Marine steering system having swivel bracket forming hydraulic cylinder

Abstract

A steering apparatus for a marine craft has a first bracket connectable to the stern of the marine craft. There is a second bracket connectable to the propulsion unit of the marine craft. The second bracket is rotatably connected to the first bracket for relative rotation about an axis of rotation. The propulsion unit can be rotated about the axis of rotation relative to the stern of the craft. The second bracket has a cylindrical bore extending therethrough. A piston is reciprocatingly received within the bore. The piston slidingly engages the bore and has a piston rod connected thereto. The piston rod is operatively connected to the propulsion unit.

1 . A steering apparatus for a marine craft having a stern and a propulsion unit mounted on the stern, the system comprising: 
 a first bracket connectable to the stern of the marine craft; and    a second bracket connectable to the propulsion unit, the second bracket being rotatably connected to the first bracket for relative rotation about an axis of rotation, whereby the propulsion unit can be rotated about the axis of rotation relative to the stern of the craft, the second bracket having a cylindrical bore extending therethrough, a piston being reciprocatingly received within the bore, slidingly engaging the bore and having a piston rod connected thereto, the piston rod being operatively connected to the propulsion unit.    
     
     
         2 . The steering apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the piston rod is coaxial with the axis of rotation.  
     
     
         3 . The steering apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the second bracket has an actuator portion, the bore extending through the actuator portion, whereby the second bracket comprises a cylinder for the actuator.  
     
     
         4 . The steering apparatus as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the actuator portion has a cylindrical bushing surface, the first bracket having an extension, said extension having a cylindrical bore rotatably receiving the bushing surface, the bushing surface and the cylindrical bore being coaxial with the axis of rotation.  
     
     
         5 - 10  (canceled)