US3460503A - Self-priming boat bailer - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 12, 1969' E.J. CHALMERS SELF-PRIMING BOAT BAILER Filed March 14, 1968 NVENTOR. ldwanl J Ora [mars United States Patent 3,460,503 SELF-PRIMING BOAT BAILER Edward J. Chalmers, 243 Glenville Road, Glenville, Conn. 06830 Filed Mar. 14, 1968, Ser. No. 713,211 Int. Cl. B63b 13/00 US. Cl. 114185 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention provides a portable, adjustable selfpriming boat bailer which is adapted to remove bilge water from a boat in response to movement of the boat through the water. The bailer provided acts by means of a selfpriming action to connect and merge the waters together, that is, the water inside the boat is connected and merged to the water flowing outside of the boat. The self-priming action is essentially created by means of a priming tube mounted within a discharge tube of the bailer which is mounted adjustably to the side of a boat.'Mounted at one end of the discharge tube is a flexible tubing which is long enough to be extended into the bilge water in the boat. At the opposite end of the discharge tube, a T-tube is mounted with its vertical leg interconnected to the lower end of the discharge tube which is to be submerged into the water. The T-tube is mounted so that the open ends of both the priming and discharge tubes are positioned in the passageway of the horizontal leg of the T-tube. Whereby, during movement of the boat, the water passing through the passageway and past the open ends of the discharge and priming tubes, together with the priming tube creates a suction sufiicient in the discharge tube and flexible tubing to remove the bilge water from the boat.

Background of the invention There have been various types of boat bailers made and used in the past. Some have been made which are dependent upon the motor and propeller of a boat; their opera-- tion is dependent on the type and location of the motor for the boat. Others can function only if placed at a certain position on the boat, or placed at a certain angle on or with respect to the angle of the transom of the boat. Obviously, these types of bailers are limited in that they can be used for only a certain type and size of boat and cannot be adjusted to operate on a variety of boats as is necessary for practical use.

Still other boat bailers have been made to be permanently secured to the boat at a position adjacent to the transom. These bailers must be mounted on the transom at essentially two points on the interior and exterior of the boat, in order to remain permanently on the boat. Also, with this type ot bailer, it is secured at one position both during use and nonuse. Thus, the bailer is subject to being struck by obstacles in the water, including weeds, rocks and other forms of nature, and also causes water drag, thus reducing speed, as well as the wear and erosion from the weather and water during nonuse. Also, a permanently mounted bailer is subjected to damages by storm while at dock, and also to vandalism or theft. Thus, the life of the bailing unit will be short and will have to be replaced in a short time, or after only one or two seasons.

None of the boat bailing devices heretofore, as the present boat bailer, have been adapted for rapid and efficient snap on-otl attachment to, and detachment from a boat, and at the same time to be adapted to be securely mounted when being used, without encountering the aforementioned disadvantages.

3,460,503 Patented Aug. 12, 1969 Summary of the invention This invention relates to a portable, adjustable selfprimbing boat bailer. More particularly, it relates to a boat bailer which is adapted to remove and discharge bilge water from a boat in response to the movement of a boat at low speeds through the water. The bailer includes a discharge tube with means for adjustably mounting the discharge tube to the side of the boat at a predetermined height and angle relative to the bottom of the boat. At one end of the discharge tube there is mounted a flexible tubing which is long enough to be extended into the bilge water within the boat. At the opposite end within the discharge tube and slightly recessed therefrom is mounted a priming action tube. The axis of the priming tube being parallel to that of the discharge tube. A T-tube is mounted with its vertical leg interconnected to the lower end of the discharge tube. The T-tube is arranged so that the lower ends of both the priming and discharge tubes are positioned in the passageway of the horizontal leg of the T-tube so that during movement of the boat the water passing through the passageway and past the open ends of the discharge and priming tubes together with the Among the many advantages of the present boat bailer is that while attached to the boat the discharge tube may be raised out of the water when not being used for bailing the bilge water from a boat. Thus. obviating destruction from obstacles in the water, eliminating water drag, and providing less wear and erosion on the bailer and maintaining a longer life for the unit.

