Low profile outboard with in-line engine

Claim 2

An outboard motor comprising a propulsion unit, means connected to said propulsion unit and adapted to be attached to the transom of a boat for affording vertical swinging movement of said propulsion unit relative to the transom about a horizontal tilt axis and for affording steering movement of said propulsion unit relative to the transom about a steering axis extending transversely of said tilt axis, said propulsion unit comprising a lower unit including an exhaust gas discharge outlet normally located underwater, a powerhead assembly rigidly fixed to the top of said lower unit and including an engine with a plurality of vertically in-line cylinders each including an exhaust port, and an exhaust gas discharge system including an inverted ''''U'''' shaped passageway comprising an upper junction portion located above the at-rest water level when the outboard motor is boat mounted, a first leg extending downwardly from said junction portion and communicating with at least one of said exhaust ports, and a second leg extending downwardly fRom said junction portion and separately from said first leg and communicating with said lower unit underwater exhaust gas discharge outlet.

Claim 3

An outboard motor comprising a transom bracket adapted to be attached to the transom of a boat, a swivel bracket adapted to be connected to said transom bracket for vertical swinging movement about a horizontal tilt axis, a propulsion unit connected to said swivel bracket for common vertical swinging movement relative to said transom bracket and for steering movement relative to said swivel bracket about a steering axis extending transversely of said tilt axis, said propulsion unit comprising a lower unit including an exhaust gas discharge outlet normally located underwater, a powerhead rigidly fixed to the top of said lower unit and including an engine with a plurality of vertically in-line cylinders each including an exhaust port and with the lowermost of said exhaust ports being located adjacent to or below the at-rest water level when the outboard motor is boat mounted, a water guard extending upwardly from the bottom of said powerhead in watertight encircling relation to said powerhead to above the at-rest water level when the outboard motor is boat mounted, and an exhaust gas discharge system including an inverted ''''U'''' shaped passageway comprising an upper junction portion located above the at-rest water level when the outboard motor is boat mounted, a first leg extending downwardly from said junction portion and communicating with at least one of said exhaust ports, and a second leg extending downwardly from said junction separately from said first leg and communicating with said lower unit underwater exhaust gas discharge outlet.

Claim 4

An outboard motor comprising a transom bracket adapted to be attached to the transom of a boat, a swivel bracket adapted to be connected to said transom bracket for vertical swinging movement about a horizontal tilt axis, a propulsion unit connected to said swivel bracket for common vertical swinging movement relative to said transom bracket and for steering movement relative to said swivel bracket about a steering axis extending transversely of said tilt axis, said propulsion unit comprising a lower unit including an exhaust gas discharge outlet normally located underwater, a powerhead rigidly fixed to the top of said lower unit and including an engine with a plurality of vertically in-line cylinders each including an exhaust port and with the lowermost of said exhaust ports being located adjacent to or below the at-rest water level when the outboard motor is boat mounted, a water guard extending upwardly from the bottom of said powerhead in watertight encircling relation to said powerhead to above the at-rest water level when the outboard motor is boat mounted, and an exhaust gas discharge system including an inverted ''''U'''' shaped passageway comprising an upper junction portion located above the at-rest water level when the outboard motor is boat mounted, a first leg extending downwardly from said junction portion and communicating with at least one of said exhaust ports, and a second leg extending downwardly from said junction separately from said first leg and communicating with said lower unit underwater exhaust gas discharge outlet.

Claim 5

An outboard motor comprising a propulsion unit, means connected to said propulsion unit and adapted to be attached to the transom of a boat for affording vertical swinging movement of said propulsion unit relative to the transom about a horizontal tilt axis and for affording steering movement of said propulsion unit relative to the transom about a steering axis extending transversely of said tilt axis, said propulsion unit comprising a lower unit including an exhaust gas discharge outlet normally located underwater, a powerhead assembly rigidly fixed to the top of said lower unit and including an engine with a plurality of combustion chambers each including an exhaust port, and an exhaust gas discharge system communicating between said exhaust ports and said exhaust gas discharge outlet and including an inverted U-shaped portion preventing entry of water through said exhaust gas discharge system into said combustion chambers under normal conditions.

Claim 6

An outboard motor comprising a propulsion unit, means connected to said propulsion unit and adapted to be attached to the transom of a boat for affording vertical swinging movement of said propulsion unit relative to the transom about a horizontal tilt axis and for affording steering movement of said propulsion unit relative to the transom about a steering axis extending transversely of said tilt axis, said propulsion unit comprising a lower unit including an exhaust gas discharge outlet normally located underwater, a powerhead assembly rigidly fixed to the top of said lower unit and including an engine with a plurality of combustion chambers each including an exhaust port, and an exhaust gas discharge system communicating between said exhaust ports and said exhaust gas discharge outlet and including an inverted U-shaped portion preventing entry of water through said exhaust gas discharge system into said combustion chambers under normal conditions.

Claim 7

An outboard motor comprising a propulsion unit, means connected to said propulsion unit and adapted to be attached to the transom of a boat for affording vertical swinging movement of said propulsion unit relative to the transom about a horizontal tilt axis and for affording steering movement of said propulsion unit relative to the transom about a steering axis extending transversely of said tilt axis, said propulsion unit comprising a lower unit including an exhaust gas discharge outlet normally located underwater, a powerhead assembly rigidly fixed to the top of said lower unit and including an engine with a plurality of combustion chambers each including an exhaust port, and an exhaust gas discharge system communicating between said exhaust ports and said exhaust gas discharge outlet and including valveless means located upstream of said exhaust gas discharge outlet for preventing entry of water through said exhaust gas discharge system into said combustion chambers.

Claim 8

An outboard motor comprising a propulsion unit, means connected to said propulsion unit and adapted to be attached to the transom of a boat for affording vertical swinging movement of said propulsion unit relative to the transom about a horizontal tilt axis and for affording steering movement of said propulsion unit relative to the transom about a steering axis extending transversely of said tilt axis, said propulsion unit comprising a lower unit including an exhaust gas discharge outlet normally located underwater, a powerhead assembly rigidly fixed to the top of said lower unit and including an engine with a plurality of combustion chambers each including an exhaust port, and an exhaust gas discharge system communicating between said exhaust ports and said exhaust gas discharge outlet and including valveless means located upstream of said exhaust gas discharge outlet for preventing entry of water through said exhaust gas discharge system into said combustion chambers.

Claim 9

An outboard motor comprising a propulsion unit, means connected to said propulsion unit and adapted to be attached to the transom of a boat for affording vertical swinging movement of said propulsion unit relative to the transom about a horizontal tilt axis and for affording steering movement of said propulsion unit relative to the transom about a steEring axis extending transversely of said tilt axis, said propulsion unit comprising a lower unit including an exhaust gas discharge outlet normally located underwater, a powerhead rigidly fixed to the top of said lower unit and including an engine with a plurality of combustion chambers each including an exhaust port with the lowermost of said exhaust ports being located adjacent to or below the at-rest water level when the outboard motor is boat mounted, an exhaust gas passageway communicating between said exhaust ports and said exhaust gas discharge outlet and including an inverted U-shaped portion preventing entry of water through said passageway and said ports into said combustion chambers, and a water guard extending upwardly from the bottom of said powerhead in watertight encircling relation to said powerhead to above the at-rest water level when the outboard motor is boat mounted.

Claim 10

An outboard motor comprising a propulsion unit, means connected to said propulsion unit and adapted to be attached to the transom of a boat for affording vertical swinging movement of said propulsion unit relative to the transom about a horizontal tilt axis and for affording steering movement of said propulsion unit relative to the transom about a steEring axis extending transversely of said tilt axis, said propulsion unit comprising a lower unit including an exhaust gas discharge outlet normally located underwater, a powerhead rigidly fixed to the top of said lower unit and including an engine with a plurality of combustion chambers each including an exhaust port with the lowermost of said exhaust ports being located adjacent to or below the at-rest water level when the outboard motor is boat mounted, an exhaust gas passageway communicating between said exhaust ports and said exhaust gas discharge outlet and including an inverted U-shaped portion preventing entry of water through said passageway and said ports into said combustion chambers, and a water guard extending upwardly from the bottom of said powerhead in watertight encircling relation to said powerhead to above the at-rest water level when the outboard motor is boat mounted.

Claim 11

An outboard motor comprising a propulsion unit, means connected to said propulsion unit and adapted to be attached to the transom of a boat for affording vertical swinging movement of said propulsion unit relative to the transom about a horizontal tilt axis and for affording steering movement of said propulsion unit relative to the transom about a steering axis extending transversely of said tilt axis, said propulsion unit comprising a lower unit including an exhaust gas discharge outlet normally located underwater, a powerhead rigidly fixed to the top of said lower unit and including an engine with a plurality of combustion chambers each including an exhaust port with the lowermost of said exhaust ports being located adjacent to or below the at-reast water level when the outboard motor is boat mounted, an exhaust gas passageway communicating between said exhaust ports and said exhaust gas discharge outlet and including valveless means upstream of said exhaust gas discharge outlet for preventing entry of water through said passageway and said ports into said combustion chambers, and a water guard extending upwardly from the bottom of said powerhead in watertight encircling relation to said powerhead to above the at-rest water level when the outboard motor is boat mounted.

Claim 12

An outboard motor comprising a propulsion unit, means connected to said propulsion unit and adapted to be attached to the transom of a boat for affording vertical swinging movement of said propulsion unit relative to the transom about a horizontal tilt axis and for affording steering movement of said propulsion unit relative to the transom about a steering axis extending transversely of said tilt axis, said propulsion unit comprising a lower unit including an exhaust gas discharge outlet normally located underwater, a powerhead rigidly fixed to the top of said lower unit and including an engine with a plurality of combustion chambers each including an exhaust port with the lowermost of said exhaust ports being located adjacent to or below the at-reast water level when the outboard motor is boat mounted, an exhaust gas passageway communicating between said exhaust ports and said exhaust gas discharge outlet and including valveless means upstream of said exhaust gas discharge outlet for preventing entry of water through said passageway and said ports into said combustion chambers, and a water guard extending upwardly from the bottom of said powerhead in watertight encircling relation to said powerhead to above the at-rest water level when the outboard motor is boat mounted.

Claim 13

An outboard motor comprising a propulsion unit including a lower unit including an exhaust gas discharge outlet normally located underwater and a propeller normally located at least partially in the water, said propulsion unit also including a power head rigidly fixed to the top of said lower unit and including an engine having an exhaust port, said propulsion unit also including an exhaust gas discharge system communicating between said exhaust port and said exhaust gas discharge outlet and including valveless means upstream of said exhaust gas discharge outlet for preventing entry of water through said exhaust gas discharge system into said engine, a bracket adapted to be attached to the transom of a boat, a king pin having upper and lower ends, means connecting said king pin to said bracket to afford vertical swinging movement of said king pin relative to the transom about a horizontal tilt axis, means connecting said king pin upper end to said powerhead, and means connecting said king pin lower end to said lower unit, said means connecting said king pin to said engine, to said lower unit, and to said bracket affording steering movement of said propulsion unit relative to the transom about a steering axis extending transversely of said tilt axis.

Claim 14

An outboard motor comprising a propulsion unit including a lower unit including an exhaust gas discharge outlet normally located underwater and a propeller normally located at least partially in the water, said propulsion unit also including a power head rigidly fixed to the top of said lower unit and including an engine having an exhaust port, said propulsion unit also including an exhaust gas discharge system communicating between said exhaust port and said exhaust gas discharge outlet and including valveless means upstream of said exhaust gas discharge outlet for preventing entry of water through said exhaust gas discharge system into said engine, a bracket adapted to be attached to the transom of a boat, a king pin having upper and lower ends, means connecting said king pin to said bracket to afford vertical swinging movement of said king pin relative to the transom about a horizontal tilt axis, means connecting said king pin upper end to said powerhead, and means connecting said king pin lower end to said lower unit, said means connecting said king pin to said engine, to said lower unit, and to said bracket affording steering movement of said propulsion unit relative to the transom about a steering axis extending transversely of said tilt axis.

Claim 15

An outboard motor in accordance with claim 7 wherein said powerhead further includes an upwardly open water guard extending from the bottom of said powerhead in watertight encircling relation to said engine to above the at-rest water level when the outboard motor is boat mounted, and wherein said means connecting said king pin upper end to said powerhead includes a member extending through an opening in said guard.

Claim 16

An outboard motor in accordance with claim 8 and further including a water tight seal extending between said member and said openinG in said guard.