Tilt mount for mounting an outboard motor on the side of a canoe

A tilt mount for mounting an outboard motor on the side of a canoe including a U-shaped bracket formed of a flange which terminates at its upper end in a right angularly disposed cross bar portion. The bar portion terminates in a right angularly disposed base portion parallely disposed to and spaced from the flange which forms a U-shaped member adapted to fit over the gunwale of a canoe. A pair of clamp members are mounted on the flange adapted to engage a gunwale between the clamps and the base portion. A motor mount member is pivotally mounted on the cross bar adapted to pivot in either direction from the vertical and a stop member is connected to and extends from the lower end of the base against which the shaft of the outboard member normally abuts in a vertical position. If the lower end of the motor shaft or propeller thereon strikes an underwater object, the motor tilts up on the mount.

SUMMARY 
The invention relates to an improvement in outboard motors and more 
particularly to the electric type that has no tilt-up feature. More 
specifically, the invention relates to a mount for mounting the outboard 
motor on the gunwale of either side of a canoe whereby the motor tilts 
upwardly if the same strikes an underwater object as the canoe is 
propelled forwardly or it is desired to inspect the shaft or the propeller 
on the lower end thereof. 
The mount includes a bracket having clamp members for mounting on the 
gunwale of a canoe. The bracket has a motor mount pivotally mounted on the 
bracket for pivotal movement in either direction so that the mount may be 
used on either side of a canoe. A stop member extends outwardly from the 
base against which the motor abuts in a vertical position. When the shaft 
or propeller thereon strikes an underwater object, the motor tilts 
upwardly thereby greatly reducing damage to the motor. 
The invention will appear more clearly from the following detailed 
description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, 
showing by way of example a preferred embodiment of the inventive idea 
wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the tiltable outboard motor mount A 
includes the U-shaped bracket 10 which releasably mounts on the gunwale G 
of a canoe or boat. The bracket 10 includes the flange portion 12 which 
terminates at its upper end in the right angularly disposed cross bar 
portion 14. The bar portion 14 terminates in the right angularly disposed 
base portion 16 which is parallely disposed to and spaced from the flange 
portion 12 whereby the bracket is adapted to fit over the gunwale of the 
side of a canoe. 
The lower end of the base portion 16 terminates in the right angularly 
disposed stop 18 which is substantially parallel to the bar portion and it 
extends outwardly from the base portion 16. The numeral 20 designates a 
tilt mount member substantially flat and rectangular in formation so as to 
accommodate the clamping mechanism hereinafter referred to of the outboard 
illustrated as O. The tilt mount member 20 is tiltably mounted on the 
cross bar portion by means of the pin 22 secured at its inner portion in 
one form of a press fit in a hole formed in the cross bar 14 with the 
outer end portion extending through a hole 24 extending through the tilt 
mount member for tilting of the mount in either direction. The pin 22 may 
be molded or cast in a bar portion 14 when the bar portion is made of 
plastic or metal. The mount is tiltable in either direction so that it can 
be mounted on either side of a canoe or boat for operation of the unit 
with the motor O thereon. The tilt mount 20 is held in place on the pin 22 
by means of the cotter key 21. 
The numeral 26 designates a first threaded clamp rod member which extends 
through the flange 12 in threaded engagement therewith, and the rod has on 
the inner end thereof the foot 28 which is brought into pressure 
engagement with the inside surface of the gunwale of a canoe particularly 
as illustrated in FIG. 4. 
A second threaded rod clamp member 30 is also provided which is through the 
flange 12 in threaded engagement therewith, and the rod has on the inner 
end thereof the foot 32. Each of the clamp rods includes a handle 34 for 
rotative screwing engagement of the clamp rods to the gunwale of a boat. 
In use of the device A, the bracket 10 is engaged with the gunwale G of the 
boat and tightly secured thereon by means of the clamping rods 26 and 30, 
particularly FIG. 4. The motor O is then positioned on the mount member 20 
and secured thereon by means of motor clamp members C and Ca, particularly 
FIGS. 2 and 3. It will be noted that the mount member 20 and the stop 18 
are so related that when the motor is mounted, the shaft S of the motor is 
against the stop 18 such as in FIG. 2 and in that position, the motor is 
operated and moves the canoe in the direction of the arrow as in FIG. 2. 
When the lower end of the shaft S strikes an underwater object such as the 
rock R, FIG. 3, the motor is free to pivot or kick upwardly, FIG. 3, to 
relieve the shock and greatly reduce the chance of damage to the lower 
parts of the motor and propeller. 
It will be further noted that the mount A may be used on either the port or 
starboard side of the canoe by simply reversing the clamping position of 
the motor on the tilt mount member 20, and the operative results are the 
same, for the tilt mount member pivots in either direction as shown in 
phantom outline in FIG. 1. Also, the stop member 18 functions as such with 
either position of the motor on the tilt mount member, i.e. with the 
bracket on either side of the canoe. Additionally, the motor is easily and 
tiltably raised to a non-operative position when desired and in such a 
raised position the same may be so retained by tying the motor to the 
gunwale of the canoe. The device A is particularly useable with an 
electric outboard motor which has no pivotal means.