Outboard engine mounting assembly

An assembly for mounting an auxiliary outboard engine on a boat has a support frame with attachment means for mounting the support frame in an inclined position between a transom of the boat and a rear edge of a bathing platform projecting outwardly of the transom. An engine mount is slidable up and down the support frame to move an outboard engine carried on the mount in use between a lowered operating position in the water and a raised stored position above the bathing platform.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit under 35U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) to Irish Patent Application No. S2005/0853, filed Dec. 21, 2005, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

This invention relates to an engine mounting assembly and in particular to an outboard engine mounting assembly for mounting an auxiliary outboard engine on a boat. The invention is particularly concerned with boats having a bathing platform projecting rearwardly of the transom of the boat.

BACKGROUND

Many motor boats which are used for fishing have a relatively powerful inboard engine for powering the boat. When fishing by trolling for example the boat is slowly moved through the water. The main inboard engine is not really suitable for this, although it can be used. However, a smaller engine would be more efficient. To this end an outboard engine is sometimes hung on the transom of the boat and run, with the main engine off, to slowly move the boat through the water when trolling. However, the outboard engine may overhang the stern of the boat by about 1 meter. This has a number of disadvantages. Firstly, there is a danger of damaging the outboard engine, particularly when manoeuvring the boat in confined spaces such as when mooring the boat for example. Also, the increased length means a longer mooring berth is required for the boat and this can increase the mooring charges.

It is known in the art, see for example GB 1 129 478, U.S. Pat. No. 4,668,197 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,279,602 to provide an auxiliary engine such as an outboard motor in a purpose-built compartment at the aft end of a boat. The outboard motor can be moved on a support frame between a raised stored position within a compartment and a lowered deployed position in the water for powering the boat. This arrangement requires the building of a compartment into the boat to house the auxiliary engine and generally would have to be incorporated in the boat design when building the boat. It would certainly be difficult to fit such a compartment to a boat after construction of the boat. Furthermore, considerable space is required within the hull at the aft end of the boat to accommodate the compartment. Such space is not always readily available, particularly for example when an inboard engine is provided in the boat as the primary propulsion system for the boat. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,390,864 there is disclosed a sliding mount for mounting an outboard motor on a boat. The mount can slide between a raised horizontal position on the deck and a lowered vertical position behind the transom to support the outboard motor in the water for powering the boat. Another outboard engine support is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,928,630 which is operable for sliding the outboard engine up and down on the transom of a boat between a raised position and a lowered in-use position. The support and the outboard engine overhang the stern of the boat in both the raised and lowered positions. The support when raised can be pivoted into the boat to invert the engine for maintenance if required.

The present invention is directed towards overcoming the aforementioned problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention there is provided an outboard engine mounting assembly for mounting an outboard engine on a boat having a bathing platform spaced downwardly from a top of a transom of the boat and projecting rearwardly from the transom, the assembly including:a support frame having a front end and a rear end;attachment means for attachment of said support frame to the boat,an engine mount for receiving and supporting an outboard engine,said engine mount being slidably movable on the support frame between a lowered engine operating position for supporting the engine with its propeller in the water and a raised stored position for supporting the engine out of the water,the attachment means being adapted for mounting the support frame at a desired inclination on the boat extending upwardly and forwardly from the rear end to the front end of the support frame with the rear end of the support frame mounted at a rear edge of the bathing platform and the support frame and engine mount cooperate for supporting the engine forwardly of the rear end of the support frame when the engine mount is in the raised stored position.

The engine is movable on the mounting assembly between a lowered in-use position substantially fully overhanging the boat and a raised stored position substantially forward of a rear extremity of the boat. In other words, in the stored position it does not increase the length of the boat. Also it is less likely to be damaged in the raised stored position. Further, removing the engine from the water prevents the build up of seaweed and the like on the engine. When moored at a marina, the raised engine provides increased security as it is easier for CCTV security monitors to see the engine. Another advantage of the invention is that when the engine is in the raised stored position it is easier to work on for maintenance.

In one embodiment, the carriage and the support frame are adapted to support the engine between the front end and the rear end of the support frame when the carriage is in the raised position.

In another embodiment, the engine mount supports the engine in an upright position in both the raised and lowered positions.

In one embodiment of the invention the attachment means is adjustable on the support frame.

