US3035723A - Boat centering device - Google Patents

Description

May 22, 1962 P. A. BROSCH BOAT CENTERING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 8, 1960 INVENTOR. PRlNGLE A. B OSCH Ze m ATTORNEYS May 22, 1962 P. A. BROSCH BOAT CENTERING DEVICE 2 Sheefis-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 8, 1960 m Q v3 We INVENTOR. PRINGLE A. BROSCH ATTORNEYS United States Patent ()ffice 3,035,723 Patented May 22, 1962 3,035,723 BOAT CENTERING DEVICE Pringle A. Broseh, 3185 S. Arlington St., Akron, Ohio Filed Feb. 8, 1960, Ser. No. 7,169 2 Claims. (Cl. 214-84) The present invention relates to boat trailers. More particularly, the invention relates to an improved device for simplifying the loading of a floating boat onto a trailer. Specifically, the invention relates to an improved device for centering the boat on the trailer while it is being loaded.

As boating has become a more and more popular sport, trailers used to transport boats overland have been made available under a wide variety of constructions. Boating enthusiasm has become widespread and the weekend sailor can be found in all walks of life. He may not wish to pay a yearly docking fee, or he may wish to enjoy the waters of various lakes and rivers which are not navigabiy connected. The boat trailer is the result. Whereas the boat trailer first found wide acceptance in transporting only the lighter boats, eventually larger and heavier boats were docked on trailers at the place of the owners residence and transported thereon to the locale of the lake, river or other site where the boat was launched for the days outing.

With the increase in the size of the boats so used came attendant problems, the solution to which lay in improved trailer construction. One such problem is the difficulty encountered in centering the boat preparatory to loading. That is, aligning the longitudinal axes of the boat and the trailer so that the keel of the boat will position within the range of the keel guides as the boat is brought out of the water onto the trailer.

A variety of keel guides are presently available which are used to center the boat during the loading operation.

One such guide is constructed in a spool-like configuration with a central portion of relatively small diameter and of a width to snugly accommodate a keel between the substantially radial surfaces that define the central portion and which taper divergently away from the central portion, terminating in the cylindrical ends of the roller.

Another known guide roller is constructed with the configuration of a V-shaped pulley.

Another known keel guide is constructed by mounting three rollers at the rearmost end of the longitudinal frame member. When these rollers are mounted on a common shaft the center roller is of a smaller diameter than the two outer rollers. Another configuration utilizing three rollers has the three rollers mounted on separate shafts. These shafts are angularly disposed to each other so that the surface of the rollers provides a troughlike guideway for the keel. When three shafts are used the diameter of the rollers may be uniform.

All of these configurations are satisfactory for boats of light weight which can be easily maneuvered from the shore, dock or loading ramp while the boat is free floating. However, heavier boats are more arduous to maneuver, even in calm or still water, and when their handling is encumbered by choppy water, a current or a surface breeze it becomes practically impossible to direct the keel into the narrow confines of any of the prior art keel guides and thereby center the boat with respect to the trailer.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved boat centering device and keel guide.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved keel guide which, though it may be initially contacted by the boat keel to either side of the center thereof, it will, by the continued forward motion of the boat transfer the keel to the center thereof.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide an improved boat centering device which operates by guiding the keel toward the center without applying pressures directly against the hull, irrespective of the shape of the hull.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide an improved keel guiding boat centering device which will transport the keel of the boat from either end thereof to the center, while maintaining that portion of the keel in contact therewith in substantially the same horizontal plane.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide an improved keel guiding boat centering device which can be as readily adapted to be mounted on a dock as on a trailer.

It is a still further object of thepresent invention to provide an improved boat centering device which is easy to operate and economical to construct.

These and other objects of the invention, as well as the advantages thereof, will be apparent in view of the following detailed description and the attached drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a boat trailer equipped with the improved boat centering device;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the boat trailer depicted in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial plan view of that portion of the trailer depicted in FIG. 1 on which the improved boat centering device is mounted showing the device in greater detail;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial rear elevation of that portion of the trailer depicted in FIG. 3 with the boat centering device partially cut away; and

FIG. 5 is a partially cut away cross section taken substantially along line 5-5 as indicated in FIG. 4.

A boat centering device according to the invention is generally in the shape of an elongated cylinder having two cylindrical heliclines, one with a left and the other with a right hand spiral, placed top to top and terminating in a common circumferential groove. The heliclines are formed by spiral or helicoidal grooves formed in the outer surface of the cylinder. The width of a groove is of suflicient dimension to straddle the keel. The depth of the groove is of such a dimension that the weight of the boat rests on the device through the keel and not directly through the hull. The width of the raised portion between the grooves is of suflicient dimension to oifer a lateral thrust against the sides of the keel to move the boat axially along the device to the center thereof as the boat rides longitudinally forward upon the device. The concept herein disclosed is of sufliciently universal application that large pleasure craft can be centered by a device constructed accordingly. When the device is used to center such heavy craft the position of the device with reference to the surface of the water is regulated so that the buoyancy of the water carries the major portion of the weight of the boat while it is being forced into centered position. Thereafter the keel rides in the central circumferential groove as the boat loading operation is completed.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, the improved centering device, designated generally by the numeral 10, is operatively mounted on a boat trailer, indicated generally by the numeral 11. The trailer 11 comprises a longitudinal frame member 12, which may be of box construction as shown in FIG. 4, to which is affixed a suitable transverse frame member 13, as by welding 14. A suspension system (not shown) is interposed between the axle 15 and the transverse frame member 13 to assist the pneumatic tire assemblies 16, mounted on axle 15, in reducing the damaging road shocks which would otherwise act on the trailer and boat carried thereon.

Torque rods 17 interconnect the forward portion of longitudinal frame member 12 to the laterally outer portions of axle 15 to lend stability to the trailer. These torque rods 17 may be bolted, as by bolts 18, to the frame member 12 and connected to the axle 15 by suitable means not shown.

A trailer hitch 19 is mounted on the forwardmost end of the longitudinal frame member 12 so that the trailer may be conveniently attached to a car or other towing vehicle.

A bow block 2!) is secured to an upright post 21 which in turn is alfixed to frame member 12 in proximity to the forward end thereof. As best seen in KG. 1 the bow block is V-shaped to suitably engage the bow of a boat loaded on trailer 11.

Positioned between how block 29 and hitch 19 a Winch 22 is mounted on stanchion 23. Stanchion 23 is fixed to frame member 12, as by welding 24, and is of suflicient height that winch 22 can be eifciently employed to draw a boat onto the trailer 11. By drawing the boat firmly against bow block 20 and then locking winch 22 the boat is secured against further longitudinal movement fore or aft and is ready to be transported.

To facilitate loading the boat with the winch 22, a series of medially positioned keel supporting means or keel rollers 25 is positioned along the longitudinal frame member 12 medially of the bow block 2% and the centering device 10. The keel rollers 25 are journaled in gudgeons 26 attached to frame member 12, and are preferably of a spool-like configuration. That is, the central portion 27 and the end portions 28 are cylindrical but the diameter of the central portion 27 is substantially smaller than the diameter of the end portions 28. The width of the center portion 27 is sulficient to accommodate a keel and is connected to the end portions 28 by divergently outward tapering surfaces 39. However, rollers 25 could also be of a cylindrical configuration.

To further facilitate the loading operation and to lend support and stability to the boat in transit cylindrical hull rollers 32 and 33 are journaled on gudgeons 34 and 35, respectively, which are suitably attached to transverse frame member 13.

A second transverse frame member 36 is affixed to the longitudinal frame member 12 at the rearmost end thereof. In proximity to the outer ends of member two more hull rollers 37 and 38 are journaled in adjustable gudgeons 39 and 40, respectively. Rollers 37 and 38 assist the loading operation in a manner similar to rolls 32 and 33 hereinbefore described and also assist in stabilizing the boat in transit by supporting a portion of the hull, or, depending on the length of the boat, the transom.

As can be best seen in F168. 3, 4 and 5, angle brackets 41 and 42 are attached to the web 43 of channel member 36, as by a plurality of bolts 44 passing through bores 45 on the vertically disposed web 43 which register with bores 46 on the vertical leg 47 of angle brackets 41 and 42. The horizontal leg 48 of both brackets 41 and 42 is provided with a slot 49 whereby a bolt 50 may be used to adjustably position angled gudgeons 51 and 52 longitudinally. Gudgeons 1 and 52 journal the core shaft 53 of device 10 so that it is freely rotatable. It is preferred that the ends 10:? of the centering device adjacent the gudgeons 51 and 52, be crowned (as best seen in FIG. 4) to reduce or minimize lateral friction during loading of a boat.

The centering device 16 can be made from rubber, neoprene or other suitable material 54 which is shown to be bonded to shaft 53, out the device may be made in the form of a sleeve that is rotatable about the shaft 53. The concept of the invention merely requires that the cylindrical heliclines 55 and 56 be freely rotatable.

