Abstract:
An outrigger has a plurality of telescoping tubes capable of being retracted and extended with respect to one another, and a sleeve between the tubes; and said tubes and sleeve having longitudinal tracking means comprising interlocking protrusions and grooves to permit the tubes to be retracted and extended, while preventing substantial relative rotation therebetween. There is a ring attached to the outer tube; by readily detachable means. Locking means are provided to lock the tubes in an extended position.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of the filing date of our prior co-pending application Ser. No. 10/620,011 filed Jul. 15, 2003 and the provisional application No. 60/450,832, filed Feb. 28, 2003 and the provisional application No. 60/396,067 filed Jul. 15, 2002 which was referenced therein, the disclosures of all of which are incorporated herein by reference as if fully set forth. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Technical Field  
         [0003]     This invention relates to fishing gear for use on a boat and, in particular, to a piece of equipment known as an outrigger for guiding trolling lines outwardly from the boat for luring fish.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Prior Art  
         [0005]     In the prior art, sport fishing boats are typically equipped with outriggers for extending fishing and trolling lines out and beyond the wake of the moving boat and into calmer water where the fish are more apt to take the lure or bait. One such outrigger is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,921,196, issued Jul. 13, 1999. FIG. 18 thereof is reproduced herein as  FIG. 1  (prior art). As shown therein, the outrigger consists of a plurality of telescopic outrigger tubes. At the bottom of the inner tube, there is a spring pin arrangement whereby when the outrigger is properly positioned, a spring urges a pin to pass through aligned holes in the tubes to lock the telescoping tubes in position. This spring pin arrangement is retained as more fully described therein.  
         [0006]     Also in this device, a plurality of sleeves serve to position the holes in alignment so that the spring biased pin may pass therethrough. These comprise a sleeve 332 mounted on the outer wall of the inner tube 310, which sleeve ultimately engages a stop assembly and a stop bushing 352.  
         [0007]     Mounted about the upper portion of the stop bushing 352 is a guide ring 354. All of these parts are permanently retained in their respective positions by epoxy or other type of glue. Thus, the bushing 352 and ring 352 are permanently fixed on the end of the outer tube. The same is true on the bung 342 which is permanently fixed to the inner tube 310.  
         [0008]     Thus, this device provides no ready means for disassemblement for cleaning and/or repairs.  
         [0009]     Furthermore, this type of device does not provide a sure means to align the internally mounted button with the hole in the external tube to fix the tubes in the fully extended position.  
         [0010]     U.S. Pat. No. 6,006,477 teaches an umbrella rod structure of multiple tubes with inter locking grooves to prevent rotation and thereby, automatically align the stop buttons in an extended position. Noted therein are prior art figures denominated 1 and 2. These are reproduced herein and renumbered  1   a  (prior art) and  2   a  (prior art) respectively. As shown and described therein, “the inner tube (1) extends into the outer tube (2) with the recessed groove (23) of the outer tube (2) sliding over the elongated guide groove (12) of the inner tube (1).” Column 2, lines 12 to 15.  
         [0011]     Whatever this device&#39;s utility is with regard to umbrellas, it lacks an interspersed guide sleeve between the telescoping tubes. Such a guide sleeve is useful in telescoping outriggers; as will become apparent from the following description of the present invention.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0012]     We have invented an improved outrigger of the telescoping type which can be readily disassembled for cleaning and repair. This outrigger provides a means for retaining the spring; which means can be removed and cleaned. It also provides a means for positively tracking the telescoping sections with respect to one another so that they cannot be substantially rotated. This provides a means such that such that the locking button always pops through the holes in the telescoping sections to lock the sections together in the extended position. In particular, we have invented an outrigger comprising a plurality of telescoping tubes capable of being retracted and extended with respect to one another, and further comprising at least one outer tube and one inner tube; a sleeve juxtaposed between the inner and outer tubes; said sleeve having a first longitudinally extending tracking means thereon; said tubes having second longitudinal tracking means thereon coacting with said first tracking means to permit the tubes to be retracted and extended, while preventing substantial relative rotation therebetween; and locking means to lock the tubes in an extended position. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       [0013]      FIG. 1  is a view from a prior art outrigger patent shown partially broken away and in section;  
         [0014]      FIG. 1   a  is a view from another prior art patent shown broken away;  
         [0015]      FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of portions of an outrigger in accordance with our invention;  
         [0016]      FIG. 2 . a  is a view from another prior art patent shown broken away;  
         [0017]      FIG. 3  is a cross section view of a portion of the outrigger shown in accordance with our invention;  
         [0018]      FIG. 4  is a sectional view of a portion of an outrigger in accordance with an alternate embodiment of our invention;  
         [0019]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a portion of an outrigger in accordance with our invention;  
         [0020]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a portion of the outrigger in accordance with our invention;  
         [0021]      FIG. 7  is a sectional view of a portion of the outrigger in accordance with our invention;  
         [0022]      FIG. 8  is a sectional view of a portion of an outrigger in accordance with our invention;  
         [0023]      FIG. 9  is an exploded perspective view of portions, partially broken away, of a telescoping outrigger in accordance with our invention;  
         [0024]      FIG. 10  is a full view and partial section of a portion on a telescoping outrigger in accordance with our invention;  
         [0025]      FIG. 11  is a view of parts of a telescoping outrigger in accordance with an alternate embodiment of our invention; some shown in section and some shown in full lines;  
         [0026]      FIG. 12  is an exploded perspective view of portions of an outrigger in accordance with an alternate embodiment of our invention;  
         [0027]      FIG. 13  is a perspective view partially exploded of a portion of an outrigger in accordance with an alternate embodiment of our invention; and  
         [0028]      FIG. 14  is an exploded view partially in full lines and partially in section of an assembled outrigger in accordance with our invention. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0029]     Referring to the Figures, a portion of an outrigger is shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3  and comprises an outer tube  20  telescoping with an inner tube  22 . Our invention provides a positive means for tracking the tubes as they are manipulated from the retracted to the extended position. This tracking means consists of a longitudinally extending protrusion running the length of an outer tube  20  and a longitudinally extending groove running the length of a mating sleeve  30 . These parts are shown, for example, in  FIGS. 2, 3  and  5 , wherein the protrusion is illustrated at  70  and groove is shown at  72 .  
         [0030]     An additional longitudinally extending protrusion on the inner wall of the sleeve  30  is provided at  74 ,  FIGS. 2 and 3 , to mate with an additional groove  76 , in the next juxtaposed tube  22 . These protrusions are shown in line radially in  FIG. 3 . However, they need not be so aligned, as shown in  FIG. 4  at  70  and  174 . Each protrusion must be in line with its mating groove. The protrusions are designed so that when co-acting with the grooves, they do not permit the tubes to be substantially rotated with respect to one another; but merely to be extended with respect to one another. Thus, the clearance space which permits the tube and sleeve to slide back and forth with respect to one another, must, in accordance with our invention, be less than the full extension of the protrusion through the clearance space and into its mating groove. This is illustrated in  FIG. 4  wherein the sliding action is provided by the clearance space “A”; but that sliding action clearance space “A” is less than the distance which the protrusion  70  extends from the wall of the tube  20  and fully into its mating groove  72  in the sleeve  30 ; that distance being identified by the letter “B”.  
         [0031]     These protrusions and grooves are shown in partial section in  FIG. 8 .  
         [0032]     This tracking is for the purposes of alignment of the button  25 ,  FIG. 7 , with the hole  100  in the outer tube  20 . Referring to  FIG. 7 , the bottom of the inner tube  22  sits against a flange  52  of the retainer  26 . The retainer  26  has a hole  28  therein retaining a spring  50  biasing the button  25  outwardly. Thus, when the inner tube  22  is moved from the retracted condition to the extended condition, the tracking of protrusions and grooves provides the means such that the button  25  will always pass through the hole  100  and lock the parts together.  
         [0033]     In accordance with our invention, one track is sufficient; however, it is within our invention to provide more than one track and protrusion, or longitudinal guide means, if so desired.  
         [0034]     In order to retain the button  25  and have it tract with the tubes, I have provided a retention means designated generally  21  in  FIGS. 5, 6 ,  7  and  8  which comprises a sleeve  30  and a retainer  26 .  
         [0035]     The retainer  26  has flat, longitudinally extending surfaces thereon, such as at  129 ,  FIGS. 6 and 7 . This configuration creates a space  127  between the retainer  26  and the internal surface of the sleeve  30 ; which space allows for water and debris to readily flow therethrough and be discharged from the bottom of the sleeve  30 .  
         [0036]     To retain the retainer  26  within the sleeve  30 , I have provided a set screw  32  which is threaded into the retainer  26  through the wall of the sleeve  30 .  
         [0037]     The sleeve  30  is in sliding engagement with the outer tube  20 .  
         [0038]     The sleeve  30  has a groove  72  ( FIG. 5 ) on the outside to mate with the protrusion  70  on the inside of the outer tube  20 .  
         [0039]     The inner wall of the sleeve  30  has a longitudinally extending protrusion  74  which mates with the groove  76  in the outer wall of the tube  22 .  
         [0040]     The outer wall of the retainer  26 ,  FIG. 6  has a longitudinally extending groove  27  to embrace the protrusion  78  on the inner wall of the inner tube  22 ,  FIG. 2 .  
         [0041]     The retainer  26  has a flange  52  as an integral part thereof. This flange  52  rests upon an internal shoulder  54  in the sleeve  30 ,  FIG. 5 .  
         [0042]     The inner tube  22  is also connected to the retainer  26  by a set screw  29 .  
         [0043]     The inner tube  22  can be removed from the outer tube  20 . When it is removed, sleeve  30  and retainer  26  stay attached to the inner tube  22 . In the removed condition, the set screw  32  can be backed off to allow the sleeve  30  to be disengaged from the tube  22 . Also the screw  29  can be backed off to allow the retainer  26  to be removed from the inner tube  22  and cleaned. This also allows replacement of the spring  50  or the button  25 , if necessary.  
         [0044]     The set screws  29  and  32  alternatively may be flat head screws and countersunk in the wall of sleeve  30 .  
         [0045]     The button  25  passes through a hole  35  in the sleeve  30 . It also passes through a hole  37  in tube  22 . To keep the button from being ejected through the hole  37 , the button is provided with a flange  125  which extends beyond the periphery of the hole  37 . Thus, when the spring  50  urges the button outwardly, the flange  125  will engage the inner wall of the tube  22  and prevent the button from being ejected from the tube.  
         [0046]     Laterally extending drainage holes  200  are provided communicating through the flat surfaces  129  of the retainer  26  to the hole  28  which holds the spring  50 . Thus, if debris gets into this area, it can readily exit through the drainage holes  200 .  
         [0047]     In  FIG. 9 , the outer tube  20  is shown in an exploded view with a washer  14  positioned to engage the upper outside end surface of the outer tube  20 .  
         [0048]     Mounted about the washer  14  is a guide ring  18  for retaining the washer  14  in position at the outer end of the tube  20 .  
         [0049]     The inner diameter hole through the washer  14  is in sliding engagement with the outer surface of the inner tube  22  (as shown at  120 ,  FIG. 13 ) to guide the tube  22  while it is being retracted and extended.  
         [0050]     A plurality of set screws  24 ,  FIG. 10 , are threaded through the guide ring  18  to engage the surface of the outer tube  20  when fully assembled. The set screws are preferably cup-shaped at their engaging ends so as to provide a ring of contact against the outer surface of the outer tube. Cone point set screws could be used, but might have a tendency to score the surface of the tube and eventually create problems if they were repeatedly assembled and disassembled. Positioning a plurality of these set screws at various angles (such as 120 degrees,  FIG. 10 ) about the circumference of the guide ring  18  provides not only sufficient strength to retain the guide ring on the outer tube; but also to prevent distortion of the outer tube. Thus, we have provided a retention means for fixedly attaching the washer  14  and retaining ring  18 , yet permitting the outrigger to be disassembled.  
         [0051]     As shown in  FIG. 10 , the ring  18  is spaced from the outer wall of the tube  20 . The washer  14 , however, is not so spaced; but rather is in abutting engagement with the outer end surface of tube  20 .  
         [0052]     It is preferable to have the holes for the said screws  24  positioned closer to the vertical bottom of the retaining ring  18 , as shown at  117  in  FIG. 9 . This gives a sure engagement with the tube  20 ; since the washer  14  occupies the upper portion of the inner cavity of the retaining ring  18 .  
         [0053]     To provide a means of readily disassembling the outrigger, we have provided threads  220  on the tube  20  which mate with threads  218  on the ring  18  as shown in  FIG. 9 .  
         [0054]     In operation, the tubes can be taken apart by backing off the set screws  24 ,  FIG. 10 , so that the ring  18  is disengaged from the outer tube  20 .  
         [0055]     If desirable for reinforcement purposes, a portion of the ring  18  can be thickened to accommodate the threaded eye bolt  152 ; as shown at  150  in  FIG. 11 .  
         [0056]     If desirable, the washer  14  may include a thin downwardly depending section  114 ,  FIG. 12 , embracing the outside of the outer tube  20 , as shown in  FIG. 13 . In such embodiment, indentations  187  may be provided to allow the set screws to push against this thin depending section  114  and force it against the outer wall of the tube  20 . To accommodate the clamping movement, the downwardly depending skirt  114  may be split, as at  115 . Alternatively, the skirt can have holes instead of the indentations  187  to allow the set screws to pass through this skirt and onto the outer wall of the outer tube, as at  116  in  FIG. 13 .