Mechanical coupling for marine vehicles

Claim 2

A mechanical coupling for marine vehicles including: a. a female member comprising a housing having an enclosed, vertically disposed track, b. a male member for connection to said female member and including a housing, c. a shaft extending through said male member housing and having an angularly disposed portion at one end thereof, d. means for rotating said shaft, e. means for selectively engaging the angularly disposed portion of the shaft in said female member track, f. means for locking said angularly disposed portion of said shaft in said female member while permitting relative vertical movement of male and female members, g. a tubular member within said male member housing in sleeved engagement with said shaft, h. the terminals of said tubular member being in substantial engagement with male member housing wall, and i. a set screw extending through said tubular member into securing engagement with said shaft for preventing longitudinal movement of said shaft with respect to said male member housing.

Claim 3

The mechanical coupling of claim 1, wherein a. said male member includes a base plate on which said male member housing is swivelly mounted, b. said base plate having a plurality of spaced apertures, and c. a pin extending through said male member housing into selective engagement with the base plate aperture for orienting said male member housing and shaft.

Claim 4

A mechanical coupling for marine vehicles including: a. a female member comprising a housing having an enclosed, vertically disposed track, b. a male member for connection to said female member, and including an elongated shaft having a cross member attached to one end thereof, c. said male member including a housing, d. said elongated shaft extending through said housing, e. means for rotating said shaft, f. a pin extending through said male member housing, g. said pin being selectively engaged with the periphery of said elongated shaft for preventing rotational movement thereof, and h. means for preventing longitudinal movement of said shaft with respect to said housing.

Claim 5

A mechanical coupling for marine vehicles including: a. a female member comprising a housing having an enclosed, vertically disposed track, b. a male member for connection to said female member, and including an elongated shaft having a cross member attached to one end thereof, c. said male member including a housing, d. said elongated shaft extending through said housing, e. means for rotating said shaft, f. a pin extending through said male member housing, g. said pin being selectively engaged with the periphery of said elongated shaft for preventing rotational movement thereof, and h. means for preventing longitudinal movement of said shaft with respect to said housing.

Claim 6

The mechanical coupling of claim 3, wherein: a. said male member includes a base plate on which said male member housing is swivelly mounted, b. said base plate having a plurality of spaced apertures, and c. a pin extending through said male member housing into selective engagement with the base plate aperture for orienting the male member housing and elongated shaft.

Claim 7

A mechanical coupling for marine vehicles including: a. a female member comprising an elongated, vertically disposed, enclosed housing having a longitudinal slot in a portion thereof, b. a male member for connection to said female member, c. said male member including a housing, d. an elongated shaft extending through and beyond said housing, e. a cross member secured to one end of said elongated shaft and inserted through the longitudinal slot of said elongated housing when the cross member is aligned therewith, said cross member being rotated after insertion through the longitudinal slot of said female member housing to lock said second member in said first member. f. a tubular member within the housing of said male member in sleeved engagement with said elongated shaft, g. said tubular member being provided with a peripheral slot, h. said elongated shaft having a recess aligned with the peripheral slot of said tubular member, i. set screw means positioned in the peripheral slot of said tubular member and engaged with the recess of said elongated shaft for preventing longitudinal movement of said elongated shaft with respect to said male member housing, but permitting limited rotational movement of said elongated shaft with respect to said tubular member.

Claim 8

A mechanical coupling for marine vehicles including: a. a female member comprising an elongated, vertically disposed, enclosed housing having a longitudinal slot in a portion thereof, b. a male member for connection to said female member, c. said male member including a housing, d. an elongated shaft extending through and beyond said housing, e. a cross member secured to one end of said elongated shaft and inserted through the longitudinal slot of said elongated housing when the cross member is aligned therewith, said cross member being rotated after insertion through the longitudinal slot of said female member housing to lock said second member in said first member. f. a tubular member within the housing of said male member in sleeved engagement with said elongated shaft, g. said tubular member being provided with a peripheral slot, h. said elongated shaft having a recess aligned with the peripheral slot of said tubular member, i. set screw means positioned in the peripheral slot of said tubular member and engaged with the recess of said elongated shaft for preventing longitudinal movement of said elongated shaft with respect to said male member housing, but permitting limited rotational movement of said elongated shaft with respect to said tubular member.

Claim 9

The mechanical coupling of claim 5, with the addition of: a. a pin extending through said male member housing, b. said pin being selectively engaged with the periphery of said elongated shaft for preventing rotational movement thereof.

Claim 10

The mechanical coupling of claim 6, wherein: a. said male member includes a base plate on which said male member housing is swivelly mounted, b. said base plate having a plurality of spaced apertures, and c. a pin extending through said housing into selective engagement with the base plate apertures for orienting the housing and elongated shaft.

Claim 11

The mechanical coupling of claim 7, with the addition of: a. a control knob engaged with the end of said elongated shaft opposite said cross member.

Claim 12

The mechanical coupling of claim 7, with the addition of: a. a heating element affixed to said female member housing for maintaining the latter free of ice.

Claim 13

The mechanical coupling of claim 7, with the addition of: a. spring clips attached to the terminals of the cross member of said male member, and b. spring means for urging said spring clips outwardly into engagement with the elongated, vertically disposed, enclosed housing of said female member.

Claim 14

The mechanical coupling of claim 7, with the addition of: a. hydraulic means for extending the elongated shaft of said male member into engagement with the housing of said female member.

Claim 15

A mechanical coupling for marine vehicles including: a. a first member having a vertically disposed track member, b. a second member having an elongated shaft including a locking portion at one end thereof for engagement with said vertically disposed track member, c. means for rotating said elongated shaft for selectively engaging said locking portion thereof with, and disengaging the same from, the vertically disposed track member, d. said second member including a housing through which said elongated shaft extends, e. means on said housing engageable with the periphery of said elongated shaft for selectively locking said elongated shaft to prevent rotational movement thereof, f. a retaining member within said housing in sleeved engagement with said elongated shaft, and g. locking means extending through said retaining member into securing engagement with said shaft for preventing longitudinal movement of said elongated shaft with respect to said housing.

Claim 16

A mechanical coupling for marine vehicles including: a. a first member having a vertically disposed track member, b. a second member having an elongated shaft including a locking portion at one end thereof for engagement with said vertically disposed track member, c. means for rotating said elongated shaft for selectively engaging said locking portion thereof with, and disengaging the same from, the vertically disposed track member, d. said second member including a housing through which said elongated shaft extends, e. means on said housing engageable with the periphery of said elongated shaft for selectively locking said elongated shaft to prevent rotational movement thereof, f. a retaining member within said housing in sleeved engagement with said elongated shaft, and g. locking means extending through said retaining member into securing engagement with said shaft for preventing longitudinal movement of said elongated shaft with respect to said housing.

Claim 17

A mechanical coupling for marine vehicles including: a. a first member having a vertically disposed track member, b. said first member including an elongated vertically disposed housing having a longitudinal slot in one portion thereof, c. a second member having an elongated shaft including a locking portion at one end thereof for engagement with said vertically disposed track member, d. the locking portion of said second member including a cross member inserted through the longitudinal slot of said elongated housing when the cross member is aligned therewith, said cross member being rotated after insertion through the longitudinal slot of said elongated housing to lock said second member in said first member. e. clip means attached to the terminals of the cross member of said second member, f. spring means for urging said clip means outwardly into engagement with said elongated, vertically disposed housing, g. means for rotating said elongated shaft for selectively engaging said locking portion thereof with, and disengaging the same from, the vertically disposed track member, h. said second member including a housing through which said elongated shaft extends, i. means on said housing engageable with the periphery of said elongated shaft for selectively locking said elongated shaft to prevent rotation of movement thereof, and j. means on said housing engageable with said elongated shaft for preventing longitudinal movement of said elongated shaft with respect to said housing.

Claim 18

A mechanical coupling for marine vehicles including: a. a first member having a vertically disposed track member, b. said first member including an elongated vertically disposed housing having a longitudinal slot in one portion thereof, c. a second member having an elongated shaft including a locking portion at one end thereof for engagement with said vertically disposed track member, d. the locking portion of said second member including a cross member inserted through the longitudinal slot of said elongated housing when the cross member is aligned therewith, said cross member being rotated after insertion through the longitudinal slot of said elongated housing to lock said second member in said first member. e. clip means attached to the terminals of the cross member of said second member, f. spring means for urging said clip means outwardly into engagement with said elongated, vertically disposed housing, g. means for rotating said elongated shaft for selectively engaging said locking portion thereof with, and disengaging the same from, the vertically disposed track member, h. said second member including a housing through which said elongated shaft extends, i. means on said housing engageable with the periphery of said elongated shaft for selectively locking said elongated shaft to prevent rotation of movement thereof, and j. means on said housing engageable with said elongated shaft for preventing longitudinal movement of said elongated shaft with respect to said housing.