In another embodiment the attachment means comprises an upper mounting bracket secured at an upper forward end and a lower mounting bracket secured at a lower rear end of the support frame, at least one of said mounting brackets being adjustable on the support frame to vary the distance on the mounting brackets.

In a further embodiment the mounting brackets are pivotally attached to the support frame.

In another embodiment the upper mounting bracket has a pair of arms which extend outwardly from the support frame for bridging across a guardrail on the boat.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention the engine mount is slidably mounted on the support frame for movement between the lowered position and the raised position.

Preferably the support frame is adapted to be supported in an inclined position at the rear of the boat for sliding the engine between the raised and lowered positions.

Conveniently the engine mount has a carriage which slidably engages a complementary slide rail on the support frame.

In one embodiment the carriage has rollers which engage in associated channel slide rails on the support frame. Preferably, a pair of spaced-apart in-turned channels are provided on the support frame for reception of laterally projecting rollers roatably mounted at each side of the carriage. Alternatively the carriage may be provided with slide shoes which engage and move along the associated channel slide rails on the support frame.

In another embodiment, the support frame and the attachment means cooperate to allow adjustment of the inclination of the support frame between 20° and 60° to the horizontal.

Preferably locking means is provided for releasably locking the carriage on the support frame.

In another embodiment the engine mount includes an engine mounting block, said engine mounting block being pivotally mounted on the carriage.

In a further embodiment means is provided for releasably locking the mounting block on the carriage and for adjusting the orientation of the mounting block relative to the carriage.

In another embodiment the carriage has an engine mounting block pivotally mounted thereon for pivoting about a horizontal pivot between the engine mounting block and the carriage, and an adjuster link arm extends between the engine mounting block and the carriage, one or both ends of said link arm being adjustably engaged with the carriage and/or the engine mounting block for adjustment of the angle of the engine mounting block relative to the carriage.

In another embodiment, an outer end of the link arm is vertically adjustable on the engine mounting block.

In another embodiment, the outer end of the link arm is engaged with a rearwardly projecting web on the engine mounting block, said web having a number of vertically spaced through holes, a bolt connecting between the outer end of the link arm and a selected one of said through holes in the web.

In another embodiment, an inner end of the link arm is longitudinally adjustable on the carriage for movement towards and away from the engine mounting block.

In another embodiment, an elongate bar on the carriage has a number of spaced-apart through holes, a bolt connecting between the inner end of the link arm and a selected one of said through holes in the bar.

In another embodiment, the carriage has an inner slide plate in alignment with the slide rails of the support frame and an outer engine support portion angled relative to the slide plate and projecting outwardly between the slide rails, the engine mounting block being pivotally mounted at an outer end of the engine support portion.

In another embodiment the attachment means is pivotally engaged with the support frame.

In a further embodiment the attachment means comprises a pair of spaced-apart mounting brackets on the support frame for engagement with the boat to mount the support frame on the boat.

Conveniently at least one of said mounting brackets may be provided with a number of associated spaced-apart mounting positions on the support frame to provide adjustment for mounting the support frame on different boats.

In another embodiment a winch is mounted on the support frame and is operable to raise and lower the engine mount on the support frame. Various other mechanisms might alternatively be provided which facilitate raising and lowering the engine mount with the outboard engine mounted thereon.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to the drawings and initially toFIGS. 1 to 4thereof, there is illustrated an outboard engine mounting assembly according to the invention indicated generally by the reference numeral1.

The assembly1comprises a support frame2having attachment means indicated generally by the reference numeral3for attachment of the support frame in an inclined position between a bathing platform and transom of a boat. An engine mount indicated generally by the reference numeral4for receiving and supporting an outboard engine5is slidably mounted on the support frame2for movement between a lowered engine operating position as shown inFIG. 4and a raised stored position for supporting the engine5out of the water as shown inFIG. 3.

The support frame2has an upper front end6and a lower rear end13. The support frame2has a pair of spaced-apart parallel channel-section slide rails7with in-turned channels8for reception of the engine mount4. The rails7are interconnected at their upper end by a cross piece9. A lower end of each rail7is pivotally mounted by bolts10to upstanding flanges11on a lower mounting bracket12of the attachment means3. Thus, the lower mounting bracket12pivots about a horizontal axis. This lower mounting bracket12is of L-shape. A liner14of rubber or some similar material may be provided on an inside face of the lower mounting bracket12to protect the boat to which it is attached and provide good grip. Through holes15are provided in the lower mounting bracket12for reception of screws or the like for securing the lower mounting bracket12to a rear edge of a bathing platform on a boat as shown inFIGS. 3 and 4.

An L-shaped upper mounting bracket17forming a second portion of the attachment means3is provided adjacent an upper end of the support frame2. Lugs18on the upper mounting bracket17are engaged by mounting bolts19to secure the upper mounting bracket17to downwardly dependent mounting flanges20on each slide rail7adjacent an upper end of the slide rail7. A number of spaced-apart through holes21are provided on each mounting flange20for adjustment of the position of the upper mounting bracket17for varying the distance between the mounting brackets12,17to accommodate mounting the assembly1on different boats.

The engine mount4includes a mounting block25supported on an associated carriage26which slidably engages the slide rails7. The carriage26has laterally projecting rotatable nylon wheels or rollers27which engage in the channels8of the slide rails7to slide the carriage26along the rails7.

The mounting block25has a wooden block30attached to a metal backing plate31by countersunk screws32. The backing plate31is hingedly mounted by a pivot pin33, formed by a bolt for example, to the carriage26for pivoting about a horizontal axis. The pivot pin33engages associated bushings or sleeves (not shown) on the carriage26and backing plate31. A rearwardly projecting web35projecting outwardly from the backing plate31is engaged by an outer end of a link36secured thereto by a bolt37. An inner end of the link36is secured by a bolt38to one of a number of spaced-apart through holes39in an elongate bar40on the carriage26. Thus the angle of the mounting block25relative to the carriage26can be adjusted to keep the mounting block25in a substantially upright position when the mounting angle of the slide rail7is adjusted to accommodate different boats.

FIGS. 3 and 4show the outboard engine mounting assembly1in use for mounting the outboard engine5on a boat50. It will be noted that the support frame2is mounted on a transom51of the boat50, the upper mounting bracket17being fixed to the transom51and the lower mounting bracket12being attached to an outer edge of a bathing platform52projecting outwardly from the transom51. Thus the slide rails7are supported at an inclined angle. The outboard engine5can be moved between a lowered operative position as shown inFIG. 4and a raised position fully out of the water as shown inFIG. 3by sliding the carriage26along the slide rails7. Locking means such as a locking pin (not shown) is provided for securing the carriage26in the raised position shown inFIG. 3, said locking pin engaging between the support frame2and carriage26. It will be noted that when in this raised stored position the engine5does not increase the length of the boat and is supported fully out of the water above the bathing platform.

It will be appreciated that the outboard engine mounting assembly is adjustable to accommodate different boats in which the angle of the support frame2can be varied between 20° C. and 60° to the horizontal.

The frame2can readily easily pivot on the lower mounting bracket12to accommodate any required angle and the upper mounting bracket7can be positioned along the mounting flange20as required to accommodate different boat constructions. Depending on the angle at which the frame2is set the angle of the mounting block25can be adjusted appropriately to position it in an upright position for supporting the engine5which is releasably clamped thereto in the usual fashion as can be seen in the drawings.

A winch may for example be mounted on the cross piece9of the support frame2and connected to the engine mount4. The winch would be operable to raise and lower the engine mount4with outboard engine attached.

Referring now toFIGS. 5 to 9there is shown another outboard engine mounting assembly according to a second embodiment of the invention indicated generally by the reference numeral60. Parts similar to those described previously are assigned the same reference numerals. In this case the slide rails7are formed by F section aluminium extrusions which provide the inwardly facing channels8and a downwardly depending flange61which projects downwardly at an outside edge of each channel a.

A row of spaced-apart through-holes21are provided at an upper end of the flange61for adjustable mounting of the attachment means3at an upper end of the outboard engine mounting assembly60. An upper mounting bracket63is pivotally mounted at an upper end of the support frame2. The upper mounting bracket63has a pair of arms64,65which extend outwardly from the support frame2. Inner ends of the arms64,65are each attached by bolts66to associated through holes21at each side of the support frame2. These mounting bolts66allow pivoting of the arms64,65on the support frame2to facilitate mounting the assembly60on a boat. An array of spaced-apart through-holes67may be provided along each arm64,65to allow length adjustment of the arms64,65.

