AMPHIBIOUS BOATS

A system is provided that includes a boat; a pair of wheels; for each wheel, an arm to which said each wheel is rotatably mounted, the arm being movable between towing and water configurations. In the towing configuration, the boat is supported for rolling movement on the wheels when dragged from the bow of the boat. In the water configuration the wheels are alongside the boat; and means for coupling the boat to a vehicle, such as a hitch are provided.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to the field of amphibious boats.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Amphibious boats are well known but known amphibious boats are relatively costly to manufacture or cumbersome to operate in consideration of functionality.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Forming one aspect of the invention is a system including: a boat; a pair of wheels; for each wheel, an arm to which said each wheel is rotatably mounted, the arm being movable between: (i) a towing configuration, wherein, when operatively positioned, the boat is supported for rolling movement on the wheels when dragged from the bow; and (ii) a water configuration, wherein, when operatively positioned, the wheels are alongside the boat; and means for coupling the boat to a vehicle.

Advantages, features and characteristics of the invention will become evident upon a review of the detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings, the latter being briefly described hereinafter.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The components of the exemplary system20shown inFIG. 1will be seen include an amphibious boat22, a tongue24and a hitch arrangement26.

The amphibious boat22is shown inFIG. 2-8and will be seen to include: a boat28; a pair of wheel assemblies30and a coupling arrangement32.

The boat28includes a body34and an outboard motor36.

The body will be seen to include: a hull38, a pair of stern seats40, a pair of intermediate seats42and a bow seat44.

The hull has: a bow46and a stern48; a relatively wide portion50including the bow; a relatively narrow portion52including the stern; a transition portion54that narrows as it connects the bow portion to the stern portion; at the stern, a well56having a transom58disposed aft of the transition portion.

FIGS. 23-24show lines for the hull from which persons of ordinary skill will readily appreciate that the hull is shaped to be seaworthy.

As best seen inFIG. 2:

the stern seats are disposed aft of the transom and in flanking relation to the well and are filled with a buoyant foam. A suitable foam is that sold under the trademark POLARFOAM which has a density of 40 kg/m3.

the intermediate seats are disposed in the transition portion.

the bow seat is disposed adjacent and in spaced relation to the bow and forward of and in spaced relation to the intermediate seats and is similarly filled with buoyant foam.

The outboard motor is, in use, mounted to the transom, as indicated inFIG. 2.

The wheel assemblies are of a conventional type which have a wheel60rotatably mounted to a pintle62.

The coupling arrangement includes, for each wheel: a bolt64; a pin66; an arm68; a capture plate69; a spring mount70and a guide plate72.

The bolt has head73, a smooth shaft74extending from the head and a threaded end76.

The pin is a quick release ball lock pin.

The arm is a drilled aluminum bar which is in receipt of the pintle and also has

a. an end portion74in which a throughbore75, a smooth bore76and a partially threaded bore78A,78B are defined, the partially threaded bore terminating in a hollow79, the throughbore75intersecting smooth bore76
b. a slot80that: defines a pair of forks82A,82B; bisects the smooth bore76radially; and that bisects the partially threaded bore longitudinally, such that one82A of the forks has a threaded part78A of the partially threaded bore and the other82B of the forks has a non-threaded part78B of the partially threaded bore

The spring mount includes an elastic member86releasably mounted to the hull and a shaft88securely gripped by the elastic member to protrude from the hull, the shaft having an aperture89defined therethrough. The sequence ofFIGS. 20 and 21show the manner in which the spring mounts are so releasably received, namely, recesses89are defined in the hull which are adapted to receive the spring mounts, and plates91are provided which bolt to the hull and capture the spring mounts.

The guide plate72has a pair of stop bars90A,90B and is rigidly secured to the shaft88.

The coupling arrangement provides for movement of the arms between:a towing configuration, as shown inFIG. 13A-C, wherein, when operatively positioned, the hull is supported for rolling movement on the wheels when dragged from the bow; anda water configuration, as shown inFIGS. 18A-C, wherein, when operatively positioned, the wheels are alongside the hull, for boating.

