Patent Abstract:
A device ( 1 ) for locking an object ( 16 ) to a transportation vehicle ( 51 ) comprising a receiver ( 12 ) securable to the transportation vehicle for receiving a portion ( 14 ) of the object, a plate ( 30 ) deflectable by the portion of the object to enable release of a locking pin ( 38 ), the locking pin locking the portion of the object to the receiver.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     This invention relates to a device for securing or locking an object to a transportation vehicle. More particularly this invention relates to a device for locking a portion of an object, such as a vehicle, vessel or equipment to a trailer to enable transportation of the object.  
       BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     In order to load an object, such as a vessel, and in particular a boat, onto a transportation vehicle, such as a trailer, the trailer is manoeuvred on a ramp at the water&#39;s edge and the boat is then hauled onto the trailer using a winch. Generally two or more people are needed in order to securely place the boat on the trailer, with one person operating the winch and another person in the water to guide the boat along various rollers or receiving devices placed on the trailer. This operation is cumbersome and requires excessive labour, that is, more than one person in order to secure the boat to the trailer. Furthermore the boat ramp is generally slippery and there is potential for a person, trying to load the boat onto the trailer, to sustain injury due to the slippery surface of the ramp.  
         [0003]     The present invention seeks to overcome one or more of the above disadvantages by providing a device for locking an object to a transportation vehicle that can be operated by one person and can be operated by a person standing in or adjacent the object.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a device for locking an object to a transportation vehicle comprising:  
         [0005]     a receiver securable to the transportation vehicle for receiving a portion of the object; and  
         [0006]     a plate deflectable by the portion of the object to enable release of a locking pin, the locking pin locking the portion of the object to the receiver.  
         [0007]     The device may further comprise an aperture located in at least one wall of the receiver allowing passage of the locking pin.  
         [0008]     The device preferably comprises a flange connected to the plate, such that in a first position of the plate, in which the portion of the object does not engage the plate, the flange partially covers the aperture to prevent the locking pin protruding through the aperture, and in a second position the portion of the object engages the plate such that the flange is clear of the aperture to enable the locking pin to protrude through the aperture and lock the portion of the object to the receiver.  
         [0009]     Preferably the locking pin is actuated for movement through the aperture by resilient means. Preferably the locking pin resides within a housing and the resilient means also resides within the housing around the locking pin enabling extension and retraction of the locking pin.  
         [0010]     Preferably the device further comprises a further resilient means attached to the plate enabling the plate to deflect and return to a state prior to deflection by the portion of the object. The plate preferably abuts against an internal wall of the receiver in a fully deflected state whereupon the flange clears the aperture to enable the locking pin to lock the portion of the object to the receiver.  
         [0011]     Preferably the portion of the object has an opening through which the locking pin protrudes in order to lock the portion to the receiver. Preferably the portion of the object is substantially U-shaped having a pair of legs, each leg in the pair of legs connected to the object. The portion of the object may be a bow eye and the locking pin may protrude through the pair of legs of the bow eye.  
         [0012]     The object may be any one of a vehicle, vessel, container, plant and equipment or article requiring transportation to another location.  
         [0013]     The object is preferably a water vessel, such as a boat, yacht or jet ski, and the portion of the vessel may be a bow eye located at the bow of the boat, yacht or jet ski. In order to secure the bow eye to the receiver, the locking pin may extend between the pair of legs of the bow eye. The device may be affixed to a transportation vehicle, preferably a trailer. This enables an operator of the vessel to steer the vessel onto the trailer until the bow eye is secured in the receiver portion. A pair of guide fins may be adjacent to an opening of the receiver to enable the portion of the object to be guided into the receiver and subsequently contact the plate, preferably a pressure plate.  
         [0014]     Preferably, in order to lock the water vessel to the transportation vehicle an operator aboard the water vessel can steer the water vessel onto guide rollers on the transportation vehicle and thereafter steer the bow eye of the water vessel through the guide fins until the plate is deflected to allow the locking pin to extend through the aperture.  
         [0015]     According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a device for locking an object to a transportation vehicle comprising:  
         [0016]     receiving means securable to the transportation vehicle for receiving a portion of the object;  
         [0017]     a plate deflectable by the portion of the object as the portion of the object extends through an opening of the receiver means; and  
         [0018]     a locking pin that is released upon the plate deflecting a predetermined distance to lock the portion of the object to the receiver.  
         [0019]     According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a transportation vehicle having the locking device according to either of the first or second aspects of the invention. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0020]     A preferred embodiment of the invention will hereinafter be described, by way of example only, with reference to the drawings wherein:  
         [0021]      FIG. 1 (A) is a plan view of the locking device;  
         [0022]      FIG. 1 (B) is a front view of the locking device;  
         [0023]      FIG. 1 (C) is a side of the device showing a portion of an object in a locked position;  
         [0024]      FIG. 2  is a sectional view taken on line C-C of FIGS.  1 (A) and  1 (B) with the object portion not secured in the locking device;  
         [0025]      FIG. 3  is a sectional view taken on line B-B of FIGS.  1 (A) and  1 (B) with the object portion not secured in the locking device;  
         [0026]      FIG. 4  is a reverse sectional view taken on line C-C of FIGS.  1 (A) and  1 (B) with the object portion secured in the locking device;  
         [0027]      FIG. 5  is a sectional view taken on line B-B of FIGS.  1 (A) and  1 (B) with the object portion secured in the locking device; and  
         [0028]      FIG. 6  is a side view showing the object secured to a transportation vehicle and towed by a vehicle. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0029]     With reference to  FIGS. 1A, 1B  and  1 C there is respectively shown a plan view, front view and side view of a device  1  for securing a portion of an object, such as a boat, to a transportation vehicle, such as a trailer. A pair of bolts  2  and  4  are mounted within a bracket  6  which bracket  6  attaches to the trailer. Each bolt  2  and  4  has compression means in the form of a helical compression spring (or alternatively a buffer spring)  8  and  10  respectively mounted on the shafts of the bolts. A receiver or receiver body  12  is adapted to receive a bow eye  14  which is attached to the bow of boat  16  and is secured in place via a locking pin housed in locking pin housing  18 . A pair of guide fins  20  and  22  are splayed outwardly from a central axis of the receiver body  12  in order to act as a guide for the bow eye  14  as it moves into the receiver body  12 . Both the locking pin housing  18  and the bolts  2  and  4  may form part of the receiver body  12 . The locking pin housing  18  is generally perpendicular with respect to the central axis of the receiver body  12  and is therefore also perpendicular to the plane in which the bow eye has both sections  24  and  26  located.  
         [0030]     With reference to  FIGS. 2 and 3  there is shown various sectional views disclosing internal portions of the receiver body  12 . Specifically a pressure plate  30  is adapted to vary its position via spring  32  such that in one position a flange  34  connected to the pressure plate  30  partially covers an aperture  36 , located in a wall  35  of the receiver  12 , preventing a locking pin  38 , housed within the locking pin housing  18 , from protruding therethrough and a second position in which the flange  34  leaves the aperture completely free of obstructions so that the locking pin  38  can move through the interior of the receiver body  12 . The plate  30  is hinged at one end by connection point  13 .  
         [0031]     In  FIG. 2  the movement of the boat and therefore bow eye  14  into the opening  40  of the receiver body  12  eventually comes into contact with the pressure plate. Continued forward movement of the bow eye  14  forces the pressure plate  30  against wall  42  within the receiver body  12  as shown in a reverse view in  FIG. 4 . Such movement in turn forces the flange  34  to completely reveal the aperture  36 . A spring  44  located around the circumference of locking pin  38  is in a compressed state when the flange  34  partially covers the opening  36  and prevents the locking pin  38  from moving into the interior of the receiver body  12 . By moving the flange  34  away from the aperture  36  releases the locking pin  38  under extension of the spring  44  so that the locking pin  38  protrudes across the interior of the bow eye  14  and therefore prevents the bow eye  14  from being removed from the receiver body  12 . This therefore secures the entire boat  16  to the trailer  51 .  
         [0032]     As seen from a reverse view in  FIG. 4 , that is a section taken through the line A-A of  FIGS. 1A  and B the sections  24  and  26  of bow eye  14  are in a position such that pressure plate  30  abuts the internal wall  42  of receiver body  12 . The spring  32  is now fully extended which is connected to the pressure plate  30  and also to a further portion  46 . The locking pin  38 , shown normal to the plane of the  FIG. 4 , extends between the sections  24  and  26  of bow eye  14  such that it is locked in position. The receiver body  12  is adapted for movement towards and away from trailer bracket  6  via the compression springs  8 ,  10  that surround the bolts  2  and  4 . The compression springs  8 ,  10  absorb forces as a result of any closing impact between the boat  16  and trailer  51  either as the boat  16  is being loaded onto the trailer  51  or during transportation. As seen clearly in  FIG. 5  the flange  34  is clear of the aperture  36  allowing the locking pin  38  to traverse across the entire width of the receiver body  12  and thereby securing the bow eye  14 .  
         [0033]     A particular advantage of this arrangement is that an operator or driver of the boat  16  needs no further assistance and need not step out of the boat  16  in order to secure the boat  16  to the trailer  51 . Once the trailer  51  is in position in the water, the driver can simply move the boat  16  towards the rear of the trailer  51  upon which the bow of the boat  16  is directed via the guide fins  20  and  22  through the opening  37  of the receiver body  12 . Once the pressure plate  30  and flange  34  are clear of the aperture  36  then the locking pin  38  is able to project between the sections  24  and  26  of bow eye  14  to lock the bow eye  14  and therefore the boat  16  to the trailer  51 .  
         [0034]     Shown in  FIG. 6  is an illustration of the boat  16  secured to the trailer  51  through the locking device  1  which is attached and permanently mounted to upright member  50  of the trailer  51  and is directed in a rearward fashion towards the boat  16  in order to receive the bow eye  14 .  
         [0035]     Typically the complete receiver body  12  without a casing would measure 100 mm in height, 150 mm in length and 150 mm in width. It is made from stainless steel but can be made from other suitable materials.  
         [0036]     Thus in operation a driver of the boat  16  at the helm may steer the boat  16  onto guide rollers  52  on the trailer  51  which is set in position in shallow water at a boat ramp or boat launch. The driver then steers the boat  16  onto the trailer  51  where the bow eye  14  is guided through the fins  20  and  22  into the opening  37  of the receiver body  12 . When the bow eye  14  contacts the pressure plate  30  and forces it back against an internal wall  42  this releases the locking pin  38  under the action of the compression spring  44  so that the locking pin  38  projects between sections  24  and  26  of bow eye  14  across the full width of the receiver body  12 . Thus the bow eye  14  is locked in place and the boat  16  is secured to the trailer  51  ready for transport.  
         [0037]     To release the boat  16  from the locking device  1 , the operator simply pulls the locking pin  38  out clear of the aperture  36  which forces the plate  30  to return to its undeflected state, through compression of spring  32 , allowing flange  34  to partially or fully cover aperture  36  to prevent passage therethrough of locking pin  38 . The bow eye  14  is removed once the locking pin  38  is clear of aperture  36 .  
         [0038]     It is to be noted that the device is not only useful for watercraft transportation over land but for any particular object that needs to be loaded onto a trailer and is transported to another destination. Such objects can include, but are not limited to, any one of a vehicle, vessel, container, farming equipment or implements (such as ride-on mowers), and industrial plant and equipment. The device is also useful for disabled or aged persons who enjoy boating and thus makes it easier for loading and unloading from a trailer.  
         [0039]     It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the invention as shown in the specific embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as broadly described. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1