A marine outboard motor is provided with a gear casing, a propeller shaft rotatable within the gear casing about a propeller shaft axis, a drive shaft having a drive gear, a clutch mechanism for selectively engaging the drive gear with the propeller shaft and a shift mechanism configured to operate the clutch mechanism. The shift mechanism comprises a support shaft which is fixed relative to the gear casing and which extends along or parallel with the propeller shaft axis, a shift shuttle which is slidable along the support shaft and is connected to a clutch member of the clutch mechanism, a shift finger pivotally mounted on the support shaft, and a shift rod coupled to the shift finger by a releasable coupling. The shift finger is configured to move the shift shuttle along the support shaft to operate the clutch member when the shift finger is rotated about the shift rod axis by the shift rod. A marine vessel including such a marine outboard motor is also provided.

An outboard motor is for propelling a marine vessel in water. The outboard motor has an upper cowling that covers an internal combustion engine, a driveshaft housing located below the internal combustion engine, and a lower gearcase located below the driveshaft housing. The lower gearcase encloses a transmission gearset configured to transmit power from the internal combustion engine to a propulsor. A shift actuator is covered by the upper cowling and a shift mechanism is located at least partially in the lower gearcase and configured to shift the transmission gearset into and between forward, neutral and reverse gears. A flexible connector assembly operatively couples the shift actuator to the shift mechanism so that actuation of the shift actuator causes the shift mechanism to shift the transmission gearset.

An outboard motor is for propelling a marine vessel in water. The outboard motor has an upper cowling that covers an internal combustion engine, a driveshaft housing located below the internal combustion engine, and a lower gearcase located below the driveshaft housing. The lower gearcase encloses a transmission gearset configured to transmit power from the internal combustion engine to a propulsor. A shift actuator is covered by the upper cowling and a shift mechanism is located at least partially in the lower gearcase and configured to shift the transmission gearset into and between forward, neutral and reverse gears. A flexible connector assembly operatively couples the shift actuator to the shift mechanism so that actuation of the shift actuator causes the shift mechanism to shift the transmission gearset.

Transmission systems and methods are for a marine propulsion device having an internal combustion engine that drives a propulsor. An input shaft is driven into rotation at a non-zero first rotational speed by the internal combustion engine. An output shaft drives the propulsor into rotation at a non-zero second rotational speed. A planetary gearset transfers power from the input shaft to the output shaft. A band brake is on the planetary gearset. Actuation of the band brake effects a gear change in the planetary gearset. A band brake actuator actuates the band brake to effect the gear change. A controller controls the band brake actuator. Based upon one or more operational characteristics of the marine propulsion device the controller is programmed to control the band brake actuator so that the second rotational speed is less than the first rotational speed.

Transmission systems and methods are for a marine propulsion device having an internal combustion engine that drives a propulsor. An input shaft is driven into rotation at a non-zero first rotational speed by the internal combustion engine. An output shaft drives the propulsor into rotation at a non-zero second rotational speed. A planetary gearset transfers power from the input shaft to the output shaft. A band brake is on the planetary gearset. Actuation of the band brake effects a gear change in the planetary gearset. A band brake actuator actuates the band brake to effect the gear change. A controller controls the band brake actuator. Based upon one or more operational characteristics of the marine propulsion device the controller is programmed to control the band brake actuator so that the second rotational speed is less than the first rotational speed.

An outboard-motor automatic disengaging clutch system and method, providing an improved means of shifting between forward and reverse with an outboard boat motor, providing an ability to shift in circumstances where the propeller is not spinning freely, such as in weeds or mud, and providing improved shifting with less damage to gears in all circumstances. The outboard-motor automatic disengaging clutch can be built into an outboard motor, or can be later-installed as a retrofit. The outboard-motor automatic disengaging clutch provides an electric clutch controlled by a sensor switch activated and deactivated by the mechanical linkages of the outboard motor's shifting system.

An outboard-motor automatic disengaging clutch system and method, providing an improved means of shifting between forward and reverse with an outboard boat motor, providing an ability to shift in circumstances where the propeller is not spinning freely, such as in weeds or mud, and providing improved shifting with less damage to gears in all circumstances. The outboard-motor automatic disengaging clutch can be built into an outboard motor, or can be later-installed as a retrofit. The outboard-motor automatic disengaging clutch provides an electric clutch controlled by a sensor switch activated and deactivated by the mechanical linkages of the outboard motor's shifting system.

The present application relates to power transmission system used in marine engines and in particular to a divided gear wheel (11, 12), for a power transmission system 1,2, used in marine engines, to a power transmission system used in marine engines to a method to operate said power transmission system and to a marine engine comprising a power transmission system.

The present application relates to power transmission system used in marine engines and in particular to a divided gear wheel (11, 12), for a power transmission system 1,2, used in marine engines, to a power transmission system used in marine engines to a method to operate said power transmission system and to a marine engine comprising a power transmission system.

A transmission (6) for a marine outboard propulsion system (1) which comprises an input shaft (7) connectable to an engine (4), a countershaft (19) arranged parallel to the input shaft (7), several pairs of gears (15, 16; 17, 18) for transmitting rotation of the input shaft (7) to the countershaft (19) and switching elements (23, 25, 30) for selectively engaging gears (15, 16, 17, 18, 38) to enable at least two forward gear ratios and one reverse gear ratio. The transmission (6) comprises an output shaft (8) which is arranged coaxial to the input shaft (7) and a PTO countershaft (31) adapted to drive at least one PTO-aggregate (9, 10). The transmission is part of a marine outboard propulsion system.