Patent Abstract:
A front support for use on a trailer to aid in guiding a boat onto the trailer. The front support is a two section V-shaped support adjustable for various boats. The V-shaped support has angle supports connected to L-brackets. The L-brackets are in turn connected at one point to vertical supports and at another point to central support brackets. The vertical supports and central support brackets connect to the trailer.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to a front support for use on a trailer to aid in guiding a boat on to the trailer.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    It is a primary object of the present invention to provide novel boat guide.  
           [0003]    It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel boat guide for use with a trailer.  
           [0004]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel boat guide that prevents the front of a boat from drifting from side to side when the boat is being loaded on the trailer.  
           [0005]    Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a novel boat guide that has a V-shape.  
           [0006]    Still another object of the present invention is to provide a novel boat guide that can be adjusted to the form of any boat. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]    [0007]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a boat being loaded onto a trailer utilizing the preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 2 is a front view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0010]    In FIG. 1, a perspective view of a boat being loaded onto a trailer utilizing the preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown. When a boat  101  is loaded onto a traditional trailer  102 , the boat  101  has a tendency to drift from side to side as it approaches the front roller  103  to be hooked into place. In order to alleviate this drifting, the preferred embodiment of the present invention provides for a novel boat guide that has a V-shaped support  104 . The V-shaped support  104  is mounted towards the front of the trailer  102 . With the V-shaped support  104  in place, an operator can drive the boat  101  onto the trailer  102  all the way up to the pulley  105 .  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2 illustrates a front view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. A V-shaped support  104  is shown having left and right angle supports  106   a  and  106   b  respectively in direct contact with a left L-bracket  108   a  and a right L-bracket  108   b . The left L-bracket  108   a  is connected at one point to a left vertical support  126   a . The opposite end of the left vertical support  126   a  is connected to a trailer  102 . A left central support bracket  114   a  is connected at one end of the left L-bracket  108   a . The opposing end of the left central support bracket  114   a  is connected to one side of a central frame block  133  of a trailer  102 . The right L-bracket  108   b  is connected at one point to a right vertical support  126   b . The opposite end of the right vertical support  126   b  is connected to a trailer  102 . A right central support bracket  114   b  is connected at one end of the right L-bracket  108   b . The opposing end of the right central support bracket  114   b  is connected to the opposite side of a central frame block  133  of a trailer  102 . The left central support bracket  114   a  and the right central support bracket  114   b  are connected by way of a horizontal member  122 .  
         [0012]    In FIG. 3 an exploded view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown. A V-shaped support  104  is shown. The V-shaped support  104  is composed of several components. The portion of the V-shaped support  104  in direct contact with boat  101  has a left angle support  106 a and a right angle support  106   b . The left angle support  106   a  and the right angle support  106   b  come together at an angle of 115°. The left angle support  106   a  and the right angle support  106   b  are both preferably rectangular in configuration having preferably dimensions of 1½ inches by 3½ inches by 21 inches and preferably made of wood. In addition, the angle supports  106   a  and  106   b  are preferably covered in carpet  134 , preferably from a rectangular sheet having dimensions of 6½ inches by 25 inches.  
         [0013]    Below left angle support  106   a  and right angle support  106   b  are a left L-shaped bracket  108   a  and a right L-shaped bracket  108   b  respectively. Both L-shaped brackets  108   a  and  108   b  preferably have a length of 21 inches and thickness of ¼ inch with a width of 1½ inches for each leg of L-brackets  108   a  and  108   b.    
         [0014]    There are preferably bolt holes  109  through the thickness of the angle support  106   a  and right angle support  106   b , and most preferably three bolt holes  109  spaced equally apart and preferably 7½ inches apart. Within these bolt holes  109  are inserted bolts  110  of proper threading and dimension to situate within bolt holes  109 . As the bolts  110  are threaded through left angle support  106   a  and right angle support  106   b , the lower portion of bolt  110  is threaded into a corresponding hole  111  located along the length of one leg of the corresponding L-bracket  108   a  and  108   b . Nuts  112  are threaded onto the bolts  110  on the opposing side of L-bracket  108   a  and  108   b . On the second leg of both L-brackets  108   a  and  108   b  are a plurality of holes  113 , preferably a linear group of five holes  115  spaced equidistance apart located approximately ⅓ down the length of the second leg from one end of the L-bracket  108   a  and  108   b  and a single hole  116  located at the opposing end. Both left L-bracket  108   a  and right L-bracket  108   b  are preferably made of 1½ inches by 1½ inches by ¼ inch aluminum or galvanized steel.  
