Drive shaft support structure for marine propulsion machine

摘要

In a drive shaft support structure for a marine propulsion machine, a gear case 15 is provided with a vertical drive shaft receiving bore 15b, and a drive shaft 21 driven by an internal combustion engine is supported for rotation in the drive shaft receiving bore 15b. A gear case 15 is provided with a gear chamber 15a connected to the lower end of the drive shaft receiving bore 15b. A bevel gear mechanism 22 for transmitting power from the drive shaft 21 to a propeller shaft 24 is disposed in the gear chamber 15a. The drive shaft 21 is supported for rotation in a bearing 37. The bearing 37 is fitted in the drive shaft receiving bore 15b and is held fixedly in place with a bearing-fastening member 38 screwed in an internal threaded part of the drive shaft receiving bore 15b. A covering member 40 provided with a central hole through which the drive shaft 21 is passed is attached to the gear case 15 so as to close the open upper end of the drive shaft receiving bore 15b in a liquid-tight fashion. The bearing 37 is held fixedly in the gear case 15 to prevent the vertical movement of the drive shaft 21.