Patent US3632138A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3632138A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Immersible boat trailer with boat cradling and latching means
Assignee: FLOAT-ON Corp A CORP OF FL
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Filing: 1970-01-05
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Granted: 1972-01-04
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Expires: 1990-01-05
Abstract
Abstract A boat trailer with an adjustable support bed for a boat, said trailer having coactive guide and latch structure operative in loading and unloading the boat, the boat loaded trailer being adapted to be positioned partially submerged in shallow water with the main boat support surfaces under the water to permit the boat to be floated onto or off of the trailer. Coactive latch structure on the boat and trailer permits semiautomatic latching together of the boat and trailer during the boat loading procedure. The latch means may be arranged in an unlatched disposition preparatory to launching the boat into the water. The trailer vehicle of the invention includes also wheel members mounted as a wheeled bogie unit which is adjustable relative to the fore and aft extension of the trailer. The wheel members each is provided with independent wheel suspension means, including torsion bar spring means.
Inventors
- 👤 William Paul Whiteley Jr
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 06:14
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60P; B60P3/00; B60P3/06; B60P3/10; B60P3/1033
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
246 words
An immersible boat trailer for float-off launching and floaton loading of a boat comprising, in combination, a trailer frame, cradle means on said trailer frame for supporting the hull of a boat to be transported, hitch means at the front end of said trailer frame for connection with a transporting vehicle, wheel means secured to the underside of said trailer frame near the rear end thereof for rollably supporting said trailer frame, means at each side of said cradle means for guiding the sides of a boat into proper loading position on said trailer means, guide means near the front end of said trailer frame for guiding the bow of a boat to be loaded into centrally loaded position on the trailer, and latch means for automatically securing the prow of the boat being loaded with respect to the trailer upon reaching the fully loaded position thereon, said latch means comprising a substantially U-shaped bow stop member, means for longitudinally adjustably securing the opposed open end leg portions of said bow stop member to laterally-opposed front portions of said trailer frame, a latch catch member adapted to be centrally secured to the prow of a boat to be loaded and having a forwardly and upwardly directed throat opening for the reception of the bight portion of said bow stop member and means for automatically locking said bow stop member with respect to said catch member upon said bight portion thereof being received in said throat opening.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
246 words
An immersible boat trailer for float-off launching and floaton loading of a boat comprising, in combination, a trailer frame, cradle means on said trailer frame for supporting the hull of a boat to be transported, hitch means at the front end of said trailer frame for connection with a transporting vehicle, wheel means secured to the underside of said trailer frame near the rear end thereof for rollably supporting said trailer frame, means at each side of said cradle means for guiding the sides of a boat into proper loading position on said trailer means, guide means near the front end of said trailer frame for guiding the bow of a boat to be loaded into centrally loaded position on the trailer, and latch means for automatically securing the prow of the boat being loaded with respect to the trailer upon reaching the fully loaded position thereon, said latch means comprising a substantially U-shaped bow stop member, means for longitudinally adjustably securing the opposed open end leg portions of said bow stop member to laterally-opposed front portions of said trailer frame, a latch catch member adapted to be centrally secured to the prow of a boat to be loaded and having a forwardly and upwardly directed throat opening for the reception of the bight portion of said bow stop member and means for automatically locking said bow stop member with respect to said catch member upon said bight portion thereof being received in said throat opening.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
53 words
An immersible boat trailer as defined in claim 1, wherein said wheel means comprises a bogie unit having a bogie frame, at least one wheel at each side of said bogie frame, and torsion bar mechanism resiliently mounting said wheels with respect to said bogie frame for close-to-ground support of said trailer frame.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
58 words
An immersible boat trailer as defined in claim 1, wherein said wheel means comprises a bogie unit having a bogie frame, a pair of tandem wheels at each side of said bogie frame, and torsion bar mechanism resiliently mounting each of said tandem wheel pairs with respect to said bogie frame for close-to-ground support of said trailer frame.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
102 words
An immersible boat trailer as defined in claim 3, wherein each of said torsion bar mechanism comprises a pair of torsion bar members laterally extending and longitudinally spaced with respect to said trailer frame, said pair of torsion bar members being interconnected at corresponding ends by a common connector bar, and a pair of wheel suspension arms one end of each of which is connected to one each of the other ends of said torsion bar members to extend substantially radially outwardly thereof and the other ends of whiCh are provided with sidewardly extending spindles for journaling one each of said wheels.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
41 words
An immersible boat trailer as defined in claim 2, including means for adjustably securing said bogie unit along the length of a said trailer frame in accordance with the length and center of gravity of any particular boat to be transported.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
36 words
An immersible boat trailer as defined in claim 1, wherein said cradle means comprises a pair of spaced, paralleled, longitudinally extending chock rails adapted to receive seated thereagainst hull bottom side portions of a loaded boat.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
An immersible boat trailer as defined in claim 6, including means for adjustably securing said chock rails in their longitudinally extending positions to accommodate boats of various width and hull bottom shape.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
45 words
An immersible boat trailer as defined in claim 1, including means for adjustably securing said rail members both with respect to their distance above said cradle means and their distance to each side of said cradle means to accommodate boats of various sizes and shapes.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
78 words
Am immersible boat trailer as defined in claim 1, wherein said locking means comprises a latch pawl pivotally journaled to said latch catch member at the open end of said throat opening, said latch pawl, when in locking position being manually rotatable, selectively, between locking and unlocking stable positions, said latch pawl, when in said unlocking position, being automatically rotated to said locking position upon a bight portion of said bow stop member withdrawing from said throat opening.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-01-03 | 1975-07-05 | 1976-01-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-01-03 | 1979-07-05 | 1980-01-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-01-03 | 1983-07-05 | 1984-01-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |