# Patent

## Title
Underwater viewing device

## Abstract

This is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 852,275 filed Apr. 15, 1986, U.S. Pat. No. 4,669,987 which in turn is a continuation of Ser. No. 775,284 filed Sept. 12, 1985, abandoned which in turn is a continuation of the original parent application Ser. No. 607,539 filed May 7, 1981 abandoned.

## Background
This invention relates to the field of remote control steering devices to enable steering of outboard trolling motors at any desired location forwardly in the boat, preferably by the fisherman's foot so he can keep his hands on the fish pole and reel when he has a fish on the line. It relates particularly to kits comprising component parts by which existing trolling motors can be equipped with remote steering capability.

Various types of remote control steering devices are known to the prior-art, but most of these require substantial modification to install on existing motors or they have to be bought already installed as part of the original equipment. Some examples of remote steering controls for watercraft in general include the foot controls shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,311,108 to individually operate two separate motors on opposite sides of the pontoon barge and thus steer the craft that way; U.S. Pat. No. 4,262,618 discloses a mechanism for attaching a motor to the steering wheel of a boat equipped with that kind of a steering mechanism; U.S. Pat. No. 4,037,556 discloses a complex built-in control mechanism to steer an outboard motor by means of a foot pedal; U.S. Pat. No. 3,989,000 discloses a built-in steering motor for a trolling boat motor connected by belt means for operation of the steering mechanism; U.S. Pat. No. 3,811,394 discloses a control unit for automatic pilot steering of a boat. U.S. Pat. No. 3,613,624 discloses a steering system for boats using cables attached to the steering arm of an outboard motor; U.S. Pat. No. 3,598,947 discloses a trolling motor which has a steering motor built in as part of the original construction; U.S. Pat. No. 2,877,733 discloses another already built in steering and power control system for outboard motors.

There has not been available in the prior art a convenient kit assembly which would enable adding remote control capability to existing trolling motors at low cost, easy to install requiring no drilling, welding or other modification of the existing motor, and that is of durable construction.

The remote steering assembly kit in accordance with the present invention fills that need.

It is an object of the invention to provide a remote steering kit for outboard trolling motors that can be installed on existing trolling motors without modification of such existing motor.

It is an object of the invention to provide a remote steering kit for outboard trolling motors that can be installed on existing trolling motors by anyone with a minimum of effort and by use of readily available tools.

It is an object of the invention to provide a remote steering kit for outboard trolling motors comprising a mounting frame connectable to an existing bolt of the trolling motor, a coupling collar seated for rotation on the mounting frame and connected to rotate the elongated vertical drive shaft housing of the trolling motor, a steering gear member in driving engagement with the coupling collar having a radially extending slot to receive the drive shaft housing for positioning the steering gear member coaxially with the drive shaft housing, and a steering motor having a drive gear in mesh with said steering gear member to rotate said steering gear member in both opposite directions of rotation, thereby rotating the vertical drive shaft housing of the trolling motor to which its propeller is connected at the bottom end and thus steering the boat.

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a trolling motor of the type for which a remote steering assembly kit in accordance with the present invention may be used.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the trolling motor of FIG. 1 shown with a remote steering assembly kit in accordance with this invention operably mounted thereon.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the mounting bracket part of the remote steering assembly kit in accordance with this invention.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the mounting bracket shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a section view taken on line 5--5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the driven steering gear part of the remote steering assembly kit in accordance with this invention.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the coupling collar part of the remote steering assembly kit in accordance with this invention.

FIG. 8 is a side elevation view of the coupling collar shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a plan view from the bottom of the drive gear part of the remote steering assembly kit in accordance with this invention and D.C. electric motor connected thereto.

FIG. 10 is a schematic of the electric circuit in accordance with this invention, showing the circuit energized with the operating switch in a first position and the motor terminals having the polarity shown.

FIG. 11 is a schematic of the electric circuit in accordance with this invention, showing the circuit interrupted with the operating switch in a second position and no current flowing to the motor.

FIG. 12 is a schematic of the electric circuit in accordance with this invention, showing the circuit energized with the operating switch in a third position and the motor terminals having opposite polarity from that shown in FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 is a side elevation view of the switch used in operating the invention described herein.

FIG. 14 is an exploded perspective view of a modified form of the remote steering assembly kit in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a plan view from the bottom of the modified coupling collar shown in FIG. 14.

FIG. 16 is a plan view from the top of the modified driven steering gear member shown in FIG. 14.

FIG. 17 is a plan view from the bottom of the modified driven steering gear member shown in FIG. 14.

FIG. 18 is a plan view from the top of the modified mounting bracket assembly shown in FIG. 14, showing the molded case motor housing portion integrally formed with the supporting base portion of the assembly and with the motor in place.

FIG. 19 is a side elevation view showing the modified form of the remote steering gear assembly operably mounted on the trolling motor shown in FIG. 1.

A conventional outboard trolling motor 1 is illustrated in FIG. 1. The remote steering assembly kit in accordance with the present invention is readily adapted for use with such a trolling motor and most others, since they have comparable parts to which the remote steering assembly kit as described herein can be mounted for use.

The remote steering assembly kit includes a mounting bracket 2 having a horizontally extending base plate 3 and spaced apart depending side walls 4 and 5. The side walls 4 and 5 taper downwardly from the rear edge 6 to the forward edge 7 of the bracket 2. A pair of aligned apertures 8 are formed in the lower portion of the side walls 4 and 5 near the forward edge 7 to receive the pivot bolt 9, which is part of the original trolling motor 1 and on which it pivots to lift the propeller 10 from the water and to lower it into the water.

The original trolling motor 1 includes a boat mounting frame 11, having a clamp member 12 to clamp to the transom of the boat. The pivot bolt 9 extends transversely through the body portion of the mounting frame 11, and the pivotable sleeve member 13 which slidably and rotatably holds the elongated cylindrical drive shaft housing 14 of the trolling motor 1 is pivotably mounted on the pivot bolt 9. The original motor includes a latch release lever 15, normally biased upwardly into its latching position by a compression spring 16, to seat the latch bar 17 in one of the notches 18 of the rack portion 19 of the mounting frame 11. To lift the propeller 10 from the water, the latch release lever 15 is depressed which moves the latch bar 17 out of the lowermost notch 18, whereupon the pivotable sleeve member 13 and elongated drive shaft housing 14 can be pivoted on the pivot bolt 9 until the propeller 10 has been lifted from the water. The latch release lever 15 is then released allowing the latch bar 17 to seat in an adjacent notch 18 to hold the mechanism in that position with the propeller out of the water.

To complete the description of the trolling motor, the propeller 10 is rotated by a drive shaft which extends upwardly through the drive shaft housing 14 to a trolling motor in the motor housing 20 at the top of the drive shaft housing 14. Operation of the trolling motor is controlled by the operating lever 21. The depth of the propeller 10 in the water can be adjusted by loosening the mounting frame set screw 22 and collar 66 whereupon the cylindrical drive shaft housing 14 can be raised or lowered to a desired height, after which the set screw 22 and collar 66 are again tightened.

The mounting bracket 2 in accordance with this invention has an open front wall 23 for ready access to the latch release lever 15 when mounting bracket 2 has been mounted on the pivot bolt 9. The bottom wall 24 is also open and tapers upwardly toward the rear edge 6 where it meets the rear edge of the base plate 3. This permits ready access to the mounting frame set screw 22 of the original trolling motor assembly.

The base plate 3 of the mounting bracket 2 includes a slot 25 opening to the forward edge 7 wide enough to receive the cylindrical drive shaft housing 14 therethrough when the mounting bracket 2 has been pivotably mounted on pivot bolt 9 and pivoted upwardly to a position where the base plate 3 is substantially horizontal. The slot 25 opens inwardly to a circular aperture 26 of somewhat larger diameter than that of the cylindrical drive shaft housing 14 which is concentric and co-axial therewith.

A coupling collar 27 seats in the annular space formed between the cylindrical drive shaft housing 14 and the peripheral edge of the larger diameter aperture 26. The coupling collar 27 includes a lower annular ring 28 having an outer diameter corresponding to the diameter of the circular aperture 26 and an inner diameter corresponding to the outer diameter of the cylindrical drive shaft housing 14, and an upper annular portion 29 having a diameter larger than that of the circular aperture 26. Thus, when lower annular ring 28 of the collar 27 is scated in the annular space between the cylindrical drive shaft housing 14 and the peripheral circular edge of the aperture 26, the upper annular portion 29 rests against the base plate 3.

The coupling collar 27 is a split collar comprised of two semi-annular halves 30 and 31, which are separable to permit removal from the cylindrical drive shaft housing 14, and joinable to mount on such shaft housing. A pair of connecting screws 32, having recesses to receive an Allen wrench for rotation thereof, are provided to join and hold said two halves 30 and 31 together,

A steering assembly set screw 33 is threaded through the annular wall 34 of the upper annular portion 29 to bear against the cylindrical drive shaft housing 14 of the trolling motor 1, whereby such drive shaft housing 14 is rotated when the coupling collar 27 is rotated.

The rearward facing annular half 30 of the collar 27 includes a pair of threaded taps 35 opening to its upper surface 36, such taps 35 being in registration with a corresponding pair of apertures 37 in the relatively large diameter planar driven gear 38 which rests on top of the coupling collar 27. A pair of bolts 39 extend through the apertures 37 into the threaded taps 35 and are tightened to hold the driven gear securely to the coupling collar 27. The planar gear 38 is of relatively thin cross-section or thickness, as for example one-eighth of an inch thick.

The large diameter planar gear 38 includes a radially extending slot 40 opening to the peripheral wall of the gear 38, such slot 40 being wide enough to receive the cylindrical drive shaft housing 14 therein as the gear 38 is positioned over the coupling collar 27, coaxially therewith and coaxial also with the cylindrical drive shaft housing 14. Thus, when the driven gear 38 is rotated on its axis, it rotates coupling collar 27 to which it is bolted, and it also rotates the cylindrical drive shaft housing 14 which is fixedly secured to the coupling collar 27 by the steering assembly set screw 33.

A small D.C. electric motor 40 is mounted at the rear portion of the base plate 3 of mounting bracket 2 having a drive gear 41 mounted on its drive shaft 42, in mesh with the large diameter drive gear 38. Such motors may be of any conventional type known to the prior art and readily available. Such motor 40 is of the type that changes direction of rotation of the drive shaft 42 when polarity at its terminals 43 and 44 is reversed. As an example of a motor which may be used in this invention, the one illustrated in the drawing is made for original use to power the electrically operated windows of an automobile.

The motor 40 includes a gear housing 45 over its drive gear 41, such housing having three circumferentially spaced apart apertures 46 which are in registration with three corresponding apertures 47 through the base plate 3 of the mounting bracket 2 when the drive gear 41 is in mesh with driven gear 38. Three bolts 48 are received through the apertures 46 and 47 to bolt the motor 40 securely to the base plate 3 with its drive gear 41 in driving engagement with driven gear 38.

Electrical conductors 49 and 50 load from respective motor terminals 43 and 44 to a reverse polarity switch 51, having output terminals 52 and 53 for connection to conductors 49 and 50 leading from the motor 40, and input terminals 54 and 55 for connection to conductors 56 and 57 leading from the battery 58. Movable contact arm 59 is connected to output terminal 52 and movable contact arm 60 is connected to output terminal 53. The movable contact arms 59 and 60 are movable by a switch operator 61 between a first position wherein contact arm 59 makes electrical contact with input terminal 54 leading from the negative terminal 62 of battery 58 and contact arm 60 makes electrical contact with input terminal 55 leading from the positive terminal 63 of battery 58; a second position wherein contact arms 59 and 60 move to positions between respective input terminals thereby interrupting the circuit; and a third position wherein contact arm 59 makes electrical contact with the positive input terminal 55 and contact arm 60 makes electrical contact with the negative input terminal 54. As can be seen from the schematic drawings illustrating these three positions, in the first position the polarity at motor terminal 43 is negative and at motor terminal 44 positive causing the motor 40 to rotate in one direction. In the second position, the circuit is interrupted and the motor 40 is stopped. In the third position, the polarity at motor terminal 43 is positive and at motor terminal 44 is negative causing the motor 40 to rotate in the opposite direction from that when the switch 51 is in the first position.

The conductors 49 and 50 leading from the motor 40 to the reverse polarity switch 51 are long enough to enable positioning the switch 51 at any desired forward position in the boat. The switch operator 51 as shown in the drawing includes an upwardly projecting arm 64 which is connected to move the movable contact arms 59 and 60 between the aforesaid first, second and third positions, and which is normally biased to the second or circuit interrupted position. The operator arm 64 at such time is in a substantially normal position relative to the base plate 65 of the switch 51. The arm 64 is pivotable in one direction to move the contact arms 59 and 60 to the first switch position whereby the electrical circuit is energized with motor terminal 43 being negative and motor terminal 44 being positive causing the motor 40 to rotate in one direction, and the arm 64 is pivotable in the opposite direction to move contact arms 59 and 60 to the third switch position whereby the circuit is also energized but with the polarity of motor terminals 43 and 44 reversed causing the motor 40 to rotate in the opposite direction. When the switch operator arm 64 is released it is automatically biased back to the second or circuit interrupted position causing the motor 40 to stop.

The switch 51 may be laid in the bottom of the boat and moved to the switch positions described by the fisherman's foot. When moved to the first switch position, the motor 40 rotates in one direction causing the driven gear 38 in mesh with the motor's drive gear 41 to rotate, moving with it the coupling collar 27 and the cylindrical drive shaft housing 14 of the trolling motor 1 in the same direction of rotation. The propeller 10 is thus also rotated causing the boat to turn in one direction. When the fisherman moves the switch operator arm 64 in the opposite direction to the third switch position as described above, the motor 40 rotates in the opposite direction, in turn rotating driven gear 38, coupling collar 27, and cylindrical drive shaft housing 14 in the opposite direction causing the boat to turn in the opposite direction.

A significant feature of the remote steering assembly kit in accordance with this invention is the fact that it can be connected to existing trolling motors without modification. The component parts of the kit are the mounting bracket 2, the coupling collar 27, the large diameter driven gear 38, the electric motor 40 with attached drive gear 41, a battery 58 and the polarity reversing switch 51 which may be placed forward in the boat at any desired location. Attachment of these component parts which make up the kit is very simple as described and explained above, requiring only a few tools such as an adjustable end wrench and an Allen wrench and not requiring that any holes have to be drilled, parts welded or the like. The kit is essentially universal, and useable with any of the existing outboard trolling motors to provide remote steering from any forward position in the boat.

Another embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS. 14-19 wherein the steering gear 38 comprises a molded gear member 380 having an arcuate top wall 381 and arcuate side wall 382 extending arcuately for more than one hundred eighty degrees terminating at a first flat end wall 383 at one end and at a second flat end wall 384 at the opposite end. Internal gear teeth 385 project inwardly from the inner surface 386 of the arcuate side wall 382 and extend around the entire arcuate inner surface 386.

A radially extending slot 400 opens outwardly to the side wall 382 of molded gear member 380 between the first and second flat end walls 383 and 384, the slot 400 being wide enough to receive the cylindrical drive shaft housing 14 therein. The radially extending slot 400 opens inwardly to a circular aperture 260of somewhat larger diameter than that of the drive shaft housing 14 which is concentric and co-axial therewith when the steering gear assembly kit is operably mounted on the trolling motor.

A modified split coupling collar 270 includes a lower annular ring portion 280 having an outer diameter corresponding to the diameter of the circular aperture 260 and an inner diameter corresponding to the outer diameter of the cylindrical drive shaft housing 14. The lower annular ring portion 280 seats in the annular space formed between the cylindrical drive shaft housing 14 and the peripheral edge of the larger diameter aperture 260.

The modified split collar 270 includes an upper annular ring portion 290 having an outer diameter larger than that of the circular aperture 260. A square or rectangular boss 291 is integrally formed adjacent the underside 292 of the upper annular ring portion 290, having a cross-sectional configuration and dimension corresponding to a square or rectangular receiving recess 387 formed in a raised portion 388 of the top wall 381 of molded gear member 380 co-axially with said circular aperture 260 and above said circular aperture. Thus, when the modified split collar 270 is put in place, its lower annular ring portion extends downward through the circular aperture 260 seating in the annular space between its peripheral edge and the cylindrical drive shaft housing 14, and the square or rectangular boss 291 of the upper ring portion 290 seats in the receiving square or rectangular receiving recess 387 in the raised portion 388 of top wall 381 of the molded gear member 380. An enlarged portion 293 integrally formed on the underside 292 of the upper annular ring portion 290 has an internally threaded bore 294 opening outwardly to the peripheral side edge of upper annular ring portion 290 and opening inwardly to the cylindrical bore 271 which extends through the modified split collar 270. A threaded set screw 33 extends through the internally threaded bore 294 to bear against the cylindrical drive shaft housing 14 of the trolling motor 1 when received through said cylindrical bore 271, to hold said modified split collar 270 against rotational and longitudinal movement relative to said dirve shaft housing.

The mounting bracket assembly 200 of the modified form of the invention includes a molded case arcuate support base 201 having an integrally formed housing 202 to receive the motor 401 with its drive gear 410 projecting upwardly in position for engagement with the internal gear teeth 385 of molded gear member 380 when put in place on top of the arcuate support base 201. The arcuate support base 201 includes a radially extending slot 203 having a width corresponding in size to the diameter of the drive shaft housing 14 opening outwardly to the outer peripheral wall of support base 201 and opening inwardly to a cylindrical aperture 204 of somewhat large diameter than that of the drive shaft housing 14 which is concentric and co-axial therewith when the steering gear assembly kit is operably mounted on the trolling motor. The diameter of cylindrical aperture 204 is the same as that of circular aperture 260 of the molded gear member 380. Thus, the lower annular ring portion 280 extends downwardly into the cylindrical aperture 204 and seats in the annular space formed between the cylindrical drive shaft housing 14 and the peripheral edge of the larger diameter cylindrical aperture 204.

The lower annular ring portion 280 of the split coupling collar 270 includes an annular locking groove 281 opening to the outer wall 282. When the collar 270 is seated with its lower portion 280 extending through the molded gear member 380 and into the cylindrical aperture 204 of the support base 201, a portion of the annular wall of lower portion 280 projects outwardly a short distance into the pathway of radially extending slot 203 of the support base 201. A locking bore 205 extends through the side wall 216 of support base 201 opening outwardly to the outer surface of side wall 216 and opening inwardly to slot 203 at the point which is in axial alignment to intersect groove 281 of the lower annular ring portion 280 of the collar 270. A locking pin 206 extends through bore 205 to intersect and seat in annular groove 281 to thereby hold the collar 270 in place and to hold the molded gear member 380 clamped together with the support base 201 in meshed engagement with drive gear 410 of the motor 401 seated in the integrally formed housing 202 of the support base 201.

The split collar 270 comprises two separable cylindrical halves 272 and 273, which are joined and held together by two screws 274 and 275 extending in threaded apertures in semi-cylindrical half 273 and seating in threaded apertures 275 and 277 in semi-cylindrical half 272. A motor housing cover 207 is provided to cover the motor 401 when seated in the housing 202, such cover being secured in place by screws (not shown).

A pair of connecting brackets 208 and 209 extend from the support base 201 for connection to the pivot bolt 9 which is part of the original trolling motor assembly 1.

To mount this modified form of remote steering assembly kit to a trolling motor the following steps are taken. The trolling motor is preferably mounted on a stand with with the motor housing 20 about twelve inches above the original frame 11. The original equipment set screw 22 is tightened to hold the motor housing 20 in such position, and the original equipment collar 66 is moved upwardly on the drive shaft housing 14 to the motor housing 20 where it is out of the way and locked in place at such location. The semi-cylindrical halves 272 and 273 of the split collar 270 are placed around the drive shaft housing 14 above the mounting frame 11 and the screws 274, 275 tightened to hold the two halves securely together but free to move reciprocally on the drive shaft housing 14 until the set screw 33 is tightened. The molded gear member 380 is then placed over the molded support base 201 having the motor 401 already in place with drive gear 410 positioned to mesh with the internal gear teeth 385 of molded gear member 380. The collar 270 is then lowered on drive shaft housing 14 to seat in the annular space between the cylindrical housing 14 and the circular aperture 260 of the gear member 380 and the cylindrical aperture 204 of the molded support base 201. When the collar 270 has been seated therein as far as it can go, the square or rectangular boss 291 of the collar 270 will be seated in the square or rectangular recess 387 opening to the upper surface of the molded gear member 380. Thus, when the drive gear 410 of the remote steering motor 401 drives molded gear member 380, it in turn rotates the collar 270 which in turn rotates the drive shaft housing 14 to steer the boat. When the collar 270 has been fully seated, the locking pin 206 will be in registration with annular locking groove 281 of collar 270. The locking pin is moved inwardly to seat in locking groove 281 to hold the assembly together. The pivot bolt 9 is loosened or removed for connection of the connecting brackets 205 and 209 thereto, and pivot bolt 9 is then replaced or tightened for connection of the remote steering assembly kit to the original mounting frame of the trolling motor assembly. The electrical connections are made as previously described to connect the motor to a battery and to the remote start, stop and steering controls.

## Claims

1. A remote steering assembly kit for an already existing outboard trolling motor assembly of the type having a boat mounting frame member including a clamp member to clamp to a side of the boat, a sleeve member connected to said frame member, an upwardly extending cylindrical drive shaft housing extending from a drive motor at the upper end to a propeller at the bottom end received through said sleeve member and being rotatable to steer the boat on which it is mounted, said kit comprising detachable rotatable steering gear means for mounting on said cylindrical drive shaft housing of said existing outboard trolling motor assembly while it remains assembled and co-axial with said cylindrical drive shaft to rotate it in both opposite directions of rotation to thereby steer the boat, power drive gear means positioned to rotate said steering gear means in both opposite directions of rotation on command, and control means to direct said power drive gear means to rotate said steering gear means as desired in each opposite direction of rotation to steer the said boat to the right when rotated in one direction and to left when rotated in the opposite direction of rotation, said control means being movable to a location in said boat remote from said trolling motor for remote steering control of said boat, wherein said detachable rotatable steering gear means includes a steering gear member having an arcuate peripheral configuration, an arcuately extending top wall, an arcuately extending side wall having an outwardly facing surface and an inwardly facing surface, gear teeth projecting inwardly from said inwardly facing surface of said arcuately extending side wall for driving engagement with said power drive gear means, a radially extending slot in said top wall of said steering gear member opening to said side wall to receive said cylindrical drive shaft housing, a central aperture through said top wall of said steering gear member, said radially extending slot extending from said opening to said side wall to said central aperture whereby said steering gear member is mountable on said cylindrical drive shaft housing co-axially therewith while said trolling motor assembly remains assembled, rotary drive means detachably affixed to said cylindrical drive shaft housing having first engagement means for driving engagement with said steering gear member, said top wall of said steering gear member including second engagement means for engagement with said first engagement means of said rotary drive means.

2. A remote steering assembly kit as set forth in claim 1, wherein said rotary drive means includes a collar member comprising two separable semi-cylindrical halves, means to detachably affix said collar member to said cylindrical drive shaft housing and hold it against rotary and longitudinal movement relative to said cylindrical drive shaft housing, said collar member including a lower cylindrical sleeve portion to extend through said central aperture of said steering gear member, said collar member including an enlarged upper end portion having a cross-sectional dimension greater than that of said central aperture of said steering gear member, said first engagement means including a projecting boss projecting downward from said upper end portion of said collar member toward said top wall of said steering gear member, said second engagement means including a corresponding recess in said top wall of said steering gear member to receive said boss of said collar member whereby said collar member is rotated when said steering gear member is rotated.

3. A remote steering assembly kit as set forth in claim 2, wherein said boss has an angular peripheral configuration and said recess has a corresponding angular peripheral configuration.

4. A remote steering assembly kit as set forth in claim 1, wherein said power drive gear means includes an electric motor and a drive gear operably connected thereto, control means to cause said motor to rotate said drive gear in both opposite directions of rotation, a supporting base member to support said motor and position said drive gear for meshed engagement with said steering gear member and means to couple said steering gear member to said supporting base member in meshed engagement with said drive gear, said outboard trolling motor assembly including a pivot bolt connecting said sleeve member to said frame member, and bracket means to detachably connect said supporting base member to said pivot bolt of said outboard trolling motor assembly.

5. A remote steering assembly kit as set forth in claim 4, wherein said supporting base member includes an arcuately extending upper surface having a dimension and peripheral configuration corresponding to that of said steering gear member whereby when coupled together said internally projecting teeth of said steering gear member and said drive gear in mesh therewith are enclosed, said supporting base member including a radially extending slot opening outwardly to a side wall thereof and opening inwardly to a cylindrical aperture through said supporting base member, including said cylindrical aperture, said cylindrical aperture of said supporting base member being of the same diameter as the said central aperture of said steering gear member and in registration therewith when said supporting base member and said steering gear member are coupled together, said supporting base member including an integrally formed housing for said electric motor to support said motor and position said drive gear for said meshed engagement with said steering gear member.