Patent Abstract:
A boat trailer is equipped with a powered boat launch and retrieval system that negates the shallow entry of a launch ramp. The system uses a weldment frame, pivotally connected to the trailer frame. The weldment frame works in combination with a powered cylinder, gravity&#39;s effect on the weldment frame and the hull of the boat to automatically release the boat into the water or automatically retrieve the boat from the water.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The field of the invention lies within the art of launching a trailerable boat. The specific field is with regard to trailerable ocean boats incorporating a deep “V” with a steep forward entry. With this hull design the bow is forward of the buoyancy level of the typical 12½ percent descent of launch ramps, making the launch and or retrieval difficult without subjecting the tow vehicle, boat, or even the launch facilities to potential damage. 
     2. Prior Art 
     The prior art consists of, and includes the designs of trailers with one or more hinge points to break the trailer horizontal beam to enable a lower trailer to hull support position to aid floatation. Another describes a telescopic center beam that when extended, allows a deeper launch, allowing the boat to float off the trailer. Another describes a device to raise and lower the trailer tongue to aid the launch. 
     The inventor has found, that when the stern, of a trailerable boat becomes buoyant, due to launch ramp depth, that adding a rotational component, of a replicated, sea swell type motion to mechanically lift the bow, aft or forward in the longitudinal axis, creates the equivalency of total buoyancy enabling a safe successful launch, and or retrieval, without compromise. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In summation, this invention complements a transport trailer, specifically designed to support a boat hull, by installing a powered pivotal support system to the forward trailer frame, to mechanically lift the trailer bound bow, of a boat, into, and out of, deeper buoyant water. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the description below taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a transport trailer with boat hull, and powered pivotal launch and retrieval/positioning system in the transport mode. 
         FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of the powered pivotal launch and retrieval/positioning system in the launch mode. 
         FIG. 3  shows a perspective view of the powered pivotal launch and retrieval/positioning system as launched. 
         FIG. 4  shows a perspective view of the hull being positioned for retrieval. 
         FIG. 5  shows a perspective view of the “A” frame weldment in the top dead center retrieval mode. 
         FIG. 6  shows a detailed plain cross sectional view,  6 - 6  of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 7  shows a sectional view along and in the direction of lines/arrows  7 - 7  of  FIG. 6 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Looking at  FIG. 1 , it can be seen that a boat  14  is mounted in a stowage position aboard a trailer frame  11  of a boat transport trailer  10 . Looking more particularly at the boat trailer  10 , it can be seen that the bow  14   a  of the boat is secured to the boat trailer  10  from the bow eye  12  location. Looking more particularly at  FIG. 6 , a view along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 1 , it can be seen the bow eye  12  is attached to the bow  14   a  with two fastening studs  15  that are respectively threaded into the bow eye  12 , and secured with hex nuts  18  bearing on washer  20  inside of the boat hull  14 . 
     Looking at  FIG. 1  it can be seen that trailer  10  includes a pivotable frame  24 , which may sometimes be referred to as a weldment. Frame  24  has a wide end  24   a  and a narrow end  24   b  (wide and narrow relative to each other), and when frame  24  is in the form of an A-frame, the narrow end  24   b  may be referred to as the apex end. The narrow end  24   b  of the frame includes connector  25  ( FIG. 2 ) for securing the bow eye  12  to the trailer  10 . The wide end  24   a  of a frame  24  is pivotally attached to a portion of the trailer frame  11  towards the front of the trailer  10 . The frame  24  may pivot from a first position, angled towards the front of the trailer  10  ( FIG. 1 ), to a generally vertical position known as “top dead center” or “TDC” ( FIGS. 2 ,  5 ), to a second position, angled towards the rear of the trailer  10  ( FIG. 3 ). In the alternative, the frame  24  may pivot from the second position, angled towards the rear of the trailer  10  ( FIG. 4 ), to the “top dead center” or “TDC” positions ( FIGS. 2 ,  5 ), to the first position, angled towards the front of the trailer ( FIG. 1 ). 
     The front of the trailer  10  includes a motive power source for pivoting the frame  24  from the first position towards the second position and from the second position towards the first position. To pivot the frame  24  from the first position towards the second position, the motive power source includes a powered cylinder assembly  22 , further described below, and having an extendible push rod  36  supporting a push fork  28  on the push rod  36 ′s free end. To pivot the frame  24  from the second position towards the first position, the motive power source includes a winch  44 , further described below. 
     Looking at  FIG. 1 , it can be seen that the powered cylinder assembly  22  forms a strut to a quadrilateral formed by trailer  10 , frame  24 , winch support  42 , and winch belt assembly  46 , to prevent vertical movement of the bow eye  12 . Powered cylinder assembly  22  may include a pressurized fluid supply, such as a portable air supply  50 , pneumatically connected to a control regulator  48 . The gas output of the regulator  48  is connected to a pressure cylinder  23 . By adjusting regulator  48 , pressure cylinder  23  can be used to extend push rod  36  out of pressure cylinder  23  to rotate the frame  24  towards the second position (see arrow in  FIG. 3 ) and its TDC position as described below. 
