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 |
| 7704110 | Engine starting system for a marine outboard engine A marine outboard engine for a watercraft is disclosed. The marine outboard engine includes a starter motor operatively connected to the crankshaft of the engine and a capacitor electrically connected to the starter motor. The capacitor is powering the starter motor... | 04/27/2010 |
| 7540795 | Watercraft propulsion apparatus and watercraft An outboard motor of a watercraft can include a shifting mechanism for performing gear shifting among forward, neutral, and reverse positions. A shift actuator can be configured to drive the shifting mechanism. A shift position sensor can be configured to detect a p... | 06/02/2009 |
| 7497749 | Outboard motor engine An outboard motor engine and a protruding member for use therewith are provided. The outboard motor engine can have a crankshaft whose first end can be connected to a driven member. The protruding member can extend outwardly in the axial direction from a second end ... | 03/03/2009 |
| 7190138 | Failure monitor for motor drive control system A failure monitor designed to monitor a failure in operation of a motor drive control system. The system works to drive a motor-driven member through an output shaft and an electric motor and includes an output shaft angular position sensor for determining an angula... | 03/13/2007 |
| 7073474 | Flywheel with torsional dampening ring An apparatus and method for constructing a flywheel assembly is disclosed. The flywheel assembly includes a flywheel hub that is constructed to engage a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine. A ferrous ring is attached to the flywheel hub with an elastomer rin... | 07/11/2006 |
| 7066130 | Recoil starter with automatic orientation A recoil starter has a guide surface with limited polar symmetry about the axis of the pull-rope limiting rotational orientation of the pull-handle in the at-rest position to less than three angular positions. ... | 06/27/2006 |
| 7063581 | Outboard motor operating system An outboard motor operating system, includes a shared switch for inputting operation instructions to either a steering (hydraulic) cylinder for steering an outboard motor or a PTT unit for regulating the tilt/trim angles of the outboard motor. The system also includ... | 06/20/2006 |
| 7029347 | Water preclusion device for marine engine A water preclusion device for a watercraft with an internal combustion engine for inhibiting the intrusion of water upstream into an exhaust system. The water preclusion device includes a valve controlled by exhaust gas pressure. ... | 04/18/2006 |
| 6923696 | Engine starting system for multiple engines A watercraft has multiple engines each having a starting device. A common switch mechanism provides a control device with at least an initiation signal to activate the starting devices, such that all of the engines can be started concurrently in response to operator... | 08/02/2005 |
| 6918802 | Starting system for outboard motor In an engine starting system for an outboard motor mounted having a propeller and a steering mechanism driven by an electric motor, including a battery connected to the engine; a starter motor and an ignition switch provided in a voltage supply circuit from the batt... | 07/19/2005 |
| 6901872 | Powered surfboard and powered skateboard A surfboard vehicle and a skateboard vehicle are each powered by a motor unit that is located in the rear of the vehicle and is located so the vehicle is balanced sufficiently to be used in competition and/or at high speeds. ... | 06/07/2005 |
| 6722333 | Engine control unit for small watercraft A watercraft has a throttle position sensor, an engine speed sensor, and a start switch. The sensors communicate with a controller. The controller can regulate engine speed. The controller regulates or limits the engine to a low speed when the throttle angle is abov... | 04/20/2004 |
| 6699081 | Marine propulsion device with a switched reluctance starter motor and generator system A switch reluctance device is used as a starter/generator for an outboard motor. The rotor of the switch reluctance device is attached to the crankshaft of the internal combustion engine and serves as a flywheel for the engine. The switch reluctance devic... | 03/02/2004 |
| 6582261 | Anti-theft device for water vehicle A watercraft includes an anti-theft switch which disables the starter button and provides a kill signal to the engine, thereby preventing unauthorized use and inadvertent draining of the battery.... | 06/24/2003 |
| 6557509 | Electrical system for an outboard motor having an engine with a manual recoil starter An outboard motor with a manual recoil starter is provided with an electrical system that is manually actuated and provides the required electrical power to an electrical load associated with a fuel pump, fuel injectors, and ignition coils of the engine. ... | 05/06/2003 |
| 6447347 | Trolling motor position responsive system A trolling motor position responsive system is disclosed that warns and/or prevents a powerboat operator from engaging an outboard motor while the trolling motor remains deployed in the water. The system comprises a trolling motor position sensor that is ... | 09/10/2002 |
| 5988132 | Pull starter for outboard motor A pull starter for an engine powering an outboard motor having a cowling and a water propulsion device is disclosed. The engine is positioned in the cowling and has a generally vertically extending crankshaft. A lower end of the crankshaft is arranged to ... | 11/23/1999 |
| 5873322 | Engine start system for a small boat A small watercraft includes a hull. A rider area that accommodates at least one rider is provided at least in part by said hull. An engine is carried by the hull and drives a propulsion unit for propelling the hull. A steering control is provided in the r... | 02/23/1999 |