The heliclines 55 and 56 themselves are most aptly described as being likened unto an axially expanded Acme thread. That is, the heliclines 55 and 56 have a similar cross sectional profile, with crests 57 and roots 58 and angularly disposed faces 59 interconnecting the crests 57 and the roots 58, but they are axially expanded in that the crest 57 profile dimension is not equal to the root 58 profile dimension and the thread depth dimension (the vertical dimension from the crest 57' to the root 53), but rather the root 5% dimension exceeds the crest 57 dimension. In standard thread design these dimensions would all be equal to one half the pitch, ergo, an expanded Acme thread. 7

Continuing the use of the analogous thread terminology, helicline 55 is formed as a right hand thread and helicline 56 as a left hand thread. The two heliclines 55 and 56 terminate in an annular groove 6%, the diameter of which is preferably smaller than the root diameter of the heliclines 55 and 56 and is of such a width as to guidingly embrace the keel 61 attached to the hull 62 as shown in FIG. 4. The sides 63 and 64 connecting the heliclines to the recessed annular groove 6% are preferably slightly divergently outwardly tapered from said groove 69 to minimize friction against the device from the sides 65 of keel 61.

The operation of the centering device 10 would be as follows. Assume the keel 61 first contacts the device if at 61a, shown in phantom in H6. 4. Since initial contact is made near the bow, the hull 62a is narrower than that portion of the hull 62 shown as representative of the position it assumes when the keel 61 is centered or when the boat is loaded. Of course, the keel 61 could land on the fiat surface of a crest 57, but as the Winch 22 is turned to draw the boat onto the trailer 11 the keel 61, by the frictional contact with the crest 57 would rotate the device 1i) and the keel 61 would drop into root 58 as at 61a. Continued turning of the winch 22 continues the rotation of the device '11 by the frictional contact of the keel 6 1 with root 58. The hand of the heliclines 55 and 55 guides the keel 61 transversely inwardly toward the annular groove 60 which is at the centered position, and in which the keel 61 remains during the remainder of the loading operation. If desired the roots 53 may be knurled to increase the friction available thereagainst when the boat being loaded initially contacts the device 10.

It is now apparent that the applicant has provided a novel, new and useful device whereby the keel of a boat may be automatically aligned with a predetermined axis as the boat is drawn across the device.

What is claimed is:

1. An improved cylinder device for centering a boat keel, said cylinder 54 having a profiled surface and an axially extending mounting shaft 53, comprising, an annular groove 60 around the center of said cylinder, said groove having a substantially flat root profile and conically tapered sides 63, 64 intersecting said cylinder surface, opposite hand heliclines 55, 56 on either side of said groove, each said helicline being defined by a continuous root 58 having a substantially flat profile intersecting said groove sides 63, 64 radially inward the cylinder surface and a continuous crest 57 having a substantially fiat profile coextensive with said cylinder surface and intersecting said groove sides 63, 64 at the cylinder surface, each said helicline root and crest being connected by angularly disposed faces 59, the diameter of said groove root being smaller than the diameter of the helicline roots, the width of each said helicline crest being sufiicient to provide lateral thrust against the side of a boat keel to move said keel axially into said center groove.

2. A boat trailer comprising; a trailer frame; wheels supporting the rear of said frame; a towing attachment at the forward extremity of said frame; a rotatable cylinder mounted on said frame for centering a boat keel medially of said frame, said cylinder having a profiled surface, an axially extending mounting shaft, an annular groove around the center of said cylinder, said groove having a substantially flat root profile and conically tapered sides intersecting said cylinder surface, opposite hand heliclines on either side of said groove, each said helicline being defined by a continuous root having a substantially flat profile intersecting said groove sides radially inward the cylinder surface and a continuous crest having a substantially fiat profile coextensive with said cylinder surface and intersecting said groove sides at the cylinder surface, each said helicline root and crest being connected by angularly disposed faces, the diameter of said groove root being smaller than the diameter of the helicline roots, the width of each said helicline crest being sufficient to provide lateral thrust against the side of a boat keel to move said keel axially into said center groove; 2. forward keel roller mounted medially on said frame forwardly of said cylinder and means for drawing said boat forwardly over said cylinder and said roller.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,095,445 Alvey May 5, 1914 1,405,316 Napier Jan. 31, 1922 2,377,431 Lasko June 5, 1945 2,630,904 Bozek Mar. 10, 1953 2,805,786 Green Sept. 10, 1957 2,965,252 Morsch Dec. 20, 1960

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