Abstract:
A crane assembly for lifting marine vessels is provided. The assembly includes a sleeve having first and second clamps extending therefrom that are configured for engaging with a pylon of a dock and a boom pole slideably and rotatably received within the sleeve. A winch assembly is carried by the boom pole and including a winch and a cord. A crossbar is provided that has a main support that receives the cord and that has a pair of adjustable supports being carried along a length thereof that are adjustable to vary the space between the pair of adjustable supports. The adjustable supports are configured for engaging a support strap that is configured for passing beneath the marine vessel.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    This disclosure is related to an apparatus for lifting and moving marine vessels, and, more particularly, towards a crane assembly for use in attaching to a pier or dock and lifting marine vessels from a water body. The crane assembly may be portable in nature. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Residential and commercial marine vessels are many times stored along a dock or pier that extends from the shoreline of a body of water. The vessels may be stored on a platform that is liftable by use of a cable and pulley assembly that provides for movement of the platform and vessel in and out of the water. However, this platform model may be undesirable because of associated cost and expense in building the platform. Additionally, the platform may not be aesthetically pleasing. Furthermore, the platform is many times permanent and therefore occupies valuable water space about the dock. 
         [0003]    The platform may be important for elevating the marine vessel out of the body of water, particularly in the winter and off-season months in order to reduce wear associated with being exposed to the winter and off-season elements. For vessel owners without such a platform, the vessel may have to be removed from the water on a trailer and taken elsewhere for storage. This represents a time intensive and cumbersome process. 
         [0004]    A need therefore exists for a solution that addresses these disadvantages. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description of Illustrative Embodiments. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. 
         [0006]    Disclosed herein is a crane assembly for lifting marine vessels. The crane assembly includes a sleeve having first and second clamps extending therefrom that are configured for engaging with a pylon of a dock, a boom pole slideably and rotatably received within the sleeve, and a winch assembly carried by the boom pole and configured for engaging with the marine vessel. 
         [0007]    According to one or more embodiments, the sleeve further includes at least one bearing in which the outer race is engaged with an inner surface of the sleeve and the inner race is configured for engaging with the boom pole. 
         [0008]    According to one or more embodiments, the at least one bearing is positioned inline with one of the first and second clamps. 
         [0009]    According to one or more embodiments, the crane assembly includes ball bearings in a bottom portion of the sleeve. 
         [0010]    According to one or more embodiments, the crane assembly includes an o-ring at a top portion of the sleeve for maintaining a moisture impervious enclosure within the sleeve. 
         [0011]    According to one or more embodiments, the winch assembly includes a winch and a cable. 
         [0012]    According to one or more embodiments, the boom pole further includes a roller assembly on an end thereof for providing translation movement to the cord of the winch assembly. 
         [0013]    According to one or more embodiments, the winch is hand or electric operated. 
         [0014]    According to one or more embodiments, the crane assembly includes a crossbar configured for receiving a cable of the winch assembly and for lifting a marine vessel. 
         [0015]    According to one or more embodiments, the crossbar has a pair of adjustable supports carried along a length thereof that are adjustable to vary the space between the pair of adjustable supports. The adjustable supports are configured for engaging a cable for lifting the marine vessel. 
         [0016]    According to one or more embodiments, a crane assembly for lifting marine vessels is provided. The crane assembly includes a sleeve having first and second clamps extending therefrom that are configured for engaging with a pylon of a dock, a boom pole slideably and rotatably received within the sleeve, a winch assembly carried by the boom pole and including a winch and a cord, and a crossbar that has a main support that receives the cord and that has a pair of adjustable supports being carried along a length thereof that are adjustable to vary the space between the pair of adjustable supports. The adjustable supports are configured for engaging a support strap that is configured for passing beneath the marine vessel. 
