Abstract:
A portable bailer is used to remove liquid such as water from a watercraft, such as an open-topped powerboat or rowboat. The bailer features an electrically actuated liquid pump contained within a one-piece protective external molded housing also containing a suitable battery such as a suitable rechargeable battery in close proximity to the liquid pump and operative to provide power to the liquid pump upon actuation. The liquid pump and battery are located intermediate an elongated input section and an elongated output section of respective indeterminate lengths. A portion in close proximity to the distal end of the output section is formed into an inverted J-like configuration operative to direct the pumped liquid outwardly over the gunnel of the watercraft.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention is directed generally to a portable bailer. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a portable bailer used to remove liquid such as water from watercraft such as an open-topped powerboat or rowboat. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a portable bailer including an electrically-operated liquid pump in close proximity to a power source such as a battery pack. The pump and battery pack are enclosed within a one-piece protective external molded housing intermediate elongated input section and an elongated output section of respective indeterminate lengths, with a portion in close proximity to a distal end of the output section formed into an inverted J-like configuration operative to direct the liquid over the gunnel of the watercraft. The pump is actuated by a manual switch preferably mounted on an external handle secured to or integral with an external surface of the molded housing. 
       DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
       [0002]    Various electrically-operated pump assemblies have been proposed in the past for use in the removal of liquids such as water from watercraft. The majority of these, however, are intended for use in applications in which weight, compactness, and simplicity of operation are not primary factors. These prior art devices typically utilize float switches that may be permanently secured to the floor of the vessel, or may float on the surface of the water in the vessel. None of these prior art devices are suitable for use in watercraft such as an open-topped powerboat or rowboat where ease of operation, durability, portability, light-weightedness, and speed of removal of liquid from the watercraft is essential. One example of prior art can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,669,323 in which an automatic bailer is disclosed for removing water from a white water canoe. This bailer, however, differs from the bailer of the present invention by utilizing a float-actuated pump and not having a battery and pump in close proximity located within a single, external molded housing located intermediate elongated input and output sections of respective indeterminate lengths, as associated with the portable bailer of the present invention. The prior art bailer also utilizes a 12-volt battery located outside the housing surrounding the pump rendering the combination extremely heavy and difficult to move. Also another prior art publication is Canadian application CA 2484798 for a cordless dockside boat bailer which differs from the proposed bailer. It differs by having a bilge pump located at the distal end of the input section and having an output section intermediate the battery and the pump and also having external electrical wiring between the battery and the pump highly subject to damage. Also of interest, the following U.S. patents are listed for general information: U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,493,982; 5,257,590; and 5,211,363. Also of interest are the following Canadian patents: CA 542062; CA 667804; CA 519585; and CA 445313. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a portable bailer. 
         [0004]    Another object of the present invention is to provide an electrically-operated, battery-powered, portable bailer. A further object of the present invention is to provide a portable bailer that utilizes a liquid pump and battery in close proximity to each other within an external one-piece molded housing. Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide a portable bailer in which the external housing is disposed intermediate elongated input and output sections of indeterminate length extending therefrom. An additional object of the present invention is to utilize a portable bailer which is light-weight, easy-to-handle, and less subject to damage by having the pump and battery contained in close-proximity to each other within a protective one-piece molded housing. 
         [0005]    The portable bailer, in accordance with the present invention, includes an electrically-operated liquid pump that is connected to a power source such as a battery pack. (preferably a rechargeable battery pack). The portable bailer, in accordance with the present invention, preferably includes a one-piece molded external housing surrounding the pump and battery that are in close proximity to each other and are disposed intermediate input and output sections extending therefrom of respective indeterminate lengths and having passageways therethrough that are respectively in liquid communication with the liquid pump. 
         [0006]    The portable bailer of the present invention is preferably manually-operated through provision of an electrical switch preferably located upon an external handle either secured to or integral with an outer surface of the molded external housing. The switch is preferably a slide or a push button-type switch but may also be a toggle, or a rocker-type switch, or another suitable switch. The use of such a manual switch keeps the portable bailer simple and enables one to turn the pump on when the watercraft has accumulated water, and to turn the pump off when the watercraft has been bailed out. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    While the novel features of the portable bailer in accordance with the present invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims, a full and complete understanding of the present invention may be had by referring to the following detailed description of some preferred embodiments, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is a side elevation view of an embodiment of the portable bailer of the invention; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a front view of the portable bailer of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a side elevation view of another embodiment of the portable bailer of the invention having a pair of spaced-apart electrical recharging contacts; 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a side elevation view of yet another embodiment of the portable bailer of the invention having a replaceable filter at the input end; 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a partial backside view of yet another embodiment of the portable bailer of the invention having a battery access door on the backside, taken along site lines  5 - 5  in  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is a side elevation view of yet another embodiment of the portable bailer of the invention having a replaceable plug and filter disposed at a distal end of the inlet section; 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is an exploded partial view of the embodiment of the replaceable filter and plug combination in the portable bailer of the invention as shown in  FIG. 6 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 8  is a partial front view of yet another embodiment of the portable bailer of the invention having at least one light-emitting diode operative to indicate the charging state of the battery; 
           [0016]      FIG. 9  is a side elevation view of yet another embodiment of the portable bailer of the invention having a releasably-securable inlet section; and 
           [0017]      FIG. 10  is a side elevation view of yet another embodiment of the portable bailer of the invention having releasably-secured input and output sections and further including a replaceable filter between the liquid pump and battery housing and the inlet section. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0018]    In  FIG. 1 , portable bailer  30  has a one-piece protective external molded housing comprising intermediate Section  2  surrounding a liquid pump and a power source such as a battery in close proximity to each other and from which extend an outlet or output Section  3  having an indeterminate length L 2  and having a portion in close proximity to a distal end  14  formed into a substantial inverted J-like configuration. Section  3  has a liquid passageway  21  therethrough in liquid communication with the liquid pump. Bailer  30  also has an input or inlet Section  4  having an indeterminate length L 1  and having a distal end  10 . Inlet Section  4  has a liquid passageway  22  therethrough in liquid communication with the liquid pump. Although shown in the Figures as having a substantially tubular cross-sectional configuration, inlet Section  4  and/or outlet Section  3  may have any cross-sectional configuration provided that the bailer of the invention operates in the manner desired. Bailer  30  is also provided with a handle  5 , operative to enable a person to hold the bailer of the invention by hand and is either secured to or molded integrally with the protective molded housing enclosing the liquid pump and the battery. Bailer  30  of  FIG. 1  is also provided with an electrical switch member  6  that is preferably mounted on handle  5  for ease of operation. Handle  5  may also be mounted upon an external surface of the molded housing wherever suitable for actuation. Although switch  6  is preferably a slide or push-button type switch, it may be any type of electric switch deemed suitable for the actuation of the liquid pump such as a rocker-arm or toggle type switch provided it is operable to actuate the liquid pump upon actuation of the switch. Bailer  30  is also provided with a battery compartment access door  8 . Although shown in  FIGS. 1-4 ,  8 , and  10  as located on the front side of the bailer of the invention, the battery compartment access door may be located at any suitable location on the outer surface of the molded housing such as, for example shown on the backside of Section  2  facing away from handle  5  in  FIGS. 6 and 9 . 
         [0019]    Also shown in  FIG. 1  is an embodiment of the portable bailer of the invention wherein at least a portion of the outer surface of either or both inlet Section  4  and outlet Section  3  is grooved or corrugated to provide a bellows-like configuration operative to enhance flexibility such referenced by numerals  25  and  25 A. 
         [0020]    Although not shown in the figures, housing Section  2  of the portable bailer of the invention may have one or more air vents therethrough for cooling the liquid pump if required. 
         [0021]      FIG. 2  shows a partial front view of Bailer  30  taken along site-lines  2 - 2  shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0022]    In  FIG. 3 , distal end  10  of inlet Section  4  of the bailer of the invention is provided with at least one radially extending opening  11  operative to enable liquid to flow into passageway  22  at distal end  10  in the event that it presses against the bottom of the watercraft during operation. 
         [0023]    The embodiment of the bailer of the invention shown in  FIG. 5 , taken along site-line  5 - 5  in  FIG. 4 , includes electrical-charging contacts  7 A and  7 B spaced-apart from each other (only contact  7 A is shown in the side elevation view of  FIGS. 3-5 ,  6 ,  9  and  10 ) that are operative to register with and electrically engage corresponding electrical charging contacts located upon electrical-charging stands such as are well known to those skilled in the art. 
