Marine craft adapted for shallow water operation

• US 7,297,035 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2006
• Issued: 11/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gator Tail LLC (Gator Tail)
• Original Assignee: Gator Tail LLC (Gator Tail)
• Inventors: Broussard, Kyle
• Primary Examiner(s): Olson; Lars A.
• Application Number:
  US11/419,669
• Publication Number:
  US 20060199451A1
• Time in Patent Office: 547 Days
• Field of Search: 440/49, 440/53, 440/63, 440/65, 440/75, 440/76, 440/900, 248/640, 248/641, 248/642, 248/643
• US Class Current: 440/75
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 20/00 Outboard propulsion units, e.g. outboard motors or Z-drives; Arrangements thereof on vessels
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 20/10 Means enabling trim or tilt, or lifting of the propulsion element when an obstruction is hit; Control of trim or tilt
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 20/106 Means enabling lifting of the propulsion element in a substantially vertical, linearly sliding movement
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 20/14 Transmission between propulsion power unit and propulsion element
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 20/20 with provision for reverse drive
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 20/32 Housings air intakes for outboard engines F02M35/167
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 20/34 comprising stabilising fins , foils, anticavitation plates, splash plates, or rudders rudders carrying propellers B63H25/42; rudders carrying jets B63H25/46
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 2021/205 the second power unit being of the internal combustion engine type, or the like, e.g. a Diesel engine
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 2023/0216 by means of belts, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 2023/0233 of belts having a toothed contact surface, or regularly spaced bosses, or hollows for slip-less or nearly slip-less meshing with complementary profiled contact surface of a pulley
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 23/02 with mechanical gearing
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 70/5236 Renewable or hybrid-electric solutions

Abstract

A marine craft which includes a portable drive assembly temporarily attached to the transom, the portable drive assembly including an elongated drive housing enclosing an upper drive assembly and a lower driven assembly and a timing belt connecting the upper drive assembly to the lower driven assembly. The craft further includes an engine mounting plate attached externally to the drive housing adjacent the upper drive assembly perpendicular to the drive housing. The lower driven assembly also has a propeller shaft at least a portion of which is enclosed within a shaft housing attached to the drive housing adjacent the driven assembly, the shaft housing extending in excess of 18 inches beyond the drive housing, and a propeller attached to the propeller shaft.

Claims

1. A marine craft comprising

a hull comprising a transom;

and

a portable drive assembly temporarily attached to the transom, the portable drive assembly comprising

an elongated drive housing enclosing an upper drive assembly and a lower driven assembly and a timing belt connecting the upper drive assembly to the lower driven assembly; and

an engine mounting plate attached externally to the drive housing adjacent the upper drive assembly perpendicular to the drive housing;

wherein the lower driven assembly comprises a propeller shaft at least a portion of which is enclosed within a shaft housing attached to the drive housing adjacent the driven assembly, the shaft housing extending in excess of 18 inches beyond the drive housing, and a propeller attached to the propeller shaft.

2. The marine craft according to claim 1, wherein the portable drive assembly further comprises a transmission mounted to the engine mounting plate coupled externally to the upper drive assembly.

3. The marine craft according to claim 1, wherein the portable drive assembly further comprises steering and throttle controls.

4. The marine craft according to claim 1, wherein the shaft housing comprises a rudder fin.

5. The marine craft according to claim 1, wherein the upper drive assembly and the lower driven assembly further include respective timing pulleys compatible with the timing belt, the timing belt being unobstructed or acted upon by other bodies.

6. The marine craft according to claim 1, further comprising a mounting bracket assembly for temporarily attaching the portable drive assembly to the transom, the mounting bracket assembly comprising a mounting bracket and a pivotal assembly for positioning the portable drive assembly in the horizontal plane.

7. The marine craft according to claim 1 further comprising a utility engine mounted on the engine mounting plate and coupled to the upper drive assembly.

8. The marine craft according to claim 7, wherein the portable drive assembly further comprises a transmission mounted to the engine mounting plate coupled externally to the upper drive assembly.

9. The marine craft according to claim 7, wherein the portable drive assembly further comprises steering and throttle controls.

10. The marine craft according to claim 7, wherein the shaft housing comprises a rudder fin.

11. The marine craft according to claim 7, wherein the upper drive assembly and the lower driven assembly further include respective timing pulleys compatible with the timing belt, the timing belt being unobstructed or acted upon by other bodies.

12. The marine craft according to claim 7, further comprising a mounting bracket assembly for temporarily attaching the portable drive assembly to the transom, the mounting bracket assembly comprising a mounting bracket and a pivotal assembly for positioning the portable drive assembly in the horizontal plane.

13. The marine craft according to claim 12, further comprising

a first pivoting assembly for positively positioning the elongated drive housing beyond vertical relative to the mounting bracket in the vertical plane.

14. The marine craft according to claim 13, further comprising

a second pivoting assembly for negatively positioning the elongated drive housing beyond vertical relative to the mounting bracket in the vertical plane.

15. The marine craft according to claim 6, further comprising

a first pivoting assembly for positively positioning the elongated drive housing beyond vertical relative to the mounting bracket in the vertical plane.

16. The marine craft according to claim 15, further comprising

a second pivoting assembly for negatively positioning the elongated drive housing beyond vertical relative to the mounting bracket in the vertical plane.