Bearing carrier puller for outboard motors

A bearing carrier puller for outboard motors including a generally bell shaped puller block, the large end face of which provides a plurality of concentric grooves for selective seated engagement about a peripheral ridge defining an opening about the propeller shaft in the lower unit of an outboard motor. An elongated exteriorly threaded sleeve extends through the bell shaped puller block with an inner end thereof seated against the thrust hub of the propeller shaft and a nut is threaded on the sleeve outwardly of the smaller outer end of the puller block with a thrust washer interposed therebetween. Outwardly of the nut a ring member is secured to the sleeve by a plurality of set screws and an elongated handle extends radially outwardly from the ring for abutting engagement with an above portion of the motor housing. The threaded end portion of the propeller shaft extends outwardly of the sleeve and said sleeve is secured about the outer end of the propeller shaft by a washer and nut engaged on the threaded end portion. A suitable wrench is engaged on the sleeve nut which is turned clockwisely, the elongated handle locks against the lower unit housing confining the threaded sleeve to axial movement only, thereby pulling the propeller shaft, bearing carrier and reverse gear free of its secured engagement in the housing.

BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
The present invention pertains to a bearing puller for outboard motors and 
more particularly to a tool of this nature which is secured in a 
circumferential disposition about the exposed outer end of the propeller 
shaft of an outboard motor after the propeller and lower unit cover nut 
has been removed. Means are provided to exert an axially outwardly 
centered force to the outer screw threaded end of the propeller shaft to 
remove said shaft, bearing carrier and reverse gear. 
As currently practiced, a slide hammer assembly is employed. The slide 
hammer has long puller jaws which are employed to hook over radially 
extending flanges within the bearing carrier chamber of the lower unit, 
the carrier is pulled out by utilizing the slide hammer, sequentially 
tapping on one side and then the other to exert a pull on these bearing 
flanges. This operation often results in a cocking of the bearing carrier 
and frequently the radially inwardly extending flanges break off. It is 
then necessary to chisel the unit out, a time consuming and wasteful 
operation. 
Therefore one of the principal objects of the present invention is to 
provide a tool which surrounds the extended propeller carrying end of the 
propeller shaft of an outboard motor after the propeller and the lower 
unit cover nut have been removed and to provide means to actuate the tool 
in a manner whereby a circumferentially uniform pressure is exerted 
between the propeller shaft and a housing lip surrounding the shaft, which 
pressure provides an axially centered force to withdraw the propeller 
shaft, bearing housing and reverse gear from the lower unit housing 
without causing damage thereto. 
Another object of the invention is to provide such a tool which is 
applicable for use with various sizes of motors on most through hub 
exhaust lower units of both outboard and inboard-outboard types of motors.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
With reference to the drawings and particularly to FIG. 1, the lower unit 
of a typical outboard motor, shown partially in cross section, is 
indicated generally at 10, with the puller tool assembly of the present 
invention, designated generally at 12, operably engaged thereon with the 
propeller and lower unit cover nut removed. The conventional propeller 
shaft is designated generally at 14, the thrust hub thereof at 16, bearing 
carrier 18 and reverse gear 20, these elements are illustrated in their 
assembled operating positions and various structural details of the lower 
unit have been omitted or simplified for the sake of clarity. The present 
invention pertains to the puller tool 12, the purpose of which is to 
safely and easily dislodge the above described assembly and will 
hereinafter be referred to as a bearing carrier puller, the propeller 
shaft 14, and reverse gear 20 are in assembly with said bearing carrier 
18. 
The bearing carrier puller 12 includes a generally bell shaped puller block 
22, slidably engaged over an exteriorly threaded sleeve 24. A nut 26 is 
threaded on sleeve 24 outwardly of puller block 22 with a thrust washer 28 
interposed therebetween. Outwardly of the nut 26 a ring 30, normally 
loosely disposed about an outer end portion of threaded sleeve 24, 
includes an elongated radially outwardly extending abutment handle 32. 
In use, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the enlarged open mouth end 34 of the 
bell shaped block 22 defines an inner annular face 36 provided with a 
plurality of concentric annular recesses or grooves such as 38, 39 as best 
illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 5. Recess 39 as seen in FIG. 1 engages over the 
annular flared opening or lip 40 conventionally defined in the lower units 
of outboard motors or outdrive units of inboard-outboard motors. Two or 
more recesses or grooves 38, 39 are preferable to accommodate motors of 
different horsepower sizes. 
With the bell shaped block so positioned the threaded sleeve 24 is disposed 
in abutment with the thrust hub 16 of propeller shaft 14 and is of a 
length somewhat shorter than the propeller carrier portion 44 of shaft 14 
to permit the threaded distal end 46 thereof to extend partially 
therebeyond for the reception of a washer 48 and nut 50. Nut 50 is 
tightened to securely confine the threaded sleeve 24 between washer 48 and 
thrust hub 16. 
As best illustrated in FIG. 4, a plurality of set screws 52, engaged 
through ring 30, are set to securely lock the ring 30 to the sleeve 24. 
Any appropriate type of conventional wrench is then applied to nut 26 
which is turned clockwisely, with right hand threads. The initial turning 
of nut 26 will rotate the sleeve 24 and ring 30 until handle 32 locks 
against portion 54 of the motor housing. Subsequent turning of nut 26 will 
cause the threaded sleeve 24 to travel axially outwardly along the axis of 
propeller shaft 14, causing the withdrawal in assembly, of the shaft 14, 
bearing carrier 18 and reverse gear 20. An annular clearance 56 is 
provided in the bell shaped block 22 to receive the thrust hub 16 of 
propeller shaft 14 to a depth sufficient to unseat the bearing shaft, 
bearing carrier and reverse gear 14, 18 and 20 in assembly. 
The circumferentially uniform pressure exerted between the propeller shaft, 
by means of washer and nut 48, 50, and the lip 40 of the housing centers 
the forces along the normal axial position of the propeller shaft and 
thereby eliminates any cocking tendencies such as results from the use of 
a slide hammer as previously described.