Patent ID: 8136466
Filing Date: 2012-03-20
Classification: B63B,F16K,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A valve for use in combination with a self-bailing hole of a watercraft, the self-bailing hole extending substantially vertically through a bottom surface of the watercraft, the valve comprising: a flange configured to be secured to the bottom surface of the watercraft on the inside of the watercraft and having an upper face, a lower face, and a central aperture extending between the upper and lower faces; a skirt configured to be at least partially received within the self-bailing hole of the watercraft and extending between a free end and a fixed end to define a hollow interior, the skirt having an outer surface, the outer surface having a first portion with a substantially uniform diameter and a second portion at the fixed end of the skirt, the second portion having a varying diameter tapering outward away from the hollow interior such that the second portion of the outer surface has a greater diameter than the first portion, wherein the fixed end of the skirt is secured to the lower face of the flange, the skirt extending away from the lower face of the flange from the fixed end to the free end, the free end and the flange being at opposite ends of the skirt, the central aperture of the flange opens into the hollow interior of the skirt, the hollow interior having an inwardly tapering diameter at the fixed end; a valve member movably located in the hollow interior of the skirt and movable between a sealed configuration for preventing fluid flow through the valve and an unsealed configuration for allowing fluid flow through the valve; a retention member extending across at least a portion of the hollow interior of the skirt to prevent the valve member from exiting the hollow interior of the skirt in the unsealed configuration; and a base member configured to be secured to the bottom surface of the watercraft on the outside of the watercraft and removably affixed to the free end of the skirt, the base member including an integrally formed plug portion, disk portion, and grip portion, the base member having a central bore, the central bore having a greater diameter than the hollow interior of the skirt.