Docking system
OwnerDonald Olson, Paul Olsoninventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A docking system for a watercraft having a cross member carrying a tow hook cart to engage a bow eye on the watercraft and thereafter permit docking of the watercraft. The cross member is supported by at least one upright structure and may include a latch mechanism to release the cross member to swing away after the hook engages the eye. Alternatively, a cross member may be supported on both ends and may be pulled out of the way by the tow rope or rotated over the eye by a latch tripped after the hook engages the eye.
Claims10
Apparatus for retrieving a watercraft by automatically attaching a hook to an eye on a prow of the watercraft, the apparatus comprising:
- a. a cross member having first and second ends, and having a cross member support such that the cross member is supported and oriented
- i. generally horizontally above a water level, and
- ii. generally perpendicular to a direction of advance of the watercraft and movable in response to contact with the watercraft moving in the direction of advance;
- b. a carriage movably mounted on the cross member and releasably carrying a hook;
- c. a first positioning member urging the carriage towards the first end of the cross member;
- and
- d. means for moving the carriage towards the second end of the cross member when the cross member is contacted and moved by the watercraft moving in the direction of advance such that the hook engages the eye on the prow of the watercraft as the watercraft moves in the direction of advance.
A method of attaching a hook to an eye on a prow of a watercraft comprising the steps of:
- a. positioning the hook on a carriage movably attached to a cross member positioned generally perpendicularly to a direction of advance of the watercraft;
- b. moving the carriage along the cross member in response to contact between the watercraft and the cross member;
- c. engaging the hook with the eye as the carriage moves along the cross member;
- and
- d. releasing the hook from the carriage after the hook is engaged with the eye.
A method of retrieving a watercraft by automatically attaching a hook to a bow eye on the watercraft, the method comprising:
- a. positioning a cross member generally perpendicular to a direction of advance of the watercraft and generally horizontal at a height above the bow eye;
- and
- b. moving the cross member generally vertically downward in response to contact with the watercraft moving in the direction of advance and simultaneously advancing a carriage across the cross member and releasably carrying a hook across the cross member until the hook engages the bow eye.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.