WO1992010399A1

WO1992010399A1 - Support cradle

Info

Publication number: WO1992010399A1
Application number: PCT/GB1991/002163
Authority: WO
Inventors: Norman Brown
Original assignee: Tennamast Scotland
Priority date: 1990-12-08
Filing date: 1991-12-05
Publication date: 1992-06-25
Also published as: GB9026729D0; GB2266279A; AU9039491A; GB2266279B; GB9311850D0

Abstract

A support cradle (10) comprises a base structure (12) supporting a plurality of upstanding prop members (14) having free ends capable of being disposed in space to conform to the shape of a particular object to be supported (8), for example a boat hull. The base structure (12) is composed of a collection of releasably interconnected rod members (16) and joint members (18, 19) selectively disposed ones of the joint members (19) comprising a hinge mounted socket member (19B) for receiving and supporting a prop member (14), the socket member (19B) being releasably secured at a particular hinge angle by an adjustable strut member (19D). Rod members (16) of different lengths may be used to interconnect the joint members (18, 19) and the prop members (14) may be of different lengths and inclined at different angles to suit any particular object to be supported.

Description

SUPPORT CRADLE

This invention relates to support cradles, and in particular, but not exclusively, to boat cradles. The invention further relates to individual elements of such support cradles.

Prefabricated boat cradles are known for the storage of boats on land and comprise a rigid base structure supporting a plurality of upstanding prop members the free ends of which are disposed in space to conform to the hull shape of a particular boat. The boat can therefore be loaded into the cradle and supported by the prop members and thereby be rendered physically stable during the storage period with access to substantially the entirety of the hull surface to enable renovation to take place. The known prefabricated boat cradles are matched in size to particular boats and are not suitable for universal use so that when a boat owner changes his boat he also requires to change his boat cradle.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved form of support cradle.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a support cradle comprising a base structure supporting a plurality of upstanding prop members having free ends capable of being disposed in space to conform to the shape of a particular object to be supported, wherein the base structure is composed of a collection of releasably interconnected rod members and joint members, selectively disposed ones of the joint members comprising a hinge mounted socket member for receiving and supporting a prop member, the socket member being releasably secured at a particular hinge angle by an adjustable strut member. The present invention also provides a kit of parts comprising rod members, joint members and prop members adapted to be interconnected to form a support cradle.

The present invention has particular application in the provision of boat cradles and by virtue of the present invention a boat cradle may be provided which is adapted for universal use with, a variety of boat sizes in that rod members of different lengths may be used to interconnect the joint members and the prop members may be of different lengths and inclined at different angles to suit any particular boat.

Preferably the rod members are made of steel tubing of circular cross section and the joint members are made of steel tubing of square cross section dimensioned to accommodate the rod members. Conveniently the various members are hot-dip-galvanised.

Preferably secure interconnection of the rod members and joint members is effected by pinching screws fitted to the joint members.

Selected ones of the joint members may take the form of rigid T-pieces for interconnecting three rod members. The base structure may be ground mounted or may be mounted on ground-engaging wheels to enable the cradle to transport, for example, a landed boat to and from the water or over land.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a joint member for forming part of a support cradle comprising a base member, a socket member hinge mounted to the base member for receiving and supporting a prop member, and an adjustable strut member for extending between the base member and the socket member and releasably securing the socket member at a particular hinge angle.

Preferably, the length of the prop member is adjustable, for example by means of screw jacks, and the free end of the prop member may be provided with a support pad or the like. Most preferably, the support pad is pivotally mounted to the prop member. Preferably also, the base member is in the form of a T-piece, the socket member being hingedly mounted at the intersection of the leg and arms of the T-piece, and the strut member extending upwardly from the leg of the T-piece. To provide additional stability for the support, lateral stabilising members may extend from the arms of the T-piece to the socket member. Preferably, the stabilising members are hingedly connected to both the T-piece and the socket member. Most preferably, a pair of strut members are provided. The strut members may be apertured for receiving hinge pins to connect the strut members to the socket member and base member.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which;

Fig. 1 schematically illustrates an assembled boat cradle in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 illustrates various details of the Fig. 1 cradle;

Figs. 3 and 4 are enlarged end and side views of a joint member of the Fig. 1 cradle; and

Fig. 5 is a further enlarged view of area 5 of Fig. 3. As is shown in Fig. 1 a boat δ is supported on a cradle 10 for storage purposes. The cradle 10 comprises a base structure 12 which supports a plurality of upstanding prop members 14 (in this instance seven in number) the free ends of which are disposed in space to conform to the hull shape of the boat 8. The free ends of members 14 are provided with pads 14A, 14B for abutment with the boat 8. Structure 12 is composed of a collection of releasably interconnected rod members 16 and joint members 18,19, members 18 being T-pieces which interconnect orthogonal rod members 16, and members 19 including T-pieces but further comprising a hinge mounted socket member for receiving and supporting a prop member 14 at an adjustable hinge angle. The cradle 10 which has been illustrated in Fig. 1 has base structure 12 in the form of two rectangles braced with transverse rod members 16 interconnecting joint members 18, 19 but it will be appreciated that there may be any number of transverse rod members and of course there may be additional longitudinal members interconnected by joint members 18, 19. A single, centrally located, longitudinal member is provided at the front of the cradle 10 and is connected to a joint member 19 which provides a mounting for a bow supporting prop member 14.

Fig. 2 illustrates parts of a cradle 10 in greater detail and like parts retain the same reference numeral. Rod members 16 are shown chain-dotted and are in the form of circular cross-section tubing whilst joint members 18 are formed from square-section tubing dimensioned to accommodate the rod members 16. Members 18 are T-pieces and the length of the arms of the T is not critical. However, as illustrated the arms of the T are unequal so that this form of member 18 is intended to interconnect only two members 16. Members 16 are fitted into and secured to members 18 by pinching screws 20 fitted to the members 18 on one or more faces thereof. A typical pinching screw 20 is shown in greater detail in Fig. 5 of the drawings and it will be noted that the pinching screw 20 comprises a nut 20A held against rotation in a cage 20B welded to the respective member, a bolt 20C engaging the nut 20A. There may be any number of such screws 20. Joint member 19 in this instance also comprises a T-structure 19A for interconnecting rod members 16 as described for members 18 but additionally member 19 includes a socket member 19B which is hingely connected to the T-structure 19A by hinge 19C, provided by aligned gussetted sleeves and a hinge pin, and which is adjustable in inclination and retainable in any desired inclination by a pair of strut members 19D. A joint member 19 is illustrated in greater detail in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings. Members 19D are pivotally mounted at their lower ends on the T-structure 19A through a pivot pin 19J located in a sleeve 19H fixed to the leg of the T-piece 19A. The upper ends of the members 19D are securable to socket member 19B in any one of a number of different positions by a pin and sleeve interconnection 19E. Also provided on the joint member 19 are lateral stabilising members or webs 19F the upper ends of which are connected to the socket 19B at the pin and sleeve 19E and which extend outwardly and downwardly to respective pivotal connections 19G towards the ends of the arms of the T-piece 19A, as shown in detail in Fig. 5. From Fig. 4 it will be evident that the connection 19G and the hinge 19C share a common axis, facilitating flat packing of the joint member 19 when not in use. Pinching screws 20 are again provided on the square-section components of member 19 to secure the rod members 16 and the prop member 14. The prop member 14 is further held in the socket member 19B by a locking pin 19K. Pad 14A is preferably pivotally mounted at the free end of member 14 and the effective length of member 14 is adjustable (when pinching screw 20 is loosened and the pin 19K removed) by telescopic action within socket member 19B which for this purpose is comparatively elongate, a number of spaced apertures also being provided in the prop member 14 receiving the locking pin 19K. Further adjustment is provided by a screw jack 19L, the upper portion of the prop member 14 being externally threaded for engaging a nut on the lower, portion.

To prevent the prop member 14 sliding wholly into the socket member 19B a stop (not shown) is provided at the base of the socket member 19B. Similarly, stops may be provided in the other sections of the joint members 18, 19 to limit movement of the rod member 16.

The pad 14A shown in Fig. 2 is rectangular planar. though pads of other configurations may be provided, for example the bow pad 14B will be V-shaped.

Fig. 2 additionally illustrates a keel locating member 26 secured to one of the transverse rod members 16 and a longitudinal rod member 16 and is provided with adjustable width chocks or jaws 26A for keel clamping. The jaws 26A may be provided in various sizes or configurations to suit particular keel forms. The keel locating member serves to provide additional stability for the boat on the cradle as persons work on the boat and when the boat is subject to high winds.

Fig. 1 illustrates a walkway 40 mounted between adjacent prop members 14 to facilitate working on the boat hull. The walkway 40 extends between supports 42 which include means for releasably engaging respective prop members 14.

By way of example the square-section tubing which is used to form members 18,19,26 may be of about 70 x 70 mm external section and the circular section tubing used to form members 16,14 may be of about 60 mm external section. All tubing may be made of mild steel 43C British Standard BS 4360 and hot dip galvanised to British Standard BS 729 after component fabrication. Pinching screws 20 are preferably of uniform size so that only a single spanner or wrench is required to assemble and disassemble the cradle 10. Members 19 which of practical necessity require to form part of the periphery of the base structure 12 may be provided with lashing rings 28 to enable the entire boat⁰8 to be covered over with a tied-down tarpaulin. Members 18 may also be provided with similar rings 28.

It will be clear from the above description that the cradle described may be used to support other objects or structures, and may, for example, be usefully employed in the construction industry to provide temporary support for objects while permanent support structure is assembled or constructed. The cradle offers numerous advantages, and these will be described with reference to the boat cradle example, but those skilled in the art will realise that the advantages are not limited to one particular application.

For the boat owner, a boat cradle may be assembled using individually purchased rod and joint members, rather than having a boat cradle specially fabricated at considerable cost. If the boat owner buys a different boat, the boat cradle may be readily reconfigured to accommodate the different hull shape and, if necessary, further rod and joint members may be purchased. When not in use, the boat cradle may be disassembled and stored in a compact space. This aspect also facilitates transport of the boat cradle.

The cradle is readily assembled using a minimum of tools, and the specific example described above only requires the use of a single spanner or wrench. Also, the cradle may readily be assembled on a flat-bed trailer or truck for transportation of a boat and thus permits transportation without the provision of a specially adapted trailer.

Claims

1. A support cradle (10) comprising a base structure (12) supporting a plurality of upstanding prop members (14) having free ends capable of being disposed in space to conform to the shape of a particular object to be supported (8), wherein the base structure (12) is composed of a collection of releasably interconnected rod members (16) and joint members (18, 19) selectively disposed ones of the joint members (19) comprising a hinge mounted socket member (19B) for receiving and supporting a prop member (14) , the socket member (19B) being releasably secured at a particular hinge angle by an adjustable strut member (19D) .

2. The support cradle of claim 1, wherein the length of the prop members (14) is adjustable to vary the height of the free ends of the prop members.

3. The support cradle of claim 1 or 2 , wherein the free end of each prop member (14) is provided with a pivotally mounted support pad (14A) .

4. The support cradle of claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein each of said selectively disposed ones of the joint members (19) includes a base member (19A) for mounting the respective socket member (19B) and prop member (14) .

5. The support cradle of claim 4, wherein each base member is in the form of a T-piece (19A) having a leg and arms, the socket member (19B) being hingedly mounted at the intersection to the leg and arms of the T-piece (19A) .

6. The support cradle of claim 5, wherein each of said selectively disposed ones of the joint members (19) further includes a pair of stabilising members (19F) , one extending between each arm of the T-piece (19A) and the socket member (19B) .

7. The support cradle of claim 6, wherein the stabilising members are pivotally mounted to the arms of the T-piece (19A) on a common axis to the socket member (19B) hinge mounting.

8. The support cradle of any one of the preceding claims wherein the rod members (16) are of circular section tubing and the joint members (18, 19) are of square section tubing dimensioned to accommodate the rod members.

9. The support cradle of claim 8 wherein the joint members (18, 19) are provided with pinching screws (20) for securing the rod members (16) in the joint members (18, 19).

10. The support cradle of any one of the preceding claims wherein selected ones of the joint members (18, 19) take the form of rigid T-pieces for interconnecting rod members (16).

11. The support cradle of any one of the preceding claims and for use in supporting a boat and further comprising a keel lock (26) for location on a rod member (16) and including two upstanding keel chocks (26A) for engaging a boat keel.

12. The support cradle of claim 11, wherein the keel chocks (26A) are transversely adjustable to accommodate keels of different widths.

13. The support cradle of any one of the preceding claims and further comprising a walkway member (40) for mounting between two spaced prop members (14) of selectively disposed ones of the joint members (19) .

14. A joint member for forming part of the support cradle of claim 1 comprising a base member (19A) , a socket member (19B) hinge mounted to the base member (19A) for receiving and supporting a prop member (14) and an adjustable strut member (19D) for extending between the base member (19A) and the socket member (19B) and releasably securing the socket member (19B) at a particular hinge angle.

15. The joint member of claim 14, wherein each base member is in the form of a T-piece (19A) having a leg and arms, the socket member (19B) being hingedly mounted at the intersection of said leg and arms.

16. The joint member of claim 15, wherein each of said first joint members (19) further includes a pair of lateral stabilising members (19F) , one extending between each arm of the T-piece (19A) and the socket member (19B) .

17. A joint member for forming part of the support cradle of claim 1 in the form of a rigid T-piece for interconnecting rod members (16), the joint member (18, 19) being of square section tubing dimensioned to accommodate circular section rod members and being provided with pinching screws (20) for securing the rod members (16) in the joint member (18, 19).

18. A keel lock (26) for forming part of the support cradle of claim 1 for location on a rod member (16) and including two upstanding keel chocks (26A) for engaging a boat keel.