US3598947A - Pedal operated control for electric fishing motors - Google Patents

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.

Description

ZOO/86.5 ZOO/86.5 ZOO/86.5 114/144 115/18 115/18 XX 55 66 88 ml 0% 22 3,023,344 2/1962 Owings......................... 3,118,123 1/1964 Sweetetal.....

3,287,520 I 1/1966 Stevens et al..

3,466,41 l 9/1969 Martin......

3,467,798 9/1969 Krieger...

2,583,059 1/1952 Neville 2,804,838 9/1957 Moser.... 2,877,733 3/1959 Harris...........,..............

Primary Examiner-J. R. Scott Attorney-Mann, Brown, McWilliams & Bradway I United States Patent 72] inventor Ralph C. Osborn Bloolnlngton, Ill. [21] Appl. No. 873,187

Nov. 3, 1969 [45] Patented Aug. 10, 1971 Assignee Asborn Engineering Corporation [54] PEDAL OPERATED CONTROL FOR ELECTRIC FISHING MOTORS 7 Claims, 8 Drawing Figs.

[22 Filed A pedal control for electric outboard fishing motors having a first motor for driving the propeller and a d motor for rotating the propeller support for steering. A single pedal is mounted for selective engagement with an onoff 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 q I. m T o C M c T n w s 0 i w m A S r. R R 8/ 8 m uw 05 0 0100M 2 "2; s u n/ S WM MR T "4 N m mm m Wm M W S m mm m mm mA m mm T m I m W Rm u mh m W m L :J u D t U mm H m r U 55 U The unit includes speed control and 200/59 (Bl directional elements which may be foot-actuated.

1,664,552 4/1928 Hammond,Jr...............

PEDAL OPERATED CONTROL FOR ELECTRIC FISHING MOTORS and changing the direction of thrust of the propeller for steering purposes.

Moser U.S. Pat. No. 2,804,838 illustrates an electric outboard motor of the foregoing type having three pedals which are foot-operated so as to control on-oft', forward and reverse switches for the directional control motor and an on-off switch for the driving motor." The present invention is directed to improvements in a pedal control for controlling such steering and on-off switches.

The major purposes of the present invention are to form a simplified and inexpensive pedal control assembly for effecting both steering of a boat and propulsion thereof and in such a way that the user of the control may position the control at any location within a boat and have full control of propulsion, steering and speed with simple foot or hand movements.

These and other purposes will become more apparent in the course of the ensuing specification and claims when taken with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. I is a perspective view of a typical electric outboard motor assembly provided with the control of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view illustrating a steering motor arrangement for the assembly of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the pedal control subassembly illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a top view of the pedal subassembly illustrated in FIG. 3 while looking in the direction of the arrows 4-4 of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the pedal subassembly illustrated in FIGS. [-4 and looking in the direction of the arrows 5-5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is an end view of the pedal illustrated in FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a detail view of certain switch elements used in the pedal control; and

FIG. 8 is a side view of the pedal control assembly illustrated in FIG. I.

Like elements are designated by like characters throughout the specification and drawings.

With specific reference to the drawings, and in the first instance to FIG. I, the numeral I0 designates a supporting column or shaft for an electric drive motor II at the lower end thereof. Motor I1 is a battery-operated DC motor and may be a permanent magnet motor. The output shaft of motor I1 is adapted to rotate apropeller 12. Thecolumn 10 is supported on abracket assembly 13 which is in turn pivotally mounted upon a cradle I4.Cradle 14 is adapted to be clamped to a portion ofa fishing boat, as for example the gunwale.

A pedal control subassembly generally designated at 15 has acable 16 adapted to be connected to battery terminals and a cable I7 leading through ahousing 18 on the upper portion ofshaft 10 and through theshaft 10 to the drive motor II and to a steering motor positioned within thebracket 13. Thecontrol assembly 15 includes apedal control portion 18 and a housing I9 fixed thereto, which housing provides operative circuit connections between certain switches carried by pedal portion I8, cables I6 and 17, and a speed controlling rheostat formotor 11. An actuating knob for the rheostat is illustrated at 20. Thecontrol housing 19 may include areversing switch 21 for motor I I and a combined light and heating element 210.

Thehousing 19 extends upwardly above thepedal portion 18 so that theactuating knob 20. switch 21 and element 2la face the operator when the operator has his foot on the pedal portion I8. Switch 2I and element 2Ia are above theknob 20.

FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a steering arrangement wherein a reversible directcurrent steering motor 22 is used to rotate shaft I0 and thus change the direction of thrust of thepropeller 12 for steering purposes. Motor 22 is supported within thehousing bracket 13 and has apinion 23 on its output shaft in driving engagement with agear 24 held by ahub 25 which is keyed to theshaft 10. It should be understood that the illustration of the steering motor housing bracket, cradle, supporting shaft, motors and propeller illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 should be taken as generally representative of motor driven and motor-steered electric outboard motors of the type known to the art and to which the present pedal control assembly is applied.

In accordance with the present invention thepedal unit 18 illustrated in FIG. 1 includes abase 26 and amovable pedal 27 mounted on the base. Bothbase 26 andpedal 27 are generally rectangular when viewed from the top.Base 26 is generally triangular in cross section as viewed from the side (as illustrated in FIG. 3).Base 26 is defined by a lowerflat plate 28,sidewalls 29a and 2%. an inclinedupper wall 30, and a forward wall 3]. Theforward wall 31 andsidewalls 29a and 29b of the base may be formed as downwardly directed extensions of theupper wall 30 and as a single casting. Thelower plate 28 may have arubber pad 28a attached to the lower surface thereof.

Pedal 27 may have a series of parallel ribs formed in the upper surfaces thereof as is illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 to minimize foot slippage thereon. Pedal 27 is mounted onbase 26 in spaced relation to the upper surface ofwall 30 by means of apin 32 carried within a downwardly projectingboss 33 onpedal 27.Pin 32 is received through an enlargedaperture 34 in theupper wall 30. Boss 33 has a lower surface which is spherically formed for a bearing engagement with the portion of thewall 30 aroundaperture 34. Acoil spring 35 surrounds this pin beneath thewall 30 and extends beneath the undersurface of thewall 30 and anabutment 36 on the lower end of the pin.Spring 35biases pedal 27 toward a position wherepin 32 is perpendicular towall 30 whilepedal 27 is equally spaced fromwall 30 on opposite sides of the pin. The loose connection betweenpin 32 and theaperture 34 allows swinging movement ofpedal 27 generally about a transverse axis directed through the point designated at P in FIG. 3. The enlarged aperture also allows rocking movement or tilting movement in the direction of the arrows illustrated in FIG. 5 and generally about an axis extending parallel to the longitudinal axis ofpedal 27. The front end ofpedal 27 has a downwardly projectingguide projection 38. The lower portion of this guide projection has aslot 39 within which is received apin 40 which is carried by the downwardly directedwall portion 31. The pin and slot connection thus provided prevents pivotal movement of the pedal 27 about the axis ofpin 32 while allowing the swinging movement and tilting or rocking movement aforementioned.

Theupper wall 30 ofbase 26 carries a first pushbutton onoff switch 41 formotor 11 and second and third directional and energizingswitches 42 and 43. Each of these switches includes a pushbutton actuating arm 44 (FIG. 7) and these actuating arms are preferably covered with arubber domelike cover 45. Theactuating arm 44 ofswitch 41 includes anupper flange 44a which abuts against the opposed rim 44b ofsupport 44c in the closed position of the switch. Downward swinging movement of the pedal is thus limited by the abutment of the flange of the switch arm with the rim 44b. In either the lower position or upper position of the pedal rocking movement of the pedal may take place about an axis extending generally between the top ofarm 44 ofswitch 41 and the center of curvature of the lower surface ofboss 33. Theactuating arm 44 of each switch M, 42 and 43 is spring biased toward an upper position corresponding to a normal unenergized position. One of theswitches 42 is connected in the circuit to thesteering motor 22 for rotation of the motor in one direction while theother switch 43 is connected in the circuit of thesteering motor 22 for rotation of the motor in the opposite direction. It should be understood that theswitch casings 46 for each of theswitches 41, 42 and 43 are connected through suitable electrical leads (not shown) to thecontrol box 19 for appropriate electrical connection betweencables 16 and 17 to their associated motors. Wiring connections between an onoff switch for the drive motor and between directional switches for a steering motor are known to the art and for this reason they are not illustrated herein.

It is preferable to locate theswitch 41 forwardly of the twodirectional switches 42 and 43.

The undersurface ofpedal 27 includes a downwardly directedboss 48 which is located directly aboveswitch 41, whilebosses 49 of shorter extent are positioned directly above each of theswitches 42 and 43. Thus, upon simple swinging movement ofpedal 27 about the axis P, switch 41 will be actuated whileswitches 42 and 43 are not. In this regard, simple downward swinging movement ofpedal 27 about the axis P is limited by abutment of theflange 44a ofswitch 41 with the rim 44b of that switch.Spring 35 helps to maintain the pedal 27 in equally spaced relation to theswitches 42 and 43 during such movement.Switches 42 and 43 may also have similar limit abutments but they are not necessary as long as the engagement betweenpin 32 and the wall of theaperture 34 limit rocking movement to an amount slightly greater than that necessary to actuate one of theswitches 42 or 43.

Rocking movement of the pedal about the longitudinally extending axis aforementioned enables oneboss 49 or the other to contact its associated switch. At the same time this may be accompanied by downward swinging movement about the axis P depending upon manipulation of the operator's foot to the extent of actuatingswitch 41. The abutment inswitch 41, together with the abutment ofpin 32 with the wall ofaperture 34 limits the downward movement and prevents actuation of bothswitches 42 and 43 at the same time. For example, the compound movement may be such as to actuateswitch 43 and 41 (FIG. but the support is such that the other boss cannot contact itsswitch 42 unlesspedal 27 is rocked out of contacting engagement withswitch 43. The return springs in the switches andspring 35 bias the pedal toward the upper, deenergized position illustrated in FIG. 3.

It should be understood that thebosses 49 may be eliminated altogether as long as the spatial relation between the pedal and the switches is such as to allow selective operation of the switches as described. Alsoboss 48 may be eliminated whileswitch 41 is made so that theactuating arm 44 projects to a greater height abovewall 30 than theswitches 42 and 43. In this event, switch 41 is also actuated by simple swinging movement about axis P with the abutment in theswitch 41 preventing sufficient downward movement to actuate both of theswitches 42 and 43 at the same time while allowing actuation of one or the other of theswitches 42 and 43 through rocking movement in one direction or the other.

The important thing is that when pedal 27 closes switch 41, a rocking axis for the pedal is established while thepedal 27 is not depressed far enough to actuate either switch 42 or 43 as long as the opposite sides of the pedal are spaced equidistantly from theupper wall 30.

The face 190 of the control housing which carries theactuating knob 20,switch 21 andelement 21a, extends from a point immediately forward of the pedal 27 to a position spaced thereabove, whereupon these elements are positioned above the pedal. This face is inclined to the upper surface of the pedal as shown in FIG. 8. Knob is positioned on this face so that the lower side surface is coincident with or a short distance above the plane of the upper surface of the pedal whereby the toe of a users foot positioned on the pedal may frictionally engage the cylindrical side surface ofknob 20 and rotate the same and thereby change the resistance value of the rheostat. The rheostat is in series with the windings of themotor 11 so that a change in its resistance changes the voltage and speed of the motor.

The cylindrical surface ofknob 20 may be provided with ribs or other frictional means to enhance use by the operator's foot.

The particular pedal control herein illustrated is simple and economical to manufacture. The user of a pedal assembly, as

described herein, can easily control both the energization of the boat driving propeller and the direction of its thrust with his foot in the same overall position on the pedal. A simple downward movement of the toe of his foot will energizeswitch 41 to energizedrive motor 11. Rocking movement of the foot in the same overall position and to one side or another will actuateswitch 42 or 43 to energizemotor 22 for rotation in the proper direction to bring about the desired direction of thrust ofpropeller 12. The control assembly is easily carried about the boat and may be positioned at any convenient location in the boat.

At any position the operator has full control of the steering, speed and propulsion of the boat. Since the actuatingknob 20 of the rheostat and thedirectional switch 21 are positioned above thepedal 27, the actuatingknob 20 and switch 21 are easily manipulated by the operator.Knob 20 may be manipulated by the toe of the users foot positioned on the pedal at the same time that the operator is usingpedal 27 to control propulsion and steering. The reversingswitch 21 may be moved by foot pressure, although the operator must disengage his foot frompedal 27 to do this. The controls may of course be manipulated by hand.

The unitary and compact nature of the controls together with the positioning of the various parts for foot operation is a great convenience to a fisherman having both hands occupied byfishingv Switches 41, 42 and 43 may be single-pole single-throw switches although it is preferred that switches 42 and 43 be double pole, single throw snap acting switches to insure positive action and minimize arcing.

lclaim:

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 pedals 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 ofclaim 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 ofclaim 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 ofclaim 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.

Claims (7)

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.

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