Hydraulic trim/tilt system for outboard propulsion units

Claim 2

A hydraulic system for trimming and tilting of outboard drive units for boats, comprising pump means adapted to deliver hydraulic liquid from a liquid sump to a double acting cylinderpiston assembly, said cylinder-piston assembly being arranged between said tiltable drive unit and the boat or a stationary part of the drive, characterized by a valve unit, said valve unit being adjustable between a first position and a second position and comprising means for connecting said pump means to the chamber at the piston rod end of the cylinder and to the chamber at the piston end of the cylinder when said valve unit is in said first position to tilt said drive unit and for disconnecting said chamber at said piston rod end of said cylinder from said chamber at the piston end of said cylinder and for connecting said chamber at said piston rod end of said cylinder with said sump when said valve unit is in said second position to trim said drive unit, and manual control means for adjusting said valve unit between its said positions.

Claim 3

In a hydraulic system for trimming and tilting an outboard drive leg for boats about a horizontal tilt axis comprising a hydraulic liquid sump, a double acting hydraulic cylinder-piston assembly including a piston rod and having a cylinder with a piston therein dividing the space in the cylinder into a first chamber at the piston end and a second chamber at the piston rod end of said cylinder, means connecting said cylinder and rod between said leg and said boat and spanning said axis, and a reversible pressure liquid pump connected to said first chamber, valve means connected to said sump and to each of said chambers adjustable between a first and a second position and comprising means for connecting said second chamber to said first chamber when in said first position to tilt said drive leg and for connecting said second chamber to said sump when in said second position to trim said drive leg, and manual control means for adjusting said valve means between its said two positions.

Claim 4

In a hydraulic system for trimming and tilting an outboard drive leg for boats about a horizontal tilt axis comprising a hydraulic liquid sump, a double acting hydraulic cylinder-piston assembly including a piston rod and having a cylinder with a piston therein dividing the space in the cylinder into a first chamber at the piston end and a second chamber at the piston rod end of said cylinder, means connecting said cylinder and rod between said leg and said boat and spanning said axis, and a reversible pressure liquid pump connected to said first chamber, valve means connected to said sump and to each of said chambers adjustable between a first and a second position and comprising means for connecting said second chamber to said first chamber when in said first position to tilt said drive leg and for connecting said second chamber to said sump when in said second position to trim said drive leg, and manual control means for adjusting said valve means between its said two positions.

Claim 5

In a drive unit for a boat including a hydraulic system for trimming and tilting an outboard drive leg about a horizontal tilt axis, said system comprising a hydraulic liquid sump, a double acting hydraulic cylinder-piston assembly including a piston rod and having a cylinder with a piston therein dividing the space in the cylinder into a first chamber at the piston end and a second chamber at the piston rod end of said cylinder, means connecting said cylinder and rod between said leg and said boat and spanning said axis, and a source of pressure liquid connected to said first chamber, said unit comprising a forward, neutral and reverse gear transmission and manually movable means for shifting said gears, said system being characterized by including valve means connected to said sump and to each of said chambers adjustable between a first and a second position and comprising means for connecting said second chamber to said first chamber when in said first position to tilt said drive leg and for connecting said second chamBer to said sump when in said second position to trim said drive leg, and means coupling said valve means to said manually movable means for coordinate adjustment thereof between said positions in response to gear shifting movement of said manual means.

Claim 6

In a drive unit for a boat including a hydraulic system for trimming and tilting an outboard drive leg about a horizontal tilt axis, said system comprising a hydraulic liquid sump, a double acting hydraulic cylinder-piston assembly including a piston rod and having a cylinder with a piston therein dividing the space in the cylinder into a first chamber at the piston end and a second chamber at the piston rod end of said cylinder, means connecting said cylinder and rod between said leg and said boat and spanning said axis, and a source of pressure liquid connected to said first chamber, said unit comprising a forward, neutral and reverse gear transmission and manually movable means for shifting said gears, said system being characterized by including valve means connected to said sump and to each of said chambers adjustable between a first and a second position and comprising means for connecting said second chamber to said first chamber when in said first position to tilt said drive leg and for connecting said second chamBer to said sump when in said second position to trim said drive leg, and means coupling said valve means to said manually movable means for coordinate adjustment thereof between said positions in response to gear shifting movement of said manual means.

