# US 12,759,681 B2 · Assemblies for boat lifts > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,759,681 B2 - Document ID: US12759681B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/664,353 - Filed: 2024-05-15 - Published: 2024-11-21 - Granted: 2026-10-13 - Earliest claimed: 2023-05-18 - Assignees: Great Lakes Entry Systems, Inc. - Applicants: Great Lakes Entry Systems, Inc. - Inventors: David Wacker - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12759681B2 ## CPC - B63C 3/06: by vertical movement of vessel, i.e. by crane - B63C 3/12: using cradles (vehicles in general for transporting boats or the like B60P) - B63C: LAUNCHING, HAULING-OUT, OR DRY-DOCKING OF VESSELS; LIFE-SAVING IN WATER; EQUIPMENT FOR DWELLING OR WORKING UNDER WATER; MEANS FOR SALVAGING OR SEARCHING FOR UNDERWATER OBJECTS (floating nets, floating slipways, or the like for recovering aircraft from the water B63B35/52) ## Abstract Boat lift assemblies and methods. In an example embodiment, a free-standing boat lift assembly can include a width-adjustable outer frame defined by vertical towers that support upper horizontal support beams, and one or more cable winding shafts mounted to one or more of the upper horizontal support beams. In some examples, the cable winding shaft(s) is/are mounted to the upper support beam(s) with one or more multi-part bearing blocks. In an example embodiment, a bearing block portion of a boat lift assembly can include a U-shaped shaft receiving recess and a cover plate. In some examples, the U-shaped shaft receiving recess defines a grease valley at a bottom of the U-shape. In some examples, a cable retaining plate can be mounted to one or more bearing blocks to assist in retaining wound cable on a spool surrounding the cable winding shaft. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An assembly for a boat lift, comprising: a frame, the frame extending from a bottom of the frame to a top of the frame parallel to a vertical axis, the frame including: four vertical members elongate parallel to the vertical axis, the vertical members including a first pair of vertical members and a second pair of vertical members; and four horizontal members elongate perpendicular to the vertical axis and coupled to the vertical members; a beam elongate perpendicular to the vertical axis and attached to two of the vertical members, the beam being positioned above the four horizontal members relative to the vertical axis; a cable winding shaft elongate perpendicular to the vertical axis and rotatable relative to the beam; and a cradle coupled to the cable winding shaft and configured, by rotation of the cable winding shaft, to move up and down parallel to the vertical axis and relative to the frame, the cradle including a first pair of cradle members elongate perpendicular to the vertical axis, wherein the first pair of vertical members and the second pair of vertical members are adjustably coupled to two of the four horizontal members to adjust a spacing between the first pair of the vertical members and the second pair of the vertical members. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, further comprising: a bearing block attached to the beam, where the cable winding is received with the bearing block; another beam elongate perpendicular to the vertical axis and coupled to the vertical members; another bearing block attached the another beam; and another a cable winding shaft elongate perpendicular to the vertical axis received in the another bearing block and rotatable relative to the another beam, wherein the cradle is coupled to the another cable winding shaft. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The assembly of claim 2, further comprising cables coupling the cradle to the cable winding shaft and the another cable winding shaft. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The assembly of claim 3, further comprising: a first motor attached to the beam and configured to drive the rotation of the cable winding shaft; and a second motor attached to the beam configured to drive rotation of the another cable winding shaft. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, further comprising four feet positioned at bottom ends of the four vertical members, the four feet being configured to rest on a bed or a floor of a body of water. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a motor attached to the beam and configured to the drive rotation of the cable winding shaft. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, wherein the cradle includes a second pair of cradle members and a third pair of cradle members elongate perpendicular to the vertical axis, the second pair of cradle members being elongate perpendicular to elongate dimensions of the first pair of cradle members, the third pair of cradle members being elongate parallel to elongate dimensions of the first pair of cradle members; and wherein the first pair of cradle members are adjustably coupled to the second pair of cradle members to adjust a spacing between the first pair of cradle members. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The assembly of claim 7, further comprising a cable coupled to the cable winding shaft and to one of the first pair of cradle members. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, further comprising: a bearing block attached to the beam, where the cable winding shaft is received in the bearing block, the bearing block including: a bearing block body defining a U-shaped recess that is open at a top of the bearing block body; and a bearing block plate configured to be fastened to the top of the bearing block body. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The assembly of claim 9, wherein the bearing block body includes a grease valley defined by a surface of the U-shaped recess at a bottom of the U-shaped recess. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The assembly of claim 9, further comprising a grooved cable retaining plate attached to the bearing block plate. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, further comprising: a pair of guides mounted to the cradle configured to center a watercraft on the cradle. ### Claim 13 A kit of parts for a boat lift, comprising: eight elongate members; an elongate beam; an elongate cable winding shaft; a cable; and a boat cradle, wherein the kit is configured to be assembled as an assembly of the boat lift that includes: a frame including the eight elongate members, the frame extending from a bottom of the frame to a top of the frame parallel to a vertical axis, the frame including: four of the elongate members positioned to be elongate parallel to the vertical axis to define a first pair of vertical members and a second pair of vertical members; another four of the elongate members positioned to be perpendicular to the vertical axis and coupled to the vertical members; where the first pair of vertical members and the second pair of vertical members being adjustably coupled to at least two of the four horizontal members to adjust a spacing between the first pair of the vertical members and the second pair of the vertical members; the beam positioned to be elongate perpendicular to the vertical axis and above the four horizontal members relative to the vertical axis, the beam being attached to the first pair of vertical members or to the second pair of vertical members; the cable winding shaft positioned to be elongate perpendicular to the vertical axis, and rotatable relative to the beam; and the boat cradle being coupled to the cable winding shaft with the cable such that the cradle can move, by rotation of the cable winding shaft, up and down parallel to the vertical axis and relative to the frame. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) A method of assembling a boat lift, comprising: assembling the parts of the kit of claim 13 by: assembling the frame; attaching the beam to the frame; attaching a bearing block to the beam; and positioning the cable winding shaft in the bearing block; and coupling the boat cradle to the cable winding shaft with a cable. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The kit of claim 13, further comprising: a pair of guides mounted to the cradle configured to center a watercraft on the cradle. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The kit of claim 13, further comprising: a bearing block attached to the beam, wherein the cable winding shaft is received within the bearing block. ### Claim 17 A kit of parts for a boat lift, comprising: eight elongate members; an elongate beam; coupling members; and a boat cradle; wherein the kit is configured to be assembled as an assembly of the boat lift that includes: a frame including the eight elongate members, and the coupling members, the frame extending from a bottom of the frame to a top of the frame parallel to a vertical axis, the frame including: four of the elongate members positioned to be elongate parallel to the vertical axis to define a first pair of vertical members and a second pair of vertical members; another four of the elongate members positioned to be perpendicular to the vertical axis and coupled to the vertical members; and the coupling members being positioned to adjustably couple at least the first pair of the vertical members or the second pair of the vertical members to two of the four horizontal members to adjust a spacing between the first pair of the vertical members and the second pair of the vertical members; the beam positioned to be elongate perpendicular to the vertical axis and above the four horizontal members relative to the vertical axis, the beam being attached to the first pair of vertical members or to the second pair of vertical members; and the boat cradle positioned to move up and down parallel to the vertical axis and relative to the frame, the cradle including a first pair of cradle members positioned to be elongate perpendicular to the vertical axis. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) A method of assembling a boat lift, comprising: assembling the parts of the kit of claim 17 by: assembling the frame; attaching the beam to the frame; using the coupling members to adjust the spacing; and coupling the boat cradle such that the beam supports the boat cradle. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The kit of claim 17, further comprising: a pair of guides mounted to the cradle configured to center a watercraft on the cradle. ### Claim 20 A kit of parts for a boat lift, comprising: a bearing block, the bearing block including: a bearing block body defining a recess having an opening at a top of the bearing block body and configured to receive a cable winding shaft at a bottom of the recess; and a bearing block plate configured to be fastened to the top of the bearing block body, the bearing block plate including a flat surface configured to face the bottom of the recess and cover the opening when the bearing block plate is fastened to the bearing block body. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The kit of claim 20, wherein the recess is U-shaped. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The kit of claim 20, wherein the bearing block body includes a grease valley defined by a surface of the recess at the bottom of the U-shaped recess. ### Claim 23 A kit of parts for a boat lift, comprising: a bearing block, the bearing block including: a bearing block body defining a recess having an opening at a top of the bearing block body and configured to receive a cable winding shaft at a bottom of the recess; and a bearing block cover configured to be fastened to the top of the bearing block body, wherein the bearing block body includes a grease valley defined by a surface of the recess at the bottom of the recess. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The kit of claim 23, wherein the grease valley defines an X-shape.