US3765365A

US3765365A - Bow-eye or lifting-eye, especially for mounting on a boat

Info

Publication number: US3765365A
Application number: US00111851A
Authority: US
Inventors: H Gillespie
Original assignee: H Gillespie
Current assignee: EPCO PRODUCTS Inc A CORP OF; GILL-BAUM Manufacturing Co Inc
Priority date: 1971-02-02
Filing date: 1971-02-02
Publication date: 1973-10-16
Anticipated expiration: 1990-10-16

Abstract

The specification discloses a bow-eye or lifting-eye structure, especially for mounting on a boat, such as at the bow or on the transom at the stern of the boat and wherein the eye structure comprises a U-bolt having the legs threaded with two nuts on the legs between which a wall of the boat is received when the eye is mounted thereon and, preferably, with load distributing plates interposed between the nuts and the wall of the boat. A particular feature of the present invention is to be found in the construction of the U-bolt so as to be substantially one and the same diameter from end to end whereby reduced diameter sections that can form break off regions when the bolt is stressed are eliminated.

Description

[ BOW-EYE OR LIFTING-EYE, ESPECIALLY FOR MOUNTING ON A BOAT [76] Inventor: Herman L. Gillespie, 2415 Dellwood Dr. Fort Wayne, Ind.

[22] Filed: Feb. 2, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 111,851

[52] US. Cl. 114/218, 114/235 WS [51] Int. Cl B631) 21/04 [58] Field of Search 114/235 WS, 218,

114/230; 85/50 R, l R; 285/199; 19/1 T [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,103,005 9/1963 Hills 114/235 WS 3,113,547 12/1963 Stewart 114/235 WS 3,142,284 7/1964 Kauffman 114/230 2,693,691 ll/l954 Pasanen 85/50 R 3,508,770 4/1970 Cassel 285/199 X 1 Oct. 16, 1973 Primary ExaminerMilton Buchler Assistant ExaminerGregory W. OConnor Attorney--Jeffers and Rickert [5 7 ABSTRACT The specification discloses a bow-eye or lifting-eye structure, especially for mounting on a boat, such as at the bow or on the transom at the stern of the boat and wherein the eye structure comprises a U-bolt having the legs threaded with two nuts on the legs between which a wall of the boat is received when the eye is mounted thereon and, preferably, with load distributing plates interposed between the nuts and the wall of the boat.

A particular feature of the present invention is to be found in the construction of the U-bolt so as to be substantially one and the same diameter from end to end whereby reduced diameter sections that can form break off regions when the bolt is stressed are eliminated.

1 Claim, 4 Drawing Figures l mu 111mm PATENTEDIIU 16 ms 3.765.365

FIG 4 INvENToR HERMAN \...G\LLESPIE boat itself.

BOW-EYE OlR LIFTING-EYE, ESPECIALLY FOR MOUNTING ON A BOAT The present invention relates to a bow-eye or liftingeye structure, especially for mounting on a'boatand is particularly concerned with such an eye structure which is less subject to failure than corresponding structures from the prior art.

Lifting-eyes or bow-eyes are known which are provided on boats and may be mounted at the stem or the bow of the boat or at both locat1ons.:l h e e y e s mgunted at the stern of the boat are generally mounted on; t he transom wall at the extgerne stern of ithe boat'andiare p ye tta eixiu .MQp rQ bkiQ ig-puriposes, or for pulling a water skl rope, or for lifting the Bow-eye or lifting-eye structures for boats are known wherein the eye is in the form of aU-bolt with the legs thereof formed to a somewhat smaller diameter than the bent end portion to form shoulders which will abut an escutcheon plate mounted against the wall of the boat through which the legs of the eye extend. Such escutcheon plates are provided because the material from which boats are made is not suffic'iently liard'to permit the eye to be solidly mounted on the boat without damage occurring to the boat wall. The boat walls, for example, might be aluminum, wood, or fiber glass, and it is advantageous to provide an escutcheon plate for distributing the load over a relatively wide area of such a surface, as well as for appearance.

Eyes of the nature referred to, according to the prior art, are characterized in that the region where the shoulder is disposed on the eye forms a zone of weakness so that when the eye is highly stressed, or is repeat edly stressed, there is a tendency for the bolt to break off in this weakened zone. This has created considerable difficulty and, when an eye' breaks, it is necessary to replace it. Furthermore, expensive an'ddangerous accidents can occur because of such'breakage.

With the foregoing in mind, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved bow-eye or liftingeye, especially for boats, in which the disadvantages encountered with the prior art are eliminated.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a bow-eye or lifting-eye structure, especially for boats, which is relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture but which has improved characteristics over corresponding structures of the prior art.

