Abstract: A blood-feeding-fly trap composed of 3 or more legs held in position by a top element or elements and a flexible cover. Spacing rods also locate the legs and hold the cover taut. A dark object hangs freely from the top element to attract the flies which are retained in a container at the top of the trap. The design allows easy relocation when assembled. All major elements are held by fasteners that allow assembly and disassembly for efficient manufacture, shipping, and storage.

Abstract: A drive system for a boat having a hull with an inboard motor and two spaced drive units mounted in the hull, including a dual drive package having a housing with first and second output shafts mounted in bearings in the housing and an input shaft mounted in bearings in the housing between the output shafts, first and second drive chain sprockets mounted on and spaced axially along the input shaft, a third drive chain sprocket mounted on the first output shaft, a fourth drive chain sprocket mounted on the second output shaft, a first drive chain coupling the first and third sprockets, a second drive chain coupling the second and fourth sprockets, and arrangements for connecting the input shaft to the motor and each of the output shafts to a respective drive unit. The drive system may further include first and second torque limiters for connecting between the respective drive units.

Abstract: A fluid coupling transmission is adapted for interposition between the engine and the propulsion unit of a marine drive. The fluid coupling transmission provides variable speed operation in both forward and reverse. A fluid pump is drivingly connected to the engine crankshaft, and is adapted to drive a turbine. A series of variable position vanes are disposed between the fluid pump and turbine at the entrance of fluid into the pump, for controlling the power transfer therebetween by controlling the amount of fluid passing through the pump and acting on the turbine. A ring gear is connected to the turbine, and a sun gear is connected to the output shaft of the transmission. One or more planet gears are provided between the ring gear and the sun gear, and are rotatably mounted to a carrier member, which extends coaxially with respect to the output shaft.

Abstract: A dual counterrotating propeller drive mechanism for a marine propulsion system incorporates a torque splitting device which consists of a differential gear means and a ratio gear means. The torque splitting device assigns a selectable fixed fraction of the engine torque to each propeller regardless of power, thrust, and speed conditions. The rear one of the two propellers adjusts its rotational speed relative to the front propeller in response to changes in the front propeller's wake and in this way maintains optimum propulsive efficiency over a wide range of operating conditions. Furthermore, precise matching of front and rear propeller parameters for a given application is no longer required.

Abstract: A marine stern drive unit is mounted aft of the boat transom on a rigid lift arm in a manner allowing the drive unit to be independently trimmed or moved vertically up or down. The drive unit is pivotally attached to the aft end of the lift arm for trimming movement about a generally horizontal axis and the lift arm is pivotally attached to the boat to rotate about a second horizontal axis such that the drive unit is moved generally vertically. The boat engine is preferably mounted transversely and power transmission from the engine to the drive unit is provided by a flexible drive belt which is supported by the rigid lift arm. Separate trim and lift movement is supplied to the drive unit by individual fluid cylinders. The trim cylinder operatively interconnects the drive unit with the boat hull or the forward end of the lift arm. The lift cylinder operatively interconnects the boat hull and the lift arm at a point aft of its pivotal connection to the boat.

Abstract: A marine drive system includes one or more engines mounted inboard of a boat adjacent the boat transom. The one or more engines are disposed such that their longitudinal axes are substantially perpendicular to the boat centerline and parallel to the boat transom. A drive unit extends substantially vertically relative to each engine during operation. The drive unit preferably includes a drive housing which is mounted to the boat so as to be pivotable between an operating position, in which the propeller is submerged, and an inoperative position in which the propeller is out of the water and the drive unit is disposed at an angle to the vertical relative to the engine. The construction provided by the engine is advantageously employed in a boat hull design in which a pocket is formed in the boat hull, and a portion of the propeller path is disposed within the pocket.

Abstract: A system for optimizing the operating efficiency of a boat by balancing fuel consumption against cruising speed utilizes a comparison between engine speed and boat speed to effect automatic positioning of the drive unit. The measurements of boat and engine speed before and after an incremental change in vertical position or trim position are used to calculate the percent changes in boat speed and engine speed which, in turn, are used in conjunction with selected minimum and maximum incremental percentages to effect subsequent alternate control strategies. Depending upon the relative difference in the percent changes in boat and engine speeds, including adjustments based on the minimum and maximum incremental percents, the system will automatically continue incremental movement of the drive unit in the same direction, hold the drive unit in its present position, or move the drive unit an incremental amount in the opposite direction.

Abstract: A marine propulsion system includes a steerable lower gearcase portion and a drive mechanism including a chain drive for driving dual counterrotating propellers. The dual propellers are rotatably mounted to the lower steerable gearcase portion by means of inner and outer coaxially extending propeller shafts. A sprocket is mounted to each propeller shaft, and first and second chain portions extend between the propeller shaft sprockets and a pair of upper drive sprockets, preferably disposed above the water line during boat operation. Coaxially extending inner and outer drive shafts are interconnected with the engine output shaft, and are adapted for counterrotation in response to rotation thereof. The coaxial drive shafts are interconnected with the upper drive sprockets for driving such sprockets in opposite rotational directions, thereby resulting in movement of the first and second chain portions in opposite directions.

Abstract: A V-type four-stroke cycle internal combustion engine is provided with an exhaust manifold and an air intake manifold disposed in the valley of the V-engine, and arranged one above the other. The exhaust from the cylinders passes through exhaust passages formed in the cylinder heads which discharge exhaust into the valley of the V-engine for collection in a central exhaust cavity provided in the exhaust manifold. A single exhaust discharge outlet is in communication with the central exhaust cavity for discharging exhaust therefrom. The air intake manifold includes a series of air intake passages which supply air to the cylinders from within the valley of the V-engine. A series of cylinder head intake passages are provided with openings facing the valley of the V-engine for receiving air therefrom. The exhaust manifold is preferably water jacketed for cooling exhaust prior to its discharge from the engine, and the exhaust passages provided in the cylinder heads are also water jacketed.

Abstract: An anti-motion sickness mechanism comprises a platform suspended from a conveyance for movement about all principal axes. Any vertical movement of from 0 to 0.5 Hz has a tendency to cause motion sickness. A supplementary vertical movement of about 2.5 Hz is added to the platform to break up such vertical movement into sub-movements having a reduced tendency to cause motion sickness.

Abstract: A marine propulsion system for isolating engine sound and vibration from the boat interior includes an engine mounted in the aft portion of the boat by resilient mounts. The engine is enclosed within a closed compartment for isolating engine sound, with one wall of the compartment defined by the boat transom. The resilient engine mounts isolate the boat from the effects of engine vibration. A drive unit is rigidly mounted to the exterior of the boat transom. A drive mechanism is provided for transferring power from the engine crankshaft to the drive unit, and includes an apparatus for accommodating engine movements and isolating the drive unit from the effect of such movements.

Abstract: An inboard/outboard stern drive system incorporates a chain drive mechanism. A chain drive extends between the propeller shaft and an intermediate shaft mounted in the stern drive lower unit above the waterline during boat operation for driving the propeller shaft in response to rotation of the intermediate shaft. An input shaft is mounted in the upper portion of the stern drive lower unit, and is drivingly engageable with the intermediate shaft. Appropriate gears and/or sprockets are mounted to the input shaft and the intermediate shaft for transferring rotation therebetween. In a preferred embodiment, a reversing mechanism is employed for selectively imparting rotation to the intermediate shaft in either a first or second rotational direction, thereby controlling the direction of rotation of the propeller shaft. The reversing mechanism is disposed above the waterline during normal operation so as not to impinge on the submerged area of the lower unit.

Abstract: A fluid coupling transmission is adapted for interposition between the engine and the propulsion unit of a marine drive. The fluid coupling transmission provides variable speed operation in both forward and reverse. A fluid pump is drivingly connected to the engine crankshaft, and is adapted to drive a forward turbine and a reverse turbine. The reverse turbine is disposed between the fluid pump and the forward turbine, and includes a series of variable position vanes for providing variable power output from the transmission. A one way clutch is positioned between the forward turbine and an output shaft of the transmission, and a planetary gearset is disposed between the reverse turbine and the output shaft. A carrier member extends concentrically relative to the output shaft along a portion of its length, and the planet gears of the planetary gearset are pivotably mounted to the carrier member.

