US4051801A — Drive position signalling apparatus

Claim 1

Independent Claim 189 words

A sensing apparatus for sensing the angular positioning of a pivotally mounted marine drive unit including a power poistioning means, said power positioning means having a position related means having a precise degree of movement between first and second limits in positioning of the marine propulsion means between two opposite limit positions, comprising an electrical transducer means having a mechanical input means and movable between two opposite limit positions, means for mounting said transducer means with the mechanical input means located in parallel spaced relation to said position related means, a clutch means having a first clutch element secured to said mechanical input means and a second clutch element secured to said position related means, said first and second clutch elements extending from said mechanical input means and from said position related means and including constantly overlapping portions resiliently and frictionally engaging each other to position the transducing means in accordance with the power positioning means and permitting relative slipping motion of the elements with the mechanical input means in one of said opposite limit positions as the position related means moves to said first or second limit positions.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 189 words

A sensing apparatus for sensing the angular positioning of a pivotally mounted marine drive unit including a power poistioning means, said power positioning means having a position related means having a precise degree of movement between first and second limits in positioning of the marine propulsion means between two opposite limit positions, comprising an electrical transducer means having a mechanical input means and movable between two opposite limit positions, means for mounting said transducer means with the mechanical input means located in parallel spaced relation to said position related means, a clutch means having a first clutch element secured to said mechanical input means and a second clutch element secured to said position related means, said first and second clutch elements extending from said mechanical input means and from said position related means and including constantly overlapping portions resiliently and frictionally engaging each other to position the transducing means in accordance with the power positioning means and permitting relative slipping motion of the elements with the mechanical input means in one of said opposite limit positions as the position related means moves to said first or second limit positions.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 47 words

The sensing apparatus of claim 1 wherein one of said clutch elements is a plate-like member and the other of said clutch elements is a pair of plate-like members with the outer peripherial portion overlapping and resiliently clamped to the peripheral portion of the first-named plate-like member.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 75 words

The sensing apparatus of claim 1 wherein said power transducing means is a potentiometer unit having a housing and a rotating shaft defining said mechanical input means, said first clutch element is a rotating member secured to said rotating shaft, said second clutch element is a pair of rotating members rotationally secured to said position related means and resiliently gripping the peripheral edge of the rotating member to establish corresponding positioning of the transducing means.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 26 words

In the sensing apparatus of claim 1 wherein said power positioning means includes a gear train and a connecting rigid linkage connected to the drive unit.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 171 words

A sensing apparatus for sensing the angular positioning of a pivotally mounted marine drive unit having a remotely controlled power positioning means, said power positioning means having a reversible rotating member having a precise degree of rotation in positioning of the marine propulsion means between two opposite positions, comprising an electrical transducing means having a rotating mechanical input member movable between first and second limits, means for mounting said transducer means to said power positioning means and having the rotating input member located in parallel spaced relation to said reversible rotating member, a clutch means having a first rotating plate element secured to the input member and a second rotating plate rotationally secured to the reversible rotating member, said plates having an overlapping portion and at least one of said elements being forced axially into resilient frictional engagement with the other of said elements to establish corresponding positioning of the transducing means and permitting relative slipping motion of the elements with the rotating input member in said first or second limit.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 171 words

A sensing apparatus for sensing the angular positioning of a pivotally mounted marine drive unit having a remotely controlled power positioning means, said power positioning means having a reversible rotating member having a precise degree of rotation in positioning of the marine propulsion means between two opposite positions, comprising an electrical transducing means having a rotating mechanical input member movable between first and second limits, means for mounting said transducer means to said power positioning means and having the rotating input member located in parallel spaced relation to said reversible rotating member, a clutch means having a first rotating plate element secured to the input member and a second rotating plate rotationally secured to the reversible rotating member, said plates having an overlapping portion and at least one of said elements being forced axially into resilient frictional engagement with the other of said elements to establish corresponding positioning of the transducing means and permitting relative slipping motion of the elements with the rotating input member in said first or second limit.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 128 words

The sensing apparatus of claim 5 wherein a reversible rotating member is an actuator shaft establishing less than one complete revolution for each movement of the marine drive unit, said shaft including an exposed portion, said transducing means including a potentiometer fixedly mounted and said input means being input shaft mounted in aligned laterally spaced relation to said actuator shaft, said first element is a disc member secured to said potentiometer shaft, said second clutch element is a second and third pair of disc members rotationally secured to said actuator shaft one to each side of said first disc member, and spring means resiliently urging the second and third disc members into engagement to thereby resiliently clamp the first disc member between said second and third disc members.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 56 words

The sensing apparatus of claim 6 wherein said first disc member has a radius generally corresponding to the distance between the axis of the input shaft and the periphery of the actuator shaft, and said second and third disc members have a substantially smaller radius to frictionally grip the edge portion of the first disc member.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 104 words

The sensing apparatus of claim 5 wherein said power positioning means includes an electric motor, a gear drive system coupling said electric motor to said drive unit, said gear unit including a rotating actuator shaft defining said reversible rotating member and establishing more than one complete revolution for each extreme limit movement of the drive unit, said shaft including an exposed portion, said transducer means being a potentiometer fixedly mounted within said gear unit and including a reversible input shaft defining said input member and mounted in aligned laterally spaced relation to said actuator shaft, and said clutch elements being secured to said shafts.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 98 words

