Patent ID: 6406340
Filing Date: 2002-06-18
Classification: B63H

Abstract:
A hydraulic steering assembly for applying a force to tillers of two or more marine, outboard propulsion units and, accordingly, rotating each said propulsion unit about a steering axis between a center position and hard over positions to each side of the center position, the propulsion units being supported for arcuate movement about a tilt axis which is generally perpendicular to the steering axis, the steering assembly comprising:a hydraulic steering cylinder; an elongated piston rod reciprocatingly mounted within the cylinder for movement along a piston rod axis; a pair of support arms which are pivotable about the tilt axis of a first said propulsion unit and are connected to the piston rod, allowing arcuate movement of the rod about the tilt axis, while maintaining the rod axis parallel to the tilt axis; a member pivotally mounted on the tiller of said first propulsion unit for pivoting about a first link axis which is parallel to the steering axis; a cylinder arm connected to the cylinder, which extends radially outwards from the piston rod axis, the cylinder arm being pivotally connected to the member for pivoting about a second link axis which is parallel to the piston rod axis, the cylinder arm moving through a rotational position, when the first propulsion unit rotates from the center position to either of said hard over positions, where the second link axis and the rod axis are on a plane parallel to the steering axis of the first propulsion unit; and a tie-bar pivotally connected to the member and to a second said propulsion unit.