Water jet boat thrust trimmer

Claim 2

A water jet boat drive source comprising: a water pump and means for driving said pump to generate a jet stream of water; first conduit means coupled with the output from said water pump for guiding the water jet generated by said pump; first lever arm system coupled to the first conduit means and means for acTuating said lever arm for adjusting the attitude of said first conduit up and down in a vertical plane for varying the direction of thrust from said water jet in the vertical plane in order to trim the boat; second conduit means coupled with the output of said first conduit means for guiding the water jet generated by said pump; second lever arm system coupled to the second conduit and means for actuating said lever arm for varying said second conduit means right and left in a horizontal plane in order to vary the direction of thrust of the water jet for steering; and means for frictionally engaging and enclosing at least one of the lever arms of the second lever arm system in a tubular housing for movement within and relative to the tubular housing during steering, said tubular housing being coupled in fixed relationship to the first conduit means so that upon adjustment of the first conduit means in the vertical plane, the second lever arm system moves in fixed relationship with the tubular housing to maintain a constant steering direction of the second conduit in a horizontal plane.

Claim 3

A water jet boat drive source as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first conduit is coupled to the pump outlet by means of a pair of pins forming a horizontal axis about which the first conduit rotates in a vertical plane and wherein the second conduit is coupled to the outlet of the first conduit by means of a pair of pins forming a vertical axis about which the second conduit rotates in a substantially horizontal plane.

Claim 4

A water jet boat drive source as set forth in claim 1 wherein the second lever arm system is frictionally coupled to the first conduit means so that upon adjustment of the first conduit means in the vertical plane, the second lever arm system moves in fixed relationship to maintain substantially constant steering direction in the horizontal plane.

Claim 5

A water jet boat drive source as set forth in claim 2 wherein said first conduit comprises a ball joint having internal and external sides coupled to the outlet of the water pump for receiving the water jet and the external side of the ball joint coupled around said horizontal axis for rotation relative to the internal side of the ball joint in a vertical plane for adjusting the direction of thrust from the water jet in a vertical plane for trimming the boat.

Claim 6

A water jet boat thrust source of the type comprising a water pump for generating a water jet and means for driving said pump, an exit nozzle through which the water jet is emitted, said exit nozzle adjustable left and right in a horizontal plane for steering the boat, and a first lever arm system coupled to said exit nozzle for rotating said exit nozzle in a horizontal plane upon actuation of said lever arm system, the improvement comprising: conduit means interposed and coupled between the water pump and exit nozzle for adjusting direction of thrust from the water jet in a vertical plane for trimming the boat; second lever arm system means coupled to the conduit means for adjusting the attitude of said conduit means up and down in a vertical plane for varying the direction of thrust from the water jet in a vertical plane upon actuation of the second lever arm system; and means frictionally coupling the first lever arm system to the conduit means so that upon adjustment of said conduit means in a vertical plane the first lever arm system and exit nozzle move with the conduit means and the steering direction of the exit nozzle in a horizontal plane remains substantially constant during trimming.

Claim 7

A water jet boat thrust source of the type comprising a water pump for generating a water jet and means for driving said pump, an exit nozzle through which the water jet is emitted, said exit nozzle adjustable left and right in a horizontal plane for steering the boat, and a first lever arm system coupled to said exit nozzle for rotating said exit nozzle in a horizontal plane upon actuation of said lever arm system, the improvement comprising: conduit means interposed and coupled between the water pump and exit nozzle for adjusting direction of thrust from the water jet in a vertical plane for trimming the boat; second lever arm system means coupled to the conduit means for adjusting the attitude of said conduit means up and down in a vertical plane for varying the direction of thrust from the water jet in a vertical plane upon actuation of the second lever arm system; and means frictionally coupling the first lever arm system to the conduit means so that upon adjustment of said conduit means in a vertical plane the first lever arm system and exit nozzle move with the conduit means and the steering direction of the exit nozzle in a horizontal plane remains substantially constant during trimming.

Claim 8

A water jet boat thrust source as set forth in claim 9 wherein the conduit means comprises a ball joint having internal and external sides coupled by hinge means forming a horizontal axis, the internal side of the ball joint fixedly coupled to the outlet of the water pump for receiving the water jet and the external side of the ball joint coupled around said horizontal axis for rotation relative to the internal side of The ball joint in a vertical plane, the external side of the ball joint coupled to the exit nozzle.

Claim 9

A water jet boat thrust source of the type comprising a water pump for generating a water jet and means for driving said pump, an exit nozzle through which the water jet is emitted, said exit nozzle adjustable left and right in a horizontal plane for steering, and a first lever arm system coupled to said exit nozzle for rotating said exit nozzle in a horizontal plane upon actuation of said lever arm system, the improvement comprising: conduit means interposed between the water pump and exit nozzle for adjusting the direction of thrust from the water jet in a vertical plane for trimming the boat comprising a ball joint having internal and external sides coupled by pins forming a horizontal axis, the internal side of the ball joint fixedly coupled to the outlet of the water pump for receiving the water jet and the external side of the ball joint coupled around said horizontal axis for rotation relative to the internal side of the ball joint in a vertical plane, the external side of the ball joint coupled to the exit nozzle; a second lever arm system means coupled to the external side of the ball joint for rotating the downstream side of said ball joint up and down in the vertical plane upon actuation of said first lever arm system; and a tubular housing fixed to the conduit means, said cylindrical housing frictionally engaging and enclosing at least one lever arm of the first lever arm system whereby upon adjustment of the conduit means in a vertical plane the second lever arm system and exit nozzle move with the cylindrical housing so that the steering direction of the exit nozzle in a horizontal plane remains substantially constant during trimming.

Claim 10

A water jet boat thrust source of the type comprising a water pump for generating a water jet and means for driving said pump, an exit nozzle through which the water jet is emitted, said exit nozzle adjustable left and right in a horizontal plane for steering, and a first lever arm system coupled to said exit nozzle for rotating said exit nozzle in a horizontal plane upon actuation of said lever arm system, the improvement comprising: conduit means interposed between the water pump and exit nozzle for adjusting the direction of thrust from the water jet in a vertical plane for trimming the boat comprising a ball joint having internal and external sides coupled by pins forming a horizontal axis, the internal side of the ball joint fixedly coupled to the outlet of the water pump for receiving the water jet and the external side of the ball joint coupled around said horizontal axis for rotation relative to the internal side of the ball joint in a vertical plane, the external side of the ball joint coupled to the exit nozzle; a second lever arm system means coupled to the external side of the ball joint for rotating the downstream side of said ball joint up and down in the vertical plane upon actuation of said first lever arm system; and a tubular housing fixed to the conduit means, said cylindrical housing frictionally engaging and enclosing at least one lever arm of the first lever arm system whereby upon adjustment of the conduit means in a vertical plane the second lever arm system and exit nozzle move with the cylindrical housing so that the steering direction of the exit nozzle in a horizontal plane remains substantially constant during trimming.

Claim 11

A water jet boat thrust source of the type comprising a water pump for generating a water jet and means for driving said pump, an exit nozzle through which the water jet is emitted, said exit nozzle adjustable left and right in a horizontal plane for steering the boat, and a first lever arm system coupled to said exit nozzle for rotating said exit nozzle in a horizontal plane upon actuation of said lever arm system, the improvement comprising: conduit means adapted to cooperate with said water pump and exit nozzle for adjusting direction of water thrust from the water jet in a vertical plane for trimming the boat; second lever arm system means coupled to the conduit means for adjusting the attitude of said conduit means up and down in a vertical plane for varying the direction of thrust from the water jet in a vertical plane upon actuation of the second lever arm system; and means frictionally coupling the first lever arm system to the second lever arm system so that upon adjustment of said conduit means in a vertical plane the first lever arm system and exit nozzle move with the conduit means and the steering direction of the exit nozzle in a horizontal plane remains substantially constant during trimming.

Claim 12

A water jet boat thrust source of the type comprising a water pump for generating a water jet and means for driving said pump, an exit nozzle through which the water jet is emitted, said exit nozzle adjustable left and right in a horizontal plane for steering the boat, and a first lever arm system coupled to said exit nozzle for rotating said exit nozzle in a horizontal plane upon actuation of said lever arm system, the improvement comprising: conduit means adapted to cooperate with said water pump and exit nozzle for adjusting direction of water thrust from the water jet in a vertical plane for trimming the boat; second lever arm system means coupled to the conduit means for adjusting the attitude of said conduit means up and down in a vertical plane for varying the direction of thrust from the water jet in a vertical plane upon actuation of the second lever arm system; and means frictionally coupling the first lever arm system to the second lever arm system so that upon adjustment of said conduit means in a vertical plane the first lever arm system and exit nozzle move with the conduit means and the steering direction of the exit nozzle in a horizontal plane remains substantially constant during trimming.

Claim 13

A water jet boat thrust source in accordance with claim 8 wherein said conduit means is interposed and coupled between said water pump and exit nozzle.