Did You Know...
...that power steering was invented by independent inventor Francis W. Davis? As chief engineer in the 1920s of the truck division of the Pierce Arrow Motor Car Company, he saw how hard it was to steer heavy vehicles. So that he would be able to keep the profits from his future invention, Davis left his job, rented a small engineering shop in Waltham, Mass., and developed a hydraulic power steering system that led to power steering.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8177592 | Personal watercraft A personal watercraft comprises a water jet pump configured to be driven by an engine to generate a rearward water jet, a reverse bucket mounted at a periphery of the water jet pump and movable between a forward driving position and a reverse driving position, a dri... | 05/15/2012 |
| 7993172 | Method and apparatus for controlling a waterjet-driven marine vessel A system for controlling a marine vessel having first and second steering nozzles and corresponding first and second reversing buckets, comprises a processor configured to receive a first vessel control signal including at least a component corresponding to a transl... | 08/09/2011 |
| 7972187 | Method and apparatus for controlling a water-jet driven marine vessel A method for controlling a marine vessel having a first steering nozzle, a reversing deflector and at least one of a bow thruster and a second steering nozzle is disclosed. The method comprises any of the acts of inducing a net transverse thrust to the marine vessel... | 07/05/2011 |
| 7901259 | Method of indicating a deceleration of a watercraft A method of indicating a deceleration of a watercraft is disclosed. The method comprises creating a spray of water using a reverse gate of the watercraft. The spray of water extends above a water level of a body of water in which the watercraft operates. The spray o... | 03/08/2011 |
| 7841915 | Jet propulsion trim and reverse system A watercraft has a jet pump and a venturi. A variable trim system (VTS) support and a reverse gate are rotationally mounted relative to the venturi. A steering nozzle is rotationally mounted to the VTS support. A rotary actuator has an output portion operatively con... | 11/30/2010 |
| 7819711 | Retractable thrust reversing bucket for boat propeller A thrust bucket for use on a boat propeller including a plenum and a positioning system. The plenum includes a plenum wall with at least one water flow valve located on the plenum wall. The positioning system moves the plenum between inoperative and operative positi... | 10/26/2010 |
| 7708609 | Watercraft reverse gate operation A method of controlling a watercraft comprises actuating a lever, controlling a speed of rotation of an engine to be at or below a reverse gate actuation speed in response to the actuation of the lever, moving the reverse gate in response to the actuation of the lev... | 05/04/2010 |
| 7674144 | Reverse gate for jet propelled watercraft A watercraft has a hull, a deck, an engine, a steering assembly, a jet pump, a venturi, a steering nozzle, and a reverse gate pivotable between a fully stowed position and a fully lowered position. The reverse gate includes a reverse gate body having inner and outer... | 03/09/2010 |
| 7500890 | Method and apparatus for controlling a waterjet-driven marine vessel A method for controlling a marine vessel having a first steering nozzle, a reversing deflector and at least one of a bow thruster and a second steering nozzle is disclosed. The method comprises any of the acts of inducing a net transverse thrust to the marine vessel... | 03/10/2009 |
| 7422499 | Operation device for a water-jet propulsion watercraft An operation device for a water-jet propulsion watercraft includes a first rotational shaft and a second rotational shaft. A first link can be rotatable about the first rotational shaft and a second link can be rotatable about the second rotational shaft. A bridging... | 09/09/2008 |
| 7347752 | Integral reversing and trim deflector and control mechanism A thrust control system is described, including a control apparatus having water jet deflectors that deflect water to provide a reversing/backing thrust and a trim force to marine vessels using water jet propulsion. Other aspects include an electro-mechanical contro... | 03/25/2008 |
| 7305928 | Method for positioning a marine vessel A vessel positioning system maneuvers a marine vessel in such a way that the vessel maintains its global position and heading in accordance with a desired position and heading selected by the operator of the marine vessel. When used in conjunction with a joystick, t... | 12/11/2007 |
| 7267068 | Method for maneuvering a marine vessel in response to a manually operable control device A marine vessel is maneuvered by independently rotating first and second marine propulsion devices about their respective steering axes in response to commands received from a manually operable control device, such as a joystick. The marine propulsion devices are al... | 09/11/2007 |
| 7252567 | Method for forming/installing intake duct in waterjet-propelled marine vessel A waterjet-propelled marine vessel having a hull with a transom and a bottom, a jet pump, and an intake duct, the improvement comprising: (1) the transom and bottom having a common opening for intake duct installation and (2) the intake duct having an intake duct up... | 08/07/2007 |
| 7238067 | Variable area pump discharge system A highly efficient watercraft propulsion system that operates continually submerged and relies on a non-circular variable area pump discharge opening which is configured, positioned and oriented so as to maximize the hydraulic reaction between the high velocity wate... | 07/03/2007 |
| 7223138 | Water jet propeller A water jet propeller for preventing an impeller from being exposed when the water jet propeller is disassembled. The water jet propeller includes a stator disposed at a rear-end portion of an impeller housing, and an impeller is disposed inside the impeller housing... | 05/29/2007 |
| 7220154 | Outboard jet drive marine propulsion system An outboard jet drive marine system for a boat includes a housing, the housing has front and rear sides, and a top and bottom. The housing is adapted to be affixed behind a hull of a boat. An engine is disposed within the housing. A jet drive unit is releasably moun... | 05/22/2007 |
| 7217165 | Waterjet steering and reversing apparatus Steering and reversing apparatus for a waterjet-powered marine vessel, the waterjet having an intake duct, a diffuser, and a steering nozzle and producing a rearward water stream flowing from the steering nozzle, the apparatus comprising: a nozzle pivot pivotably at... | 05/15/2007 |
| 7195527 | Operational control device for jet propulsion watercraft A jet propulsion unit for a small watercraft includes a reverse thrust arrangement. The reverse thrust arrangement includes a water diverter bucket assembly moveable between an open position and a closed position with respect to a steering nozzle of the jet propulsi... | 03/27/2007 |
| 7168996 | Integral reversing and trim deflector and control mechanism A thrust control system is described, including a control apparatus having water jet deflectors that deflect water to provide a reversing/backing thrust and a trim force to marine vessels using water jet propulsion. Other aspects include an electromechanical control... | 01/30/2007 |
| 7156617 | Dual outlet port pump A pump for a watercraft comprises a housing including a chamber having an inlet, a first outlet, a second outlet, and a first and a second portion, wherein the first outlet is disposed in the first portion of the chamber and the second outlet is disposed in the seco... | 01/02/2007 |
| 7150240 | Method and apparatus for maneuvering a watercraft A watercraft steer-by-wire control system comprising: an input device; at least one transducer in operable communication with the input device; a rudder control system in operable communication with the input device and configured to control a rudder of a watercraft... | 12/19/2006 |
| 7121219 | Boat control system The boat control system of the invention is a propulsion system for controlling the direction of passage of a vessel underway at low speeds. Six thruster nozzles are installed around the hull so that, used individually or in combinations, the boat can be maneuvered ... | 10/17/2006 |
| 7117806 | Personal watercraft A body structure of a water-jet propulsion personal watercraft, comprises a body having an inner space defined by a hull and a deck, an engine mounted within the inner space of the body, a water jet pump placed behind the engine and configured to be driven by the en... | 10/10/2006 |
| 7115007 | Stern unit for marine craft A stern unit of marine craft that comprises a casing, a propeller, a propeller shaft, and at least one rudder actuated by hydraulic pistons is described. The casing is open at the bottom, with its bottom surface having a parabolic shape in cross-section. The casing ... | 10/03/2006 |
| 7052338 | Integral reversing and trim deflector and control mechanism A thrust control system is described, including a control apparatus having water jet deflectors that deflect water to provide a reversing/backing thrust and a trim force to marine vessels using water jet propulsion. Other aspects include an electro-mechanical contro... | 05/30/2006 |
