Patent ID: 9199705
Filing Date: 2015-12-01
Classification: B63C

Abstract:
1. A watercraft lift for raising and lowering a watercraft in water for watercraft having a width of up to 8.5 feet, comprising: a forward set of air tanks including a forward port air tank having an internal chamber configured to receive and release pressurized air and a forward starboard air tank having an internal chamber configured to receive and release pressurized air, the forward port and starboard air tanks each having a laterally outward side and a laterally inward side, the laterally inward sides of the forward port and starboard air tanks being located adjacent to each other, the forward port and starboard air tanks each having an upper side portion for receiving and supporting the watercraft thereon and a lower side portion, the forward port and starboard air tanks each having an upwardly projecting portion located adjacent to the laterally outward side thereof and projecting upward above the upper side portion, the upwardly projecting portion being defined by a laterally outward side portion and a laterally inward side portion separated by from 5 to 10 inches, the upwardly projecting portion defining a limited first portion of the internal volume of the internal chamber of the air tank and being positioned to remain above the water as the air tank moves between a raised position and a lowered position and sized to trap sufficient air therein to provide sufficient buoyancy to prevent submersion of an upper portion of the upwardly projecting portion when all other pressurized air is released from the internal chamber, each of the forward port and starboard air tanks having sufficient rigidity to not collapse when pressurized air therein is reduced; an aft set of air tanks including an aft port air tank having an internal chamber configured to receive and release pressurized air and an aft starboard air tank having an internal chamber configured to receive and release pressurized air, the aft port and starboard air tanks each having a laterally outward side and a laterally inward side, the laterally inward sides of the aft port and starboard air tanks being located adjacent to each other, the aft port and starboard air tanks each having an upper side portion for receiving and supporting the watercraft thereon and a lower side portion, the aft port and starboard air tanks each having an upwardly projecting portion located adjacent to the laterally outward side thereof and projecting upward above the upper side portion, the upwardly projecting portion being defined by a laterally outward side portion and a laterally inward side portion separated by from 5 to 10 inches, the upwardly projecting portion defining a limited first portion of the internal volume of the internal chamber of the air tank and being positioned to remain above the water as the air tank moves between a raised position and a lowered position and sized to trap sufficient air therein to provide sufficient buoyancy to prevent submersion of an upper portion of the upwardly projecting portion when all other pressurized air is released from the internal chamber, the aft set of air tanks being retained in a position aft of the forward set of air tanks, each of the aft port and starboard air tanks having sufficient rigidity to not collapse when pressurized air therein is reduced, the internal chambers of the forward and aft port and starboard air tanks in combination having sufficient internal volume that when sufficient pressurized air is received therein the air tanks have sufficient buoyancy to rise to a raised position with the watercraft out of the water when the watercraft is positioned on the upper side portions of the forward and aft port and starboard air tanks, and that when sufficient pressurized air is released from the internal chambers of the forward and aft port and starboard air tanks the forward and aft port and starboard air tanks lose sufficient buoyancy to sink to a lowered position sufficiently submerged to receive and deploy the watercraft; each of the port and starboard air tanks of the forward and aft sets of air tanks having a first aperture in the lower side portion positioned to be below the water as the air tank moves toward the lowered position, the first aperture permitting the passage of water into the internal chamber of the air tank when pressurized air is released from the internal chamber and the air tank sinks toward the lowered position and permitting the passage of water out of the air tank when pressurized air is provided to the internal chamber and the air tank rises toward the raised position; each of the port and starboard air tanks of the forward and aft sets of air tanks having a second aperture for selectively providing pressurized air to the internal chamber of the air tank and having a blower mounted thereon and connected to the second aperture to selectively provide the pressurized air to the internal chamber of the air tank; each of the port and starboard air tanks of the forward and aft sets of air tanks having a first valve connected between the second aperture and the blower for the air tank to control the flow of pressurized air to the internal chamber of the air tank, with the first valve and the blower for each of the port and starboard air tanks of the forward and aft sets of air tanks being mounted on the upwardly projecting portion of the air tank; and wherein the upwardly projecting portion of each of the port and starboard air tanks of the forward and aft sets of air tanks has an air bell lid, and the first valve and the blower for the air tank are covered by the air bell lid.