Combination trailer and pontoon boat

Claim 2

A combination trailer and pontoon boat including: an elongated generally rectangular frame having substantially vertical peripheral walls on opposite sides thereof, a member on the upper surface of said frame and secured thereto as a part thereof extending laterally beyond said vertical walls, said vertical walls of said frame and the laterally projecting sides of said member forming notches of substantially rectangular vertical section, said frame having substantially flat horizontal bottom surfaces adjoining said notches, a pair of elongated pontoons having substantially flat top panels, substantially parallel side panels in substantially right angular relation to said top panel, and bottom panels connecting the lower edges of said side panels, longitudinal hinge means connecting one side wall of each pontoon to a side edge of said frame, the axis of each said hinge means being adjacent to the juncture between one of said vertical walls of frame and the bottom surface of said frame, each said hinge means being connected to said one side wall of a corresponding pontoon at a distance from the top panel thereof substantially equal to the height of said vertical walls thereby in one extreme position of the pontoon a portion of the top panel engages the laterally projecting portion of said member at the top of the corresponding notch, each said pontoon, when pivoted to its other extreme position, underlying, and bearing against, the flat bottom portion of said frame, a wheel secured to each said pontoon to project from the other side wall thereof on a substantially vertical pivot when said pontoons are engaged in said notches and on a substantially horizontal axis when said one side walls thereof are in engagement with the flat bottom portions of said frame.

Claim 3

The stucture of claim 1 and including: a fixed downwardly extending hollow intermediate portion on said frame serving the capacity of a third pontoon, said hollow intermediate portion being parallel to, and intermediate, said pontoons, and spaced substantially therefrom in said one extreme position of said pontoons.

Claim 4

The structure of claim 2 and in which said hollow intermediate portion is open along its upper edge.

Claim 5

The structure of claim 2 and in which said pontoons, when in engagement with bottom of said frame, extend into close proximity to said hollow intermediate portion.

Claim 6

The structure of claim 2 and in which said hollow intermediate portion serves to assist in supporting said frame while said pontoons are pivoted from one extreme position to the other.

Claim 7

The structure of claim 2 and in which the bottom panels of said pontoons and one of the side panels of said hollow intermediate portion are on substantially the same plane in said one extreme position.

Claim 8

The structure of claim 2 and in which said pontoons are provided with shallow V-shaped bottom panels, and fits against said hollow intermediate portion in said one extreme position.

Claim 9

A combination trailer and pontoon boat including: an elongated generally rectangular frame having substantially vertical peripheral walls on opposite sides thereof, a member on the upper surface of said frame and secured thereto as a part thereof, said frame having substantially flat bottom portions adjoining said vertical peripheral walls, a pair of elongated pontoons having substantially flat top panels, substantially parallel side panels in substantially right angular relation to said top panel, and bottom panels connecting the lower edges of said side panels, longitudinal hinge means connecting one side wall of each pontoon to a side edge portion of said frame, the axis of each hinge means being adjacent to the juncture between one of said vertical walls of said frame and the bottom surface of said frame, said hinge means being connected to said one side panel of a corresponding pontoon intermediate the top and bottom panels of said pontoon, each said pontoon being pivotal from one extreme position in which a portion of said one side panel is adjacent said vertical wall of said frame to a second extreme position in which a portion of said one side panel engages the adjoining flat bottom portion of the frame, a wheel secured to each said pontoon to project from the other side wall thereof on a substantially vertical pivot when said pontoons are in said one extreme position and on a substantially horizontal axis when said one side walls thereof are in engagement with the flat bottom portions of the frame, and a fixed downwardly extending hollow intermediate portion on said frame serving the capacity of a third pontoon, said hollow intermediate portion being parallel to, and intermediate, said pontoons, and spaced substantially therefrom in said one extreme position of said pontoons, said hollow intermediate portion serving to assist is supporting said frame while said pontoons are pivoted from one said extreme position to the other.

Claim 10

A combination trailer and pontoon boat including: an elongated generally rectangular frame having substantially vertical peripheral walls on opposite sides thereof, a member on the upper surface of said frame and secured thereto as a part thereof, said frame having substantially flat bottom portions adjoining said vertical peripheral walls, a pair of elongated pontoons having substantially flat top panels, substantially parallel side panels in substantially right angular relation to said top panel, and bottom panels connecting the lower edges of said side panels, longitudinal hinge means connecting one side wall of each pontoon to a side edge portion of said frame, the axis of each hinge means being adjacent to the juncture between one of said vertical walls of said frame and the bottom surface of said frame, said hinge means being connected to said one side panel of a corresponding pontoon intermediate the top and bottom panels of said pontoon, each said pontoon being pivotal from one extreme position in which a portion of said one side panel is adjacent said vertical wall of said frame to a second extreme position in which a portion of said one side panel engages the adjoining flat bottom portion of the frame, a wheel secured to each said pontoon to project from the other side wall thereof on a substantially vertical pivot when said pontoons are in said one extreme position and on a substantially horizontal axis when said one side walls thereof are in engagement with the flat bottom portions of the frame, and a fixed downwardly extending hollow intermediate portion on said frame serving the capacity of a third pontoon, said hollow intermediate portion being parallel to, and intermediate, said pontoons, and spaced substantially therefrom in said one extreme position of said pontoons, said hollow intermediate portion serving to assist is supporting said frame while said pontoons are pivoted from one said extreme position to the other.