GB2036653A - Collapsible boat and trailer - Google Patents

Abstract

A collapsible boat 1 comprises a forward hull member 12 and an aft hull member 8 hingedly interconnected to pivot between a fully open position and a fully closed position. The adjacent end walls 13, 9 each comprise a removable panel 21, 20 and at least one of the end walls 13, 9 is provided on its external side with a seal 26 extending around the respective removable panel for forming a substantially water-tight joint between the end walls 13, 9 in the fully open position of the boat. The panels 20,21 may be used as thwarts. A trailer for the boat has a longitudinal member (2) and a transverse member 3 with two wheels 4 on opposite sides. A channel member (6) is mounted on the longitudinal member (2) for receiving the keel and releasable fastening means 27, 30 are provided. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Collapsible boat and trailer The present invention relates to trailers which may be used for carrying various goods behind a vehicle and to parts therefor.

Known camping trailers and the like generally comprise an open topped body more or less perma nently fixed on a chassis and which body is normally covered with a tarpaulin.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved trailer which has a readily detachable body which can readily be used if desired as a boat.

The present invention provides a collapsible boat comprising a forward body member and an aft body member hingedly interconnected at their inboard ends so as to be pivotable between a fully open position and a fully closed position and each having an inner end wall at its inboard end, a corresponding substantial part of each of said inner end walls being constituted by a removable panel and at least one of said inner end walls being provided on its external side with a sealing means extending around the respective removable panel for forming a substan tially watertight seal between said end walls in the fully open position of the boat, the fore and aft body members each having a substantially similar outline defined by its upper free edges so that in the fully closed position of the boat with the removable panels in position in said end walls, said body members form a substantially closed container.

Advantageously each of said first end walls has a substantially similar outline and said second body member is pivotable to a fully open position in which said first end walls substantially overlap each other, and said first and second body members may be rigidly secured in said fully open position e.g.by screw fasteners extending through the end walls whereby said first and second body members com bine to provide a single open-top vessel. Most advantageously said first and second body members are formed so that said open-top vessel is substan tially boat-shaped with the second end wall of said first body member formed as the stern thereof and the second end of the second body member as the bow thereof.

Preferably a corresponding substantial part of each of said first end walls is constituted by a removable panel extending from the free edge of the wall toward the base and at least one of said first end walls has on its external side a sealing means extending around said panel so that when said panels are removed and said second body member is in said fully open position a watertight seal is formed between said first end walls around the spaces normally occupied by said panels and sub stantially unimpeded access is provided between said first and second body member parts of the vessel.

Further preferred features of the invention will appear from the following description, by way of example, of one embodiment of the invention illustrated with reference to the accompanying draw ings in which: Figure l is a partially cut away side view of a trailer ofthe invention: and Figure 2 is a rear end view of the trailer of Figure 1.

Figure 1 shows a trailer 1 having a longitudinal member 2 and a transverse member 3 connected thereto. Two wheels 4 are supported on the transverse member 3 by conventional suspension means 5 on opposite sides of the longitudinal member 2.

A channel member 6 is mounted along the longitudinal member 2 for receiving a keel-shaped member 7 extending longitudinally of the base 7a of first body member 8. The latter has a first end wall 9, a second end wall 10 and two side walls 11.

A second body member 12 has a first end wall 13, a second end 14, two side walls 15 and a base 16 along which a longitudinal keel-shaped member 17 also partly extends.

Said first end walls 9, 13 of said first and second body members 8, 12 are hingedly interconnected 18 at their upper free edges 19 in proximity to the side walls 11, 15 for pivotal movement of the second body member 12 between a fully closed position (as shown in Figures 1 and 2) and a fully open position in which the end walls 9, 13 which have substantially similar outlines closely overlap each other. In this fully open position the first and second body mem bers8, 12 combine to form a single open-topped generally boat-shaped container.

In order to facilitate use of said container as a boat a substantial part of each of the first end walls 9, is constituted by a removable panel 20,21 (respectively) which extends from the free edge 19 of the end wall 9, 13 towards the base 7a, 16. In use of the container as a boat, the panels 20, 21 are removed to provide substantially unimpeded access between the forward and aft parts 12,8 respectively of the boat and a seat may be supported on the free upper edge 22 of the overlapping end wall portions 23,24 remaining after removal of the panels 20,21 art a level substantially below that of the gunwale 25 (corresponding to the free edges of the walls of the body members 8, 12). This results in a relatively low centre of gravity of the boat in use thereof and thereby contributes substantially to the stability thereof in the water.

Conveniently the removable panels 20,21 are shaped so that they fit closely between the side walls 11, 15 of the fore (second) and aft (first) body members 12, 8 between the base 7a, 16 and the gunwale 25 thereof and between the ends 9, 10 and 13, 14 thereof so as to be supported between said side walls to serve as seats. Conveniently said side walls are provided with ledges to provide additional support to said seats.

In order to provide a water-tight seal between the overlapping end walls 9, 13 in the open position in use of the container as a boat, one end wall 13, is provided with sealing means in the form of a compressible strip of e.g. rubber 26 on its outer side around the removable panel 21. In the open position the strip 26 is compressed between the end walls 9, 13 to act as a seal therebetween.

As may be seen in Figure 1 the channel member 6 is generally triangular in outline when viewed from the side to provide maximum support to the general ly triangular keel-shaped member 7 located therein.

The latter is secured in the former by means of an anti-luce fastener 27 or the like which projects from the end of the keel-shaped member 7 adjacent the second end wall 10 and passes through an aperture 28 in an end wall 29 at the forward end of the channel member 6. This results in the first body member being held with a substantial degree of security on the trailer support comprising the longitudinai and transverse members 2, 3 and wheels 4 and channel member 6 due to the inherent strength of the keel-shaped member 7. Nevertheless additional fastening means are advantgeously provided in the form of loops 30 on each side wall 11 of the first body member 8 for engagement with over-centre toggle fasteners 31 at the upper ends of respective bracket members 32 mounted on the transverse member 3.

Additional support may also be provided in conventional manner by rubber blocks 33 mounted on suitable brackets 34 but these can readily be dispensed with if desired due to the substantial degree of support already provided by said channel mem ber 6.

As a further alternative additional support may also be provided by rollers mounted similarly to said rubber blocks. This aids loading and unloading of the boat-shaped container still further.

A further significant advantage of the use of the channel member as a support is that it can serve as a slip-way for the boat-shaped container. This in turn means that it is no longer necessary as with known trailer supports for boats to substantially immerse the trailer support in the water before the boat can be removed off the trailer support into the water.

One advantage resulting from this is the avoidance -of deterioration of the wheel bearings due to immersion thereof in the water.

To improve the sealing of the trailer in its closed position the gunwale 25 is also conveniently provided with a resilient protective strip.

Conveniently also the members are also provided with one or more of rowlockfittings, outboard motor support means, mast fittings and drop-keel board fittings in substantially conventional manner to facilitate use thereof as a boat in the open position.

Similarly the trailer support may be provided with conventional fittings, e.g. being adapted for connection to a towing vehicle by a ball-and-socket joint or other known means.

In a further aspect the invention provides a trailer support comprising a longitudinal member, a transverse member connected to said longitudinal mem ber and having two wheels disposed respectively on opposite sides of said longitudinal member, said longitudinal member having a channel member mounted therein for receiving, in use, a substantially keel-shaped member extending longitudinally along the base of a body to be carried on said trailer support.

In another aspect the invention provides a trailer for a vehicle comprising a longitudinal member, a transverse member connected to said longitudinal member and having two wheels disposed respectively on opposite sides of said longitudinal member, said longitudinal member having a channel member mounted thereon for receiving a keelshaped member extending longitudinally along the base of the aft body member of a boat of the invention and releasable fastening means for securing said aft body member in position with its keel-shaped member located in said channel member.

Such a collapsible boat is especially suited to be carried on a trailer support of the invention and used as a trailer for carrying various equipment such as boating equipment and camping equipment.

The main body portions of the two halves of the trailer are advantageously each made in one piece.

Conveniently these are moulded in glass reinforced plastics material or are made from aluminium.

Claims (13)

1. A collapsible boat comprising a forward body member and an aft body member hingedly interconnected at their inboard ends so as to be pivotable between a fully open position and a fully closed position and each having an inner end wall at its inboard end, a corresponding substantial part of each of said inner end walls being constituted buy a removable panel and at least one of said inner end walls being provided on its external side with a sealing means extending around the respective removable panel for forming a substantially watertight seal between said end walls in the fully open position of the boat, the fore and aft body members each having a substantially similar outline defined by its upper free edges so that in the fully closed position of the boat with the removable panels in position in said end walls, said body members form a substantially closed container.

2. A boat according to Claim 1 wherein a keelshaped member extends along the base of at least said aft body member.

3. A boat according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein are provided connector means disposable through the inner end walls for rigidly securing the boar in said fully open position.

4. A boat according to any one of Claims 1 to 3 wherein a substantial part of each of said body members is made of glass reinforced plastics material.

5. A bolt according to any one of Claims 1 to 4 wherein each of the inner end walls has a substantially similar outline, said inner end walls closely overlapping each other in said fully open position of the boat.

6. A boat according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, wherein said removable panels are shaped so as to fit closely between the side walls of either or both of said body members between the base and gunwale and between the bow and stern in order to function as seats.

7. A boat according to Claim 6 wherein the side walls are provided with ledge means for supporting said removable panels.

8. A boat according to any one of claims 1 to 7 which includes support means for one or more of rowlccks, an outboard motor, a mast, and a drop keel board.

9. A trailer for a vehicle comprising a longitudinal member; a transverse member connected to said longitudinal member and having two wheels disposed respectively on opposite sides of said longitudinal member; said longitudinal member having a channel member mounted thereon for receiving a keel-shaped member extending longitudinally along the base of the aft body member of a boat according to any one of Claims 2 to 8, and releasable fastening means for securing said aft body member in position with its keel shaped member located in said channel member.

10. Atrailer as claimed in Claim 9 wherein said releasable fastening means comprises an ant-luce fastener projecting from the stern end of said keel shaped member and disposable through an aperture in a closed end of the channel member in the release position of the fastener, withdrawal from said aperture being prevented in the fastening position of said fastener.

11. A trailer according to Claim 10 wherein the fastening means includes loops on outer each side of the aft body member engageable with over-centre toggle fasteners provided on bracket members mounted on the transverse member and/or on the longitudinal member.

12. A trailer according to any one of Claims 9 to 11 wherein the aft body member is also supported on wheel or roller means and/or support members of resiliently deformable polymeric material mounted on said longitudinal and/or transverse members.

13. Atrailer support comprising a longitudinal member, a transverse member connected to said longitudinal member and having two wheels disposed respectively on opposite side of said longitudinal member, said longitudinal member having a channel member mounted thereon for receiving, in use, a substantially keel-shaped member extending longitudinally along the base of a body to be carried on said trailer support.