Abstract:
An adjustable and leveling radar mounting tower for use on a marine vessel. The mounting tower is capable of being adjusted to different angles and is capable of being raised and lowered as well.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to the general art of marine vessels, and to the particular field of accessories for use with marine vessels. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Boats, and particularly pleasure craft, are frequently fitted with a multitude of antennas for a variety of purposes. For example, a single vessel may have antennas for CB, VHF, UHF, TV, AM/FM, cell phone, Orbcomm™ communications, satellite phone, SSB, GPS, and/or a multiband antenna, all in addition to radar. Each antenna has unique design constraints for optimum performance, but one feature common to all is a requirement to receive or transmit at one or more resonant frequencies. 
         [0003]    For a long time, marine radio systems have been in wide use on pleasure craft type boats such as cabin cruisers and like water craft having superstructures which extend above the normal deck level. The antennas for such marine radios are usually in the form of elongated antenna devices of considerable height which, if provision is not made to lower or depress them in some manner, create problems when the boat passes under low obstructions such as bridges or into docking bays of boat houses and the like. Commonly the elongated whiplike marine radio antennas can be made sufficiently movable by providing flexible springlike mounts or some kind of pivotal connection at their lower mounted ends to retract them from their normal elevated positions. Marine radar systems have now become more widely used for private pleasure watercraft such as cabin cruisers and the like, and typically involve a rotary radiation beam emitting and receiving antenna element and mounting structure, for the common PPI type radar unit display, which is a relatively rigid structure and projects usually several feet above the mounting base for the radar antenna. Clearly such structures may create considerable problems in providing sufficient clearance in the upper part of the boat or watercraft to pass under low obstructions. 
         [0004]    The inventor is aware of various mounting devices for radar antennae for use on or with marine vessels. Some mounting devices fix the position of the radar antenna and do not facilitate any pivotal movement to compensate for boat movement. More commonly, the radar mounts known to the inventor have included some type of self-leveling mechanism which allows the mounted radar antenna to swing freely and, thus, naturally assume a horizontal position. Some self-leveling mounts have further included dampening means to prevent the uncontrolled swinging and constant searching for horizontal generally associated with undampened types of the devices. 
         [0005]    Therefore, there is a need for a mount for a radar tower on a marine vessel which can be adjusted but which will be stable and secure. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The above-discussed disadvantages of the prior art are overcome by an adjustable and leveling radar mounting tower which is capable of being adjusted to different angles and capable of being raised and lowered as well. 
         [0007]    Using the device embodying the present invention will permit radar equipment to be mounted and angled to its most effective position on all cabin roofs of marine vessels, no matter what the angle of the roof and no matter how or at what angle the vessel rides in the water. The device of the present invention also permits the vessel to travel under low overpasses, such as bridges and traffic lights. 
         [0008]    Other systems, methods, features, and advantages of the invention will be, or will become, apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following figures and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features, and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the invention, and be protected by the following claims. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES 
         [0009]    The invention can be better understood with reference to the following drawings and description. The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. Moreover, in the figures, like referenced numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the different views. 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a radar mounting tower embodying the present invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a side elevational view of the radar mounting tower of the present invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a front elevational view of the radar mounting tower of the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  shows a bolt that is used in the radar mounting tower of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0014]    Referring to the figures, it can be understood that the present invention is embodied in a mount  10  for adjustably mounting radar equipment  12  on a marine vessel  14  in a manner which easily accommodates different angular orientations of the vessel or the element on which the radar equipment is mounted. Mount  10  comprises a first plate  20  that is a base plate when in use. First plate  20  includes a plurality of mounting holes, such as mounting hole  22 , defined therethrough through which fasteners, such as screws or the like, extend to mount plate  20  on vessel  14 . 
         [0015]    A second plate  26  is a radar unit mounting plate when in use. Second plate  26  includes a first surface  28  which is a top surface when the second plate is in use and a second surface  30  which is a bottom surface when the second plate is in use. A plurality of mounting holes, such as hole  32 , are defined therethrough through which fasteners, such as mounting screws or the like, are accommodated. 
         [0016]    A support post mounting unit  40  is located on second surface  30  of the second plate. Support post mounting unit  40  has a mounting plate  42  fixedly mounted on second surface  30 . A supporting element  44  is mounted on mounting plate  42 . A support post  50  connects second plate  26  to first plate  20 . Support post  50  includes a first tubular element  52  which has a first end  54  fixedly mounted on first plate  20  and extends upward therefrom in the use orientation shown in  FIG. 1 . A second end  56  of element  52  is spaced apart from first plate  20 , and a longitudinal axis  58  extends between first end  54  and second end  56  of the first tubular element. 
         [0017]    A plurality of set pin receiving holes, such as hole  60 , are defined through the first tubular element. The set pin receiving holes of the first tubular element are spaced apart from each other in the direction of longitudinal axis  58 . First tubular element has an external dimension  62 . A second tubular element  70  has a first end  72  and a second end  74 . Second end  74  is located adjacent to mounting plate  42 . A bore  76  is defined through element  72  from first end  72  to second end  74 . Bore  76  defined through the second tubular element has an internal dimension  78 . A longitudinal axis  80  extends between first end  72  and second end  74  of the second tubular element. 
         [0018]    A plurality of set pin receiving holes, such as hole  82 , are defined through the second tubular element. The set pin receiving holes of the second tubular element are spaced apart from each other in the direction of longitudinal axis  80  of the second tubular element. Internal dimension  78  of bore  76  of second tubular element  70  is larger than external dimension  62  of first tubular element  52  so the first tubular element is telescopingly received in the second tubular element. This will permit adjustment of the spacing between plates  20  and  26 . The set pin receiving holes  82  of the second tubular element are alignable with the set pin receiving holes  60  of the first tubular element. 
         [0019]    Two shoulders  90  and  92  are mounted on second end  74  of the second tubular element. Each shoulder has a bolt receiving hole  94  defined therethough. The bolt receiving holes of the shoulders are aligned with each other and with the supporting element  44  mounted on the mounting plate. A set pin unit  100  includes a set pin  102  which is received in the set pin receiving holes of the first and second tubular elements to lock the first and second tubular elements together and a lanyard  104  connecting the set pin to one of the two shoulders  90  and  92 . 
         [0020]    A bolt  110  is accommodated in the aligned bolt receiving holes. Bolt  110  is tightened to tighten mounting unit  40  to supporting element  44 . As indicated by double-headed arrow  118  in  FIG. 4 , second plate  26  is movable in the aligned bolt receiving holes between a first position and a second position. 
         [0021]    The angular orientation of second plate  26  with respect to vertical is indicated in  FIG. 2  by angle θ, and this orientation can be altered when the bolt is disengaged, and then set and tightened. In this manner, odd angles of either the vessel or the element of the vessel can be accommodated by mount  10 . As indicated by double-headed arrow  120  the set pin is used to adjust the spacing between plates  20  and  26  to further adjust the position of the radar dish on the marine vessel. 
         [0022]    Use of mount  10  can be understood from the teaching of the foregoing disclosure and thus will be only briefly discussed. Mount  10  is fixed to a portion of a marine vehicle, such as a cabin roof or the like, and a radar dish is mounted on the mount. The angular orientation and spacing of plates  20  and  26  with respect to each other is adjusted using the mount and the mount is secured using the set pin and the tightened bolt  110 . 
         [0023]    While various embodiments of the invention have been described, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many more embodiments and implementations are possible within the scope of this invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be restricted except in light of the attached claims and their equivalents.