate of a boat equipped with an inboard engine, a support casing mounted so as to extend rearward of the stern plate of the boat, and a rear end in the support casing. A ball socket disposed in the portion, a propulsion device shaft supporting member having a front end having one ball pivotally supported by the ball socket, journaled in the support casing, and connectable to the inboard engine. Drive shaft, a journal bearing by said propeller shaft bearing member and equipped with a propeller at its rear end and extending generally longitudinally,
A universal joint that connects the rear end of the drive shaft and the front end of the propulsion device shaft, and the center thereof coincides with a pivot point about which the ball pivots with respect to the socket; the support casing; and the propulsion device shaft supporting member. A steering device that swings the carrier member around a steering axis that extends between the pivot points and extends generally vertically, and extends between the stern plate and the propulsion device shaft carrier member. A marine outboard drive system comprising a trim device for vertically swinging the housing around a horizontally extending trim axis passing through the pivot point. 2. A state in which a power-actuated cylinder-plunger unit is interposed between the stern plate and the propulsion device shaft supporting member, whereby the cylinder-plunger unit is prevented from rotating with respect to the stern plate and the supporting member. The outboard drive device for a ship according to claim 1, wherein the carrying member is vertically swung by the. 3. The steering device includes starboard and port-side power operated steering cylinder plunger units, their rear ends pivotally mounted to the propulsion unit shaft bearing member, and the balls being the balls. 2. The horizontal line is perpendicular to the drive shaft, with their front ends freely pivoted on opposite sides of the support casing with the horizontal line passing through a pivot point that pivots with respect to the socket. The outboard drive system for a ship according to. 4. The trim device includes a power-operated trim cylinder and plunger unit, the unit being pivotally mounted to a forward end of the boat, which is pivotally attached to a stern plate of the boat, and to an intermediate portion of the propulsion device shaft support member. The marine outboard drive system of claim 1 having a rear end. 5. The outboard marine drive device according to claim 1, wherein upper and lower fins are provided on a rear portion of the propulsion device shaft supporting member, and the upper fin supports a cavitation plate. 6. The boat outboard drive system according to claim 3, wherein upper and lower fins are provided on a rear portion of the propulsion device shaft supporting member, and the upper fin supports a cavitation plate. 7. The trimming device includes a power-operated trim cylinder-plunger unit, the unit being pivotally mounted to a forward end of the boat, which is pivotally attached to a stern plate of the boat, and to an intermediate portion of the propulsion device shaft support member. The marine outboard drive system of claim 3 having a trailing end. 8. The marine outboard drive system according to claim 4, wherein upper and lower fins are provided at a rear portion of the propulsion device shaft supporting member, and the upper fin supports a cavitation plate. 9. The marine outboard drive system according to claim 5, wherein upper and lower fins are provided on a rear portion of the propulsion device shaft supporting member, and the upper fin supports a cavitation plate.