Патент USA US2549481

April 17, 1951
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I
E. c. KIEKHAEFER
2,549,477
GEAR CASE UNIT FOR OUTBOARD MOTORS
Filed May 12, 1947
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April 17, 1951
E. c. KIEKHAEFER
2,549,477
GEAR CASE UNIT FOR OUTBOARD MOTORS
Filed May 12, 1947
4 Sheets-Sheet 2
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GEAR CASE UNIT FOR OUTBOARD MOTORS
4 Sheets-Sheet 3
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Apri? 17,, 1951
2,549,477
E. c. KIEKHAEFER
GEAR CASE UNIT FOR OUTBOARD MOTORS
4 Sheets-Sheet 4
Filed May l2, 1947
INVENTOR.
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BY
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2,549,477
Patented Apr. 17, 1951
UNITED’, STATES IVATENT OFFICE
2,549,477
GEAR CASE UNIT FOR OUTBOARD MOTORS
Elmer C. Kiekhaefer, Cedarburg, Wis.
> Application May 12, 1947, Serial No. 747,443
7 Claims. . (01.115-17)
1
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2
ing and to provide a frictionless type of thrust
This invention relates to outboard motors and
bearing therefor without requiring enlargement
has particular reference to the construction of
the lower end unit for an outboard motor.
of the housing.
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Another object is to remove the axial thrust
loads from the end bearings for the drive shaft
The lower housing of an outboard motor is se
cured to the lower end of the upper or drive
and the propeller shaft.
7 shaft housing, and usually serves to carry the’
'
.
Other objects and advantages will appear here
inafter in the description of an embodiment of
the invention illustrated in the accompanying
cavitation plate and house the lower end of the
vertical drive shaft, the lower gears, the propel
ler shaft and the water pump. The lower hous
ing has always been constructed of two or more
drawings.
.
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'
In the drawings:
separate castings with the parting line-variously
Figure 1 is a side elevation of an outboard mo-} 7
tor embodying the invention;
.
arranged, either vertical or horizontal, or both.
‘ Parting lines in'the cast housing have been
Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section through
diiiicult to maintain against leakage ‘and the
the
lower end unit taken. in-the plane of the
155
packing employed ultimately deteriorates and
drive and propeller shafts;
allows dirt and grit vto be carried into the hous
The added‘ cost of ‘constructing a seal for the
parting line and of providing for securing the
castings in place has been'substantial.
Heretofore, it has been considered impossible
to provide a-single piece cast'lower end housing,
because of the di?icultiesinvolved in assembling
the internal mechanism-therein.
The principal object of the present invention
therein;
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a
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"
Fig. 6 is a detail section takenon line li—6
of Fig.
5;
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Fig. ,7 is a'detail section taken on line '|-—'I
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25 line 5-5 of‘ Fig. 4;
Another object of the invention is to provide A
a lower end housing devoid of parting lines and 30
which is more effectively sealed against in?ltra
>
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axially of the drive shaft on vline 4—4 of Fig. 2;
Fig. 5 isan enlarged detail transverse ‘section
showing the attachment of the drive gear on the
lower end of the vertical drive shaft, taken on
piece cast lower end housing and internal mech
tion and corrosion.
’
Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section take
is to provide an outboard motor having a one
anism which maybereadily assembled.‘
_ V
Fig. 3 is a similar section showing the ,cast
housing “prior to assembly of the mechanism
‘ ing, particularly under hardv usage.
,
‘of
Fig.
5;
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Fig. 8 is a front end‘ elevation of the housing;
Fig.9 is a rear end elevation of the housing;
Fig. 10 is a top plan view of the housing;
Fig‘. 11 is a side elevation of the propeller shaft
assembly prior to insertion in the housing; and
Another object is to simplify the construction
and assembly of the lower end unit.
Fig. 12 is a transverse section through the pump '
Another object is to improve the gear align 35
vtaken on line l2—l2 of Fig. 11.
ment and simplify adjustment of the gears in the
The outboard motor comprises, in general, an
lower end unit, and thereby reduce noise and upper frame and fuel tank I, a motor 2, an upper
increase the life of the gears.
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or, vertical drive shaft housing 3 and a lower end
'Another object is to prevent possible distor
I
tion of the drive shaft bearings, and thereby in 40 housing 4. V
The upper and lower housings 3 and 4 pref
crease the life of the bearings.
erably separate just beneath the horizontal ‘anti
Another object is to simplify the replacement
cavitation plate 5 which is integral with the up
of worn parts and reduce the cost of the parts
per housing 3 and is disposed above the propel
subject to wearso that replacement costs are
reduced.