Claim 7

The combination according to claim 3, characterized in that said valve means is further adjustable into a third position into which it is adjusted in response to movement of said manually movable means into the position to shift said gear transmission into reverse, and said valve means further comprises means for closing off said second chamber when in said third position.

Claim 8

The combination according to claim 3 wherein said means coupling said valve means to said manually movable means includes a lost motion connection.

Claim 9

The combination according to claim 3 wherein said means connecting said valve means to said manually movable means includes a lost motion connection, and wherein, upon movement of said manually movable means to shift said transmission gears from reverse into neutral, said valve means is thereby adjusted into its said first position, and, upon further movement of said manually movable means to shift said transmission gears from neutral into forward gear, said valve means is adjusted thereby into its said second position, said lost motion connection being operative, upon return movement of said manually movable means from its forward gear position to shift said transmission gears into neutral, to render said connecting means inoperative to return said valve means into its said first position.

Claim 10

The combination according to claim 6, characterized in that said valve means is further adjustable into a third position into which it is adjusted in response to movement of said manually movable means into the position to shift said gear transmission into reverse, and said valve means further comprises means for closing off said second chamber when in said third position.

Claim 11

In a drive unit for a boat including a hydraulic system for trimming and tilting an outboard drive leg about a horizontal tilt axis, said system comprising a hydraulic fluid sump, a double acting hydraulic cylinder-piston assembly including a piston rod and having a cylinder with a piston therein dividing the space in the cylinder into a first chamber at the piston end and a second chamber at the piston rod end of said cylinder, means connecting said cylinder and rod between said leg and said boat and spanning said axis, and a selectively operable pressure fluid pump means connected to said first chamber, said unit comprising a forward, neutral and reverse gear transmission and manually movable gear shift means for shifting said gears between forward, neutral and reverse, said system being characterized by including valve means connected to said sump and to each of said chambers adjustable between first, second, third and fourth positions, said valve means comprising means to open hydraulic connection between said second chamber and said first chamber when in said first position, to open hydraulic connection between said second chamber and said sump in said second and third positions, and closing off hydraulic connection to said second chamber in said fourth position, means coupling said valve means to said manually movable means for adjustment thereof coordinate with movement of said manually movable means and operable to adjust said valve means into said first position in response to movement of said manually movable means to shift gears from reverse to neutral, to adjust said valve means into said second position in response to movement of said manually movable means to shift gears from neutral into forward, to adjust said valve means into said third position in response to movement of said manually movable means to shift gears from forward to neutral, and to adjust said valve means into said fourth position in response to movement of said manually movable means to shift gears from neutral into reverse, said lost motion meanS being effective, upon said movement of said manually movable means to shift gears from forward into neutral, to not adjust said valve means from said third to said first position and, upon said movement to shift gears from reverse into neutral, to not adjust said valve means from said first to said third position.

Claim 12

In a drive unit for a boat including a hydraulic system for trimming and tilting an outboard drive leg about a horizontal tilt axis, said system comprising a hydraulic fluid sump, a double acting hydraulic cylinder-piston assembly including a piston rod and having a cylinder with a piston therein dividing the space in the cylinder into a first chamber at the piston end and a second chamber at the piston rod end of said cylinder, means connecting said cylinder and rod between said leg and said boat and spanning said axis, and a selectively operable pressure fluid pump means connected to said first chamber, said unit comprising a forward, neutral and reverse gear transmission and manually movable gear shift means for shifting said gears between forward, neutral and reverse, said system being characterized by including valve means connected to said sump and to each of said chambers adjustable between first, second, third and fourth positions, said valve means comprising means to open hydraulic connection between said second chamber and said first chamber when in said first position, to open hydraulic connection between said second chamber and said sump in said second and third positions, and closing off hydraulic connection to said second chamber in said fourth position, means coupling said valve means to said manually movable means for adjustment thereof coordinate with movement of said manually movable means and operable to adjust said valve means into said first position in response to movement of said manually movable means to shift gears from reverse to neutral, to adjust said valve means into said second position in response to movement of said manually movable means to shift gears from neutral into forward, to adjust said valve means into said third position in response to movement of said manually movable means to shift gears from forward to neutral, and to adjust said valve means into said fourth position in response to movement of said manually movable means to shift gears from neutral into reverse, said lost motion meanS being effective, upon said movement of said manually movable means to shift gears from forward into neutral, to not adjust said valve means from said third to said first position and, upon said movement to shift gears from reverse into neutral, to not adjust said valve means from said first to said third position.