Abstract: A fluid reservoir assembly for providing a supply of a lubricating fluid for an internal combustion engine, specifically for use in marine environments. The assembly includes an outer shell for containing and protecting the assembly, a ventless flexible liner for housing a supply of lubricating fluid, where the flexible liner is located within the outer shell, and an orifice and conduit that extends through the ventless flexible liner and the shell for permitting the introduction of lubricating fluid into the ventless flexible liner and for permitting the removal of lubricating fluid therefrom. The fluid reservoir assembly is constructed and arranged such that the ventless flexible liner is in a generally collapsed state until a lubricating fluid is introduced therein through the orifice.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine assembly including an internal combustion engine, an electronic control unit for generating control signals for controlling the engine and a solenoid oil pump for supplying oil to the engine. The oil pump includes an armature and a solenoid winding encircling the armature and being connected to the electronic control unit so that the electronic control unit causes movement of the armature and so as to allow the electronic control unit to detect the flow of current in the solenoid winding.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an internal combustion engine comprising a crankcase assembly including a crankcase member including a crankcase cover mounting surface, and a cylinder assembly mounting surface including therein an opening, and a cylinder block fabricately separately from the crankcase assembly and including a crankcase member surface fixed to the cylinder assembly mounting surface, and a cylinder extending from the crankcase member mounting surface and communicating with the opening in the cylinder assembly mounting surface.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a resin transfer molding apparatus including a female mold member having a rigid surface including a main surface portion, and a recessed surface portion extending inwardly from and bordered by the main portion to define a recessed area, and a male mold member including a structure which is adapted to be drawn into close association with the rigid surface of the female mold member in response to the application of vacuum therebetween and which includes a member which is at least partially flexible and which includes an inner surface located, during the application of vacuum, in relatively adjacent opposing relation to the main surface portion of the female mold member and in relatively spaced relation to the recessed surface portion, and a segment which is relatively rigid, which has a shape conforming to the recessed area, which is fixedly bonded to the inside surface of the member, and which is located, during the application of vacuum, in relatively adjacent opposing relation to the rec

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a valve construction comprising a main body having therein a bore extending along an axis, adapted to contain fuel under pressure, and having, at the axially outer end thereof, an axially outwardly diverging conical surface extending at a first acute angle to the axis, and a needle valve located in the axial bore, movable relative to the main body between open and closed positions, and including a stem portion, and a head portion including a first diverging conical surface which extends axially outwardly from the stem portion at a second acute angle greater than the first acute angle and terminates in a first edge which, when the needle valve is in the closed position, sealingly engages the conical surface of the main body, and which has a diameter, a second surface which extends axially outwardly from the first edge in increasingly spaced relation from the conical surface of the main body and then in decreasingly spaced relation from the conical surface of the main body and which terminat

Abstract: A lubricant supply system for a two-stroke internal combustion engine, which system includes first and second adjacently located and substantially sealed crankcase chambers which alternately experience high and low pressure conditions which are out of phase with respect to the occurrence thereof, first and second oil supply passages respectively communicating with the first and second crankcase chambers, an oil supply circuit including an oil supply chamber adapted to contain oil and having therein a formation including therein a recess isolated from the oil supply chamber and communicating with the first and second oil supply passages, a metering rod including therein an indentation and supported in the oil supply chamber for movement in the formation between a first position wherein the indentation is located in the oil chamber, thereby affording filling of the indentation with oil, and a second position wherein the indentation is located in the formation in communication with the recess, thereby affording

Abstract: An internal combustion engine including an engine block including a cylinder head defining a combustion chamber and having therein an opening communicating with the combustion chamber, and a combined fuel injection pump and nozzle including a housing fixed to the cylinder head and defining a high reluctance gap and a low pressure fuel chamber having an axis, a tubular member extending in the housing into the low pressure fuel chamber in coaxial relation to the axis, having therein an axial bore communicating with the low pressure fuel chamber, and at least partially defining a high pressure fuel chamber, and a nozzle assembly fixed to the housing, extending into the opening, communicating with the combustion chamber and with the axial bore, and including a valve member moveable to an open position in response to a fuel pressure in the high pressure fuel chamber above a predetermined level.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a molding apparatus comprising a mold member at least partially defining a mold cavity including a vent, a valve comprising a valve housing including a bore having a central portion with first and second axially opposite ends, a first end portion communicating with the first end of the central portion and with the vent, and a second end portion communicating with the second end of the central portion, a vent discharge port, and a flushing discharge port, and a conduit including an inlet port communicating with the first end portion of the bore, an outlet port communicating with the second end portion of the bore, and a valve member located in the bore and being operably moveable between a venting position wherein the vent communicates with the conduit inlet port, wherein the conduit outlet port communicates with the vent discharge port, wherein communication between the flushing medium outlet port and the conduit inlet port is blocked, and wherein communication between the conduit outlet p