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Another object is to provide a more effective
,45
streamlining of the housing and thereby reduce
the resistance to its passage through the water.
ler 6 to prevent cavitation.
.
,
The lower end housing 4 constructed of a sin
gle piece is preferably die cast and embodies a
cored vertical opening 1 containing the drive
Another object is to ‘provide a- single piece die
shaft 8 and a cored horizontal opening 9 con
cast lower end housing in which the cored gear
housing is recessed by the use of collapsible core -.
members in a manner providing a desirable space
size for the beveled gears without machining.
Another object is to reduce the unit area
ward. edge I l extending substantially vertically
downward throughout the height of the body of
thrust load of the propeller upon the thrust bear
taining the propeller shaft l0 anditsassembly.
The housing 4 is streamlined with a sharp for
the - housing and curving rearwardly therebe
neath to provide ‘a skeg» I? which serves to pro
2,549,477
3
tect the propeller 8 against weeds and collision
with obstructions and also as a rudder. The rear
edge 53 of the housing is also sharp and extends
substantially vertically above and below the hol
low circular torpedo-like body portion I4 which
surrounds cored opening 9 and houses the pro
peller shaft assembly.
The body of the housing 4 above body portion
I4 is of sufficient lateral thickness to accommo
date the corecl opening ‘I for the vertical drive
shaft 8 and its bearings, and is shaped to provide
an effective streamlining between edges l I and 53.
4
30 extending from the pump chamber 2'! to the
upper surface of the casing where it registers
with a passage 3| drilled diagonally upward to a
vertical bore 32 in the upper body portion of
housing 4.
The impeller for the pump illustrated com
prises a plurality of circumferentially spaced
?exible vanes 33 and a central hub 34 molded
or otherwise secured upon the sleeve 35 which is
suitably secured on shaft Ill to rotate therewith.
The hub 34 may be ?tted tightly upon sleeve 35
and the latter may have spline grooves (not
shown) to accommodate the ?t of the hub and
body H! merges into the sharp edge I l preferably
make sure of the rotation of the impeller with
without requiring a forward curvature of the 15 the shaft Ill.
edge, and the rear end of the body I4 is circular
The passages 28 and 39 open to chamber 2'!
and of sufficient diameter to receive the propeller
at opposite sides of the pump as determined by
shaft assembly in assembling the lower end unit.
a diametric line coincident with the maximum
The hub £5 for propeller 8 has a diameter at
1 and minimum radii of the pump chamber, with
its forward end corresponding to the diameter of 20 the inlet passage 28 supplying water to the
the rear end of body I4, and is shaped to con—
chamber on the side where the vanes 33 are grad
tinue the torpedo-like lines of the body rear
ually separating and expanding the capacity
wardly to the smaller diameter end provided by
therebetween, and the discharge passage 30 on
rounded cap nut [5 which secures the hub 55
the opposite side and near the point of shortest
on shaft IS.
25 radius of the chamber.
The major part of the cored opening 9 in body
The pump chamber 21 is closed on its inner
The forward end or nose of the torpedo-like
l4 for the propeller shaft assembly is machined
side by the inner wall of casing 25 which is
cylindrical, there being a shoulder l'?' facing rear
sealed against the shaft by one or more cup
wardly in the wall of the opening for locating the
seals 36.
assembly, and threads I8 at the rear end of the 30
The pump chamber 2'! is closed on its rear side
body for securing the assembly in place.
by the rear end plate 3'! which is threaded into
The circumferential shoulder i‘! may be cast
the end of body M at threads l8, and which
and machined in the wall of opening 9, or it may
secures the entire propeller shaft assembly in
be formed by an insert piece such as a snap ring
or other projecting member secured in the wall
of the opening near the lower end of the open—
ing
7.
"
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l
The propeller shaft assembly has a beveled
gear IS with a sleeve-like hub 28 secured to rotate
with shaft H! by the pin 2|. '
A radial and thrust bearing 22 preferably of
the frictionless ball bearing type is secured on
hub 28 and against the rear side of gear is by
means of a snap ring 23 dropped into a corre
sponding circumferential groove in the hub. The
outer race of bearing 22 engages the shoulder il'
in body 14 and thereby locates the assembly in
housing 4.
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place.
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The vertical body of housing 4 has the cored
opening l for the shaft 8 machined at its upper ,
end to receive a radial and thrust bearing 39
preferably of the ball bearing type for the shaft,
and provide a shoulder 40 upon which the outer
race of the bearing rests. A cup seal 4! is pro
vided above the bearing 39, between the outer
race and‘ the shaft 8.
