Dual station rotary cable steering system

Claim 2

A steering system comprising a marine propulsion device including a steerable part and a rotatable member connected to said steerable part and effective to cause steering movement of said part upon rotation of said member, a helm housing including a rotatable steering shaft, a first flexible cable including an outer sheath and a rotatable inner core, a first gear box including a housing connected to said outer sheath and to said marine propulsion device, said housing including therein a rotatably mounted gear coupled to Said rotatable member for common rotation therewith, said housing also including therein a rotatably mounted pinion coupled to said inner core for common rotation therewith and in mesh with said gear, and a second gear box connected to said outer sheath and to said helm housing and including a rotatably mounted gear coupled to said steering shaft for common rotation therewith and a rotatably mounted pinion coupled to said inner core for common rotation therewith and in mesh with said gear in said second gear box.

Claim 3

A steering system comprising a marine propulsion device including a steerable part and a rotatable member connected to said steerable part and effective to cause steering movement of said part upon rotation of said member, a helm housing including a rotatable steering shaft, a first flexible cable including an outer sheath and a rotatable inner core, a first gear box connected to said outer sheath and to said marine propulsion device and including a rotatably mounted gear coupled to said rotatable member for common rotation therewith and a rotatably mounted pinion coupled to said inner core for common rotation therewith and in mesh with said gear, a second gearbox connected to said outer sheath and to said helm housing and including a rotatably mounted gear coupled to said steering shaft for common rotation therewith and a rotatably mounted pinion coupled to said inner core for common rotation therewith and in mesh with said gear in said second gear box, a second marine propulsion device including a steerable part and a rotatable member connected to said steerable part and effective to cause steering movement thereof in response to rotation of said member of said second marine propulsion device, a third gear box connected to said second marine propulsion device and including a rotatably mounted gear coupled to said rotatable member of said second marine propulsion device for common rotation therewith and a pinion in mesh with said last mentioned gear, a coupling interposed between said first gear box and said first flexible cable and including a first rotatably supported part coupled to said pinion of said first gear box for common rotation therewith, a second rotatably supported part coupled to said inner core of said first flexible cable for common rotation therewith, a third rotatably supported part, and means connecting said first and second and third parts of said coupling for common rotation, and a second flexible cable including an outer sheath connected to said coupling and to said third gear box and a rotary inner core coupled to said pinion of said third gear box for common rotation therewith and to said third part of said coupling for common rotation therewith.

Claim 4

A steering system comprising a marine propulsion device including a steerable part and a rotatable member connected to said steerable part and effective to cause steering movement of said part upon rotation of said member, a helm housing including a rotatable steering shaft, a first flexible cable including an outer sheath and a rotatable inner core, a first gear box connected to said outer sheath and to said marine propulsion device and including a rotatably mounted gear coupled to said rotatable member for common rotation therewith and a rotatably mounted pinion coupled to said inner core for common rotation therewith and in mesh with said gear, a second gearbox connected to said outer sheath and to said helm housing and including a rotatably mounted gear coupled to said steering shaft for common rotation therewith and a rotatably mounted pinion coupled to said inner core for common rotation therewith and in mesh with said gear in said second gear box, a second marine propulsion device including a steerable part and a rotatable member connected to said steerable part and effective to cause steering movement thereof in response to rotation of said member of said second marine propulsion device, a third gear box connected to said second marine propulsion device and including a rotatably mounted gear coupled to said rotatable member of said second marine propulsion device for common rotation therewith and a pinion in mesh with said last mentioned gear, a coupling interposed between said first gear box and said first flexible cable and including a first rotatably supported part coupled to said pinion of said first gear box for common rotation therewith, a second rotatably supported part coupled to said inner core of said first flexible cable for common rotation therewith, a third rotatably supported part, and means connecting said first and second and third parts of said coupling for common rotation, and a second flexible cable including an outer sheath connected to said coupling and to said third gear box and a rotary inner core coupled to said pinion of said third gear box for common rotation therewith and to said third part of said coupling for common rotation therewith.

Claim 5

A steering system in accordance with claim 2 and further including a second helm station including a rotatable steering shaft member, a fourth gear box connected to said second helm station and including a rotatably mounted gear coupled to said steering shaft member of said second helm station for common rotation therewith and a pinion in mesh with said last mentioned gear, a second coupling interposed between said second gear box and said first flexible cable and including a first rotatably supported part coupled to said pinion of said second gear box for common rotation therewith, a second rotatably supported part coupled to said first flexible cable for common rotation therewith, a third rotatably supported part, and means connecting said first and second and third parts of said second coupling for common rotation, and a third flexible cable including an outer sheath connected to said second coupling and to said fourth gear box and an inner rotary core coupled to said pinion of said fourth gear box for common rotation therewith and to said third part of said second coupling for common rotation therewith.

Claim 6

A steering system in accordance with claim 2 and further including a second helm station including a rotatable steering shaft member, a fourth gear box connected to said second helm station and including a rotatably mounted gear coupled to said steering shaft member of said second helm station for common rotation therewith and a pinion in mesh with said last mentioned gear, a second coupling interposed between said third gear box and said second flexible cable and including a first rotatably supported part coupled to said pinion of said third gear box for common rotation therewith, a second rotatably supported part coupled to said second end of said second flexible cable for common rotation therewith, a third rotatably supported part, and means connecting said first and second and third parts of said second coupling for common rotation, and a third flexible cable including an outer sheath connected to said second coupling and to said fourth gear box and a rotary inner core having one end coupled to said pinion of said fourth gear box for common rotation therewith and a second end connected to said third part of said second coupling for common rotation therewith.

Claim 7

A steering system comprising a marine propulsion device including a steerable part and a rotatable member connected to said steerable part and effective to cause steering movement of said part upon rotation of said member, a helm housing including a rotatable steering shaft, a first flexible cable including an outer sheath and a rotatable inner core, a first gear box conencted to said outer sheath and to said marine propulsion device and including a rotatably mounted gear coupled to said rotatable member for common rotation therewith and a rotatably mounted pinion coupled to said inner core for common rotation therewith and in mesh with said gear, a second gear box connected to said outer sheath and to said helm housing and including a rotatably mounted gear coupled to said steering shaft for common rotation therewith and a rotatably mounted pinion coupled to said inner core for common rotation therewith and in mesh with said gear in said second gear box, a second helm station including a rotatable steering shaft member, a third gear box connected to said second helm station and including a rotatably mounted gear coupled to said steering shaft member of said second helm station for common rotation therewith and a pinion in mesh with said last mentioned gear, a coupling interposed between said second gear box and said first flexible cable and including a first rotatably supported part coupled to said pinion of said second gear box for common rotation therewith, a second rotatably supported part coupled to said inner core of said first flexible cable for common rotation therewith, a third rotatably supported part, and means connecting said first and second and third parts of said coupling for common rotation, and a second flexible cable including an outer sheath connected to said coupling and to said third gear box and a rotary inner core coupled to said pinion of said third gear box for common rotation therewith and to said third part of said coupling for common rotation therewith.

Claim 8

A steering system comprising a marine propulsion device including a steerable part and a rotatable member connected to said steerable part and effective to cause steering movement of said part upon rotation of said member, a helm housing including a rotatable steering shaft, a first flexible cable including an outer sheath and a rotatable inner core, a first gear box conencted to said outer sheath and to said marine propulsion device and including a rotatably mounted gear coupled to said rotatable member for common rotation therewith and a rotatably mounted pinion coupled to said inner core for common rotation therewith and in mesh with said gear, a second gear box connected to said outer sheath and to said helm housing and including a rotatably mounted gear coupled to said steering shaft for common rotation therewith and a rotatably mounted pinion coupled to said inner core for common rotation therewith and in mesh with said gear in said second gear box, a second helm station including a rotatable steering shaft member, a third gear box connected to said second helm station and including a rotatably mounted gear coupled to said steering shaft member of said second helm station for common rotation therewith and a pinion in mesh with said last mentioned gear, a coupling interposed between said second gear box and said first flexible cable and including a first rotatably supported part coupled to said pinion of said second gear box for common rotation therewith, a second rotatably supported part coupled to said inner core of said first flexible cable for common rotation therewith, a third rotatably supported part, and means connecting said first and second and third parts of said coupling for common rotation, and a second flexible cable including an outer sheath connected to said coupling and to said third gear box and a rotary inner core coupled to said pinion of said third gear box for common rotation therewith and to said third part of said coupling for common rotation therewith.

Claim 9

A steering system in accordance with claim 5 and further including a second marine propulsion device including a steerable part and a rotatable member connected to said steerable part and effective to cause steering movement thereof in response to rotation of said member, a fourth gear box connected to said second marine propulsion device and including a rotatably mounted gear coupled to said rotatable member of said second marine propulsion device for common rotation therewith and a pinion in mesh with said last mentioned gear, a second coupling interposed between said third gear box and said second flexible cable and including a first rotatably supported part coupled to said pinion of said third gear box for common rotation therewith, a second rotatably supported part coupled to said second flexible cable for common rotation therewith, a third rotatably supported part, and means connecting said first and second and third parts of said coupling for common rotation, and a third flexible cable includinG an outer sheath connected to said second coupling and to said fourth gear box and an inner rotary core coupled to said pinion of said fourth gear box for common rotation therewith and to said third part of said second coupling for common rotation therewith.

Claim 10

A steering system comprising a marine propulsion device including a steerable part and a rotatable member connected to said steerable part and effective to cause steering movement of said part upon rotation of said member, a helm housing including a rotatable steering shaft, a first flexible cable including an outer sheath and a rotatable inner core, a first gear box connected to said outer sheath and to said marine propulsion device and including a rotatably mounted gear coupled to said rotatable member for common rotation therewith and a rotatably mounted pinion coupled to said inner core for common rotation therewith and in mesh with said gear, and a second gear box connected to said outer sheath and to said helm housing and including a rotatably mounted gear coupled to said steering shaft for common rotation therewith and a rotatably mounted pinion coupled to said inner core for common rotation therewith and in mesh with said gear in said second gear box, said first and second gear boxes being constructed from substantially identical parts and each including a first housing member including a cup portion and a transverse wall portion with an exterior part of non circular cross section and a central aperture, and a second housing member including a cup portion telescopically engaged with said cup portion of said first housing member and a transverse wall portion spaced from said transverse wall portion of said first housing member and including an exterior part of non circular cross section, and a central aperture coaxial with said central aperture of said first housing member.

Claim 11

A steering system comprising a marine propulsion device including a steerable part and a rotatable member connected to said steerable part and effective to cause steering movement of said part upon rotation of said member, a helm housing including a rotatable steering shaft, a first flexible cable including an outer sheath and a rotatable inner core, a first gear box connected to said outer sheath and to said marine propulsion device and including a rotatably mounted gear coupled to said rotatable member for common rotation therewith and a rotatably mounted pinion coupled to said inner core for common rotation therewith and in mesh with said gear, and a second gear box connected to said outer sheath and to said helm housing and including a rotatably mounted gear coupled to said steering shaft for common rotation therewith and a rotatably mounted pinion coupled to said inner core for common rotation therewith and in mesh with said gear in said second gear box, said first and second gear boxes being constructed from substantially identical parts and each including a first housing member including a cup portion and a transverse wall portion with an exterior part of non circular cross section and a central aperture, and a second housing member including a cup portion telescopically engaged with said cup portion of said first housing member and a transverse wall portion spaced from said transverse wall portion of said first housing member and including an exterior part of non circular cross section, and a central aperture coaxial with said central aperture of said first housing member.

Claim 12

A steering system in accordance with claim 7 and further including means for preventing relative rotation between said first and second housing members.

Claim 13

A steering system in accordance with claim 8 wherein each of said housing members respectively includes a bearing located axially inwardly of said central aperture.

Claim 14

A steering system in accordance with claim 9 wherein said gears of said first and second gear boxes are respectively journaled by said bearings in said first and second gear boxes and each of said gears includes a central opening of non circular cross section.

Claim 15

A steering system in accordance with claim 10 wherein said second housing members respectively include third portions extending radially outwardly from said cup portions and including respective central bores communicating with said cup portions, respective shafts including respective first ends with female sockets and respective second ends respectively having thereon said pinions, and means respectively supporting said shafts in said bores for rotation therein and for preventing movement therein axially of said bores and with said pinions in respective mesh with said gears.

Claim 16

A steering system in accordance with claim 11 wherein said third housing portions respectively include sleeve sections extending from said cup portions and respective covers closing said sleeve sections and each respectively including therein a central opening and a tubular nipple part in co-axial relation to said central opening and including an external thread.