         [0017]    According to one or more embodiments, a wheeled assembly to which the sleeve is configured to be carried by is provided for transporting the crane assembly. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0018]    The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, is better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purposes of illustration, there is shown in the drawings exemplary embodiments; however, the presently disclosed invention is not limited to the specific methods and instrumentalities disclosed. In the drawings: 
           [0019]      FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of a portable crane assembly positioned about a dock and being used to lift a marine vessel according to one or more embodiments disclosed herein; 
           [0020]      FIG. 2  illustrates a side view of a portable crane assembly positioned about a dock according to one or more embodiments disclosed herein; 
           [0021]      FIG. 3  illustrates a top view of a clamp assembly for use in engaging the portable crane assembly to the dock as illustrated in  FIG. 1  according to one or more embodiments disclosed herein; 
           [0022]      FIG. 4  illustrates a crossbar member for use with the portable crane assembly to lift a marine vessel in a manner similar to that which is illustrated in  FIG. 1  according to one or more embodiments disclosed herein; 
           [0023]      FIG. 5A  is a side view of a crane assembly being carried by a transport assembly for transporting the crane assembly to a desired location according to one or more embodiments disclosed herein; and 
           [0024]      FIG. 5B  is a front view of a crane assembly being carried by a transport assembly for transporting the crane assembly to a desired location according to one or more embodiments disclosed herein. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0025]    The presently disclosed subject matter is described with specificity to meet statutory requirements. However, the description itself is not intended to limit the scope of this patent. Rather, the inventors have contemplated that the claimed invention might also be embodied in other ways, to include different steps or elements similar to the ones described in this document, in conjunction with other present or future technologies. 
         [0026]      FIG. 1  illustrates a crane assembly for lifting marine vessels, with the crane assembly being generally designated  10  and the marine vessel being generally designated  1 . The crane assembly  10  generally includes a sleeve  12 . The sleeve  12  may be cylindrically shaped as illustrated, or may be any appropriately configured shape. The sleeve  12  may further include a first clamp  14  and a second clamp  16 . The first clamp  14  and second clamp  16  may extend from the sleeve  12  and may be configured for selectively engaging with a pylon  3  of a dock  2 . 
         [0027]    The crane assembly  10  may further include a boom pole  20 . The boom pole  20  may be configured in the shape illustrated in  FIG. 1  or may take on any appropriate configuration. The boom pole  20  is configured for being slideably and rotatably received within the sleeve  12 . In this manner, the boom pole  20  can be rotated about the sleeve  12 . In one or more embodiments, the boom pole  20  may be rotatable in a complete 360 degrees of rotation about sleeve  12 . The boom pole  20  may also be selectively received within sleeve  12 . In this manner, boom pole  20  may be removed from sleeve  12 . This may be advantageous because, for example, boom poles having different shapes and configurations could be replaced within the crane assembly  10 . 
         [0028]    The crane assembly  10  may further include a winch assembly  22 . The winch assembly  22  may be positioned on the boom pole  20  as illustrated, though the winch assembly  22  could be positioned elsewhere according to one or more embodiments. 
         [0029]    As illustrated more closely in  FIG. 2 , the winch assembly  22  may include a winch  24  and a cable  26 . As used herein, cable  26  may refer to a braided cable, a metal cable, a metallic or textile-based strap, or any other material capable of being received within the winch  24 . Winch  24  may be a hand-operated winch as illustrated, thereby requiring the operator to apply manual forces to operate the winch. Alternatively, winch  24  may be an electric, pneumatic, or otherwise externally powered winch. The boom pole  20  may further include a roller assembly or guide  30  on an end thereof for providing translation movement and guidance to the cable  26  of the winch assembly  22 . A hook  28  may be provided on the end of cable  26  for attaching the cable  26  to an object. Hook  28  may also be a clip or other fastener according to one or more embodiments. 
         [0030]    The sleeve  12  may include a first bearing  32  positioned at an upwardly medial portion within the sleeve  12 . The sleeve  12  may also include a second bearing  34  positioned at a downwardly medial portion within the sleeve  12 . The boom pole  20  is received within bearings  32  and  34 . In this manner, when using roller bearings, the inner race of each of bearings  32 ,  34  is engaged with the boom pole  20  and the outer race of each of bearings  32 ,  34  is engaged with the sleeve  12 . The races of each bearing  32 ,  34  may be secured to the sleeve  12  by use of a threaded fastener, detent, press fit, or any other suitable manner. Bearings  32  and  34  may be roller bearings, ceramic bearings, bushings, or any other structure capable of providing rotational movement of the boom pole  20  relative to sleeve  12 . The crane assembly  10  may further include additional bearings as needed. Additionally, in one or more embodiments, crane assembly  10  may not use any bearings such that the outer diameter of the portion of boom pole  20  received within sleeve  12  is about the same as the inner diameter of sleeve  12 . 
         [0031]    The first bearing  32  may generally aligned with the first clamp  14 . Similarly, the second bearing  34  may be generally aligned with the second clamp  16 . In this manner, torsional and shear forces applied to the crane assembly, particularly those about bearings  32 ,  34  and clamps  14 ,  16  are supported by the inline arrangement of the first bearing  32  about the first clamp  14  and the second bearing  34  about the second clamp  16 . 
         [0032]    Ball bearings  36  may be further provided in a bottom portion of the sleeve  12 . The ball bearings  36  may be for providing support to the boom pole  20  when received within sleeve  12  and further to reduce frictional and other forces upon rotation of the boom pole  20  about sleeve  12 . A seal  40  may additionally be provided about a top portion of the sleeve  12  for maintaining a moisture impervious enclosure within the sleeve  12 . Seal  40  may be a gasket, o-ring, or similar structure. 
         [0033]    A top view of the second clamp  16  is illustrated in  FIG. 3 . As illustrated, the second clamp  16  may include fasteners  17  that extend inward-radially. The fasteners  17  are configured to extend into the opening of the clamp  16  and into engagement with pylon  3 . This further secures clamp  16 , and thus crane assembly  10 , into engagement with the pylon  3 . A hinged joint  18  may be provided for allowing swing movement of separated halves of the second clamp  16 . In this manner, the clamp  16  may be opened to receive an object such as pylon  3 , and then closed by rotation of the clamp  16  about hinge  18  until lock surfaces  19  are in abutting contact. Lock surfaces  19  are secured into engagement by the use of fastener  21 . The first clamp  16  may include the same or similar features, or may be a solid cylindrical, un-separable clamp or ring that slides over pylon  3 . 
         [0034]    As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , a crossbar  42  may be provided for use with crane assembly  10 . The crossbar  42  may define a bracket  44  that is configured for receiving the hook  28  of cable  26  of the winch assembly  22 . The crossbar  42  may further define adjustable support brackets  46  on opposing ends thereof. The support brackets  46  may define openings  48  that are configured for receiving end portions of a support brace cable  4  configured for wrapping beneath the vessel  1  and into engagement therewith. The support brackets  46  may further define a handle assembly  50  that is operably coupled with a shaft that extends into a respective opening  52  defined in the crossbar  42 . In this manner, the operator may select a desired positioning of each support bracket  46  by rotation of the handle assembly  50  to ingress and egress the shaft in and out of the opening  52  until the opening corresponding to the desired spacing is reached. In one or more embodiments, crossbar  42  may also be employed beneath the vessel  1 . 
         [0035]    As illustrated in  FIG. 5A  and  FIG. 5B , the crane assembly  10  may be configured for transport about a transport assembly  54 . The transport assembly  54  may include a main support  56  to which a bracket  60  is carried on and configured for engaging with the sleeve  12  of the crane assembly  10 . A wheeled assembly  62  may be provided for allowing transport of the transport assembly  54 . A strap  64  may be configured for extending from about the support  56  to the boom pole  20  and may be provided with a ratcheting mechanism for securing the crane assembly  10  to the transport assembly  54 . In this manner, the crane assembly  10  may be transported from a storage facility to a dock for use. 
         [0036]    Attachment of the crane assembly  10  is accomplished by sliding the first clamp  14  over the pylon  3 . The second clamp  16  is then opened so that it can receive pylon  3  therein. Second clamp  16  is then closed. Handle assemblies  17  are then turned until the associated shaft is in engagement with pylon  3 . The boom pole  20  is then positioned by rotating about sleeve  12  until in a desired position or orientation. The operator then engages cable  26  with the vessel  1  or crossbar  42  and operates winch assembly  22  until the vessel is in a desired position. 
         [0037]    While the embodiments have been described in connection with the preferred embodiments of the various figures, it is to be understood that other similar embodiments may be used or modifications and additions may be made to the described embodiment for performing the same function without deviating therefrom. Therefore, the disclosed embodiments should not be limited to any single embodiment, but rather should be construed in breadth and scope in accordance with the appended claims.