US2669733A - Detachable platform for small boats - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 23, 1954 J, PICKER 2,669,733

DETACHABLE PLATFORM FOR SMALL BOATS Filed Sept. 14, 1951 J /7 I /9 INVENTOR meaLa P/cmsze, F76. 6. I 24 ,'Z/ j? k BY J7 /MzflM7za/2z Pam j; ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 23, 1954 UNITED STATES OFF ICE.

DETACHABLE PLATFORM FOR SMALL BOATS This invention relates to detachable platforms for small boats and more particularly to a detachable platform having an attached ladder, so that it can be used as a swimming and diving platform to provide on small boats, such as rowboats, the swimming and diving facilities usually associated with larger boats, such as power cruisers and yachts.

It is among the objects of the invention to provide a detachable platform assembly which can be quickly and easily mounted on and detached from small boats, such as rowboats, and when attached, provides a convenient platform for diving or swimming; which includes a depending ladder to provide convenient access to the platform from the water and guard rails or handles to assist in gaining the platform from the ladder and prevent accidental falling from the ends of the platform; which is mounted on the bow of a boat symmetrically of the longitudinal center line thereof to avoid tipping or accidentally upsetting the associated boat; which is firmly secured to the boat when in operative position against the danger of accidental separation; which can be folded to a compact condition for transportation and storage; and which is simple and durable in construction, economical to manufacture, easy to use, and neat and attractive in appearance.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the following description and the appended claims in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure l is a fragmentary perspective view of the bow end of a boat showing a detachable platform assembly illustrative of the invention peratively mounted thereon;

Figure is a transverse cross sectional view on the line of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view on the line 33 of Figure 2 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary cross sectional View on an enlarged scale on. the line i l of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a clamp lock constituting an operative component of the assembly;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary cross sectional view on an enlarged scale on the line 5-5 of Figure l; and

Figure 7 is a fragmentary cross sectional view similar to Figure 4, but showing a somewhat modified construction.

With continued reference to the drawing, the boat Ill, fragmentarily illustrated, is a small, open type boat, such as a rowboat, having a stem ll, sides [2 and It secured at their front ends to the stem at respectively opposite sides of the latter, gunwales I l and i5 extending along the upper edges of the sides l2 and I3 respectively and converging to the stem, and a bow thwart It disposed between the sides 12 and it at a location spaced downwardly from the gunwales I l and I5.

The detachable platform or separable deck assembly comprises a platform plate ll of elongated, rectangular shape and formed of suitable material, such as wood, light metal or synthetic material. Battens l8 and is are secured to the plate ll, one at each end and at the same side of the plate and extend transversely of the plate substantially flush with the end edges of the latter and in spaced apart and substantially parallel relationship to each other. These battens are substantially coterminous with the width of the plate and each is provided with spaced apart, longitudinally extending slots, as indicated at 20.

Arm 2| and 22, somewhat longer than the battens Hi and It, are disposed against the inner sides of the battens l8 and I 9 respectively, and bolts 23 carrying wing nuts 24 extend through apertures in the arms and through the slots 28 in the battens to secure the arms to the corresponding battens for longitudinal movements of adjustment of the arms longitudinally of the battens, so that the extent to which the arms eX- tend from one of the side edges of the plate I! can be adjusted to accommodate the device to different bow shapes.

Clamp blocks 25 and 25 are disposed at the side of the plate H from which the battens and arms extend and these clamp blocks are disposed at respectively opposite sides of the midlength location of the plate and spaced substantially equal distances from the mid-length location. As these blocks are substantially identical in construction, a detailed illustration and description of one only is considered sufficient for the purposes of this disclosure and the block 25 has been selected for such detailed illustration and description and is illustrated in detail in Figure 5.

The clamp block 25 is an elongated rectangular body of substantially square or cross sectional shape recessed or rabbeted out along one edge to provide a recess ii of right angular shape and recessed intermediate its length to provide a notch 28 of rectangular shape having a length materially less than the length of the block and disposed substantially symmetrically of the midlength location of the latter. This provides a structure including an elongated bar of rectanguiar cross sectional shape and two rectangular blocks disposed on one side of the bar, one at each end of the latter and projecting beyond one side of the bar to provide ledges or flanges 29.

When the clamp block is operatively applied to the .boat, the associated boat gunwale is received in the recess 2i and the flanges 29 overlie the top edge of the gunwales to support the block on the gunwale. The clamp block is provided with apertures 55) and Si extending transversely therethrough and elongated longitudinally of the block and the plate ii is provided with fourlongitudinally extending slots 32, 33, 3d and 35. The slots 32 and 33 are disposed substantially parallel to each other and adjacent one end of the plate, While the slots 3d and 35 are disposed substantially parallel to each other and adjacent the other end of the plate. Bolts 36 carrying wing nuts 31' extend one through each of the slots in the plate ii and through each of the apertures in the clamp block and adjustably secure the clamp blocks to the plate, so that the clamp blocks can be positioned relative to the plate to receive the bow end portion of the gunwales of boats having diiferently shaped bows.

In the arrangement shown in Figure i, a G- clamp $8, of known construction, extends through the recess 23 in the slide block and over the upper edge of the gum-vale and has its fixed abutment engaging the outer side of the gunwale and its movable abutment engaging the inner side of the corresponding clamp block to rigidly clamp the clamp block to the associated gunwale of the boat.

In the somewhatmodified arrangement shown in Figure 7, an ear or lug 39 is secured to the clamp block within the notch 28 thereof and constitutes the fixed abutment of the C-clamp. The C-clamp extends from this lug over the upper edge of the associated gunwale and its movable abutment engages the outer side of the gunwale to firmly clamp the clamp block to the associated boat .gunwale.

With this arrangement, the platform plate ii is firmly clamped to the gunwales of a boat and is disposed at the bow end of the boat substantially symmetrically of the longitudinal center line of the boat, so that the boat will not be tipped or accidentall upset by a person standing on the platform or climbing onto the platform from the water.

A ladder All? is connected to and extends from the platform and comprises two chains ii and :22 connected each at one end to the arms 2! and 22 respectively, near the ends of the arms projecting outwardly from the platform plate i! and cross-bars or rungs 33 extending between and connected at their ends to the chains ll and 32 at substantially uniformly spaced apart loca tions along the chains.

In the arrangement illustrated, there are three ladder rungs which progressively decrease in length'in a direction away from the platform and each of the chains includes swivel joints M therein disposed one between each two adjacent rungs, so that the chain will automatically untwist if it is dropped into the water in a twisted condition.

Flat hooks 45 and lti are slidably secured to the platform plate ii and project from the edge of the plate from which the arms ill and 22 prcject. These hooks can be pulled out, as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 3, to receive the ladder rungs and support the ladder above the water when it is desired to move the boat with the platform attached thereto.

A guard member il in the form of an elon gated bar extends between and is secured at its ends to the arms 2! and 22 at the ends of the arms remote from the ,plate ll This guard bar overlies the prow of the boat and has rounded outer edges to protect a person climbing the ladder and onto the platform plate against the sharp prow of the boat. Where this guard bar is not needed, it may be omitted without in any way exceeding the scope of the invention.

U-s-haped guard rails 48 and 49 upstand, one from each end of the plate ii and are releasably secured at their open ends to the platform plate.

.As vis particularly illustrated in Figure 6, the platform plate has tubular sockets 5t extending therethrough, one at each corner thereof, and through the corresponding batt'ens l8 and I, each tubular socket being provided at one end with an outwardly projecting annular flange recessed into the upper surface of the plate H and at its other end with a screw threaded portion receiving a nut 51 which bears against the edge of the batten remote from the plate, so that the socket assists in securing the batten to the plate. The guard rails are preferably of elongated, rectangular cross sectional shape and are provided on their ends with extensions of circular cross sectional shape which fit into the corresponding sockets to support the guard rails in upright position on the platform plate. If desired, the distal end portions of the extensions 52 may be screw threaded and wing nuts 53 threaded onto these screw threaded portions to positively'maintain the end portions of the guard rails in the corresponding sockets.

When it is desired to fold the device for transportation or storage, the wing nuts 24 are loosened and the arms moved inwardly of the corresponding battens to their limiting inner positions. The guard rails i438 and t9 are then removed from the platform plate and laid flat thereon and the ladder chains are then wrapped about the plate and the guard rails to provide a small package of convenient size to carry.

The platform plate ii is preferably provided on its upper surface with a mat or covering 54 of a suitable material, such as rubber, which will resist the slipping of wet feet on the platform and the clamp blocks may, if desired, be provided with pads of resilient *material to protect the gunwales of boats to which the device is attached, from damage.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are, therefore, intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a deckless boat having a stem at its bow and gunwales extending along the upper edge thereof and converging to said stem, a platform assembly mountedon said gunwales adjacent said stem and constituting a separable deck assembly, said assembly comprising a plate extending across said gunwales and the "space therebetween and having one edge disposed adjacent said stem, and clamps disposed along the under side of said plate and connected thereto for movement of adjustment relative to said plate to bring said clamps into engagement with said gunwales and clamp said plate to said gunwales.

2. In combination with a deckless boat having a stem at its bow and gunwales extending along the upper edge thereof and converging to said stem, a separable deck assembly mounted on said gunwales adjacent said stem and comprising a plate extending across said gunwales and the space therebetween and having one edge disposed adjacent said stem, clamps disposed at the under side of said plate and connected thereto for movements of adjustment relative to said plate and connected thereto for movements of adjustment relative to said plate to bring said clamps into engagement with said gunwales and clamp said plate to said gunwales, said plate being of a size to provide a diving platform, and guard rail structures mounted on said plate near the edges of said plate adjacent said gunwales and extending upwardly from said plate in spaced apart relationship to each other.

3. In combination with a deckless boat having a stem at its bow and gunwales extending along the upper edge thereof and converging to said stem, a platform assembly mounted on said gunwales adjacent said stem and constituting a separable deck assembly, said assembly comprising a plate extending across said gunwales and the space therebetween and having one edge disposed adjacent said stem, clamps disposed at the under side of said plate and connected to said plate for movements of adjustment relative to the plate to bring said clamps into engagement with said gunwales and securely clamp said plate to said gunwales, arms extending across said plate one adjacent the outer side of each of said gunwales and projecting outwardly of said one edge of said plate, means connecting said arms to said plate for movements of adjustment of said arms relative to said plate longitudinally of said arms, and a flexible ladder connected at one end of said arms adjacent the ends of said arms disposed outwardly of said one edge of said plate and depending from said arms.

4. In combination with a deckless boat havin a stem at its bow and gunwales extending along the upper edge of the boat and converging to said stern, a platform assembly mounted on said gunwales adjacent said stern and constituting a separable deck assembly, said assembly comprising a plate extending across said gunwales and the space therebetween and having one edge adja cent said stem, clamps disposed at the under side of said plate and connected to said plate for movements of adjustment relative to the plate to bring said clamps into engagement with said gunwales and securely clamp said plate to said gunwales, arms extending across said plate one adjacent the outer side of each of said gunwales and projecting outwardly of said one edge of said plate, means connecting said arms to said plate for movements of adjustment of said arms relative to said plate longitudinally of said arms, a flexible ladder connected at one end of said arms adjacent the ends of said arms disposed outwardly of said one edge of said plate and depending from said arms, and a guard bar extending between and secured to said arms at the ends of said arms disposed outwardly of said one edge of said plate and depending from said arms, and a guard bar extending between and secured to said arms at the ends of said arms disposed outwardly of said one edge of said plate.

HARQLD J. PICKER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name 7 Date 596,427 Rickey Dec. 28, 1897 1,141,196 McLaren June 1, 1915 1,257,073 Frank Feb. 19, 1918 1,332,171 Endreson Feb. 24, 1920 1,568,307 Acocella Jan. 5, 1926 1,709,910 Gray Apr. 23, 1929 2,187,633 Smith Jan. 16, 1940

Images