Abstract:
A pontoon boat cover support assembly is provided. Aluminum, cylindrical brackets having a vertical orientation, are fastened to the outer perimeter of the pontoon boat deck. A rib assembly, each with a central, top, four-way fitting, having a bottom inserted into a pair of cylindrical brackets on opposite sides of the deck. A number of rib assemblies are fastened to each other with ridge poles sections interconnected to the a four-way fittings on each pair of ribs. A central, adjustable pole extends downwardly from a rib brace, positioned below each four-way fitting, to the deck or other surface.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Applicant claims the priority benefits of U.S. provisional Patent Application No. 61/727,018, filed Nov. 15, 2012. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to boat covers, and in particular, to a support apparatus for a boat cover. 
     Protection of boats against weather elements during off-season storage has had problems associated with it. Indoor storage within a shed or hanger is preferable, but is very expensive. Outdoor storage requires a cover for the boat to prevent snow, ice, and water from damaging the boat during storage. Tarpaulins have not been wholly successful due to unsupported sections of the tarpaulin accumulating ice, water and debris. 
     It has become common to replace tarpaulins with shrink wrapping plastic about the top side of the boat. A heat-shrinkable plastic film is draped over the boat deck and heat from a blow dryer is then applied to the plastic to shrink it tight about a line below the deck and over the deck. The shrunk plastic prevents any sunken portions forming in the plastic and thereby prevents water pooling to form. However, the plastic film has inherent weaknesses against storms or severe wind, which may tear the plastic film itself. The film is also subject to punctures from any pointed object such as found in debris, e.g., broken branches, stones, glass pieces, and the like. 
     Tarpaulins provide rugged and reusable protection as boat covers. Pole structures have been devised to support the tarpaulin along the center line of the boat. While these pole structures are suitable for small boats with relatively small beams, tarpaulins installed over larger beamed boats with only a center support still sag to form low points for collection of water. The tarpaulins or shrink wrap plastic installed on larger boats are commonly supported by haphazard home-made structures made from pieces of lumber secured together to form a frame above the deck onto which the tarpaulin or shrink wrap plastic is placed. 
     Compounding the above boat cover issues, are that few available cover systems are available for pontoon boats. A pontoon boat includes, generally, two or more pontoons that support a boat deck that, in turn, accommodates passengers. Most of the available cover systems are configured for installation on a typical, non-pontoon boat. Typical prior art cover and frame systems are not designed for use on a pontoon boat having a large flat surface area or on a pontoon boat having a railing system or sidewalls. The pontoon boat may also have a low deck rail along another portion of the pontoon boat. Prior art cover systems generally require extensive clamping mechanisms to secure the cover system to the boat. The lightweight railing system of the pontoon boat may not support the bracket and screw clamping means of the prior art. 
     It is desirable to have a frame for providing support for a pontoon boat cover, which is reusable, easy to assemble and provides center line and lateral support for a tarpaulin or shrink wrap plastic sheet without the need for extensive bracket and clamping means. Furthermore, the support should provide support for the cover to extend over any pontoon boat railing system or sidewalls, as well as any outboard motor portions. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention addresses this need by providing a pontoon boat cover support assembly. A plurality of open, aluminum, cylindrical brackets having a vertical orientation, are fastened to the outer perimeter of the pontoon boat deck. A plurality of ribs, each with a central, top, four-way fitting, are provided, the bottom of each rib adapted for insertion into a pair of cylindrical brackets on opposite sides of the deck. The ribs are fastened to each other with ridge poles sections interconnected to the a four-way fittings on each pair of ribs. A central, adjustable pole extends downwardly from a rib brace, positioned below each four-way fitting, to the deck or other surface. 
     These together with other objects of the invention, along with various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed hereto and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a side view of a pontoon boat 
         FIG. 2  is a top view of a pontoon boat. 
         FIG. 3  is a top view of the pontoon deck with boat cover support. 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of the pontoon deck with boat cover support. 
         FIG. 5  is a front view of a cylindrical bracket. 
         FIG. 6  is a top view of the cylindrical bracket. 
         FIG. 7  is a bottom view of a four-way fitting. 
         FIG. 8  is a top view of a four-way fitting. 
         FIG. 9  is a front view of a rib assembly. 
         FIG. 10  is a partial top view of three rib assemblies with interconnected four-way fittings. 
         FIG. 11  is a side view of a rear leg assembly. 
         FIG. 12  is a side view of an alternate rear leg assembly. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to the drawings in detail wherein like elements are indicated by like numerals, there is shown a typical pontoon boat  10  having a forward portion  11 , aft portion  12 , two, opposite lateral sides  13 , a top portion  14  and a bottom portion  15 , said forward and aft portions defining a longitudinal axis of the boat. The boat  10  has two, elongated pontoons  16 , each having a longitudinal axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the boat, said pontoons each being positioned adjacent a lateral boat side  13 . A generally rectangular deck  20  having a top surface  23  and bottom surface  24  is provided, said deck bottom surface  24  attached to the tops  17  of the pontoons  16 . The deck short sides  21  are oriented toward the boat forward and aft portions  11 ,  12  and have a deck short side longitudinal axis perpendicular to the boat longitudinal axis. The deck long sides  22  are oriented toward the boat lateral sides  13 , each deck long side having a deck long side longitudinal axis parallel to the boat longitudinal axis. The deck top surface  23  has a railing system  25  extending about at least a portion of the perimeter of the deck. Various pontoon boats have railing systems  25  that may entirely or partially traverse the deck top surface  23 . 
     The present invention provides a plurality of cylindrical brackets  30  attached to the deck long sides  22 . Each bracket  30  is comprised of a generally rectangular fastening plate  31  attached to the deck long sides  22  by means of conventional marine fasteners  32 . A hollow, vertical cylinder  33  having an open top  34 , open bottom  35  and cylindrical side wall  36 , extending from bottom  35  to top  34 , is attached to each fastening plate  31  by means of a weld  39  between a portion of the side wall  36 , adjacent to the cylinder top  34 , and the fastening plate  31 . The cylinder top, bottom and side wall define a cylinder interior  37 . A pin  38  is inserted into the cylinder interior extending diametrically from a portion of the side wall to an opposite portion of the side wall, adjacent the cylinder bottom  35 . The cylinders  33  are positioned along each deck long side  22  parallel to the cylinders on the opposite long side, nominally forty-two inches apart. 
     The present invention further includes a plurality of rib assemblies  40 , each rib assembly  40  positioned in a vertical plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the boat. Each rib assembly  40  has a top  41 , a bottom  42 , front  43 , rear  44 , and two lateral sides  43 . The rib assembly top  41  is comprised of a four-way hollow fitting  50 . The four-way fitting  50  has a rear horizontal cylindrical opening  51 , an opposite front horizontal cylindrical opening  52 , and two opposite lateral horizontal cylindrical openings  53 ,  54 . Each four-way opening  51 - 54 , has an optional annular insert  56  contained therein, said inserts standardizing the insert depth of attachment pipes. 
     Two short hollow connector pipes  60 , each having a first end  61  and a second end  62 , have their first ends  61  inserted into each four-way fitting lateral opening  53 ,  54 . A forty-five degree hollow shoulder elbow connector  65 , having a first opening  66  and a second opening  67 , has its first opening  66  attached to each short connector pipe second end  62 . Two straight, elongated hollow shoulder pipes  70 , each having a first end  71  and a second end  72 , has their first ends  71  inserted into a shoulder elbow connector second opening  67 . A forty-five degree hollow lateral elbow connector  75 , having a first opening  76  and a second opening  77 , has its first opening  76  receiving a shoulder pipe second end  72 . A hollow lateral vertical pipe  80 , having a first end  81  and a second end  82 , has its first end  81  inserted into each lateral elbow second opening  77 . The lateral vertical pipe second end  82  is adapted to fit into the cylindrical bracket cylinder  33  via the cylinder open top  34  into the cylinder interior  37  to rest on the cylinder pin  38 . 
     Each rib assembly  40  has a rib brace  140  comprised of a hollow T-connector  141  interconnected to each of the forty-five degree hollow shoulder elbow connector third openings  68 . The T-connector  141  has two lateral openings  142  with short interconnecting pipes  143  interconnecting each T-connector lateral opening  142  with an adjacent forty-five degree hollow shoulder elbow connector third opening  68 . 
     Each rib assembly  40  includes a hollow vertical center leg  90 , having a first end  91  and a second end  92 . The vertical center leg first end  91  is inserted into a vertically downwardly facing T-connector third opening  144 . A hollow section of foot pipe  100  is telescopically positioned within the vertical center leg second end  92 . The foot pipe has a first end  101  and a second end  102 , said foot pipe first end  101  fully inserted into the vertical center leg second end  92 . The foot pipe surface  103  may be scored with ridges. A trap adapter  105  is provided to hold the foot pipe  100  a desired telescopic length from the center leg. The trap adapter  105  is a compression type fitting that uses a tapered washer  106  to seal. The more the washer  106  is tightened, the tighter the seal. The scored foot pipe surface  103  enhances the gripping power of the trap adapter  105 . The foot pipe second end  102  has a rubber plug  104  inserted therein. The vertical center leg overall length as determined by the center leg  90  and foot pipe  100  is consequently adjustable to accommodate any changes in deck top surface  23  or items attached to the deck surface. The rubber plug  104  acts as a resilient footing preventing unsightly marring of the deck surface. 
     The number of rib assemblies  40  used is a function of the boat length, with each rib assembly being nominally forty-two inches apart. Four rib assemblies are used for boat lengths of fourteen to sixteen feet in length. Five rib assemblies are used for boat lengths of seventeen to twenty feet in length. Six rib assemblies are used for boat lengths of twenty-one to twenty-four feet in length. Seven rib assemblies are used for boat lengths of twenty-five to twenty-eight feet in length. Eight rib assemblies are used for boat lengths of twenty-nine to thirty-two feet in length. 
     The rib assemblies  40  are interconnected by means of hollow ridge pole section pipes  110  having a first end  111  and a second end  112 . Each ridge pole first end  111  is inserted into a four-way fitting rear horizontal cylindrical opening  51 , seated to the insert  56 . The ridge pole second end  112  is inserted into a four-way fitting front horizontal opening  52  in an adjacent rib assembly  40 , seated to the insert  56 . 
     Where it is desirable to provide boat cover support rearward of the rib assemblies, a rear leg assembly  120  is provided. The rear leg assembly  120  includes a shortened ridge pole  115  having a first end  116  and a second end  117 , said shortened ridge pole first end  116  being inserted into the last rib assembly four-way fitting rear horizontal cylindrical opening  51 . The shortened ridge pole second end  117  terminates in a first rear elbow  121 . The first rear elbow may be a 90° or 45° depending upon the coverage desired. The first rear elbow  121  has a first rear pipe section  122  extending therefrom. The first rear pipe section terminates in a coupling  123  which may be a 180° connector or 45° elbow. A vertical rear pipe  124  is connected to said coupling  123  and extends vertically downward. A hollow section of rear foot pipe  125  is telescopically positioned within the vertical rear pipe. A trap adapter  105  is provided to hold the rear foot pipe  125  a desired telescopic length from the vertical rear pipe  124 . As stated above, the trap adapter  105  is a compression type fitting that uses a tapered washer  106  to seal. The more the washer  106  is tightened, the tighter the seal. The rear foot pipe may terminate in a rubber footing  104  or in a hollow T-connector  126  with two, opposite lateral openings  127 . Each lateral opening  127  may have a rear lateral pipe  128  protruding laterally therefrom. Each rear lateral pipe may have a rubber footing  104  inserted into its distal end  129 . 
     The pipes and coupling elements are preferably made from polyvinyl chloride, i.e., PVC. The PVC is lightweight but strong. The PVC is also impervious to weather elements and will not corrode or rot. The shoulder pipes  70  may have different lengths to accommodate different boat beams as well as railings  25 . The lateral vertical pipes  80  may also have different lengths to accommodate railings  25  and other height requirements. It may be desirable to tie the front rib assembly to the rear rib assembly to prevent the ridge poles  110  from coming loose from the four-way fittings  50 . 
     It is understood that the above-described embodiment is merely illustrative of the application. Other embodiments may be readily devised by those skilled in the art, which will embody the principles of the invention and fall within the spirit and scope thereof. The invention may be claimed as a kit or as a fully assembled pontoon boat cover support assembly.