Mounting assembly for positioning stern-mounted propulsion units with a forward convergence

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016114875-A1
Application number	US-201414890888-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 14, 2014
Priority date	May 14, 2013
Publication date	Apr 28, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

There is provided a mounting assembly for a marine vessel having a pair of stern-mounted propulsion units. The assembly includes a moo pair of angle-setting members which forwardly angle the propulsion units towards a bow of the marine vessel when each propulsion unit is at the center of its total steering range. Each propulsion unit has a line of action of its propulsion force. The lines of action of the propulsion units intersect each other between a center of rotation of the marine vessel and a stern of the marine vessel when the propulsion units are steered forwardly towards each other.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A mounting assembly for a marine vessel having a bow, a stern, a center of rotation and a pair of stern-mounted propulsion units, the propulsion units each having a total steering range and the assembly comprising:
a pair of angle-setting members which forwardly angle the propulsion units towards the bow of the marine vessel when each propulsion unit is at the center of the total steering range.

2 . The assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each propulsion unit has a line of action of its propulsion force, said lines of action of the propulsion units intersecting each other between the center of rotation of the marine vessel and the stern of the marine vessel when the propulsion units are steered forwardly towards each other.

3 . The assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the marine vessel has a longitudinal axis and wherein the angle-setting members angle the propulsion units inwardly and forwardly in the range of greater than 0 degrees and less than 30 degrees relative to the longitudinal axis of the marine vessel.

4 . The assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the marine vessel has a longitudinal axis and wherein the angle-setting members angle the propulsion units inwardly and forwardly in the range of 5 to 10 degrees relative to the longitudinal axis of the marine vessel.

5 . The assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the marine vessel has a longitudinal axis and wherein the angle-setting members angle the propulsion units inwardly and forwardly by 6 degrees relative to the longitudinal axis of the marine vessel.

6 . The assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the angle-setting members are wedge-shaped.

7 . The assembly as claimed in claim 6 , wherein each angle-setting member has a thin end and a thick end, said thick ends of the angle-setting members being positioned to face each other.

8 . The assembly as claimed in claim 1 , further including a pair of stern brackets which are operatively connected to respective ones of the propulsion units, the angle-setting members connecting to the stern brackets.

9 . The assembly as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the angle-setting members are integrally connected to and are integrally formed with the stern brackets.

10 . The assembly as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the marine vessel has a transom and wherein the assembly further includes a pair of stern brackets operatively connected to respective ones of the propulsion units, the angle-setting members connecting to the stern brackets, and wherein the angle-setting members are interposed between the stern brackets and the transom.

11 . The assembly as claimed in claim 10 , wherein each angle-setting member has a pair of spaced-apart apertures, and wherein the assembly further includes a plurality of fasteners, each of the fasteners extending through a respective one of the apertures, the fasteners connecting the stern brackets, the angle-setting members and the transom together.

12 . The assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the marine vessel has a transom and wherein the angle-setting members comprise angled portions of the transom.

13 . The assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the marine vessel has a transom and wherein each angle-setting member comprises an angled stern bracket that connects to the transom.

14 . The assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the marine vessel has a longitudinal axis and wherein each of the angle-setting members comprises an inwardly biased tiller arm, whereby when the tiller arms align parallel with the longitudinal axis of the marine vessel, propeller axes of the propulsion units are forwardly convergent relative to the tiller arms.

15 . The assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the marine vessel is a twin-hulled vessel.

16 . A mounting assembly for a marine vessel having a pair of stern-mounted propulsion units, the propulsion units having a total steering range and the assembly comprising:
a pair of stops which allow the propulsion units to steer to a maximum steering range, wherein the maximum steering range is one half of the total steering range plus an angle β on a first side and one half of the total steering range less the angle β on a second side.

17 . The assembly as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the marine vessel is a twin-hulled vessel.

18 . A marine vessel comprising:
a bow; a stern; a center of rotation; and a pair of stern-mounted propulsion units, each propulsion unit having a line of action of its propulsion force, said lines of action of the propulsion units intersecting each other between the center of rotation of the marine vessel and the stern of the marine vessel when the propulsion units are steered forwardly towards each other.

19 . The marine vessel as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the marine vessel is a twin-hulled vessel.

Assignees

• Marine Canada Acquisition Inc

Inventors

• Wong Ray Tat Lung
• Wood Neal Wesley Denis

Classifications

• B63H2020/003

  Arrangements of two, or more outboard propulsion units · CPC title

• B63H20/06

  on an intermediate support · CPC title

• B63H25/42

  Steering or dynamic anchoring by propulsive elements (by jets B63H25/46); Steering or dynamic anchoring by propellers used therefor only; Steering or dynamic anchoring by rudders carrying propellers · CPC title

• B63H20/12 Primary

  Means enabling steering · CPC title