         [0024]    Although spaced-apart electrical charging contacts  7 A and  7 B are preferably located on the backside of the bailer of the invention facing away from handle  5  as shown in the Figure&#39;s, they may be disposed at any location on the outer surface of the molded housing provided the location is operable to permit the charging process. 
         [0025]    The absence of space-apart electrical-charging contacts  7 A and  7 B from Bailer  30  shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  is indicative of the fact that the bailer of the invention may utilize ordinary non-rechargeable batteries, typically ranging from approximately 9 volts to 24 volts, or rechargeable batteries that are removed from the housing and charged apart from the portable bailer of the invention. 
         [0026]    In  FIGS. 6 and 7 , an embodiment of the bailer of the invention is shown that further includes a filter  11  releasably secured to distal end  10  of inlet Section  4 . Filter  11  typically comprises one or more screens operative to prevent debris or the like from entering into passageway  20  of Section  4  and thereby preventing clogging or damage to the liquid pump. 
         [0027]      FIG. 6  also shows an embodiment of the bailer of the invention having a battery compartment access door  8 A located on the backside of the molded housing as earlier described with respect to  FIGS. 6 and 7 .  FIGS. 6 and 7  further disclose an embodiment of the bailer of the invention having a releasably securable plug  12  disposed at distal end  10  of inlet Section  4 . Plug  12  has at least one radially extending opening  13  therethrough for passage of the pumped liquid and is also operative to hold a filter such as screen  11  preventing debris or the like from entering passageway  22 . 
         [0028]    In  FIG. 8 , the bailer of the invention has at least one light-emitting diode  17  and preferably two spaced-apart light-emitting diodes  17  and  18  operative to indicate the electrical charging status of the rechargeable batteries such as one of the diodes emitting light that is red indicating that charging is in process or a green light indicating that the charging process is complete and the battery is fully charged. 
         [0029]    The embodiment of the bailer of the invention shown in  FIG. 9 , features an outlet Section  3  that is molded integrally with Section  2  and has an outlet Section  4  that is releasably secured to Section  2  such as by a suitable collar or the like referenced by numeral  15  or by other suitable means such as threads, fasteners, or interlocking tapered surfaces operative to enable one to detach Section  4  from Section  2  and replace it with another inlet Section when desired. 
         [0030]      FIG. 9  also illustrates an embodiment of the portable bailer of the invention where Section  2  and outlet Section  3  are molded from a substantially rigid plastic material whereas Section  4  may be made from either the same or a more flexible plastic material or otherwise by having its outer surface grooved or corrugated into a bellows-like configuration to enhance its flexibility such as referenced by numeral  25 B as shown in  FIG. 9 . 
         [0031]      FIG. 10  shows an embodiment of the bailer of the invention wherein both output Section  3  and/or input Section  4  are releasably secured to Section  2  by means of securement collar  15  or other suitable releasable locking means such that at least one outlet Section  3  or inlet Section  4  can be removed or replaced when desired. 
         [0032]    The embodiment of the bailer of the invention in  FIG. 10  also shows that filter  11  may be mounted adjacent to and in liquid communication with the liquid pump rather than at the distal end  10  of Section  4 , as earlier described, keeping in mind however that one would have to remove Section  4  in order to clean filter  11  when necessary. 
         [0033]      FIGS. 1 ,  9  and  10  also show where at least a portion of either or both the outer surface of outlet Section  3  and inlet Section  4  may be grooved or corrugated to provide a bellows-type configuration as referenced by numerals  25  and  25 A in  FIG. 1 and 25B  in  FIG. 9 , and  25 B and  25 C in  FIG. 10 . 
         [0034]    As described herein, the protective molded housing surrounding the liquid pump and battery including Sections  3  and  4  are preferably made from a suitable, rigid, plastic material resistant to liquids such as water, well known to those skilled in the art. Other embodiments of the bailer of the invention that are releasably secured such as inlet Section  4  and outlet Section  3  may be made from the same or more flexible plastic material that is resistant to liquids such as water or otherwise by having at least a portion of their outer surfaces grooved or corrugated to provide a bellows-like configuration operative to enhance flexibility.