US2852266A

US2852266A - Retractible boat carrier or trailer

Info

Publication number: US2852266A
Application number: US634885A
Authority: US
Inventors: Otto J Wagner
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1957-01-18
Filing date: 1957-01-18
Publication date: 1958-09-16
Anticipated expiration: 1975-09-16

Description

INVENTOR E TIm;

Ofio J. Wagner p 6, 1958 o. J. WAGNER RETRACTIBLE BOAT CARRIER 0R TRAILER Filed Jan. 18, 1957 United States Patent C F RETRACTIBLE BOAT CARRIER R TRAILER Otto J. Wagner, Black Creek, Wis.

Application January 18, 1957, Serial No. 634,885

3 Claims. (Cl. 28040) This invention relates to boat carriers.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a boat carrier which will eliminatethe loading and unloading necessary with conventional boat trailers.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a boat carrier of the above type which is adjustable to various sizes of boats and wherein the wheels and struts are easily and quickly retracted into the boat when not in use, or returned to travelling position in or out of the water.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a boat carrierbearing the above objects in mind which is of simple construction, has a minimum number of parts, is inexpensive to manufacture and efficient in operation and use.

For other objects and for a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view thereof shown partly broken away;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 5- 5 of Fig. 3.

Referring now more in detail to the drawing, represents a boat which it is desired to transport, substantially as illustrated.

In the practice of my invention, a pair of longitudinally spaced U-shaped frames indicated generally at 11 are secured within the boat. Each of the frames 11 includes a pair of oppositely disposed L-shaped frame members 12 of angle iron construction which are adjustably connected at their inner ends to the angle bars 13 by means of the plates 14 and the bolt assemblies 15, whereby to adjust the frames 11 to boats of varying width. The frames 11 are reinforced by the longitudinal brace 16 as well as the upwardly and outwardly extending braces 17 which connect the vertical portions of the members 12 with the horizontal portions. As shown in Fig. 3, the frames 11 are secured to the boat 10 by means of the fastening means 18 and 19 at the sides and bottom corners of the boat.

A pair of L-shaped bearing members indicated generally at 20 are provided and each includes a pair of longitudinally spaced L-shaped plates 21 which are connected by a common horizontal plate 22 which bridges the lower edges of the horizontal portions of the members 21 and which is secured to the upper edge of the sides of the boat in suitable manner. The depending vertical portions of the L-shaped members 21 are suitably secured to the adjacent vertical portions of the separate L-shaped members 12 'at the top thereof and in such a manner so as to permit the vertical adjustment of the members 20 to ac- 2,852,266 Patented Sept. 16, 1958 commodate boats of varying height. The L-shaped members 21 are formed with the inwardly extending lugs 23 having laterally aligned openings.

A pair of swivel members indicated generally at 24 are provided, each of which includes a pair of laterally spaced L-shaped members 25 which are connected at their outer ends by the transverse portion 26, the inner depending ends of the L-shaped members 25 being pivotally mounted on the inner faces of each of the lugs 23 by means of the pin means 27. When in the operative position, as shown in Fig. 3, the lower edges of the horizontal portions of the L-shaped members 21 will rest on the plate 22, extending outwardly beyond the sides of the boat. The L-shaped members 21 and 25 are provided with laterally aligned openings for a purpose which will hereinafter become clear.

As shown in Fig. 2, each of the transverse portions 26 of the swivel members 24 at opposite ends fixedly mounts at right angles thereto the depending hollow cylindrical members 28 and the central hollow cylindrical member 29, the members 28 and 29 being connected by the braces 30. A pair of tubular posts 31 (Fig. 2) are telescopically received upwardly within the open lower ends of the members 28 and are connected at their lower ends by the L-shaped member 32 welded thereto. The member 32 is of U-shaped cross section (Fig. 3) and pivotally mounts the member 33 by means of the nut and bolt assembly 34-, the free ends of the members 32 and 33 being connected by the nut and bolt assembly 35 with a coil spring 36 sleeving the bolt intermediate the members 32 and 33. The tension of the spring 36 can be adjusted by means of the nut and bolt assembly 35, as will be obvious.

An internally threaded, cylindrical member 37 is fixedly mounted at the center of each of the members 32 for example by means of welding and is telescopically received upwardly within each of the members 29 (Fig. 2). At each side of the structure an externally threaded stud 38 (Fig. 2) has its lower end screwed into the upper end of a member 37 and the upper end thereof passes upwardly through. and is rotatably mounted in the transverse portion 26 of a swivel member 24, being provided at its upper end with a crank handle 39. Thus, by rotating the cranks 39, the members 31, 37 and their associated parts may be raised and lowered relative to the members 28 and 29. A hearing member 40 (Fig. 2) is adjustably mounted on the upper surface of each of the members 33 by means of the nut and bolt assemblies 41 and rotatably mounts the shafts 42 by means of which the wheels 43 are rotatably mounted on the outside of the members 32 and 33.

