How Ole Evinrude Invented the Modern Portable Outboard Motor
A 1911 patent for a compact, detachable marine engine that allowed small boats to be powered by a portable, gasoline-driven propeller unit.
Original patent title: “Marine propulsion mechanism.”
A 1911 patent for a compact, detachable marine engine that allowed small boats to be powered by a portable, gasoline-driven propeller unit. Granted to EVINRUDE MOTOR CO in 1911 with 1 forward citation, and it is now in the public domain.
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
The patent describes a self-contained marine propulsion unit designed to be clamped onto the stern of a small rowboat. It integrates the gasoline engine, the vertical drive shaft, and the propeller into a single, portable assembly. By mounting the motor externally, it removes the need for heavy, permanent inboard engines, effectively turning a standard rowboat into a motorized vessel.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover electric outboard motors or battery-powered propulsion systems.
- Does not cover inboard engines where the motor is mounted inside the hull.
- Does not cover jet-drive propulsion systems that lack a traditional propeller.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
Key facts
What made this novel
The innovation was the extreme integration of the engine and propeller into a single, lightweight, clamp-on unit that could be easily transported and attached by one person.
The Patent Drawing
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Evinrude portable outboard motors
Modern small-craft fishing outboards
Inflatable boat motors
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This invention fundamentally changed recreational boating by making it affordable and accessible to the average person. Before this, motorized boats were large, expensive, and required permanent installation, but Evinrude's design allowed anyone to attach an engine to their existing rowboat.
Filed
September 16, 1910
Granted
August 22, 1911
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Evinrude, now part of BRP (Bombardier Recreational Products), remains a leader in this space. Mercury Marine and Yamaha also dominate the modern market, refining the basic architecture established by this early patent.
Market impact
The patent sparked the birth of the portable outboard motor industry, creating a massive new market for recreational boating. It effectively democratized water travel, leading to the widespread use of small motorized craft for fishing and leisure.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
The patent describes a self-contained marine propulsion unit designed to be clamped onto the stern of a small rowboat. It integrates the gasoline engine, the vertical drive shaft, and the propeller into a single, portable assembly. By mounting the motor externally, it removes the need for heavy, permanent inboard engines, effectively turning a standard rowboat into a motorized vessel.
The clever bit
The innovation was the extreme integration of the engine and propeller into a single, lightweight, clamp-on unit that could be easily transported and attached by one person.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover electric outboard motors or battery-powered propulsion systems.
- Does not cover inboard engines where the motor is mounted inside the hull.
- Does not cover jet-drive propulsion systems that lack a traditional propeller.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
Patent enters public domain
This patent is in the public domain
See the Freedom to Build guide — what is free to use, what is not, and how to cite this patent.
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Limited data
Citation count
6/40
Early citations
Claim breadth
0/20
Narrow claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
0/20
Older than 20 years
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$3K – $9K
Midpoint $5K · expired or expiring · industry ×0.9
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
Claim text not yet imported for this patent
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Evinrude, O. (1911). How Ole Evinrude Invented the Modern Portable Outboard Motor (U.S. Patent No. 1,001,260). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/1001260/outboard-motor-evinrude
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How Ole Evinrude Invented the Modern Portable Outboard Motor cover?
A 1911 patent for a compact, detachable marine engine that allowed small boats to be powered by a portable, gasoline-driven propeller unit.
Who owns patent US 1001260?
EVINRUDE MOTOR CO owns this patent, granted in 1911.
When does this patent expire?
This patent has expired and is now in the public domain — anyone can use the invention freely.
What is patent US 1001260 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 1 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
This invention fundamentally changed recreational boating by making it affordable and accessible to the average person. Before this, motorized boats were large, expensive, and required permanent installation, but Evinrude's design allowed anyone to attach an engine to their existing rowboat.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover electric outboard motors or battery-powered propulsion systems.
Patent monitoring