The sensing apparatus of claim 8 wherein said first element is a disc plate having a radius generally corresponding to the distance between the axis of the potentiometer shaft and the periphery of the actuator shaft, said second element is a second and third pair of disc plates rotationally secured to said actuator shaft one to each side of said first disc plate, spring means on said actuator shaft bias said second and third discs to resiliently clamp the first disc plate between said second and third disc plates whereby said potentiometer shaft reversibly tracks said actuator shaft.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 142 words

In a jet trim apparatus including a trim positioning power motor means having a rotating actuator member, for positioning a jet drive steering nozzle means, a transducer means fixedly mounted adjacent the motor means and including a rotating input member mounted in aligned laterally spaced relation to said actuator member and movable between first and second limits, a slipping clutch means having a first clutch plate element secured to said input member and a second clutch plate element rotationally secured to the actuator member, said clutch plate elements projecting outwardly into overlapping side peripheral engagement of the side faces of said plate elements, and means resiliently urging the clutch elements to frictionally clamp the first clutch element to engage the second clutch element and permitting relative slipping motion of the element with the rotating input member in said first or second limit.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 142 words

In a jet trim apparatus including a trim positioning power motor means having a rotating actuator member, for positioning a jet drive steering nozzle means, a transducer means fixedly mounted adjacent the motor means and including a rotating input member mounted in aligned laterally spaced relation to said actuator member and movable between first and second limits, a slipping clutch means having a first clutch plate element secured to said input member and a second clutch plate element rotationally secured to the actuator member, said clutch plate elements projecting outwardly into overlapping side peripheral engagement of the side faces of said plate elements, and means resiliently urging the clutch elements to frictionally clamp the first clutch element to engage the second clutch element and permitting relative slipping motion of the element with the rotating input member in said first or second limit.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 119 words

In the jet trim apparatus of claim 10 having a trim linkage connected to said nozzle means, said motor means including a trim positioning electric motor, a gear system coupling said electric motor to said steering nozzle to create a direct rigid connection, said gear system and said transducer means include parallel rotating shafts defining said actuator shaft and said input shaft, said clutch elements being disc plates secured to said shafts, a first of said plates having a radius generally corresponding to the distance between the axis of the input shaft and the periphery of the actuator shaft, and the other of said plates being sufficiently large to grasp only the periphery of the first of said plates.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 37 words

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein a spring is mounted on one of said shafts and resiliently engages one of said disc plates to resiliently clamp the disc plate against the disc plate on the opposite shaft.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 88 words

The jet trim apparatus of claim 10 including a gear drive system coupling said motor means to said jet steering nozzle means, said gear system means including a rotating actuator shaft defining said actuator member and establishing more than one complete revolution for each movement of the steering nozzle means between full-up trim and full-down trim, said shaft including an exposed portion, said transducer means having an input shaft defining said input member, said clutch elements being secured to said shafts and projecting outwardly into overlapping peripheral relationship.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 63 words

In the jet apparatus of claim 13 wherein said gear system includes a worm connected to the motor and a worm gear connected to said actuator shaft, a rotary to linear motion coupling connecting said actuator shaft to said trim linkage, said worm gear establishing less than one complete revolution for each movement of the steering nozzle between full-up trim and full-down trim.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 114 words

The trim apparatus of claim 14 wherein said transducer means includes a potentiometer having a housing fixedly mounted within said gear housing and including said input shaft mounted in aligned laterally spaced relation to said actuator shaft within said housing, said clutch elements including a first disc secured to said input shaft and having the radius generally corresponding to the distance between the axis of the input shaft and the periphery of the actuator shaft, a second and third pair of discs rotationally secured to said actuator shaft one to each side of said first disc, and spring means on said actuator shaft biasing said second and third discs to engage said first disc.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 60 words

The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said spring means includes stop means secured to the outer end of said actuator shaft, a spring secured to the outer to the opposite side of said second and third discs and resiliently urging the adjacent disc toward the first disc to thereby resiliently clamp the first disc between said second and third discs.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 212 words

In the jet trim apparatus of claim 10 wherein a trim linkage is connected to said nozzle means, said motor means is an electric motor, a gear system connects said electric motor to said trim linkage, said gear system includes a rotating actuator shaft defining said actuator member and establishing more than one complete revolution for each movement of the steering nozzle between full-up trim and full-down trim, said shaft including an exposed portion, said transducer means includes a potentiometer fixedly mounted and including an input shaft defining said input means and mounted in aligned laterally spaced relation to said actuator shaft, a first clutch element being a first disc secured to said potentiometer shaft and having the radius generally corresponding to the distance between the axis of the input shaft and the periphery of the actuator shaft, said second clutch element being second and third discs secured to said actuator shaft one to each side of said first disc, stop means secured to one side of said second and third discs, a spring secured to the opposite side of said second and third discs and resiliently urging the second and third discs toward each other to thereby resiliently clamp the periphery of the first disc between said second and third discs.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1980-10-03	1981-04-04	1981-10-04	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1984-10-03	1985-04-04	1985-10-04	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1988-10-03	1989-04-04	1989-10-04	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Drive position signalling apparatus

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