Steering handle

Several embodiments of steering controls for connection to larger displacement outboard motors that are normally remotely controlled. Each tiller assembly includes at least a throttle control that is connected to the throttle control cable of the outboard motor and a transmission control that is connected to the transmission control cable of the outboard motor. In addition, embodiments of interlocks are depicted that are supported in the tiller assembly and which control the maximum speed of the engine when the transmission is in neutral or reverse and which also prevents shifting into these speeds when the outboard motor is being operated at speeds higher than the those maximum permitted in their respective transmission speeds.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to a steering handle for an outboard motor and more 
particularly to a steering handle and associated controls useable in 
conjunction with outboard motors. 
As is well known, outboard motors are highly popular types of propulsion 
devices for watercraft of a wide variety of types and sizes. Basically, 
the smaller sized watercraft are powered by smaller displacement and 
horsepower outboard motor and normally these outboard motors are designed 
with a steering tiller that is affixed to the steering shaft of the 
outboard motor for its steering movement and which also contains other 
controls for the outboard motor such as a throttle and, at times, a 
transmission control. The most common type of throttle control is a grip 
throttle control which is connected to the throttle of the engine of the 
outboard motor for controlling its speed. 
With larger displacement outboard motors, however, it is the normal 
practice to employ remotely positioned controls both for the steering, 
throttle and transmission of the outboard motor. These controls are 
normally coupled from a remotely positioned control location to the 
various components of the outboard motor to be controlled by bowden wire 
cables. 
There are, however, many instances wherein it is desirable to control the 
larger displacement, larger horsepower outboard motors from a steering 
tiller similar to that type of control employed with smaller displacement 
outboard motors. However, this type of construction presents certain 
difficulties which will be apparent by the description of the prior art 
constructions and a general description of the type of outboard motor with 
which the invention may be practice as will now follow by reference to 
FIGS. 1 through 4 of the drawings. 
Referring first to FIG. 1, an outboard motor of a generally conventional 
type, but which may be constructed to incorporate the invention is 
illustrated and is identified generally by the reference numeral 21. The 
outboard motor 21 includes a powerhead 22 that is comprised of a powering 
internal combustion engine, shown diagrammatically at 23 and a surrounding 
protective cowling, indicated generally by the reference numeral 24 and 
which is comprised of a lower tray portion 25 and a detachable main cover 
portion 26. 
As is typical with outboard motor practice, the engine 23 is supported so 
that its output shaft rotates about a generally vertically extending axis 
and is coupled to a drive shaft (not shown) that is journalled in a drive 
shaft housing 27 that is connected to the underside of the powerhead. This 
drive shaft depends through the drive shaft housing 27 into a lower unit 
28 wherein a forward, neutral, reverse transmission of the conventional 
bevel gear type, robe described later by reference to another Figure, is 
provided for driving a propeller 29 in a selected forward or reverse 
direction. 
A steering shaft 31 is affixed to the drive shaft housing 27 by upper and 
lower brackets 32 and 33 and is supported for steering movement within a 
swivel bracket 34 which steering movement occurs about a generally 
vertically extending steering axis. A steering arm 35 is connected to the 
upper end of the steering shaft 31 for the steering of the outboard motor 
21 in a manner which will be described. 
The swivel bracket 34 is, in turn, pivotally connected by means of a pivot 
pin 36 to a clamping bracket 37 for tilt and trim movement of the outboard 
motor 21. A clamping device 38 is connected to the clamping bracket 37 to 
provide a detachable connection to a hull 39 of an associated watercraft. 
The construction as thus far described may be considered to be 
conventional and, for that reason, further description is not necessary 
for those skilled in the art to understand both the background of this 
invention and the described preferred embodiments. 
Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, a further description of the conventional 
construction and a conventional way in which larger displacement outboard 
motors are adapted for tiller control will be described. It should be 
noted that with a conventional construction, a transmission selector 
control wire 41 extends outwardly from the forward portion of the outboard 
motor 21 and is normally designed to be connected to a remotely positioned 
shift control lever. However, when conventional large displacement 
outboard motors are modified so as to accommodate tiller control, a shift 
control lever 42 will be mounted on the steering arm 35 and connected by 
means of a connection 43 to the wire actuator for transmission control. 
In addition, a combined steering and control handle 44 is provided with a 
pivotal connection to the steering arm 35 about a horizontally disposed 
axis from an operative position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 to an elevated 
storage position. This steering control 44 includes an outer housing 
assembly 45 with a twist grip throttle 46 rotatably journalled at its 
outer end for rotation about a longitudinal axis 47 in directions 
indicated by the arrow 48. 
Contained within the interior of the steering handle body 45 is a shaft 49 
to which the throttle control 46 is connected. A pulley 51 is affixed to 
this shaft 49 and has a wire actuator 52 encircling it which is connected 
to a throttle control wire actuator 53 of the outboard motor 21. The wire 
actuator 53 is normally designed to be connected to a remote throttle 
mechanism and in order to accommodate tiller control as shown in the 
drawings, it is necessary to bend the cable 53 through a fairly 
substantial angle and this provides not; only an unsightly appearance, but 
also an extending member that can become entangled with various 
paraphernalia which may be used by the users of the watercraft such as 
fishing line, nets or the like. Clearly, this is not a satisfactory 
arrangement. 
FIG. 4 shows another prior art way of converting a conventional larger 
displacement outboard motor into tiller control. Again, the tiller control 
is identified generally by the reference numeral 44A and where components 
are the same as the type of prior art construction shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, 
they have been identified by the same reference numerals. However, where 
the components are different, they will be identified by the same 
reference numerals with the suffix "A" added. In this embodiment, the 
handle assembly 45A also supports a twist grip throttle 46 which, in this 
type of construction, is connected to a shaft 49A having a helical screw 
element 51A connected to it. This screw element 51A cooperates with a 
follower 54 that is affixed to the forward end of the throttle control 53 
and which has a groove 56 that cooperates with the helical member 58 so as 
to reciprocate the control wire 53 upon rotation of the throttle grip 46. 
Although this type of arrangement provides a neater appearance, the screw 
and nut connection does not afford a significant degree of mechanical 
advantage due to the amount of reciprocal motion must be generated for a 
relatively small amount of rotary motion. Therefore, this type of twist 
grip throttle requires high operational forces and is not at all 
satisfactory. 
It is, therefore, a principal object to this invention to provide an 
improved steering handle assembly for outboard motors. 
It is a further object to this invention to provide an improved steering 
handle and control assembly for outboard motors that may be utilized with 
large displacement outboard motors that are normally designed to be 
operated remotely and to convert these into tiller operation. 
It is a further object to this invention to provide an improved arrangement 
for affording a neat compact and yet extremely useful tiller control for a 
large displacement outboard motor. 
As has been previously noted, most outboard motors, particularly those of 
larger displacement, employ a forward, neutral, reverse transmission in 
addition to throttle control and steering control. These transmissions are 
conventionally bevel gear type transmissions that are operated by dog 
clutches. Of course, the dog clutching mechanism is an all-on or all-off 
type of device and can result in sudden impact with shifts occur and also 
abrupt movements. 
The inherent problems with the transmission coupled with the fact that the 
throttle controls normally are designed to stay in a fixed position if the 
operator releases them can give rise to certain problems. Therefore, it is 
conventionally the practice to incorporate within the body of the outboard 
motor a interlock mechanism between the transmission and throttle control 
which limits the speed at which the engine can be driven when in certain 
gears or which, alternatively, blocks shifting when the throttle control 
is opened too widely. However, these types of arrangements when positioned 
inside of the casing of the outboard motor do not afford ease of 
adjustment. Furthermore, when a large displacement outboard motor is 
adapted to accommodate a tiller control, the mechanism normally employed 
for controlling the interrelationship of engine speed and transmission 
control is not acceptable. 
It is, therefore, a still further object to this invention to provide an 
improved combined throttle and transmission control for an outboard motor 
wherein the speed of the throttle is limited in relation to the 
transmission condition. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
A first feature of this invention is adapted to be embodied in a combined 
steering handle and control for an outboard motor having a controlled 
element and a wire actuator connected to the controlled element for 
operating the controlled element. The wire actuator has an end extendingly 
forwardly from the outboard motor. The steering handle and control is 
comprised of a main body portion adapted to be affixed to the outboard 
motor for effecting steering movement of the outboard motor. A control 
portion is rotatably journalled at a forward end of the body portion about 
a longitudinally extending axis and motion transmitting means contained 
within the main body portion translate rotary motion of the control 
portion about the longitudinal axis into rotation of an operating element 
about an axis traverse to the longitudinal axis. Connecting means connect 
the operating element to the wire actuator for its actuation in response 
to movement of the control portion. 
In accordance with another feature of the invention, a combined steering 
and control handle assembly for an outboard motor consists of a main body 
portion having a transmission control mounted thereon and adapted to be 
connected to a transmission of an outboard motor for moving the 
transmission at least between a forward drive position and a neutral 
position. A throttle control is rotatably journalled at the forward end of 
the body portion and is adapted to be connected to a throttle control of 
the outboard motor for controlling the speed of the outboard motor in 
response to rotation of the throttle control portion. Interlock means are 
provided in the main body portion between the shift control and the 
throttle control for limiting the movement of the shift control to the 
neutral position when the throttle control is opened more than a 
predetermined degree and for precluding opening of the throttle control 
beyond the predetermined degree when the shift control is in its neutral 
position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION 
Referring again initially to FIG. 1, the conventional outboard as thus far 
described is shown as having attached to it a steering and throttle 
control lever assembly, indicated generally by the reference numeral 101 
connected to the steering arm 35 and which includes a twist grip throttle 
control 102. This construction is shown in more detail in FIGS. 5 and 6 
and will now be described in particularly detail to those Figures. 
The control 101 is comprised of a main body portion 103 with the throttle 
control 102 being rotatably journalled at the outer end thereof about a 
longitudinally extending axis 104 in the direction of the arrow 105. The 
body portion 103 is generally hollow and receives a throttle control rod 
106 that is coupled for rotation with the throttle control 102 and which 
is journalled in a bearing 107 of the body assembly 103. A bevel gear 
motion translation mechanism, indicated generally by the reference numeral 
108, is positioned within the interior of the handle body 103 for 
transmitting rotary motion about the longitudinal axis 104 into rotary 
motion about a transversely extending axis 109. 
This transmission includes a driving bevel gear 111 that is affixed for 
rotation with the throttle control shaft 106 in an appropriate manner and 
which meshes with a bevel driven gear 112 that is affixed to a shaft 113 
which is journalled suitably for rotation about the axis 109 by means of a 
drive pin 114. The bevel gear 112 is shown mounted on one side of the 
driving bevel gear 112, but alternative opposite side location is shown by 
the phantom line position 1117 in this Figure. Which the side the gear 112 
is placed on will depend upon the direction in which the throttle control 
102 is to be operated depending upon the particular outboard motor 
employed. 
An operating lever 115 is also affixed for rotation with the shaft 113 on 
one side of the housing assembly 103 and has connected to it a connector 
116 that is connected to the end of the bowden wire actuator 53 in a well 
known manner. The sheath of the bowden wire is mounted within the outer 
housing assembly 103 on a mounting bracket 117. 
It should be noted from FIG. 6 that the outer end of the lever 115 where 
the connector 116 is attached is spaced outwardly beyond the periphery of 
the bevel gear 112. This not only provides clearance, but gives a 
mechanical advantage to the operator so as to provide ease of throttle 
control. 
As may be seen in FIG. 5, this construction permits the throttle control 
wire 53 to be bent through a very small angle .theta. for its connection 
and no substantial exposed portion of the throttle control 53 exist. 
Hence, this not only presents a neat assembly, but it reduces stresses on 
the wire actuator 53 and avoids entanglement. 
FIGS. 7 through 11 show another embodiment of the invention which is 
generally the same as the embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6, but which also 
incorporates a transmission control and an interlock for controlling the 
speed of the engine when the transmission is shifted in other than a 
forward drive mode and also which prohibits shifting of the transmission 
into certain gears when the engine is operating at a higher than desired 
speed. Because this embodiment has some components which are the same as 
the prior art and additional components which are the same as the 
embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6, those components which are the same have been 
identified by the same reference numerals and they will not be described 
further, except insofar as is necessary to understand the construction and 
operation of this embodiment. 
FIG. 4 shows the details of the bevel gear transmission for accomplishing 
the forward, neutral, reverse drive and this transmission includes the 
aforenoted drive shaft which appears partially in this Figure and is 
identified by the reference numeral 57 which is contained within the lower 
unit 28 and which drives a bevel gear 58. This bevel gear 58 is enmeshed 
with a pair of oppositely rotating driven bevel gears 59 and 61 that are 
journalled on a propeller shaft 62 to which the propeller 29 is affixed. 
The driven bevel gears 59 and 61 have dog clutching teeth which face a dog 
clutching element 63 that is fixed for rotation with the propeller shaft 
62 but which is axially moveable with it. This clutching element 63 is 
moved axially by a cam mechanism 64 operated by a vertically extending 
shift rod 65 having an operating portion 66 at its upper end which is 
connected to the transmission control wire 41 previously described. 
Now referring to the details of the steering and control which, in this 
embodiment, is identified generally by the reference numeral 151, it 
includes an outer housing 152 on which the throttle control portion 102 is 
rotatably journalled and which is coupled to the throttle control wire 
actuator 53 in the same manner as in the embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6 and, 
therefore, those interconnecting components have been identified by the 
same reference numerals and will not be described again in detail, except 
so as to indicate the interrelationship between the throttle and 
transmission controls. 
In this embodiment, the outer housing 103 is provided with a boss 152 that 
has a bore 153 in which a bearing portion of a transmission control lever 
154 is journalled for rotation about an axis 155 that extends parallel to 
the axis of rotation of the shaft 103 of the throttle control mechanism 
and traversely to the axis 104. The shift control lever 154 is thus 
journalled for rotation between a forward drive position, a neutral 
position and a reverse drive position as shown by the letters F, N, R in 
FIG. 9. 
Within the outer housing 103, the shift lever 154 is provided with a 
further lever arm 156 that has an arm portion 157 that extends across the 
upper end of the throttle control shaft 106 and which has an upwardly 
extending boss 158 to which the transmission control 41 is connected by 
means of a connector 159. Hence, the transmission control rod 65 is 
controlled by the position of the shift lever 154 carried on the handle 
assembly 151 in the manner as thus far described. 
For the reasons previously noted, it is desirable to limit the speed at 
which the engine 23 may be driven when the transmission is shifted into 
neutral or reverse and also to prevent shifting of the transmission into 
these modes when the throttle is opened more than a predetermined extent. 
An interlock mechanism, indicated generally by the reference numeral 161 
is provided for this purpose. The interlock mechanism 161 is comprised of 
a stop portion 162 that is formed integrally with the underside of the 
throttle control lever portion 57 and which faces generally downwardly as 
seen in the Figures. 
This portion 162 cooperates with a throttle actuated member 163 which is 
affixed to the throttle control shaft 106 in a known manner and which has 
a pair of arm portions 164 and 165 which form the neutral and reverse 
throttle limiting mechanisms, respectively. A pair of adjusting screws 166 
and 167 have a threaded connection with the arms 164 and 165, respectively 
and face upwardly toward the stop 162 of the shift lever 154. The stop 162 
of the shift lever 154 also has forward, neutral and reverse positions and 
these are indicated by f, n and r, respectively, in FIG. 9. 
As may be seen in FIG. 9, when the shift control lever 154 is positioned in 
its forward F position, the stop 162 of the shift control lever will be 
positioned forwardly of the stop assembly 161 and the throttle control 
knob 102 may be rotated between its fully opened and fully closed 
positions without interference. 
When the shift lever 154 is moved to its neutral position, then the stop 
member 162 will be positioned in registry with the arm 164 of the stop 
member 163 and if attempts are made to open the throttle, the stop screw 
166 will engage the stop member 162 in its neutral n position and lower 
the degree of opening of the throttle. 
In a similar manner, when the shift lever 154 is its reverse R position, 
then the throttle control 102 can only be rotated to the point when the 
stop screw 167 engages the abutment 162 and a reduced speed of the engine 
will be controlled. It should be noted that the engine can be driven 
faster in reverse than in neutral. However, it is also desirable to limit 
the speed to a relatively low speed when operating in reverse. 
The control and interlock 161 also precludes the shifting of the 
transmission from one position to another dependent upon the position of 
the throttle control 102 and for this purpose, the stop portions 164 and 
165 are provided with respective stop shoulders 168 and 169. The operation 
of these stop shoulders may be best understood by reference to FIG. 9. 
Assuming first that the shift control lever 154 is in its forward drive 
position F, it is not possible to shift into neutral N until the throttle 
control 102 is rotated sufficiently so as to bring the stop portion 168 
out of obstructing relationship with the throttle control lever portion 
157. In fact, the transmission cannot be moved completely into neutral 
until the neutral stop screw 166 is positioned so that the abutment 162 
can clear it. Hence, the transmission cannot be shifted into neutral until 
the engine is at a speed at least no greater than the maximum neutral 
permitted speed. Of course, the transmission can be shifted from neutral 
to forward at any speed. 
If the shift control lever 154 is in reverse R, it cannot be shifted into 
neutral unless the speed of the engine is dropped to the reverse neutral 
speed because the abutment 169 will interfere with movement of the shift 
control lever 154 to the neutral drive position until not only the 
abutment 169 is cleared, but also until the throttle is in a position 
wherein the neutral stop screw 166 will not interfere with this movement. 
However, shifting from neutral to reverse at this speed is freely 
permitted. 
Thus, it should be readily apparent that this embodiment is effective in 
controlling the maximum speed of the engine in each gear and for 
preventing shifting between the gears until the speed is at the maximum 
speed permitted for the gear to be shifted into. This is all accomplished 
by the interlock mechanism as contained within the control mechanism 151. 
FIGS. 12 and 13 show another embodiment of the invention which, although 
lacking all of the advantages of the embodiment of FIGS. 7 through 11, 
shows how the transmission throttle control interlock may be provided in 
conjunction with a prior art type of construction as shown in FIGS. 2 and 
3. Because of this similarity to the embodiment of FIGS. 2 and 3, 
components of this embodiment which are the same as that embodiment have 
been identified by the same reference numerals and will be described again 
in detail only insofar as is necessary to understand the construction and 
operation of this embodiment. 
In this embodiment, the steering and interlock control is identified 
generally by the reference numeral 201 and differs from the prior art 
construction of FIGS. 2 and 3 by having a transmission throttle control 
interlock mechanism, indicated generally by the reference numeral 202, 
which is mounted primarily in the outer housing 45 of the control. There 
is an externally mounted component and this includes a pulley 203 which is 
mounted for rotation about a vertically extending axis suitably on the 
steering arm 35 and to which a lever arm 204 of the shift control knob is 
affixed for rotating the pulley 203 upon movement of the shift control 
knob 42 between its forward, neutral and reverse positions shown at F, N 
and R in FIG. 12. 
A pair of bowden wires 205 interconnect the pulley 203 to a corresponding 
pulley 206 that is rotatably journalled in the handle assembly 45 on a 
support pin 207. The pulley 206 includes a reverse stop cam 208 and an 
adjustable idle stop screw 209 which cooperate with a throttle position 
cam 211 carrying a stop pin 212 which is affixed for rotation with the 
throttle control rod 49. FIGS. 12 and 13 show the construction in the 
neutral N position and in this position, the adjustable neutral stop screw 
209 is in confronting relationship to the pin 212 and will limit the 
degree of rotation for the throttle control 46 and throttle control shaft 
49 in the throttle opening position as clearly shown. In this position, 
however, the transmission may be shifted from neutral into forward or 
reverse freely. Hence, the transmission control and interlock is from 
neutral to forward or reverse is the same as in the embodiment of FIGS. 7 
through 11. 
If the transmission is shifted into the forward drive position by rotation 
of the shift lever 42 in counter-clockwise direction, the wire actuators 
205 will rotate the interlock pulley 206 in a clockwise direction and the 
control mechanism 202 will be moved away from interference with the 
throttle cam 211 and full opening and closing of the throttle will be 
permitted. However, it should be noted that if the throttle is open wider 
than the neutral maximum position, the transmission cannot be shifted back 
into neutral until the speed is reduced to this speed. Thus, again like 
the previously described embodiment, transmission and throttle interlock 
is provided. 
Considering now that the transmission is to be shifted into reverse from 
the neutral position as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, the operator moves the 
shift lever 242 in a forward direction so as to rotate in a clockwise 
direction as shown by the arrow in FIG. 12. This movement is transmitted 
to the shift control pulley 206 to rotate it in a counter-clockwise 
direction and the cam 208 will approach the throttle control lever 211. If 
the throttle is opened too widely, then shifting into reverse will be 
precluded. Assuming, however, that this is not the case, then the upper 
portion of the cam 208 will underlie the pin 212 and the throttle can be 
opened at a wider degree than in neutral, but still not fully wide open. 
However, the transmission cannot be moved back to neutral until the speed 
of the engine is reduced to the maximum neutral permitted speed, as with 
the previously described embodiment. 
In view of the foregoing description, it should be readily apparent that 
the described embodiments of the invention are very effective in 
permitting the easy addition of a steering handle to a large or medium 
displacement outboard motor that is not designed normally to be operated 
with a steering handle and throttle and/or transmission control can be 
accomplished in a neat and facile manner. In addition, if desired, an 
interlock mechanism can be provided between the transmission and throttle 
controls so as to avoid overspeed in transmission ratios other than 
forward. Of course, the foregoing description is that of preferred 
embodiments of the invention and various changes and modifications may be 
made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as 
defined by the appended claims.