Steering device for marine propulsion

An improved steering device for a marine propulsion unit that incorporates a steering bracket that is clamped to the transom of the associated watercraft in proximity to the tilt axis of the outboard drive. A steering rod is reciprocally supported in a bore in the steering bracket and is connected at one end to a push pull cable and at the other end to the steering arm of the outboard drive for effecting its steering.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to a steering device for marine propulsion units and 
more particularly to an improved, simplified and compact steering device 
for such propulsion units. 
As is well known, a common form of marine propulsion device consists of a 
drive shaft housing that carries a drive shaft which is driven by an 
internal combustion engine and which drives a propulsion device for 
propelling a watercraft through the water. The drive shaft housing is 
normally supported by means of a swivel bracket for steering movement of 
the drive shaft housing about a generally vertically extending axis. The 
swivel bracket is, in turn, pivotally connected to the transom of the 
watercraft for tilting movement of the drive shaft housing about a 
horizontally disposed axis for trim adjustment and for tilting up. In 
order to effect steering of the watercraft, a steering arm is affixed to 
the drive shaft housing and is connected to the watercraft steering system 
so that a remotely positioned operator can steer the watercraft. Normally, 
flexible, push-pull cables are employed for effecting the steering 
movement of the drive shaft housing. Although such an arrangement has 
particular utility, the fact that the outboard drive must both move about 
the steering axis and also pivot about a tilt axis gives rise to problems 
in connection with the connection of the push-pull cable to the steering 
arm. 
In connection with larger outboard drives, the pivot pin that defines the 
tilt axis is relatively large and may be provided with a bore so as to 
support a portion of the steering mechanism, such as a reciprocating rod 
that is connected at one end to the push-pull cable and at the other end 
to the steering arm. However, in connection with smaller displacement 
outboard drives, such large diameter pivot pins are not employed and other 
arrangements are required for connecting the push-pull cables to the 
steering arm. In connection with the smaller displacement applications, 
the encircling protective sheath of the push-pull cable must be affixed 
either to the transom of the watercraft or to some other component of the 
watercraft that does not move during the steering movement. As a result, 
the problem of binding and interference is quite typical with such smaller 
displacement outboard drives. 
It is, therefore, a principal object of this invention to provide an 
improved steering device for a marine propulsion unit. 
It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved steering 
device that may be used in conjunction with small displacement outboard 
drives and which does not necessitate any significant change to the 
construction of the outboard drive per se. 
It is a further object of this invention to provide a detachable steering 
device for use with marine outboard drives that will afford ease of 
attachment of a remote steering mechanism to the outboard drive without 
resulting in interference or restrictive movement of the outboard drive in 
either the steering or tilt directions. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
This invention is adapted to be embodied in a steering device for a marine 
propulsion device that is adapted to be affixed relative to the transom of 
a watercraft. The propulsion device comprises a drive shaft housing that 
rotatably journals an engine driven shaft. A swivel bracket journals the 
drive shaft housing for steering movement about a generally vertically 
extending steering axis. Pivot pins means interconnect the swivel bracket 
to a clamping bracket for pivotal movement of the drive shaft housing and 
swivel bracket about a generally horizontally extending tilt axis. A 
steering arm is affixed to the drive shaft housing. In accordance with the 
invention, a steering bracket is affixed between the clamping bracket and 
the transom and defines a bore that extends generally parallel to and 
offset from the tilt axis. A steering rod slidably supported in the bore 
for reciprocation. Means are incorporated for affixing an operator 
controlled steering cable to the steering rod for effecting operator 
controlled reciprocation of the steering rod. Means also connect the 
steering rod to the steering arm for steering of the drive shaft housing 
upon reciprocation of the steering rod.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Referring first primarily to FIGS. 1 and 2, an outboard motor, indicated 
generally by the reference numeral 11 is depicted as attached to a transom 
12 of a watercraft which is shown partially and is identified generally by 
the reference numeral 13. The invention is described in conjunction with 
an outboard motor 11; however, it is to be understood that the invention 
may be equally as well practiced with the outboard drive portion of an 
inboard-outboard drive. The invention does have particularly utility with 
outboard motors that are designed to be attached as a separate unit to the 
transom of a watercraft and particularly to small displacement outboard 
motors. 
The outboard motor 11 is comprised of a power head 14 that consists of an 
internal combustion engine (not shown) and which may be of any known type 
and which is enclosed within a protective cowling. A drive shaft housing 
15 depends from the power head 14 and contains a drive shaft (not shown) 
that is driven by the output shaft of the power head engine. This drive 
shaft, in turn, drives a forward, neutral, reverse transmission (not 
shown) that is contained within a lower unit 16 for driving a propeller 17 
in selected forward or reverse directions. 
