US5071377A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Inboard marine engine flushing device
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1990-11-29
•
Granted: 1991-12-10
•
Expires: 2010-11-29
Abstract
Abstract An inboard marine engine flushing device for flushing the engine of a boat in dry-dock including a flexible, resiliently deformable preferably elastomeric conical shaped hollow member having a smaller inlet and a larger outlet. The outlet includes a water sealing surface which is sized to sealably engage around an engine sea water inlet fitting fixed to a boat hull. A preferably T-shaped hollow water supply conduit is also included having a first leg connected to the inlet end, a second leg connected to a pressurized water supply, and a third leg which is plugged or otherwise sealably engaged into a telescopically extendable and lockable elongated ground engaging member. The ground engaging member lockably retains the water sealing surface forcibly urged against the boat hull during engine flushing. The conical member is also bendably resilient to accommodate hull surfaces which are at a substantial angle to horizontal in the vicinity of the sea water inlet fitting.
Inventors
- 👤 Donald P. Saunders
- 👤 Steve A. Martie
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 10:21
CPC Classifications
F; F01; F01P; F01P11/00; F01P11/04; B; B63; B63H; B63H21/00; B63H21/38; B63H21/383; F01P3/00; F01P3/20; F01P3/207; F01P2050/00; F01P2050/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
138 words
An inboard marine engine flushing device comprising: a flexible hollow generally cone-shaped member having an open larger end in fluid communication with an open smaller end; a water supply conduit means connected at one end to and in fluid communication with said smaller end and connectable at its other end to a pressurized water source for supplying water into said cone-shaped member; said larger end having a primary water sealing surface which is sized to surround a marine inboard engine sea water inlet fitting connected to the exterior surface of a boat hull; an extendable support means having a ground engaging end and connected at the other end to said water supply conduit means for forcibly urging and retaining said larger end in generally water tight fashion against the boat hull and around the sea water inlet fitting.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
138 words
An inboard marine engine flushing device comprising: a flexible hollow generally cone-shaped member having an open larger end in fluid communication with an open smaller end; a water supply conduit means connected at one end to and in fluid communication with said smaller end and connectable at its other end to a pressurized water source for supplying water into said cone-shaped member; said larger end having a primary water sealing surface which is sized to surround a marine inboard engine sea water inlet fitting connected to the exterior surface of a boat hull; an extendable support means having a ground engaging end and connected at the other end to said water supply conduit means for forcibly urging and retaining said larger end in generally water tight fashion against the boat hull and around the sea water inlet fitting.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
48 words
An inboard marine engine flushing device as set forth in claim 1, wherein: said cone-shaped member includes pliable means for permitting said water sealing surface to be elastically rotatably displaced from its free orientation with respect to said water supply conduit means to accommodate an angled boat hull.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
43 words
An inboard marine engine flushing device as set forth in claim 2, further comprising: a secondary water sealing surface interior to said primary water sealing surface which contacts the boat hull as said cone-shaped member is further forcibly urged against the boat hull.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
An inboard marine engine flushing device as set foth in claim 3, wherein: said extendable support means includes an enlarged ground-engaging distal end.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
152 words
An inboard marine engine flushing device comprising: a flexible, conical-shaped means for sealable engagement of a sealing surface thereof against the outer surface of a boat hull to sealably surround a marine inboard engine sea water inlet fitting on the hull exterior surface; conduit means connected to said flexible conical-shaped means for conveying water from a pressurized water source into said flexible conical-shaped means; said flexible conical-shaped means also for conveying water from said conduit means into the sea water inlet fitting; an extendable support means connected to said conduit means for retaining said conical-shaped means in sealable engagement against the hull by engagement against the ground; a line of weakness means formed transversely around an exterior mid-portion of said conical-shaped means for permitting said conical-shaped means to be elastically flexed from a free straight longitudinal alignment in response to forcibly urging said conical-shaped means against an angled boat hull outer surface.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
152 words
An inboard marine engine flushing device comprising: a flexible, conical-shaped means for sealable engagement of a sealing surface thereof against the outer surface of a boat hull to sealably surround a marine inboard engine sea water inlet fitting on the hull exterior surface; conduit means connected to said flexible conical-shaped means for conveying water from a pressurized water source into said flexible conical-shaped means; said flexible conical-shaped means also for conveying water from said conduit means into the sea water inlet fitting; an extendable support means connected to said conduit means for retaining said conical-shaped means in sealable engagement against the hull by engagement against the ground; a line of weakness means formed transversely around an exterior mid-portion of said conical-shaped means for permitting said conical-shaped means to be elastically flexed from a free straight longitudinal alignment in response to forcibly urging said conical-shaped means against an angled boat hull outer surface.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
An inboard marine engine flushing device as set forth in claim 5, further comprising: a secondary hull-engaging water sealing means for increasing the water-sealing action of said conical shaped means against the boat hull exterior surface.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
167 words
An inboard marine flushing device for flushing an inboard engine of a boat which is in dry dock comprising: a molded thin wall flexible, hollow elastomeric generally conical member open at each end, a larger end having a planar water sealing surface formed of dual, boat hull engaging ribs and a smaller end; said larger end generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said conical member and sized to fit around a marine inboard engine sea water inlet fitting connected to the exterior surface of a boat hull; a T-shaped water supply conduit having a first leg connectable to a water supply source, a second leg connected to, and in fluid communication with, said conical member smaller end, and a third leg; an elongated downwardly extending ground engaging member slidably and lockably connected to said third leg whereby a lower distal end of said ground engaging member is extendable sufficiently to contact the ground to sealably urge and retain said water sealing surface against the boat hull;
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
167 words
An inboard marine flushing device for flushing an inboard engine of a boat which is in dry dock comprising: a molded thin wall flexible, hollow elastomeric generally conical member open at each end, a larger end having a planar water sealing surface formed of dual, boat hull engaging ribs and a smaller end; said larger end generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said conical member and sized to fit around a marine inboard engine sea water inlet fitting connected to the exterior surface of a boat hull; a T-shaped water supply conduit having a first leg connectable to a water supply source, a second leg connected to, and in fluid communication with, said conical member smaller end, and a third leg; an elongated downwardly extending ground engaging member slidably and lockably connected to said third leg whereby a lower distal end of said ground engaging member is extendable sufficiently to contact the ground to sealably urge and retain said water sealing surface against the boat hull;
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
58 words
An inboard marine engine flushing device as set forth in claim 7, further comprising: a transverse line of weakness in said conical member which enables said conical member to be elastically bendingly deformed about the longitudinal axis of said conical member whereby said water sealing surface is realigned to an acute angle with respect to the longitudinal axis.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
61 words
An inboard marine engine flushing device as set forth in claim 8, further comprising: a secondary water sealing flap which extends radially inward then downwardly away from said water sealing surface; said secondary water sealing flap sealably contacting the boat hull when said conical members is further forcibly urged against the boat hull and held thusly by said ground engaging member.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
An inboard marine engine flushing device as set forth in claim 9, wherein: said third leg includes an enlarged ground-engaging surface at its distal end.
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) | 1994-12-09 | 1995-06-10 | 1995-12-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-12-09 | 1999-06-10 | 1999-12-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-12-09 | 2003-06-10 | 2003-12-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |