US2429551A

US2429551A - Outboard motor bracket

Info

Publication number: US2429551A
Application number: US643578A
Authority: US
Inventors: Edwin C Hitzemann
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1946-01-26
Filing date: 1946-01-26
Publication date: 1947-10-21
Anticipated expiration: 1964-10-21

Description

Filed Jan. 26, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet l C 13 n j a 11 16 L x (:3 J C 3 Jigl 'r wcmtov Oct. 21, 1947.

E. C. HITZEMANN OUTBOARD MOTOR BRACKET Filed Jan. 26, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented st. 21, 1947 a srA'rEs PATENT OFFICE 6 Claims.

My invention relates to an improvement in an outboard motor bracket wherein it is desired to provide a simple bracket for supporting an outboard motor in the trunk compartment of an automobile.

Various types of brackets have been produced for supporting outboard motors in an upright position either for use in displaying the same, or for use in temporarily holding the same. Cases have also been provided for enclosing the motors, these, cases having a fiat panel along one side thereof for holding the motor in predetermined position.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a simple bracket which is mounted within the trunk or luggage compartment of an automobile and which serves to hold the motor in set position during transportation. Th motor may be easily secured to the bracket without the use of special tools or equipment and in an extremely short period of time. At the same time, however, my bracket acts to support the motor in fixed position so that it may be carried without danger of rolling or tilting when the automobile starts or stops suddenly. As a result my bracket serves to protect the motor during transportation.

An outboard motor is often provided with projecting portions which may be easily damaged if the motor is rolled axially while resting upon a fiat surface. Spark plugs often project outwardly from the motor and are easily broken if the motor rolls from its intended position. Furthermore the fuel lines and other relatively delicate parts may easily become damaged should the motor roll over in transit.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a. bracket which may be secured to the deck or flooring or the luggage compartment of an automobile and which is provided with an arm extending in substantially parallel relation to the deck. The outboard motor is secured to this arm by means of the clamps ordinarily employed to secure the motor to the rear of a boat. Thus in securing the motor to the bracket it is only necessary to place the motor horizontally into the compartment so that the bracket clamps embrace the horizontal arm of the bracket, and to tighten the clamps so as to hold the motor in place.

A feature of the present invention resides in the provision of an adjustable bracket which may be adjusted in height to compensate for various sizes of motors. The bracket is formed in two main parts which are vertically adjustable so that the proper spacing is provided between the horizontal arm at the topof the bracket and the deck or floor of the luggage compartment.

A further feature of the present invention lies in the provision of a bracket formed with a base portion preferably channel shaped in cross section and an upper portion which adjustably slides within the channel of the base portion. As a result the two parts of the bracket are firml and rigidly held in place sothat no twisting or pivoting may take place therebetween.

An added feature of the present invention lies in providing an upper bracket arm with relatively soft upper and lower surfaces so that the motor clamps may firmly engage the same. A strip of wood is provided above and below the relatively rigid metal arm of the bracket. The clamps engage against one of these wooden members while the fixed bracket portions engage against the opposite wooden member. As the clamps of an outboard motor are usually designed to hold the motor engaged to the wooden end of a boat, these clamps may serve their intended purpose in the usual manner. By providing a wooden surface on either side of the metal arm, the bracket and clamp may engage these wooden surfaces without requiring a bulky wooden support which would otherwise be necessary,

These and other objects and novel features of my invention will be more clearly and fully set forthin the following specification and claims.

In the drawings forming a part of my specification:

Figure 1 is a rear elevational view of a motor Vehicle showing the outboard motor supported by my bracket therein.

Figure 2 is a perspective View of the assembled bracket in readiness for use.

Figure 3 is a perspective View of the bottom portion of the bracket showing the construction thereof.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the upper portion of the bracket showing the construction thereof.

Figure 5 is a front elevational view of a slightly modified form of bracket construction.

The bracket A is designed for supporting an outboard motor B in suitable position for transit within the luggage compartment II] of an automobile C. The luggage compartment ill may be of any desired shape or form as long as the size of the same is sufiicient to accommodate the motor and bracket. The lug age compartment I0 is shown provided with an opening H at the rear thereof which is normally closed by a closure IZ-transverselyv pivoted at l3- to the body ofthe car. The compartment shown is provided with a lower compartment l4 suitable for holding a spare tire IS. A false floor or deck I6 extends over the tire l5 and acts to support luggage and the like. Obviously the bracket A may be secured either to the floor of the compartment or to the deck I6 thereof, depending upon the structure of the particular type of car on which the bracket is used.

The motor B is provided with clamping brackets I! which are of channel shape to extend over the upper edge of the rear of a row boat or the like. Threaded clamps l9 extend through one side of the brackets I! to clamp the motor firmly to the boat. The threaded clamps l9 are provided with clamping ends 20 and handle ends 2| by means of which the clamps may be rotated.

In usual construction the clamps I! are pivotally connected to the body of the motor B so that the angle between the clamps and the motor may be changed if desired. As the particular structure of the motor itself is not of importance in the present invention, the manner in which the clamps I! are connected to the motor is not disclosed in detail.

The bracket A includes the lower or base portion 22 and the upper or arm portion 23. These bracket portions are adjustably secured together as will be later described in detail.

The base portion 22 of the bracket is channel shaped in cross section and includes a flat base portion 24 and opposed side flanges 25. The base portion 22 is substantially L-shaped in form, thereby providing a base portion 26 and a standard portion 21. A pair of apertures 29 are provided in the base portion 26 by means of which bolts or screws 30 may extend to hold the bracket in place. In the form illustrated the bolts 30 extend through the base portion 25 and through the deck Hi to hold the bracket firmly secured to the base.

The standard portion 21 of the bracket element 22 is provided with a pair of spaced bolt holes 30 therethrough near the upper extremity thereof. These bolt holes 30 extend through a base portion of the channel between the flanges 25 and serve as bolt holes for the bolts connecting the two parts of the bracket.

The upper section 23 of the bracket A includes a standard portion 3| and an arm 32 extending angularly therefrom. The standard portion 3| is provided with a series of bolt holes 33 therethrough which are spaced 2. distance equal to the spacing between the bolts 30. As a result the bolts 34 which clamp the two bracket portions together may extend through the holes 30 and through any two of the holes 33, thereby holding the two bracket portions in properly adjusted relation.

The arm 32 is provided with a pair of

strips

35 and 36 of hard wood or the like, lying above and beneath the same. The wooden strips are secured to the arm by screws or bolts 31. In preferred construction screws 32 extend through the strips 35 through holes in the arm 32 and anchor in the strip 36. The ends of the screws or bolts are preferably countersunk so thatthe clamps on the motor engage against the wooden surface.

The manner in which the bracket A is attached is clearly indicated in Figure 1 of the drawings, it being understood, however, that while the position indicated is preferred, the bracket may be directed in a diifere'nt'direction if it is so desired. The standard portions 21 and 3| of the two bracket portions are preferably in right angular relation to the base portion 23 and the arm 32 respectively. However, it is not entirely essential that the right angular relation be preserved as long as the base member 26 and the arm 32 are in substantially parallel relationship.

In Figure 5 of the drawings I disclose a modified form of bracket construction D which is similar to the bracket A. The bracket D includes a bottom or base element 22 identical to the base element previously described. The upper bracket portion 39 differs from the similar portion 23 of the bracket A in that the plane of the arm 4| is inclined. This construction is desirable because of the fact that the rear ends of most boats tilt inwardly and downwardly so that the brackets H are usually adjusted in angular relation to the motor B to hold the motor in approximate vertical position. By inclining the arm 4| as indicated in Figure 5 the motor brackets may be attached thereto without changing this angular adjustment of the brackets H. In most instances the bracket A will permit the necessary tilting of the motor B without adjusting the brackets I1. In some instances, however, it is preferable to tilt the arm 4| as indicated in Figure 5.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described the principles of construction and operation of my outboard motor bracket, and while I have endeavored to set forth the best embodiments thereof, I desire to have it understood that obvious changes may be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. An outboard motor bracket for use in the luggage compartment of an automobile, the bracket comprising a generally U-shaped portion including a substantially horizontal base portion, a standard portion extending upwardly from said base adjacent one end thereof, and a substantially horizontal arm extending from the upper end of said standard portion generally parallel to, and spaced above, said base, said arm being positioned for engagement by the motor clamping brackets of the outboard motor.

2. A clamping bracket for use in combination with an outboard motor and an automobile luggage compartment, the bracket including a substantially horizontal base, an adjustable standard extending upwardly from said base adjacent one end thereof, and a substantially horizontal arm at the upper end of said standard generally parallel to, and. spaced above, said base, said arm being designed for engagement in the clamping brackets of the outboard motor.

3. An outboard motor bracket for use in the luggage compartment of a car, a bracket comprising a substantially horizontal base, means securing said base to the flooring of the luggage compartment, a standard extending upwardly from the base adjacent one end thereof, an arm extending laterally from said standard generally parallel to, and spaced above, said base, and wooden strips secured to opposite sides of said arm, said arm being designed for engagement with the motor bracket clamps of the outboard motor.

4. An outboard motor bracket for use in the luggage compartment of a car, the bracket comprising a base portion, means securing the base portion to the floor of the luggage compartment, an adjustable standard portion extending upwardly from the base, and an arm extending substantially horizontally from said standard,

said arm including a central rigid member, and a pair of strips of relatively softer material secured thereto, said arm being designed for' engagement with the motor clamps of the outboard motor.

5. An outboard motor bracket for use in the luggage compartment of a car, the bracket comprising a base member substantially channel shape in cross section, said base being bent upwardly to provide a standard portion substantially channel shape in cross section, a second bracket member embraced within the channel of said standard portion and adjustably secured thereto, said second bracket portion having a transverse arm thereupon designed for engagement by the bracket clamps of an outboard motor.

6. An outboard motor bracket for use in the luggage compartment of a car, the bracket com prising a base member substantially channel shape in cross section, said base being bent upwardly to provide a standard portion substantially channel shape in cross section, a second bracket member embraced within the channel of said standard portion and adjustably secured thereto, said second bracket portion having a 6 transverse arm thereupon designed for engagement by the bracket clamps of an outboard motor, said arm including a relatively rigid center member and upper and lower wooden strips secured to said arm and extending above and below the same and secured thereto.

EDWIN C. HITZEMANN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS