US2563932A - Control for outboard motors - Google Patents

Description

H. P. HENRY CONTROL FOR OUTBOARD MOTORS Aug. 14, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 14, 1947 m 0 z. 0O H 5 6 H...... w w 3 6 Hm 6 8 F 2 1% 9 a w M D1 .u II. T a Fr 0 w o n 5 6 C I I .J M I I 0 u .5 2

no I 3 5 5 W 1. ll P m m I 5 1 O v 1 mm 2M0 2 0 n3 6 mm 0 I l |l|| l- M 2 v w a m m. M a e m m fw m E Q TMIM ATTOR EYJ Patented Aug. 14, 1951 CONTROL FOR OUTBOARD MOTORS Howarth PadgettHenry, Shepperton-on-Thames, England Application June 14, 1947, Serial No. 754,739 In Great Britain April 25, 1945 Section 1, Public Law 690, August 8, 1946 Patent expires April 25, 1965 9 Claims.

This invention relates to controls for internal combustion engines of the outboard type, such as are used for the propulsion of small boats, adapted to be secured to the transom of a boat by means 01 a clamp or other receiving means, the engine as a Whole being mounted for angular movement about a substantially vertical axis and being provided with a tiller lever by which it is turned'about said axis to alter the thrust line of the propeller relative to the fore and-aft axis of the boat, and so to steer the boat.

In engines of this type the manipulation of the controls for starting and slow running is frequently a very complicated operation, so that starting proves rather diflicult to many users, andthe object of the present inventionis to provide a simplified control having a progressive movement between positions governing the various phases of engine operation.

According to the invention, in an internal combustion engine of the type referred to, the tiller lever is movable relative to the engine in a vertical plane between two extreme positions, in one of which the engine is inoperative, and in the other of which the engine is in condition for running at full speed, the tiller lever passing, in moving from the first extreme position to the second, through successive intermediate positions providing settings of the air and fuel supply to the engine appropriate for starting, warming up and idling of the engine, followed by positions for driving at progressively increasing speed as the lever approaches the full speed position. The lever or equivalent may, in passing between the idling and driving positions, actuate a clutch in the transmission from the engine.

The tiller lever may be interconnected with a petrol tank vent closure and a petrol cock, and may be adapted to close the said closure and cook when moved to the extreme position in which the engine is inoperative.

The tiller lever preferably moves downwardly towards a horizontal position as it moves from the position at which the engine is inoperative to the full speed position.

The lever or equivalent may be associated with a scale, or may operate an indicator, to show the condition. of the engine corresponding to any position of the lever.

The invention is hereinafter described with 2 reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a somewhat diagrammatic side view of an outboard motor boat engine, looking from the port side, the control being shown in the full-speed position;

Figure 2 is a similar side the starboard side;

Figure 3 is a view of the control lever and its shaft, looking from the front of the engine, and showing the connections of the various controls to the said shaft;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary plan view of the control lever;

Figure 5 is a developed view of the quadrant associated with the control lever;

Figure 6- is a fragmentary view of part of Figure 1 with some parts removed; and

Figure '7 is a view similar to Figure 6 of a part of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings, the engine, which is of the two-stroke type, comprises a single cylinder l0 mounted on a crankcase II in which is mounted a vertical crankshaft.

On the upper end of the crankshaft is mounted a flywheel l2, above which is a pulley l3 to receive a starting cord by means of which the engine is rotated for starting, the flywheel incorporating a flywheel magneto of known type to supply electric current for ignition. A tube I 4 projecting downwardly from the crankcase ll houses an extension of the crankshaft, and terminates at its lower end in a bevel gear casing (not shown) containing the bevel gear by which the drive is transmitted to the propeller shaft, and containing also a clutch, such as a friction clutch, by means of which the drive to the propeller may be interrupted. This tube passes through a sleeve 15, in which it is supported by suitable bearings, the sleeve being formed with a forwardly projecting lug It to which is bolted a clamp ll for attaching the engine to the transom of a boat.

The exhaust'system of the engine comprises an expansion chamber 29 mounted below the cylinder It and leading into an outlet pipe which extends below the surface of the water. A petrol tank 2| is carried by suitable brackets 22 bolted to the upper side of the engine cylinder.