I
The lower end of the cored opening in the
vertical body of housing 4 is bored on a smaller
diameter to receive a needle bearing 42 for shaft
8 just above body I4. The bearings 39 and 42
are axially aligned to provide an accurate sup
port for‘ the drive shaft 8.
'
The propeller shaft assembly also preferably
A beveled drive gear 43 is secured to the lower
includes a water pump 24, preferably of the 50 end of shaft 8 to mesh with gear H) for driving
cartridge type such as that set forth in the cothe latter. The securing of gear 43 upon shaft 8
pending application of the present inventor,
should be simple and free from the usual key,
Serial No. 94,108, ?led May 19, 1949 for Under
since it must be accomplished inside housing 4
water Gear Unit for Outboard Motors.
where the workman has access to the parts only
The water pump 24 here illustrated, is of the 55 through the rear open end of body l4.
rotary type, and has a pump housing or casing 25
of cylindrical outer contour to fit into the cylin
drical bore of body It with an expansible sealing
washer 26 con?ned in a circumferential recess
therein between the pump housing and the wall 60
In the construction illustrated the lower end
of shaft 8 is tapered in diameter at 44 to a short
smaller diameter substantially cylindrical end
portion 1&5 which latter has a plurality of longi
tudinal spline grooves 46 therein cut to a depth
of opening 9 by any suitable means such as a
at least as great as the extension of the taper.
flanged washer 26’ disposed between the pump
The gear 43 has a tapered central opening in
housing and the outer race of bearing 22.
its hub for fitting onto the end of shaft 8, and a
The casing 25 has a circular recess El extend
plurality of spline grooves 41 are broached in
ing inwardly from the rear face of the same, and 65 the smaller diameter portion of the gear, so that
which constitutes a pump chamber having a wall
the intermediate projections ?t into the corre
substantially eccentric to the outer contour of
sponding grooves 46 on the shaft and secure the
the casing and to propeller shaft H3.
gear and shaft together for common rotation.
The inner wall of casing 25 has a passage 28
The gear 43’ is secured axially against the
leading from the outside of the casing and into
taper of shaft 8 by, means of cap screw 48 and
the pump chamber 21. The passage is adapted
to register with a series of fine ports 29 through
the outer wall of body l4 providing for the ad~
a lock washer'49 tabbed as shown.
The upper end of housing 4 has two vertically
drilled holes for securing the housing to hous
mittance of water to the pump chamber 2'1.
ing 3. For this purpose hole 58 is disposed im
The inner wall of casing 25 also has a passage 75 mediately behind edge H and adjacent the ver
5.
2,549,477
6
The lower end housing described avoids the
difficulties arising from the use of multiple piece
housings and parting lines.
. tical cored opening ‘I, and is adapted to receive
a tie rod in the‘form of stud 5I threaded into
hole 59 at 52 and extending upwardly into hous
‘ The construction described provides a simpler
‘ing 3.
The threaded attachment at 52 is disposed
assembly of parts, and one which'requires a mini
mum of labor in placement of individual parts
intermediate bearings 39 and-42 and preferably
within the housing.
spaced'axially from the upper bearing 39 a sub
stantial distance, so that the hole- 50' may be dis
posed relatively close‘ to the bearing seat with
"
"
The lower end housing may be die cast, in
which case the opening ‘I is cored by means-of a 7
core extending to the bottom end of the smaller
out dangeroffdistortionvof the bearing by the
diameter portion where needle bearing 42 is later
located, and the opening 9 is cored by means of
stresses resulting from tightening ofthe threads.
This provides for a;substantial reduction in space
a multi-part collapsible core.
requirement and'in ‘material and weight.
- The hole 50 extends downwardly beyond the .
threads at 52 to open into‘ the cored opening 9.
A hole 53 is drilled diagonally to connect hole
50 to cored opening 1 above the needle bearing
42 and below the threads at 52. This construc
tion provides for the circulationrof lubricant
with which the housing is'?lled, to bearing 39.
_ ,
The collapsible inner end of the core for open
ing 9 is made in two or more sections, the lower
section forming a tapered bottom wall 65 for the
nose of the opening, as shown, and the upper sec- '
' tion forming a, recess 66 for receiving gear 43.
