Patent Abstract:
A mount for use on a recreational fishing boat is capable of holding multiple fishing rod holders and associated fishing rods. The mount comprises a sleeve member for slipping onto a seat post of a boat chair and two horizontally extending detachable rods. The sleeve member has a fastener to prevent substantial vertical and rotational movement relative to the seat post. The mount is readily removed and disassembled for compact storage.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates to a fishing rod holder mount for use on a recreational fishing boat. More particularly, the invention relates to a recreational fishing boat mount which can accommodate multiple fishing rod holders and their fishing rods. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Fishing is an activity enjoyed by many people of all ages. Most everyone has at one time or another fished from the bank of a lake, pond, or river. Pole fishing or rod and reel fishing is easily learned and has provided a relaxing time for those who have tried. 
   The more serious fishing enthusiast is more likely to own or at least have access to a boat. This allows the individual to venture further away from the water bank and more into uncrowded fishing areas which are of interest. 
   Bass boats and other small motorized boats capable of holding up to six people are affordable and are very popular. Some of these boats have a rail mounted on a top edge of the boat&#39;s hull. The rail serves many purposes, including a convenient support to attach fishing rod holders. With multiple fishing rod holders mounted on the rail, the fishing enthusiast can bait and cast multiple fishing rods. Once the fishing rods are secured in the fishing rod holders, they simply need to be monitored for fish strikes. The chances of catching a fish are obviously enhanced with the multiple fishing rods. 
   Many of the above described boats have one or more chairs which can be removed when not needed or installed on the spot. They tend to be swivel chairs, though not always. Typically, a floor well or other fixture affixed to the boat&#39;s deck is configured to receive and hold a seat post or pedestal of a swivel chair. A simple lifting action removes the chair, while a simple placing/dropping action installs the chair. The swivel chair obviously gives the fishing enthusiast a comfortable place to rest while waiting for fish to bite. The seat post of the swivel chair can also serve as a support on which can be mounted an accessory for fishing rod holders. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,645,167, 4,823,723, 5,987,804 and 6,681,517 describe such accessories. Some can accommodate multiple fishing rod holders. They are particularly useful on those boats that do not have a rail permanently mounted on the boat hull&#39;s top edge. 
   Known accessories for mounting on a seat post of a fishing boat&#39;s chair for holding multiple fishing rod holders appear adequate. Improvement is needed, though, to provide an accessory which is economical to produce, easy to install, easy to use, and reliable in use. In accord with a widespread need, there has been developed a mount for fishing rod holders which meet all known criteria. The mount of the invention is simple in design with minimal components, thus making it economical to produce. It is readily assembled with minimal directions, thus appealing to the fishing enthusiast interested in using his time for fishing. The fact it is utilized in a fashion similar to that of a conventional fishing rod holder on a boat rail makes its use easy to understand. It is also reliable for its intended purpose due to its sturdy construction with minimal components and uncomplicated structure. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   A multiple fishing rod holder mount is for use on a seat post of a boat chair such as found on recreational fishing boats. The mount is readily installed as needed. The mount comprises a sleeve member and two detachable rods extending horizontally from the sleeve member. The sleeve member has a bore extending vertically through it and is configured to slide onto the seat post with minimal lateral movement. The sleeve member further has two opposed receiving holes extending horizontally into the sleeve member. The two detachable rods fit into the opposed receiving holes for a semi-permanent attachment. The sleeve member further has a fastener to secure the sleeve member to the seat post to prevent vertical and rotational movement relative to the seat post. 
   The mount of the invention once properly positioned provides support for multiple fishing rod holders on its horizontally extending detachable rods. When no longer needed, the mount is readily removed and disassembled if desired for compact storage. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a swivel chair positioned on a recreational fishing boat deck with a multiple fishing rod holder mount of the invention positioned on the seat post of the chair and with two fishing rod holders in place. 
       FIG. 2  is a top view of the multiple fishing rod holder mount of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  is a front side elevational view of the multiple fishing rod holder mount of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 4  is an exploded view in perspective of the multiple fishing rod holder mount of  FIG. 1 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   The multiple fishing rod holder mount of the invention is described in detail below and with particular reference to the drawings. The mount is especially useful on recreational fishing boats of the nature having chairs which are built for quick removal and installation. Such chairs have a seat post and the boat itself has a post well or other deck mounted fixture to receive the seat post. Recreational fishing boats as used herein is meant to include bass boats, sporting boats, and other small motorized fresh water boats. 
   With reference to  FIG. 1 , there is shown the mount  10  of the invention positioned on a seat post  11  of a swivel chair  12 . While not evident, a pre-drilled hole in the boat deck together with a collar  13  hold the chair in place. Fishing rod holders  14  are secured to the mount  10 . The fishing rod holders of the type depicted as well as many other designs are commercially available and do not form a part of this invention. As readily imagined, each fishing rod holder accommodates a fishing rod. Once the fishing line is baited and cast into the water, a handle of the fishing rod is positioned in the fishing rod holder  14  and secured by tightening a set screw or other such mechanism. Two fishing rod holders are shown. It should be understood, the mount  10  can be used to hold just one fishing rod holder, two fishing rod holders as shown, or a greater number, dependent in part on the desires of the fishing enthusiast and in part on the boat&#39;s deck lay-out and dimensions. 
   The mount  10  comprises as its essential components a sleeve member  20 , a first detachable rod  21  and a second detachable rod  22 . The components are described in detail in the following paragraphs as well as their interaction and the use of the mount. Now with reference to  FIGS. 2–4 , the sleeve member  20  is cylindrical-shaped and configured to slide onto the seat post of the boat chair. Most seat posts are cylindrical tubes. Accordingly, as shown, a circular bore  23  extends vertically through the sleeve member  20 . The bore  23  has a diameter which is slightly larger than the outside diameter of a typical seat post. That is, the bore is dimensioned to readily slide onto and off the seat post with minimal lateral movement, i.e. play. 
   As best seen in  FIG. 4 , the sleeve member  20  has a first receiving hole  24  extending horizontally into a sidewall. The hole  24  can extend fully through the wall to the bore  23  or partially through the wall sufficiently deep to receive and hold the first detachable rod  21 . It is threaded. While not shown, a second receiving hole is opposed the first receiving hole and is for receiving and holding the second detachable rod  22 . 
   It should be understood the sleeve member can have other shapes than as described and shown in the drawings. For example, the outer shape of the sleeve member can be square-shaped, hexagonal-shaped, octagonal-shaped, elliptical-shaped, etc. The bore must have a shape matching that of the seat post on which it will be used. Square-shaped or other straight-sided seat posts are feasible and, accordingly, the bore of the sleeve member for such seat posts is shaped to match. 
   The sleeve member  20  also has a fastener to secure the sleeve member is place once properly positioned on the seat post. Several fasteners of various designs can be used. A simple but effective fastener best seen in  FIGS. 2 and 4  is an adjustable fastener. It comprises a threaded bolt hole  30  drilled through the sleeve member&#39;s sidewall and a threaded knob device  31 . The threaded knob device has a shank  32  and a disk  33  permanently attached at one end. The threaded knob device is threadable into the hole  30  and forms a secure fastening simply by turning the disk until the end of its threaded shank contacts the seat post for a friction fit. 
   The threaded knob device  31  of the sleeve member can be tightened sufficiently to prevent vertical movement of the mount up and down the seat post. It also can be tightened sufficiently to prevent rotational movement of the mount about the seat post as may happen when a fish strikes the line of one of the fishing rids to exert a force on only one detachable rod. 
   Other fasteners include set screws, rivet pins, and retainer bolts. However, the threaded knob device is preferred and, for this reason, is described in detail above. 
   The first detachable rod  21  and the second detachable rod  22  are identical in structure and function. Each rod is sufficiently long to hold at least one fishing rod holder, preferably at least two fishing rod holders. This requires a rod length of from about 10 inches to about 30 inches, preferably from about 18 inches to about 24 inches. The lesser length is required to hold one fishing rod holder near a distal terminus and still allow a needed clearance with the chair. The greater length allows at least two fishing rod holders sufficiently spaced to permit adequate fishing rod maneuverability. It is highly preferred that the rods be round. The diameter of the rod is ideally sized to equal that of standardized boat rails which extend around the top edge of many recreational fishing boat hulls. This is because many known fishing rod holders intended for use on the boat rails can then be used on the mount  10  of the invention as well. Preferably, the diameter of the rods  21  and  22  are each from about 0.50 inches to about 1.25 inches. 
   The detachable rods  21  and  22  are each threaded at one end for threading engagement in the receiving holes of the sleeve member. The threads of the rods must mate with the threads of the receiving hole, otherwise there is no criticality in their sizing. 
   Various materials can be used to manufacture the sleeve member and the detachable rods of the mount. Metals such as stainless steel and aluminum which are easily machined are acceptable. Plastics of all nature which are machineable or moldable are also acceptable. Composites of fibrous reinforced resinous materials which are rigid in nature also can be used as well as virtually all other rigid materials capable of withstanding forces and conditions encountered by the mount during ordinary use. 
   The multiple fishing rod holder mount is readily installed on the boat chair&#39;s seat post. The chair is first disengaged from the boat&#39;s deck, normally just by a lifting action. The sleeve member of the mount is slipped onto the seat post and the chair reinstalled on the boat deck. Now, the sleeve member is slid to a desired height, rotated to a desired detachable rod orientation, and the fastener tightened. It should be apparent that the structure of the boat including its components do not need to be permanently altered by screw holes, brackets and the like. That is, the integrity of the boat has not been impaired, as many boat owners demand. 
   The fishing enthusiast is now free to fish using multiple fishing rods. Fishing lines are cast and the fishing rods secured in one of the multiple fishing rod holders on the mount. As many fishing lines can be cast as there are fishing rod holders on the mount. The fishing enthusiast can now sit or wander about the boat unencumbered by the need to constantly hold a fishing rod waiting for a fish to strike. The mount is useful for troll fishing. It is also useful for conventional fishing in one locale. 
   Optional features which enhance the use of the mount can be utilized. For example, a restraint system can be used to prevent the mount from spinning even when excessive forces are applied, e.g. a line snag while troll fishing. A bungee cord or inelastic cord secured to one or both of the detachable rods and the boat hull is a safety feature which could prove beneficial. Adaptor liners for the bore of the sleeve member can be used if a less than standard sized seat post is encountered. Plastic-tipped rod ends to prevent accidental leg scrapings and abrasions also can be easily added to the mount. Other features which enhance the appearance of the mount are contemplated as well. 
   Having described the invention in its preferred embodiment, it should be clear that modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is not intended that the words used to describe the invention nor the drawings illustrating the same be limiting on the invention. It is intended that the invention only be limited by the scope of the appended claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 0