The manner in which such movement is provided will become evident upon review of the sequence ofFIGS. 13A-18C.

As indicated,FIG. 13A-13Cshows the towing configuration. In this configuration, the pin66extends through the aperture89in the shaft and the throughbore75; the fork ends82A,82B are drawn together by the bolt64; and the bolt head73is captured in the hollow79by the capture plate69. This causes the arm to project downwardly and rearwardly from the shaft. It is notable in this regard that the arm rests against stop bar90A.

A first step in the movement involves a slight loosening of the bolt, to allow the forks to spread apart, all as shown inFIGS. 14A-14C. It is noted that the bolt cannot be removed entirely, since it is restrained by the capture plate69.

A second step in the movement involves removal of the spring pin, as shown inFIGS. 15A-15C.

With the pin so removed, the arm can be pivoted until such time as the arm engages the second stop bar90B, as shown inFIGS. 16A-16C, which defines the water configuration.

The quick release pin can then be reinserted, as indicated inFIGS. 17A-17C, to lock the arm in the water configuration.

Finally, the bolt can be tightened, to draw the forks together, as indicated inFIGS. 18A-18C.

The tongue and hitch arrangement defines means for coupling the hull to a vehicle.

The tongue is releasably couplable to the hull by means of a pair of pins92, as shown by the sequence ofFIGS. 1, 8, and terminates in a towing ball receiver94.

The hitch arrangement has a square tube end96adapted to be received by a conventional hitch receiver and carries a towing ball98and a winch100.

In use for towing, the tongue is coupled to the hull, the hitch arrangement is coupled to the hitch receiver and the towing ball is received by the towing ball receiver, all as shown inFIGS. 9,10.

For boating, the tongue can be decoupled from the boat, as indicated by the sequence ofFIGS. 9, 11. If the boat is to be returned to the same location for towing, the tongue can be left coupled to the vehicle and pivoted against the vehicle, as shown inFIG. 12. If the boat may be towed by another vehicle in another location, the tongue can be uncoupled from both the vehicle and the boat and transported in the boat to such other location.

Persons of ordinary skill will readily appreciate the aforedescribed structure has great advantage, in that it is towable without the need of a trailer, is relatively easy to convert between towing and boating configurations, is relatively inexpensive to manufacture, is relatively robust in operation, is relatively lightweight, handles relatively well in the water and can service as a utility trailer. In this regard, although not shown, it will be understood that the hull, wheel assemblies and seats are sized, dimensioned and otherwise adapted to permit, among other things, a substantial load to be carried, including but not limited to sheets of plywood that can be laid, flat, on the intermediate seats.

Whereas a specific structure is shown inFIGS. 1-24, it will be evident that variants are possible.

One such variant190is shown inFIGS. 25-27. This structure190functions similar to the hitch arrangement26ofFIG. 1, in that it continues to carry a towing ball98and a winch100and has a square tube end96adapted to be received by a conventional hitch receiver. However, in this variant, the winch100is releasably coupled to the remainder of the structure by means of a post-socket connection150, thereby to enable the winch to be secured against theft, and the structure further carries a receiver152for releasable receipt (not shown) of the tongue24.

FIG. 28shows another variant, this time of the structure of encircled area128ofFIG. 1. In this variant, a handle192is coupled to the arm68. In operation, the apparatus is again hauled in the manner of a trailer to the desired embarkation point whereupon bolt64is loosened, as previously described. Thereafter, the apparatus is caused to enter the water. Thence, pin66is removed, to decouple the arm68, thereby to enable the arm68and wheel to be removed and stored, for example, in the boat. This variant has some advantage in that it removes the wheel from exposure to the water, which allows the boat to travel more quickly in the water. It will be understood that, in this variant, the arm does not rotate between the towing configuration and the water configuration; rather, the arm is remote from the shaft in the water configuration.

Yet other variations are possible. Accordingly, the invention should be understood to be limited only by the appended claims, purposively construed.