Patent EP0264640A1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4048685A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Trailable houseboat
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1976-02-12
•
Granted: 1977-09-20
•
Expires: 1996-02-12
Abstract
Abstract A trailable houseboat is disclosed combining a travel trailer module and pontoons which are positioned along the roof of the trailer module cabin for land use. Such pontoons are supported by a power operated mechanism so that they can be moved from the highway position to a launch position, in which they extend along the sides of the cabin at a level sufficiently low to permit floating of the boat but sufficiently high to allow the boat to be rolled on its wheels. After launching, the trailer module is raised with respect to the pontoons to increase the freeboard and to raise the road wheels up out of the water. Folding decks are positioned adjacent to the ends of the cabin for highway use and extend between the ends of the pontoons in the water configuration. Folding walkways are also provided for water use to cooperate with the ends of the pontoons and the decks to provide a large level deck system completely around the cabin. The pontoons are shaped to nest with the cabin so that the height of the trailer module is not substantially increased in the highway configuration, even though the pontoons have a depth at their ends to provide substantial freeboard in the water configuration. In the highway configuration, the ends of the pontoons project below the roof line of the cabin to lower the center of gravity. The pontoons and the cabin are all provided with positive buoyancy for safety and strength by utilizing closed cell foam. A single hydraulic actuator is connected to move the pontoons between the three positions and to raise and lower the decks. The raised ends of the pontoons provide accessible storage space.
Inventors
- 👤 William A. Gail
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 00:55
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60F; B60F3/00; B60F3/0061; B60F3/0092; B63; B63C; B63C13/00; B63B; B63B35/00; B63B35/44; B63B2035/4426; Y; Y02; Y02A; Y02A30/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
175 words
A trailable boat comprising a main body including a cabin and road wheels, a pair of pontoons mounted on said body for movement between a raised road position along the roof of said cabin and a lowered water position adjacent to opposite sides of said cabin, said pontoons extending beyond the ends of said cabin and having end portions of a first depth, said pontoons in said water position operating to float said main body with said wheels substantially out of the water and the floor of said cabin substantially above the water while the end portions of said pontoons provide an upper deck surface substantially above the water, said pontoons providing a central portion of reduced depth proportioned to fit over said cabin whereby said pontoons in said road position extend above said roof by a height substantially less than first depth, said end portions projecting below the level of said roof by a distance at least substantially equal to the depth of said central portion when said pontoons are in said road position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
175 words
A trailable boat comprising a main body including a cabin and road wheels, a pair of pontoons mounted on said body for movement between a raised road position along the roof of said cabin and a lowered water position adjacent to opposite sides of said cabin, said pontoons extending beyond the ends of said cabin and having end portions of a first depth, said pontoons in said water position operating to float said main body with said wheels substantially out of the water and the floor of said cabin substantially above the water while the end portions of said pontoons provide an upper deck surface substantially above the water, said pontoons providing a central portion of reduced depth proportioned to fit over said cabin whereby said pontoons in said road position extend above said roof by a height substantially less than first depth, said end portions projecting below the level of said roof by a distance at least substantially equal to the depth of said central portion when said pontoons are in said road position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
A trailable boat as set forth in claim 1 wherein folding walkways substantially level with the upper surface of said end portions bridge over said central portions when said pontoons are in said water position.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
44 words
A trailable boat as set forth in claim 2 wherein folding decks bridge between said end portions of said pontoons when said pontoons are in said water position and provide a substantially level deck assembly in cooperation with said pontoon ends and said walkways.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
A trailable boat as set forth in claim 3 wherein said level deck is substantially level with the floor of said cabin when said pontoons are in said water position.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
A trailable boat as set forth in claim 2 wherein a side panel extends between each walkway and said central portion of said pontoons when said pontoons are in said water position.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
44 words
A trailable boat as set forth in claim 5 wherein said walkways and side panels fold to a position along said central portion in a position between said central portions and the roof of said cabin when said pontoons are in said road position.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
62 words
A trailable boat as set forth in claim 6 wherein said boat includes a forward deck, a folding forward roof is hinged to the forward end of said cabin and is movable between a folded position adjacent to the forward end of said cabin and an extended position in which it covers a substantial portion of said forward deck of said boat.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
45 words
A trailable boat as set forth in claim 1 wherein said pontoons provide sufficient displacement at said reduced depth to float said boat, and said end portion providing substantially leveled decks and having the depth substantially greater than twice the depth of said central portions.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
37 words
A trailable boat as set forth in claim 1 wherein said pontoon end portions are hollowed to provide storage chambers, the bottoms of said storage chambers being located above the water line when said pontoons are floating.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
34 words
A trailable boat as set forth in claim 9 wherein said pontoons provide hinged panels providing access to said storage chambers, and said hinged panels when closed constitute part of said upper deck surface.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
19 words
A trailable boat as set forth in claim 10 wherein said storage chambers are surrounded by closed cell foam.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
56 words
A trailable boat as set forth in claim 1 wherein said pontoons are formed of closed cell foam enclosed by sheet material, said central portions of said pontoons being generally rectangular in cross section, and said sheet material including joints which are not water tight whereby the buoyancy of said pontoons is provided by said foam.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
A trailable boat as set forth in claim 12 wherein said sheet material is aluminum and is bonded to said closed cell foam.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
52 words
A trailable boat as set forth in claim 1 wherein a stern deck is pivoted on said main body for movement between a folded position adjacent to the rearward end of said cabin and an extended position bridging between the ends of said pontoons when said pontoons are in said water position.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
53 words
A trailable boat as set forth in claim 14 wherein motor support means are carried by said stern deck and operate to support an outboard motor for water use when said stern deck is in said extended position and to raise such outboard motor when said stern deck is in said folded position.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
52 words
A trailable boat as set forth in claim 14 wherein a forward deck is pivoted to said main body for movement between a folded position adjacent to the forward end of said cabin and an extended position bridging between the ends of said pontoons when said pontoons are in said water position.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
34 words
A trailable boat as set forth in claim 16 wherein said forward deck includes two panels which fold to fit beneath the ends of said pontoons when said pontoons are in said road position.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
32 words
A trailable boat as set forth in claim 1 wherein said cabin is constructed of panels formed of sufficient closed cell foam enclosed with sheet material to make the cabin itself buoyant.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
41 words
A trailable boat as set forth in claim 1 wherein said cabin is provided with a roof constructed of a panel formed of closed cell foam enclosed with sheet material and providing sufficient strength to serve as an upper deck surface.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
172 words
A trailable boat as set forth in claim 1 wherein said pontoons are movable to an intermediate launch position in which the bottoms of said pontoons are above the bottoms of said wheels and in which said pontoons are operable to float said boat with said cabin floor above the water and said wheels within the water, and power means are provided for moving said pontoons between said intermediate position, said raised road position and said lowered water position and folding decks bridge between said end portions of said pontoons when said pontoons are in said water position and provide a substantially level deck assembly in cooperation with said pontoon ends, said decks being pivoted on said main body for movement to a folded position adjacent to the ends of said cabin, and projections are provided on the ends of said pontoons beneath said decks which engage said decks and move them between their folded position and their extended position when said pontoons move between said launch position and said water position.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
135 words
A trailable boat as set forth in claim 1 wherein said pontoons are movable to an intermediate launch position in which the bottoms of said pontoons are above the bottoms of said wheels and in which said pontoons are operable to float said boat with said cabin floor above the water and said wheels within the water, and power means are provided for moving said pontoons between said intermediate position, said raised road position and said lowered water position, said main body being provided with a T shaped track adjacent to each corner of said cabin, and said pontoons provide support beams connected to said track for pivotal movement between said road position and launch position and for linear movement along said tracks when said pontoons move between said launch position and said water position.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
27 words
A trailable boat as set forth in claim 21 wherein runners are supported by said tracks for movement therealong and said beams are connected to said runners.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
49 words
A trailable boat as set forth in claim 1 wherein said upper deck surface of said pontoons is substantially level with the floor of said cabin and said central portions of said pontoon are substantially below the floor of said cabin when said pontoons are in said water position.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
