GB2419853A

GB2419853A - Self propelled watercraft launching apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2419853A
Application number: GB0424408A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gary Lambert
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-11-04
Filing date: 2004-11-04
Publication date: 2006-05-10
Anticipated expiration: 2024-11-04
Also published as: GB2419853B; GB0424408D0

Abstract

A watercraft launching and/or recovering apparatus (10) includes a frame having first (12) and second (25) frame parts. The first frame part (12) carries ground engaging means (16, 17) by which the apparatus (10) is moveable over the ground and into and out of the water. The second frame part (25) includes a watercraft support means (30) on which the watercraft (11) is supported as the apparatus (10) moves over the ground. The ground engaging means (16, 17) is self propelled and the frame includes pivoted links (40, 41) by means of which the second frame part (25) is raisable and lowerable relative to the first frame part (12). The ground engaging means may be a pair of endless tracks driven by drive rollers, which are themselves driven by a hydraulic motor.

Description

Title: Watercraft Launching Apparatus

Description of Invention

This invention relates to a watercraft launching and/or recovery apparatus, e.g. for carrying a watercraft from a land birth into the water.

The invention has more specifically been designed to enable a small boat e.g. a boat having a length of up to 50 feet, to be launched, namely a boat which hithertofore has been manually launched from a launching trolley.

According to a first aspect of the invention we provide a watercraft launching and/or recovering apparatus including a frame having first and second frame parts, the first frame part carrying ground engaging means by which the apparatus is moveable over the ground into and out of the water, and the second frame part including a watercraft support means on which the watercraft is supported as the apparatus moves over the ground, and wherein the ground engaging means is self propelled and the frame includes pivoted links by means of which the second frame part is raisable and lowerable relative to the first frame part.

Thus the invention provides a convenient watercrafl launching and/or recovering apparatus which does not require substantial manual strength to operate. Moreover, because the apparatus may be driven over the ground by the self propelled ground engaging means, the watercraft may be handled more gently than hithertofore known launching trolleys and the like, thereby lessening the risk of damaging the watercraft.

Although the ground engaging means could include wheels, the invention has been particularly but not exclusively developed for use in handling watercrafl on beaches and accordingly preferably the ground engaging means includes a pair of endless tracks driven by drive rollers.

The ground engaging means may be self propelled by at least one fluid driven motor thereof, such as for example a hydraulic motor, pressurised hydraulic fluid for which is provided via a valve provided on the second frame part.

The pressurised hydraulic fluid may be provided by a pump which is driven by an engine, the engine and the pump being carried on a mounting of the second frame part which is higher than the watercrafl support means. Thus when the apparatus is driven into the water to launch or recover a watereraft, the engine and pump may be maintained out of the water.

Where the ground engaging means are hydraulic fluid driven, the first frame part may include first and second tanks for hydraulic fluid, there being a hydraulic circuit by means of which in use, hydraulic fluid flows from the first to the second tank, the first tank receiving hydraulic fluid returned to tank and the second tank providing a reservoir from which hydraulic fluid is withdrawn for use.

Thus, the requirement for a hydraulic fluid cooler may be obviated, as the hydraulic tanks and particularly the flow path from the first tank to the second tank, may be, while the apparatus is in the water, below water level and thus cooled by the water. It would be appreciated that the second frame part is likely to be raised and lowered relative to the first frame part whilst the apparatus is in the water.

The first frame part may provide a pivotal mounting for a fluid operated actuator which is operable relatively to raise and lower the second frame part.

Particularly where the fluid is hydraulic fluid, the actuator may be a linear actuator which extends between the mounting of the first frame part to a mounting provided on one of the second frame part and a link. Of course, a pair of such actuators may be provided, one at each side of the apparatus, or a single actuator may be provided.

The second frame part may include a main structural assembly which provides the mounting for the engine and pump where provided, and which supports the watercraft support means, the main structural assembly extending beyond the first frame part at both the front end and rear ends of the first frame part of the apparatus. Thus a watercrafl may be balanced on the apparatus with a bow of the watercraft, where a boat, facing a rear end of the main support assembly, and a stern of the watercraft at a front end of the main support assembly.

The watercraft support means may include a plurality of rollers positioned so as to support the particular watercraft for which the apparatus is provided, and to facilitate launching or recovering the watercraft by sliding the watercrafl off or onto the rollers when the apparatus is in the water and the second frame part is lowered relative to the first frame part.

The main structural assembly may include at a rear of the apparatus, a control position from which the ground engaging means are controllable.

Where there is provided a fluid operated actuator, preferably this is also controllable from the control position. The control position may be adjacent to theinounting supporting the engine and hydraulic pump where provided.

At the control position there may be provided control levers which operate one or more hydraulic valves of the apparatus including a power driven winch where carried by the second frame part.

Fluid carrying lines may extend between the control valve and the first and second hydraulic tanks of the first frame part, and the fluid carrying lines may be at least over part of their length, flexible, and follow a route which extends along an underside of the main structural member of the second frame part where the lines may be concealed.

Thus the risk of damaging the fluid carrying lines during operation of the apparatus may be minimised.

The apparatus may include two pairs of pivoted links to facilitate relatively lowering and raising the second frame part, the first pair of links being provided towards the rear end of the first frame part and the second of the pairs of links being provided towards a front end of the first frame part. In a preferred arrangement, to ensure that the watercrafi is raised and lowered at a constant attitude, preferably the links extend generally parallel throughout substantially the entire range of movement of the second frame part relative to the first frame part.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying exemplary drawings in which: FIGURE 1 is an illustrative view from a rear end and to one side of a watercraft launching and recovering apparatus in accordance with the invention, and shown with a second frame part lowered relative to a first frame part; FIGURE 2 is a view similar to that shown in Figure 1 but slightly enlarged, and from a front end and to an opposite side, showing the second frame part in a raised condition relative to the first frame part.

Referring to the drawings there is shown an apparatus 10 for launching and recovering a watercraft.

The watercraft is shown in dotted lines at 11 in Figure 1 only for illustrative purposes, and the watercraft 11 shown is a single hulled boat.

However, the invention may be applied to an apparatus for handling multihulled boats, and to different kinds of watercraft, particular jet-skis and the like.

The apparatus 10 includes a first frame part 12 which has in this example, a pair of longitudinally extending frame members 13 and 14 which are connected by respective cross-members 15, and 16, there being other cross members not seen in the Figures connecting the longitudinal frame members 13 and 14.

The first frame part 12 includes a ground engaging means having a pair of endless tracks 16 and 17 which are driven respectively by hydraulic motors, 18 and 19, which motors 18 and 19 transmit drive through drive rollers (not seen) to the endless tracks 16 and 17. The drive rollers cannot be seen, because the insides and outsides of the endless track assemblies 16, 17 are closed by closure plates 20 which operate to prevent the ingress of stones and the like entering the ground engaging mechanism, particularly when the apparatus 10 is driven into water.

The first frame part 12 furthermore includes a first hydraulic tank 22 and a second hydraulic tank 22, which tanks are located between cross- members (16) of the first frame part 12. The first tank 22 receives returned hydraulic fluid from a hydraulic fluid circuit, whilst the second tank 23 provides a reservoir of hydraulic fluid from which hydraulic fluid may be drawn for use.

The first and second hydraulic tanks 22, 23 are connected by a cross pipe which conveniently may extend inside a cross-member 16 so that hydraulic fluid in use is caused to flow from one tank to the other thereby being cooled either by air, or more usually by water when the apparatus 10 is driven into the water.

The apparatus 10 further includes a second frame assembly 25 which has an elongate main structural assembly 26 which in this example is generally of V shape along a substantial portion of its length, and may be constructed for example from three round cross-section members connected by plates. The main structural assembly 26 extends forwardly beyond the first frame part 12 at a front end 28 of the apparatus 10, and rearwardly beyond a rear end 29 of the first part 12 of the apparatus 10, and supports a plurality of watercraft support means 30. In this example, the support means 30 include a forward most roller 30a which in use supports a stern of the watercraft 11, and a rearward most roller 3 Ob which supports the hull of the boat 11 towards the bow thereof. The rollers 30a and 30b extend below the hull of the boat 11 and there are additionally provided side support rollers 30c, 30d, 30e and 30f which support sides of the hull of the boat 11 to maintain it securely in position on the second frame member 25.

Of course the actual arrangement of rollers 30a to 30e of the watercraft support means 30 would be adapted appropriately for different watercraft 11 to be handled by the apparatus 10. Thus the arrangement of rollers 30a to 30e shown in the drawings is only exemplary.

The main structural assembly 26 of the second frame part 25 extends rearwardly to a control position 35 from which the hydraulic motors 18 and 19, and other hydraulic apparatus yet to be described, may be controlled. The control position 35 includes a housing in which may be mounted an engine, such as a small petrol or diesel engine, to power a hydraulic pump which in use provides hydraulic fluid under pressure to operate the hydraulic motors 18 and 19 and other ancillary hydraulic apparatus yet to be described.

At the control position 35 a valve block containing at least one hydraulic valve may be provided with there being hydraulic fluid carrying lines 38 extending between the hydraulic tanks 22, 23 and the control position 35 and from the control position 35 to the hydraulic motors 18 nd 19 and other hydraulic apparatus. The hydraulic lines 38 are at least along part of their lengths flexible and are routed along the underside of the main structural assembly 26 from a mid-first frame 12 position to the control position 35 of the second frame part. The flexible hydraulic lines 38 may thus be at least partially concealed thus affording the lines 38 protection during operation of the apparatus 10.

The first frame part 12 and second frame part 25 are intercoimected by pivoted links. In this example, there is a first pair 40 of pivoted links towards the front end 28 of the first frame part 12 and a second pair 41 pivoted links towards the rear end 29 of the first frame part 12. The links of each pair 40 and 41 are spaced apart by the width of the main structural assembly 26 which affords respective mountings for the links 40, 41. In this example, the links of the first pair 40 and the second pair 41 remain substantially parallel at all times, as the second frame part 25 is raised and lowered relative to the first frame part 12 to facilitate launching and/or recovering a boat 11.

The second frame part 25 is relatively raisable and lowerable relative to the first frame part 12 by means of a pair of hydraulic actuators 50 and 51.

Each of the actuators 50 and 51 is mounted to the first frame part 12 on a mounting 50a, 51a at one of its ends, and extends linearly to a mounting SOb, lb at its other ends. In this example, the mountings 50a and 5 lb are provided respectively, on the first pair of pivoted links 40 although could be provided by the main structural assembly 26 other otherwise of the second frame part 25 as desired.

As seen in figure 2, the hydraulic actuators 50 and 51 are in an extended condition so that the second frame part 25 is raised above the first frame part 12 in a position where a boat 11 or other watercraft may be carried as the apparatus is driven over the ground into the water. In Figure 1, the hydraulic actuators and 51 are shown in retracted conditions so that the second frame part 25 is lowered towards the first frame part 12 in a position in which a boat 11 may be launched or recovered from the water.

Further features of an apparatus 10 in accordance with the invention are as follows.

The hydraulic actuators 50 and 51 may be controlled by control levers 55 provided at the control position 30. Also at the control position 35, control levers 55 may be provided, for operating the hydraulic motors 18 and 19.

The control position 35 may include a winch, preferably hydraulically actuated, and controlled by a respective control lever 55, to facilitate sliding a watercraft onto the rollers 30a to 30e of the watercraft support means 30, during watercrafl recovery. In the drawings, at 58a, an exit opening from the housing at the control position 35 is shown, for the winch hook or cleat.

In Figure 2, a stirrup 58 is shown to which the bow of a boat 11 may be drawn by the winch to support the bow of the boat 11 and relative to which the bow may be secured during movement of the apparatus 10 over the ground.

Various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

For example, the constructions of the first and second frame parts 12, 25 may be very different to the example described. Instead of hydraulically driven motors 18, 19, the tracks 16, 17 or other ground engaging means could be otherwise self propelled, e.g. by other fluid or other motors, although hydraulic motors are preferred.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims

1. A watercraft launching and/or recovering apparatus including a frame having first and second frame parts, the first frame part carrying ground engaging means by which the apparatus is moveable over the ground and into and out of the water, and the second frame part including a watercraft support means on which the watercraft is supported as the apparatus moves over the ground, and wherein the ground engaging means is self propelled and the frame includes pivoted links by means of which the second frame part is raisable and lowerable relative to the first frame part.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the ground engaging means includes a pair of endless tracks driven by drive rollers.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the ground engaging means includes at least one fluid driven motor by means of which the drive rollers are driven.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the at least one motor is a hydraulic motor, pressurised hydraulic fluid for which is provided via a valve provided on the second frame part.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4 wherein pressurised hydraulic fluid is provided by a pump which is driven by an engine, the engine and pump being carried on a mounting of the second frame part which is higher than the watercraft support means.

6. An apparatus according to claim 3 or claim 4 or claim 5 wherein the first frame part includes first and second tanks for hydraulic fluid, there being a hydraulic circuit by means of which in use, hydraulic fluid flows from the first to the second tank, the first tank receiving hydraulic fluid returned to tank and the second tank providing a reservoir from which hydraulic fluid is withdrawn for use.

7. An apparatus according to the preceding claims wherein the first frame part provides a pivotal mounting for a fluid operated actuator which is operable relatively to raise and lower the second frame part.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the fluid is hydraulic fluid, and the actuator is a linear actuator, the actuator extending between the mounting of the first frame part to a mounting provided on one of the second frame part and a link.

9. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the second frame part includes a main structural assembly, which supports the watercraft support means, the main structural assembly extending beyond the first frame part at both a front end and a rear end of the first frame pafl.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the watercraft support means includes a plurality of rollers positioned so as to support the watercraft and to facilitate launching or recovering the watercraft by sliding the watercraft off or onto the rollers when the apparatus is in the water and the second frame part is lowered relative to the first frame part.

11. An apparatus according to claim 9 or claim 10 wherein the main structural assembly includes at a rear of the apparatus, a control position from which the ground engaging means are controllable.

12. An apparatus according to claim 11 where appendant to claim 7 wherein the fluid operated actuator is also controllable from the control position.

13. An apparatus according to claim 11 or claim 12 wherein the at the control position there are provided control levers which operate one or more hydraulic valves.

14. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the apparatus includes a power driven winch carried by the second frame part.

15. An apparatus according to claim 14 where appendant to claim 11 wherein the winch is operable from the control position.

16. An apparatus according to claim 15 where appendant to claim 6 wherein fluid carrying lines extend between the control valve and the first and second hydraulic tanks.

17. An apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the fluid carrying lines are at least over part of their lengths, flexible, and follow a route which extends along an underside of the main structural member of the second frame part where the lines are concealed.

18. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein there are provided two pairs of pivoted links, a first pair of the links being provided towards a rear end of the first frame part, and a second of the pairs of links being provided towards a front end of the first frame part.

19. An apparatus according to claim 18 wherein the links extend generally parallel throughout substantially the entire range of movement of the second frame part relative to the first frame part.

20. A watercraft launching and/or recovering apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and/or as shown in the accompanying drawings.

21. Any novel feature or novel combination of features described herein and/or as shown in the accompanying drawings.