Abstract:
An apparatus for adjusting the length of a leg of a boat lift is described wherein the length of the leg may either be shortened or lengthened without the necessity of entering the water in which the boat lift is positioned.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    This invention relates to an apparatus for adjusting the length of a boat lift leg and more particularly to an apparatus for adjusting the length of a boat lift leg which may be used to either lengthen the boat lift leg or shorten the boat lift leg, with the same being operated from above the surface of the water in which the boat lift is positioned. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    Many types of boat lifts have been provided for raising a boat above water level adjacent a dock or the like. Normally, the boat lifts have four corner legs each of which have an outer leg member with an inner leg member selectively adjustably slidably mounted therein so that the legs may be adjusted to compensate for irregularities in the bottom of the body of water and which may be adjusted to compensate for variations in the water level in which the lift is positioned. Normally, the inner leg members are adjusted with respect to the outer leg members by means of a pin extending through the outer leg member and one of several vertically spaced openings formed in the inner leg member. However, those adjustment pins are normally located beneath the water surface of the water in which the boat lift is positioned which requires that a person must dive into the water to gain access to the adjustment pins. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key aspects or essential aspects of the claimed subject matter. Moreover, this Summary is not intended for use as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. 
         [0006]    An apparatus for adjusting the length of a leg of a boat lift is described with the boat lift leg having a tubular outer leg member, with upper and lower ends, and a tubular inner leg member, with upper and lower ends, slidably received therein with the lower end of the inner leg member having a support pad mounted thereon. The apparatus comprises an elongated hollow tube, having upper and lower ends, which is positioned adjacent the leg and disposed in a parallel relationship thereto. The lower end of the tube is secured to the inner leg member by means of a bolt, pin or the like extending through the lower end of the tube and through one of the openings in the inner leg member. An internally threaded member is secured to the tube at the upper end thereof and an elongated, externally threaded shaft, having upper and lower ends, threadably extends downwardly through the internally threaded member into the tube. The upper end of the shaft is positioned above the upper end of the tube. A bracket is secured to the outer leg member and extends laterally therefrom above the upper end of the tube. The shaft extends upwardly through the bracket so that the upper end of the shaft is positioned above the bracket. An operating nut is fixed to the upper end of the shaft above the bracket. A locking collar is fixed to the shaft below the bracket whereby rotation of the operating nut in a first direction will cause the outer leg member to move upwardly with respect to the inner leg member and whereby rotation of the operating nut in a direction opposite to the first direction will cause the outer leg member to move downwardly with respect to the inner leg member. The operating nut is positioned above the surface of the body of water in which the boat lift is positioned so that it is not necessary to enter the water to adjust the length of the legs of the boat lift. Normally, an apparatus of this invention will be secured to each of the four corner legs of the boat lift. The apparatus is selectively removably secured to the boat lift leg so that it may be sold as an after market apparatus. 
         [0007]    It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide an apparatus for adjusting the length of a boat lift leg. 
         [0008]    A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the type described which is selectively removably secured to a leg of the boat lift. 
         [0009]    A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the type described which may be actuated without entering the water in which the boat lift is positioned. 
         [0010]    A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the type described which may be attached to each of the legs of a boat lift without extensive modification of the existing legs of the boat lift. 
         [0011]    These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]    Non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to the following figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various views unless otherwise specified. 
           [0013]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a conventional boat lift having an apparatus of this invention secured to each leg thereof; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the apparatus of this invention and its relationship to a leg of the boat lift; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view illustrating the apparatus of this invention mounted on a leg of the boat lift; and 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a partial sectional view of the apparatus of this invention mounted on a leg of the boat lift. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0017]    Embodiments are described more fully below with reference to the accompanying figures, which form a part hereof and show, by way of illustration, specific exemplary embodiments. These embodiments are disclosed in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. However, embodiments may be implemented in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense in that the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims. 
         [0018]    The numeral  10  refers to a conventional boat lift having adjustable legs  12 ,  14 ,  16  and  18  at the corners thereof. Each of the legs includes an outer tubular leg portion  20  which telescopically receives an inner tubular leg portion  22  having a pad, foot or shoe  23  mounted on the lower end thereof. A plurality of vertically spaced-apart openings  24  are formed in the lower end of leg portion  22 . Normally, outer leg portion  20  has an opening  25  formed therein adapted to receive a pin or the like therein which is received by one of the openings  24  to adjust the length of the leg to accommodate various water levels and water bottoms. Usually, the pin is positioned below the surface of the water which means that any adjustment of the length of the leg must be accomplished under water. It is to this conventional structure that Applicant has devised an apparatus to enable the lengths of the legs to be adjusted without entering the water. 
         [0019]    Applicant&#39;s leg length adjustment apparatus is referred to generally by the reference numeral  26 . The apparatus  26  is normally attached to each of the legs  12 ,  14 ,  16  and  18  as seen in  FIG. 1 . Apparatus  26  includes a vertically disposed hollow metal tube  28  which may have a cylindrical cross-section or a square cross-section. For purposes of description, tube  28  will be described as having an upper end  30  and a lower end  32 . Bolt or pin  34  is mounted in the opening  35  in the lower end  32  of tube  28  and is received by one of the openings  24  and preferably the lowermost opening  24  in inner leg portion  22 . If the opening  24  is not large enough to accommodate the bolt  34 , the opening  24  is enlarged with a drill or the like. A spacer  36  is mounted on bolt  34  between inner leg portion  22  and tube  28  and a nut  38  is secured to the end of bolt  34 . 
         [0020]    An internally threaded collar or nut  40  is positioned in the upper end of tube  28  and is secured thereto by welding or the like. An elongated threaded rod or shaft  42  is threadably received by the collar  40  and extends downwardly into tube  28  as seen in the drawings. An angular bracelet  44  is secured to outer leg portion  20  by a U-bolt  46  or the like. Shaft  42  extends upwardly through opening  47  in bracket  44  and has an operating nut  48  secured to the upper end thereof by a pin or set screw  50  so that rotation of nut  48  causes shaft  42  to be rotated. A locking collar  52  is secured to shaft  42  below the horizontal portion  53  of bracket  44  by a pin or set screw  54  so that collar  52  rotates with rod  42 . Nut  48  and collar  52  limit the amount of vertical movement of rod  42  with respect to bracket  44 . 
         [0021]    In use, the owner of the conventional boat lift who desires to be able to adjust the length of one or more of the legs  12 ,  14 ,  16  and  18  without entering the water will purchase one or more, and usually four, of the apparatuses  26 . Each of the apparatuses  26  will be attached to one of the legs in the manner disclosed above while the boat lift  10  is out of the water after the apparatuses have been attached to the legs, the boat lift is placed in the water. When it is desired to adjust the length of the leg to which the apparatus  26  is attached, nut  48  will be rotated with a wrench such as a ratchet wrench  56  or a power tool. Rotation of the nut  48  in one direction will cause shaft  42  to be rotated which causes outer leg portion  20  to be raised with respect to the inner leg portion  22  of the leg. Rotation of the nut  48  in an opposite direction will cause shaft  42  to be rotated in an opposite direction which causes outer leg portion  20  to be lowered with respect to inner leg portion  22 . The length of each of the legs is therefore adjustable without the person entering the water since the nut  48  will be above the surface of the water. 
         [0022]    Thus it can be seen that the invention accomplishes at least all of its stated objectives. 
         [0023]    Although the invention has been described in language that is specific to certain structures and methodological steps, it is to be understood that the invention defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific structures and/or steps described. Rather, the specific aspects and steps are described as forms of implementing the claimed invention. Since many embodiments of the invention can be practiced without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, the invention resides in the claims hereinafter appended.