Marine power transmission system

Claim 2

In a power transmission system for a boat including a main propulsion engine, a pair of spaced apart propeller shafts, and a propeller mounted on each of said propeller shafts, a transmission unit comprising: a housing; an input shaft mounted on said housing, said input shaft including means for drivingly coupling said engine to said input shaft; first and second input gears connected to said input shaft to be driven thereby; idler gear means meshed with said second input gear; a pair of output shafts mounted on said housing and means drivingly connecting said output shafts to respective ones of said propeller shafts; and, a forward drive gear rotatably mounted on one of said output shafts and meshed with said first input gear, and a forward drive gear rotatably mounted on said other output shaft and meshed with said idler gear means; and, forward and reverse clutches associated with each of said output shafts for drivingly connecting said input shaft to said output shafts, said forward clutches being disposed for connecting said forwarD drive gears to said output shafts, respectively, said forward and reverse clutches being selectively fully engageable whereby said propeller shafts may be driven at the same speed, said forward and reverse clutches being operable at a controlled slip condition for changing the speed of one propeller shaft with respect to the other propeller shaft to effect turning movements of said boat.

Claim 3

The invention set forth in claim 1 wherein: said transmission unit includes a reverse drive gear rotatably mounted on said one output shaft and meshed with said idler gear means and a reverse drive gear rotatably mounted on said other output shaft and meshed with said first input gear, and said reverse clutches are disposed for connecting said reverse drive gears to said output shafts, respectively.

Claim 4

The invention set forth in claim 2 wherein: said forward and reverse clutches are multiple disk fluid actuated clutches.

Claim 5

In a power transmission system for a boat including a main propulsion engine, pair of spaced apart propeller shafts, and a propeller mounted on each of said propeller shafts, a transmission unit comprising: a housing; a first input shaft mounted on said housing and projecting from one side of said housinng, said first input shaft incluuding means for drivingly coupling said engine to said first input shaft; first and second input gears connected to said input shaft to be driven thereby; idler gear means meshed with said second input gear; a pair of output shafts mounted on said housing in spaced apart and parallel relationship and projecting from a side of said housing opposite said one side; means drivingly connecting said output shafts to respective ones of said propeller shafts; a forward drive gear rotatably mounted on one of said output shafts and meshed with said first input gear, and a forward drive gear rotatably mounted on said other output shaft and meshed with said idler gear means; a reverse drive gear rotatably mounted on said one output shaft and meshed with said idler gear means, and a reverse drive gear rotatably mounted on said other output shaft and meshed with said first input gear; and, forward and reverse clutches associated with each of said output shafts and selectively engageable for drivingly connecting said input shaft to said output shafts by way of said forward and reverse drive gears respectively.

Claim 6

In a power transmission system for a boat including a main propulsion engine, pair of spaced apart propeller shafts, and a propeller mounted on each of said propeller shafts, a transmission unit comprising: a housing; a first input shaft mounted on said housing and projecting from one side of said housinng, said first input shaft incluuding means for drivingly coupling said engine to said first input shaft; first and second input gears connected to said input shaft to be driven thereby; idler gear means meshed with said second input gear; a pair of output shafts mounted on said housing in spaced apart and parallel relationship and projecting from a side of said housing opposite said one side; means drivingly connecting said output shafts to respective ones of said propeller shafts; a forward drive gear rotatably mounted on one of said output shafts and meshed with said first input gear, and a forward drive gear rotatably mounted on said other output shaft and meshed with said idler gear means; a reverse drive gear rotatably mounted on said one output shaft and meshed with said idler gear means, and a reverse drive gear rotatably mounted on said other output shaft and meshed with said first input gear; and, forward and reverse clutches associated with each of said output shafts and selectively engageable for drivingly connecting said input shaft to said output shafts by way of said forward and reverse drive gears respectively.

Claim 7

The invention set forth in claim 4 wherein: said transmission unit includes a second input shaft mounted on said housing and projecting from said side of said housing opposite said one side; and, gear means for drivingly connecting said second input shaft to said first input shaft.

Claim 8

The invention set forth in claim 5 wherein: said means for drivingly coupling said engine to said first input shaft includes one way clutch means.

Claim 9

A power transmission system for a boat comprising: a main propulsion engine disposed in said boat; a pair of spaced apart propeller shafts, and a propeller mounted on each of said propeller shafts; a power transmission unit including an input shaft drivenly connected to said engine, a pair of output shafts and means for drivingly connecting each of said output shafts to respective ones of said propeller shafts; pressure fluid actuated clutches associated with each of said output shafts for drivingly connecting said input shaft to said output shafts, said clutches being responsive to the actuating fluid pressure condition to be completely engaged and disengaged and to be operated at a controlled slip condition for reducing the speed of the associated output shaft with respect to the input shaft; and, control valve means for selectively controlling the pressure of said actuating fluid acting on each of said clutches whereby each of said clutches may be completely engaged and disengaged for driving the respective output shafts and associated propeller shafts simultaneously and independently, and whereby eAch of said clutches may be operated at a selectively controlled slip condition for reducing the speed of one of said propeller shafts with respect to the other to effect turning movements of said boat.

Claim 10

A power transmission system for a boat comprising: a main propulsion engine disposed in said boat; a pair of spaced apart propeller shafts, and a propeller mounted on each of said propeller shafts; a power transmission unit including an input shaft drivenly connected to said engine, a pair of output shafts and means for drivingly connecting each of said output shafts to respective ones of said propeller shafts; pressure fluid actuated clutches associated with each of said output shafts for drivingly connecting said input shaft to said output shafts, said clutches being responsive to the actuating fluid pressure condition to be completely engaged and disengaged and to be operated at a controlled slip condition for reducing the speed of the associated output shaft with respect to the input shaft; and, control valve means for selectively controlling the pressure of said actuating fluid acting on each of said clutches whereby each of said clutches may be completely engaged and disengaged for driving the respective output shafts and associated propeller shafts simultaneously and independently, and whereby eAch of said clutches may be operated at a selectively controlled slip condition for reducing the speed of one of said propeller shafts with respect to the other to effect turning movements of said boat.

Claim 11

The invention set forth in claim 7 wherein: said clutches for drivingly connecting said input shaft to said output shaft comprise forward and reverse clutches associated with each of said output shafts, said forward and reverse clutches being selectively engageable and disengageable to provide for driving the respective output shafts in forward and reverse directions simultaneously and independently.

Claim 12

The invention set forth in claim 8 wherein: said forward and reverse clutches associated with each of said output shafts are multiple disk fluid actuated clutches responsive to the actuating fluid pressure condition to be completely engaged and disengaged and to be operated at a selectively controlled slip condition for reducing the speed of the associated output shaft with respect to the input shaft.

Claim 13

The invention set forth in claim 8 wherein: said control valve means includes a single operating lever for actuating said control valve means to valve pressure fluid to said forward and reverse clutches to selectively effect full engagement of both of said forward clutches and both of said reverse clutches.

Claim 14

A power transmission system for a boat comprising: a main propulsion engine disposed in said boat; a pair of spaced apart propeller shafts, and a propeller mounted on each of said propeller shafts; a power transmission unit including an input shaft drivenly connected to said engine, a pair of output shafts and means for drivingly connecting each of said output shafts to respective ones of said propeller shafts; pressure fluid actuated forward and reverse clutches associated with each of said output shafts for drivingly connecting said input shaft to said output shafts, said clutches being responsive to the actuating fluid pressure condition to be selectively completely engaged and disengaged for driving the respective output shafts in forward and reverse directions simultaneously and independently and to be operated at a controlled slip condition for reducing the speed of the associated output shaft with respect to the input shaft; and, control valve means including a single operating lever for controlling the pressure of said actuating fluid acting on each of said clutches so that both of said forward clutches or both of said reverse clutches may be completely engaged to drive said output shafts and associated propeller shafts simultaneously and so that each of said clutches may be disengaged to effect driving of the respective output shafts independently, said control valve means including pressure control means operable in response to means selectively controlling the fluid pressure acting on said clutches movement of said operating lever for effect a selectively controlled slip condition of a forward or reverse clutch associated with one of said output shafts while the corresponding forward or reverse clutch associated with the other output shafts remains completely engaged.

Claim 15

A power transmission system for a boat comprising: a main propulsion engine disposed in said boat; a pair of spaced apart propeller shafts, and a propeller mounted on each of said propeller shafts; a power transmission unit including an input shaft drivenly connected to said engine, a pair of output shafts and means for drivingly connecting each of said output shafts to respective ones of said propeller shafts; pressure fluid actuated forward and reverse clutches associated with each of said output shafts for drivingly connecting said input shaft to said output shafts, said clutches being responsive to the actuating fluid pressure condition to be selectively completely engaged and disengaged for driving the respective output shafts in forward and reverse directions simultaneously and independently and to be operated at a controlled slip condition for reducing the speed of the associated output shaft with respect to the input shaft; and, control valve means including a single operating lever for controlling the pressure of said actuating fluid acting on each of said clutches so that both of said forward clutches or both of said reverse clutches may be completely engaged to drive said output shafts and associated propeller shafts simultaneously and so that each of said clutches may be disengaged to effect driving of the respective output shafts independently, said control valve means including pressure control means operable in response to means selectively controlling the fluid pressure acting on said clutches movement of said operating lever for effect a selectively controlled slip condition of a forward or reverse clutch associated with one of said output shafts while the corresponding forward or reverse clutch associated with the other output shafts remains completely engaged.

Claim 16

The invention set forth in claim 11 wherein: said control valve means comprises a control unit including a housing and a movable valve closure member disposed in said housing, said operating lever is movable laterally from side to side and to forward and reverse positions for moving said closure member to valve pressure fluid to both of said forward clutches and to both of said reverse clutches in response to movement of said operating lever to said forward and reverse positions, respectively.

Claim 17

The invention set forth in claim 12 wherein: said pressure control means comprises respective pressure control valve means operable to reduce the fluid pressure acting on said respective forward and reverse clutches, said pressure control valve means including actuating members engageable with said operating lever aNd responsive to said lateral movement of said operating lever for causing said pressure control valve means to change the fluid pressure acting on said clutches.

Claim 18

The invention set forth in claim 13 wherein: said pressure control valve means includes means responsive to progressive lateral movement of said operating lever for decreasing fluid pressure acting on one of said forward or reverse clutches connected to one of said propeller shafts to a pressure condition resulting in total disengagement of said clutch and said pressure control valve means is responsive to further lateral movement of said operating lever to valve pressure fluid to the actuating means of the other clutch connected to said one propeller shaft for engaging said other clutch to reverse the direction of rotation of said one propeller shaft.

Claim 19

The invention set forth in claim 14 wherein: said pressure control valve means includes a pair of movable valve members disposed in said housing, and said actuating members are engageable with said valve members for moving one or the other of said valve members in response to lateral movement of said operating lever.