US3577954A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Tilt latching and locking means for tiltable stern drives for boats
Assignee: Volvo Penta AB
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Filing: 1969-07-07
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Granted: 1971-05-11
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Expires: 1989-07-07
Abstract
Abstract A tilt lock for motor boat stern drives of the type comprising a downwardly extending leg having propeller means at its lower end portion and pivotally connected to the boat at its upper portion on an axis extending laterally of the boat keel for tilting upwardly and rearwardly. The tilt lock comprises pivoted arms preferably carried by the leg having notches therein for receiving a pin preferably carried by the boat in a selectable position. The notches are provided with cam surfaces which engage the pin during forward propulsion in a direction to force the arms away from the pin, whereby sudden tilting of the leg moves the arms away from the pin before biasing means are effective to swing the arms into position to nest the pin in the notches. A latch member is pivotally carried by the arms and biased in position to retard escape of the pin from the notches but yieldable to permit such escape when the leg is forced to tilt. A lock member is arranged for selective swinging into the path of yielding movement of the latch, and the lock member is operably connected to reverse gear shifting means to lock the latch member in retaining position during reverse operation of the propeller means.
Inventors
- 👤 Kjell Borgersen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 23:35
CPC Classifications
B; B63; B63H; B63H20/00; B63H20/14; B63H20/22; B63H20/08; B63H20/10; B63H20/20
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
203 words
In combination with an outboard drive leg mounted on a boat on a tilt pivot, a first member fixedly attached to the boat offset from said pivot, said leg having a member offset from said pivot and disposed opposite said first member when said leg is in operative drive position and swingable away therefrom with tilting movement of said leg, a latch arm element swingably mounted to one of said members extending toward the other said member and a cooperative latch-engageable element attached to said other member, said arm element comprising a lip latchingly engageable against a side of said engageable element facing away from said one member and said lip being swingable away from said engageable element with swinging of said arm element in a predetermined direction, means biasing said arm element against swinging in said predetermIned direction, one of said elements comprising a cam surface for contacting the other element when said leg is forced by propeller reaction in the direction to move said members toward each other, said cam surface being oriented to swing said arm in said predetermined direction in response to said movement whereby said lip is moved out of position to oppose rapid tilting of said leg.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
203 words
In combination with an outboard drive leg mounted on a boat on a tilt pivot, a first member fixedly attached to the boat offset from said pivot, said leg having a member offset from said pivot and disposed opposite said first member when said leg is in operative drive position and swingable away therefrom with tilting movement of said leg, a latch arm element swingably mounted to one of said members extending toward the other said member and a cooperative latch-engageable element attached to said other member, said arm element comprising a lip latchingly engageable against a side of said engageable element facing away from said one member and said lip being swingable away from said engageable element with swinging of said arm element in a predetermined direction, means biasing said arm element against swinging in said predetermIned direction, one of said elements comprising a cam surface for contacting the other element when said leg is forced by propeller reaction in the direction to move said members toward each other, said cam surface being oriented to swing said arm in said predetermined direction in response to said movement whereby said lip is moved out of position to oppose rapid tilting of said leg.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
47 words
The combination according to claim 1 wherein said lip is a part of a latching member swingably carried by said arm element, and biasing means between said latching member and said arm element urging said latching member into a position in which said lip is operatively disposed.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
46 words
The combination according to claim 1 wherein said latch arm element is mounted to the member connected to said leg and said latch-engageable element is a trim pin, said other member comprising means for mounting said trim pin in selected position with respect to said boat.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
The combination according to claim 3 wherein said leg is provided with means including an abutment face engageable with said trim pin when said drive is providing forward propulsion.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
54 words
The combination according to claim 2 wherein said arm element is provided with a locking member selectably moveable into and out of the path of said latching members and operative when in said path to prevent movement of said latching members from its operative latching position thereby to lock said leg against tilting movement.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
55 words
The combination according to claim 5 wherein said unit is provided with forward and reverse gearing and moveable means for shifting the gearing, said locking member being linked to said means and moveable thereby into and out of said path with movement of said means to operate said gearing into and out of reverse gear.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
188 words
In a boat drive unit having an outboard leg carrying a propeller at its lower end and adapted to be pivotally mounted at its upper end to a boat for tilting on a horizontal transverse axis, means for mounting a laterally extending trim pin to the boat below said axis, an arm extending forwardly from said leg and pivotally connected thereto for swinging up and down, said arm having a notch for receiving said pin, a lip member pivotally mounted to said arm and having a lip adjacent the forward edge of the notch for engaging said pin and restraining said leg against tilting movement when in a first position and for releasing said pin when in a second position, means biasing said arm in a direction to receive said pin in said notch, means engaged between said arm and lip member biasing said lip member into its said first position, and a locking member moveable when said lip member is in its said first position selectively into and out of the path of movement of said lip member from its said first to its said second position.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
188 words
In a boat drive unit having an outboard leg carrying a propeller at its lower end and adapted to be pivotally mounted at its upper end to a boat for tilting on a horizontal transverse axis, means for mounting a laterally extending trim pin to the boat below said axis, an arm extending forwardly from said leg and pivotally connected thereto for swinging up and down, said arm having a notch for receiving said pin, a lip member pivotally mounted to said arm and having a lip adjacent the forward edge of the notch for engaging said pin and restraining said leg against tilting movement when in a first position and for releasing said pin when in a second position, means biasing said arm in a direction to receive said pin in said notch, means engaged between said arm and lip member biasing said lip member into its said first position, and a locking member moveable when said lip member is in its said first position selectively into and out of the path of movement of said lip member from its said first to its said second position.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
51 words
The combination according to claim 7 wherein said notch of said arm is bounded along its rearward edge by a cam surface engageable with said pin and operative to swing said arm in a direction to cause said pin to leave said notch in response to forward propulsion by said unit.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-05-10 | 1974-11-09 | 1975-05-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-05-10 | 1978-11-09 | 1979-05-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-05-10 | 1982-11-09 | 1983-05-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |