Patent Publication Number: US-6669518-B2

Title: Device and method for handling a boat gimbal housing

Description:
PRIORITY OF INVENTION 
     This application claims priority of invention under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) from U.S. Provisional application No. 60/257,699, filed Dec. 21, 2000, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to devices and methods for assembling products such as boats. More particularly, the present invention relates to devices and methods for handling boat gimbal housings. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Conventional boat manufacturing processes are typically quite labor intensive and involve a significant amount of manual lifting and positioning of component parts. What is needed are methods and devices for improving manufacturing efficiency on a boat assembly line. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     One aspect of the present invention relates to a device for handling a boat gimbal housing. The device includes an upright member having an upper end and a lower end. A cross-member is connected to the upright member adjacent the upper end. A counterweight is connected to the cross-member, and a lift connection location is positioned at the cross-member between the counterweight and the upright member. A clamp mounting structure is connected to the upright member adjacent the lower end. A clamp is provided for clamping the gimbal housing. The clamp is connected to the clamp mounting structure and is positioned beneath the cross-member. 
     Another aspect of the present invention relates to a method for mounting a gimbal housing to a boat. The method includes providing a clamp including a moveable upper clamp member and a fixed lower clamp member. The method also includes inserting the fixed lower clamp member within an opening defined by the gimbal housing, and then clamping the upper clamp member against a top surface of the gimbal housing. The method further includes lifting the gimbal housing with a boom and lift assembly connected to the clamp, and connecting the gimbal housing to a transom of the boat while the boom and winch assembly holds the clamped gimbal housing at a desired position relative to the transom. 
     A variety of advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description that follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practicing the invention. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention as claimed. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate several aspects of the invention and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. A brief description of the drawings is as follows: 
     FIG. 1 is a side view of an articulated arm/boom suitable for use with an attachment constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an articulated boom attachment constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention; 
     FIG. 3A is a perspective view of the frame of the attachment of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 3B is a top view of the frame of FIG. 3A; 
     FIG. 3C is a side view of the frame of FIG. 3A; and 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the attachment of FIG. 2 clamped on a gimbal housing for a boat. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     With reference now to the various drawings in which identical elements are numbered identically throughout, a description of various exemplary aspects of the present invention will now be provided. 
     FIG. 1 shows an articulated boom  20  (i.e., a jib or crane) suitable for use with a gimbal housing handling attachment constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention. The articulated boom  20  includes a main post  22  having a base piece  24  and an upper extension  26 . The upper extension  26  is free to pivot about a vertical axis  28  that extends longitudinally through the main post  22 . A first arm  30  projects outwardly from the upper extension  26  in a cantilevered fashion. The far end of the first arm  30  is connected to a second arm  32  by a pivot mount  34 . The pivot mount  34  allows the second arm  32  to pivot relative to the first arm  30  about a vertical axis  36 . A lift  37  (i.e., a winch-like structure) for raising and lowering a flexible member  39  (e.g., a cable, rope, chain, etc.) is mounted on the second arm  32 . It will be appreciated that articulated booms as described above are conventionally known in the art. For example, similar booms are manufactured and sold by GCI Company of Garfield, Minn. Additionally, lifts as described above are also known in the art. For example, a preferred lift is an air hoist sold under the name Bal-Trol by Tri-Motion Industries, of Tampa, Fla. 
     A gimbal housing handling attachment  42  constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention is preferably connected to the lower end of the flexible member  39 . It will be understood that the phrase “connected to” includes direct connections as well as connections made by intermediate pieces or structures. FIG. 2 shows the entire handling attachment  42 , while FIGS. 3A-3C show only a frame  43  of the handling attachment  42 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 3A-3C, the frame  43  includes a vertical upright member  50  having an upper end  52  and a lower end  54 . It will be understood that the term “upright member” includes members or structures having greater vertical components than horizontal components. A cross-member  56  is connected to the upright member  50  adjacent the upper end  52  of the upright member  50 . It will be understood that the term “cross-member” includes members or structures having greater horizontal components than vertical components. A counterweight  58  connected to a free end (i.e., the end opposite from the upright member  50 ) of the cross-member  56 . A lift connection location  60  (e.g., an eye, loop, hook, flange, opening, etc.) is positioned at the cross-member  56  between the counterweight  58  and the upright member  50 . The frame  43  further includes a clamp mounting structure  62  and a lower handle  64  connected to the upright member  50  adjacent the lower end  54 . The mounting structure  62  includes a bracket having an upright leg  66  spaced from the upright member  50 , and a cross-leg  68  that extends between the upright leg  66  and the upright member  50 . 
     Referring to FIG. 2, a clamp  70  is connected to the clamp mounting structure  62 . Preferably, the clamp mounting structure  62  projects outward from the upright member  50  in the same direction as the cross-member  56  such that the clamp  70  is located beneath the cross-member  56 . The clamp  70  includes an upper clamp member  72  and a lower clamp member  74 . The upper clamp member  72  includes first and second ends  76  and  78 , and the upright leg  66  is pivotally connected to the upper clamp member  72  at a location between the first and second ends  76  and  78 . A cylinder  80  (e.g., a pneumatic cylinder) is provided for pivoting the upper clamp member  72  to clamp or unclamp the clamp. The cylinder  80  is mounted on the cross-leg  68  between the upright leg  66  and the upright member  50 , and the cylinder  80  is connected to the upper clamp member  72  at a location adjacent the first end  76  of the upper clamp member  72 . The upper clamp member  72  also includes a clamping pad  82  positioned adjacent the second end  78  of the upper clamp member  72 . The pad  82  includes a reinforcing portion  88  made of metal, and a cushioning portion  90  made of a resilient material such as rubber. 
     The lower clamping member  74  includes two clamping pins  92  that project outwardly from the upright leg  66  and extend beneath the clamping pad  82 . The clamping pins  92  are held in spaced-apart relation relative to one another by a spacer member  94  that is fixedly connected (e.g., welded or fastened with one or more fasteners such as bolts) to the upright leg  66 . The pins  92  are spaced apart a distance corresponding to an opening in the gimbal housing desired to be handled. In some embodiments, the spacing between the pins  92  can be varied to accommodate different gimbal housings. Preferably, the pins  92  are aligned along a common horizontal plane. 
     The attachment  42  also includes an upper handle  96  connected to an intermediate location of the upright member  50 . The handle  96  projects outward from the upright member  50  in a direction opposite from the cross-member  56 . A first control  98  for raising and lowering the flexible member  39  with the lift  37  is provided on the handle  96 . A second control  100  for controlling the cylinder  80  to open and close the clamp  70  is also provided on the handle  96 . The controls  98  and  100  preferably include conventional valving for controlling air pressure provided to the lift  37  and the cylinder  80  from a source of compressed air (e.g., a compressor). Air hoses (not shown) are preferably used to provide fluid communication between compressor and the controls  98  and  100 , and to also provide fluid communication between the controls  98  and  100  and the lift  37  and the cylinder  80 , respectively. One or more mounts  102  can be provided on the frame for use in managing/securing the hoses. 
     FIG. 4 shows a boat gimbal housing  106  that is an example of the type structure the attachment  42  is adapted for handling. The gimbal housing  106  includes an outer metal casing that houses components for allowing a shaft of a boat motor to tilt up and down, and also for allowing the shaft to pivot back and forth for turning the boat. The gimbal housing  106  is preferably secured to the transom of the boat. 
     To connect the gimbal housing  106  to the transom, the clamping pins  92  are inserted in an opening  108  defined by the gimbal housing  106  (see FIG.  4 ). With the pins  92  so inserted, the upper clamp member  72  is clamped down on an upper surface  110  of the gimbal housing  106 . The lift  37  is then used to lift the clamped gimbal housing  106  to a desired elevation, and the gimbal housing  106  is manually moved to a location adjacent the transom of the boat. As the gimbal housing  106  is moved, the arms of the articulated boom  20  pivot relative to one another to accommodate the movement. Once positioned adjacent the transom, the gimbal housing is connected (e.g., by fasteners such as bolts) to a transom of the boat. During the connection process, the boom and lift assembly holds the clamped gimbal housing at the desired position relative to the transom. 
     The above specification and examples provide a complete description of the manufacture and use of the composition of the invention. While a preferred use of the disclosed device is for handling gimbal housings of boats, it will be appreciated that articles and manufacturing components could also be handled with the device. Since many embodiments of the invention can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, the invention resides in the claims hereinafter appended.