Electrical circuit for steering and throttle control of a marine propulsion device

Claim 2

A marine propulsion steering control including a movable steering wheel, a steerable unit swingable about a generally upright axis under normal operating conditions, a source of direct current, a first position sensing potentiometer connected to said source of direct current and having a first wiper mechanically connected to said steering wheel to afford variation in the potential at said first wiper in accordance with steering wheel setting, a second position sensing potentiometer connected to said source of direct current and including a second wiper mechanically connected to said swingable steering unit to afford variation in the potential at said second wiper in accordance with the position of said swingable steering unit, means electrically connected to said source of direct current and mechanically connected to said steering unit for selectively causing swinging of said steering unit, and transistorized switch means electrically connected to said source of direct current, to said firSt and second potentiometers, and to said means for causing swinging of said steering unit for selectively operating said means for causing swinging of said steering unit in response to movement of said steering wheel.

Claim 3

A steering control in accordance with claim 1 wherein said steering unit swinging means is selectively operable for causing swinging of said steering unit in one direction when said first potentiometer wiper is at a greater potential than said second potentiometer wiper and for causing swinging of said steering unit in the opposite direction when said second potentiometer wiper is at a greater potential than said first potentiometer wiper.

Claim 4

A steering control including a movable steering wheel for a marine propulsion device including a steerable unit swingable about a generally upright axis under normal operating conditions, said control comprising a source of direct current, a first position sensing potentiometer electrically connected in said source of direct current and having a first wiper mechanically connected to the steering wheel to afford variation in the potential at said first wiper in accordance with steering wheel setting, a second position sensing potentiometer electrically connected to said source of direct current and including a second wiper mechanically connected to the swingable steering unit to afford variation in the potential at said second wiper in accordance with the position of the swingable steering unit, means electrically connected to said source of direct current and mechanically connected to the steering unit for selectively swinging the steering unit is opposite directions, first transistorized switch means electrically connected to said source of direct current and to said first potentiometer wiper and to said steering unit swinging means for effecting swinging of the steering unit in one pivotal direction when the potential at said first potentiometer wiper is greater than the potential at said second potentiometer wiper, a second transistorized switch means electrically connected to said source of direct current and to said second potentiometer wiper and to said steering unit swinging means for effecting swinging of the steering unit in the opposite pivotal direction when the potential at said second potentiometer wiper is greater than the potential at said first potentiometer wiper, and a third potentiometer electrically connected to ground and to each of said first and second switch means and having a wiper mechanically connected to one of said first and second potentiometer wipers to inversely effect setting at said third potentiometer wiper in accordance with the setting of said one of said first and second potentiometer wipers.

Claim 5

A steering control including a movable steering wheel for a marine propulsion device including a steerable unit swingable about a generally upright axis under normal operating conditions, said control comprising a source of direct current, a first position sensing potentiometer electrically connected in said source of direct current and having a first wiper mechanically connected to the steering wheel to afford variation in the potential at said first wiper in accordance with steering wheel setting, a second position sensing potentiometer electrically connected to said source of direct current and including a second wiper mechanically connected to the swingable steering unit to afford variation in the potential at said second wiper in accordance with the position of the swingable steering unit, means electrically connected to said source of direct current and mechanically connected to the steering unit for selectively swinging the steering unit is opposite directions, first transistorized switch means electrically connected to said source of direct current and to said first potentiometer wiper and to said steering unit swinging means for effecting swinging of the steering unit in one pivotal direction when the potential at said first potentiometer wiper is greater than the potential at said second potentiometer wiper, a second transistorized switch means electrically connected to said source of direct current and to said second potentiometer wiper and to said steering unit swinging means for effecting swinging of the steering unit in the opposite pivotal direction when the potential at said second potentiometer wiper is greater than the potential at said first potentiometer wiper, and a third potentiometer electrically connected to ground and to each of said first and second switch means and having a wiper mechanically connected to one of said first and second potentiometer wipers to inversely effect setting at said third potentiometer wiper in accordance with the setting of said one of said first and second potentiometer wipers.

Claim 6

A steering control including a movable steering wheel for a marine propulsion device including a steerable unit swingable about a generally upright axis under normal operating conditions, said control comprising a first position sensing potentiometer adapted to be connected to a source of electrical current and having a first wiper connected to the steering wheel to afford variation in the potential at said first wiper in accordance with steering wheel setting, a second position sensing potentiometer adapted to be connected to the source of electrical current connected to the first potentiometer and including a second wiper connected to the swingable steering unit to afford variation in the potential at said second wiper in accordance with the position of the swingable steering unit, means connected to said steering unit for selectively swinging said steering unit in opposite directions, a first transistor having an emitter adapted to be connected to a current source, a collector connected to said steering unit swinging means to cause swinging movement of said steering unit in one rotative direction in response to current flow from said first transistor collector, and a base, a second transistor having a collector connected to said first transistor base, an emitter connected to ground, and a base connected to said first potentiometer wiper, a third transistor having an emitter adapted to be connected to the current source connected to said first transistorized switch means, a collector connected to said steering unit swinging means to cause swinging movement in the other rotative direction in response to current flow from said third transistor collector, and a base, and a fourth transistor having a collector connected to said third transistor base, an emitter connected to ground, and a base connected to said second potentiometer wiper.

Claim 7

A steering control including a movable steering wheel for a marine propulsion device including a steerable unit swingable about a generally upright axis under normal operating conditions, said control comprising a first position sensing potentiometer adapted to be connected to a source of electrical current and having a first wiper connected to the steering wheel to afford variation in the potential at said first wiper in accordance with steering wheel setting, a second position sensing potentiometer adapted to be connected to the source of electrical current connected to the first potentiometer and including a second wiper connected to the swingable steering unit to afford variation in the potential at said second wiper in accordance with the position of the swingable steering unit, means connected to said steering unit for selectively swinging said steering unit in opposite directions, a first transistor having an emitter adapted to be connected to a current source, a collector connected to said steering unit swinging means to cause swinging movement of said steering unit in one rotative direction in response to current flow from said first transistor collector, and a base, a second transistor having a collector connected to said first transistor base, an emitter connected to ground, and a base connected to said first potentiometer wiper, a third transistor having an emitter adapted to be connected to the current source connected to said first transistorized switch means, a collector connected to said steering unit swinging means to cause swinging movement in the other rotative direction in response to current flow from said third transistor collector, and a base, and a fourth transistor having a collector connected to said third transistor base, an emitter connected to ground, and a base connected to said second potentiometer wiper.

Claim 8

A steering control in accordance with claim 4 wherein said steering unit swinging means comprises a reversible electric motor including first and second terminals and wherein said selectively operable means further includes a first switch including a first contact connected to ground, a second contact adapted to be connected to a source of current, a movable third contact connected to said first motor terminal and movable between a first position in engagement with said first contact and a second position in engagement with said second contact, and relay means including a first coil electrically connected to said first transistor collector, a first armature mechanically connected to said third contact, and means biasing said third contact to said first position in the absence of current in said first coil, and wherein said selectively operable means further includes a second switch including a fourth contact connected to ground, a fifth contact adapted to be connected to a source of current, and a movable sixth contact connected to said second motor terminal and movable between a first position in engagement with said fourth contact and a second position in engagement with said fifth contact, and relay means including a second coil electrically connected to said third transistor collector, a second armature mechanically connected to said sixth contact, and means biasing said sixth contact to said first position in the absence of current in said second coil.

Claim 9

A steering control in accordance with claim 4 wherein said emitters of said second and fourth transistors are connected to ground through a common potentiometer having a wiper mechanically connected to one of said first and second potentiometer wipers to inversely effect setting at said common potentiometer wiper in accordance with the setting of said one of said first and second potentiometer wipers.

Claim 10

A control for selectively generating first and second outputs in response to variation between first and second inputs, said control comprising a source of direct current, a first potentiometer electrically connected to said source of direct current and having a first wiper mechanically connected to the first input to afford variation in the potential at said first wiper in accordance with the position of the first input, a second potentiometer electrically connected to said source of direct current and including a second wiper mechanically connected to the second input to afford variation in the potential at said second wiper in accordance with the position of the second input, means connected to said second input for selectively changing the position of said second input in opposite directions, a first transistorized switch means electrically connected to said source of direct current and to said first potentiometer wiper and to said second input position changing means for effecting changing of the position of said second input in one direction when the potential at said first potentiometer wiper is greater than the potential at said second potentiometer wiper, a second transistorized switch means electrically connected to said source of direct current and to said second potentiometer wiper and to said second input position changing means for effecting changing of the position of said second input in the opposite direction when the potential at said second potentiometer wiper is greater than the potential at said first potentiometer wiPer, and a third potentiometer electrically connected to ground and to each of said first and second switch means and having a wiper mechanically connected to one of said first and second potentiometer wipers to inversely effect setting at said third potentiometer wiper in accordance with the setting of said one of said first and second potentiometer wipers.

