Patent ID: 7104854

Claim:
A hydraulic system for controlling the position of an outboard drive on the hull of a watercraft, said system comprising a cylinder body assembly defining a cylinder bore in which a piston is supported for reciprocation and divides said cylinder bore into two chambers on opposite sides of said piston, a piston rod affixed to said piston and extending through one of said chambers and externally of said cylinder body assembly for connection to one of said outboard drive and said hull, the cylinder body assembly being connected to the other of said outboard drive and said hull for effecting movement of said outboard drive relative to said hull upon pressurization of one of said chambers, and a hydraulic system for selectively pressurizing said one chamber to elevate said outboard drive relative to said hull, said hydraulic system comprising a pump for pressurizing fluid and a valved system for communicating the output of said pump with said one chamber comprising a first check valve interposed between said pump and said one chamber and adapted to be opened upon pressurization for flow toward said one chamber and a second check valve interposed between said first check valve and said one chamber and in series flow relation to said first check valve and adapted to be opened upon pressurization for flow toward said one chamber, either of said first and said second check valves precluding flow from said one chamber when not pressurized.