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US 6,174,106 B1Granted
Boat lift apparatus
OwnerRichard B. Bishop, Charles L. Bishopinventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention relates to a stationary boat lift comprised of a housing in which a boat is able to enter and exit with little difficulty. The boat lift allows a boat to bypass various barriers in a efficient and safe manner by vertically lifting the boat out of one body of water, translating the boat horizontally over a desired barrier, and then vertically lowering the boat into a second body of water.
Claims23
A boat lift apparatus comprising:
- a housing erected over a barrier separating a first body of water and a second body of water;
- a hoist assembly movably attached to said housing, said hoist assembly including a lift frame and a load distribution subassembly movably connected to said lift frame, wherein said load distribution subassembly includes a pair of load distribution supports extending longitudinally and spaced laterally relative to one another, a plurality of elongated connectors for joining said pair of load distribution supports to said lift frame, and a cradle connected between said supports and capable of receiving a boat to be carried across said barrier by said apparatus;
- a mechanism for raising and lowering said load distribution subassembly relative to said lift frame;
- and
- a mechanism for conveying said hoist assembly between a first end of said housing and a second end of said housing.
2 more elements
A method for transporting a boat over a barrier separating a first body of water from a second body of water, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a housing erected over said barrier and being in communication with said first and second bodies of water;
- positioning over said first body of water a hoist assembly that is movably attached to said housing;
- positioning in said first body of water a cradle portion of a movable load distribution subassembly that is included with said hoist assembly, said load distribution subassembly including a pair of load distribution supports extending longitudinally and spaced laterally relative to one another, a plurality of elongated connectors for joining said pair of load distribution supports to said lift frame, and a cradle connected between said supports and capable of receiving a boat to be carried across said barrier by said apparatus;
- positioning said boat above said cradle of said load distribution subassembly;
- raising said load distribution subassembly and said boat out of said first body of water and to an elevation that is higher than said barrier;
- translating said hoist assembly along with said boat over and across said barrier and into a second end of said housing that is in communication with said second body of water;
- positioning said hoist assembly and said boat over said second body of water;
- and
- lowering said load distribution subassembly and said boat into said second body of water.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.