Abstract: An engine starting device includes a self-starting motor drivable to rotate the crankshaft of an engines, and a one-way clutch operable to permit transmission of rotary motion of the self-starting motor in one direction only to the crankshaft. The one-way clutch includes an inner race operatively connected to an output shaft of the self-starting motor, an outer race operatively connected to the crankshaft, a plurality of ratchet pawls pivotally connected to the inner race and urged by springs against the inner race. The one-way clutch is designed such that, when the speed of rotation of the inner race while being rotated by the self-starting motor goes up to a predetermined value, the ratchet pawls are caused to swing in a radial outward direction under the action of centrifugal force against the bias of the springs and become engaged by the outer race to thereby engage the one-way clutch.

Abstract: An engine starting apparatus has a first one-way clutch provided at one part of a series of gears for transmitting rotation of a starter motor to a crankshaft, and a second one-way clutch provided in a transmission mechanism for transmitting rotation of a recoil starter to the crankshaft. The first one-way clutch includes a small gear, a decelerating gear and a large gear. The small gear is connected to the crankshaft and has step portions on an inner peripheral surface thereof. The decelerating gear is connected to an output shaft of the starter motor. The large gear is connected in meshing engagement with the decelerating gear and has ratchets urged to mesh with the step portions of the small gear to engage the first one-way clutch only when the large gear is rotated via the decelerating gear upon rotation of the starter motor in such a direction as to start an engine.

Abstract: An outboard motor body case supported on a swivel shaft through a connecting member. The swivel shaft is vertically swingable about a tilting shaft. An engine is mounted at an upper portion of the outboard motor body case, with a crankshaft thereof being oriented vertically, and a flywheel is mounted at a lower end of the crankshaft and disposed between an engine block and the connecting member. A dynamo is mounted within the flywheel, and a starter motor is engaged with a ring gear which is formed around an outer periphery of the flywheel. Thus, since the flywheel having a large weight is mounted at the lower end of the crankshaft, the position of the center of gravity of the outboard motor is lowered. Therefore, it is possible to easily perform a tilting-up about the tilting shaft with a small force. Moreover, since the flywheel is mounted on a power taking-off side of the crankshaft, the torsional vibration of the crankshaft can be reduced.

Abstract: An engine starting apparatus comprises a case having an outer case and a case cover defining an interior space. The outer case has at least first, second and third bolt apertures, for attaching the case to an engine. A motor mounting seat is formed in an inner wall of the outer case for mounting thereon a starter motor for starting the engine. A recoil starter mechanism is disposed in the interior space of the case for starting the engine. The recoil starter mechanism has a starting rope pulling port disposed adjacent to the first bolt aperture. The starter motor is disposed between the first bolt aperture and the third bolt aperture when the starting rope pulling port is positioned between the first bolt aperture and the second bolt aperture, and the starter motor is disposed between the first bolt aperture and the second bolt aperture when the starting rope pulling port is positioned between the first bolt aperture and the third bolt aperture. First louvers extend from an outer surface of the case cover.

Abstract: An outboard motor body case supported on a swivel shaft through a connecting member. The swivel shaft is vertically swingable about a tilting shaft. An engine is mounted at an upper portion of the outboard motor body case, with a crankshaft thereof being oriented vertically, and a flywheel is mounted at a lower end of the crankshaft and disposed between an engine block and the connecting member. A dynamo is mounted within the flywheel, and a starter motor is engaged with a ring gear which is formed around an outer periphery of the flywheel. Thus, since the flywheel having a large weight is mounted at the lower end of the crankshaft, the position of the center of gravity of the outboard motor is lowered. Therefore, it is possible to easily perform a tilting-up about the tilting shaft with a small force. Moreover, since the flywheel is mounted on a power taking-off side of the crankshaft, the torsional vibration of the crankshaft can be reduced.

Abstract: A control apparatus for controlling an engine mounted on a watercraft and driving it so as to finely and stably control a low speed of the watercraft. The control apparatus is adapted to compute a target engine speed on the basis of a correction value for the engine speed which is determined by a correction signal generated by a correction signal generator which is manually operable. The control apparatus controls the opening degree of the secondary air valve in accordance with a desired opening computed on the basis of the computed target engine speed.

Abstract: A crank angle detector in which a rotary body rotates in association with a crankshaft of an engine and has portions to be detected every predetermined angle and at least one of the portions to be detected is lacking, and first and second pickups positioned near the outer periphery of the rotary body with a fixed angle difference therebetween, for generating first and second pulses each time the portion to be detected passes. When a number of second pulses equal to or more than a predetermined number are detected after the first pulse has been detected, the crank angle detector sets the time the first pulse is newly detected, as a reference position time for a rotating angle of the crankshaft.

Abstract: An outboard motor body case supported on a swivel shaft through a connecting member. The swivel shaft is vertically swingable about a tilting shaft. An engine is mounted at an upper portion of the outboard motor body case, with a crankshaft thereof being oriented vertically, and a flywheel is mounted at a lower end of the crankshaft and disposed between an engine block and the connecting member. A dynamo is mounted within the flywheel, and a starter motor is engaged with a ring gear which is formed around an outer periphery of the flywheel. Thus, since the flywheel having a large weight is mounted at the lower end of the crankshaft, the position of the center of gravity of the outboard motor is lowered. Therefore, it is possible to easily perform a tilting-up about the tilting shaft with a small force. Moreover, since the flywheel is mounted on a power taking-off side of the crankshaft, the torsional vibration of the crankshaft can be reduced.

Abstract: In an outboard engine, an electric device is attached, utilizing a cooling water passage cover for closing a recessed part constituting part of a cooling water jacket, to the cover via a boss part, thus providing a compact electric device mounting structure with no such parts projecting from a side of an engine as in a conventional box member. An engine starting apparatus of the outboard engine is provided with an ignition device and a starter motor connected to a battery, and an AC generator is connected to the battery via an electric device having voltage restricting and rectifying functions. When it is cranked by the starter motor or a starter pulley, the engine is started by the ignition device operated by the battery. As it is cranked by the starter pulley while the battery is discharging, the ignition device is actuated by a current generated by the AC generator and rectified by the electric device to thereby start the engine.

Abstract: A four-cycle engine including a magnetic detection sensor mounted on a non-magnetic cam shaft pulley which is rotated in operative association with a crank pulley for detecting a plurality of detecting portions formed on the magnetic detection member by coils mounted in the cylinder head. The magnetic detection member is integrally formed with the plurality of detection portions for different uses such that distances from the center of rotation of the cam shaft pulley to the plurality of detection portions are different, and wherein the coils are separately mounted in correspondence to the detection portions. Thus, it is possible not only to take out timing signals for different uses from a single cam shaft pulley, but also to eliminate interference between the discrete coils.

Abstract: A four-cycle engine including a magnetic detection sensor mounted on a non-magnetic cam shaft pulley which is rotated in operative association with a crank pulley for detecting a plurality of detecting portions formed on the magnetic detection member by coils mounted in the cylinder head. The magnetic detection member is integrally formed with the plurality of detection portions for different uses such that distances from the center of rotation of the cam shaft pulley to the plurality of detection portions are different, and wherein the coils are separately mounted in correspondence to the detection portions. Thus, it is possible not only to take out timing signals for different uses from a single cam shaft pulley, but also to eliminate interference between the discrete coils.

Abstract: A V-type multi-cylinder 4-cycle engine E accommodated in an engine room in an outboard motor includes a pair of left and right banks. A surge tank is disposed in a space defined between both the banks and connected to two left and right combustion chambers through intake ports. A throttle body is connected to a lower portion of the surge tank and also to an intake silencer mounted in a left space of the engine room through an elbow. A subsidiary tank for supplying a fuel to an injector is disposed symmetrically with the intake silencer in a right space of the engine room. The employment of the above-described layout makes it possible to make an intake device move compact in the 4-cycle engine.

Abstract: An engine ignition control system comprising an ignition circuit of capacitor charge-discharge type is disclosed in which the ignition timing is determined by controlling the charge-discharge cycle of a capacitor by an output signal from an engine speed detection circuit. An overspeed control circuit stops the ignition when a detection output signal of the engine speed detection circuit exceeds a reference voltage level corresponding to a set engine speed. A slowing down control circuit is actuated in response to an engine slowing down operation start switch for realizing a hypothetical condition substantially equivalent to the one in which the engine speed detection circuit detects an engine speed higher than the actual engine speed thereby to accomplish engine slowing down operation by (a) increasing the reference voltage level gradually, or (b) increasing the output signal level of the engine speed detection circuit stepwise.

Abstract: A cant angle sensor assembly, includes a pendulum pivoted on a supporting system adapted to be mounted on an object whose cant angle is to be sensed, for swinging movement in a direction of tilt of the object, a movable electrode provided on the pendulum and having a first and a second movable electrode plate, and a first stationary electrode plate fixedly mounted on the supporting system in an opposed relation to one of the first and second movable electrode plates of the movable electrode at a predetermined gap, with an area of the first stationary electrode plate opposed to one of the first and second movable electrode plates being invariable despite vibration of the pendulum.