Abstract: An outboard engine assembly for use on a boat includes an engine having a substantially vertical crankshaft and a pair of banks of vertically juxtaposed horizontal cylinders, the banks being arranged in a V shape, the cylinders of the banks having axes angularly spaced from each other by an angle of 90.degree. or smaller. The outboard engine assembly has a propeller operatively connected to a downwardly extending vertical shaft coupled to the crankshaft. The engine and the vertical shaft is accommodated in a case assembly. The engine and the case assembly are installed on the hull of the boat by upper and lower support members. Vibroisolating rubber dampers are disposed between the boat hull and the upper and lower support members for isolating vibrations from the engine from the boat hull.

Abstract: A vibration-proof power take-off device for an engine includes a resilient support device for carrying the engine on a support, and a displacement absorbing joint for connecting an output shaft of the engine to a power take-off member. The displacement absorbing joint has a first joint member connected to the output shaft, a second joint member connected to the power take-off member, and a resilient member for resiliently interconnecting the joint members. The first joint member includes a first hub having radially projecting first transmitting fins and the second joint member includes a second hub concentrically surrounding the first hub and having radially projecting second transmitting fins. The intermediate member has intermediate fins opposed to the first and second fins in a rotational direction. Opposed surfaces of the intermediate fins and the first and second fins are interconnected through the resilient member.

Abstract: An outboard engine assembly for use on a boat includes an engine having a substantially vertical crankshaft and a pair of banks of vertically juxtaposed horizontal cylinders, the banks being arranged in a V shape, the cylinders of the banks having axes angularly spaced from each other by an angle of 90.degree. or smaller. The outboard engine assembly has a propeller operatively connected to a downwardly extending vertical shaft coupled to the crankshaft. The engine and the vertical shaft is accommodated in a case assembly. The engine and the case assembly are installed on the hull of the boat by upper and lower support members. Vibroisolating rubber dampers are disposed between the boat hull and the upper and lower support members for isolating vibrations from the engine from the boat hull.

Abstract: The characteristic data for determining the characteristics of the transfer functions (for example, sigmoid functions) of the neurons of the hidden layer and the output layer (the gradients of the sigmoid functions) of a neural network are learned and corrected in a manner similar to the correction of weighting data and threshold values. Since at least one characteristic data which determines the characteristics of the transfer function of each neuron is learned, the transfer function characteristics can be different for different neurons in the network independently of the problem and/or the number of neurons, and be optimum. Accordingly, a learning with high precision can be performed in a short time.

Abstract: A joint structure joins an outboard engine assembly to a boat hull. The outboard engine assembly has an engine, a case, a propeller rotatably supported on the case and drivable by the engine. The joint structure includes an attachment adapted to be coupled to the boat hull, the case having an inner surface defining an inner housing region, and elastic mount mechanism accommodated in the inner housing region for elastically supporting the case to the attachment. The elastic mount mechanism comprises a support member coupled to the attachment, and an elastic member disposed on the support member, the elastic member being elastically deformable from partial abutment to full abutment against a portion of the inner surface of the case in response to an increase in compressive forces which are applied between the case and the attachment when the engine is in operation.

Abstract: A speed reduction device for transmitting the rotation of a drive shaft to a driven shaft in a speed reducing manner. An eccentric cam is securely mounted on the drive shaft and has a central axis eccentrically offset from a central axis of the drive shaft, and the driven shaft is rotatably mounted in eccentrically offset relation from the drive shaft by an eccentricity equal to that of the eccentric cam. The driven shaft includes a pair of opposed surface portions which are adapted to rotate in a normally clamping and circumscribing relation with respect to the eccentric cam. When the speed reduction device is used in an intake and exhaust valve timing and actuating device of an internal combustion engine, a crank shaft serves as the drive shaft, while a follower cam associated with intake and exhaust valves serves as the driven shaft.