Boat lift drive housing apparatus
AssigneeNicholas A. Gargaro, III
InventorsNicholas A. Gargaro, III, David M. Wendinger
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A boat lift drive housing for containing a control box, electric motor and gear head for raising and lowering a boat lift. The housing includes front and rear coaxial openings for access to the gear head. The housing further includes an eyebrow cantilevered over an opening in the housing through which a key switch extends such that the key switch is protected from the sun, rain, snow and ice. The housing further includes a pair of bottom openings, with one bottom housing permitting access to a drive shaft of the electric motor and with the other bottom opening holding a tool for driving the drive shaft of the electric motor. The housing further includes a shape tailored to the control box, electric motor and gear head to minimize extra connections within the housing.
Claims15
A boat lift drive housing apparatus and boat lift drive combination for operating a winch comprising:
- a) a boat lift drive, wherein the boat lift drive comprises a control box, an electric motor, and a gear head having a gear head drive shaft, the gear head drive shaft having a proximal end and a distal end;
- b) a plastic housing, with said plastic housing containing said control box, said electric motor and said gear head having said gear head drive shaft;
- c) wherein said plastic housing comprises a front face and a rear face;
- d) wherein said rear face of said plastic housing comprises a rear opening that confronts said proximal end of said gear head drive shaft contained within said plastic housing;
- e) wherein said front face of said plastic housing comprises a front opening that confronts said distal end of said gear head drive shaft, with the front opening permitting access to said distal end of the gear head drive shaft of the gear head;
- f) wherein said front and rear openings are coaxial with each other and coaxial with said gear head drive shaft of said gear head;
- g) wherein said plastic housing comprises a front housing portion and a rear housing portion, wherein:
- i) each of the front and rear housing portions is, respectively, receptacle shaped;
- ii) each of the front and rear housing portions includes a respective depth;
- iii) each of the front and rear housing portions is, respectively, one-piece and integral;
- iv) each of the front and rear housing portions is, respectively, a piece of molded plastic;
- and
- v) each of the front and rear housing portions includes a respective periphery;
- h) a seal between the respective peripheries of the front and rear housing portions;
- i) such that, to gain access to each of the proximal and distal ends of the gear head drive shaft by the front and rear openings, the seal does not need to be broken;
- j) such that, to gain access to each of the proximal and distal ends of the gear head drive shaft by the front and rear openings, the front and rear housing portions do not need to be separated from each other;
- and
- k) a lock cap for the gear head drive shaft, the lock cap being insertable through the front opening of the plastic housing.
A boat lift drive housing apparatus and boat lift drive combination for operating a winch, comprising:
- a) a boat lift drive, wherein the boat lift drive comprises a control box, an electric motor, and a gear head having a gear head drive shaft, the gear head drive shaft having a proximal end and a distal end;
- b) a plastic housing, with said plastic housing containing said control box, said electric motor and said gear head having said gear head drive shaft;
- c) wherein said plastic housing comprises a front face and a rear face;
- d) wherein said rear face of said plastic housing comprises a rear opening that confronts said proximal end of said gear head drive shaft contained within said plastic housing;
- e) wherein said front face of said plastic housing comprises a front opening that confronts said distal end of said gear head drive shaft, with the front opening permitting access to said distal end of the gear head drive shaft of the gear head;
- f) wherein said front and rear openings are coaxial with each other and coaxial with said gear head drive shaft of said gear head;
- g) wherein said plastic housing comprises a front housing portion and a rear housing portion, wherein:
- i) each of the front and rear housing portions is, respectively, receptacle shaped;
- ii) each of the front and rear housing portions includes a respective depth;
- iii) each of the front and rear housing portions is, respectively, one-piece and integral;
- iv) each of the front and rear housing portions is, respectively, a piece of molded plastic;
- and
- v) each of the front and rear housing portions includes a respective periphery;
- h) a seal between the respective peripheries of the front and rear housing portions;
- i) such that, to gain access to each of the proximal and distal ends of the gear head drive shaft by the front and rear openings, the seal does not need to be broken;
- j) such that, to gain access to each of the proximal and distal ends of the gear head drive shaft by the front and rear openings, the front and rear housing portions do not need to be separated from each other;
- and
- k) a safety bolt extending through the gear head drive shaft and into the winch, the safety bolt being insertable through the front opening of the plastic housing.
A boat lift drive housing apparatus and boat lift drive combination for operating a winch comprising:
- a) a boat lift drive, wherein the boat lift drive comprises a control box, an electric motor, and a gear head having a gear head drive shaft, the gear head drive shaft having a proximal end and a distal end;
- b) a plastic housing, with said plastic housing containing said control box, said electric motor and said gear head having said gear head drive shaft;
- c) wherein said plastic housing comprises a front face and a rear face;
- d) wherein said rear face of said plastic housing comprises a rear opening that confronts said proximal end of said gear head drive shaft contained within said plastic housing;
- e) wherein said front face of said plastic housing comprises a front opening that confronts said distal end of said gear head drive shaft, with the front opening permitting access to said distal end of the gear head drive shaft of the gear head;
- f) wherein said front and rear openings are coaxial with each other and coaxial with said gear head drive shaft of said gear head;
- g) wherein said plastic housing comprises a front housing portion and a rear housing portion, wherein:
- i) each of the front and rear housing portions is, respectively, receptacle shaped;
- ii) each of the front and rear housing portions includes a respective depth;
- iii) each of the front and rear housing portions is, respectively, one-piece and integral;
- iv) each of the front and rear housing portions is, respectively, a piece of molded plastic;
- and
- v) each of the front and rear housing portions includes a respective periphery;
- h) a seal between the respective peripheries of the front and rear housing portions;
- i) such that, to gain access to each of the proximal and distal ends of the gear head drive shaft by the front and rear openings, the seal does not need to be broken;
- and
- j) such that, to gain access to each of the proximal and distal ends of the gear head drive shaft by the front and rear openings, the front and rear housing portions do not need to be separated from each other;
- k) a plug for sealing said front opening, said plug including a head having a diameter greater than a diameter of said front opening, said plug being removable from the front opening, said plug being snappable to and from said front opening, said plug including a plug shaft;
- and
- l) a safety bolt extending through the gear head drive shaft and into the winch, the safety bolt being insertable through the front opening of the plastic housing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.