| 5832888 | Thermostatic override switch for an automatic choke in an internal combustion engine An electrically powered automatic choke system for a turnkey outboard motor has a thermostatic override switch. The automatic choke feature is often not necessary, and sometimes not even desirable, when restarting the engine. The thermostatic override swi... | 11/10/1998 |
| 5809436 | Automatic throttle adjustor An automatic throttle adjustor system for a power boat which is operable to return a carburetor throttle valve to an idle setting from a user-selected setting when a sensor mounted on a bottom of the boat is about to leave the water, and which is operable... | 09/15/1998 |
| 5755606 | Four-cam outboard motor A high-performance outboard motor embodying a V-type four overhead camshaft four-cycle internal combustion engine. A compact cam driving arrangement is provided for driving the camshafts from the crankshaft of the engine at the upper end. A flywheel is mo... | 05/26/1998 |
| 5722360 | Engine assembly A disclosed engine assembly comprises an engine; a crank shaft having an end extending outward from inside the engine; a rotating body mounted at the end of the crank shaft; a cover body mounted on the engine so as to cover the rotating body; the cover bo... | 03/03/1998 |
| 5593330 | Lock system for a watercraft A number of embodiments of personal watercraft having safety switches for enabling a kill switch if the operator falls overboard. In addition, a key-operated waterproof main switch is provided in the circuit to facilitate locking and to avoid drainage of ... | 01/14/1997 |
| 5516312 | Engine safety interlock A device for sensing the presence of hull water above an acceptable level in the hull of a boat and communicating to any combination of ignition, starter, aural and/or visible means in such manner as to cause the boats engine to stop running and apprise t... | 05/14/1996 |
| 5256091 | Shift interlock system A shift interlock system for preventing the starting of an outboard motor when the motor is in gear, the outboard motor having an engine, a starter housing, a starter pulley enclosed by the housing, and a transmission shift lever having a neutral setting,... | 10/26/1993 |
| 5221861 | Voltage maintenance system A voltage maintenance system is provided for an engine-driven vehicle having a primary battery, a starter that is energized by the primary battery, an ignition switch for selectively and momentarily activating the starter to start the engine and one or mo... | 06/22/1993 |
| 5171171 | Kill switch assembly for small watercraft An improved kill switch assembly is provided for a small watercraft which is powered by an engine and operated by a watercraft control, preferably in the form of a handlebar assembly. The kill switch and its associated actuating button are adapted to be m... | 12/15/1992 |
| 5167550 | Conversion of a watercraft to a water skier controlled drone Method and apparatus for converting a watercraft having on-board engine and guidance controls into a drone remotely controlled through towing apparatus by the skier riding on skis behind it. A control unit is secured to the watercraft. The control unit en... | 12/01/1992 |
| 5144300 | Starting evice for marine propulsion engine An improved warning system for a marine propulsion unit that includes a starter, a starter switch, an ignition circuit having a kill switch for disabling the ignition circuit, a warning device and an abnormal operating condition sensor. The warning device... | 09/01/1992 |
| 5080619 | Engine control device Each of control boxes has an operation lever and an element moving together with the operation lever and a primary sensor for detecting the position of the moving element are arranged in each of the control boxes. A drive unit includes a motor, a movable ... | 01/14/1992 |
| 5078101 | Marine propulsion device internal combustion engine An internal combustion engine comprising an engine block including an outer surface, structure including the engine block and a member connected to the surface of the engine block for defining a substantially closed chamber, a crankshaft extending from th... | 01/07/1992 |
| 4949684 | Starting system for internal combustion engine Two embodiments of starting systems for internal combustion engines that prevent backfiring by precluding starting when the kill switch is energized. In one embodiment, the kill switch includes two pair of contacts, one for the kill circuit and one for th... | 08/21/1990 |
| 4457726 | Small watercraft starting arrangement In a water born vehicle of the type described in my prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,826,220 including a pivoted control handle extending rearwardly from the bow the improvement comprising a starting cable arrangement which may be selectively secured to the handle a... | 07/03/1984 |
| 4362516 | Inhibit locks for marine engine controller An inhibit lock arrangement for a marine engine controller including a valve-operating shaft axially movable by an operator's handle, when set in a "start" position, for opening a valve whereby a fluid pressure signal is transmitted to the engine to start... | 12/07/1982 |
| 4084536 | Safety control system for hydraulic jet turbines A safety control system for the prevention of undesired reactive thrust which may be produced from hydraulic jet turbines includes manually operated controls connected to the shutoff valve of a hydraulic jet venturi section and a switch operatively connec... | 04/18/1978 |
| 4064823 | Electric starter interlock for outboard motor devices An outboard motor unit includes a shift lever pivotally mounted on a shaft to one side of powerhead with a central vertical neutral position and pivoted forwardly and rearwardly for forward and reverse drive. The unit includes an electric starter and a st... | 12/27/1977 |
| 3951091 | Bilge blower ignition interceptor A self-latching relay is connected in series with the ignition circuit of a power boat to interrupt power to the starter and ignition circuits until the relay is actuated. A thermal delay timer is connected to one of the control switches for the bilge blo... | 04/20/1976 |