The exact nature of the present invention will become more apparent upon reference to the following detailed specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a boat, somewhat schematically, with bow-eyes or lifting-eyes mounted on the stern on the transom wall of the boat;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectionindicated by line 22 on FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view looking in from the right side of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to FIG. 2, but showing a modified arrangement.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention discloses a bow-eye or liftingeye structure, especially for boats in the form of a U- bolt which, in cross section, is of substantially the same diameter from end to end thereby eliminating weakened regions formed by reducing the diameter of the legs to form mounting shoulders on the bolt. A pair of nuts threaded on each leg of the U-bolt receive a wall of the boat therebetween and, preferably, escutcheon plates are provided between the nuts and the wall of the boat to distribute the clamping load over the material of the walls.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to the drawings somewhat more in detail, 10 somewhat schematically illustrates a boat having a transom wall 12 at the stern in which are mounted the eyes 14. One or more further eyes can be provided in the bow of the boat in conventional location but are not illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 2 will show that the transom wall 12 is provided with through bores 16 which receive the legs 18 of the U-bolt forming the eye and which legs are joined at the unthreaded ends thereof by the bend portion 20. Each leg has adjustable clamp nuts 22 threaded thereon inside the boat and adjustable abutment nuts 24 threaded thereon externally of the boat. The adjustable nuts 24 advantageously are circular with rounded outer corners so as to present a decorative appearance and, further, are preferably bright plated forthe sake of corrosion resistance and also for the sake of appearance.

A pair of load bearing, or escutcheon, plates 26 are provided which are interposed between the

adjustable nuts

22 and 24 on the respective sides of transom wall 12. These plates have apertures 28 for receiving the legs of the U-bolt and these apertures are either spaced apart far enough to permit the escutcheon plates to tilt relative to the length of the nut, or the apertures may be provided in the form of elongated slots whereby the escutcheon plates can tilt to various angles so as to engage the surface of boat wall in face to face relation while the longitudinal axis of the U-bolt remains horizontal.

The disclosed arrangement has no weak zones therein because the U-bolt is formed of a length of round'stock which is substantially the same diameter from end to end. Furthermore, since the longitudinal axis of the U-bolt is horizontal, it will withstand the utmost in pulling loads imposed thereon. The U-bolt is securely anchored to the boat wall and is, thus, capable of sustaining the weight of the boat when cables are connected thereto for lifting the boat.

As will be seen in FIG. 4, an inclined boat wall 30 has bores 32 therein, only one being shown, for receiving the legs of a U-bolt, one such leg being shown at 34. Es-' cutcheon plate members 36 are mounted in face to face engagement with wall 30 on opposite sides thereof and an adjustable clamp nut 38 and an adjustable abutment nut 40 are threaded on leg 34 of the U-bolt. According to the modification of FIG. 4, wedge shaped or tapered washers 42 are interposed between

adjustable nuts

38 and 40 and the respective escutcheon plates for transmitting loads between the adjustable nuts and the escutcheon plates. The included angle between the opposite sides of the washers 42 is the same angle as the wall 30 makes with the vertical and the longitudinal axis of U-bolt 34 is thereby held horizontal and the advantages referred to above are thereby obtained. The FIG. 4 modification represents an improvement with respect to transmitting loads between the adjustable nuts and the boat wall because of the greater area of distribution of the load over the surface of the escutcheon plates 36.

Either of the modifications, however, represents a substantial improvement and advance over the prior art type of eye in which the longitudinal legs were shouldered so as to present a weakened zone at the external surface of the boat wall.

Modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A bow-eye or lifting-eye arrangement, especially for boats, and the like, having a wall with spaced apertures therein; a U-bolt having a pair of substantially parallel legs joined at one end by a bend portion, a portion only of said legs being threaded from the free ends thereof toward said bend portion, said legs and bend portion having the same uniform diameter from end to end of said U-bolt, an adjustable abutment nut on each leg, a pair of bearing plates spanning said legs and apertured corresponding to the apertures in the boat wall to receive said legs, said apertures in each said plate include at least portions which are spaced farther apart than the said legs of said bolt whereby said bearing can tilt on said legs so as to engage said wall in face to face relation while the axis of said bolt is substantially horizontal, and an adjustable clamp nut on each leg for clamping said bearing plates against the opposite sides of the wall while permitting the bend portion of said U- bolt to extend therefrom to form an eye.

Claims

1. A bow-eye or lifting-eye arrangement, especially for boats, and the like, having a wall with spaced apertures therein; a Ubolt having a pair of substantially parallel legs joined at one end by a bend portion, a portion only of said legs being threaded from the free ends thereof toward said bend portion, said legs and bend portion having the same uniform diameter from end to end of said U-bolt, an adjustable abutment nut on each leg, a pair of bearing plates spanning said legs and apertured corresponding to the apertures in the boat wall to receive said legs, said apertures in each said plate include at least portions which are spaced farther apart than the said legs of said bolt whereby said bearing can tilt on said legs so as to engage said wall in face to face relation while the axis of said bolt is substantially horizontal, and an adjustable clamp nut on each leg for clamping said bearing plates against the opposite sides of the wall while permitting the bend portion of said U-bolt to extend therefrom to form an eye.