US3657751A

US3657751A - Amphibious camper

Info

Publication number: US3657751A
Application number: US12935A
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert H Shaw
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1970-02-20
Filing date: 1970-02-20
Publication date: 1972-04-25
Anticipated expiration: 1989-04-25

Abstract

An amphibious type of camper includes a raft on which a camper body is removably attached and flotation pontoons are attached to the side of the raft. The pontoons are so attached that they can be readily swung from operative positions at the sides of the raft to retracted positions over the raft for storage purposes when it is necessary to transport it over a highway, such as on a truck trailer.

Description

United States Patent Shaw 14 1 Apr. 25, 1972 [541 AMPHIBIOUS CAMPER [56] Reierences Cited [72] inventor: Robert H. Shaw, 131 Oakwood Lane, NITED ST TES PATENTS 3,308,782 3/1967 Dahl ..115/1 R 22 i 10, 1970 3,414,916 12/1968 Martin et al ..9/1 T [21] PP 12,935 Primary Examiner-Milton Buchier Assistant Examiner-F. K. Yee

RClllQd lhS Application A'torney Birch [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 733,711, May. 31,

i968, abandoned. [571 ABSTRACT An amphibious type of camper includes a raft on which a y [52] U.S. CI. ..9/1 R, 296/23 MC cam grbodyiis removqbly attached and flotation pontoons [5 1] Int. Cl. ..B63b 35/00 are attached to the side of the raft. The pontoons are so at- [58] Field of Search ..9/1 T, 1 R, l l; 1 14/61, 0.5 R, tached that they can be readily swung from operative positions ii4/0.5 F, 66.5 F; 296/23 B, 23 MC; 115/1 B, l R

at the sides of the raft to retracted positions over the raft for storage purposes when it is necessary to transport it over a highway, such as on a truck trailer.

4 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures 3 857,751 SHEET 10? 3 PATENTEDAPR 2 5 1972 FlG.l.

, INVENTOR ROBERT H. SHAW BY ATTORNEY PATENTEUAPR 25 1912 i 3.657, 751

sum 2 OF 3 POSlTlON O 2 s 1,?

2 s POSITION a POSITION A I INVENTOR ROBERT H. SHAW ATTORNEY PATENTEDAPR 25 I972 SHEET 3 GF 3 INVENTOR ROBERT H. SHAW BY ATTORNEY AMPHIBIOUS CAMPER This is a continuation-in-part of copending application for U.S. Pat. No. 733,7l l, filed May 31, 1968, now abandoned.

This invention relates to campers and it is more particularly concerned with an amphibious type of camper.

An object of the invention is the provision of a demountable camper which can be carried on a conventional pick-up truck,

and selectively removed from the truck for floating it on a body of water.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an amphibious camper secured to a raft having pontoons for floating the raft and means for selectively positioning the pontoons in operative and non-operative positions while they are attached to the raft.

A further object is the provision of an amphibious camper which can be used on land or water and which is readily converted from one such use to the other.

Amphibious carriers of the prior art require a dismantling of the flotation pontoons from their operative positions to their storage positions, in order to permit the device to becarried on a highway vehicle. In other types of amphibious carriers, the pontoons are fixed to a floating deck. Such devices are cumbersome and difficult to maneuver and present some difficulty in traveling on the highways. The present invention obviates these difficulties. 1

These and still further objects, advantages and features of the invention will appear more fully from the following description, considered together with the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention with the pontoons in flotation position, sidedeck removed.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view of the linkage for moving one of the pontoons from its flotation position to its storage posi- 1101'].

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of a fragmentary portion ofthe embodiment illustrating the means for supporting the removable side deck.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a fragmentary portion, partly in section, of the clutch means in engaged position.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4, with the clutch in disengaged position.

Referring with more particularity to the drawing in which like numerals designate like parts, the embodiment illustrated comprises a generally conventional type of camper body 11 removably mounted on a raft 12 in any conventional manner and by any conventional means (not shown).

The raft 12 is mounted on tubular longitudinal frame members 13 which are directly connected to fore and aft tubular cross members 14 and by a linkage, hereinafter described, to middle tubular member 15. Longitudinal inverted T shaped

rails

16 and 17 are secured, such as by welding, to the top of the frame members 13 in spaced relation. The deck of the raft 12 has a forward portion 18 and a rearward portion 19 disposed on and carried by the inner

horizontal portions

20 and 21 of the

rail members

16 and 17 in longitudinal spaced relation.

A sleeve is connected to the middle saddle 29 and it is slidably engaged with a shaft 31 shorter than the corresponding shafts 23 of the fore and aft saddles 27. The outer end of tubular member 15 engages the inner end of the shaft 31 and they are secured together by a pin 32. The aft end of the tubular member 15 is provided with an upwardly 'ofl'set arm 33 which is secured to one part 34 of a two part clutch. Both clutch parts 34 and35 are rotatable on a longitudinal frame member 13 between the

rails

16 and 17. Adjacent ends of the

clutch parts

34 and 35 are provided with

meshable teeth

36 and 37, respectively. The clutch-part 35 is connected to one end of an arm 38 the other end being connected to the push bar 39 extending from one end of a hydraulic jack 40. The other end of the jack40 is provided with a hole 41 for attaching it in a fixed position to bracket 41A on the raft.

By these means actuation of the hydraulic jack 40 will tend to pivot the arm 38 from its initial position A (see FIG. 2) upwardly as shown in position B of FIG. 2 through the clutch, whereby the clutch is then reset by further extension of push bar 39 for a further movement of the arm 38 to position C which is the final storage position of the pontoon.

When the arm 38 is in its initial position, a bar 42 is disposed in the inner ends of the members 15 and secured by a removable pin 15A to hold them in fixed position. This bar is removed 1 when it is desired to move the pontoons to their storage posi- The camper body 11 has conventional recesses 22 to fit a transportation is separated from the camper body and maybe mounted in a conventional manner on a trailer (not shown) attached to the truck.

The fore and aft tubular cross members 14 are each provided with an extension shaft 23 which .are releasibly connected together by means of a pin 24. The shaft 23 extends outwardly from the end of the cross member 14 and carries a tubular sleeve 25 to which it is releasibly connected by a pin 26. A saddle 27 is secured to the bottom of each sleeve 25. The saddle 27 is attached directly to one of the pontoons 28. A middle saddle 29 on each side is attached in vertical aligntions.

A pin 43 secures the part 34 of the clutch in selected fixed positions relative to the member 13 through apertures 43A and 43B. v

The two parts of the clutch are provided with shoulders 44 and 45 and

shoulder stops

46 and 47 for limiting the movement of these parts on the member 13.

In normal flotation position, as shown in FIG. 1, the pontoons 28 are secured by means of the

shafts

23 and 31 extending through the

sleeves

25 and 30 and into the

members

14 and 15, the middle members 15 being held in place by the stabilizing bar 42.

When it is desired to move the pontoons to their storage positions, the bar 42 and shafts 23 are removed leaving each pontoon suspended by the middle saddle 29 at its center of gravity. The jack 40 is then actuated to bring the pontoons first to their intermediate positions shown in FIG. 2, position B. The clutch is thenreset by sliding clutch part 35 longitudinally on member 13 sufficient to disengage

teeth

36 and 37, reposition arm 38, and reposition clutch 35 to reengage the teeth by engaging the

teeth

36 and 37 and the jack 40 is again actuated to bring the pontoons to the position shown in FIG. 2, position C.

' The

shafts

23 and 31 extend outwardly beyond their

corresponding sleeves

25 and 30 to receive each a horizontal tubular member 48 to which stanchions 49 are secured. An angle member 50 is secured to the stanchions 49 level with the

frame members

16 and 17, whereupon a side deck 51 may be disposed between and supported on the

ledges

52 and 53 of the

members

16, 17 and 50, respectively, as an extension of the deck of the raft see FIGS. 2 and 3.

A pair of conventional jack brackets (54 and 55) may be secured to eight side of the camper body 11 for supporting it on conventional jacks (not shown) when it is desired to emplace the camper body on the raft or to remove the camper body from the raft. Such jack brackets should be longitudinally spaced on either side a distance less than the distance between

shafts

23 and 31.

Iclaim:

l. A device of the character described comprising a raft, said raft having longitudinal frame members, flotation pontoons on either longitudinal side of the raft, means for supporting the pontoons on and connecting them to the said frame members of the raft in flotation position below the raft and for retracting the pontoons while connected to the raft frame members to storage position above the raft and inwardly from the edges of its longitudinal sides, each pontoon ment with the center of gravity of the pontoons, respectively. being secured to a group of longitudinally spaced saddles, one

of said saddles being a center saddle connected to said means for supporting said pontoons and connecting them to the said frame members of the raft, in substantially vertical alignment with the center of gravity of the pontoon, the retracting means being connected exclusively to the center saddle through said first named means, and means for releasibly attaching the remaining saddles to the pontoon and the said longitudinal frame members.

2. A device of the character described comprising a longitudinal rafi, flotation pontoons on either longitudinal side of the raft, means for supporting the pontoons on and connecting them to the raft in flotation position below the raft and for retracting the pontoons while connected to the raft to storage positions above the raft and inwardly from the edges of its longitudinal sides, said raft comprising transverse tubular frame members, each pontoon having a group of spaced saddles, a tubular strut secured to each saddle in axial alignment with a transverse tubular frame member and a bar for releasably contion below the raft and for retracting the pontoonswhile connected to the raft to storage positions above the raft and inwardly from the edges of its longitudinal sides, said tubular struts are relatively short and are pivoted to the said frame members of the raft and have their open inner'ends normally facing each other, and a rigid bar adapted to be inserted in said normally facing ends to resist pivotal movement of the tubular struts.

4. A device of the character described comprising a longitudinal raft having spaced transverse frame members, flotation pontoons on either longitudinal side of the raft, means for supporting the pontoons on and connecting them to the raft in flotation position below the raft and for retracting the pontoons while connected to the raft to storage positions above the raft and inwardly from the edges of its longitudinal sides, the pontoons being rotatable between their flotation positions and their storage positions, releasable means for limiting and arresting the rotation of the pontoons at their flotation positions, the means comprising a pivoted arm, a two part clutch,

one part of the clutch being connected to the arm and the other part being connected to an intermediate one of said transverse frame members, and hydraulic means for applying thrust to the pivoted arrn.

i l t

Claims

1. A device of the character described comprising a raft, said raft having longitudinal frame members, flotation pontoons on either longitudinal side of the raft, means for supporting the pontoons on and connecting them to the said frame members of the raft in flotation position below the raft and for retracting the pontoons while connected to the raft frame members to storage position above the raft and inwardly from the edges of its longitudinal sides, each pontoon being secured to a group of longitudinally spaced saddles, one of said saddles being a center saddle connected to said means for supporting said pontoons and connecting them to the said frame members of the raft, in substantially vertical alignment with the center of gravity of the pontoon, the retracting means being connected exclusively to the center saddle through said first named means, and means for releasibly attaching the remaining saddles to the pontoon and the said longitudinal frame members.

2. A device of the character described comprising a longitudinal raft, flotation pontoons on either longitudinal side of the raft, means for supporting the pontoons on and connecting them to the raft in flotation position below the raft and for retracting the pontoons while connected to the raft to storage positions above the raft and inwardly from the edges of its longitudinal sides, said raft comprising transverse tubular frame members, each pontoon having a group of spaced saddles, a tubular strut secured to each saddle in axial alignment with a transverse tubular frame member and a bar for releasably connecting each tubular strut with its corresponding tubular frame member.

3. A device of the character described comprising a longitudinal raft, flotation pontoons on either longitudinal side of the raft, said raft having longitudinal frame members, means including tubular struts and a pair of saddles for supporting the pontoons on and connecting them to the raft in flotation position below the raft and for retracting the pontoons while connected to the raft to storage positions above the raft and inwardly from the edges of its longitudinal sides, said tubular struts are relatively short and are pivoted to the said frame members of the raft and have their open inner ends normally facing each other, and a rigid bar adapted to be inserted in said normally facing ends to resist pivotal movement of the tubular struts.

4. A device of the character described comprising a longitudinal raft having spaced transverse frame members, flotation pontoons on either longitudinal side of the raft, means for supporting the pontoons on and connecting them to the raft in flotation position below the raft and for retracting the pontoons while connected to the raft to storage positions above the raft and inwardly from the edges of its longitudinal sides, the pontoons being rotatable between their flotation positions and their storage positions, releasable means for limiting and arresting the rotation of the pontoons at their flotation positions, the means comprising a pivoted arm, a two part clutch, one part of the clutch being connected to the arm and the other part being connected to an intermediate one of said transverse frame members, and hydraulic means for applying thrust to the pivoted arm.