A pair of spaced forwardly projecting brackets view looking from 3 23 and 24 are bolted to the crankcase II, the bracket 23 carrying a quadrant 25 which is provided with a flange 26 on its curved edge. A shaft 21 is journalled in the brackets 23 and 24 at the centre of curvature of the quadrant 25, and carries a hand lever 36 by which it may be moved angularly through about 90, the lever 30 being positioned closed to the edge of the flange 26 on the quadrant. Mounted on the shaft 21 are a number of arms and cams which are operatively connected to the various controls of the engine as described below, these, proceedin outwardly from the centre of the shaft, being, on the port side, a cam 3| for controlling the clutch; an arm 32 for controlling the advance and retard of the ignition; and an arm 33 for controlling an exhaust cut-out; and, on the starboard side, a cam 34 for controlling the throttle and the petrol tank air vent; and an arm 35 for controlling a choke on the air inlet to the carburettor.

Dealing first with the port side of the engine, the cam 3|, as shown in Figures 1 and 6 has a profile including dwell portions 36 and 31, connected by a lift portion 38, the dwell portion of smaller radius engaging the follower lever 46 during initial movement of the lever from the vertical position (shown in chain dotted lines in Figure 1) and the lift portion 38 engaging with the follower lever at about the middle of the lever stroke to transfer the said follower 40 to the dwell portion 31 of larger radius, with which it engages during the remainder of the lever stroke. The follower lever 40 is pivoted at 4| on a bracket carried by the engine cylinder H], and is pivotally connected, intermediate its ends, to a rod 42 which extends downwardly to the bevel gear casing to operate the clutch. The arm 32 is connected by a rod43 to the advance-andretard mechanism of the flywheel magneto. This mechanism known per Se is not shown, but the lug 44 to which the rod 43 is connected is attached to the movable part of the said mechanism.

The arm 33 is connected by a rod 45 to an arm 46 mounted on the side of the expansion chamber 26, and controlling an exhaust cut-out which is open when the lever 36 is in a position for starting the engine, to provide a direct outlet from the expansion chamber to the atmosphere,

and thus to avoid the back pressure due to the normal under-water outlet of the exhaust.

Coming now to the starboard side, the cam 34, as shown in Figures 2 and '7, has a profile giving at 4! a sharp lift of small magnitude during initial movement of the lever 30 from the vertical position, followed by a short dwell at 48, at the end of which the contour falls somewhat to the beginning of a continuous lift portion 49. The cam 34 is engaged by one end of a follower lever 56 which is pivotally mounted, between its ends, on the plunger 5| controlling the throttle valve in the carburettor 52, the other end of the lever 50 engaging with the stem 53 of I a spring-closed mushroom valve mounted in a pocket 54 projecting from the petrol tank. The valve in the pocket 54 controls an air vent in the petrol tank 2| and also an air vent in the carburettor float chamber. In the vertical position of the hand lever 3|], the follower lever 56 is at the lowest point of the cam, the fuel throttle plunger 5| is right down, in which position it closes the petrol inlet to the carburettor, and the vent valve is closed by its spring. The throttle plunger is urged downwardly by a spring (not shown) stronger than the spring acting on the vent valve,

so that the latter valve can close only when the throttle plunger is at the bottom of its strike. When the hand lever 36 is moved from its vertical position, the sharp initial lift of the cam raises the throttle plunger slightly and opens the vent valve, and further movement of the lever raises the throttle plunger progressively, the vent valve remaining open.

The arm 35 is coupled by a rod 55 to an arm 56 controllin a choke 51 in the air intake to the carburettor, the arrangement being such that the intake is highly restricted during the initial portion of the movement of the lever from the vertical position, the restriction being decreased and finally eliminated as the lever is moved downwardly.

The flange 26 of the quadrant 25 is provided on its inner face with two radially inwardly extending projections 60 and 6| (Figure 2), and the hand lever 36, as seen in Figure 4, is provided with a detent 62, carried by a rod 63 slidable longitudinally in the said lever, the detent projecting laterally through a slot in the lever to engage with the said projections. A spring 64 urges the rod 63 outwardly towards the free end of the lever, the rod projecting beyond the said end of the lever to form a push button 65 by which the rod can be pushed inwardly to move the dent 62 clear of the projections 60 and 6|. Instead of being operated by a rod in the manner above described, the detent may be operated by an auxiliary lever mounted on the main lever, in a manner similar to the pawl commonly provided in connection with the handbrake lever of motor vehicles to co-operate with a ratchet for holding th said lever in position.

