Multi-powerhead outboard motor

Claim 2

An outboard motor comprising a propulsion unit including a drive shaft housing, a lower unit rigidly connected to the bottom of said drive shaft housing and including a rotatably mounted propeller shaft supporting a propeller, first and second engines respectively including first and second crankshafts and being respectively mounted to the top of said drive shaft housing with said first and second crankshafts extending at an acute angle to each other, first and second drive shafts respectively drivingly connected to said first and second crankshafts and respectively extending in said drive shaft housing and in said lower unit in co-axial relation to said first and second crankshafts, and gearing in said lower unit drivingly connecting said first and second drive shafts to said propeller shaft and means adapted to be connected to a boat hull and connected to said propulsion unit to afford vertical and horizontal swinging movement of said propulsion unit relative to the boat hull.

Claim 3

An outboard motor in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first and second engines respectively include a plurality of cylinders extending in parallel relation to one another.

Claim 4

An outboard motor in accordance with claim 2 wherein all of said cylinders have axes extending parallel to said propeller shaft and said cylinders of said first engine extend forwardly of said first crankshaft and wherein said cylinders of said second engine extend rearwardly of said second crankshaft.

Claim 5

An outboard motor in accordance with claim 2 wherein said first and second engines are laterally spaced from each other.

Claim 6

An outboard motor in accordance with claim 2 wherein all of said cylinders have axis extending laterally to said propeller shaft and said cylinders of said first engine extend laterally from said first crankshaft in one direction and said cylinders of said second engine extend laterally from said second crankshaft in the direction opposite from said one direction.

Claim 7

An outboard motor in accordance with claim 2 wherein said first and second engines are spaced from each other in the direction of the axis of said propeller shaft.

Claim 8

An outboard motor in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first and second crankshafts extend at an acute angle to each other when viewed in a vertical plane perpendicular to said propeller shaft.

Claim 9

An outboard motor in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first and second crankshafts extend in parallel relation to each other when viewed in a vertical plane parallel to said propeller shaft.

Claim 10

An outboard motor in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first and second crankshafts extend at an acute angle to each other when viewed in a vertical plane extending parallel to said propeller shaft.

Claim 11

An outboard motor in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first and second crankshafts extend in a common vertical plane containing said propeller shaft.

Claim 12

An outboard motor in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first and second crankshafts counter rotate.

Claim 13

An outboard motor in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first and second crankshafts rotate in the same rotative direction.

Claim 14

An outboard motor propulsion unit including a drive shaft housing, a lower unit rigidly connected to the bottom of said drive shaft housing and including a rotatably mounted propeller shaft supporting a propeller, first and second engines mounted to the top of said drive shaft housing in laterally spaced relation to each other and respectively including respective first and second crankshafts, and respective pluralities of cylinders extending in parallel relation to one another in parallel relation to said propeller shaft with said cylinders of said first engine extending forwardly of said first crankshaft and said cylinders of said second engine extending rearwardly of said second crankshaft, first and second drive shafts respectively drivingly connected to said first and second crankshafts and respectively extending in said drive shaft housing and in said lower unit in co-axial relation to said first and second crankshafts, said first and second drive shafts extending at an acute angle to each other when viewed in a vertical plane perpendicular to said propeller shaft and extending in parallel relation to each other when viewed in a vertical plane parallel to said propeller shaft, and gearing in said lower unit drivingly connecting said first and second drive shafts to said propeller shaft.

Claim 15

An outboard motor propulsion unit including a drive shaft housing, a lower unit rigidly connected to the bottom of said drive shaft housing and including a rotatably mounted propeller shaft supporting a propeller, first and second engines mounted to the top of said drive shaft housing in laterally spaced relation to each other and respectively including respective first and second crankshafts, and respective pluralities of cylinders extending in parallel relation to one another in parallel relation to said propeller shaft with said cylinders of said first engine extending forwardly of said first crankshaft and said cylinders of said second engine extending rearwardly of said second crankshaft, first and second drive shafts respectively drivingly connected to said first and second crankshafts and respectively extending in said drive shaft housing and in said lower unit in co-axial relation to said first and second crankshafts, said first and second drive shafts extending at an acute angle to each other when viewed in a vertical plane perpendicular to said propeller shaft and extending in parallel relation to each other when viewed in a vertical plane parallel to said propeller shaft, and gearing in said lower unit drivingly connecting said first and second drive shafts to said propeller shaft.

Claim 16

An outboard motor propulsion unit in accordance with claim 13 wherein said first and second crankshafts counter rotate.

Claim 17

An outboard motor propulsion unit in accordance with claim 13 wherein said first and second crankshafts rotate in the same rotative direction.

Claim 18

An outboard motor propulsion unit including a drive shaft housing, a lower unit rigidly connected to the bottom of said drive shaft housing and including a rotatably mounted propeller shaft supporting a propeller, first and second engines respectively rigidly mounted to the top of said drive shaft housing in spaced relation to each other axially of said propeller shaft and including respective first and second crankshafts extending at an acute angle to each other, and respective pluralities of cylinders extending in parallel relation to one another with said cylinders of said first engine extending laterally from said first crankshaft in one direction and said cylinders of said second engine extending laterally from said second crankshaft in the direction opposite from said one direction, first and second drive shafts respectively drivingly connected to said first and second crankshafts and respectively extending in said drive shaft housing and in said lower unit in co-axial relation to said first and second crankshafts, said first and second drive shafts extending in a common vertical plane containing said propeller shaft and at an acute angle to each other when viewed in a vertical plane extending parallel to said propeller shaft, and gearing in said lower unit drivingly connecting said first and second drive shafts to said propeller shaft.

Claim 19

An outboard motor propulsion unit including a drive shaft housing, a lower unit rigidly connected to the bottom of said drive shaft housing and including a rotatably mounted propeller shaft supporting a propeller, first and second engines respectively rigidly mounted to the top of said drive shaft housing in spaced relation to each other axially of said propeller shaft and including respective first and second crankshafts extending at an acute angle to each other, and respective pluralities of cylinders extending in parallel relation to one another with said cylinders of said first engine extending laterally from said first crankshaft in one direction and said cylinders of said second engine extending laterally from said second crankshaft in the direction opposite from said one direction, first and second drive shafts respectively drivingly connected to said first and second crankshafts and respectively extending in said drive shaft housing and in said lower unit in co-axial relation to said first and second crankshafts, said first and second drive shafts extending in a common vertical plane containing said propeller shaft and at an acute angle to each other when viewed in a vertical plane extending parallel to said propeller shaft, and gearing in said lower unit drivingly connecting said first and second drive shafts to said propeller shaft.

Claim 20

An outboard motor propulsion unit in accordance with claim 16 wherein said first and second crankshafts counter rotate.

Claim 21

An outboard motor propulsion unit in accordance with claim 16 wherein said first and second crankshafts rotate in the same rotative direction.