Patents Examined by Andrew Wright
  • Patent number: 6217400
    Abstract: An improved control mechanism for a marine transmission that provides an effective shift control by forming a crank arm at the lower end of the shift rod which lies below a cylindrical bearing portion. These parts are passed through a key hole shaped opening in the lower unit so that when fully assembled, the bearing portion of the shift rod will be journaled in the cylindrical portion of the key hole shaped slot so as to provide a good bearing arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2001
    Assignee: Sanshin Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Noriyuki Natsume
  • Patent number: 6216628
    Abstract: A vessel includes at least two anchor lines connected respectively at a substantially fixed position near the bow and near the stern of the vessel. At least one of the anchor lines includes at least two branching anchor lines each connected with one end to the anchor line in a connection point and connected with the other end to the seabed. By means of this system, a stable anchoring arrangement is achieved in which the sides of the vessel are easily accessible by for instance a shuttle tanker. The system also allows for a weathervaning action through relatively small angles, for instance between 0 and 90°. In another embodiment, at least one of the anchor lines is connected to a substantially fixed position pulling system such as a winch system for lengthening or shortening the anchor lines. For providing a weathervaning action through a range of about O and 90°, the anchor lines are maintained in a tensioned state by the winch system and are varied in length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2001
    Assignee: Single Buoy Moorings Inc.
    Inventor: Leendert Poldervaart
  • Patent number: 6216624
    Abstract: A jet ski braking system is provided including a jet ski having a bottom surface and a top control console including a steering mechanism, a seat and a pair of laterally spaced wells for placing feet of a rider. Also included is at least one pedal hingably coupled to the jet ski within one of the wells adjacent to the steering mechanism thereof. At least one brake flap is hingably mounted to the bottom surface of the jet ski. A connector assembly is included for lowering the brake flap upon the depression of the pedal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2001
    Inventor: James F. Page
  • Patent number: 6213828
    Abstract: An exhaust pipe suitable for a personal watercraft which can reduce exhaust noises, prevent a transom board from being made dirty by an exhaust gas and avoid exposing a rider trying to get onto a deck to the exhaust gas stream directly, the exhaust pipe being provided above a water line of a transom board for discharging an exhaust gas behind the personal watercraft, the exhaust pipe projects from the transom board rearward and has at least a rear portion curved downward. Consequently, an opening face provided on a rear end of the exhaust pipe is oriented obliquely rearward with respect to a water surface as seen from a side of the personal watercraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2001
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukosyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshinori Tsumiyama, Masaki Ito
  • Patent number: 6213822
    Abstract: A tilt and trim unit for a marine drive eases manual trim or tilt up of the drive, while presenting a compact construction. The unit includes a cylinder having upper and lower fluid chambers. A bypass arrangement selectively bypasses a shock absorbing mechanism of the tilt and trim unit. The bypass arrangement is formed by a sub-chamber and a valve positioned in series on one side of the fluid chambers. This arrangement produces a compact construction. The valve also desirably establishes three operating states for the tilt and trim unit. In one state, the valve is open and the tilt and trim unit is easily moved. In another state, the valve is closed to prevent movement of the tilt and trim unit. In a third state, the valve operates as a one-way valve permitting extension of the tilt and trim unit to raise the marine drive, but inhibiting retraction of the tilt and trim unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2001
    Assignee: Sanshin Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hideki Saito, Daisuke Nakamura
  • Patent number: 6213820
    Abstract: A watercraft engine includes a lubrication system alarm control system which initiates an alarm when lubricant pressure within the lubrication system falls below an acceptable pressure. The alarm system compares lubricant pressure during engine operation with a lower pressure threshold which is determined as a function of engine speed. Thus, partial reductions in lubricant pressure are identified. Additionally, the alarm control system may be configured to emit an alarm if lubricant pressure fluctuates at a rate that is greater than a predetermined pressure fluctuation rate threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2001
    Assignee: Sanshin Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Isao Kanno
  • Patent number: 6192817
    Abstract: A powered surfboard includes a board defining a stem and a stern. An internal combustion engine is housed within the board closer to the stern than the stem. The exhaust system extends fore of the internal combustion before it bends back on itself and terminates at a position aft of the bend. This configuration acts as a valve in that, under typical operating conditions, water will not pass through the exhaust system to reach the internal combustion engine. The internal combustion engine is connected to a pump which receives the force produced by the internal combustion engine to force water to pass therethrough propelling the powered surfboard forward. The pump and the internal combustion engine are connected to the same interior surface of the hull of the board to reduce the amount of misalignment therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2001
    Inventors: Andrzej Dec, Piotr Dec
  • Patent number: 6193572
    Abstract: A propeller assembly that includes, in an exemplary embodiment, a cantilever spring for securing a propeller to a propeller shaft is described. In the exemplary embodiment, the propeller assembly includes a thrust bearing which tightly fits to an inclined surface of the propeller shaft. The thrust bearing includes an annular slot which forms a tight fit with one end of a hub of the propeller and one end of the spring. The propeller hub has a cylindrical shape, and a plurality of blades extend from an outer surface of the hub. A bore extends through the propeller hub, and the spring extends into the hub bore. The assembly further includes a washer and a nut which engages to a threaded end of the propeller shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2001
    Assignee: Outboard Marine Corporation
    Inventor: Gerald F. Neisen
  • Patent number: 6182592
    Abstract: A docking system for vessels employing at retractable docking line coupled to a rotatable spool. The rotatable spool is controlled by an operator of the vessel by a centralized hydraulic or electrical system. The retrieval systems allows for free wheeling line deployment and variable speed line retraction. Solenoid valves and relays are used to allow an operator to retrieve lines at various speeds allowing the vessel to be moved fore or aft for proper docking alignment. A weighted end cap allows for passing of the docking lines and further provides for sealing of the docking system when placed in a storage position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2001
    Inventor: Herbert F. Molz
  • Patent number: 6170755
    Abstract: The invention relates to a profiled rail (1), especially for a railway track, with a reduced total radiated noise level when in use. In order to reduce the noise radiation level, at least one web side surface (31) is substantially concavely rounded without any salient points in the lower region (31′) between the transition edge (32) on the side of the rail patten (3) and the center of gravity axis (X) in the rail cross-section and/or the height (H) of the pattern is increased by comparison with a normally profiled rail having a corresponding total rail height A.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2001
    Assignee: Voest-Alpine Schienen GmbH
    Inventor: Herbert-Adolf Schifferl
  • Patent number: 6142839
    Abstract: A mounting system for an inflatable boat of the type having opposed first and second tubular gunwale sections extending from a tubular U-shaped stern section including a band horizontally positionable on a rearward surface of the U-shaped stern, a first strap that encircles the first gunwale section and secured to the band adjacent one end thereof, a second strap that encircles the second gunwale section and secured to the band adjacent the other end thereof, a bracket secured to the band at the boat stern and receiving a battery therein, a submersible motor having a horizontal propeller shaft rotatably extending therefrom to which is affixed a propeller, the motor being positioned beneath and supported by the bracket, and a motor control supported to a gunwale section of the boat and electrically interposed between the battery and the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2000
    Inventor: Luman L. Wilcox