US3371893A

US3371893A - Releasable arrangement for retaining outboard motor in elevated position

Info

Publication number: US3371893A
Application number: US541158A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jr Clarence E Blanchard
Original assignee: Outboard Marine Corp
Current assignee: Outboard Marine Corp
Priority date: 1966-04-08
Filing date: 1966-04-08
Publication date: 1968-03-05
Anticipated expiration: 1985-03-05

Description

3,371,893 ARD March 5, 1968 c. E. BLANCHARD, JR

RELEASABLE ARRANGEMENT FOR RETAINING OUTBO MOTOR IN ELEVATED POSITON 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 8, 1966 Mtrarwew March 1968 c. E. BLANCHARD, JR 3, RELEASABLE ARRANGEMENT FOR RETAINING OUTBOARD MOTOR IN ELEVATED FQSITQN Filed April 8, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jimmy;

United States Patent O RELEASABLE ARRANGEMENT FOR RETAINING OUTBOARD MOTOR IN ELEVATED POSITION Clarence E. Blanchard, Jr., Kenosha, Wis., assignor to Outboard Marine Corporation, Waukegan, III., a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 8, 1966, Ser. No. 541,158 9 Claims. (Cl. 248-4) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Disclosed herein is means including a support arm mounted on a swivel bracket for pivotal movement relative thereto and engaged in a guideway in a transom bracket for automatically and releasably retaining the swivel bracket in an elevated position in response to swivel bracket pivotal movement.

This invention relates to marine propulsion devices and, more particularly, to marine propulsion devices having tiltable lower units. Still more particularly, the invention relates to marine propulsion units having lower units which are dirigibly carried on a swivel bracket which, in turn, is carried for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis on a transom bracket adapted for connection to a boat transom.

An object of the invention is to provide, in a marine propulsion device having a lower unit, means operable, in response to tilting or elevating the lower unit, to auto matically releasably retain said lower unit in a tilted or elevated position.

In accordance with the invention, the means for automatically releasably retaining the lower unit in an elevated position generally comprises a supporting arm frictionally pivotally connected to the swivel bracket and disposed for cooperation with guideway means on the transom bracket, together with a support block on the transom bracket, whereby upward tilting movement of the lower unit predisposes or prepositions the support arm for engagement with the support block upon initial downward tilting movement of the lower unit to provide lower unit support in a tilted position.

Tilting movement of the swivel bracket through a predetermined arc affords engagement of the support arm with the guideway means on the transom bracket, and prepositioning of the support arm for engagement with the support block in response to release of the lower unit for return tilting movement. Upon such movement, the lower unit moves downwardly so as to engage the support block to provide releasable retention or support of the lower unit in a tilted position. Release of the lower unit from the supported tilted position is effected by upwardly tilting the lower unit, whereupon the support arm is lifted from the support block and again engages the guideway means to position the support arm for travel affording return of the lower unit to its normal operating position.

Other objects, advantages and features will become apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a marine propulsion device incorporating various of the features of the invention; FIGURE 1 shows, in dotted lines, various tilted positions of the marine propulsion device;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of a transom and swivel bracket arrangement embodied in the marine propulsion device shown in FIGURE 1 and incorporating various of the features of the invention;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged, cross sectional view of a portion of the transom and swivel bracket arrangement shown in FIGURE 2;

" 3,371,893 Ce Patented Mar. 5, 1968 FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of a component of the transom and swivel bracket arrangement shown in FIG- URE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a partially sectioned side elevational view illustrating the position of the support arm when the marine propulsion device is in the normal operating position;

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 5 and showing, in broken outline, the path of movement. of the support arm from the position shown in *FIGURE 5 to a position, shown in solid outline, wherein the marine propulsion device is in a first tilted position;

FIGURE 7 is a view similar to FIGURE 5 and showing, in broken outline, the path of movement of the support arm from the position shown in FIGURE 6 to a position, shown in solid outline, wherein the support arm is prepositioned for subsequently supporting the marine propulsion device in a second tilted position;

FIGURE 8 is a view similar to FIGURE 5 and showing, in broken outline, the path of movement of the support arm from the position shown in FIGURE 7 to a position, shown in solid outline, wherein the marine propulsion device is in the second tilted position; and

FIGURE 9 is a view similar to FIGURE 5 showing, in broken outline, the path of movement of the support arm from the second tilted position shown in FIGURE 8 to the position shown in FIGURE 5 wherein the marine propulsion device is in its normal operating position.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to FIGURE 1, the marine propulsion device of the invention is broadly identified by the numeral 11] and generally comprises a power head 12 carried on a lower unit 1 4. The power head 12 includes an internal combustion engine 16 operatively connected to a drive shaft 17 which extends through the lower unit 14 and which drivingly connects the engine 16 to a transmission 18 supported in a gear case 20 in the lower unit 14. The transmission 18 operatively connects a propeller shaft 22, including thereon a propeller 24, to the drive shaft 17 The marine propulsion device 10 is carried on a boat 26 by means of a transom bracket 28 having clamping means 30 which affords mounting of the marine propulsion device 10 to the transom 32 of the boat 26.