         [0015]    Extending at an angle of preferably 32° down from left L-bracket  108   a  is a left central support bracket  114   a  and extending at an identical angle down from right L-bracket  108   b  is a right central support bracket  114   b . The central support brackets  114   a  and  114   b  are preferably generally rectangular being rounded at one end, squared off at the other end, and preferably have dimensions of 11 inches in length, 1½ inches in width, and ¼ inch in thickness made from preferably aluminum or galvanized steel. At the upper most portion of left central support bracket  114   a  is hole  117   a  through which is inserted bolt  118   a ; a similar hole  117   b  is located at the upper most portion of right central support bracket  114   b  through which is inserted bolt  118   b . Once bolts  118   a  and  118   b  are inserted through the respective holes  117   a  and  117   b , the bolts  118   a  and  118   b  are fed through the respective holes of  116   a  and  116   b  of the second leg of L-brackets  108   a  and  108   b  and are held in place by nuts  119 .  
         [0016]    Located, preferably 8 inches, below holes  117   a  and  117   b  of central support brackets  114   a  and  114   b  are holes  120   a  and  120   b  respectively. Bolts  121   a  and  121   b  feed through opposing holes  122   a  and  122   b  of a horizontal member  122 . Horizontal member  122  is preferably elongate oval in shape having a length of 6 inches, a width of 1½ inches and a thickness of ¼ made from aluminum or galvanized steel. In addition, horizontal member  122  preferably has holes  122   a  and  122   b  that are elongate oval having dimensions of ⅜ inch by 2 inches by ¼ inch. Holes  122   a  and  122   b  are preferably spaced 4 inches apart from center. Once bolts  121   a  and  121   b  are fed through the respective opposing holes  122   a  and  122   b  of horizontal member  122 , bolts  121   a  and  121   b  are fed respectively through holes  120   a  and  120   b  and held in place by respective nuts  123   a  and  123   b . The central support brackets  114   a  and  114   b  are preferably twisted at approximately ⅓ their length creating a flat surface at the upper portion of central support brackets  114   a  and  114   b  with a plane along the y-axis and creating a flat surface at the lower portion of central support brackets  114   a  and  114   b  with a plane along the z-axis. The distance between the upper portion of central support brackets  114   a  and  114   b  is preferably 3 inches.  
         [0017]    At the opposite end of central support brackets  114   a  and  114   b  are a plurality of holes  124 , preferably four linear holes each for left central support bracket  114   a  and right central support bracket  114   b  spaced equidistant apart. On the outer sides of holes  124  are inserted bolts  125 . When the central support brackets  114   a  and  114   b  are placed over central frame block  133  of a trailer  102  bolts  125  can be tightened to hold the central portion of the preferred embodiment of the present invention in place. The angle between the V-shaped support  104   a  and  104   b  can be adjusted to conform to the applicable boat  101 . This adjustability is available due to the plurality of holes  113  located along the length of both L-shaped brackets  108   a  and  108   b  and a pivot connection  136   a  and  136   b . The pivot connection  136   a  and  136   b  is provided for at the base of the L-shaped brackets  108   a  and  108   b  by virtue of the placement of the central support brackets  114  with bolts  118  there through and nuts  119  that can be loosened and tightened in coordination with the repositioning of the L-shaped brackets  108   a  and  108   b  as the vertical supports  126  are fed into the appropriate hole  113  of the L-shaped brackets  108   a  and  108   b.    
         [0018]    From one of the five holes  115  of the second leg of L-shaped brackets  108   a  and  108   b  are attached vertical supports  126   a  and  126   b . The angle created between the second leg of L-shaped brackets  108   a  and  108   b  and the vertical supports  126   a  and  126   b  is preferably 32.5°. At the upper portion of the first leg of vertical supports  126   a  and  126   b  are holes  127   a  and  127   b  respectively. Through these holes  127   a  and  127   b  are inserted bolts  128   a  and  128   b . Bolts  128   a  and  128   b  are then inserted through holes  115   a  and  115   b  respectively and held in place with nuts  129   a  and  129   b . Vertical supports  126   a  and  126   b  are specially designed L-brackets having one leg preferably generally rectangular being rounded at one end and squared off at the opposing end and having preferably approximate dimensions of 1½ inches by 1½ inches by ¼ inch. The other leg of vertical supports  126   a  and  126   b  is preferably generally rectangular having an angular cut at one end with an angle of 45° from zero. The opposing end of the second leg is preferably squared off. The dimensions of the second leg are preferably 16 inches by 1½ inches by 1½ inches at its furthest point. Vertical supports  126   a  and  126   b  are preferably made from aluminum or galvanized steel. At the opposing end of the second leg of vertical supports  126   a  and  126   b  are a plurality of holes  130 , preferably four placed in a row equidistant apart through which are inserted bolts  131 . Once inserted through holes  130 , bolts  131  are bolted into the outer frame of trailer  102  and held in place with nuts  132 .  
         [0019]    Although the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, this description is not meant to be construed in a limited sense. Various modifications of the disclosed embodiments, as well as alternative embodiments of the inventions will become apparent to persons skilled in the art upon the reference to the description of the invention.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1