Attachment for connecting a stern drive unit and an auxiliary outboard motor

Claim 2

In combination with a boat having a transom, a stern drive unit mounted on the transom and disposed to pivot about a horizontal axis between a lower operating position and an upper tilted non-operating position, an outboard motor mounted on the transom and disposed to pivot about a second horizontal axis between an upright operating position and a tilted non-operating position, a pair of telescopic members, a universal coupling connecting the outer end of each telescopic member to the outboard motor and stern drive unit respectively, a locking member connected to one of said telescopic members, a series of axially spaced locking elements assosciated with the other of said telescopic members and disposed to be selectively engaged by said locking member to thereby prevent relative axial movement between said telescopic members and permit the outboard motor to steer in accordance with the steering control of said stern drive unit, and means connected to the outer end of said locking member and configured to be engaged by a hook for manually moving said locking member between an engaged and disengaged position.

Claim 3

The combination of claim 1, and including resilient means for biasing the locking member to the engaged position.

Claim 4

The combination of claim 1, wherein said locking member is a radially extending pin, and said combination includes means responsive to a predetermined degree of rotation of said pin about its axis for holding the pin in the disengaged position and preventing said resilient means from biasing said pin to the engaged position.

Claim 5

The combination of claim 3, wherein said pin is provided with an outwardly extending projection, and an abutment on said outer telescopic member and disposed to be engaged by the projection on said pin when the pin is rotated to said predetermined degree to thereby restrict inward movement of the pin to the engaged position.

Claim 6

The combination of claim 1, wherein said locking member is a radially extending pin and said outer telescopic member is provided with a hole to receive said pin, said locking elements being associated with said inner telescopic member, said pin being formed of a softer material than said telescopic members whereby the pin will shear when the telescopic members are subjected to excessive stress.

Claim 7

In combination with a boat having a transom, a stern drive unit having a steering control and mounted through the transom and disposed to pivot about a horizontal axis between a lower operating position and an upper tilted non-operating position, an outboard motor mounted on the transom and disposed to pivot about a second horizontal axis between an upright operating position and a raised non-operating position, a pair of telescopic members located outboard of said transom and disposed concentrically for sliding movement with respect to each other, first universal coupling means connecting one of said telescopic members to the outboard motor to permit universal movement between said first telescopic member and said outboard motor, second univeral coupling means for connecting the other telescopic member to the stern drive unit to permit universal movement between said second telescopic member and the stern drive unit, and locking means for selectively locking the telescopic members against relative sliding movement between said telescopic members when the stern drive unit is in the tilted non-operating position and the outboard motor is in the operating position so that the outboard motor will be steered in accordance with the steering control of the stern drive unit, and said locking means to be released to permit free sliding movement between said telescopic members when the stern drive unit is in the operating position and the outboard motor is in the raised non-operating position, said locking means including a manually operable locking member projecting through the outer of said telescopic members and engageable with the inner of said telescopic members.

Claim 8

In combination with a boat having a transom, a stern drive unit having a steering control and mounted through the transom and disposed to pivot about a horizontal axis between a lower operating position and an upper tilted non-operating position, an outboard motor mounted on the transom and disposed to pivot about a second horizontal axis between an upright operating position and a raised non-operating position, a pair of telescopic members located outboard of said transom and disposed concentrically for sliding movement with respect to each other, first universal coupling means connecting one of said telescopic members to the outboard motor to permit universal movement between said first telescopic member and said outboard motor, second univeral coupling means for connecting the other telescopic member to the stern drive unit to permit universal movement between said second telescopic member and the stern drive unit, and locking means for selectively locking the telescopic members against relative sliding movement between said telescopic members when the stern drive unit is in the tilted non-operating position and the outboard motor is in the operating position so that the outboard motor will be steered in accordance with the steering control of the stern drive unit, and said locking means to be released to permit free sliding movement between said telescopic members when the stern drive unit is in the operating position and the outboard motor is in the raised non-operating position, said locking means including a manually operable locking member projecting through the outer of said telescopic members and engageable with the inner of said telescopic members.