Another important advantage of the present boat bailer is that it is portable and can be rapidly attached and detached from a boat, making it a portable slide in and snap-on unit, thereby eliminating any damage occurring from docking or leaving the dock in low waters, storm damages, weather and water erosion, vandalism or theft. Also, the present boat bailer can be produced simply, economically, and is highly effective at boat speeds as low as four to five miles per hour.

Brief description of the drawings With reference to the accompanying drawings, I shall describe the preferred embodiments of my invention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a boat bailer embodying this invention mounted on the transom of a boat;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged detailed side elevational view of the boat bailer shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of the boat bailer shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the boat bailer shown in FIG. 2 taken on line 4-4;

FIG. 5 is a partial. sectional view of the boat bailer shown in FIG. 3 taken on line 55; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged partial sectional view of the T- tube mounted at the lower end of the discharge tube of the boat bailer shown in FIG. 3 taken on line 66, and the priming tube is shown mounted within the discharge tube.

Detailed description of invention Referring to FIG. 1, a boat bailer generally indicated by 10, is mounted on the transom 12 of a boat 14. As shown in FIG. 2 (dotted lines), the bailer 10 is adjustably mounted and can be positioned at dilferent angles with respect to the transom 12 and at difiierent heights with respect to the bottom 15 of the boat 14, as well as the water level.

The bailer 10 comprises a discharge tube 16 slidably mounted in a hollow member 18 with an. adjustable stop 3 collar 20 to secure the discharge tube 16 at a desired level (FIG. 2). As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, the hollow member 18 is pivotally mounted in a bracket 22 by a bolt 24 at the top and is secured at a desired angular position by a wing lock nut arrangement 26 in a slot 28 of the bracket 22, which has two sides (FIG. 4).

On the bottom of the two-sided bracket 22, there is provided a mounting flange 29 (FIG. 4) which is of the size and shape to slide into and be mounted in a fiat clip 30 (FIG. 3) secured by threaded screws 31 to the transom 12 (FIGS. 4, The bracket 22 together with the discharge tube 16 and the hollow member 18 arranged therein, is securely positioned in the slotted mounting clip 30 by a spring snaplock 32 (FIGS. 2, 5).

As best shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the hollow member 18, in which the discharge tube 16 is mounted, has end plates 19 mounted on each end by screws 21 (FIG. 5). The end plates 19 have openings 23 (FIG. 4) through which the discharge tube 16 is slid when mounted in member 18 (FIG. 4). The tube 16 is secured in position at a certain level by the adjustment of the stop collar 20 (FIG. 2). Also, in the preferred construction, the discharge tube 16 is pressed and further secured when raised up in position in member 18 by a spring 25 mounted on plate 19 by apin 27 (FIG. 5).

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, there is shown a flexible intake tubing 34, which is extended from the top of the discharge tube 16 by means of an elbow 36 into the bilge water 37 in the boat 14. The flexible tubing 34 serves as the intake for the bailer 10. The flexible tubing 34 is preferably made of clear plastic for visibility to easily determine when the bilge water is being removed from the boat. The intake tubing 34 is secured in position along the inside of the boat 14 by a loose clamp 38. The level of position may be adjusted as needed.

Mounted on the opposite end of the discharge tube 16 is a T-tube 40 (FIGS. 2 and 6) which is to be placed in the water during movement of the boat 14. The T-tube with its vertical leg is interconnected to the lower end 46 of the discharge tube 16. As best shown in FIG. 6, the T- tub-e 40 has an intake end 42 and a discharge end 43 having a tube 44 extended therefrom. The discharge end 43 with the tube 44, is positioned in the water in a direction opposite to that of the movement of the boat. With the diameters of both ends 42, 43 being the same, the passageway through the horizontal leg of the T-tube 40 and the extended tube 44 has essentially one continuous diameter.

As shown in FIG. 6, a priming action tube 50 is mounted within the discharge tube 16. The priming tube 50 is mounted so that its axis is parallel to that of the discharge tube 16. The T-tube 40 is mounted on the discharge tube 16 so that its lower end 46 and the lower end of the priming tube 50 are positioned in the passageway of the horizontal leg of the T-tube 40. That is, in the passageway through which water will pass during movement of the boat. Preferably, the lower end 46 of tube 16 is positioned down in the passageway a distance within the range of one-third to one-half the diameter of the horizontal leg of the T-tube 40.

As can be seen the priming action tube 50 is mounted on one side of the discharge tube 16 and is slightly recessed from the lower end 46. The priming tube 50 may be recessed between about 0.075 to 0.125 inch from the lower end 46 of the discharge tube 16. In mounting the priming tube 50, it is advantageous to mount it on the side of the discharge tube 16 toward the direction of the movement of the boat. Also, it is preferred that the priming tube 50 have a diameter of at least about two-thirds that of the discharge tube 16. For example, with the diameter of the discharge tube being 4 of an inch, the priming tube should have a diameter of /2 inch. The length of the priming tube 50 should be approximately from 8 to 12 inches long.

The function of the priming tube 50 mounted in the discharge tube 16 (FIG. 6) is to create a self-priming action in the bailer in response to the water flowing through the horizontal leg of the T-tube 40 during movement of the boat through the water. The priming tube mounted in its recessed position in the discharge tube 16 together with the water flowing past the lower open ends of the discharge and priming tubes causes a circulating turbulence inside of the discharge tube which causes a mixture of both air and water to rise up the discharge tube and down the priming tube. The circulating air and water mixture exits through the priming tube and is removing by the water flowing past the lower end 46 of the discharge tube 16 out the extended tube 44 and into the water outside the boat. When the air is completely evacuated from the discharge tube and bailer, the circulating action and turbulence cease. During this turbulence, the combination of the circulating action induced by the priming tube, and the water continuously flowing past the lower open ends of the discharge and priming tubes, creates a suction suflicient in the discharge tubing 16 and flexible intake tubing 34 to remove the bilge water from the boat. Once the air is completely removed, the bilge water is discharged from the boat up the flexible tubing 34 and down through the discharge and priming tubes simultaneously and out the discharge end 43 of the T-tube 40 and the exhaust tube 44 into the surrounding water. Thus, the priming action created by the priming tube 50 and the water flowing past the lower end 46 of the discharge tube causes the waters to connect and merge together. That is, the bilge water in the boat is connected and merged with the water flowing outside of the boat.

In a modification of my boat bailer, instead of a T-tube being mounted on the lower end 46 of the discharge tube 16, a long tube of one continuous diameter, having an opening on one side thereof is horizontally mounted at the lower end 46 of the discharge tube 16. The opening in the tube is positioned closer to one end and thereby it is similar to the T-tube arrangement (FIG. 6). That is, the discharge tube 16 is positioned closer to the intake end with the exhaust end extended outward. Also, the arrangement of the lower ends of the priming tube 50 and the discharge tube 16 is similar in that the lower ends are positioned in the passageway of the water, which is the horizontally mounted tube. Thus, the function performed can be performed by a tube transversely mounted at the lower end 46 of the discharge tube 16.

Operation of boat bailer The boat bailer 10 is mounted on the transom 12 of the boat 14 and the discharge tube 16 is adjusted at the proper level with respect to the bottom 15 of the boat 14 and the water level by the stop collar 20 and at the desired angle in bracket 22 by the wing lock nut arrangement 26. The T-tube 40 of the bailer 10 is preferably submerged in the water with its horizontal leg at a depth of at least about six inches below the surface, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The flexible intake tubing 34 is submerged in the bilge water 37 within the bottom of the boat 14. The end of the tubing 34 is at a level above that at which the horizontal leg of the T- tube 40 is submerged in the Water outside the boat. The flexible tubing 34 is secured to the interior of the boat at the desired level by clamping 38.

As the 'boat moves through the water, the water flows through the horizontal leg of the T-tube 40. More specifically, the water flows in through the input end 42, past the lower open ends of both the priming 50 and discharge tubes 16 positioned in the passageway of the horizontal leg, and passes out the end of tube 44 extended from the discharge end 43 of the T-tube 40. The water flowing past the open ends of the priming and discharge tubes, together with the priming tube creates a circulating turbulance within the discharge tube which causes a mixture of air and water to rise up the discharge tube and down the priming tube and out the end of tube 44. During this turbulence, the combination of the circulating air and water, together with the water constant- 1y flowing past the lower open ends of the priming and discharge tubes creates a suction suflicient in the discharge tube and flexible tubing to remove the bilge water from the boat.