The marine propulsion device 10 also includes a swivel bracket 40 which dirigibly carries the lower unit 14 including the power head 12. The swivel bracket. 40 is mounted on the transom bracket 28 for pivotal or tilting movement about a horizontal axis 42 by suitable pivot means 44. The lower unit 14 of marine propulsion device 10 can be tilted by moving the swivel bracket 40 pivotally upwardly about horizontal axis 42.

Means are provided for automatically releasably retaining the swivel bracket 40 and lower unit 14!, as well as the power head 12, in an elevated or tilted position in response to tilting movement of the lower unit 14. In the illustrated embodiment shown in FIGURE 1, the marine propulsion device 10 is shown, in broken outline, in first and second elevated or tilted positions.

In the preferred embodient of the invention, said automatic means comprises a support member or arm 50 pivotally connected to the swivel bracket 40 by means affording restrained or frictional pivotal movement of the support arm 50, together with a guideway means on said transom bracket for engaging and pivotally moving the support arm 50 to a predetermined position in response to tilting movement of the swivel bracket 40. Said automatic means further comprises support means in the form of one or more blocks or abutments on the transom bracket 28 for receiving the support arm 50 from said predetermined positions in response to downward tilting movement of the swivel bracket 40 to selectively provide releasable retention or support of the swivel bracket and lower unit 14 in one or more tilted positions. Said pivot means comprises an inturned end 52 on the support arm 50, which end 52 is received in a bore 53 of the swivel bracket 40, and means for resisting pivotal movement of said support member 50, whereby to afford holding of the support member 50 in any pre-disposed position.

Referring to FIGURE 3, said means for resisting pivotal movement comprises spring means in the form of a spring washer 54 carried on the inturned end 52 of support member 50 and disposed between an inner land 51 on the swivel bracket 40 and a flat washer 56 also carried on end 52 of support member 58. The spring washer 54 and fiat washer 56 are retained on the support member 50 by a cotter pin 57. The spring washer 54 biases the support arm 50 against the outside or exterior surface 58 of the transom bracket 28 whereby the friction force between the surface 58 and arm 50 tends to hold the arm 50 in any pre-disposed position. Also, to provide further support and stability of the supporting arm 50, the inturned end 52 has a portion 59 of reduced diameter which is received in a bore 60 located in a portion Of the swivel bracket 40 spaced from the first bore 53.

The support arm 50 also includes an opposite or follower end 62 which extends in a direction opposite from that of inturned end 52 and engages the guideway means to afford predisposition of the support member 50 in 'various predetermined positions in response to tilting movement of the swivel bracket 40. More specifically, the follower end 62 is engageable with the support means to provide support of the lower unit .14 is a tilted position after disposition thereof to a predetermined position and after a limited amount of downward movement of the swivel bracket 40.

Said guideway means generally includes interconnected cam surfaces forming a continuous or closed loop on the inner side of a leg 61 of the transom bracket 28.

More particularly, the guide means includes first, second, third, and

return cam surfaces

68, 69, 78, and 71 on the inner side of the leg 61 of the transom bracket 28, the inner side of leg 61 being defined as the side adjacent the swivel bracket 40. The

cam surfaces

68, 69, 70, and 71 are disposed generally parallel to the axis of rotation of the swivel bracket 40 relative to the transom bracket 28.

Said support means includes first and second support lugs or

blocks

72 and 74 located on said transom bracket 28 within said closed loop formed by the

cam surfaces

68, 69, 70, and 71. The joinder of first and

second cam surfaces

68 and 69 forms an apex portion 76, and the joinder of second and

third cam surfaces

69 and 70 forms a stop 78, and the joinder of the first and returned

cam surfaces

68 and 71 forms a pocket 82 in which the fol lower end 62 of the support member 50 is located (as shown in FIGURES) when the lower unit 14 is in a nontilted, normal operating position, as shown in solid lines in FIGURE 1.

Referring now to FIGURE 5, upon upward tilting movement of the lower unit 14 from the non-tilt position (as shown in solid lines in FIGURE 1), the follower end 62 of the support member 50 (the follower end 62 is shown in cross section in FIGURES -9) follows a path indicated by the arrow in FIGURE 5, and first engages a generally flat, inclined, portion 80 of the first cam surface 68 to thereby pivotally move support member or arm 56 in a generally counterclockwise or opposite direction relative to the pivotal movement of swivel bracket 40 which is pivoted in a clockwise direction.

Further upward tilting movement of the swivel bracket 40 affords engagement of the support member 50 with a curved portion 81 of the first cam surface 68 which generally curves inwardly and affords further counterclockwise pivotal movement of the support member 58 relative to the swivel bracket 40. The support arm 58 moves in a path along the first cam surface 68 as shown by the broken outlines in FIGURE 6. Upon engagement of the support arm end 62 with the apex portion 76, the support member 60 is prepositioned or predisposed in a first position for engagement with the first support lug 72, whereby downward or counterclockwise tilting movement of the swivel bracket 40 affords engagement of the support member 50 with the first support lug 72 to thereby provide releasable support or retention of the lower unit 14 in a first tilted position. Such counterclockwise or downward pivotal movement of the lower unit 14 may be effected by gravity as by releasing the lower unit 14 when the support member 50 has reached the apex portion 76 to thereby allow the lower unit 14 to rotate downwardly or in a counterclockwise direction.

The first support lug 72 includes a cupped or contoured surface 84 which snugly receives the follower end 62 of the support member 58 to thereby prevent lateral movement of the support member 58 from the first support ing 72. The first support lug 72 further includes tapered, curved surfaces 86 and 87 to ensure that the support member end 62 will not hang up on the first support lug 72. Also, the surface 86 in conjunction with a portion of first cam surface 64 forms a guideway leading to apex portion 76 to ensure engagement of the follower end 62 with apex portion 76.

To remove the lower unit 14 from the first tilted position, the lower unit 14 is tilted upwardly whereupon the support member end 62 is lifted from the first support lug 72, passes the apex portion 76, and engages the second cam surface 69 as shown by dotted outlines in FIGURE 7. Upon further upward tilting movement of the lower unit 14, the support member 50 generally moves along the second cam surface 69 past curved portion 98 until the support member end 62 engages the stop 78, whereupon further upward tilting movement of the lower unit 14 is prevented.

Engagement of the support member end 62 with the stop 78 prepositions or predisposes the support member 50 in a second position for engagement thereafter with the second support lug 74 in response to downward tilting movement of the lower unit 14. Upon release of the lower unit 14 after engagement with the stop 78, gravity can move the lower unit 14 in a downward counterclockwise direction or the lower unit can be forcibly so moved whereupon the support arm end 62 engages a slanted portion 101 of a surface 102 on the second support lug 76 to thereby guide the support arm end 62 into engagement with a cupped portion 103 of the surface 162, wherein the lower unit is in a second tilted position. The cupped portion 103 prevents the support member end 62 from slipping off the second support lug 74. The support lug 74 also has tapered surfaces 105 and 107 which prevent the follower end 62 from hanging up on the second support lug 74. The surface in conjunction with a portion of the second cam surface 69 forms a guideway assisting in guiding the follower end 62 along the cam surface 69.

As can be noted in FIGURE 8, when the follower end 62 engages the surface portion 101 of the second support lug 74, the support member 58 is pivotally moved in a counterclockwise direction so that when the lower unit 14 is thereafter tilted upwardly from the second tilted position, the support member end 62 will have been sufficiently displaced to avoid engaging the stop 78 and will instead engage the third cam surface 70.

Further upward tilting movement affords engagement of the support member end 62 with the corner 104 of the third cam surface 71, thereby limiting further upward tilting movement. At this point, the follower end 62 is positioned for return along return cam surface 71 so that release of the lower unit 14 allows the lower unit 14 to move downwardly under gravity, or it can be forcibly moved downwardly, whereby the support member end 62 moves along the return cam surface 71 and assumes a position in the socket 82, as shown in FIGURE 9, when the lower unit 14 is in the normal operating position. The path of movement of follower end 62 when the lower unit 14 is moved from the second tilt position to the non-tilt position is shown by the broken outlines in FIGURE 9.

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

What is claimed is:

1. In a marine propulsion device, the combination of a transom bracket, a swivel bracket, means pivotally connecting said swivel bracket to said transom bracket for pivotal movement of said swivel bracket about a generally horizontal axis to an elevated position, and means for automatically releasably retaining said swivel bracket in said elevated position comprising a support arm, means pivotally connecting said support arm to said swivel bracket for frictionally restrained pivotal movement of said support arm relative to said swivel bracket, guideway means on said transom bracket cooperating with said support arm to effect pivotal movement of said support arm relative to said swivel bracket in response to upward pivotal movement of said swivel bracket, and a support block on said transom bracket for receiving said support arm in response to downward pivotal movement of said swivel bracket relative to said transom bracket.

2. A combination in accordance with claim 1 wherein said means pivotally connecting said support arm to said swivel bracket comprises an inturned end on said support arm, a bore on said swivel bracket receiving said inturned end, and spring means biasing said support arm against a surface of said swivel bracket.

3. A marine propulsion device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said support arm includes a follower end, and said guideway means comprises a cam surface disposed to be engaged by said follower end of said support arm in response to upward pivoting movement of said swivel bracket so as to afford movement of said support arm to a position wherein said follower end is engageable with said support block upon downward pivotal movement of said swivel bracket to thereby establish said swivel bracket in said elevated position.

4. A marine propulsion device in accordance with claim 3 wherein said guideway means further includes a second cam surface on said transom bracket positioned to be engaged by said follower end upon upward tilting movement of said swivel bracket from said elevated position first mentioned, said guideway means also including a stop at the end of said second cam surface remote from said first mentioned support block, and a second support block located below said stop in position for supporting engagement of said follower end to thereby define a second elevated position upon downward pivotal movement of said swivel bracket after engagement of said follower end with said stop.

5. A marine propulsion device in accordance with claim 4 wherein said guideway means further includes a third cam surface disposed for engagement by said follower end upon upward tilting movement of said swivel bracket from said second elevated position, said third cam surfaces including a corner preventing further upward pivotal movement of said swivel bracket upon engagement of said follower end with said corner and affording initial guidance of said follower end upon subsequent downward swivel bracket tilting movement.

6. A marine propulsion device in accordance with claim 5 wherein said guideway means includes a return cam surface disposed for engagement by said follower end of said support arm upon downward pivotal movement of said swivel bracket.

7. A marine propulsion device in accordance with claim 6 wherein said transom bracket includes a leg, and said first, second, third, and return cam surfaces are formed on the inner side of said leg and are disposed generally parallel to the axis of tilting movement of said swivel bracket relative to said transom bracket.

8. A marine propulsion device comprising a lower unit, a transom bracket having means for affording mounting thereof to the transom of a boat, a swivel bracket dirigibly carrying said lower unit, means pivotally connecting said swivel bracket to said transom bracket for tilting movement about a generally horizontal axis to afford tilting movement of said lower unit about said axis, means for automatically and selectively releasably retaining said lower unit in first and second tilted positions in response to lower unit tilting movement, said retaining means comprising a plurality of cam surfaces disposed on said transom bracket, a support arm carried on said swivel bracket and having a follower end disposed to engage said cam surfaces, and first and second support blocks disposed on said transom bracket and respectively located below selected ones of said cam surfaces, whereby upward tilting movement of said lower unit and resultant movement of said support arm along said selected cam surfaces successively positions said support arm for supporting engagement by said support blocks upon subsequent downward tilting movement of said lower unit, thereby providing support of said lower unit in first and second tilted positions, said first and second support blocks also being disposed such that said lower unit is releasable from said tilted positions by upward tilting movement of said lower unit from said tilted positions.

9. In a marine propulsion device the combination of a transom bracket, a swivel bracket, means pivotally con necting said swivel bracket to said transom bracket for pivotal movement of said swivel bracket about a generally horizontal axis to an elevated position and means operable in response to swivel bracket pivotal movement for automatically and releasably retaining said swivel bracket in said elevated position comprising a support arm, means pivotally connecting said support arm to said swivel bracket for pivotal movement of said support arm relative to said swivel bracket, guideway means on said transom bracket cooperating with said support arm to effect pivotal movement of said support arm relative to said swivel bracket in response to upward pivotal movement of said swivel bracket and a support block on said transom bracket for receiving said support arm in response to downward pivotal movement of said swivel bracket relative to said transom bracket.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,441,000 5/1948 Armstrong 2484 2,643,837 6/1953 Rivers 248-4 2,646,238 7/1953 Kircher et al 248--4 JOHN PETO, Primary Examiner.