GB2055331A - Launching and beaching component for watercraft - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a launching and beaching component for watercraft, comprising a wheel (11, 12) carried on an upright (13), which is of adjustable length, it also being possible to orientate said wheel between two positions in which its axle is either perpendicular or parallel to the longitudinal axis of the watercraft. As described a pair of components are mounted on a watercraft, one of which may be used as a step or foot rest for bathers boarding the craft by locking the wheel to its axle. The wheel of the other component may be used as a buoy. Details of the mounting of the two wheels on their respective axles for these purposes are disclosed. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Launching and beaching component for watercraft Types of launching and beaching gear are known for watercraft, particuiarly for motordriven rubber boats or dinghies, which comprise a pair of tyred wheels carried by a frame, which is in turn secured to the transom.

One of the major technical problems to be solved in devising said types of launching and beaching gear is connected with the hauling aboard of the gear once the craft has taken to the water.

One solution of this problem that has been put forward is to mount the gear on the transom in a removable manner by scarfjointing or other clamping means.

This allows the gear to be removed from the transom and stowed on the bottom of the craft.

However, a solution of this kind is not without handicaps: firstly, the launching and beaching gear has to be mounted and dismantled each time it is used and, secondly, the gear itself occupies a considerable space aboard the craft.

To overcome these handicaps it has also been proposed to mount the gear on the transom in an upturnabie fashion, so that once the craft has taken to the water the gear can be raised vertically with the wheels above the transom.

But this solution has the disadvantage of being very unsightly.

The main purpose of the present invention is to obviate the disadvantages of both of the aforesaid types of launching and beaching gear but at the same time to maintain their positive aspects-which are the fixed condition of the upturnable gear and the stowability of the removable gear.

To this end the present invention embodies a launching and beaching component for watercraft characterized by the fact that it comprises two wheels each carried by a lengthwise-variable upright and each capable of being orientated between two positions in which the axle of each is perpendicular or parallel to the longitudinal axis of the craft.

To launch or beach the craft, each wheel of the gear is lowered by extending fully the related upright, which is thus preferably of telescopic type.

Once the craft has taken to the water, the wheels can be retracted by appropriately adjusting the length of the upright, and then positioned so as to lie adjacent to the transom.

In this way, although the launching and beaching gear can always be left conveniently mounted on the transom, it can--once the craft is in the water-be retracted to a position which not only does not in any way mar the overall sightliness of the craft, but is highly functional in respect of the used explained below.

For another problem arising for persons aboard water-craft of the aforesaid type, especially in the case of rubber boats, is how to climb aboard again if they have gone into the water and the boat is stationary. For this purpose, ramps or ladders of various kinds are normally used, and represent a not inconsiderable additional cost to that of the boat itself and of the launching and beaching gear.

The launching and beaching gear forming subject matter of the present invention allows this further problem to be solved in a discerningly simple manner, and that is to say by providing one of the launching and beaching components with releasable locking means adapted to prevent it from rotating about its axle. In this way, the locked wheel can serve as a convenient footrest for a bather wishing to re-board the craft.

Another interesting improvement embodied according to the present invention regards the other component forming the launching and beaching gear.

This wheel is with advantage mounted so as to allow it to be slipped quickly off its axle, after which it can be used, in conjunction with a pole, as a marker buoy; this clearly implies that the wheel is floatable.

The structural and functional characteristics of the invention and its advantages, will be more clearly comprehended from the exemplifying description that follows, referred to the attached drawings, in which: Figures 1 and 2 are two front views which schematically and partially illustrate the transom of a rubber boat to which is fitted a wheeled gear defined by a pair of launching and beaching components embodied according to the invention, represented in two different operating conditions; and Figures 3, 4 and 5 are particulars of the wheels of the wheeled gear illustrating their different modes of use.

In the Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the numeral 10 indicates the transom of a watercraft, for example a rubber boat or dinghy.

A pair of launching and beaching components embodied according to the invention are secured to the transom 10, so as to form a lauching and beaching gear. Apart from the fact that one is righthand and the other lefthand, the components are structurally identical, and the following description will therefore refer to only one of them.

Each launching and beaching component comprises a respective idle wheel 11, 1 2 on a telescopic upright 1 3.

The upright 1 3 consists structurally of two tubular elements 14, 15, respectively external and internal.

A bracket 1 6 is secured solidly to the external tube 14, and by means of it the upright 1 3 is bolted to the transom.

