Stern drive unit propeller trimming arrangement

Abstract

Disclosed herein is the combination of a boat hull and a stern drive unit which includes and is supported by an engine and which further includes a marine propulsion lower unit tiltable vertically and swingable horizontally independently of the engine, together with means mounting the stern drive unit on the boat hull including means for selectively vertically displacing or tilting the forward end of the engine relative to the rear of the engine.

What is claimed is: .[.1. A stern drive unit comprising an engine, a stern drive leg fixed to said engine and including a part which is tiltable vertically and swingable horizontally independently of said engine, and means adapted for mounting said stern drive unit on a boat hull including means for selectively vertically tilting the forward end of said engine 
     
        relative to the boat hull..]. 2. A stern drive unit .[.in accordance with claim 1 wherein said means adapted for mounting said stern drive unit on the boat hull includes.]. .Iadd.comprising an engine, a stern drive leg fixed to said engine and including a part which is tiltable vertically and swingable horizontally relative to said engine, and means adapted for mounting said stern drive unit on a boat hull including .Iaddend.elastomeric mounting means connected to said stern drive unit rearwardly of the front of said engine, said elastomeric mounting means providing a pivotal axis relative to which the forward end of said engine is movable.Iadd., and means connected to the front of said engine for selectively vertically tilting the forward end of said engine relative to the boat hull independently of vertical tilting of said part of said stern 
     
     
        drive leg relative to said engine.Iaddend.. 3. A stern drive unit in accordance with claim .[.1.]. .Iadd.2 .Iaddend.wherein said means for selectively tilting the forward end of said engine includes an element connected to said engine and a member adapted to be connected to the boat hull, and means selectively extensibly connecting said element and said 
     
     
        member. 4. A stern drive unit in accordance with claim 3 wherein said means for selectively tilting said engine includes a mounting arm adapted to be connected to the boat hull and wherein said element is connected to said engine so as to permit pivotal movement of said element relative to said engine about a lateral axis transverse of said engine and to prevent rotation of said element about an axis transverse to said lateral axis, and said element comprises a screw, and wherein said member is rotatably mounted from said mounting arm and includes a thread engaged with said 
     
     
        screw. 5. A stern drive unit in accordance with claim 4 and further including a pair of pillow blocks adapted to be fixed to the boat hull, 
     
     
        and a pivotal connection between said arm and said pillow blocks. 6. A stern drive unit in accordance with claim 4 wherein said member includes an axial bore and said thread is arranged internally of said bore, and said element extends into said bore and said screw is formed externally on 
     
     
        said element. 7. A stern drive unit in accordance with claim 4 wherein said means for selectively tilting the forward end of said engine further includes a reversible drive motor mounted on said arm, and gearing connecting said member and said drive motor to afford rotation of said 
     
     
        member in response to drive motor operation. 8. A stern drive unit in accordance with claim 7 wherein said arm has connected thereto a housing rotatably supporting said member and including an opening through which said element extends and an expansible boot connected to said housing around said opening and to the upper part of said element and encircling the portion of said element below said upper part and between said upper 
     
     
        part and said housing. 9. A stern drive unit in accordance with claim 3 including an elastomeric connection between said element and said engine. 
     
     
         0. A stern drive unit in accordance with claim 4 including a pair of mounting brackets adapted to be fixed to the boat hull and a pivotal 
     
     
        connection between said mounting brackets and said arm. 11. A stern drive unit .[.in accordance with claim 1 and further including.]. .Iadd.comprising an engine, a stern drive leg fixed to said engine and including a part which is tiltable vertically and swingable horizontally independently of said engine, means adapted for mounting said stern drive unit on a boat hull including means connected to the front of said engine for selectively vertically tilting the forward end of said engine relative to the boat hull, and .Iaddend.means for sensing the position of the forward end of said engine.Iadd., .Iaddend.and means connected to said engine position sensing means .Iadd.and located remotely from said engine .Iaddend.for displaying the position of said engine to the operator of the 
     
     
        boat. 12. A stern drive unit in accordance with claim 11 wherein said means for selectively tilting the forward end of said engine includes an element connected to said engine so as to permit pivotal movement between said engine and said element about a lateral axis and to prevent rotation of said element about an axis perpendicular to said lateral axis, and a member adapted to be pivotally and rotatably mounted relative to the boat 
     
     
        hull, and a threaded connection between said element and said member. 13. A stern drive unit in accordance with claim 12 wherein said means for sensing the position of said engine includes a potentiometer having a displaceable wiper and means for mechanically connecting said wiper to said member for positioning said wiper in response to rotation of said 
     
     
        member. 14. A stern drive unit in accordance with claim 13 wherein said wiper is rotatably mounted, and wherein said means mechanically connecting said wiper and said member comprises a gear connected to said wiper, and 
     
     
        an external thread on said member in mesh with said gear. 15. A stern drive unit in accordance with claim 14 wherein said display means includes an indicating device movably responsive to applied voltage and electrical connections between said indicating device and said potentiometer so as to vary the voltage applied to said indicating device in response to the 
     
     
        position of said wiper. .[.16.  A boat comprising a boat hull, an engine, a stern drive leg fixed to said engine and including a part which is tiltable vertically and swingable horizontally independently of said engine, and means mounting said stern drive unit on said boat hull including means for selectively vertically displacing the forward end of 
     
