POWER TRANSMISSION SYSTEM

• Main Author: NELSON D,US
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 07.08.1973
• Subjects: MARINE PROPULSION OR STEERING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; RELATED EQUIPMENT; SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; TRANSPORTING

A steerable power transmission system particularly useful for driving and steering a small boat is described. A central steering shaft, a drive tube, a fixed inner housing, and a rotatable outer housing are coaxial. The propeller shaft extends from the outer housing transverse to the common axis. The steering shaft is connected to the outer housing for pivoting it and the propeller axis. The propeller shaft is connected to a bevel gear that engages a pair of contra-rotating bevel ring gears on opposite sides thereof so that the drive torque is balanced. Means are provided for driving each of the ring gears from the drive tube and each of these means includes an overrunning clutch that permits its respective ring gear to run relatively faster than the other ring gear so that the outer housing can be pivoted with nominal torque on the steering shaft. The arrangement permits the outer housing and hence propeller axis to be rotated 360 DEG in either direction, thereby giving an inboard motor boat many of the advantages of an outboard motor.