US3018754A

US3018754A - Outboard motor

Info

Publication number: US3018754A
Application number: US55327A
Authority: US
Inventors: Merton F Snyder; Leslie W Foster
Original assignee: Mcculloch Corp
Current assignee: Mcculloch Corp
Priority date: 1960-09-12
Filing date: 1960-09-12
Publication date: 1962-01-30
Anticipated expiration: 1979-01-30

Description

Jan. 30, 1962 M. F. SNYDER ETAL 3,018,754

OUTBOARD MOTOR Filed Sept. 12, 1960 n m mam N mar m v7: w m A 5F n P mm 5 5 Z W llwlala 5 & Ill Illll W I HMoMh \1 3. I II 1 M\ [H .h m Q a \l n )wN I \m M bN w a MNYWN MN N 8 mw I United States Patent 3,018,754 OUTBOARD MOTOR Merton F. Snyder, Minneapolis, and Leslie W. Foster, St. Paul, Minn., assignors to McCulloch Corporation, Marine Products Division, Minneapolis, Minn., a corporation of Minnesota Filed Sept. 12, 1960, Ser. No. 55,327 2 Claims. (Cl. 115-18) when the motor is not in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide an 0utboard motor wherein a functional part of the motor is formed as a carrying handle and with such handle so located as with respect to the center of gravity of the motor as to allow balanced manual transport and handling thereof.

With these objects in mind the invention broadly comprises an outboard motor having a housing with a forwardly opening recess extending along the front side thereof, a pivot bracket disposed within the recess and rotatably connected to the housing, a boat bracket mounted on the pivot bracket for folding movement about the pivot bracket axis into a stored position within the re- 'cess, and a steering handle on the motor and foldable to a collapsed position in the recess, the boat bracket and handle lying on opposite sides of the pivot bracket in the recess. The invention is further characterized by forming a pistol grip handle on the pivot bracket so as to lie directly over the center of gravity of the motor when the motor is dismounted from a boat and positioned with the pivot bracket on top.

The above mentioned and other objects of the invention will be brought to light during the course of the following specification, reference being made to the accompanying drawing, in which- FIG. 1 is a side elevation of an outboard motor embodying the improved construction and showing the molt)or mounted in operating position on the transom of a oat.

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of the motor with the boat bracket and steering handle folded into inoperative or collapsed position for storage or transport of the motor.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the motor in the condition shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the motor in operative condition.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings reference characters will be used to denote like parts or structural features in the different views. The motor is designated generally at and is shown in FIG. I mounted in conventional operating position on the transom T at the rear end of boat B.

Motor 10 has an outer housing comprising a powerhead shroud or enclosure 11, a drive shaft housing 12, and a lower unit housing 14. A propeller is carried by the lower unit below the anti-cavitation plate 16 and has driving connection through the

housings

14 and 12 with the power unit enclosed within the shroud 11.

At its front side which normally faces the transom T, the housing section 12 has a vertically elongated recess 17 which opens forwardly and sidewardly with upper and "ice lower walls, respectively denoted at 18 and 19, facing each other in vertically spaced relation. These walls are provided with aligned bosses which respectively journal the ends 20 of an elongated pivot bracket or steering column denoted generally at 20. Bracket 20 is a forwardly opening channel and has integrally formed therewith a bifurcated extension 21 near its upper end, a pair of transversely opposing apertured tilt pin support bars 22 and a handle portion 24 having a pistol grip exterior configuration to facilitate manual engagement.

The front of the member 20 is open for reception therewithin of one end portion of a U-shaped boat bracket or clamp 25. This bracket has a plate 26 formed on its rear leg for flat engagement against the rear surface of the transom T. The front leg of bracket 25 has an internally threaded aperture for reception and longitudinal adjustment of clamp screw 27 therein, it being 0bvious that screw 27 may be tightened toward the plate 26 and against the transom T to securely lock the bracket 25 upon the transom. The bight portion ofthe boat bracket 25 is pivoted between the ears of extension 21 by means of a pivot pin 28 for tilt adjustment of the motor 10 about a transverse axis.

The opening apertures 29 in the bars 22 are aligned for selective reception of a tilt pin 30 which engages a rearwardly opening notch (not shown) in the boat bracket 25 to adjust the position of the motor about pin 28.

A steering handle 31 is provided for turning the motor about the axis formed by the journaled ends 20 of the bracket 20. This handle has a housing 31 at its inner end which is journaled on a cross shaft 34. A projection on the housing 32 seats a spring-biased detent 35 engageable with socket 36 on the cross shaft to yieldably lock the handle in a forwardly extending or operating position. The handle is foldable between the positions shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 and it will be observed in FIG. 2 that when the handle is in its downward position it is spaced substantially from the handle portion 24 on the pivot bracket.

Bracket 25 is a single clamp and being relatively narrow in Width lies substantially within the lateral dimensions of the pivot bracket 20. Accordingly, when the motor is dismounted and the bracket 20 is turned a quarter turn about its longitudinal axis the member 25 will be moved into the recess area 17. Similarly when handle 31 is swung downwardly about its hinged connection it will be brought substantially within the recess area on the opposite side of column 20 from bracket 25. In this condition the motor may be conveniently stored in a minimum amount of space.

Handle portion 24 is so located as to be directly over .the center of gravity of the motor when the motor is at rest on its back side. It thus serves as a well balanced handle for one-handed carrying of the motor. The bandle 24 is provided with finger grooves as shown and there is sufficient space between this handle and housing 12 to allow convenient gripping and release thereof. Handle 24 is best utilized with the bracket 25 swung to its outer position.

It is understood that suitable modifications may be made in the structure as disclosed, provided such modifications come within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Having now therefore fully illustrated and described our invention, what we claim to be new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In an outboard motor, an elongated motor housing enclosing a motor drive shaft, said housing having a pair of facing bosses spaced longitudinally of the housing, an elongated steering column extending generally parallel to the drive shaft and having its ends journaled in said bosses, a boat bracket pivoted to the steering column for mounting the housing in upright position on a boat transom with the steering column in substantially vertical position and said steering column having a pistol grip handle formed on the exterior thereof, said handle being located horizontally opposite the longitudinal center of weight of the motor to serve as a balanced carrying handle for the motor when it is dismounted.

2.- In an outboard motor, an elongated upright motor housing enclosing the motor drive mechanism including an upright drive shaft, the center of weight of said housing and mechanism being located above the longitudinal center of the housing, said housing having vertically spaced upper and lower forwardly projecting portions forming a forwardly opening recess extending along the front of the housing with the vertical limits thereof located on opposite sides of said center of weight, an elongated steering column extending vertically between said forwardly projecting portions and journaled on the housing for pivotal movement in the recess about the longitudinal axis of the column, a singular boat clamp pivoted on one side of the steering column, said clamp being formed in an inverted U along a plane in which the longitudinal axis of the steering column lies, and a finger grip formed on the side of the steering column remote from the clamp and in horizontal alignment with said center of weight for balanced manual carrying of the motor by said grip when the housing is turned to a horizontal position with the steering column up and with said column turned about its pivot axis to place the plane of the clamp substantially horizontal.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS