Patent ID: 8851944

Claim:
A hydraulic system for a marine engine comprising: a fluid reservoir for containing hydraulic fluid; a bi-directional pump fluidly connected to the fluid reservoir; a valve assembly fluidly connected to the pump and the fluid reservoir; and a hydraulic actuator fluidly connected to the valve assembly, the hydraulic actuator selectively fluidly communicating with the pump and the fluid reservoir via the valve assembly, the hydraulic actuator being adapted for moving an engine of the marine engine about one of a tilt/trim axis and a steering axis, the valve assembly including: a first aperture fluidly communicating with the pump; a second aperture fluidly communicating with the actuator; a third aperture fluidly communicating with the actuator; a fourth aperture fluidly communicating with the pump; and a fifth aperture fluidly communicating with the fluid reservoir; operating the pump to supply hydraulic fluid to the first aperture causing hydraulic fluid to flow from the pump to the actuator via the first and second apertures and from the actuator to the fluid reservoir via the third and fifth apertures, and causing the actuator to move in a first actuator direction, wherein operating the pump to supply hydraulic fluid to the first aperture prevents hydraulic fluid flow between the valve assembly and the pump via the fourth aperture; and operating the pump to supply hydraulic fluid to the fourth aperture causing hydraulic fluid to flow from the pump to the actuator via the fourth and third apertures and from the actuator to the pump via the second and first apertures, and causing the actuator to move in a second actuator direction opposite the first actuator direction, wherein operating the pump to supply hydraulic fluid to the fourth aperture prevents hydraulic fluid flow between the valve assembly and the fluid reservoir via the fifth aperture.