Abstract: A method of constructing a magnetic flux gap comprising fabricating a first portion from a material having low reluctance and so as to provide an end surface, and a cylindrical inner surface having a diameter, fabricating a second portion from a material having high reluctance and so as to provide axially spaced first and second end surfaces, and a cylindrical inner surface having a diameter greater than the diameter of said cylindrical inner surface of said first portion, fabricating a third portion from a material having low reluctance and so as to provide an end surface, and a cylindrical inner surface having a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of said cylindrical inner surface of said first portion, fixing together the first and second portions with the first end surface of the second portion in axially abutting adjacent relation to the end surface of the first portion and with said cylindrical inner surfaces in concentric relation, fixing together the second and third portions with the second

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a one piece drive shaft housing comprising a casting including an outer surface having an upper end surface, a lower end surface, and an endless side surface extending between the upper and lower end surfaces, an internal cavity extending between the upper and lower end surfaces and adapted to receive a drive shaft and a clutch operated linkage, an internal exhaust gas passage extending between the upper and lower end surfaces and located in spaced relation to the cavity, an internal coolant supply passage extending between the upper and lower end surfaces, an internal idle exhaust passage including a series of expansion chambers and extending between the upper end surface and the endless side surface, and an internal coolant drainage passage extending between the upper and lower end surfaces in heat exchanging relation to the exhaust gas passage.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing, in a resin transfer molding process, a fiber-reinforced polymer object having an exterior surface with first and second portions, the method comprising the steps of providing a first mold with an inner surface, placing dry reinforcement material on the first mold inner surface, providing a second mold including at least one flexible portion with an inner surface having the shape of the object first exterior surface portion, and the second mold also including at least one rigid portion with an inner surface having the shape of the object second exterior surface portion, placing the second mold over the dry reinforcement material to define a space between the first mold inner surface and the inner surfaces of the flexible and rigid portions, reducing the pressure, relative to ambient pressure, in the space between the molds, injecting resin into the space, and curing the resin.

Abstract: A foam lined pontoon log in which polyurethane flotation foam is sprayed onto the interior surfaces of the pontoon log and adheres to the interior surfaces of the pontoon log. The flotation foam is built up to a desired thickness, but does not completely fill the interior of the pontoon log. The foam lining of the pontoon log interior surface provides the pontoon log with improved resistance to water leakage through the outer shell of the log, improved structural rigidity, and improved sound dampening. The pontoon log may have a nose cone section at its bow end with splash guard plates. The interior of the nose cone section is filled with flotation foam to a height above the splash guard plates to prevent water ingress associated with pin-sized holes resulting from welding of the splash guard plates to the pontoon log body.

Abstract: An improved air inlet cover for use with outboard motors is disclosed. A particular embodiment of the cover is formed by a generally hollow shell having an open side. An air passage is located opposite the open side at an upper portion of the shell. A baffle extends from an upper inner portion of the shell to an elevation below the air passage and is disposed generally opposite the air passage. An exit port is provided at the bottom of the chamber for discharging water collected therein, and a valve is provided within the exit port. When the exit port is submerged the valve is closed and provides a barrier to water entry. Preferably, the cover is located at an upper forward portion of the outboard motor cowl and both the air passage and air inlet are high up on the upper forward portion.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an internal combustion engine including first and second adjacent oppositely acting crankcases defined, in part, by a wall intermediate the first and second crankcases, a passageway through the wall and including a central portion and end portions which extends in opposite directions from the central portion, which are outwardly divergent, and which communicate with the first and second crankcases, whereby the central portion acts as a venturi consequent to air passage through the passageway between the crankcases incident to the pressure differential between the crankcases, and a conduit communicating with the central portion of the passageway for alternately supplying lubricating oil to the crankcases.

Abstract: A fuel injection pump driven by an electric coil, the pump including a poppet valve slidable within a fuel passage in an armature structure and relative thereto in response to movement of the armature structure relative to the pump housing and through a stroke length between a first position permitting flow in a fuel passage from a low pressure fuel chamber to a high pressure fuel chamber, and a second position preventing fuel flow between the high and low pressure fuel chambers, and comprising a head portion located in the high pressure fuel chamber and including a valve surface which is spaced from the valve seat when the poppet valve is in the first position permitting fuel flow from the low pressure fuel chamber to the high pressure fuel chamber, and which is sealingly engaged with the valve seat when the poppet valve is in the second position preventing fuel flow between the high and low pressure fuel chambers, an adjustment member extending in a bore in the housing wall and being engageable with the pop

Abstract: Disclosed herein is marine apparatus comprising a boat including a hull, an outboard motor including a propulsion unit having a rear side and mounted on the hull for pivotal movement relative thereto between a trimmed-in position, a tilted-up position, and a trimmed-out position between the trimmed-in position and the tilted-up position, a cover which extends above the propulsion unit and which is mounted on the hull for movement relative thereto about an axis located forwardly of the rear side of the propulsion unit and between a lower position wherein the cover affords movement of the propulsion unit between the trimmed-in position and the trimmed-out position, and an upper position wherein the cover affords movement of the propulsion unit to the tilted-up position, and engaging surfaces on the motor and on the cover for moving the cover from the lower position to the upper position in response to movement of the propulsion unit from the trimmed-out position to the tilted-up position.

Abstract: A method of molding a boat hull including a screw strip using the resin transfer molding process, the method comprising the steps of wrapping the screw strip with reinforcement, fabricating a rigid mold having a boat-defining surface including a screw strip receiving recess, applying gel coat to the boat-defining surface in a layer including a gel coated recess, positioning reinforcement having interstices along the gel coat layer and with an upper part of the reinforcement extending into the gel coated recess, locating the reinforcement wrapped screw strip in the gel coated recess to capture the upper part of the reinforcement between the mold and the reinforcement wrapped screw strip, and burying the reinforcement and filling the interstices thereof with a resinous layer to produce the boat hull.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an oil pump assembly comprising a housing member including a first mounting surface, a cover member mounting surface spaced from the first mounting surface, a bore extending from the cover member mounting surface and including, adjacent the cover member mounting surface, a counter bore, an oil supply passage extending between the first mounting surface and the cover member mounting surface for communication with an oil supply source, and an oil delivery passage extending between the first mounting surface and the cover member mounting surface for communication with an oil delivery conduit, a cover member including a housing member mounting surface fixed to the cover member mounting surface of the housing member, an other mounting surface, an oil supply recess located in the housing member mounting surface and communicating with the counter bore in the housing member, an internal oil supply conduit communicating between the oil supply recess and the housing member mounting surface and commu

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a nozzle assembly comprising a housing including a central bore having, at one end thereof, a valve seat, an elongated needle member having, at one end thereof, a valve portion engageable with the valve seat, and having, at the other end thereof, an end portion, a retainer member having therein a bore receiving the end portion of the needle, and being fixed to the end portion of the needle, and a spring acting between the housing and the retainer member to bias the valve portion into engagement with the valve seat, and a method of assembly therefor comprising the steps of locating the needle member in the bore in the housing with the valve portion in engagement with the valve seat and with the end portion extending from the housing, locating the spring in surrounding relation to the end portion of the needle member and in operative engagement with the housing, locating the retainer member with the end portion of the needle member passing through the bore in the retainer member, spacing the

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a cylinder head comprising a one-piece casting including a cylinder block mounting surface adapted to mate with a mounting surface on a cylinder block and including vertically spaced first and second recesses adapted to respectively form portions of first and second combustion chambers and respectively including first and second exhaust ports, a bottom surface extending transversely to the cylinder block mounting surface and including an exhaust gas outlet, and an internal exhaust gas passage extending between the exhaust ports and the exhaust gas outlet.