Shifting apparatus for a propelling unit for a vessel

Claim 2

In a shifting arrangement for a marine propelling unit or the like comprising an outer housing journalling an output shaft, a pair of oppositely rotating gears journalled on said output shaft, a clutch element rotatably coupled to said output shaft and axially movable relative thereto for selective driving engagement with said gears for driving said output shaft in a selected direction of rotation, a plunger for axially moving said clutch element, an operating element supported for reciprocation and operatively connected to said plunger for operating said plunger to shift said clutch element, and an elongated control rod, the improvement comprising said outer housing having an opening through which said control rod is inserted in an axial direction, said control rod having integral actuating means for reciprocating said operating element upon rotation of said control element, said integral actuating means being sized to pass through said outer housing opening.

Claim 3

In a shifting arrangement as set forth in claim 1 wherein the output shaft is supported for rotation within a lower unit housing, the control rod having a pair of integral bearing portions thereon journalled in said lower unit housing, the actuating means being positioned between said bearing portions.

Claim 4

In a shifting arrangement as set forth in claim 2 wherein the actuating means comprises an integral crank pin formed on the control rod and having an axis disposed eccentrically to the axis of rotation of the control rod.

Claim 5

In a shifting arrangement as set forth in claim 3 wherein the plunger is supported within a bore in the output shaft and is operatively connected to the operating element for simultaneous axial movement with said operating element and for rotation relative to said operating element, the control rod eccentric crank pin being disposed in a slot in said operating element for reciprocating said operating element upon rotation of said control rod.

Claim 6

In a shifting arrangement as set forth in claim 4 further including detent means cooperable with the control rod contiguous to the actuating means and being constructed to provide a predetermined resistance to rotation of said control rod, and further including a handle affixed to an end of said control rod spaced from the bearing portions, the intermediate portion of said control rod being sufficient resilient for relative rotation of said end portion relative to said actuating means upon operation of said end portion by an operator until the predetermined force required to release said detent means is exceeded for release of the resilient force stored in said intermediate portion upon release of said detent means for providing a spring force for driving said clutch into engagement with the selected of said driven gears.

Claim 7

In a shifting mechanism for coupling a driving mechanism to a driven mechanism comprising a pair of relatively movable positive clutching elements each operatively connected for rotation with a respective one of said mechanisms, said clutching elements being relatively movable between an engaged position and a disengaged position, and actuating means for moving said clutching elements relative to each other between their engaged and disengaged positions including an element having a first end portion adapted to be moved by an operator for actuating said clutching elements, a second end portion cooperable with said clutching elements for their relative movement and a resilient intermediate portion, the improvement comprising detent means engageable with a portion of said element contiguous to said second end portion for releasably restraining said second end portion in a neutral position, said intermediate portion being sufficiently resilient for relative rotation of said first and second end portions upon operation of said first end portion by an operator until the predetermined force required to release said detent means is exceeded for release of the resilient force stored in said intermediate portion upon release of said detent means for providing a spring force for driving said clutching elements into engagement.

Claim 8

In a shifting mechanism for coupling a driving mechanism to a driven mechanism comprising a pair of relatively movable positive clutching elements each operatively connected for rotation with a respective one of said mechanisms, said clutching elements being relatively movable between an engaged position and a disengaged position, and actuating means for moving said clutching elements relative to each other between their engaged and disengaged positions including an element having a first end portion adapted to be moved by an operator for actuating said clutching elements, a second end portion cooperable with said clutching elements for their relative movement and a resilient intermediate portion, the improvement comprising detent means engageable with a portion of said element contiguous to said second end portion for releasably restraining said second end portion in a neutral position, said intermediate portion being sufficiently resilient for relative rotation of said first and second end portions upon operation of said first end portion by an operator until the predetermined force required to release said detent means is exceeded for release of the resilient force stored in said intermediate portion upon release of said detent means for providing a spring force for driving said clutching elements into engagement.

Claim 9

A shifting mechanism as set forth in claim 6 further including a third positive clutching element, said second clutching element being selectively movable into engagement with either of said first or said third clutching elements, said actuating means being operative to move said second clutching element into clutching engagement with either of said first and third clutching elements, said detent means being operative to hold said second end portion in a neutral disengaged position.

Claim 10

A shifting mechanism as set forth in claim 7 wherein the second clutching element is supported for axial movement and is disposed between the first and third clutching elements.

Claim 11

A shifting mechanism as set forth in claim 8 wherein the second clutching element is slidably supported upon an output shaft which comprises the driven mechanism and is keyed for rotation with said output shaft.

Claim 12

A shifting mechanism as set forth in claim 9 wherein the actuating means comprises a torsion bar.