With the present boat bailer, the bilge water can be removed from the boat at a rate of at least four gallons per minute at a boat speed as low as four to five miles per hour. After the bilge water has been removed from the boat, the bailer can be easily and quickly removed from the boat by removing the bracket 22 from the mounting clip 30 secured to the boat, and by sliding the tubing 34 from clamp 38 after it has been loosened. Also, if desired, the T-tube 40 and discharge tube 16 can be raised out of the water by simply lifting and sliding the discharge tube 16 upward through the hollow member 18, and maintained there by the tension spring 25. Thereby, remaining out of the water until there is a need for reuse and removal of the bilge water from the boat. This feature of the bailer removes it from the hazard of striking foreign objects in the water such as weeds, pieces of wood, other debris and rocks, as well as eliminating the water drag on the boat and bailer. Thus, there is less wear on the device and a longer life provided for the unit.

From the foregoing, it can be understood that the boat bailer, as described above and illustrated in the drawings is sufficient to carry out the invention as set forth. However, it is to be noted that the various elements and features may be varied or may be used separately in any other device or apparatus without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention described hereinabove and defined in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A portable self-priming boat bailer adapted to discharge bilge water from a boat in response to movement of the boat through the water, said boat bailer comprismg:

(a) a discharge tube, means for adjustably mounting said tube to the side of said boat at a predetermined height and angle relative to the bottom and side of said boat;

(b) a priming action tube mounted within said discharge tube and slightly recessed from the lower end thereof, the axis of said priming tube being parallel to that of said discharge tube;

(c) a flexible intake tubing mounted at the opposite end of said discharge tube and long enough to be extended into the bilge water within said boat; and

(d) a T-t'ube mounted with its vertical leg interconnected to the lower end of said discharge tube to have the lower open ends of said priming and discharge tubes positioned in the passageway of the horizontal leg of said T-tube so that during movement of the boat the water passing through said passageway and past the open ends of said discharge and priming tubes, together with the priming action tube creates a suction suflicient in said discharge tube and said flexible tubing to remove the bilge water from said boat.

2. A self-priming boat bailer .as set forth in claim 1, wherein said priming tube has a diameter of at least twothirds that of said discharge tube and a length of about 8 to 12 inches.

3. A self-priming boat bailer as set forth in claim 1 wherein said priming tube is recessed between about 0.075 to 0.125 inch from the lower end of said discharge tube.

4. A self-priming boat bailer as set forth in claim 1, wherein said priming tube is mounted on the side of said discharge tube toward the direction of the movement of said boat.

5. A self-priming boat bailer as set forth in claim 1, wherein said lower end of said discharge tube is positioned down in the passageway a distance within the range of one-third to one-half the diameter of the horizontal leg of said T-tube.

6. A portable self-priming boat bailer adapted to discharge bilge water from a boat in response to movement of the boat through the water, said boat bailer comprising:

(a) a discharge tube, means for adjustably mounting said tube to the side of said boat at a predetermined height and angle relative to the bottom and side of said boat;

(b) a priming action tube mounted within said discharge tube and slightly recessed from the lower end thereof, the axis of said priming tube being parallel to that of said discharge tube;

(c) a flexible intake tubing mounted at the opposite end of said discharge tube and long enough to be extended into the bilge water within said boat; and

(d) a tube horizontally mounted at the lower end of said discharge tube, the axis of said tube being transverse to that of said discharge tube, the tube is mounted to have the lower open ends of said priming and discharge tubes positioned in the passageway of said tube so that during movement of the boat, the water passing through said passageway and past the open ends of said discharge and priming tubes, together with the priming action tube creates a suction suflicient in said discharge tube and said flexible tubing to remove the bilge water from said boat.

7. A self-priming boat bailer as set forth in claim 6, wherein said lower end of said discharge tube is positioned down in the passageway of said horizontal tube a distance within the range of one-third to one-half the diameter of said horizontal tube.

8. A self-priming boat bailer as set forth in claim 6, wherein said priming tube is mounted on the side of said discharge tube toward the direction of the movement of said boat.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,565,885 8/1951 Reitz 114185 3,078,612 2/1963 Wait 114185 ANDREW H. FARRELL, Primary Examiner

Images