PEDAL OPERATED CONTROL FOR ELECTRIC FISHING MOTORS

• US 3,598,947 A
• Filed: 11/03/1969
• Issued: 08/10/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ralph C. Osborn
• Original Assignee: Ralph C. Osborn
• Inventors: Osborn, Ralph C.
• Application Number:
  US04/873,187
• Time in Patent Office: 645 Days
• US Class Current: 200/86.5
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 20/007 Trolling propulsion units trolling plates for slowing down B63H25/50; dynamo-electric machines of trolling units H02K
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 20/12 Means enabling steering
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 21/26 adapted for operation by a part of the human body other than the hand, e.g. by foot
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20528 Foot operated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20888 Pedals

Abstract

A pedal control for electric outboard fishing motors having a first motor for driving the propeller and a second motor for rotating the propeller support for steering. A single pedal is mounted for selective engagement with an on-off switch for the propeller drive motor and forward and reverse switches for the steering motor and is mounted on a control unit which may be easily carried about a boat for a remote control. The unit includes speed control and directional elements which may be foot-actuated.

Claims

1. In an electric outboard fishing motor drive of the type having a first electric motor carried by a shaft and adapted when energized to rotate a propeller carried by said shaft and a second motor carried by a support for said shaft and formed and adapted when energized to rotate the shaft about the axis thereof for steering purposes, the improvement comprising a pedal operating assembly for controlling said motors, said pedal assembly including a base and a pedal, means mounting said pedal on said base foR swinging movement of said pedal about one end of said base and toward and away from the other end of said base and for tilting movement toward one side or another of said base, a first pushbutton switch carried by said base and having an actuating arm positioned above the surface of said base for actuation by the undersurface of said pedal upon said swinging movement of said pedal toward said base, and second and third switches mounted on said base and having actuating arms extending above the upper surface of said base for selective engagement with the undersurface of said pedal upon said tilting movement of said pedal, said first switch being a start-stop switch for said first motor and adapted to energize said motor when actuated, said second and third switches being connected to forward and reverse energizing circuits for said second motor so that when one is actuated said second motor rotates said shaft in one direction while upon actuation of the other said second motor is operated to turn said shaft in the other direction, the actuating arms of said second and third switches projecting above said base to generally uniform spacings from the undersurface of said pedal, the actuating arm of said first switch being spaced more closely to an undersurface portion of said pedal in the deactivated position thereof than said second and third switches, said first, second and third switches and actuating arms therefor being located near the other end of said base, and limit abutment means to limit the pedal'"'"''"'"'s downward swinging movement and rocking movement to one side or the other whereby said first switch may be actuated along with actuation of a single one of the said second and third switches through combined swinging and tilting movement of said pedal without allowing simultaneous actuation of both of said second and third switches.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said pedal is swingably and tiltably mounted on said base by a pin carried by said pedal and loosely received within an aperture in said base.

3. The structure of claim 2 characterized by and including a spring surrounding an end of said pin projecting through said aperture in said base and extending between an undersurface of said base and an abutment on the end of said pin.

4. The structure of claim 3 wherein said abutment means is defined in said first switch and by said pin and aperture.

5. The structure of claim 1 wherein said pedal has a depending slotted guide on the end thereof remote from said pin and said base has a pin received within the slot of said guide to thereby provide support for that end of said pedal.

6. The structure of claim 1 characterized by and including a speed control housing carried by the other end of said base, said speed control housing having a rheostat therein for controlling the speed of said first electric motor, said housing projecting above said pedal and having an actuating element therefor positioned above said pedal for selective operation thereof by an operator foot positioned on said pedal.

7. In an electric outboard fishing motor drive of the type having a first electric motor carried by a shaft and adapted when energized to rotate a propeller carried by said shaft and a second motor carried by a support for said shaft and formed and adapted when energized to rotate the shaft about the axis thereof for steering purposes, the improvement comprising a pedal-operating assembly for controlling said motors, said pedal assembly including a base and a pedal, means mounting said pedal on said base for swinging movement of said pedal about one end of said base and toward the other end of said base and for tilting movement toward one side or another of said base, switch means carried by said base for selective operation by said pedal upon swinging and tilting movement thereof to start and stop said first electric motor and to selectively operate said second motor for steering purposes, said base carrying a speed control housing at the other end of said base and pRojecting upwardly above said base, said speed control housing including a rheostat therein and having an outer wall facing said pedal and extending upwardly in inclined relation thereto, said housing including an operating element for said rheostat carried by said wall at a location above said pedal whereby the toe of an operator foot on said pedal may operate said element in any position of said pedal.