SPRING-ASSISTED JACK PLATE FOR OUTBOARD MOTOR

摘要

A jack plate includes a mounting assembly having first and second spacing brackets connected by a transom plate adapted for mounting to the transom of a boat, each of the spacing brackets having inwardly facing channels at rearward sides of the spacing brackets. The jack plate further includes a motor lift including a lift plate extending between a first bearing and a second bearing, the channels adapted to conformingly receive the first and second bearings. An actuator is provided to raise and lower the lift plate relative to the transom plate. At least one spring is operably coupled between the mounting assembly and the motor lift, the spring unloading the lift plate to reduce load on the actuator. The spring is optionally a compression gas spring.

主权项

1. A jack plate comprising:
a mounting assembly comprising a first spacing bracket, a second spacing bracket, and a transom plate extending between the first spacing bracket and the second spacing bracket, the first spacing bracket defining a first channel, the second spacing bracket defining a second channel, the first channel and the second channel opening toward one another; a lift plate assembly comprising a first slider slidingly received in the first channel, a second slider slidingly received in the second channel, and a lift plate extending between the first slider and the second slider; an actuator operably coupled between the mounting assembly and the lift plate assembly for moving the lift plate assembly relative to the mounting assembly; a spring operably coupled between the mounting assembly and the lift plate assembly, the spring applying a biasing force between the lift plate assembly and the mounting assembly. the spring comprising a spring housing having a spring wall defining in a cylinder bore and a piston disposed inside the cylinder bore, the piston separating a first part of the cylinder bore and a second part of the cylinder bore, a pressurized gas disposed in the first part of the cylinder bore, the second part of the cylinder bore being in fluid communication with an outside atmosphere, the outside atmosphere having an atmospheric pressure, the pressurized gas having a pressure that is greater than the atmospheric pressure so that there is a pressure differential across the piston; the spring housing having an end portion comprising the female mounting thread that is co-axial with the cylinder bore; the actuator comprising an actuator casing, the actuator casing defining a socket dimensioned to receive the end portion of the cylinder housing; and the end portion of the cylinder housing being fixed to the actuator casing by a mounting screw, the mounting screw disposed in threaded engagement with the female mounting thread.