     
        said engine relative to the rear of said engine..]. 17. A boat .[.in accordance with claim 16 wherein said means mounting said stern drive unit on said boat hull includes.]. .Iadd.comprising a boat hull, an engine, a stern drive leg fixed to said engine and including a part which is tiltable vertically and swingable horizontally relative to said engine, and means mounting said stern drive unit on said boat hull including .Iaddend.elastomeric mounting means connected to said stern drive unit rearwardly of the front of said engine and to said boat hull, said elastomeric mounting means providing a pivotal axis relative to which the forward end of said engine is movable.Iadd., and means connected to the front of said engine for selectively vertically displacing the forward end of said engine relative to the rear of said engine independently of vertical tilting of said part of said stern drive leg relative to said 
     
     
        engine.Iaddend.. 18. A boat in accordance with claim 17 wherein said elastomeric mounting means is connected between the rear of said engine 
     
     
        and said boat hull. 19. A boat in accordance with claim 17 wherein said means for selectively displacing the forward end of said engine includes an element connected to said engine and a member connected to said boat hull, and means selectively extensibly connecting said element and said 
     
     
        member. 20. A boat in accordance with claim 19 wherein said element is connected to said engine so as to permit pivotal movement of said element relative to said engine about a lateral axis transverse of said engine and to prevent rotation of said element about an axis transverse to said lateral axis, wherein said element comprises a screw, and wherein said member is rotatably mounted and includes a thread engaged with said screw. 
     
     
        1. A boat in accordance with claim 20 wherein said member includes an axial bore and said thread is arranged internally of said bore, and said element extends into said bore and said screw is formed externally on said 
     
     
        element. 22. A boat in accordance with claim 20 wherein said means for selectively displacing the forward end of said engine further includes a reversible drive motor and gearing connecting said member and said drive motor to afford rotation of said member in response to drive motor 
     
     
        operation. 23. A boat in accordance with claim 22 including a housing rotatably supporting said member and including an opening through which said element extends and an expansible boot connected to said housing around said opening and to the upper part of said element and encircling the portion of said element below said upper part and between said upper 
     
     
        part and said housing. 24. A boat in accordance with claim 19 including an 
     
     
        elastomeric connection between said element and said engine. 25. A boat in accordance with claim 19 including a pivotal connection between said boat 
     
     
        hull and said member. 26. A boat .[.in accordance with claim 16 and further including.]. .Iadd.comprising a boat hull, an engine, a stern drive leg fixed to said engine and including a part which is tiltable vertically and swingable horizontally independently of said engine, means mounting said stern drive unit on said boat hull including means connected to the front of said engine for selectively vertically displacing the forward end of said engine relative to the rear of said engine, and .Iaddend.means for sensing and for .Iadd.remotely .Iaddend.displaying the 
     
     
        position of said engine to the operator of the boat. 27. A boat in accordance with claim 26 wherein said means for selectively displacing the forward end of said engine includes an element connected to said engine so as to permit pivotal movement between said engine and said element about a lateral axis and to prevent rotation of said element about an axis perpendicular to said lateral axis, a member pivotally and rotatably mounted relative to said boat hull, and a threaded connection between said 
     
     
        element and said member. 28. A boat in accordance with claim 27 wherein said means for sensing the position of said engine includes a potentiometer having a displaceable wiper, and means for mechanically connecting said wiper to said member for positioning said wiper in 
     
     
        response to rotation of said member. 29. A boat in accordance with claim 28 wherein said wiper is rotatably mounted, and wherein said means mechanically connecting said wiper and said member .[.comprising.]. .Iadd.comprises .Iaddend.a gear connected to said wiper, and an external 
     
     
        thread on said member in mesh with said gear. 30. A boat in accordance with claim 29 wherein said displaying means includes an indicator device movably responsive to a voltage applied thereto and electrical connections between said indicator device and said potentiometer so as to vary the voltage applied to said indicator device in response to the position of 
     
     
        said wiper. 31. A boat in accordance with claim 26 including means for self-calibrating said means for sensing and displaying the engine 
     
     
        position. 32. A boat in accordance with claim 31 wherein said means for selectively displacing the forward end of said engine includes an element connected to said engine so as to permit pivotal movement between said engine and said element about a lateral axis and to prevent rotation of said element about an axis perpendicular to said lateral axis, a member pivotally and rotatably mounted relative to said boat hull, and a threaded connection between said element and said member to afford movement of said element in response to member rotation between spaced positions at the respective ends of the travel of said element, wherein said means for sensing the position of said engine includes a potentiometer having a displaceable wiper, and means for mechanically connecting said wiper to said member for positioning said wiper in response to rotation of said member, and wherein said self-calibrating means includes means engageable by said wiper for limiting the range of movement of said wiper and means for providing lost motion between said wiper and said member in the event that said wiper movement limiting means is engaged by said wiper and said element is spaced from both of said spaced positions. .Iadd. 33. A marine propulsion device including a first part adapted to be fixedly mounted on a hull of a boat, a second part connected to said first part for angular movement relative to said first part in a vertical path and including a member rotatably movable relative to said first part in accordance with the angular movement of said second part relative to said first part, said member including thereon an external thread, and means connected to said second part and operable in response to movement of said second part along said path for remotely indicating the angular location of said second part relative to said first part, said means for remotely indicating the angular location of said second part relative to said first part including a potentiometer having a rotatably mounted wiper, a gear connected to said wiper for common rotation and in mesh with said external thread on said member for positioning said wiper in response to rotation of said member, and means connected to said potentiometer for displaying the position of said second part relative to said first part to the operator of the boat. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 34. A marine propulsion device in accordance with claim 33 wherein said means for displaying includes an indicating device movable responsive to applied voltage and electrical connections between said indicating device and said potentiometer so as to vary the voltage supply to said indicating device in response to the position of said wiper. .Iaddend..Iadd. 35. A marine propulsion device in accordance with claim 33 and including means for self-calibrating said means for remotely indicating the position of said second part relative to said first part. .Iaddend.