US4085859A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Car-top boat loader
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1976-06-01
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Granted: 1978-04-25
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Expires: 1996-06-01
Abstract
Abstract A retrofit car-top boat loader for loading a boat on a car already fitted with a car-top carrier of the type including at least front and rear spaced carrier bars, fixedly supported on the car top parallel to each other and transversely with respect to the longitudinal centerline of the car, the carrier bars extending generally out to the sides of the car, the loader comprising an elongated member, such as a pipe or tube, having a length preferably exceeding the maximum width at the gunwales of the boat to be transported and the distance between the opposite outer edges of the carrier bars, whichever is greater, the loader having a yoke member mounted thereon near one end thereof, the yoke opening in a direction away from its mounting and being pivotable about its mounting axis, and means for securing the elongated member to the tops of the front and rear carrier bars, parallel to the side of the car and with the yoke mounting axis being disposed vertically.
Inventors
- 👤 Roman L. Petron
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 08:40
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60P; B60P3/00; B60P3/06; B60P3/10; B60P3/1008
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
290 words
A retrofit car-top boat loader for loading a boat, gunwhale down, atop a car already fitted with a car-top carrier of the type that includes spaced front and rear carrier bars fixedly supported on the car top parallel to each other and transverse to the longitudinal centerline of the car, the transverse carrier bars extending generally out to each side of the car top, said loader comprising a loader bar, said bar comprising an elongated member having a cross-section of sufficient dimension to provide an effective abutment along substantially the entire length thereof against which the boat gunwhale can be retained in transit, an effective length at least equal to the maximum width of the boat at the gunwhale and a minimum overall length at least equal to the dimension between the outside edges of the carrier bars, whichever is greater, and a yoke member comprising a generally U-shaped portion having a width sufficient to receive a boat gunwhale with clearance so that the boat gunwhale can be moved without interference through said yoke during loading and unloading and a pivot pin extending from said U-shaped portion, said yoke member being pivotally mounted directly on and to said elongated member near one end thereof, with said yoke member physically engaging said elongated member, said yoke being open away from said elongated member and pivotable, said pivot pin extending normal to the centerline of said elongated member, said effective length being equal to the dimension between said yoke opening and the opposite end of said bar, and means for securing said elongated member directly to the top of the front and rear bars so that said elongated member is disposed entirely above the top surfaces of the front and rear bars.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
290 words
A retrofit car-top boat loader for loading a boat, gunwhale down, atop a car already fitted with a car-top carrier of the type that includes spaced front and rear carrier bars fixedly supported on the car top parallel to each other and transverse to the longitudinal centerline of the car, the transverse carrier bars extending generally out to each side of the car top, said loader comprising a loader bar, said bar comprising an elongated member having a cross-section of sufficient dimension to provide an effective abutment along substantially the entire length thereof against which the boat gunwhale can be retained in transit, an effective length at least equal to the maximum width of the boat at the gunwhale and a minimum overall length at least equal to the dimension between the outside edges of the carrier bars, whichever is greater, and a yoke member comprising a generally U-shaped portion having a width sufficient to receive a boat gunwhale with clearance so that the boat gunwhale can be moved without interference through said yoke during loading and unloading and a pivot pin extending from said U-shaped portion, said yoke member being pivotally mounted directly on and to said elongated member near one end thereof, with said yoke member physically engaging said elongated member, said yoke being open away from said elongated member and pivotable, said pivot pin extending normal to the centerline of said elongated member, said effective length being equal to the dimension between said yoke opening and the opposite end of said bar, and means for securing said elongated member directly to the top of the front and rear bars so that said elongated member is disposed entirely above the top surfaces of the front and rear bars.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
A loader such as that recited in claim 1, wherein said yoke is pivotable 360° about said axis of said pivot pin.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
A loader such as that recited in claim 1, wherein said securing means comprises first means for securing said elongated member to the front carrier bar and second means for securing said elongated member to the rear carrier bar.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
56 words
A loader such as that recited in claim 3, wherein said first means comprises a threaded element having a threaded axis parallel to said yoke axis, said element extending from the center of the side of said elongated member opposite said yoke and adapted to pass vertically through an opening therefor in the front carrier bar.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
56 words
A loader such as that recited in claim 3, wherein said second means comprises a J-bolt with a threaded portion adapted to pass through an opening in the rear carrier bar and a hook portion adapted to merely hook over said elongated member at a position where said elongated member rests on the rear carrier bar.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
61 words
A loader such as that recited in claim 1, wherein said securing means comprises first means for securing said elongated member at a predetermined position thereon to one of said carrier bars and second means for securing said elongated member to the other of said carrier bars at a variable position thereon where said elongated member crosses said other carrier bar.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
256 words
A car-top boat loader for loading a boat gunwhale down atop a car-top carrier having spaced front and rear flat-topped carrier bars and means fixedly supporting the bars on the car top parallel to each other and transverse to the longitudinal centerline of the car, the carrier bars extending generally out to each side of the car top, said loader comprising a loader bar, said loader bar comprising a single-piece elongated square-tube member having a longitudinal axis and a length exceeding the maximum width of the boat at the gunwhale and the dimension between the outside edges of the spaced carrier bars, whichever is greater, said elongated member being free of any other separate elements but having a pivot passage nearer one end thereof, and a yoke member pivotally mounted directly on said elongated member in said pivot passage so that said yoke member physically engages said elongated member, said yoke member having a U-shaped portion opening away from said elongated member and a pivot pin disposed in said pivot passage so as to be pivotable about an axis normal to said axis of said elongated member, whereby said loader is adapted to be mounted atop and secured to said carrier bars in any desired position and without need for tools by means such as U-bolts with wing nuts, with said loader bar disposed entirely above the top surfaces of the carrier bars so as to provide an effective abutment along substantially the entire length thereof against which the boat gunwhale can be retained in transit.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
256 words
A car-top boat loader for loading a boat gunwhale down atop a car-top carrier having spaced front and rear flat-topped carrier bars and means fixedly supporting the bars on the car top parallel to each other and transverse to the longitudinal centerline of the car, the carrier bars extending generally out to each side of the car top, said loader comprising a loader bar, said loader bar comprising a single-piece elongated square-tube member having a longitudinal axis and a length exceeding the maximum width of the boat at the gunwhale and the dimension between the outside edges of the spaced carrier bars, whichever is greater, said elongated member being free of any other separate elements but having a pivot passage nearer one end thereof, and a yoke member pivotally mounted directly on said elongated member in said pivot passage so that said yoke member physically engages said elongated member, said yoke member having a U-shaped portion opening away from said elongated member and a pivot pin disposed in said pivot passage so as to be pivotable about an axis normal to said axis of said elongated member, whereby said loader is adapted to be mounted atop and secured to said carrier bars in any desired position and without need for tools by means such as U-bolts with wing nuts, with said loader bar disposed entirely above the top surfaces of the carrier bars so as to provide an effective abutment along substantially the entire length thereof against which the boat gunwhale can be retained in transit.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
A loader such as that recited in claim 7, wherein said elongated member is a hollow structural element.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
A loader such as that recited in claim 7, wherein said elongated member is a square tube.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
42 words
A loader such as that recited in claim 7, wherein said elongated member is of a length such that said yoke member is positioned, when said elongated member is secured on the car-top carrier, on one side of the spaced carrier bars.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1981-04-24 | 1981-10-24 | 1982-04-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1985-04-24 | 1985-10-24 | 1986-04-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1989-04-24 | 1989-10-24 | 1990-04-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |