Abstract:
A lifting device for lifting and holding a small watercraft in a fixed position and that includes a support structure and a lifting mechanism. The support structure supports the lifting mechanism in a body of water, usually with some form of flotation device. The lifting mechanism is movable between a raised position that holds the watercraft steady and in a fixed position and a lowered position in which the watercraft is floating in the water. A handle bar assembly allows a user to maneuver the lifting mechanism between the positions.

Description:
BACKGROUND INFORMATION 
       [0001]    Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The invention relates to devices that are used to launch and dock and otherwise move small watercraft in and out of a body of water. 
         [0003]    Discussion of Prior Art 
         [0004]    Launching and entering small watercraft, such as kayaks and canoes, is a process that is often fraught with complications as one must hold the craft in a relatively still position in the water as one moves from a position on a solid surface, whether that&#39;s on a beach, a float or a dock, into the craft. This balancing act is particularly problematic with kayaks, which sit very low in the water, and overturning such a craft while attempting to enter and launch the craft is a common occurrence. This is true for young and athletic individuals, and is even more problematic for those who are older or who suffer from any number of disabilities and physical limitations. 
         [0005]    What is needed, therefore, is a device that will stabilize a small watercraft as a user enters and exits the craft while also assisting the user in launching and docking the craft. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The invention is a small watercraft launching device that supports a watercraft in a fixed and stable position as a user enters or exits the craft and helps to move the watercraft between a fixed position at or near the surface of the water and deployed position in the water. The device includes a support structure that is affixed to a lifting mechanism. The support structure is deployable in a body of water and holds the lifting mechanism at or near the surface of the water. For example, the support structure may have a floating base that allows it to float on the surface of a body of water, or it may have pillars and be fixed in position in a similar manner to a pier, or it may be affixed to another docking station such as another float or dock. 
         [0007]    The lifting mechanism includes a support cage that is affixed to the support structure, a craft cradle that supports the watercraft, a plurality of lift guides that pivotably attach the craft cradle to the support structure, and a handle bar assembly for pivotably moving the craft cradle from a docked position to a deployed position. 
         [0008]    In most embodiments, the launching device is connected to a dock or pier that connects to a body of land. In these situations, a user carries the watercraft along the dock to the launching device and places the watercraft in the craft cradle, which is in the docked position. In this position, the watercraft is very near or even above the water&#39;s surface, and the craft is held by the craft cradle such that there is little to no rocking or sloshing of the watercraft in the water. 
         [0009]    The user steps into the watercraft and sits in the proper position for operating the craft, and then pushes the handle bar assembly forward. Pushing the handle bar assembly forward causes the craft cradle to pivot forward and downward, gently dropping the watercraft into the water at which point it may be operated as normal. To exit the watercraft a user paddles or otherwise directs the watercraft into position above the craft cradle, grips the handle bar assembly and pulls the lever in a backward direction, similar to a traditional rowing stroke, causing the cradle to move in an upward direction until it locks in a docked position. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    The present invention is described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, like reference numbers indicate identical or functionally similar elements. The drawings are not drawn to scale. 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is a rear perspective view of the launching device according to the invention showing the lifting mechanism in the raised position. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a bottom perspective view of the launching device. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a side perspective view of the device. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a top perspective view of the device. 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a side perspective view of the lifting mechanism in the raised position. 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a side perspective view of the lifting mechanism in the lowered position. 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is a front view of the lifting mechanism. 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the device showing a second embodiment of the springs. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0019]    The present invention will now be described more fully in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention should not, however, be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, they are provided so that this disclosure will be complete and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. 
         [0020]      FIGS. 1-8  illustrate a launching device  100  for small watercraft according to the invention for launching and docking a small watercraft, such as, for example, a kayak K. The launching device  100  includes a lifting mechanism  10  that moves a craft between a raised position and a lowered position and that is affixed to a support structure  50  that supports the lifting mechanism  10  in a body of water. To launch a small watercraft, the user places the craft on top of the lifting mechanism  10  while the mechanism  10  is in a raised position. The lifting mechanism  10  supports the craft at or near the surface of the water in a docked position. The user enters the craft and activates the lifting mechanism  10 , lowering the craft into a launched position floating in the water. To use the launching device  100  to lift a small watercraft out of the water, or bring the craft back to a docked position, the user pilots the craft into a position above the lifting mechanism  10  while it is in a lowered position, and activates the mechanism  10  to raise the craft into a supported position at or near the surface of the water. 
         [0021]      FIGS. 1, 5 and 6  illustrate the lifting mechanism  10 , including a support cage  12 , a craft cradle  14 , a handle bar assembly  16  and a plurality of lift guides  18 . The support cage  12  is affixed to the support structure  50  by any suitable means, for example, through the use of attachable brackets or by being welded together. The craft cradle  14  is pivotably affixed to the support cage  12  and includes two support beams  22  that are connected by crossbars  24 . The height of the support beams  22  is sufficient to allow a keel on the small watercraft to fit above the crossbars  24 . The crossbars  24  may be curved or angled to allow for a deeper keel. 
         [0022]    The embodiment shown includes the handle bar assembly  16  in the form a single u-shaped component that is pivotably affixed to the support cage  12  at pivot point  32  and that includes two handles  26 , one handle  26  being positioned on each side of the lifting mechanism  10  and that allow a user to raise and lower the watercraft through a motion that simulates the act of rowing. The handles  26  are positioned such that the average user is located near a midpoint in the cradle  14  when the lifting mechanism  10  is in the elevated position, as shown in  FIG. 5 . In the raised position, the handle bar assembly  16  is angled back towards the user. To launch the craft from this position, a user simply grips the handles  26  and pushes forward with a single stroke to activate the lifting mechanism  10 . 
         [0023]    The handle bar assembly  16  is affixed to first lever arms  28  by any suitable means, such as welding. The first lever arms  28  are attached to second lever arms  34  and the second lever arms  34  attach to third lever arms  36 . The third lever arms  36  are pivotably attached to the support cage  12  by pivot point  38  and affixed to the craft cradle  14 . As the handle bar assembly  16  is pushed forward in the lowered position, shown in  FIG. 6 , the arms  28 ,  34 , and  36  are moved about the pivot points  32 ,  38 , causing the craft cradle  14  to move forward and downward, lowering the watercraft into a floating position. To raise the watercraft, the user pulls the handle bar assembly  16  backwards to reverse the motion of the arms  28 ,  34 , and  36 . 
         [0024]    Lift guides  18  are provided at the front and rear of the lifting mechanism  10  to rotatably connect the craft cradle  14  to the support cage  12  and to provide structural support and to guide the craft cradle as it is raised and lowered. As the cradle  14  pivots forward into the launched position stop members  42 , illustrated in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , contact the support cage  12  to prevent the cradle  14  from rotating beyond the desired position. 
         [0025]    Springs  44 , best shown in  FIGS. 4-6 , may be provided to attenuate the lowering motion and to assist in the lifting motion, and to secure the craft cradle  14  in either the lowered or elevated position as desired. The springs  44  are affixed on one end to a cross bar  48  that is affixed to the support cage  12  by any suitable connector that allows for a small degree of pivot, such as an I-bolt, and are affixed on an opposite end to a bar  46  that is connected to the front lift guides  18 . 
         [0026]    The bar  46  is positioned just above a trigger point  49 , shown in  FIG. 5 . As the user pushes the handle bar assembly  26  forward the craft cradle  14  moves forward thereby forcing the lift guides  18  forward. The bar  46  moves forward and at the beginning of the motion the springs  44  exert a force in the opposite direction, effectively pulling the craft cradle  14  upward as the user pushes the craft cradle  14  downward. The lifting guides  18  have a curved shape, and approximately halfway through the forward motion the bar  46  passes the trigger point  49 , after which the springs exert a force in the same, i.e. downward, direction. When the craft cradle  14  is in its lowered position the force of the springs  44  secures the craft cradle  14  in the downward and deployed position. Conversely, when the user pulls the handle assembly  26  upward, the bar  46  is pulled above the trigger point and the springs  44  exert a force on the craft cradle  14  in a rear and elevated direction to help the user raise the craft. Once elevated the springs  44  secure the craft cradle  14  in position. 
         [0027]    To lower the craft, a user pushes the handle bar assembly  16  forward engaging the springs  44  and requiring the user to exert a small degree of force until the guides  18  reach the trigger point  49 . This initially slows the rate at which the craft is lowered into the water. Once the bar  46  passes the trigger point  49  the user may use the handle bar assembly  16  to slow the decent of the craft or, alternatively, let go of the handle bar assembly  16  and allow the craft cradle  14  to be pulled by the springs  44  into the water. Once the bar  46  has passed the trigger point  49  the springs  44  secure the craft cradle  14  in a lowered position. To raise the craft the user pulls the handle bar assembly  16  backward, with a motion similar to a traditional rowing stroke. Initially the springs  44  exert a force in the opposite direction until the bar  46  passes the trigger point, after which the springs  44  exert a force that pulls the craft cradle  14  in the upward direction to assist the user in raising the craft out of the water. 
         [0028]    A tension adjuster  47  allows a user to adjust the tension in the springs to modify that amount of effort that must be exerted to raise and lower the craft. For example, in the embodiment shown the tension adjuster  47  is an eye bolt that attaches the spring  44  to the cross bar  48  through a slotted opening that runs parallel to and in line with the spring; tightening the eye bolt in the slot in a position toward the stern-end of the craft increases the tension and thus increases the lifting power of the device  100 . In the embodiment shown, the springs  44  connect to cables  45  which connect to the bar  46 , however, it is understood that springs of various lengths and sizes may be used and may connect directly to bar  46  or may connect to a cable  45  of varying length. 
         [0029]      FIG. 8  illustrates a second embodiment of the springs  44 . In this embodiment a first spring crossbar  39  is affixed to the support cage  12  and a second spring cross bar  40  is affixed to the third lever arms  36 . The springs  44  attach on one end to the first spring cross bar  39  and attach on the other end to the second spring cross bar. The springs  44  are applying constant force in a rear and elevated direction, so that the springs are either helping to pull the craft up into a docking position or slowing the rate at which the craft is lowered into the water. An additional locking mechanism (not shown) is needed to secure the lifting device  100  in a deployed, i.e. lowered, position. There are a number of known ways to provide the locking mechanism, for example, a detent pin may be used along with an additional hole in the lifting device  10 . 
         [0030]    In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , the support structure  50  includes two floats  52  that are connected by two cross bars  54 , and the support cage  12  is clamped to the crossbars  54 . However, it is understood that the structure  50  may be any suitable floating structure or fixed dock that is capable of supporting the lifting mechanism  10  in a body of water, and the support cage  12  may be attached to the support structure  50  using any suitable means, such as, for example, welding. 
         [0031]    It is understood that the embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the present invention. Variations in the construction of the launching device may be contemplated by one skilled in the art without limiting the intended scope of the invention herein disclosed and as defined by the following claims.