Cooling water feed structure for inboard/outboard engine

A number of embodiments of cooling water feed structures for inboard/outboard engines wherein the outboard drive includes a first conduit that extends through the outboard drive and communicates with an adjustably mounted second conduit. The adjustable mounting of the second conduit adapts it to use with any of a plurality of engine types having different water inlet locations.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to a cooling water feed structure for an 
inboard/outboard engine and more particularly to a cooling water conduit 
for an inboard/outboard engine that is adaptable to a wide variety of 
engines and engine constructions. 
The inboard/outboard drive for watercraft is very popular and highly 
versatile. With such an arrangement, an outboard unit, much like an 
outboard motor albeit without the powering internal combustion engine, is 
mounted on the rear side of the transom of the watercraft and includes a 
propulsion device that is driven by an internal combustion engine 
positioned within the hull of the watercraft. A wide variety of engines 
and engine types are utilized for powering such systems. 
In connection with these arrangements, it is the normal practice to 
circulate cooling water from the body of water in which the watercraft is 
operating from the lower unit of the outboard drive to the engine and then 
return it back to the body of water through the outboard drive. In 
accordance with this type of arrangement, it is necessary to provide a 
fluid path between the lower unit and the engine. Normally, the water 
inlet and water outlets of the outboard drive portion are located in the 
same location regardless of the engine which is utilized. However, various 
engines have various locations for their water fittings and particularly 
the water inlets. As a result, it is necessary for prior art constructions 
to provide specific conduits which can be utilized to adapt the outboard 
drive unit to a specific engine. This, of course, increases the number of 
parts that must be stocked and also gives rise to possible error. 
It is, therefore, a principal object of this invention to provide an 
improved arrangement for conveying cooling water between an outboard drive 
and an engine and which is adaptable to a wide variety of engine types. 
It is a further object of this invention to provide an outboard drive unit 
having a water conduit arrangement that is adaptable to a wide variety of 
engines without necessitating the use of separate parts. 
It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved water inlet 
system for conveying water from the outboard drive unit to a wide variety 
of engine locations without necessitating separate parts for each 
location. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
This invention is adapted to be embodied in a cooling water system for a 
marine outboard drive that is comprised of an outboard drive unit adapted 
to be mounted on the transom of a watercraft and carrying a propulsion 
unit that is adapted to be driven by any of a plurality of engines 
positioned within the hull of an associated watercraft. A water opening is 
formed in the outboard drive and a first conduit formed in the outboard 
drive extends therethrough between the water opening and an end contiguous 
to the transom. In accordance with the invention, a second, rigid conduit 
communicates at one end with the first conduit transom and means mount the 
rigid conduit for movement of its other end between at least two different 
positions for communication with two different engine water connections 
with the one end communicating with the transom end of the first conduit 
in either position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Referring first to FIG. 1, an inboard/outboard drive constructed in 
accordance with an embodiment of the invention, is identified generally by 
the reference numeral 21. The inboard/outboard drive 21 includes an 
internal combustion engine 22, which may be of any known type and which is 
mounted within a hull 23 of a watercraft forwardly of its transom 24. In 
accordance with the invention, the construction of the unit permits its 
utilization with a wide variety of engine types. 
An outboard drive portion of the unit is indicated generally by the 
reference numeral 25 and includes a gimbal housing 26 that is affixed to 
the rear side of the transom 24 in a known manner. The gimbal housing 26 
mounts an outboard drive unit 27 for steering movement about a vertically 
extending axis and tilt and trim movement about a horizontally extending 
axis in a conventional manner. 
The engine 22 drives an input shaft 28 (FIG. 3) that extends through the 
transom 24 and is connected by means of a universal joint assembly 29 to a 
drive system including a forward, neutral, reverse transmission (not 
shown) mounted in the outboard drive unit 27 for driving a propulsion unit 
such as a propeller 31. The construction as thus far described may be 
considered to be conventional and, for that reason, further description of 
the details is not believed to be necessary. 
The engine 22 is provided with a cooling system of the water cooled type. 
Normally, the engine 22 will be of an automotive type of engine that has 
been marinized in a suitable manner. It is to be understood, however, that 
the invention may be utilized in conjunction with any type of water cooled 
engine. The engine cooling system includes a circulating pump 32 that is 
driven by the engine in a suitable manner and which circulates coolant 
through the engine cooling jacket for discharge back into the body of 
water in which the watercraft is operating along with the exhaust gases 
from the engine. Since this water discharge system does not embody the 
invention in this embodiment, description of it is not believed to be 
necessary. 
The invention, however, resides in the manner for delivering water from the 
body of water in which the watercraft is operating to the coolant pump 32. 
This system includes an under water inlet 33 that is formed in the lower 
unit of the outboard drive unit 27 and which communicates with an internal 
passageway 34 that is formed within the housing of the outer unit 27 by 
means of an integral passageway. 
Referring now in detail to the remaining figures and initially primarily to 
FIG. 3, the internal passageway 34 delivers water to a first rigid conduit 
35 that is mounted within the outboard drive unit 25. The conduit 35 is 
connected to or formed integrally with a second conduit 36 that has an end 
portion 37 that is disposed immediately adjacent the transom 24. The end 
portion 37 is, in the illustrated embodiment, of a flanged configuration 
and is received within an opening 38 formed in the gimbal housing 26 and 
which is located by an elastic sealing ring 39. 
An adjustable second rigid conduit 40 has an adjustable connection to the 
conduit 36, of a type which will be described, and has a flanged end 
portion that receives a flexible conduit 41 for conveying water to the 
water pump 32. In order to permit the use of a single type of connection 
for a variety of engines, the rigid conduit 40 is made adjustable in a way 
which may be best seen by reference to FIGS. 3 through 6. 
To permit this adjustment, the conduit 40 is formed with a generally 
cylindrical portion 42 that has a flanged end 43 that is adapted to 
communicate with the conduit end 37 with an interposed sealing gasket 44. 
The gasket 44 and conduit flanges 43 and 37 are held in sealing engagement 
by means of cover plate 49 that is bolted to the gimbal housing 26 by 
means of bolts 51. The cover plate 49 has an enlarged opening 52 that 
clears the cylindrical conduit portion 42 and an O-ring seal 53 is 
interposed between the cover plate 49 and the flange 43 so as to effect 
fluid tight sealing. As may be seen in FIG. 6, the position of the flanged 
end of the rigid conduit 40 may be easily adjusted by releasing the 
tension on the bolts 51 and rotating the conduit 40 about the cylindrical 
section 41. When the desired position is reached, the cylindrical section 
and conduit 40 are locked in position by retightening the bolt 51. 
Therefore, it should be readily apparent that the construction permits the 
use of a single fitting that can be used with a wide variety of engine 
types and engines having different water inlet locations. 
In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 through 6, the rigid conduit 36 was formed 
with an integral flange 37. FIG. 7 shows another embodiment wherein a 
welded on flange 71 is employed. 
FIGS. 8 through 11 show another embodiment of the invention. In this 
embodiment, the rigid conduit 36 and its mounting in the gimbal housing 37 
is substantially the same as in the previously described embodiment. 
However, in this embodiment, the end of the conductor 36 is formed with an 
integral flange 101 that may be formed by upsetting a portion of the 
conduit 36. In this embodiment, a further rigid conduit 102 has an end 
portion 103 that is rigidly affixed within a flange 104 that has a 
plurality of bolt receiving openings 105 to receive bolts 106 for 
securement to the outboard drive housing 26. The elastic sleeve 39 
achieves sealing between the flange 104 and thus further O-ring seals are 
not required in this embodiment. As may be seen in FIGS. 9 through 11, by 
removing the bolts 106 and rotating the entire flange 104, it is possible 
to change the angular position of the rigid conduit 102 relative to the 
outboard drive housing 26 so as to adapt to a wide variety of engine types 
and water inlet locations. 
It should be readily apparent from the foregoing description that the 
embodiments of the invention are particularly adapted for facilitating the 
conversion of a single type of outboard drive unit to mate with a number 
of different engine types having different water inlet locations. 
Additional or separate fittings to achieve these results are not required. 
Although a number of embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and 
described, various changes and modifications may be made without departing 
from the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined by the appended 
claims.