US2905126A - Pulpit for boat - Google Patents

Description

n imp- Sept. 22, 1959 Filed Jan. 5, 1956 J. R. GAFFEY 2,

PULPIT FOR BOAT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I J pd rnond @affey Jzvedzbz' 5 W012i, Md 1; W

wag?

J. R. GAFFEY PULPIT FOR'BOAT Sept. 22, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 5, 1956 United State-s Patent PULPIT FOR BOAT John Raymond Gatfey, Scituate, Mass., assignor to Merriman Bros., Inc., Boston, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application January 5, 1956, Serial No. 557,535

1 Claim. (Cl. 114-.5)

This invention is a pulpit for a boat. It is particularly concerned with that type of pulpit which is used on power boats, sailboats, auxiliaries, motor sailers and the like.

As is well understood by those familiar with boats of this general type, pulpits have been found very desirable to prevent persons from falling overboard at the bow.

It has been the practice heretofore for pulpits to be custom made so that they will fit properly on the decks of the boats with which they are to be used. The need for custom construction of pulpits is obvious when one considers the different types and shapes of decks that are found in different types of boats. For example, certain types of power boats may have a rel-atively. wide, flat, blunt nosed deck which would require a pulpit with bracing members spaced far apart in order to be secured to the deck close to the rail. On the other hand, a pulpit suitable for use on a narrow racing sailboat would have to be constructed so that the bracing members would be secured to the deck much closer together than in the case of the motor boat. In other instances decks may have a substantial crown which requires that the sockets in the deck plates be set at an angle thereto if the braces are to be properly received.

Since the decks vary so widely, it has been found virtually impossible to produce a stock pulpit capable of being properly fitted on more than a few boats and hence, because of the necessity of building pulpits to order, the cost has been so high that the average boat owner has been reluctant to provide his boat with a pulpit even though recognizing its desirability as an important safety feature.

Accordingly, the principal object of this invention is to provide a pulpit of such construction that it will be capable of general application to all boats of the same type. That is to say, one model of pulpit can be made for power boats capable of being properly affixed to decks of varying dimensions and cross sectional configurations. A second model may be provided for sailboats of the cutter type in which there is no bowsprit and a third type may be provided for sailboats with bowsprits. In each case, however, those elements of construction which provide for a wide range of adjustability are present, the diflerences residing in the curvature and dimensions of the forward and side sections and in some minor variation in the length of the generally vertical braces.

Because of the inclusion of the special elements of construction that render the pulpit adaptable to installation on boats of varying dimensions, it has been possible to eliminate in most cases the necessity of custom building of pulpits. Instead, it is now possible through the use of a few stock sizes to provide a relatively low cost pulpit for any of the herein referred to types of boats.

A further object of the invention is the provision of novel features of construction which make it possible, if desired, to remove an installed pulpit from one boat and, through suitable relative readjustment'of the various parts, install it on another boat of different dimensions, all without the necessity of securing any replacement parts or using any special tools or equipment.

These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent as the description proceeds with the aid of the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the forward deck of a power boat on which the pulpit has been installed.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation looking from the right of Fig. 1 with the parts in exploded arrangement, showing in detail all of the elements of construction.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1, showing the manner in which the same pulpit may be installed on a wide or narrow boat.

Fig. 4 shows in enlarged detail the construction of the deck plates and braces, which permits a wide range of positions of the braces with the deck plates always capable of being bolted or screwed flush against the deck.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the lower portion of Fig. 5 taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation, similar to Fig. 5, taken on the line 66 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation similar to Figs. 5 and 6 taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 4.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, the pulpit comprises a forward section 2, two Ts 4 and 6, two side sections 8 and 10, four deck plates 12, 14, 16 and 18, and two braces 20 and 22.

The braces 20 and 22 connect the Ts 4 and 6 with the deck plates 12 and 14 and the side sections 8 and 10 connect the Ts with the deck plates 16 and 18.

From an inspection of Fig. 2 it will be seen that the forward section, side sections and braces are tubular elements formed of pipe or the like which have been bent to a particular configuration and are of an internal diameter to receive the horizontal and vertical swivel arms 24, 26 and 32 of T 4 and 28, 30 and 34 of T 6.

The exterior surfaces of the ends of the forward section, side sections and braces are of substantially the same circumferences as the body portions of the Ts 4 and 6 with which the said ends engage when the arms are positioned therewithin. In this way the surfaces merge and there is presented a smooth outer contour running continuously from element to element to help prevent injury to the sailor damage to the sails or other equipment.

The deck plates 12, 14, 16 and 18 are so constructed that the axis of the sockets thereof 36, 38, 40 and 42 are at an angle to the bases. In the preferred form this angle which may be the same for each deck plate, will be in the order of 20 degrees to the perpendicular to the underside deck engaging surface, as shown in Figs. 2, 4, and 6, but it may be varied more or less if desired. The lower ends of the braces 20 and 22 are bent or otherwise suitably formed with a section extending at an angle with the bent portions being indicated at 44 and 46 in Fig. 2. The angle of bend of the bottom ends of the braces in the preferred construction is less than the angle of the sockets of the deck plates and in the order of 10 degrees to the axes of the upper section of the brace. However, the construction will be fully as satisfactory if the bend at the end of each brace is the same as the angles of the sockets.

The purpose of this construction, as will appear more clearly hereinafter, is to enable the under surface of the deck plate to be brought flush against the deck regardless of the angle, within limits, that may be assumed by the main portion of the braces 20 and 22.

Additionally, there is shown in the exploded view of Fig. 2 a plurality of roll pins all numbered 48 and adapted to hold all of the parts in permanent secured relation after the pulpit has been properly installed with the deck plates in secured position. This is accomplished by drilling a hole of proper size through each of the deck plate sockets and the inserted tubing. The roll pins are then driven therein thereby to prevent subsequent removal of the side sections and braces from the sockets. Similarly, holes are drilled through the upper ends of the side sections and braces and ends of the forward section and the arms of the Ts positioned therein. The roll pins are then driven in for permanent final assembly. A roll pin so inserted is shown at the left position of Fig.4 and in Fig. 5.

In assembling the pulpit the following procedure may be followed. The arms 24 and 28 of Ts 4 and 6 are inserted in the ends of the forward section 2. The arms 26 and 30 of the Ts are then inserted in the upper ends of the side sections 8 and 10. The vertical arms 32 and 34- of the Ts are inserted in the upper ends of braces 20 and 22. The lower ends of side sections 8 and 10 and the lower ends of braces and 22 are inserted in the sockets of deck plates 16, 18, 12 and 14 and the unit is then placed tentatively on deck at the bow of the boat.

The side sections 8 and 10 are then rotated inwardly or outwardly on the T arms 26 and to bring the deck plates 16 and 18 to the desired positions, generally close to the rail 50. It is believed that it will be apparent that in this position the underside of each of the deck plates 16 and 18 may be brought into flat engagement with the deck and the lower ends of side sections 8 and 10 will extend therefrom at the angle of the socket. Without permanently securing the deck plates 16 and 18 at this point, attention is then turned to the braces 20 and 22 and their cooperating deck plates 12 and 14. The braces 20 and 22 are mounted on the swivel arms and may be swung or rotated around the axes of the ends of the braces and around axes perpendicular to the axes of the ends of the braces and in a plane which is perpendicular to the axis of the arms 24 and 26 and the arms 28 and 30 of the Ts 4 and 6. Accordingly the braces 20 and 22 are swung inwardly or outwardly until the deck plates 12 and 14 reach the desired positions, usually close to the rail 50. Then the braces 20 and 22 are rotated about the axis of the arms 32 and 34 While at the same time the deck plates 12 and 14 are rotated about the lower ends 44 and 46 of the braces. In a few seconds time a relative position of brace and deck plate will be found in which the undersides of the deck plates 12 and 14 are in flat engagement with the deck and the braces extend upwardly as desired.

Thus, in the manner just described it is possible to install the pulpit on the forward deck of the boat, positioning the four deck plates at selected locations and with all of the deck plates having their undersides flat on the deck regardless of the curvature of the deck. With the pulpit now in the desired position, bolts or screws may then be placed through the several holes 52 of the four deck plates thus permanently to secure the deck plates in the selected locations and flat against the deck. Thereafter suitably sized holes are drilled through each of the deck plate sockets and the side sections and braces therein and through the ends of the members that are in engagement with the arms of the Ts so that the roll pins 48 may be inserted therein to secure all the parts together. The installation is then complete.

Referring now to the braces 20 and 22. I desire to emphasize that it is the combination of the socket angularly disposed with respect to the underside of the deck plate and the short bend at the lower end of the brace that makes it possible for the brace to be swung to the desired upwardly extending position and the deck plate to be placed flat against the deck regardless of the slope of the deck. This is accomplished by relative rotation of the brace 20 on arm 32 and rotation of socket 36 on the bent end 44. The nature of this relationship is shown in more detail in Fig. 4 in which the brace 20 swinging in 'a plane normal to the axis of the arms 24 and 26 of the T 4 can be shifted from an extreme position at the right, as at R, to an extreme position at the left L or to any position therebetween with the bottom of the deck plate 16 always flush against the deck 54. In the position R the socket 36 is tilted to the left its maximum amount and likewise the bent lower end 44 is in a position to give the maximum angularity or slope to brace 20. The nature of the relationship can be seen by consideration of Fig. 7. Any angle of the brace to the deck may be accommodated according to the following formula. If A equals the acute angle of the socket to the bottom of the deck plate and B equals the acute angle of the short bend of the brace to the center line of the brace, then the maximum angle of the brace to the deck plate will be A-i-B and the minimum angle will be AB. Where A-f-B equals the brace may assume a vertical position.

Referring again to Fig. 4, as the brace 20 is swung to the left to a vertical position (in this case A+B equals 90), as indicated at V, the underside of the deck plate 16 can be positioned fiat against deck 54.

Again, if the brace 20, due to deck conditions, must be moved farther to the left, then it may be moved from the vertical position just referred to, to the position L or any position therebetween and again, by suitable rotation of brace 20 with respect to arm 32 and by rotation of socket 36 with respect to the bent end 44, the underside of the socket may again be brought into flat bearing position against the deck 54, provided the brace angle to the deck is between A-l-B and AB.

While the deck 54 in Fig. 4 has been shown as horizontal it will be understood that this merely represents one deck condition. The deck could be crowned or sloping and in any case, again, by suitable rotation of the socket 36 with respect to the bent end 44, the deck plate can be brought to a position in which it will bear directly over its entire under surface against the deck.

The curvature of the side sections 8 and 10 results in the lower ends of these sections being at an angle with respect to the center lines of the arms 26 and 30 of the Ts so that the necessary flexibility in locating the lower ends of the side sections is also obtained. However, as will be appreciated, the principal problem is found in suitably locating the lower ends of braces 20 and 22 and it is by the means that have been described that my pulpit becomes universally adaptable for installation on boats of varying dimensions.

By changing the dimensions and curvature of the forward section 2, the general location of the lower ends of the side sections 8 and 10 may be fairly well determined. The lateral maneuverability of the deck plates 12 and 14 and braces 20 and 22 makes it possible to set the pulpit in a position where it will be as far forward as desired and the deck plates may be closed to the rail thereby to provide a maximum interior space for the sailor.

The illustration in Fig. 3 is included to show how a stock pulpit may be used on a boat having a narrow forward deck in which the rail is indicated at R or having a wide deck in which the rail is indicated at R prime. In either case, by suitable rotation of the braces 20 and 22 with respect to the cooperating sockets 36 and 38 the undersides of the deck plates 12 and 14 may be brought to a position flush against the deck D.

It is my invention to cover all changes and modifications of the example of the invention herein chosen for purposes of the disclosure which do not constitute d'epartures from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

A pulpit for use on a boat having a forward deck, said pulpit being formed of pipe or the like and comprising a curved forward section, two side sections, two upwardly extending braces, a T coupling means connecting each end of said forward sections to one end of said side sections and to one end of one of said braces, each of said T coupling means comprising three swivel arms two of 5 which are axially aligned, the third of said arms mounting its respective said brace rotatably around the axis of one end of said brace, and said brace and third arm being rotatable around the axis of said two aligned arms, each of said braces having a section at its lower end extending at an angle in the order of 10 to 20 to the axis of the upper section of said brace, means for securing said braces to said boat deck comprising deck plates having sockets rotatably receiving said lower ends of said braces, each of said sockets having an axis at an angle in the order of 10 to 20 to the perpendicular to the underside deck engaging surface of each respective deck plate, one of said axially aligned T coupling means swivel arms mounting one end of one of said side sections rotatably around the axis of said latter swivel arm, and means for securing" the other ends of said side sections to said boat deck.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS OTHER REFERENCES Yachting, page 104, July 1950; Yachting, page 3, December 1950.

Images