     Looking at  FIG. 1  it can be seen that the frame  24 , powered cylinder assembly  22  with push rod  36 , and the trailer frame, form a triangular support apex. 
     Looking at  FIG. 6  and  FIG. 7  it can be seen that connector  25  comprises a bilateral connector fork having spaced apart connector fork arms  25   a . Each connector fork arm  25   a  has a connector fork slot  25   b . The bow eye  12  is positioned between the connector fork arms  25   a . Looking at  FIG. 6  it can be seen, that a horizontal push/pull bar  30  is centered within the bow eye  12  and fixed within the bow eye  12 . A resilient damping material  26  eliminates chatter during towing, to mediate shock, and to evenly distribute loads during rotation. Horizontal push/pull bar  30 , is received in the connector fork slots  25   b  in the connector fork arms  25   a  to secure the boat  14  to the frame  24  via the bow eye  12 . 
     Similarly, push fork  28 , connected to the free end of rod  36  of the powered cylinder assembly  22 , comprises a bilateral push fork having spaced apart push fork arms  28   a . Each push fork arm  28   a  has a push fork slot  28   b  therethrough; the push fork slots  28   b  being coaxial. To connect the boat  14 , the frame  24 , and the push fork  28 , as shown in  FIG. 6  and  FIG. 7 , the bow eye  12  is positioned between the connector fork arms  25   a  and the connector fork arms  25   a  positioned between the push fork arms  28   a . The horizontal push/pull bar  30 , is received in the slots  25   b ,  28   b  in the two sets of arms  25   a ,  28   a , and the bow eye  12  to secure the boat  14  to the frame  24  and the push fork  28 . 
     Looking at  FIG. 2 , it can be seen that the triangular yoke  35 , and the winch belt  46  has been removed from the horizontal push/pull bar  30 . 
     To prevent unintentional loss of the push/pull bar  30  should it become unfixed from its position in bow eye  12 , a security lanyard (not shown) can be secured to port side slot  43  of the horizontal push/pull bar  30 . 
     In a first mode of operation, the boat  14  is moved from a stowage position ( FIG. 1 ) on the trailer  10  and released into the water. In particular, as shown in  FIG. 2 , pressure cylinder assembly  22  is pressurized by control regulator  48 , connected to portable air supply  50 . This causes pressure cylinder  23  to extend outwardly rod  36 , causing the frame  24  to move from the first position, towards the TDC position, moving the boat upwardly and away from the front of the trailer, towards the rear of the trailer. When frame  24  reaches and passes TDC, push/pull bar  30  the boat  14 , the frame  24 , and the push fork  28  separate from each other via slots  25   b ,  28   b . However, as shown by the arrow in  FIG. 3 , gravity will take over and act on the bow  14   a  and frame  24  and the bow  14   a  and frame  24  will continue to fall rearward where, looking at  FIG. 3 , it can be seen the powered cylinder  23 , the frame and the hull completely separate, by the continued downward and rearward motion of the bow  14   a  and frame  24 , strictly due to gravitational assist. The boat  14  is thus released into the water. 
     In a second mode of operation, the boat  14  is to be retrieved from the water and moved into the stowage position on the trailer  10 . In particular, looking at  FIG. 4 , it can be seen that the trailer  10  and boat hull  14  are in the retrieval mode. As shown in  FIG. 6 , a two piece triangular yoke  35 , has been attached to the ends of horizontal push/pull bar  30 , the winch belt  46  has, been joined to the yoke by shackle  38 , and secured with shackle pin  40 . Looking more particularly at  FIG. 4  it can be seen a lift strap  47  is attached to winch belt  46 , and to the frame  24 , that during retrieval, retraction of belt  46  and strap  47  provide an upward lift of the connector fork  25  thereof to receive the horizontal push/pull bar  30  within slots  25   b  (see arrow). Continued advancement will enable the start of the longitudinal lift of bow  14   a  and frame  24  toward the TDC position. Looking at  FIG. 5  it can be seen, that the push yoke  28 , has been extended, by applying pneumatic air to pressure cylinder  23 , to a predetermined value, and horizontal push/pull bar  30  is received within slots  28   b . As the bow  14   a , is lifted longitudinally upward and forward, by winch  44 , the increased cylinder pressure is released by the pressure regulator  48 . When the frame  24 , has advanced passed TDC by winch belt  46 , connected to winch  44 , the effects of gravity assist will act on the bow  14   a  and the frame  24  to complete the controlled rotation (see curved arrow in  FIG. 5 ) of the frame  24  to join the apex position with pressurized cylinder  23 , whereby bow  14   a  automatically drops into the stowage position on the trailer  10 . Looking at  FIG. 1  it can be seen that the taunt winch belt  46  completes the quadrilateral structure for the towing/storage position. 
     The embodiments shown and described above are only examples. Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present technology have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the present disclosure, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in the detail, including in matters of shape, size and arrangement of the parts within the principles of the present disclosure up to, and including, the full extent established by the broad general meaning of the terms used in the claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1