The wheel 11, 1 2 is idly mounted on a radial tubular axle 1 7 at the lower end of the internal tube 15.

According to the present invention, a hook 9 cooperates with the wheel 11 and locks its rotation about the axle 1 7. The hook 9 is formed solidly from a pin 8 extending radially from the axle 1 7 in a sliding manner against the thrust of a return spring 7, and rotatable about its own axis. In this way, the hook 9 can be inserted in a radial hole 6 of the hub of the wheel 11, taking it from the position of Fig. 4 to that of Fig. 3. In this latter position, the hook 9 stops the free rotation of the wheel 11 about the axle 1 7 with the result that said wheel, in conjunction with a grip 19, can be conveniently used by bathers in order to re-board the watercraft when this is stationary in the water with the gear extended in the position of Fig. 1, which is also the launching or beaching position.

As can be clearly seen from Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the knob or grip 1 9 serves firstly for effecting the translation and rotation of the tube 1 5 with respect to the tube 14.

For this purpose the knob or grip 1 9 is secured to the tube 15 and engages a helicoidal slot 20 formed in the external tube 14.

According to the present invention, a pair of pins 5 cooperate with the other wheel 1 2 of the launching and beaching gear; these pins extend radially from the axle 1 7 and retract inside it against the thrust of a return spring 4 (Fig. 5).

When in the extracted position, the pins 5 maintain the wheel 1 2 in position on the axle 1 7. When the watercraft is in the water, the pins 5 can, by means of a simple manual pressure, be caused to retract inside the axle 17, with the result that the wheel 1 2 can be slipped of the axle and used with advantage as a marker buoy, for example to mark the position of a scuba diver. For this purpose, a flagpole can be inserted and locked in the hub of the wheel 12.

This use requires that the wheel 1 2 be floatable.

When the craft is moving through the water, the launching and beaching gear is of course brought into the raised position of Fig.

2, in which the wheels are rotated by 90 against the transom 10. This 90 rotation of each wheel is possible as the result of the helicoidal slot 20, which acts on the knob 1 9 so as to rotate the tube 1 5.

In this position, the axle of each of the wheels 11, 12 is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the watercraft. Whereas, when the gear is in the launching or beaching position, the axle of each of the wheels 11, 12 is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the watercraft.

It is of course possible to fit an outboard motor to the transom 10, between the uprights of the gear; this motor is not shown, since its representation would complicate the drawings. The watercraft can also be equipped with an inboard motor.

Although one possible form of embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, this does not mean that variants and alterations cannot be made thereto without, however, going beyond the scope of the said invention as defined by the following claims.

Claims (8)

1. A launching and beaching component for watercraft, characterized by the fact that it comprises a wheel (11, 12) carried on an upright (13), which is of adjustable length, it also being possible to orientate said wheel between two positions in which its axle is either perpendicular or parallel to the longitudinal axis of the watercraft.

2. A component according to Claim 1, characterized by the fact that said upright (13) is telescopic and comprises two tubes (14, (5) respectively external and internal, said internal tube (15) being translatable and rotatable with respect to the external tube (14) and carrying said wheel (11, 12) at its lower end.

3. A component according to Claim 2, characterized by the fact that at the upper end of the internal tube (15) there is secured a radial operating grip (19) which is sliding engaged with a helicoidal slot (20) in the external tube (14).

4. A component according to Claim 1, characterized by the fact that it comprises a wheel (11) provided with first manually operated and releasable locking means adapted to stop the rotation of said wheel about its own axis.

5. A component according to Claim 1, characterized by the fact that it comprises a wheel (12), capable of floating on water, mounted on its axle in a manner allowing it to be quickly slipped offsaid axle using second manually releasable locking means.

6. A component according to Claim 4, characterized by the fact that said first locking means comprise a hook (9) formed solidly from a pin (8) which extends radially from the axle (17) of the wheel in a sliding manner against the thrust of a return spring (7) and which is rotatable about its own axis, the said hook (9) being insertable in a radial hole (6) in the hub of said wheel.

7. A component according to Claim 5, characterized by the fact that said second locking means comprise a pair of pins (5) extending radially from the axle (17) of the wheel and retractable within said axle against the thrust of a return spring (4).

8. A launching and beaching gear for watercraft consisting of a pair of components each embodied according to any one of the preceding Claims.