Abstract:
A floatation device for an all-terrain vehicle or the like. The floatation device includes a float having a bow float, and includes mounting structure for mounting the float to the frame of the vehicle. The bow float may be U-shaped, and the float may include a stern float, or tailgate, to extend across and close the open end of the U-shaped bow float so that vehicle is encircled by the float.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates, in general, to floatation devices for attachment to motor vehicles such as four wheel all-terrain vehicles. 
     2. Information Disclosure Statement 
     Floatation devices for all-terrain vehicles have been developed prior to the present invention, but, perhaps due to the complexity of these prior floatation devices, have not been very marketable. One prevalent problem with known prior ail floatation devices for all-terrain vehicles is the abundance of hardware needed to attach them to the vehicles. Such prior art floatation devices appear to be time consuming and cumbersome for an individual to attach and remove. Today&#39;s four wheel all-terrain vehicles have a wide range of attachments available for many different uses that often require removal of one attachment to attach another. 
     A preliminary patentability search produced the following patents which appear to be relevant to the present invention: 
     Riermann, U.S. Pat. No. 4,494,937, issued Jan. 22, 1985, for a pontoon attachment for all terrain vehicle; and 
     Newkirk, U.S. Pat. No. 4,664,051, issued May 12, 1987, for a three wheeler flotation conversion kit; 
     Lachance, U.S. Pat. No. 4,716,850, issued Jan. 5, 1988, for a floatation assembly for off-road vehicle; 
     Ishimatsu, U.S. Pat. No. 4,712,636, issued Dec. 15, 1987, for a carriage or watercraft; 
     Martinmaas, U.S. Pat. No. 4,744,324, issued May 17, 1988, for an amphibious all terrain vehicle and conversion kit; 
     Grzech, U.S. Pat. No. 5,690,046, issued Nov. 25, 1997, for amphibious vehicles; and 
     Schad, U.S. Pat. No. 5,769,021, issued Jun. 23, 1998, for an amphibious craft. 
     None of known prior art references, either singly or in combination, disclose or suggest the present invention. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is a floatation device that can be attached to a four wheel all-terrain vehicle or the like to make the vehicle amphibious. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a floatation device for a four wheel all-terrain vehicle, etc., that is easy to attach and remove and does not hinder the vehicle&#39;s normal operating ability. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a floatation device that is evenly displaced around the perimeter of a vehicle for a low center of gravity so as to maintain the vehicle&#39;s stability on land or water. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a floatation device that does not hinder the ground clearance of the vehicle. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a floatation device that will not hinder the vehicle&#39;s ability to enter or leave a body of water where shore line slopes are 1:1 or less. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a floatation device that substantially increases the load carrying ability of the vehicle (e.g., by an additional 250 pounds on the rear and/or 150 pounds on the front). 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a two-piece buoyant member or pontoon of varying size that encompasses the perimeter of a four wheel all-terrain vehicle. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a floatation device that attaches to the rear hitch of an all-terrain vehicle with a pin connection and to the front frame of the all-terrain vehicle. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a floatation device that is adjustable at the front and rear of the vehicle to suit the operator&#39;s needs. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a floatation device that has a 45° upward pitch at the front off the front center of the front tires as to allow the vehicle to leave the water easily and to also create lift in water while in forward motion. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a floatation device that has indentations or steps for allowing easy mounting and dismounting of the vehicle. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the floatation device of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the floatation device of the present invention shown attached to an all-terrain vehicle. 
     FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of an all-terrain vehicle with portions thereof broken away for clarity and showing vertically arranged posts of mounting means of the floatation device of the present invention in position for attachment to the frame of the vehicle. 
     FIG. 4 is a side elevational view similar to FIG. 3 but showing the vertically arranged posts of the mounting means of the floatation device attached to the frame of the vehicle. 
     FIG. 5 is a sectional view substantially as taken on line  5 — 5  of FIG. 2, on an enlarged scale and with portions thereof broken away for clarity. 
     FIG. 6 is a sectional view substantially as taken on line  6 — 6  of FIG. 2, on an enlarged scale and with portions thereof broken away for clarity. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     preferred embodiment of the floatation device of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 1-6 and identified by the numeral  11 . The floatation device  11  is especially designed for a vehicle  13  such as, e.g., a typical motorized four wheel all-terrain vehicle, having a frame  15  with a front  17  and a rear  19 , a rear wheel assembly  21 , and a front wheel assembly  23 . 
     The floatation device  11  includes a float  25 , and mounting means  26  for mounting, or fixing, the float  25  to the frame  15  of the vehicle  13  to thereby make the vehicle  13  amphibious without hindering the maneuverability and stability of the vehicle  13  on land. 
     The float  25  includes a bow float  27  for extending around the front of the vehicle  13 . The bow float  27  is preferably U-shaped in plan, having a first side member  29  with a first end  31  and a second end  33 , a second side member  35  with a first end  37  and a second end  39 , and a front member  41  with a first end  43  attached to the first end  31  of the first side member  29  and a second end  45  attached to the first end  37  of the second side member  35 . The front member  41  of the bow float  27  may have a preferably vertically arranged slot  46  therein (see, in general, FIGS. 1 and 5) for use in attaching the bow float  27  to the vehicle  13  as will hereinafter become apparent. 
     The float  25  preferably includes a stern float  47  extending between the second ends  33 ,  39  of the first and second side members  29 ,  35  of the bow float  27 . The stern float  47  is preferably a movable gate-like transverse member for selectively closing the opened end of the U-shaped bow float  27  so that the float  25  will completely encircle the periphery of the vehicle  13 . The stern float  47  preferably has a first end  49  for being fastened to the second end  33  of the first side member  29  of the bow float  27 , and a second end  51  for being fastened to the second end  39  of the second side member  35  of the bow float  27 . The stern float  47  may have a preferably vertically arranged slot  53  therein (see, in general, FIGS. 1 and 6) for use in attaching the stern float  47  to the vehicle  13  as will hereinafter become apparent. 
     The floatation device  11  preferably includes fastening means  55  for fastening the bow float  27  and stern float  47  together. The fastening means  55  may include a first pin member  57  for extending through the second end  33  of the first side member  29  of the bow float  27  and the first end  49  of the stem float  47 , and a second pin member  59  for extending through the second end  39  of the second side member  35  of the bow float  27  and the second end  51  of the stern float  47 . The fastening means  55  is preferably designed to allow horizontal adjustment of the stern float  47  on the second ends  33 ,  39  of the first and second side members  29 ,  35  of the bow float  27 . For example, each end  49 ,  51  of the stern float  47  may have a boss or tab-like projection  61 , a slot  63  may be formed in the second ends  33 ,  39  of the side members  29 ,  35  for receiving a respective projection  61 , and a plurality of vertically extending, longitudinally spaced apertures  65  may be formed through the projections  61  and the portions of the second ends  33 ,  39  of the side members  29 ,  35  adjoining the slots  63 . This allows the bow and stern floats  27 ,  47  to be easily fastened together by merely passing the first pin member  57  through apertures  65  in the second end  33  of the first side member  29  of the bow float  27  and in the projection  61  on the first end  49  of the stern float  47 , and passing the second pin member  59  through apertures  65  in the second end  39  of the second side member  35  of the bow float  27  and in the projection  61  on the second end  51  of the stern float  47 , and allows horizontal adjustment of the stern float  47  relative to the bow float  27  by merely passing the pin members  57 ,  59  through different sets of apertures  65 , etc., to allow the float  25  to be adjusted to optimally fit vehicles  13  of varying lengths. As shown in the drawings, there may be three spaced apart sets of apertures  65  to allow at least three positions for the stern float  47  on the bow float  27  to optimally fit vehicles  13  of at least three different lengths. Each pin member  57 ,  59  may have a hook or ring-shaped upper end  67  and coacting hooks or the like (not shown) may be mounted on each side member  29 ,  35  of the bow float  27  adjacent the apertures  65  therethrough for allow firm attachment of the pin members  57 ,  59  to the bow float  27 . 
     The mounting means  26  preferably includes a front mounting assembly  71  for attaching the bow float  27  to the front  17  of the frame  15  of the vehicle  13 , and a rear mounting assembly  73  for attaching the stern float  47  to the rear  19  of the frame  15  of the vehicle  13 . 
     The front mounting assembly  71  may include a preferably vertically arranged post  75  for attachment to the front  17  of the frame  15  of the vehicle  13 . The rear mounting assembly  73  may also include a preferably vertically arranged post  77  for attachment to the rear  19  of the frame  15  of the vehicle  13 . The front mounting assembly  71  preferably includes attachment means  79  for allowing vertical adjustment of the bow float  27  on the post  75  so that the vertical positioning of the front of the bow float  27  relative to the vehicle  13  can be adjusted. Thus, for example, the upper end of the post  75  may have a plurality of vertically spaced apertures  81  therethrough and the attachment means  79  may include a pin member  83  for extending through one of the apertures  81  in the post  75  and through apertures  85  in ear members  87  on the bow float  27  at the upper end of the slot  46  to thereby allow vertically adjustable attachment of the bow float  27  on the post  75  as will now be apparent to those skilled in the art. 
     Likewise, the rear mounting assembly  73  preferably includes attachment means  89  for allowing vertical adjustment of the stern float  47  on the post  77  so that the vertical positioning of the stern float  47  relative to the vehicle  13  can be adjusted. Thus, for example, the upper end of the post  77  may have a plurality of vertically spaced apertures  91  therethrough and the attachment means  89  may include a pin member  93  for extending through one of the apertures  91  in the post  77  and through apertures  95  in ear members  97  on the stern float  47  at the upper end of the slot  53  to thereby allow vertically adjustable attachment of the stern float  47  on the post  77  as will now be apparent to those skilled in the art. 
     The post  75  may be attached to the frame  15  of the vehicle  13  in a manner which allows easily removal thereof. Thus, for example, a receiver sleeve  99  is preferably attached to the front  17  of the frame  15  of the vehicle  13  by bolts  101  or the like, the post  75  preferably having a boss-like projection  103  extending outward therefrom for being inserted into the receiver sleeve  99 , and a pin  105  is provided for extending through apertures in both the receiver sleeve  99  and projection  103  to secure the post  75  to the frame  15  in a manner which allows it to be easily removed therefrom when desired as will now be apparent to those skilled in the art. 
     Likewise, the post  77  may be attached to the frame  15  of the vehicle  13  in a manner which allows easily removal thereof. Thus, for example, a receiver sleeve  107  is preferably attached to the rear  19  of the frame  15  of the vehicle  13  by bolts  109  or the like, the post  77  preferably has a boss-like projection  111  extending outward therefrom for being inserted into the receiver sleeve  107 , and a pin  113  is provided for extending through apertures in both the receiver sleeve  107  and projection  111  to secure the post  77  to the frame  15  in a manner which allows it to be easily removed therefrom when desired as will now be apparent to those skilled in the art. 
     The bow and stem floats  27 ,  47  can be constructed in various designs and sizes, and out of various materials as will now be apparent to those skilled in the art. Thus, for example, each float  27 ,  47  may be molded out of fiberglass or aluminum to from a strong, buoyant body. Recesses  115  are preferably provided in the first and second side members  31 ,  35  adjacent the front or first ends  31 ,  37  thereof for accommodating the front wheel assembly  23  of the vehicle  13  such as, for example, when the front wheel assembly  23  of the vehicle  13  is being turned. Steps  117  may be formed in the first and second side members  31 ,  35  for aiding the driver or rider of the vehicle  13  to mount and dismount the vehicle  13 . The leading bottom edges of the bow float  27  and stern float  47 , and the outer side bottom edges of the bow float  27  may be sloped as indicated by the numeral  119  to provide lift when the vehicle is in the amphibious mode, and provide clearance during navigation, etc., as will now be apparent to those skilled in the art. Headlight means  121  may be provided on the front face of the bow float  27 , and taillight/brake light means  123  may be provided on the rear face of the stern float  47  for visibility and safety concerns. 
     To use the floatation device  11 , the receiver sleeves  99 ,  107  are attached to the respective front and rear  17 ,  19  of the frame  15  via bolts  101 ,  109 , etc. It should be noted that at least the rear receiver sleeve  107  may consist of the rear trailer hitch receiver sleeve of the vehicle  13  and thus may be pre-attached to the vehicle  13  as will now be apparent to those skilled in the art. The posts  75 ,  77  can the be attached to the respective receiver sleeves  99 ,  107  via pins  105 ,  113 . Next, the float  25  can be supported on the ground, etc., and the stern float  47  removed from the bow float  27  via the pins  57 ,  59 , to allow the vehicle  13  to be merely driven into the U-shaped portion of the bow float  27  until at least portions of the post  75  extend into the slot  46 . The stern float  47  can then be placed on the bow float  27 , moved forwardly until the post  77  extends into the slot  53 , and then attached to the bow float  27  via the pins  57 ,  59 . The float  25  can then be raised vertically to the desired level relative to the vehicle  13  and attached to the vehicle  13  by way of the pins  83 ,  93  as will now be apparent to those skilled in the art. The float  25  can easily and quickly be removed from the vehicle  13  by reversing those steps. 
     Although the present invention has been described and illustrated with respect to a preferred embodiment and a preferred use therefor, it is not to be so limited since modifications and changes can be made therein which are within the full intended scope of the invention.