214 words
A trailable boat comprising a generally rectangular cabin structure, a pair of elongated pontoons mounted on said cabin and providing forward and rearward end portions projecting beyond the ends of said cabin and central portions co-extensive with said cabin, said pontoons being movable between a raised trailing position in which they extend along the roof of said cabin and a water position in which they extend along adjacent to the sides of said cabin and substantially below the floor thereof, said central portion having a first depth and said end portion having a second depth substantially greater than said first depth, said pontoons in their raised position extending above the roof a height substantially no greater than said first depth, said end portions in said water position extending up to substantially the height of said cabin floor while said central portions are substantially below said cabin floor, folding walkways substantially level with the upper surface of said end portions bridging said central portions when said pontoons are in said water position, and folding decks bridging between said forward portions and rearward portions respectively, said walkways cooperating with said end portions and folding decks to provide a substantially level deck system spaced substantially above the central portions of said pontoons when in said water position.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
214 words
A trailable boat comprising a generally rectangular cabin structure, a pair of elongated pontoons mounted on said cabin and providing forward and rearward end portions projecting beyond the ends of said cabin and central portions co-extensive with said cabin, said pontoons being movable between a raised trailing position in which they extend along the roof of said cabin and a water position in which they extend along adjacent to the sides of said cabin and substantially below the floor thereof, said central portion having a first depth and said end portion having a second depth substantially greater than said first depth, said pontoons in their raised position extending above the roof a height substantially no greater than said first depth, said end portions in said water position extending up to substantially the height of said cabin floor while said central portions are substantially below said cabin floor, folding walkways substantially level with the upper surface of said end portions bridging said central portions when said pontoons are in said water position, and folding decks bridging between said forward portions and rearward portions respectively, said walkways cooperating with said end portions and folding decks to provide a substantially level deck system spaced substantially above the central portions of said pontoons when in said water position.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
208 words
A trailable boat comprising a main body including a cabin and road wheels, a pair of pontoons mounted on said body for movement between a raised road position along the roof of the cabin, an intermediate launch position in which the bottoms of the pontoons are along side said cabin above the bottoms of the wheels and in which the pontoons are operable to float said boat with the cabin above the water and said wheels within the water, and a lowered water position in which said boat floats with the main body and said wheels substantially out of the water and the floor of the cabin substantially above the water, power means operable to move said pontoons between said intermediate position, said raised road position and said lowered water position, said body being provided with a T shaped track adjacent to each corner of said cabin, and said pontoons provide support beams connected to said tracks for pivotal movement between said road position and launch position and for linear movement along said tracks when said pontoons move between said launch position and said water position, the connection between said beams and said tracks for said linear movement along said tracks being provided by C shaped slide runners.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
208 words
A trailable boat comprising a main body including a cabin and road wheels, a pair of pontoons mounted on said body for movement between a raised road position along the roof of the cabin, an intermediate launch position in which the bottoms of the pontoons are along side said cabin above the bottoms of the wheels and in which the pontoons are operable to float said boat with the cabin above the water and said wheels within the water, and a lowered water position in which said boat floats with the main body and said wheels substantially out of the water and the floor of the cabin substantially above the water, power means operable to move said pontoons between said intermediate position, said raised road position and said lowered water position, said body being provided with a T shaped track adjacent to each corner of said cabin, and said pontoons provide support beams connected to said tracks for pivotal movement between said road position and launch position and for linear movement along said tracks when said pontoons move between said launch position and said water position, the connection between said beams and said tracks for said linear movement along said tracks being provided by C shaped slide runners.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3079616A
Cited
US3090975A
Cited
US3143992A
Cited
US3195154A
Cited
US3308782A
Cited
US3427671A
Cited
US3496689A
Cited
US3860982A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-09-19 | 1981-03-21 | 1981-09-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-09-19 | 1985-03-21 | 1985-09-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-09-19 | 1989-03-21 | 1989-09-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |