US3869742A

US3869742A - Ladder and mounting for small boats

Info

Publication number: US3869742A
Application number: US446768A
Authority: US
Inventors: William F Gale; James Douglas Thompson
Original assignee: SAID JAMES DOUGLAS THOMPSON TO
Current assignee: SAID JAMES DOUGLAS THOMPSON TO; SAID JAMES DOUGLAS THOMPSON TO SAID WILLIAM F GALE
Priority date: 1974-02-28
Filing date: 1974-02-28
Publication date: 1975-03-11
Anticipated expiration: 1992-03-11
Also published as: CA1013318A

Abstract

A single shaft ladder for use particularly by SCUBA divers in boarding small boats and a mounting bracket for mounting the ladder in angularly inclined relationship to the transom of a small boat with a top end portion of the ladder extending above and inwardly of the transom and with a bottom end portion extending in a downwardly divergent direction with respect to the transom into the water. The ladder has sets of opposite, laterally extending rungs spaced along the bottom portion of the ladder and a single rung extending laterally from one side of the upper portions of the ladder adjacent its top end to provide a handle for the person boarding the boat.

Description

United States Patent [191 Gale et al.

1451 Mar. 11,1975

LADDER AND MOUNTING FOR SMALL BOATS inventors: William F. Gale, Box 11a. River Rd., Wapwallopen, Pa. 18660; James Douglas Thompson, Berwick, Pa.

Assignee: said Gale by said Thompson Filed: Feb. 28, 1974 Appl. No.: 446,768

U.S. Cl. 9/1 R, 182/189 Int. Cl. E06c l/36 Field of Search 9/1 R; 114/.5 R; 182/93,

References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS Smith .1 9/1 R 2,924,291 2/1960 Tunstead 182/189 3,512,608 5/1970 Huntley 182/189 wllllill Primary E.\'aminer--Trygve M. Blix Assistant Examiner-Jesus D. Sotelo [57] ABSTRACT A single shaft ladder for use particularly by SCUBA divers in boarding small boats and a mounting bracket for mounting the ladder in angularly inclined relationship to the transom of a small boat with a top end portion of the ladder extending above and inwardly of the transom and with a bottom end portion extending in a downwardly divergent direction with respect to the transom into the water. The ladder has sets of opposite, laterally extending rungs spaced along the bottom portion of the ladder and a single rung extending laterally from one side of the upper portions of the ladder adjacent its top end to provide a handle for the person boarding the boat.

6 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures LADDER AND MOUNTING FOR SMALL BOATS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to an improved ladder and bracket for mounting the ladder on the transom of a small boat.

Biological sampling by SCUBA divers is well established in marine biology and is gaining importance in freshwater habitats. In small lakes and rivers, the diver often works from small boats with sides and transoms too shallow to accommodate commercially available ladders, designed for larger boats. Modification of conventional ladders to fit small boats would not be worthwhile, because the ladders are poorly designed for SCUBA divers use. Conventional ladders, closed on both sides by rung support shafts, are difficult to climb wearing cumbersome rubber fins; also, the ladders hang too close to the boat to provide sufficient toe" space. Without a ladder, the diver must crawl over the side or the transom of a small boat to re-enter. Re-entry is difficult in icy, turbulent water, especially when laden with 45 to 60 kg of air tanks, weight belt and miscellaneous gear (gear removed in the water is often lost). After struggling into the boat,-the diver sometimes loses balance and sprawls forward, amidst sampies and gear in the bottom of the boat.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION By using the ladder described here a fully-equipped diver can re-enter a small boat with dignity and ease, even in strong currents. The ladders most important features are its single shaft (open step" design), thus lack of side supports, its slope and its location on the boat While wearing rubber fins, it is difficult for the diver to.feel objects such as ladder rungs in front of his feet to determine their position. With the open step" it is easy for the diver to bring his feet to the ladder from the side; he can use the inner sides of his feet (where the rubber fins do not project outward) to locate the ladder rungs. Ladder slope is important, for if the angle between the shaft and the transom is 35 to 40, there is ample space for the divers fins; this slope also allows the diver to lean forward while ascending, thereby eliminating the strain of the air tanks on his shoulders. Location of theladder on the transom (the strongest and best supported part of the boat) is particularly important in rivers because: (1) the boat partially protects the diver from the current and (2) the diver can climb out of the water parallel to the current. With conventional ladders, on the side of the boat, the

current twists the diver sideways as he tries to climb and sweeps his feet downstream.

The ladder extends about 75.0 cm below the water's surface to allow the diver to swim onto it. The lower rung provides a convenient in-the-water resting site where the diver can kneel or stand. The ladder has a handle only on the side next to the motor so that the diver can pass unhampered on the other side. Boats with very narrow transoms can be operated with the outboard motor slightly off-center to provide extra space for the diver and ladder. The ladder is removed from its bracket before the outboard motor is placed into gear; the ladder is completely sealed and floats if dropped into the water.

It is thus an object of the invention to provide an improved single shaft ladder and bracket for mounting the ladder on the transom, or side of a small boat. The

bracket includes a butt plate for abutting the transom. means for securing the butt plate adjacent the top edge of the transom, and a bed plate for supporting the ladder rigidly fixed to the butt plate and angularly inclined relative to the butt plate, the bed plate having a free end extension tab inclined above the top edge of the butt plate for interlocking engagement with bracket engaging means secured to the ladder shaft intermediate the ends of the shaft. The means for securing the bracket to the transom may be a screw clamp or other clamping means for easily attaching and detaching the bracket to the transom or it may be more permanent fastening means such as bolts or screws extending through the butt plate and secured to the transom.

It is a further object of the invention to provide the ladder with sets of opposite laterally extending rungs spaced along the bottom portion of the ladder below the bracket, and with a single rung extending laterally from one side only of the ladder shaft adjacent its top end. A rigid U-shaped member having a flat web portion integrally connected at right angles to a pair of legs is welded or otherwise secured by the legs to the ladder shaft intermediate its ends and nearest to the top end, in order to provide a slot between the ladder shaft and the flat web portion for telescoping over the bracket tab.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING Other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following description and drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a transom portion of a small boat illustrating a preferred form of mounting bracket secured to the transom of the boat;

FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view illustrating the invention mounted on the transom of a small boat;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on line 3--3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view takenon line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an alternate form of mounting bracket;

FIG. 6 is an elevational view looking at the clamp side of a mounting bracket shown in FIG. 5 illustrating the bracket mounted on a transom which is shown from inside the boat by broken lines.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the drawing and particularly to FIG.

2 the improved single shaft ladder 10 of this invention is shown mounted by means of a bracket 11 on the transom 12 of a small boat 9. The hollow ladder shaft 15 is rigidly supported intermediate its closed. top and

bottom ends

13 and 14 respectively by the bracket 11 so that the bottom end portion 15 of the shaft extends downwardly and divergently outward from the transom l2 terminating beneath the surface 8 of the water in which the boat 9 floats. The top portion 15" of the ladder shaft above the mounting bracket 11 extends upwardly and inwardly over the transom 11. A single laterally extending rung 16 is provided adjacent the top end 13 of the ladder on the side only for a handle to assist a person entering the boat from the ladder. The other side of the upper portion 15" of the ladder opposite the rung 16 is unobstructed to prevent interference with a person climbing over the transom on the unobstructed side of the ladder. The bottom portion of the ladder beneath the bracket 11 includes sets 17 and 18 v of opposite laterally extending rungs 17a, 17b and 18a, 18b respectively. The

rung sets

17 and 18 are preferably each a single rod extending through

holes

19 and 20 respectively in the shaft 15. A U-shaped bracket engaging member 21 comprising a flat web portion 22 integrally connected at right angles to a pair of

leg portions

23 and 24 is welded or otherwise attached by the leg members to the

opposite sides

26,27 of the shaft 15 leaving a space between the web 22 and the underside 28 of the shaft 15 for close fitting telescopic engagement over a bracket tab extension 29 of the bracket 11. The ladder shaft as shown in the cross sectional view in FIG. 4 is preferably of rectangular tubular light metal stock, such as

aluminum having walls

25, 26, 27 and 28. The interior of the shaft is made a closed air chamber by providing closed

ends

13 and 14 andsealing the shaft around the

rungs

16, 17 and 18. The ladder 10 is thus made capable of floating on water as a result of its light weight and enclosed air chamber.

The bracket 11 as shown in FIG. 1 includes a rectangular butt plate 30 which is secured adjacent the top edge of the transom 12 on its stern side by means of stainless steel screws 31 extending through holes drilled in the butt plate along the reinforcing rib 32 on opposite sides of the plate 30. A bed plate 33 for supporting the ladder shaft 15 is rigidly connected in angularly inclined relationship to the butt plate 30 by spaced

parallel gusset plates

34 and 35 welded perpendicularly to the butt plate 30. The

gusset plates

34 and 35 extend above the upper surface of the bed plate 33 to provide a channel which closely engages three sides of the ladder shaft 15. The upper portion of the bed plate 33 terminates in the free end extension tab 29.

A second embodiment 11' of the mounting bracket for the ladder is illustrated in FIGS. and 6. This embodiment is like the first embodiment with the addition of clamping means for clamping the mounting bracket to an edge of a boat. The mounting bracket 11' includes a butt plate 30, a topplate 36 integrally connected to the top edge of the butt plate and perpendicular thereto, a back plate 38 depending from the remote edge of the top plate 36 in spaced parallel relationship to the butt plate 30', an inclined bed plate 33' for supporting the ladder 10, having an extension tab 29;

parallel gusset plates

34' and 35 connected to the butt plate and top plate in perpendicular relationship thereto and supporting the bed plate 33 between them, an upstanding reinforcing rib 37 extending medially across the top plate from beneath the bed plate and down the outside of the backplate 38 where it terminates in a circular boss 43, and a clamp screw 39 extending through a threaded bore in the boss 43 in perpendicular relationship to the butt plate 30. The clamp screw 39 has a circular clamping jaw 40 rotatably connected on its inner end and a handle 41 pivotally connected by pivot pin 42 at its outer end. FIG. 6 shows the mounting bracket 11' clamped to the transom 12 (shown in broken lines) of a small boat. By turning the screw 39 the clamping jaw 40 may be moved toward or away from the inside face of the butt plate 30' to clamp or loosen the bracket relative to a side edge of a boat. The manner of supporting the ladder on the mounting bracket 11' is the same as described with respect to the mounting bracket 11 illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the ladder shaft resting on the bed plate 33 between the

gusset plates

34 and 35 with the tab 29' of 4 the bracket 11 extending through the slot provided between theU-shaped member 21 and the shaft 15.

The brackets 11 and 11' are preferably made from a strong light weight metal such as aluminum which are resistant to corrosion in the environment in which they are used. The angular relationship of the bed plate to the butt plate is preferably within the range of 35 to 40 degrees.

In use of the invention to board a small boat a swimmer will approach the transom mounted ladder 10 from the stern. In so doing (assuming the boat is anchored from the bow and is aligned with the direction of current flow) the swimmer will swim into the current to approach the boat and will not-be subject to side currents. On reaching the ladder 10 the swimmer can grasp the lower rungs of the ladder and pull himself forward until his knees rest on the bottom set of rungs 17. After resting on the bottom set of rungs, the swimmer can then proceed to climb the ladder while leaning forward so that air tanks or the like which the swimmer may carry on his back exert a downward force through the swimmers shoulders tending to force the swimmer toward the ladder instead of pulling him backward as would be the case if the ladder were supported in a'near vertical position with respect to the transom. The swimmer on reaching the top of the ladder grasps the top rung 16 with his left hand and swings himself into the boat on the unencumbered side of the ladder opposite the rung 16. When the swimmer is in the boat, the ladder 10 may be lifted aboard by grasping the rung l6 and pulling up on the ladder until the loop 21 disengages the tab 29 of the bracket whereupon the lightweight ladder may be easily lifted into the boat and the boat can be gotten under way.

The term small boat as used in this specification refers to a boat usually of the open cockpit type which is normally propelled by an outboard motor and thus has a transom shaped to supported the outboard motor,

and it is for this type of boat that the invention is particularly but not exclusively useful.

What is claimed is:

1. An improved ladder and mounting for small boats comprising in combination a single shaft ladder having top and bottom ends and bracket engaging means secured to the shaft intermediate said top and bottom ends and dividing said ladder into top and bottom end portions, and a bracket adapted to be secured near the top edge of the transom of a boat for supporting said ladder angularly inclined with respect to the transom with the bottom end portion of the ladder extending in a downwardly diverging direction with respect to the transom and with said top end portion extending above and over the top edge of the transom, said ladder having sets of laterally extending opposite rungs spaced along the bottom portion of the ladder, and a single rung laterally extending from one side of said ladder providing a handle near the top end of the ladder.

2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said bracket includes a butt plate adapted to abut the transom, means for securing said butt plate to said transom, a bed plate for supporting said ladder shaft and means rigidly supporting said bed plate in angularly inclined relationship with respect to said butt plate, said bed plate having a free end extension tab projecting above said butt plate, said bracket engaging means comprising means for interlocking with said tab and rigidly holding said ladder shaft on said bed plate.

3. The combination according to claim 2 wherein said bed plate is inclined with respect to said butt plate at an included angle selected within the range of about 35 degrees to about 40 degrees.

4. The combination set forth in claim 2 wherein said means rigidly supporting said bed plate includes a pair of spaced, parallel gusset plates rigidly joined perpendicularly to said butt plate, said bed plate being included between said gusset plate and rigidly secured to said gusset plates with the gusset plates extending above the upper surface of the bed plate to provide a channel which is adapted to closely engage three sides of the ladder shaft.

5. The combination set forth in claim 2 wherein said means for securing said butt plate to said transom ineludes an adjustable screw clamp.

6. An improved boarding apparatus for use by swimmers, SCUBA divers and the like in boarding small boats comprising in combination a small boat having a transom with a top edge, a single shaft ladder having top and bottom ends and bracket engaging means secured to the shaft intermediate said top and bottom ends and dividing the ladder into top and bottom end portions, and a bracket secured near the top edge of the transom and detachably supporting said ladder in angularly inclined relationship with respect to the transom with the bottom portion of the ladder extending in a downwardly diverging direction with respect to the transom and with said top end portion extending above and over the top edge of the transom, said ladder having sets of laterally extending opposite rungs spaced along the bottom portion of the ladder, and a single rung extending from one side of the ladder providing a handle near the top end of the ladder.

Claims

3. The combination according to claim 2 wherein said bed plate is inclined with respect to said butt plate at an included angle selected within the range of about 35* degrees to about 40* degrees.

4. The combination set forth in claim 2 wherein said means rigidly supporting said bed plate includes a pair of spaced, parallel gusset plates rigidly joined perpendicular to said butt plate, said bed plate being included between said gusset plate and rigidly secured to said gusset plates with the gusset plates extending above the upper surface of the bed plate to provide a channel which is adapted to closely engage three sides of the ladder shaft.

5. The combination set forth in claim 2 wherein said means for securing said butt plate to said transom includes an adjustable screw clamp.