The-recess 6-5 should be su?iciently smaller in
diameter than the inside diameter of the opening
at shoulder I‘! to provide for the removal of the
The gear 43 serves as a lubricant pump tend
upper
core section through the opening.
ing to centrifugally throw the lubricant out
The construction provides for a substantial
wardly from the (lower end of bearing 42, and
clearance between gear 43 and shaft I0, and for
some of the lubricant passes upwardly through
a somewhat larger diameter for gear I9 than for
25
hole 50 and thence through hole 53 into opening’
gear 43, which is desirable.
'
‘I where it may'pass downwardly through the
In assembling the lower end unit it is desirable
bearing 42.
f
to predetermine the amount of shimming neces
The gear chamber and'holes and openings re
sary
for proper adjustment of the gears.
ferred to are all packed with lubricant after
This can be done for shims 63 by employing
assembly of the unit, by means of a hole in the 30
‘suitable gauges which will accurately measure the
nose of body I4 to one side of the skeg I2 and
distance between the center line for shaft 8 and
which is closed by the screw plug 54.
shoulder I1, and also the distance between a
A suitable air vent hole, which is closed by
reference surface of gear I9 and the correspond-
screw plug 54' at all times except when ?lling
the housing with lubricant‘, is provided near the
ing shoulder for bearing 22.
It can be done for shims 64 by employing
suitable gauges which will accurately measure
ing 39. ‘
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the distance between the center line for shaft Ill
,
All of the bearings are lubricated by means of'
and the shoulder 49 and compare the same to
the grease packed into the housing, as'described.
A hole 55, corresponding to hole 59, is disposed ~10 the, distance between a reference surface of gear
43 and shoulder B I.
, just forwardly of rear edge l3‘and adjacent the
In this manner the thickness for shims 63 and
bore 32 which in turn is disposed to'the rear of
64 can be predetermined-and the shimsmay be
opening ‘I and adjacent thereto.
positioned in the housing 4 prior to insertion of
A recess 56 in' rear edge I3 is adapted 'to re‘
the mechanism.
45
ceive a nut 5‘! registering with hole 55 and into
The next step is to position the needle bearings
which a tie rod in the form of bolt 58 is threaded
38 and 42 in the housing. ‘Stud 5I is then
downwardly through hole 55 from housing 3 to
threaded into bore 50.
complete the securing of housings 3 and 4 to
Bearing 39 is mounted against shoulder 6I on
gether.
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drive shaft 8 and the latter is inserted down
' A water pipe 59, extends downwardly from '
wardly through opening 1 until the end of the
housing 3 into bore 32 and has a beveled lower
‘ shaft passes through bearing 42 and bearing
end for registering with passage 3| and receiv
39 is pressed into its corresponding recess and
ing water from pump 24'. - A seal 69 is provided
seated against the shims 64 on shoulder 40.
topof the housing, preferably just beneath bear
for pipe 59 at the upper end of housing 4.
'
I Gear 43 is then inserted through opening 9
The shaft 8 has a shoulder 6| which transmits 55 and fitted onto the end of shaft 8 and tab washer
the thrust of gear 43 to bearing 39.
49 and cap screw 48 applied and tightened to se
' A suitable gasket ‘62 may be provided across the
cure vthe gear in place.
top of the lower housing 4- to seal the same
The propeller shaft assembly is'made at the
against the upper housing 3.
‘ Shims 63 are disposed between the outer race 60 benchby ?rst pinning gear I9 on shaft I0, ap
of bearing 22 and shoulder I‘! to adjust the axial
position of gear 59 relative tothe axis of gear 43.
Likewise, shims 1B4 are disposed above and be
plying bearing 22 to the gear hub and securing
the bearing in place by snap ring 23, then ap
low the outer race and cap housing for bearing
its seal 26 onto the shaft and against bearing 22,
plying the pre-assembled pump'cartridge 24 with
39, and may be divided by selection to provide 65 keying sleeve 35 to the shaft'and applying the
any desired thickness of shims between the outer
race and shoulder 40 to adjust the vertical posi
tion for gear 43. By employing a predetermined
total thickness of shims 64 and disposing the
complemental part of them‘ above the bearing, as "
shown, the bearing does not interfere with the
clamping of the two housings 3 and 4 together,
and the bearing is always securely clamped be
tween housing 3 and shoulder 40 with the shims
selectively disposed therebetween.‘
end plate 31.
r
The propeller shaft assembly is inserted
through the rear end of body I4 until the shaft
I9 enters bearing 38 and gears I9 and 43 are in
mesh, and plate 31 is threaded home in the body
to effect engagement of shoulder I‘! by bearing
- 22 with shims 63 therebetween, which locates
the gear 43 in ?nal position.
a The last step in the assembly of the lower end.