Patent US3608684A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3608684A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Clutch for marine propulsion device
Assignee: Outboard Marine Corp
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Filing: 1969-10-29
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Granted: 1971-09-28
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Expires: 1989-10-29
Abstract
Abstract Disclosed herein is a marine propulsion device which affords reverse operation by rotation of the drive shaft housing about a vertical axis and which includes a clutch in the lower unit gear case for selectively engaging or disengaging the propeller shaft with the drive shaft. The clutch is responsive to axial movement of the drive shaft caused by moving a control handle accessible to the operator. The drive shaft has splines at each end, which splines permit axial movement of the drive shaft while maintaining a driving connection between the engine output shaft and a first bevel gear in the lower unit gear case. In one embodiment of the invention, the clutch includes a torsion spring which normally grips the hub of a second bevel gear rotatably carried by the propeller shaft to secure the gear to the propeller shaft. Downward axial movement of the drive shaft interferes with rotary movement of the spring with the propeller shaft and thus unwinds the spring to release the grip of the spring on the bevel gear hub to disconnect the second gear from the propeller shaft. In another embodiment, downward movement of the drive shaft causes an axial projection on the lower end of the drive shaft to engage an axially inclined cam surface located on a clutch dog which is splined to the propeller shaft to shift the clutch dog axially and disengage the clutch dog from the bevel gear on the propeller shaft and interrupt transfer of power from the gears to the propeller shaft.
Inventors
- 👤 William J Shimanckas
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 01:54
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16D; F16D11/00; F16D11/02; F16D11/04; B; B63; B63H; B63H20/00; B63H20/14; B63H20/20; F16D13/00; F16D13/02; F16D13/025; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T74/00; Y10T74/18; Y10T74/18888; Y10T74/1892; Y10T74/1896; Y10T74/18992; Y10T74/19; Y10T74/19642; Y10T74/1966; Y10T74/19665
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
97 words
A marine propulsion device comprising a drive shaft housing, a drive shaft, means for mounting said drive shaft in said drive shaft housing to afford rotary and axial movement of said drive shaft, a propeller shaft rotatably carried by said housing, a first gear on said drive shaft, a second gear freely rotatably carried by said housing in coaxial relation to said propeller shaft and in mesh with said first gear, and means operable in response to axial movement of said drive shaft to selectively engage and disengage said second gear with respect to said propeller shaft.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
97 words
A marine propulsion device comprising a drive shaft housing, a drive shaft, means for mounting said drive shaft in said drive shaft housing to afford rotary and axial movement of said drive shaft, a propeller shaft rotatably carried by said housing, a first gear on said drive shaft, a second gear freely rotatably carried by said housing in coaxial relation to said propeller shaft and in mesh with said first gear, and means operable in response to axial movement of said drive shaft to selectively engage and disengage said second gear with respect to said propeller shaft.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
108 words
A marine propulsion device in accordance with Claim 1 wherein said means to selectively engage and disengage said second gear with said propeller shaft includes a hub extending axially from said second gear, a spring concentric with said propeller shaft, said spring including a first portion wrapped around said hub and a second portion wrapped around said propeller shaft, said spring being normally in clamping engagement on said hub and said propeller shaft, and a radial projection on said spring engageable with said drive shaft upon axial movement of said drive shaft to unwrap said spring on said hub and disengage said second gear from said propeller shaft.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
102 words
A marine propulsion device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said means to selectively engage and disengage said second gear with said propeller shaft includes a clutch dog mounted on said propeller shaft to afford axial movement of said clutch dog relative to said propeller shaft and rotary movement with said propeller shaft, said clutch dog being engageable with said second gear to afford common rotation therewith upon axial movement of said clutch dog toward said second gear and means on said clutch dog and on said drive shaft to axially shift said clutch dog upon axial movement of said drive shaft.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
A marine propulsion device in accordance with Claim 1 including means connected to said drive shaft for axially moving said drive shaft to selectively engage and disengage said second gear with said propeller shaft.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
99 words
A marine propulsion device in accordance with claim 4, wherein said means connected to said drive shaft for axially moving said drive shaft comprises a push rod supported for axial movement in a direction transverse to the axis of said drive shaft, said push rod including an axially tapered surface, a plunger supported for movement parallel to said drive shaft and transverse to said push rod and having an end engaged with said tapered surface, and means on said plunger engageable with said drive shaft to move said drive shaft axially in response to movement of said push rod.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
85 words
A marine propulsion device in accordance with claim 4, wherein said means connected to said drive shaft for axially moving said drive shaft comprises a crank including a shaft mounted for rotary movement and including an eccentric surface, a plunger mounted for axial movement parallel to said drive shaft and connected to said drive shaft, and said plunger having an end engaged with said eccentric surface on said crank to afford axial movement of said drive shaft in response to rotary movement of said crank.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
161 words
A marine propulsion device comprising a drive shaft housing, an engine output shaft having an internal spline, a first gear rotatably supported in said drive shaft housing and having an internal spline, a drive shaft having an external upper end spline and an external lower end spline, and mounted in said drive shaft housing for rotary and axial movEment, said upper end spline being reciprocally received in said output shaft spline and said lower end spline being reciprocally received in said first gear spline, a propeller shaft rotatably supported in said drive shaft housing, a second gear rotatably supported in said drive shaft housing in coaxial relation to said propeller shaft and in mesh with said first gear connected to said drive shaft, means operable in response to axial movement of said drive shaft for selectively engaging and disengaging said second gear with respect to said propeller shaft and means connected to said drive shaft for axially moving said drive shaft.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
161 words
A marine propulsion device comprising a drive shaft housing, an engine output shaft having an internal spline, a first gear rotatably supported in said drive shaft housing and having an internal spline, a drive shaft having an external upper end spline and an external lower end spline, and mounted in said drive shaft housing for rotary and axial movEment, said upper end spline being reciprocally received in said output shaft spline and said lower end spline being reciprocally received in said first gear spline, a propeller shaft rotatably supported in said drive shaft housing, a second gear rotatably supported in said drive shaft housing in coaxial relation to said propeller shaft and in mesh with said first gear connected to said drive shaft, means operable in response to axial movement of said drive shaft for selectively engaging and disengaging said second gear with respect to said propeller shaft and means connected to said drive shaft for axially moving said drive shaft.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
35 words
A marine propulsion device in accordance with claim 7, including means for yieldably biasing said drive shaft into a position of nonengagement with said means operable in response to axial movement of said drive shaft.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-09-27 | 1975-03-29 | 1975-09-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-09-27 | 1979-03-29 | 1979-09-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-09-27 | 1983-03-29 | 1983-09-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |