Lock pintle for a rudder

Claim 2

A lock pintle for attaching a rudder to a mounting member of a boat wherein the mounting member has an aperture therein, said lock pintle comprising: a bracket attachable to the rudder; a pintle; means for attaching the pintle to the bracket with a portion of the pintle projecting away from the bracket, said portion of said pintle being receivable in the aperture of the mounting member to at least assist in mounting the rudder for pivotal movement relative to the boat; a locking element attached to the pintle and movable generally radially thereof between a locking position in which the locking element locks said portion of the pintle against removal from the aperture of the mounting member and a releasing position in which the locking element allows said portion of the pintle to be withdrawn from the aperture of the mounting member, said locking position being radially outwardly of said releasing position; and means for resiliently urging said locking element radially outwardly toward said locking position.

Claim 3

A lock pintle as defined in claim 1 wherein the locking element includes a resilient spring element and said last mentioned means includes the resilience of the spring element.

Claim 4

A lock pintle as defined in claim 1 wherein said bracket is generally U-shaped in plan and includes first and second legs interconnected by a connecting portion, said U-shaped bracket being adapted to receive therein at least a portion of the rudder, said attaching means joining the pintle to said connecting portion.

Claim 5

A lock pintle as defined in claim 1 wherein said pintle has a radially opening recess, said locking element including a resilient spring element extending along said recess, said spring element defining a shoulder projecting from said recess in said locking position and adapted to cooperate with the mounting member in said locking position to lock the pintle in the aperture of the mounting member, said shoulder lying sufficiently within said recess in said releasing position to allow said portion of the pintle to be withdrawn from the aperture of the mounting member, said resilient means including the resilience of the spring element.

Claim 6

A lock pintle as defined in claim 1 wherein said locking element includes a retaining tab receivable in the aperture of the mounting member at least in said locking position for retaining the locking element in said locking position.

Claim 7

A lock pintle as defined in claim 1 including a cam surface on said spring element, said cam surface in said locking position projecting radially outwardly as it extends from the end of the pintle remote from the bracket toward said shoulder, said locking element including a retaining tab receivable in the aperture of the mounting member in said locking position.

Claim 8

A lock pintle as defined in claim 1 wherein said pintle has a longitudinally extending, radially opening recess with an end wall, said locking element includes a resiliently deformable spring strip extending along said recess, said locking element being movable toward said end wall in moving from the locking position to the releasing position and being at least partially in said recess at least in said releasing position, said last mentioned means including The resilience of said spring strip.

Claim 9

A lock pintle as defined in claim 7 wherein said spring strip includes a retaining tab receivable in the aperture of the mounting member at least in said locking position for retaining the spring strip in said locking position.

Claim 10

A lock pintle as defined in claim 8 wherein said end wall is inclined radially inwardly as it extends longitudinally, said spring strip defines a shoulder adjacent said retaining tab.

Claim 11

In combination: a boat having a first rudder mounting section with an aperture therein; a rudder; a bracket attachable to the rudder; a pintle; means for attaching the pintle to the bracket with a portion of the pintle projecting away from the bracket, said portion of said pintle being receivable in the aperture of the first rudder mounting section to at least assist in mounting the rudder for pivotal movement relative to the boat; restraining means on said pintle and said first rudder mounting section responsive to the insertion of said portion of said pintle a predetermined distance into said aperture for restraining said portion of the pintle against removal from the aperture; said restraining means including an integral resilient spring strip deformable radially from a first position in which it restrains the pintle against removal from the aperture to a second position in which it allows insertion of the pintle into, and removal of the pintle from, the aperture; and at least one side of said spring strip being fully exposed and including a cam surface for camming the spring strip to said second position.

Claim 12

In combination: a boat having a first rudder mounting section with an aperture therein; a rudder; a bracket attachable to the rudder; a pintle; means for attaching the pintle to the bracket with a portion of the pintle projecting away from the bracket, said portion of said pintle being receivable in the aperture of the first rudder mounting section to at least assist in mounting the rudder for pivotal movement relative to the boat; restraining means on said pintle and said first rudder mounting section responsive to the insertion of said portion of said pintle a predetermined distance into said aperture for restraining said portion of the pintle against removal from the aperture; said restraining means including an integral resilient spring strip deformable radially from a first position in which it restrains the pintle against removal from the aperture to a second position in which it allows insertion of the pintle into, and removal of the pintle from, the aperture; and at least one side of said spring strip being fully exposed and including a cam surface for camming the spring strip to said second position.