Abstract:
A propeller for a marine propulsion system is disclosed which comprises a propeller hub having a casing formed from three segments (16a, 16b, 16c), each of which has a part of an opening (28) for mounting a propeller blade (34). A locking and unlocking mechanism (51, 54, 95, 100) is provided for disengaging the propeller blades to enable pitch adjustment of the blades. A push rod (50) is connected to the mechanism (100) to cause disengagement and adjustment of the pitch of the blades. The mechanism (100) includes a claw (101) having pivotally connected fingers (95). The hub also has a slide ring (51) having a load surface (61) is provided for receiving load when the propeller blades are unlocked to enable pitch adjustment to take place.
Abstract:
A load reactive member is disclosed which allows relative movement of an article when a predetermined load is reached. The load reactive member can be used in a control lever assembly or a berley macerator. The member has regions (29) against which an article can abut and spaces (22 and 24) separated from the regions (29) by bridges (26 and 28). Movement of the article past the regions (29) resiliently deforms the bridges. By altering the size of the bridges, the predetermined load required to move the article past the regions is altered.
Abstract:
A potentiometer is disclosed which comprises an opaque screen element (10) and light emitters and collectors (92) for transmitting light through the screen and detecting the light transmitted through the screen. The screen has three sections (A, V and B). The sections (A, V and B) have bars which are parallel to one another and extend transverse to the direction of movement of the screen (10). The section (A) has bars which are arranged in groups comprising the same number of bars, but each of a different thickness. The section (V) has two parts (35, 36), the first part has bars which are formed in the same manner as the section (A) except they are a mirror image to the bars in section (A) and each group comprises less bars than are in the groups in section (A). The second part of section (V) has individual bars which increase in thickness. Section (B) is a mirror image of section (A). This configuration allows for any drifting of voltage indicative of a change in light intensity which is detected by the emitter to be identified and compensated for because the intensity of light passing through the sections and plotted against position forms a U or V-shaped profile, with the apex identifying the maximum or minimum light intensity and therefore voltage at the collector.
Abstract:
A system and method for controlling a fixed propeller drive for a boat is disclosed which has an engine (18) for driving a propeller hub (16) having propeller blades (12). A control unit (10) controls the engine (18). A temperature sensor (33) is provided for measuring engine temperature and the control unit (10) limits engine speed when the engine is cold, regardless of the position of control lever 28 which selects speed of the engine (18). The system also provides for cruise mode and manoeuvring mode and sets speed of the engine in response to movement of the lever (28) depending on whether cruise or manoeuvring mode has been selected.
Abstract:
A control method and system for a controllable pitch marine propeller including operating modes comprised of a manoeuvering mode and a cruise mode and check modes comprised of an engine check mode and propeller check mode. The cruise mode provides for wide open throttle acceleration and power stop. Smooth transition sub-modes are provided for providing smooth transition between cruise mode and manoeuvering mode and vice versa. The system operates by a lever (28) which controls a pitch control unit (10) which in turn controls engine speed and also the pitch of propeller blades (12) of propeller (14). Thus, dependent on the position of the control lever (28) in either manoeuvering mode or cruise mode, an appropriate engine speed and propeller pitch is selected automatically for driving a watercraft.
Abstract:
An actuator such as a vehicle hand brake actuator is disclosed. The actuator includes an electric motor (18) which drives an orbital gear box (20) which in turn has an output connected to a pulley (60) for applying a load to cables (62) to apply the brake. A pinion gear (24) is mounted on the output of the motor (18) and drives a pinion gear (27) which in turn meshes with a spur gear (30) connected to input shaft (36) an eccentric (42) for driving the gear box (20). The orbital gear box (20) has orbit gears (50, 52) which are fixed together and which have a different number of teeth to provide a gear ratio. The gear (52) meshes with an output gear (56) which in turn is fixed to the pulley (60).
Abstract:
A control lever assembly having a potentiometer is disclosed which has a light emitter (14) and a light collector (15) with a screen (12) located between the emitter (14) and the collector (15). The screen is moveable with a control lever so that by providing varying translucency along the screen, the intensity of light received by the collector (15) changes to thereby provide a changing output signal. The screen (12) is connected to a lever mounted for rotation to move the screen relative to the collector and emitter. The assembly is provided with a housing (22) which has slots (24, 27) joined by an opening (29). The lever is moveable in the respective slots, or from one slot to another through the opening (29) to control different parameters of a marine propulsion system. The lever may have a handle (25) which is rotatable relative to the lever to adjust a further parameter.
Abstract:
A marine propulsion system comprising a push rod activated pins (170) which engage eccentric shaft (174) for unlocking a propeller base (190) so the base (190) can rotate around a transverse axis. The base (190) has an inclined suface (192) which engages with an inclined surface (159) defining an opening in the propeller’s hub therefore locking the propeller blade (34) in position. The inclined surfaces (159, 192) are disengaged by rotation of the eccentric shaft (174) thus the propeller blades (34) can be rotated to adjust the pitch and then the inclined surfaces (159, 192) re-engage to locking the propeller blade (34) in the pitch adjusted position.
Abstract:
The phase control mechanism includes first gears (3, 4) coupled to the output shafts which are to be phase controlled. A transfer gear (5) is provided for rotation or operation independent of the input and is coupled to the first gears (3, 4) to allow rotary motion to be transferred between the first gear members and a phase adjuster (10) causes the first gears (3, 4) to advance on regress relative to one another to change the phase relationship between the outputs.
Abstract:
A control lever assembly is disclosed which comprises a number of lever housings (12, 14, 112, 114) which are joined together to form a control lever assembly for a boat. A joining and sealing member (30) is provided for joining two lever housings together after one of the lever housings is rotated 180° relative to the other. Lever housings can be connected together without rotation by providing a flange (116) on one of the housings (112) which mates with a cooperating flange (115) on another of the housings (114) to join the lever assemblies together.