Shift and throttle control unit for outboard motors

Claim 1

A GEAR SHIFTING AND THROTTLE CONTROL UNIT FOR A BOAT HAVING AN OUTBOARD MOTOR AND COMPRISING A SUPPORT ADAPTED TO BE MOUNTED ON SAID BOAT REMOTE FROM SAID MOTOR; SHIFTABLE ELEMENTS ON SAID SUPPORT AND ADAPTED TO BE CONNECTED TO THE GEAR AND THROTTLE CONTROLS RESPECTIVELY OF THE MOTOR; AN OPERATING HANDLE SWINGABLY MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT AND MOVABLE IN OPPOSED DIRECTIONS FROM AN INTERMEDIATE NEUTRAL POSITION; FIRST AND SECOND LEVERS EACH SWINGABLY MOUNTED AT ONE END THEREOF ON SAID SUPPORT AND SECURED AT THE OPPOSITE END THEREOF TO A CORRESPONDING SHIFTABLE ELEMENT, SAID FIRST LEVER CORRESPONDING TO SAID THROTTLE CONTROL AND SAID SECOND LEVER CORRESPONDING TO SAID GEAR CONTROL; A CONTROL MEMBER MOUNTED ON SAID HANDLE AND OPERABLY COUPLED WITH SAID LEVERS; AND FIRST BEARING MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID FIRST LEVER INTERMEDIATE THE ENDS THEREOF AND OPERABLY COUPLED WITH SAID CONTROL MEMBER TO SWING SAID FIRST LEVER RESPONSIVE TO THE MOVEMENTS OF SAID HANDLE, SAID CONTROL MEMBER BEING DISPOSED FOR SHIFTING THE SECOND LEVER IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS IN RESPONSE TO MOVEMENT OF THE HANDLE IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS FROM SAID NEUTRAL POSITION THEREOF AND FOR SHIFTING THE FIRST LEVER IN ONE DIRECTION REGARDLESS OF THE DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT OF THE HANDLE FROM SAID NEUTRAL POSITION THEREOF.