Marine propeller fish line and weed cutter

Claim 2

A marine propulsion device comprising a lower unit including a gear case including a hollow interior having at the rearward end thereof an inwardly extending inner circular surface defining an opening through which exhaust gases and engine cooling water are discharged from said lower unit, a propeller shaft rotatably journaled in said gear case and including a portion extending rearwardly of said gear case, a propeller including a hub mounted on said propeller shaft rearward portion for common rotation of said hub with said propeller shaft, a forward portion adjacent said rearward end of said gear case, and a propeller blade extending radially outwardly from said hub, a thrust washer carried by said propeller shaft in forward thrust transmitting engagement therewith and in forward thrust receiving engagement with said hub, and means for cutting fish lines and weeds including a sleeve supported by said thrust washer and extending into an area adjacent said inner circular surface of said gear case, said sleeve having a rearward cutting surface closely adjacent said forward portion of said propeller for cutting fish lines and weeds therebetween.

Claim 3

A marine propulsion device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said sleeve includes a rearward circumferential surface having circumferentially spaced cutting teeth thereon.

Claim 4

A marine propulsion device in accordance with claim 2 wherein said forward portion of said propeller includes cutting teeth thereon mating with said cutting teeth of said rearward surface.

Claim 5

A marine propulsion device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said hub includes an inner hub part mounted on said propeller shaft for rotation therewith, and an outer hub part supporting said cutting surface, said outer hub part including a forward circumferential surface positioned rearwardly of said sleeve, said forward circumferential surface supporting a plurality of circumferentially spaced cutting teeth in cutting relationship with said cutting surface.

Claim 6

A marine propulsion device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said sleeve includes a skirt extending rearwardly and wherein said skirt supports cutting teeth.

Claim 7

A marine propulsion device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said forward portion of said propeller blade supports thereon at least one forwardly projecting cutting tooth positioned in cutting relationship with said cutting surface of said sleeve.

Claim 8

A marine propulsion device as set forth in claim 6 wherein said forwardly projecting cutting tooth includes a circumferential cutting edge in cutting relationship with said cutting teeth supported by said sleeve.

Claim 9

A marine propulsion device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said thrust washer includes a central hub portion which transmits forward thrust from said propeller to said propeller shaft and a spoke extending radially outwardly from said central portion and supporting said sleeve, being said sleeve closely spaced from said inner cylindrical surface.

Claim 10

A marine propulsion device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said thrust washer includes a central hub portion, wherein said sleeve extends into the hollow interior of said gear case and has an outer cylindrical surface with a diameter slightly less than the diameter of said inner circular surface of said gear case, and wherein said thrust washer includes a radially extending rib connecting said central hub to said sleeve.

Claim 11

A marine propulsion device comprising a lower unit including a gear case including a hollow interior having at the rearward end thereof an inwardly extending inner circular surface defining an opening through which exhaust gases and engine cooling water are discharged from said lower unit, a propeller shaft rotatably journaled in said gear case and including a portion extending rearwardly of said gear case, a propeller including an inner hub part mounted on said propeller shaft rearward portion for common rotation of said inner part with said propeller shaft, an outer hub part, a propeller blade connected to said outer hub and extending radially outwardly, and resilient means connecting said inner and outer hub parts for limited relative rotational movement, a thrust washer carried by said propeller shaft in forward thrust transmitting engagement therewith, said thrust washer being rotatably driven by said inner hub part and being relatively rotationally movable with respect to said outer hub part and said propeller, and means for cutting fish lines and weeds including a sleeve supported by said thrust washer and extending into an area adjacent said inner circular surface of said gear case, said sleeve having a rearward cutting surface positioned closely adjacent said propeller for cutting fish lines and weeds therebetween during relative rotational movement of said thrust washer and said propeller.

Claim 12

A marine propulsion device comprising a lower unit including a gear case including a hollow interior having at the rearward end thereof an inwardly extending inner circular surface defining an opening through which exhaust gases and engine cooling water are discharged from said lower unit, a propeller shaft rotatably journaled in said gear case and including a portion extending rearwardly of said gear case, a propeller including an inner hub part mounted on said propeller shaft rearward portion for common rotation of said inner part with said propeller shaft, an outer hub part, a propeller blade connected to said outer hub and extending radially outwardly, and resilient means connecting said inner and outer hub parts for limited relative rotational movement, a thrust washer carried by said propeller shaft in forward thrust transmitting engagement therewith, said thrust washer being rotatably driven by said inner hub part and being relatively rotationally movable with respect to said outer hub part and said propeller, and means for cutting fish lines and weeds including a sleeve supported by said thrust washer and extending into an area adjacent said inner circular surface of said gear case, said sleeve having a rearward cutting surface positioned closely adjacent said propeller for cutting fish lines and weeds therebetween during relative rotational movement of said thrust washer and said propeller.

Claim 13

A marine propulsion device in accordance with claim 10 wherein said sleeve includes a rearward circumferential surface having circumferentially spaced cutting teeth thereon.

Claim 14

A marine propulsion device in accordance with claim 11 wherein said propeller includes a forward portion having cutting teeth thereon mating with said cutting teeth of said rearward surface, said cutting teeth of said propeller and said sleeve respectively being movable circumferentially toward and away from each other during said relative rotational movement of said inner and outer hub parts.

Claim 15

A marine propulsion device in accordance with claim 10 wherein said outer hub portion includes a forward circumferential surface positioned rearwardly of said sleeve, said forward circumferential surface supporting a plurality of circumferentially spaced cutting teeth in cutting relationship with said cutting surface.

Claim 16

A marine propulsion device as set forth in claim 10 wherein said sleeve includes a skirt extending rearwardly and wherein said skirt supports cutting teeth.

Claim 17

A marine propulsion device as set forth in claim 10 wherein said forward portion of said propeller blades each support thereon at least one forwardly projecting cutting tooth positioned in cutting relationship with said cutting surface of said sleeve.

Claim 18

A marine propulsion device as set forth in claim 15 wherein said forwardly projecting cutting tooth includes a circumferential cutting edge in cutting relationship with said cutting teeth supported by said sleeve.

Claim 19

A marine propulsion device in accordance with claim 10 wherein said thrust washer includes a central hub portion which transmits forward thrust from said propeller to said propeller shaft and a spoke extending radially outwardly from said central portion and supporting said sleeve, said sleeve closely spaced from said inner cylindrical surface.

Claim 20

A marine propulsion device in accordance with claim 10 wherein said thrust washer includes a central hub portion, wherein said sleeve extends into the hollow interior of said gear case and has an outer cylindrical surface with a diameter slightly less than the diameter of said inner circular surface of said gear case, and wherein said thrust washer includes a radially extending rib connecting said central hub to said sleeve.

Claim 21

A marine propulsion device comprising a lower unit including a gear case including a hollow interior having at the rearward end thereof an inwardly extending inner cylindrical surface defining an opening through which exhaust gases and engine cooling water are discharged from the lower unit, a propeller shaft rotatably journaled in said gear case and including a portion extending rearwardly of said gear case, said rearwardly extending portion including a forward part having a first diameter, a rearward part having a second diameter of less dimension than said first diameter, and a thrust receiving transition part between said forward and rearward part, a propeller including an inner hub mounted on said propeller shaft rearward portion for common rotation of said inner hub with said propeller shaft, an outer hub having an outer surface with a diameter materially less than the diameter of said inner cylindrical surface of said gear case and having a forward end, a plurality of blades extending radially outwardly from said outer hub, and resilient means connecting said inner and outer hubs for limited relative rotational movement therebetween, a thrust washer carried by said propeller shaft and including a central portion including a thrust transmitting surface in engagement with said thrust receiving part of said propeller shaft and a thrust receiving surface in engagement with said forward end of said outer hub for transmitting thrust from said outer hub through said thrust washer to said propeller shaft, said thrust washer being rotationally movable with respect to said outer hub during said limited relative rotational movement of said inner and outer hubs, means positively connecting said inner hub and said thrust washer for common rotation, and means for cutting fish line and weeds including a sleeve supported by said thrust washer and extending into an area adjacent said inner circular surface of said gear case, said sleeve including a rearward cutting surface closely adjacent said propeller for cutting therebetween during relative rotational movement of said thrust washer and said propeller.

Claim 22

A marine propulsion device comprising a lower unit including a gear case including a hollow interior having at the rearward end thereof an inwardly extending inner cylindrical surface defining an opening through which exhaust gases and engine cooling water are discharged from the lower unit, a propeller shaft rotatably journaled in said gear case and including a portion extending rearwardly of said gear case, said rearwardly extending portion including a forward part having a first diameter, a rearward part having a second diameter of less dimension than said first diameter, and a thrust receiving transition part between said forward and rearward part, a propeller including an inner hub mounted on said propeller shaft rearward portion for common rotation of said inner hub with said propeller shaft, an outer hub having an outer surface with a diameter materially less than the diameter of said inner cylindrical surface of said gear case and having a forward end, a plurality of blades extending radially outwardly from said outer hub, and resilient means connecting said inner and outer hubs for limited relative rotational movement therebetween, a thrust washer carried by said propeller shaft and including a central portion including a thrust transmitting surface in engagement with said thrust receiving part of said propeller shaft and a thrust receiving surface in engagement with said forward end of said outer hub for transmitting thrust from said outer hub through said thrust washer to said propeller shaft, said thrust washer being rotationally movable with respect to said outer hub during said limited relative rotational movement of said inner and outer hubs, means positively connecting said inner hub and said thrust washer for common rotation, and means for cutting fish line and weeds including a sleeve supported by said thrust washer and extending into an area adjacent said inner circular surface of said gear case, said sleeve including a rearward cutting surface closely adjacent said propeller for cutting therebetween during relative rotational movement of said thrust washer and said propeller.

Claim 23

A marine propulsion device in accordance with claim 19 wherein said sleeve includes forward and rearward edges, and wherein said fish line and weed cutting means further includes first cutting teeth extending rearwardly from said rearward edge, and wherein said forward portion of said propeller includes cutting teeth mating with said first cutting teeth for cutting fish line and weeds.