Claim 11

A control for selectively generating first and second outputs in response to variation between first and second inputs, said control comprising a source of direct current, a first potentiometer electrically connected to said source of direct current and having a first wiper mechanically connected to the first input to afford variation in the potential at said first wiper in accordance with the position of the first input, a second potentiometer electrically connected to said source of direct current and including a second wiper mechanically connected to the second input to afford variation in the potential at said second wiper in accordance with the position of the second input, means connected to said second input for selectively changing the position of said second input in opposite directions, a first transistorized switch means electrically connected to said source of direct current and to said first potentiometer wiper and to said second input position changing means for effecting changing of the position of said second input in one direction when the potential at said first potentiometer wiper is greater than the potential at said second potentiometer wiper, a second transistorized switch means electrically connected to said source of direct current and to said second potentiometer wiper and to said second input position changing means for effecting changing of the position of said second input in the opposite direction when the potential at said second potentiometer wiper is greater than the potential at said first potentiometer wiPer, and a third potentiometer electrically connected to ground and to each of said first and second switch means and having a wiper mechanically connected to one of said first and second potentiometer wipers to inversely effect setting at said third potentiometer wiper in accordance with the setting of said one of said first and second potentiometer wipers.

Claim 12

A control in accordance with claim 7 in further combination with a remote throttle controlling lever which is mechanically connected to said first wiper and which can be variably positioned to provide the first input, a carburetor having a throttle valve which is mechanically connected to said second wiper and which can be variably positioned to provide the second input, and wherein said means connected to said second input for selectively changing the position thereof is connected to said throttle valve and is operable to cause pivoting of said throttle valve so as to maintain said throttle valve in registry with said throttle controlling lever in response to positioning of said remote throttle controlling lever.

Claim 13

A steering control including a movable steering wheel for a swingable steerable unit, said control comprising a first position sensing potentiometer adapted to be electrically connected to a source of current and having a first wiper mechanically connected to the steering wheel to afford variation in the potential at said first wiper in accordance with steering wheel setting, a second position sensing potentiometer adapted to be electrically connected to the source of current connected to the first potentiometer and including a second wiper mechanically connected to the swingable steering unit to afford variation in the potential at said second wiper in accordance with the position of the swingable steering unit, means mechanically connected to the steering unit for selectively swinging the steering unit in opposite directions, first transistorized switch means adapted to be electrically connected to a source of current and to said first potentiometer wiper and to said steering unit swinging means for effecting swinging of the steering unit in one pivotal direction when the potential at said first potentiometer wiper is greater than the potential at said second potentiometer wiper, a second transistorized switch means adapted to be electrically connected to the source of current connected to said first transistorized switch means and to said second potentiometer wiper and to said steering unit swinging means for effecting swinging of the steering unit in the opposite pivotal direction when the potential at said second potentiometer wiper is greater than the potential at said first potentiometer wiper, and a third potentiometer electrically connected to each of said first and second switch means and having a wiper mechanically connected to one of said first and second potentiometer wipers to effect setting of said third potentiometer wiper in accordance with the setting of said one of said first and second potentiometer wipers.

Claim 14

A steering control including a movable steering wheel for a swingable steerable unit, said control comprising a first position sensing potentiometer adapted to be electrically connected to a source of current and having a first wiper mechanically connected to the steering wheel to afford variation in the potential at said first wiper in accordance with steering wheel setting, a second position sensing potentiometer adapted to be electrically connected to the source of current connected to the first potentiometer and including a second wiper mechanically connected to the swingable steering unit to afford variation in the potential at said second wiper in accordance with the position of the swingable steering unit, means mechanically connected to the steering unit for selectively swinging the steering unit in opposite directions, first transistorized switch means adapted to be electrically connected to a source of current and to said first potentiometer wiper and to said steering unit swinging means for effecting swinging of the steering unit in one pivotal direction when the potential at said first potentiometer wiper is greater than the potential at said second potentiometer wiper, a second transistorized switch means adapted to be electrically connected to the source of current connected to said first transistorized switch means and to said second potentiometer wiper and to said steering unit swinging means for effecting swinging of the steering unit in the opposite pivotal direction when the potential at said second potentiometer wiper is greater than the potential at said first potentiometer wiper, and a third potentiometer electrically connected to each of said first and second switch means and having a wiper mechanically connected to one of said first and second potentiometer wipers to effect setting of said third potentiometer wiper in accordance with the setting of said one of said first and second potentiometer wipers.