| 7037150 | Method and apparatus for controlling a waterjet-driven marine vessel A control system and apparatus for controlling waterjet-driven marine vessels is disclosed. Some aspects allow for generation of a plurality of actuator control signals from a single vessel control signal, such as those provided by vessel control apparatus. A contro... | 05/02/2006 |
| 7029342 | Reverse gate flow director A reverse gate flow director comprising a flow director base plate of generally trapezoidal shape, having mounting holes, a leading edge and a trailing edge configured to minimize water turbulence, a flow director fin of generally rectangular shape, having a leading... | 04/18/2006 |
| 7029343 | Steering arrangement for a ship propelled by waterjet The present invention relates to a steering arrangement for ships propelled by water jet, comprising a steering device (6) that is pivotal about an essentially vertical shaft (5) having a first center line (C1), at least one hydraulic cylinder (... | 04/18/2006 |
| 7029344 | Reverse system for water-jet propulsion personal watercraft A reverse system for a water-jet propulsion personal watercraft is disclosed, including a water jet pump configured to eject water rearward from a steering nozzle thereof to thereby propel the watercraft, the steering nozzle being pivotable rightward and leftward, a... | 04/18/2006 |
| 7018252 | Watercraft control mechanism A watercraft includes a watercraft control mechanism that is capable of steering, decelerating, and/or trimming a watercraft without causing the stern to elevate and the bow to dive; steers or assists steering in off-power situations; steers, trims and/or decelerate... | 03/28/2006 |
| 7018251 | Trim operating wire structure for personal watercraft A trim operating wire is disclosed wherein the length of the pull wire connecting between the push-pull converter and the trim operating lever can be made short, and the push wire can be made long. As a result, even where the pull wire, which is thin and highly flex... | 03/28/2006 |
| 7007621 | Braking system for a personal watercraft A braking system for a personal watercraft includes at least one brake plate for mounting to the transom of a personal watercraft such that the jet nozzle of the watercraft is directionally adjustable independently of the braking system. The brake plate is alternata... | 03/07/2006 |
| 7005756 | Marine power generation and engine cooling An on-board marine electrical power generator (14) containing a conventional four-stroke, water-cooled outboard motor engine (50) coupled to an alternator (52) upon a transportable frame (44) suitable for mounting on-board a boat. In one ... | 02/28/2006 |
| 6981902 | Marine reaction thruster A propulsion system designed to propel submarine and surface vessels by discharging fluid rearwardly with a reaction of increased force that is approximately twenty percent greater than that possible with conventional propeller systems. Its conical/tapered housing i... | 01/03/2006 |
| 6957991 | Power train Power train or an amphibious vehicle having an engine, transmission, and transfer case position in-line with longitudinal vehicle axis towards the rear of the vehicle, with transmission output facing the front of the vehicle. The transfer drive drives the rear wheel... | 10/25/2005 |
| 6948987 | Personal watercraft A personal watercraft has a structure in which a steering nozzle is mounted onto a jet nozzle so as to be swingable vertically and in the left-right directions, upper and lower support shafts for mounting the steering nozzle include upper and lower bolts, the upper ... | 09/27/2005 |
| 6945834 | Steering arrangement for ships with water jet unit The present invention relates to a steering arrangement for ships with a water jet unit, comprising a steering device that is pivotable about an essentially vertical shaft having a first center line, at least one hydraulic cylinder articulately connected at a first ... | 09/20/2005 |
| 6913496 | Personal watercraft A personal watercraft having an engine, a water jet propeller on the rear side of the engine, a jet nozzle for ejecting jet water, and a steering nozzle swingable in the left-right direction. The axis of the water jet propeller is set with a rearwardly downward grad... | 07/05/2005 |
| 6893303 | Personal watercraft A personal watercraft with a steering nozzle for determining the jet direction of jet water is movably disposed on the rear side of a water jet propeller, a connection portion is provided at an upper portion of the steering nozzle, and a reverse bucket has a recesse... | 05/17/2005 |
