US3018989A

US3018989A - Stabilizing bracket for outboard motors

Info

Publication number: US3018989A
Application number: US66466A
Authority: US
Inventors: Gossett James Dillard
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1960-11-01
Filing date: 1960-11-01
Publication date: 1962-01-30
Anticipated expiration: 1979-01-30

Description

Jan. 30, 1962 J. D. GOSSETT 3,018,989

STABILIZING BRACKET FOR OUTBOARD MOTORS Filed NOV. 1, 1960 J. D. Gossefl ATTORNEY States Patent 3,018,989 STABILIZING BRACKET FOR OUTBOARD MOTORS James Dillard Gossett, 1201 Greenbriar St., Fort Worth, Tex. Filed Nov. 1, 1960, Ser. No. 66,466

2 Claims. (Cl. 248-4) 7 This invention relates to a snap-lock structure for outboard motors, and it concerns more particularly an improved snap-lock structure for securing an outboard motor in an inclined position relative to the transom of a boat on which the motor is supported, for beaching the boat and for transporting the boat, with the motor attached thereto, on a trailer vehicle.

Outboard motors as constructed heretofore ordinarily include, in combination with a clamping member adapted to be hooked over the upper edge of the transom of a boat, and having means for removably securing it thereto, a normally vertically disposed spindle arranged parallel to the drive shaft of the motor, forwardly thereof, and rigidly secured at its ends to the frame of the motor, a sleeve journaled on the spindle and Providing a bearing for the motor whereby the motor is movable rotatively about the spindle, and an elongated supporting arm bent substantially right angularly intermediate its ends, and having one of its end portions overlying the sleeve and rigidly connected thereto, and having its opposite end pivotally connected to the clamping member, whereby the motor is adapted to be swung about a horizontal axis parallel to the upper edge of the transom.

Outboard motors as ordinarily constructed further include, in the structure described, means for securing the motor in an operative position relative to the transom of the boat, in which the motor is disposed substantially vertically, comprising, in combination with a pair of integral webs on the clamping member extending rearwardly from opposite sides thereof, in parallel, spaced apart relation to each other, the webs each having a plurality of spaced apart openings therein positioned at progressively greater distances from its rearward edge, the openings of the respective webs being arranged in pairs and the openings of each web being aligned with corresponding openings of the opposite web, a locking pin extending between the webs and selectively inserted through the openings of one pair, means carried by the sleeve for abutment against the locking pin in one position of the motor relative to the transom, and spring biased detent means carried by the sleeve and engageable with the locking pin to retain the locking pin in engagement with the abutment means.

Outboard motors as ordinarily constructed further include, in the structure described, means for securing the motor in an inclined position relative to the transom comprising a substantially rectangular wire bail, interchangeable with the locking pin, having mutually aligned end portions receivable in the openings of one pair and having an intermediate portion arranged in parallel, spaced apart relation to its end portions and engageable with the abutment means and the detent means.

A disadvantageous feature of the snap-lock structure above described, whereby an outboard motor is adapted to be secured in an inclined position relative to the transom of a boat on which the motor is supported, for beaching the boat and for transporting the boat, with the motor attached thereto, on a trailer vehicle, is that it does not provide a sufficiently rigid support for the motor, whereby the motor is permitted to sway from side to side while the boat is being transported.

An object of this invention is to provide, in a snaplock structure as described, a modified bail having a second piece of angularly bent wire joined intermediate its ends to the intermediate portion of the bail, the second piece of wire having an intermediate portion arranged in parallel, spaced apart relation to the intermediate portion of the bail, and normally positioned above it, engageable with the abutment means and the detent means, and having horizontally spaced, rearwardly extending end portions engageab-le with the frame of the motor below the sleeve, whereby the motor is positively secured against rotative displacement relative to the sleeve and is adapted to be rigidly secured to the transom of the boat.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in a snap-lock structure as described, a pair of tubular resilient elements on the ends of the second piece of wire extending rearwardly therefrom for abutment against the frame of the motor below the sleeve.

The invention will be readily understood by referring to the following description and the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view showing an outboard motor having a snap-lock structure embodying the invention whereby the motor is secured in an inclined position relative to the transom of a boat on which the motor is supported, and which is shown fragmentarily, partly broken away;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional plan view taken on the line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view, on an enlarged scale, showing the motor .in an operative position, in which it is disposed substantially vertically, and showing the snap-lock structure including the locking pin whereby the motor is secured against pivotal displacement from such position while being freely rotatable about the spindle;

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 3, showing the motor in an inclined position, as illustrated in FIG URE l, and showing on an enlarged scale the snap-lock structure including the modified bail whereby the motor is secured against pivotal displacement form such position while at the same time being secured against rotation about the spindle;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view showing the modified bail in inverted position; and

FIGURE 7 is a view similar to FIGURE 2, showing a modified form of the invention.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 1 designates generally an outboard motor, and the numeral 2 indicates generally a boat having a transom 3 to which the motor 1 is attached.

The motor 1 includes a clamping member 4' having a pair of horizontally spaced, angularly bent arms 5 adapted to be hooked over the upper edge of the transom 3, and having a pair of screws 6 coacting with the arms 5- for removably securing the clamping member 4 to the tran som 3.

The motor 1 further includes a normally vertically disposed spindle 7. The spindle 7 is arranged parallel to the drive shaftof the motor 1, indicated by the numeral 8, forwardly thereof, and is rigidly secured at its ends to the frame of the motor 1. A sleeve 9, which is journaled on the spindle 7, provides a bearing for the motor 1 whereby the motor 1 is movable rotatively about the spindle 7.

An elongated supporting arm 10, which is bent substantially right angularly intermediate its ends, has one of its end portions overlying the sleeve 9 and rigidly connected thereto. The opposite end of the arm 10 is disposed between the arms 5 of the clamping member 4, and is pivotally connected thereto, as at 11, whereby the motor 1 is adapted to be swung about a horizontal axis parallel to the upper edge of the transom 3.

A pair of integral webs 12, which are formed on the clamping member 4, extend rearwardly from opposite sides thereof, in parallel, spaced apart relation to each other. The webs 12 each have a plurality of spaced apart openings 13 therein positioned at progressively greater distances from its rearward edge. The openings 13 of the respective webs 12 are arranged in pairs, and the openings 13 of each web 12 are aligned with corresponding openings 13 of the opposite web 12.

As shown in FIGURE 3, a locking pin 14 extends between the Webs 12 and is selectively inserted through the openings 13 of one pair. A collar 15, which is rigidly connected to the lower end of the sleeve 9, has a pair of outwardly diverging integral fingers 16 extending forwardly therefrom, in opposing relation to the locking pin 14, for abutment against the locking pin 14 in one position of the motor 1 relative to the transom 3. The fingers 16 have indentations 17 in their forward ends for engagement by the locking pin 14.

A U-shaped element 18, the legs of which comprise a pair of lever arms, straddles the sleeve 9. The legs of the U-shaped element 18 are pivotally connected intermediate their ends, as at 19 to opposite sides of the sleeve 9, and the connected ends thereof are biased upwardly by a tension spring 20. The spring 20 is connected at its ends to the U-shaped element 18 and to the frame of the motor 1. The legs of the U-shaped element 18 have downwardly turned hooks 21 on their free ends, which extend forwardly from the sleeve 9, for engagement with the locking pin 14 to retain the locking pin 14 in engagement with the fingers 16.

The device of this invention, which is indicated generally by the numeral 22, and which is interchangeable with the locking pin 14, includes a substantially rectangular wire bail 23 haw'ng mutually aligned end portions 24 which are receivable in the openings 13 of one pair and having an intermediate portion 25 arranged in parallel, spaced apart relation to its end portions 24.

A second piece of angularly bent wire, indicated by the numeral 26, is joined intermediate its ends to the intermediate portion 25 of the bail 23.

The second piece of wire 26 has an intermediate portion 27 arranged in parallel, spaced apart relation to the intermediate portion 25 of the bail 23, and normally positioned above it, which is engageable with the indentations 17 of the fingers 16 and the hooks 21 of the legs of the U-shaped element 18.

The second piece of wire 26 has horizontally spaced, rearwardly extending end portions 28 which are engageable with the frame of the motor 1 below the sleeve 9, whereby the motor 1 is positively secured against rotative displacement relative to the sleeve 9 and is adapted to be rigidly secured to the transom 3 of the boat 2.

A pair of tubular resilient elements 29 are received on the ends 28 of the second piece of wire 26 and extend rearwardly therefrom for abutment against the frame of the motor 1 below the sleeve 9.

The invention may be modified in various ways Without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with an outboard motor including a clamping member adapted to be hooked over the upper edge of the transom of a boat, and having means for removably securing it thereto, a normally vertically disposed spindle arranged parallel to the drive shaft of the motor, forwardly thereof, and rigidly secured at its ends to the frame of the motor, a sleeve journaled on the spindle and providing a bearing for the motor whereby the motor is movable rotatively about the spindle, an enlongated supporting arm bent substantially right angularly intermediate its ends, and having one of its end portions overlying the sleeve and rigidly connected thereto, and having its opposite end pivotally connected to the clamping member, whereby the motor is adapted to be swung about a horizontal axis parallel to the upper edge of the transom, a pair of integral webs on the clamping member extending rearwardly from opposite sides thereof, in parallel, spaced apart relation to each other, the webs each having a plurality of spaced apart openings therein positioned at progressively greater distances from its rearward edge, the openings of the respective webs being arranged in pairs and the openings of each web being aligned with corresponding openings of the opposite web, a locking pin extending between the webs and selectively inserted through the openings of one pair, means carried by the sleeve for abutment against the locking pin in one position of the motor relative to the transom, and spring biased detent means carried by the sleeve and engageable with the locking pin to retain the locking pin in engagement with the abutment means, a substantially rectangular wire bail, interchangeable with the locking pin, having mutually aligned end portions receivable in the openings of one pair and having an intermediate portion arranged in parallel, spaced apart relation to its end portions, the bail having a second piece of angularly bent Wire joined intermediate its ends to the intermediate portion of the hail, the second piece of wire having an intermediate portion arranged in parallel, spaced relation to the intermediate portion of the bail, and normally positioned above it, engageable with the abutment means and the detent means, and having horizontally spaced, rearwardly extending end portions engageable with the frame of the motor below the sleeve, whereby the motor is positively secured against rotative displacement relative to the sleeve and is adapted to be rigidly secured to the transom of the boat.

2. The structure of claim 1, and a pair of tubular resilient elements on the ends of the second piece of wire extending rearwardly therefrom for abutment against the frame of the motor below the sleeve.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,646,238 Kircher July 21, 1953 2,893,342 Langford July 7, 1959 2,911,938 Hulsebus NOV. 10, 1959 2,977,084 Brown Mar. 28, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 588,464 Great Britain May 22, 1947