The movement of the lever is thus divided into three sections, these being (1) a very short section between the vertical position and the projection 60; (2) a section, comprising an angular movement of about 40 between the projections 66 and 6|; and (3) a section comprising an angle of about 45 between the projection 6| and the horizontal position. To permit the lever to pass from one section to the next the push button 65 must be depressed.

The three sections may be conveniently termed (1) the parked or inoperative position; (2) the starting range; and (3) the driving range. In the driving range, the lever 36 is acted upon by a spring loaded plunger 66 (see Figure 2), tending constantly to return it to the upper end of that range.

The outer face of the quadrant may be marked with suitable legends to indicate the positions in which the lever should be set for various purposes, suitable legends being as follows:

In the parked position, Stop.

In the starting range, reading downwardly from the projection 66 towards the projection 6|, Cold Start, Warm Start and Hot Start.

In the driving range, reading downwardly from the projection 6| to the horizontal position, Idling, Half Speed, Full Speed.

These legends are shown in the developed view of the quadrant (Fig. 5), the positions of the projections 60 and 6| being indicated in dotted lines.

With the lever 36 in the vertical position, the petrol system is completely closed, and the engine can be removed from the boat, carried, and stored, without fear of leakage of petrol.

The engine is mounted in a boat by fitting the clamp I! over the transom and tightening it up. To start the engine, the push button 65 is depressed to permit the detent 62 to pass the projection 60, and the lever is moved to one of the start positions, say the Cold Start position, the one selected depending on whether or not the engine has been running during the immediately preceding period.

This movement of the lever 30 opens the petrol tank and carburettor vents and moves the fuel throttle plunger 5| to open the connection from the petrol tank to the carburettor, and sets the ignition to a suitable degree of retardation for starting; the exhaust cut out is held open, the clutch disengaged and the choke closed. The lever is held in the required position by one hand of the operator, whilst the starting cord, previously Wound on the pulley I3, is pulled with the other hand to start the engine. By holding the lever, the operator resists the torque applied to the engine by the starting cord. According to Whether the lever is set to Gold Start, Warm Start, Hot Start, the throttle opening, choke position, and ignition setting are varied to en sure suitable conditions for starting.

When the engine is running, the button 65 is again depressed, and the lever 30 moved past the projection Bl to the idling position, the further movement adjusting the various settings to a suitable position for idling, and closing the exhaust cut-out. As the lever 30 moves to this position, the follower lever 50 moves off the dwell portion of the cam 34, thus closing the fuel throttle 5| to some extent. Further, movement of the lever from the idling position first brings the follower lever M! on to the lift portion 38 of the cam 3| to engage the clutch, and opens the throttle progressively, the propeller then being driven to bring about movement of the boat. The speed increases as the lever is moved downwardly, the fuel throttle and air choke being progressively opened. Once the lever 30 has passed the projection 6|, it is engaged by the spring loaded plunger 66, which tends constantly to return it to the idling position. The lever must therefore be held down to keep the boat moving, and, if it is released, the drive will be disconnected by release of the clutch, and the engine brought back to the idling position.

In the idling position, the lever is at an angle of about 45 to the horizontal, and, as it moves towards the full speed position, it approaches more nearly to the horizontal, so that it may conveniently be used as a tiller to adjust the position of the engine, and steer the boat, the angular arrangement preferably being such that the engine can be turned through 180 to drive the boat in the reverse direction.

The engine may, with advantage, be enclosed in a streamlined or other casing, the lever 30 projecting through a slot on one side of which the legends indicating the positions of the lever are marked. Alternatively, the shaft 21 may project from one side of the casing and have the lever 30 mounted on its projecting end, a suitable independent indicator being provided in association with an index or pointer coupled to the shaft.

The above description is given purely by way of example, and the actual control elements to which the lever is connected will vary with the type of engine with which it is employed, the main feature of the invention being the provision of a single control member, appropriate movement of which sets the control elements to any required position.

What I claim is:

1. In an outboard motor of the internal combustion type including a frame member adapted to be secured to a'boat and a propulsion unit hingedly secured to said frame member, said propulsion unit including a propeller, clutch means for transmitting power to said propeller, a choke, a fuel tank having an air vent, spark ignition means including mechanism for advancing and retarding the spark, an exhaust line normally discharging the exhaust gases below the surface of the water and including an atmospheric cut-out, and a carburetor including a throttle valve, a valve stem therefor, and a float chamber air vent; means for realizing eificient performance of said motor under a variety of operating conditions, said means comprising: a horizontally disposed shaft rotatably mounted on said propulsion unit, a tiller secured to said shaft and rotatable therewith through approximately a quarter circle, a first crank secured to said shaft, first connecting means between said first crank and said choke to actuate the latter,

"a first cam on said shaft, a first follower rod actuated at its one end by said first cam and pivotcd at said valve stem, a first spring urging said valve stem downwardly into the closed position, valve means closing said fuel tank air vent and said carburetor fioat chamber air vent, said valve means supporting the other end of said first follower, a second spring urging said valve means upwardly into the closed position, said first spring being stronger than said second spring, a second cam secured to said shaft, a second cam follower interconnecting said second crank and said clutch means, a second crank secured to said shaft, second connecting means between said second crank and said mechanism for advancing and retarding the spark, a third crank secured to said shaft, third connecting means between said third crank and said atmospheric cut-out in said exhaust line, and means for setting said tiller at a plurality of stations in a vertical plane between its limits of rotation, each of said stations representing a different operating condition.

2. In an outboard motor of the internal combustion type including a clamp member and a propulsion unit hingedly attached to said clamp member and rotatable about a substantially vertical axis, a plurality of apparatuses influencing the operation of said propulsion unit and including a throttle control, a choke, clutch mechanism, spark timing mechanism and an underwater exhaust line including an atmospheric pressure relief Valve, and a tiller lever to turn said propulsion unit, means for adapting said tiller lever to control said plurality of apparatuses simultaneously and in accordance with the requirements of a plurality of operating conditions, said means comprising: a horizontally'disposed shaft member rotatably secured to said propulsion unit, said tiller lever secured to said shaft member and rotatable therewith, means interconnecting said shaft member with each of said plurality of apparatuses, a circular segment secured to said propulsion unit and concentric with said shaft member, a pair of projections on said segment dividing the same into a first, second, and third sector, a movable detent carried by said tiller lever to'maintain said lever within one of said sectors, said lever, when vertically disposed in said first sector, positioning said connecting means to close said throttle control and thereby stop said propulsion unit, said lever, when in said second sector, positioning said connecting means so that said propulsion unit may warm up at no load, wherein said clutch is disengaged and said pressure relief valve is open, said lever, when in said third sector, positioning said connecting means to connect said clutch and progressively open up said throttle as said lever is moved downwardly, and spring means acting on said lever when in said third sector to rotate said lever upwardly.

3. A control system for an outboard motor of the internal combustion type including a frame member, a propulsion unit hingedly attached to said frame member, a throttle control, a choke, spark timer mechanism, an exhaust line, an atmospheric cut-out in said exhaust line, a drive shaft, a propeller, a clutch between said drive shaft and said propeller, control means for adjusting said throttle control, said choke, said spark timer mechanism and said atmospheric cut-out, other control means for engaging and disengaging said clutch, and means for obtaining eflicient performance of said motor under a plurality of operating conditions, said means comprising: a horizontally disposed shaft member rotatably secured to said propulsion unit, a tiller mounted on said shaft member and rotatable therewith, means limiting the vertical displacement of said tiller between a substantially vertical position and a substantially horizontal position, means for setting said tiller at a plurality of stations intermediate said limiting positions, each of said stations representing a different operating condition, and means carried by said shaft member and interconnected with said control means and Said other control means for adjusting said throttle control, said choke, said spark timer mechanism and said atmospheric cut-out and engaging and disengaging said clutch in accordance with the requirements of said operating conditions.

4. An outboard motor comprising the combination with an engine, a clamp member hinged to said engine, a propeller, driving connections in cluding a clutch, and means for adjusting the operation of said engine, of a first bracket secured to said engine and including a quadrant-shaped portion, said portion having a peripheral flange, a second bracket secured to said engine, a shaft member journalled by said brackets, a tiller lever secured to said shaft member, graduations on said peripheral flange to represent the desired setting of said engine when stopped, started and warmed up, idled, and operating at various speeds up to and including maximum speed, connecting means actuated by said shaft member to set said adjusting means in accordance with said graduations as said lever is aligned therewith, whereby movement of said tiller lever in a horizontal direction swings said engine relative to said clamp member to vary the direction of the slip stream of said propeller, and whereby rotating said tiller lever in a vertical plane controls the operation of said engine.

5. An outboard motor of the internal combustion type comprising a clamp member adapted to be secured to a boat, a propulsion unit hingedly fastened to said clamp member, means for controlling the operation of said propulsion unit, a tiller lever secured to said propulsion unit and locked against horizontal movement to swing said propulsion unit relative to said boat, means for rotating said lever in a substantially vertical plane, a member carried by said lever and rotatable therewith, a quadrant fixed to said propulsion unit and concentric with said member,

means for setting said lever at a plurality of stations along the periphery of said quadrant, each of said stations representing a different type of motor operating condition, means actuated by said member when said lever is set at each of said stations to adjust individually said means for controlling the operation of said propulsion unit commensurate with the eflicient performance of said motor at the corresponding operating condition.

6. The combination with a propulsion unit for a boat or the like, including a choke, throttle control means and spark timing mechanism, of a lever projecting from said unit and rotatable in a substantially vertical plane, said lever locked against horizontal movement with respect to said unit, means for limiting the rotation of said lever in a vertical plane between two extreme positions, other means for setting said lever at a plurality of stations intermediate said extreme positions, each of said stations representing a different operating condition at which said unit may be set, and mechanism between said lever and, respectively, said choke, said throttle control means and said spark timing mechanism, to adjust each independently of the other to obtain an adjustment thereof commensurate with each of said operating conditions.

7. An outboard motor of the internal combustion type comprising the combination with a tiller lever and a propulsion unit movable by said tiller lever, 'said propulsion unit including control apparatus for operating the same, of means for moving said tiller lever in'a vertical plane, other means actuated by vertical movement of said tiller lever positioning said control apparatus, means limiting vertical movement of said tiller lever between two extreme positions, in one of which said other means sets said control apparatus to stop said propulsion unit and in the other of which said other means sets said control appa ratus to operate said propulsion unit at full speed, said tiller lever passing, in moving from said one extreme position to said other extreme position, through successive intermediate positions providing settings of said control apparatus appropriate for starting, warming up and idling said propulsion unit, followed by positions for driving said propulsion unit at progressively increasing speed as said lever approaches said other extreme position.

8. An outboard motor comprising the combination with a propulsion unit, means for hingedly securing said unit to a boat or the like, a propeller, and means for adjusting the rate at which said propulsion unit drives said propeller, of a bracket secured to said engine and including a quadrant-shaped portion, a rotatable member journalled by said bracket, a tiller lever secured to said rotatable member, graduations on said portion to represent the desired setting of said engine when stopped and when operating at various speeds up to and including maximum speed, connecting means actuated by said rotatable member to set said adjusting means in accord: ance with said graduations as said lever is aligned therewith, whereby movement of said lever in a horizontal direction steers said boat or the like, and whereby rotating said tiller lever in a vertical plane controls the operation of said engine.

9. An outboard motor comprising the combination with a propulsion unit and means for controlling the speed at which said propulsion unit operates, of a tiller lever extending from said propulsion unit, means for turning said tiller lever in a substantially vertical plane, means interconnecting said tiller lever and said control means of said propulsion unit to increase the speed of said unit as said lever is displaced downwardly, and means for selectively setting said tiller lever at one of a plurality of stations at each of which said propulsion unit operates at a difierent speed.

HOWARTH PADGETT HENRY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number 10 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Clay Aug. 15, 1916 Bivert Apr. 2, 1918 Martin Oct. 23, 1923 Johnson Sept. 22, 1931 Irgens Oct. 31, 1933 Irgens Feb. 23, 1937 Higgins Aug. 26, 1941 Pozgay Nov. 19, 1946

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