GB2190334A - Boat trailer - Google Patents

Abstract

A boat trailer has an axle (8) turning within an axle sleeve (9) which is fixed to a T-frame (1,2). Levers (14) are connected to the axle and a wire cable (15) is joined at each end to the end of one of the levers, the cable being connected to a winch (6) via a further cable (18). By letting out the cable 18, the axle is allowed to turn in the axle sleeve, the wheels 11 which are mounted on lever arms 13 thereby moving upwardly, and the T-frame is lowered towards the ground for loading/unloading the boat. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A boat trailer This invention relates to a boat trailer, a frame of which can be lowered towards the ground.

Boat trailers are well known road vehicles which generally consist of a wheeled chassis upon which a frame to support a boat is permanently secured. There are various kinds of boat trailers including tilt-back trailers, those which incorporate a launching trolley, and those with widely variable supporting rollers.

On none of these trailers, however, can the frame be lowered within the wheelbase to give the easiest possible low level launch and recovery of the boat.

According to the present invention, there is provided a boat trailer comprising an axle; a frame; and means for lowering the axle, for in turn lowering at least part of the frame on to or close to the ground.

The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure. 1 is a exploded view of a boat trailer according to an example of the invention; and Figs. 2 and 3 show details of the trailer in going to its lowered position.

Referring to Fig. 1, a boat trailer comprises a metal "T-frame" in the form of a spine 1 and a cross-piece 2; a forward towing attachment 3 bolted to the spine 1; a jockey wheel 4 carried by a telescopic raising and lowering arrangement 5 for spine 1, which is bottled to the spine 1; a winch 6 bottled to the spine 1; a cross-bar 7 and associated bolt holes for use in carrying a spare wheel; and a wheeled axle 8 which turns within axle sleeve 9 welded to spine 1. Reference numerals 10 denote foam pads around the axle 8.

Wheels 11 (only one shown) are secured to the axle 8 using commercially available suspension units 12 each with a lever arm 13. At each end of the axle 8 a respective lever 14 is secured which runs rearwards to the crosspiece 2 of the T-frame, and a wire cable 15 is looped at each end over the end of a respective one of the levers 1-4, passing thereto via the sheave of a respective one of pulleys 16 (only one shown), attached to the ends of the cross-piece 2. The wire cable 15 also passes round the sheave of a pulley 17, from which a wire cable 18 runs to the drum of the winch 6.

Mudguards 19 (only one shown) which each pivot around a respective vertical axis 20 are mounted on the ends of cross-piece 2. When in the roadgoing position, the mudguards 19 secure the levers 14 and the axle 8 safely in place.

To unload a boat on the T-frame, mudguards 19 are swivelled out sideways about axes 20 and rest with their struts 21 on the ground. The wire cable 18 is then let out by the winch 6 so that the levers 14 move up, whereby the axle 8 turns in its sleeve 9 and begins to go down, thus lowering the T-frame and the boat towards the ground, Figs. 2 and 3 showing detail of the trailer during lowering.

The boat on the T-frame can then float off in very shallow water.

In re-loading a boat, the process is reversed and the winding of the wire cable 18 on to the winch 6 pulls down the levers 14 via the cable 15 and raises the T-frame and the boat out of the water.

1. A boat trailer comprising an axle; a frame; and means for lowering the axle for in turn lowering at least part of the frame on to or close to the ground.

2. A trailer according to claim 1, wherein said means comprises levers connected to the axle and means for moving said levers.

3. A trailer according to claim 2, wherein said means for moving said levers comprises cable joined to the levers and connected to a winch on the frame.

4. A trailer according to claim 3, wherein the cable runs via pulleys on the frame on its way to the lever.

5. A trailer according to claim 4, wherein the cable runs via a further pulley on the frame, intermediate the first mentioned pulleys, the further pulley being connected to the winch via further cable.

6. A trailer according to any preceding claim, wherein the frame is in the form of a Frame.

7. A trailer according to any preceding claim, wherein said axle turns within an axle sleeve fixed to the frame.

8. A trailer according to claim 2 or any of claims 3 to 7 as dependent on claim 2, which is provided with pivotable mudguards for securing the levers for road going.

9. A boat trailer, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (9)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION A boat trailer This invention relates to a boat trailer, a frame of which can be lowered towards the ground. Boat trailers are well known road vehicles which generally consist of a wheeled chassis upon which a frame to support a boat is permanently secured. There are various kinds of boat trailers including tilt-back trailers, those which incorporate a launching trolley, and those with widely variable supporting rollers. On none of these trailers, however, can the frame be lowered within the wheelbase to give the easiest possible low level launch and recovery of the boat. According to the present invention, there is provided a boat trailer comprising an axle; a frame; and means for lowering the axle, for in turn lowering at least part of the frame on to or close to the ground. The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure. 1 is a exploded view of a boat trailer according to an example of the invention; and Figs. 2 and 3 show details of the trailer in going to its lowered position. Referring to Fig. 1, a boat trailer comprises a metal "T-frame" in the form of a spine 1 and a cross-piece 2; a forward towing attachment 3 bolted to the spine 1; a jockey wheel 4 carried by a telescopic raising and lowering arrangement 5 for spine 1, which is bottled to the spine 1; a winch 6 bottled to the spine 1; a cross-bar 7 and associated bolt holes for use in carrying a spare wheel; and a wheeled axle 8 which turns within axle sleeve 9 welded to spine 1. Reference numerals 10 denote foam pads around the axle 8. Wheels 11 (only one shown) are secured to the axle 8 using commercially available suspension units 12 each with a lever arm 13. At each end of the axle 8 a respective lever 14 is secured which runs rearwards to the crosspiece 2 of the T-frame, and a wire cable 15 is looped at each end over the end of a respective one of the levers 1-4, passing thereto via the sheave of a respective one of pulleys 16 (only one shown), attached to the ends of the cross-piece 2. The wire cable 15 also passes round the sheave of a pulley 17, from which a wire cable 18 runs to the drum of the winch 6. Mudguards 19 (only one shown) which each pivot around a respective vertical axis 20 are mounted on the ends of cross-piece 2. When in the roadgoing position, the mudguards 19 secure the levers 14 and the axle 8 safely in place. To unload a boat on the T-frame, mudguards 19 are swivelled out sideways about axes 20 and rest with their struts 21 on the ground. The wire cable 18 is then let out by the winch 6 so that the levers 14 move up, whereby the axle 8 turns in its sleeve 9 and begins to go down, thus lowering the T-frame and the boat towards the ground, Figs. 2 and 3 showing detail of the trailer during lowering. The boat on the T-frame can then float off in very shallow water. In re-loading a boat, the process is reversed and the winding of the wire cable 18 on to the winch 6 pulls down the levers 14 via the cable 15 and raises the T-frame and the boat out of the water. CLAIMS

1. A boat trailer comprising an axle; a frame; and means for lowering the axle for in turn lowering at least part of the frame on to or close to the ground.

2. A trailer according to claim 1, wherein said means comprises levers connected to the axle and means for moving said levers.

3. A trailer according to claim 2, wherein said means for moving said levers comprises cable joined to the levers and connected to a winch on the frame.

4. A trailer according to claim 3, wherein the cable runs via pulleys on the frame on its way to the lever.

5. A trailer according to claim 4, wherein the cable runs via a further pulley on the frame, intermediate the first mentioned pulleys, the further pulley being connected to the winch via further cable.

6. A trailer according to any preceding claim, wherein the frame is in the form of a Frame.

7. A trailer according to any preceding claim, wherein said axle turns within an axle sleeve fixed to the frame.

8. A trailer according to claim 2 or any of claims 3 to 7 as dependent on claim 2, which is provided with pivotable mudguards for securing the levers for road going.

9. A boat trailer, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.