Gear shift control means for outboard propulsion unit

Claim 1

IN COMBINATION WITH AN OUTBOARD PROPULSION UNIT, SAID PROPULSION UNIT BEING ADAPTED FOR MOUNTING ON THE TRANSOM OF A WATERCRAFT AND HAVING A PROPELLER AND DRIVE MEANS THEREFOR INCLUDING FORWARD AND REVERSE GEARS SELECTIVELY ENGAGEABLE BY MOVABLE CLUTCH MEANS TO PROVIDE FORWARD AND REVERSE DRIVE RESPECTIVELY FOR SAID UNIT, CONTROL MEANS FOR ACTUATING THE CLUTCH MEANS COMPRISING A LEVER MOUNTED INBOARD OF THE WATERCRAFT AND BEING PIVOTAL BETWEEN A FORWARD DRIVE POSITION AND A REVERSE DRIVE POSITION, FLEXIBLE PUSH-PULL MEANS EXTENDING THROUGH THE TRANSOM OF THE WATERCRAFT AND CONNECTING THE LEVER AND CLUTCH MEANS TO PROVIDE FOR ACTUATION OF THE CLUTCH MEANS IN ACCORDANCE WITH LEVER MOVEMENT, A SHIFT CONTROL UNIT MOUNTED IN THE WATERCRAFT AT A LOCATION REMOTE FROM SAID LEVER, AND FLEXIBLE PUSH-PULL MEANS CONNECTING THE SHIFT CONTROL UNIT AND THE LEVER FOR ACTUATING THE LEVER IN ACCORDANCE WITH OPERATION OF THE REMOTE SHIFT CONTROL UNIT.