Means are provided for locking the wheel assemblies in the operative positions of Figs. 2 and 3 and include the provision on each of the transverse plates 22 of the bearing members 20 of a circular cam plate 44 which is rotatably mounted at the center thereof by means of the pin 45, each of the cam plates 44 being provided with a pair of arcuate slots 46 (Fig. 1). A pair of longitudinally aligned, oppositely disposed tubular members 47 are fixedly mounted on each of the plates 22 and serve as guides for the pins 48 which are formed at their inner ends with the bifurcated portions 49 which are pivotally mounted within the slots 46-by means of the pins 50 (Fig. 4). Each of the plates 44 is provided with a handle 51 (Fig. 1) whereby to rotate the same and to thus move the pins 48 into and out of engagement with the aligned openings provided in the members 21 and 25, whereby to lock the swivel members 24 in the operative position and to permit their release when the cam plates are rotated to draw the pins 48 inwardly and thus permit the rotation of the wheel assemblies to the position shown in phantom in Fig. 3 within the boat, when not in use. When thus released, the wheel assemblies may be rotated manually into the boat.

It should be apparent that there has been provided a boat carrier which is designed to eliminate the loading and unloading necessary with conventional trailers and which is adjustable to various sizesof boats. The wheels and struts are easily and quicklyretracted into the boat or returned to the travelling position in or out of the water.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A boat carrier comprising a pair of U-shapedframe members fixedly mounted within: the-boat and. in longitudinally spaced relationship to each other, a bearing member mounted within the upper ends of. saidframes, and bridging the same, aswivel member rotatably mounted at its inner end on each of said bearing members and adapted to rest across the upper edge of the boat in a substantially horizontal position when. in the operative position and adapted to be rotated inwardly and downwardly through substantially ninety degrees when not in the operative position, a pair of longitudinally spaced, hollow cylindrical mernbersfixedly mounted at the outer ends of said swivel members at right. angles thereto and extending downwardly on the oneness the boat in a substantially vertical position when, theswivel members are in the operative position, a pair-of tubular members telescopically received within the open lower.

ends of said hollow cylindrical members and-adjustable;

relative thereto, meansfor adjusting the position-manually of said tubular members relative to said hollow cylindrical members, a pair of wheels, means rotatably'mounting each of said wheels at the lower ends=of said. tubular members, and releasable means for lockingvsaid swivel members in the operative position and to, permit their release and rotation to the inoperative positions to carry therealong the hollow cylindrical members, tubular members and wheels into the boat, said means for rotatably mounting the wheels at the lower ends of said tubular members comprising an L-shaped member secured to the lower ends of said tubular members and bridging the same, a second member pivotally connected to the dependingportion of said L-shaped member and extending.

therebelow, a bearing membermountedon each otythe lower members, and axle means within each of said bearing members rotatably mounting said'wheels, the free ends of said. L-shaped andlower members being con.-

nected by a nut and bolt assembly, and acoilspring 5 sleeving said nut and bolt assembly intermediate the L-shaped and lower members whereby to adjust the tension of said spring.

2. A boat carrier according to claim 1, said means for raising and lowering the tubular members relative to said hollow cylindrical members comprising a central hollow cylindrical member secured to and depending from the outer end of said swivel member, an internally threaded cylindrical member secured to said L-shaped member and being telescopically received within said central hollow cylindricalrnember, an externally threaded stud screw threaded into said internally threaded member and extending upwardly through said central hollow cylindrical memberthe 'upperend ofsaid-stud being rotatablymounted in said swivel member and extending upwardly therethrough and a crank arm connected to the upper end of said-stud whereby to rotate the same.

3. A boat carrier according to claim 2, each of said bearing members including a pair of L-shaped members secured to the upper ends of said U-shaped frames and connected along their lower edges by horizontal plate supported on theupper edge of'the boat,-each of said swivel members comprising apair of longitudinally spaced, L'-shaped plates having the inner depending portions pivotally connected to said lugs and supported on said horizontalplate when in the operative position and extending outwardly therebeyond, and a transverse member connecting the outer ends of said swivel member L'-shapedplates, said transverse member fixedly mount ingsaid depending hollow cylindrical members, said bearing member and swivel member L-shaped members having laterally aligned openings when said swivel member is in the operative position,- a circular cam plate rotatably mounted on each of 'said horizontal plates and having oppositely disposed arcuate slots, a pair of oppositely disposed, longitudinally aligned sleeves fixedly mounted on'the'horizontal plate inwardly of said bearing member L'-shaped members and aligned longitudinally with the openings therein, and a pin slidable within each of said tubularmembers and extendable outwardly through the aligned openings in said bearing member and swivel member L-shaped members, the inner ends of said pins being formed'with' bifurcated portions and being pivotally mounted. within said slots-by means of pins passing therethrough, whereby upon rotation of said plates thepins will be drawn inwardly to release said swivel member, anda' handle connected to each of said plates.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNlTED STATES PATENTS 2,421,671 West June3, 1 947 21480309 Davis Sept; 6, 1949 2,578,376 Smith Dec. 11, 1951