Outer ends of the arms64,65are interconnected by a cross-piece68having upturned ends69which pivotally engage outer ends of the arm64,65by bolts70. Through-holes71for reception of mounting screws or bolts are provided in the cross-piece68. The various pieces of the upper mounting bracket63can conveniently be formed by aluminium castings.

As for the previous embodiment, the lower mounting bracket12is L-shaped and is pivotally attached at a lower end of the support frame2by mounting bolts thus pivoting about a horizontal axis. While ideally the lower mounting bracket12will be mounted at a lower end of the support frame2if desired a number of mounting holes73could be provided at a lower end of the flange61for adjustment of the lower mounting bracket12also if required. It is desirable, however, that when mounted on the batching platform, the frame2does not project rearwardly of the bathing platform so the overall length of the boat is not increased, at least not by any significant amount.

A cross-bar75is rigidly mounted at an upper end of the support frame2having mounting shoes76at each end which are a complementary sliding fit in the channel8. Each mounting shoe76is secured by a bolt78to the channel8at the upper end of the channel.

A cantilevered support arm80projects outwardly from a centre of the cross-bar75for mounting a winch82on the support frame2. Holes83for reception of mounting bolts to secure the winch82on the arm80are provided in the arm80. The winch82has a generally U-shaped support84on which a drum85is rotatably mounted by a pivot pin86. A handle87is provided for manually turning the drum85to wind a cable88on the drum85. A suitable ratchet mechanism (not shown) is incorporated in the winch82to prevent unwanted reversal of the drum85as the winch82is being operated to raise the engine out of the water.

A free end89of the cable88has a hook90attached for engagement, for example, by means of a shackle91, with the engine mount4.

In this case the engine mounting block25is an aluminium casting. A tubular sleeve92is provided at a lower end of an inside face of the mounting block25to receive the pivot pin33for pivotally connecting the mounting block25to the carriage26. The carriage26is also an aluminium casting. The carriage26has a generally rectangular inner slide plate94with roller mounting posts95at each corner. Each roller mounting post95has a through-hole for reception of a mounting bolt96which rotatably carries one of the rollers27which may conveniently be of nylon material. Projecting outwardly at an angle to the inner slide plate94is an engine support93which projects outwardly of the support frame2, the engine mounting block25being pivotally mounted at an outer end of the support93.

A pair of adjuster links97extend between the bar40on the carriage26and the web35at a rear of the mounting block25, being secured to each by mounting bolts98,99which engage with the through-holes39in the bar40and vertically spaced-apart through-holes100in the web35for adjusting the orientation of the mounting block25on the carriage26such that the mounting block25supports the engine5in an upright position when the assembly60is mounted on a boat.

A first eyepiece102may be provided at an upper end of the carriage26and a complementary second eyepiece104may be provided on the cross-bar75which can be used to lock the carriage26in the uppermost position by means of a shackle or padlock for example.

FIGS. 8 and 9show the outboard engine mounting assembly60mounted at the stern of a boat110. An upper end of the assembly60is secured by the upper mounting bracket63to the top of the transom111of the boat110. It will be noted that the arms64,65of the upper mounting bracket63bridge across a guardrail112on the transom111of the boat110. The lower mounting bracket12is secured at a rearmost outer edge of a bathing platform115which projects horizontally outwardly of the transom111. Spacers116my be provided between an inner end of the mounting bracket12and the top of the bathing platform115if required to securely attach the lower mounting bracket12to the bathing platform115.

In use, an outboard engine5is secured to the mounting block25in the usual way. This can be conveniently carried out by a person standing on the bathing platform115. Once the engine5has been secured the winch82can be operated to lower the carriage26on the support frame2. When in the fully lowered position as shown inFIG. 9the propeller of the engine5is in the water and the engine5can be used for trolling in the usual way. After use the winch82can again be operated to raise the carriage26and the engine5on the support frame2into the fully raised position shown inFIG. 8in which the engine5is stored in an upright position above the bathing platform115forwardly of a rear end of the boat formed by a rearmost edge of the bathing platform115.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments hereinbefore described which may be varied in both construction and detail within the scope of the appended claims.