Abstract:
A watercraft of the “float boat” type, including spaced apart inflatable pontoons interconnected by a platform structure having a chair thereon and a front ramp and support rail movable between a stowed out-of-the way position to a use position and including a removable wheel for moving the float boat over land.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     Not Applicable.  
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
       [0002]     Not Applicable.  
       REFERENCE TO MICROFICHE APPENDIX  
       [0003]     Not Applicable.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0005]     This invention relates to pontoon craft and particularly to such craft as are commonly referred to as “float boats”. Lightweight pontoon boats of the type known generally as float boats, with inflatable pontoons have become increasingly more popular for use by fishermen and others. Float boats are smaller and lighter in weight than many other types of watercraft and are more easily handled by a single individual during launching, retrieval and use on water.  
         [0006]     Float boats are often propelled using oars, or by kicking of the wader covered feet of a user, or by both feet movement and oar operation.  
         [0007]     2. Prior Art  
         [0008]     Existing float boats generally include a pair of spaced apart inflatable pontoons interconnected by a platform structure. The pontoons are air filled and usually constructed as reinforced, rubberized tubes, with upturned front and rear ends.  
         [0009]     The platform structure supports a chair, including a seat upon which a user sits and a seatback for supporting the back of a user. The seatback may pivot to fold down over the seat when the watercraft is not in use, or the seatback can be rigidly attached to the seat.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0010]     Objects of the Invention  
         [0011]     Principal objects of the present invention are to provide a float boat that is light in weight, easily transported and used by a single individual, and that is readily used on rivers, lakes, ponds and the like.  
         [0012]     Other objects are to provide a float boat that is relatively inexpensive and that will provide a standing platform for a fisherman and a support rail to prevent the standing fisherman falling from the craft when it is on the water.  
         [0013]     Still another object is to provide a float boat that can be easily rolled to the water edge and launched, or that can be retrieved and easily rolled from the water edge.  
         [0014]     Features of the Invention  
         [0015]     Principal features of the invention include a pair of spaced apart float tubes shaped as pontoons, with front and rear pointed ends and a platform structure interconnecting the pontoons and including a chair for a user. The chair includes the usual seat and seatback. A foot ramp pulls from beneath the seat to be used as a standing platform. A support rail swings from a position behind the chair and between the pontoons to a secured upright position, forward of the chair, as a support and safety rail for a fisherman user who is fishing while standing on the ramp.  
         [0016]     The platform structure is readily attached to and disconnected from the pontoons and further includes a receiver into which a wheel can be connected during transportation of the watercraft over land, as it is launched onto and retrieved from water.  
         [0017]     Adjustable footrests extend forwardly from the platform structure so that a fisherman, sitting on the chair can comfortably rest his feet. The footrests further serve as handles when the wheel is attached to the platform and the float boat is wheeled to or away from water edge.  
         [0018]     Additional objects and features of the invention will become apparent to persons skilled in the art to which the invention pertains from the following detailed description and claims. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES OF THE INVENTION  
       [0019]     In the Drawings  
         [0020]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a float boat pontoon craft of the invention, with the support rail and foot ramp in stowed position;  
         [0021]      FIG. 2 , a view like that of  FIG. 1 , but showing the support rail and foot ramp moved to a use position;  
         [0022]      FIG. 3 , an enlarged perspective view of the platform structure, with the wheel shown exploded;  
         [0023]      FIG. 4 , a view taken on the line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0024]      FIG. 5 , a view like that of  FIG. 4 , but taken on the line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 2 ; and  
         [0025]      FIG. 6 , a view like that of  FIG. 4 , but showing the wheel in place and a person transporting the float boat. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0026]     Referring now the Drawings  
         [0027]     In the illustrated preferred embodiment the “float boat” type of watercraft of the invention is shown generally at  10 .  
         [0028]     Float boat  10  includes a pair of spaced apart pontoons  12  and  14 . Each pontoon includes an upturned, pointed front end  16  and an upturned, pointed rear end  18 . The pontoons  12  and  14  are each air-filled and are generally manufactured from a durable flexible sheet material that will contain air inside. Reinforced neoprene rubber or other rubberized materials have been found suitable for the purpose. Such pontoons are conventional and are available commercially. A pair of attachment rings  22  and  24  are spaced apart along the length of the outer and upper surface  24  of each pontoon. The rings are vulcanized, bonded, or otherwise secured to the surfaces  26  of the pontoons  12  and  14 .  
         [0029]     A platform structure, shown generally at  30  is connected between pontoons  12  and  14 . Platform structure  30  includes a pair of spaced apart tubular side rails  32  and  34  interconnected by a brace  36 . Brace  36  is wielded or otherwise affixed to the ends  38  and  40  of the spaced apart tubular rails  32  and  34 , respectively.  
         [0030]     Another brace  42  extends parallel to the brace  36  and interconnects the rails  32  and  34  intermediate their lengths.  
         [0031]     Parallel chair support braces  46  and  48  extend between the braces  36  and  42  and are respectively spaced on opposite sides of the centers of the braces  36  and  42 .  
         [0032]     The seat  50  of a chair, shown generally at  52  is bolted or otherwise affixed to the seat support braces  46  and  48 . Chair  52  also includes a seatback  54 .  
         [0033]     The tubular side rail  32  and  34  each have a support frame  58  and  60 , respectively, secured thereto. Each support frame  58  and  60  has a pair of spaced apart arms  62  and  64  interconnected by a rail  66 . The arms  62  and  64  are curved to extend from a side rail  32  or  34  upwardly and over the top of a pontoon  12  or  14 .  
         [0034]     Spaced apart straps  70  and  72  wrap around each rail  66  and through a ring  22  or  24  to secure the platform structure  30  to the pontoons  12  and  14 .  
         [0035]     A standing loop  74  is fixed to and projects upwardly from each rail  66  at a forward end  76  of the rail  66 . The loops  74  each serve as a retainer for a handle of an oar (not shown) used to propel and guide the float boat  10 .  
         [0036]     Each of the side rails  32  and  34  has a foot rest  80  projecting from a front end thereof. Each footrest is L-shaped, with a long leg  82  telescoped into the end of rail  32  or  34 . The other legs  84  of the footrests  80  are inturned and capped at  86  to serve as footrests for a user sitting on chair  52 . A spring detent  88  on each of the forward ends of the rail  32  or  34  snaps into a selected one of holes  90  provided in the legs  82  to lock the footrests  80  in a selected extended use position.  
         [0037]     A sliding standing ramp  90  is stowed beneath chair  52  and will pull out from beneath the chair to serve as a standing area for a user of the float boat  10 .  
         [0038]     Standing ramp  90  has a floor  92  surrounded by parallel front and rear upstanding walls  94  and  96  and parallel sidewalls  98  and  100  that interconnect the appropriate ends of the front and rear walls  94  and  96 .  
         [0039]     A hanger  106  is provided at the intersection of front wall  94  and each of the sidewalls  98  and  100 . Each hanger  106  is L-shaped and includes a leg  108  connected to a sidewall  98  or  100  and a leg  110  that extends over a side rail  32  or  34 .  
         [0040]     An upstanding side plate  112  is provided at the intersection of rear wall  96  with each of the sidewalls  98  and  100 . Each sidewall plate  112  extends upwardly from a sidewall  98  or  100  and has an upstanding ear  114  spaced from the upper end by a spacer  116  that rests on a side rail  32  or  34 . Legs  110  and spacers  116  slide on side rails  32  and  34  as standing ramp  90  is pulled from beneath or pushed beneath chair  52 .  
         [0041]     Spaced apart ends  118  of legs  120  of support rail, shown generally at  122 , are each journalled on a pivot pin  124  extending between an upper end of the side plate  112  and associated upstanding ear  114 . The legs  120  of support rail  122  are ach curved at  128  and the legs are interconnected by a web  130 .  
         [0042]     A tubular receiver  140  is fixed to brace  36 , intermediate the length of the brace. One end of a shaft  142  telescopes into socket  140  and the shaft projects downwardly from the receiver. A collar  144  on the shaft  142  limits the extent to which the shaft  142  will extend into socket  140 . Bifurcated legs  146  and  148  extend downwardly from opposite sides of the shaft  142 . An axle bolt  150  extends through the legs  146  and  148  and centrally through a wheel  152 .  
         [0043]     In use, the shaft  142  is inserted upwardly into receiver  140  until collar  144  engages the receiver. The wheel  152  then engages the ground when a user  160  grasps footrests  80 , between the pontoons  12  and  14 . A tether  153  has one end fitted onto a pin  155 . The other end of the tether includes a stretch loop  157 . Pin  155  is inserted through holes in receiver  140  and shaft  152  and through loop  157  to lock the shaft in the receiver. Wheel  52  rotates on bolt axle  150 . The wheel  152  functions as a wheelbarrow wheel and is guided by the user  160  holding footrests  80  as the float boat  10  is rolled to a water edge, or is retrieved and wheeled away from water edge. At waters edge, the wheel is removed and the float boat is launched. Similarly, the float boat is removed from water and the wheel is connected to receiver  140  so that the float boat can be wheeled away from the water.  
         [0044]     After launching of the float boat, a user will sit on chair  152 , propelling and directing the float boat using feet and/or oars. The user, of course, may fish while sitting in chair  52 , if he so desires.  
         [0045]     If the user decides to fish from a standing position, he pulls the foot ramp  90  from beneath chair  52 . As the foot ramp moves forward the support rail  122  is also pulled forward. When the foot ramp is pulled fully forward the support rail  122  is pivoted from its stowed position extending rearwardly of the seat  152 , over the chair  52 , to a use position wherein the curved portions  128  of the legs  120  of the support rail  122  will rest on side rails  32  and  34 . The support rail  122  then provides support for a user standing on the floor  92  of foot ramp  90  while fishing, for example.  
         [0046]     Although a preferred embodiment of my invention has been herein described, it is to be understood that the present disclosure is by way of example and that variations are possible without departing from the subject matter coming within the scope of the following claims, which subject matter I regard as my invention.