Abstract: A corrosion resistant coolant pump for placement in the cooling system of a marine drive includes a corrosion resistant member mounted to and rotatable with a drive shaft interconnected with and rotatable in response to the engine crankshaft. The corrosion resistant member is preferably a cup adapted for receiving and enclosing an end of the drive shaft, with a portion of the cup extending into a cavity formed in the coolant pump housing. The cavity is in communication with marine drive cooling system. An impeller is connected to the cup and housed within the cavity for pumping coolant through the system. The cup is interconnected with the drive shaft so as to be rotatable in response thereto, thereby driving the impeller in response to rotation of the drive shaft. A sealing mechanism is provided about the cup for sealing the cavity and preventing contact of coolant with the drive shaft.

Abstract: A marine propulsion system is provided with dual counterrotating propellers, and a shaft and gear arrangement for driving the propellers. In a preferred embodiment, the marine propulsion system includes a depending gearcase having a steerable lower portion which is pivotable about a steering axis relative to an upper gearcase portion. A pair of coaxial drive shafts extend longitudinally through the gearcase, and are interconnected with the engine output shaft so as to rotate in opposite directions in response to rotation of the output shaft. The counterrotating propellers are preferably mounted to a pair of coaxial propeller shafts, and appropriate gearing is disposed between the coaxial propeller shafts and the coaxial drive shafts to drive the propeller shafts, and thereby the propellers, in opposite rotational directions. In a preferred embodiment, the gearing includes counterrotating gears fixed to the counterrotating drive shaft so as to provide cancelling gear torque loads about the steering axis.

Abstract: A fluid coupling is provided in a marine drive between the engine and the propulsion unit. The fluid coupling includes a fluid pump connected to the flywheel of the engine, and a turbine connected to an output shaft leading to the propulsiion unit. A series of vanes are provided between the fluid pump and the turbine, to direct the flow of fluid from the fluid pump to the turbine. The vanes between the pump and the turbine are movable to control the direction of impingement of fluid on the turbine, to regulate the speed and/or direction of rotation of the turbine relative to the speed and direction of rotation of the fluid pump.

Abstract: A chain drive marine propulsion system employs dual counterrotating propellers. The propellers are mounted to concentric propeller shafts disposed in the lower end of a depending gearcase. The concentric propeller shafts are each provided with a lower sprocket engaging a chain. A counterrotation mechanism is provided for driving the chains in opposite directions, thereby resulting in counterrotation of the propellers. Various embodiments for driving the chains in opposite directions are disclosed.

Abstract: A transom extension assembly, particularly useful for smaller or auxiliary outboard motors, utilizes a pivotally connected 4-leg linkage and an operatively connected fluid power operator to lift the motor vertically with respect to the boat transom. The fluid power lift includes a mechanical latching apparatus by which the motor may be releasably held in its raised position and supported in its lowered position in a manner to relieve the hydraulic system from all other operating loads. The apparatus may include its own fluid pressure supply or may utilize fluid pressure from another boat system.

Abstract: A system for optimizing the operation of a marine drive of the type whose position may be varied with respect to the boat by the operation of separate lift and trim/tilt means includes an automatic control system which stores preselected drive unit positions for various operating modes and is operative to return the drive unit to any pre-established position by pressing a selected operating mode positioning button. The various operating modes may include cruising, acceleration, trolling and trailering position, any of which may be selectively modified to accomodate changes in both operating or environmental conditions. This system may incorporate other optimization routines and/or automatic engine protection systems to provide virtually complete push button operation for complex marine drive unit positioning mechanisms.

Abstract: An outboard marine propulsion system incorporates a chain or belt drive for driving the propeller shaft to which the propeller is mounted. The chain extends between the propeller shaft and an intermediate shaft disposed in the upper portion of the depending gearcase of the outboard marine drive. The intermediate shaft is located above the water line during boat operation. A drive mechanism is disposed between the intermediate shaft and a depending drive shaft associated with the engine mounted in the power head of the outboard system. The drive mechanism is preferably located above the water line during boat operation and incorporates a bevel gearing system and a selectively actuable clutch mechanism for providing forward and reverse operation. With the provision of the drive mechanism above the water line during boat operation, the bevel gears associated with the drive mechanism can be sized so as to achieve the large reduction ratio necessary to transfer high power from the power head to the propeller.