A steering shaft (not shown) is affixed to the drive shaft housing 15 in a 
known manner and is journaled within a swivel bracket 18 for steering 
movement about a generally vertically extending steering axis. A steering 
arm 19 is affixed to the upper end of the steering shaft for effecting 
operator controlled steering of the drive shaft housing 15 about this 
steering axis and, accordingly, steering of the outboard motor 11 and 
watercraft 13 in a known manner. 
The swivel bracket 18 is pivotally connected to a clamping bracket 21 by 
means including a horizontally extending pivot pin 22. This pivotal 
connection permits trim adjustment of the outboard motor 11 and also 
permits the outboard motor 11 to be tilted up to an out of the water 
condition, as is well known in this art. A clamping device 23 of the screw 
type is incorporated and acts on a swivel 24 (FIG. 4) so as to affix the 
clamping bracket 21 to the transom 12. Fastening bolts 25 may also pass 
through the transom 12 for affording a more permanent attachment of the 
clamping bracket 21 to the watercraft 13. 
The construction as thus far described may be considered to be conventional 
and since the aforedescribed construction forms no part of the invention 
but rather the environment in which the invention may be practice, a more 
detailed description of the construction is believed to be unnecessary in 
order to understand the invention. 
In accordance with the invention, an arrangement is provided for 
facilitating remote steering of the outboard motor 11 by means of a 
remotely positioned steering wheel (not shown). This steering mechanism 
comprises a steering bracket 26 that is, in the illustrated embodiment, 
adapted to be interposed between the clamping bracket 21 and the transom 
12. The steering bracket 26 has a configuration as best shown in FIGS. 3 
and 4 and is comprised of a generally elongated portion that is slightly 
wider than the width of the transom so as to provide an overlap P as shown 
in FIG. 4. This overlapping portion is, however, provided with a recess 27 
that is defined by a pair of inwardly facing shoulders 28. The recess 27 
is sized so as to provide a thickness substantially the same as the 
thickness of the transom 12 so that the clamping bracket 21 may still 
coooperate with the transom 12 in the same manner as had the steering 
bracket 26 not be interposed. The outwardly facing edges of the clamping 
bracket 21 are adapted to be engaged with the shoulders 28 spaced at the 
distance L so as to provide for location of the outboard motor 11 relative 
to the steering bracket 26 so that these components will be relatively 
rigidly affixed to each other. 
The steering bracket 26 is provided with a pair of downwardly extending 
lugs 29 that are designed to extend on the rear face of the transom 12 and 
which may be clamped to the transom 12 by means of bolt and nut assemblies 
31. It should be noted that the depending portions 29 are positioned in a 
vertical alignment with the clamping swivels 24 of the clamping bracket 
clamps 23 so that the loads applied by the clamping screws 23 will be 
applied in proximity to the lugs 29. 
A bore 32 extends through the steering bracket 26 which bore 32 is 
generally parallel to the tilt pivot pin 22 when the unit is assembled as 
shown in FIG. 1 and which is disposed below and slightly rearwardly of it 
as shown in this figure. This close positioning of the bore 32 and the 
tilt pivot pin 22 reduces the likelihood of interference on tilting 
movement of the outboard motor 11, as will become apparent. 
A steering rod 33 is supported for reciprocation within the bore 32. The 
steering rod 33 has an extending end part that is connected by means of a 
coupling 34 to one end of an offset steering link 35. The steering link 35 
is connected at its opposite end to a bracket 36 that is affixed to the 
steering arm 19 so as to afford steering movement of the steering arm 19 
upon reciprocation of the steering rod 33 in the bore 32. 
The end of the steering rod 33 opposite the connection 34 to the steering 
link 35 is connected to one end of a flexible push-pull cable 37 in an 
appropriate manner. The protective sheath 38 of the push-pull cable 37 
bears against one end of the steering bracket 27 and is held in such 
engagement by a clamping nut 39 encircling the opposite end of the 
steering rod 33. As a result, reciprocation of the push-pull cable 37 will 
effect reciprocation of the steering rod 33 and steering of the outboard 
motor 11 in the manner as aforedescribed. This steering mechanism provides 
extremely good movement and avoids the likelihood of interference of the 
steering mechanism with the steering and tilt movements of the outboard 
motor 11. It should be noted that the steering rod 33 may rotate slightly 
when the outboard motor 11 is tilted to its various trim positions and 
also when the outboard motor 11 is tilted up to its out of the water 
position. Because of the close placement of the axes defined by the pivot 
pin 22 and the bore 32, interference is minimized and either flexibility 
of the bracket 36 or the joint 34 may accommodate such movement, if 
necessary. 
In the described embodiment, the steering bracket 26 is a separate 
component that was interposed between the clamping bracket 21 and the 
transom 12. It is to be understood that the steering bracket 26 may be 
formed integrally with the clamping bracket 21 but the separate 
construction permits adaptation of the steering mechanism to all existing 
outboard motors without any change to them. 
It is to be understood that the foregoing described embodiments are only 
preferred embodiments of the invention and that various changes and 
modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of 
the invention, as defined by the appended claims.