Low profile lift for watercraft
OwnerSamuel T. Bastainventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A low-profile watercraft lift having first and second cantilever arms pivotally mounted to a base at offset pivot points for use in shallow water. The lift includes an actuator connected to the first and second cantilever arms and operable to move the first and second cantilever arms between a collapsed configuration and an extended configuration with uniform application of force and a minimum amount of travel of actuator components. The lift further includes a universal plate affixed to bunk support rails for pivotally attaching hull support bunks to the support rails and to accommodate attachment of accessories including guide posts and a motor stop.
Claims20
A watercraft lifting apparatus, comprising:
- a base;
- a first boom having a first end pivotally joined to said base to rotate about a first axis and a boom extension projecting from said first end thereof;
- a second boom having a first end pivotally joined to said base to rotate about a second axis;
- water craft supports pivotally connected to said booms;
- and
- an actuator pivotally connected to said boom extension to rotate about a third axis that is offset from the first axis and pivotally connected to said second boom between the first end thereof and a distal end.
A watercraft lifting apparatus comprising:
- a generally rectangular base having a longitudinal axis;
- first and second pairs of booms, each of said first and second pairs of booms having first ends and second opposite ends, said first ends pivotally connected to said base at opposite ends of said longitudinal axis, said first boom including a boom extension projecting from said boom adjacent said pivotal connection to said base such that said pivotal connection to said base is positioned between said second end of said first pair of booms and a distal end of said boom extension;
- watercraft supports pivotally connected to said second ends of said first and second pairs of booms whereby a four-bar linkage is formed;
- and
- an actuator pivotally connected between said first and second pairs of booms and operable for rotating said first and second pairs of booms, a first end of said actuator pivotally connected to said first pair of booms adjacent said distal end of said boom extension and a second end of said actuator pivotally connected to said second pair of booms adjacent said second end of said second pair of booms, whereby said watercraft supports are moved from a first position adjacent said base to a second position spaced away from said base.
A watercraft lifting apparatus comprising:
- a generally rectangular base formed of two longitudinal beams joined at each end by first and second transverse beams;
- a first pair of booms comprising:
- first and second booms each having first and second opposite ends,
- a boom extension projecting from said first ends, and
- pivots adjacent said first ends for pivotally connecting said first and second booms to a respective one of said longitudinal beams adjacent said first transverse beam;
- a second pair of booms having first and second opposite ends, said first ends pivotally connected to a respective one of said longitudinal beams adjacent to said second transverse beam;
- a plurality of watercraft supports pivotally connected to said second ends of said first and second pairs of booms;
- and
- an actuator having a first end pivotally connected between said second ends of said second pair of booms and said base, and a second end pivotally connected adjacent to a distal end of said boom extension, said actuator operable for rotating said first and second pairs of booms.
A method of lifting a watercraft comprising the steps of:
- forming a base;
- forming first and second pairs of booms pivotally joined to said base, and forming a boom extension projecting from said first pair of booms such that said first pair of booms is pivotally joined to said base at a location on said first pair of booms between said boom extension and said pivotal connection to a watercraft support;
- pivotally connecting said watercraft support to said first and second pairs of booms opposite said base;
- and
- pivotally connecting an actuator between said first and second pairs of pivotal booms, comprising pivotally connecting a first end of the actuator to said boom extension and pivotally connecting a second end of the actuator to said second pair of booms adjacent to said watercraft support.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.