Abstract:
A clamp for fiberglass boats is adjustable where the contact points are on any of the fiberglass hull, the fiberglass deck (which meets the hull at a seam covered by a rub rail), and/or the fiberglass gunwale (which is part of the deck and, if low enough, is called a toe rail). The clamp has an outer jaw for contacting the hull below the rub rail, and inner jaw that is reached over and around the gunwale for contacting the deck inside the gunwale, an optional auxiliary jaw for contacting the outside of the gunwale, and an optional stand-off resting on the crown of the gunwale. Preferably the jaws and stand-off are the terminations of linkages which can be re-configured in an indefinite variety of re-configurations.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO PROVISIONAL APPLICATION(S) 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/689,873, filed Jun. 14, 2012. 
     This application is also a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/065,460, filed Mar. 22, 2011, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/340,824, filed Mar. 22, 2010. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a gunwale clamp for boating accessories and, more particularly, to a clamp for gunwales of fiberglass boats such that the clamping and releasing (eg., the un-clamping) of the inventive clamp does not scratch or otherwise mar the surface finish of the fiberglass. 
     A number of additional features and objects will be apparent in connection with the following discussion of the preferred embodiments and examples with reference to the drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       There are shown in the drawings certain exemplary embodiments of the invention as presently preferred. It should be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed as examples, and is capable of variation within the scope of the skills of a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the invention pertains. In the drawings, 
         FIG. 1  is a side elevational view of an adjustable clamp in accordance with the invention for clamping around the gunwales of fiberglass boat hulls such that the clamping and releasing (eg., the un-clamping) of the inventive clamp does not scratch or otherwise mar the surface finish of the fiberglass; 
         FIG. 2  is an inboard perspective thereof; and 
         FIG. 3  is an outboard perspective thereof; wherein, 
         FIG. 4  is a side elevational view comparable to  FIG. 1  except of an alternate embodiment of such an adjustable clamp in accordance with the invention, and for clamping around the gunwales of fiberglass boat hulls such that the clamping and releasing (ie., the un-clamping) thereof does not mark the hull; and 
         FIG. 5  is an inboard perspective thereof. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       FIGS. 1 through 3  show a first embodiment of an adjustable clamp  20  in accordance with the invention for clamping around the gunwales  10  of fiberglass boats  12 , 14  such that the clamping and releasing (ie., the un-clamping) of the inventive clamp  20  does not scratch or mar the exterior finish of the fiberglass. 
     Fiberglass  12 , 14  boats are made in versions with planing hulls  12 . The commonest freshwater examples are bass boats and runabouts. Such fiberglass boats  12 , 14  comprise a two-piece construction, namely: —a fiberglass hull  12  joined to a fiberglass deck  14  (sometimes referred to as top deck) at a seam. The hull  12  comprises a tub-shape having a sidewall (usually an outwardly flaring sidewall) that terminates in a rim edge. The top deck  14  usually forms a continuation of the sidewall for a short elevation above the rim edge of the hull before turning in then down at a shoulder typically called a ‘gunwale’  10 . 
     In bass boats, the term ‘gunwale’ is sometimes replaced with an alternate term, toe rail. That is, the counterpart gunwale structure in a bass boat is low compared to the floor, and hence the gunwale is sometimes referred to as toe rail. 
     The seam between the hull  12  and deck  14  is typically covered by a rub rail  16 . Typically, the rub rail  16  accepts fasteners through it and into both the hull  12  and deck  14 . The fasteners through the rub rail  16  into the hull  12  and deck  14  provides some of the mechanical joining of the hull  12  and deck  14  across the seam. The rub rail  16  is usually also the mount for a rubbery strip that serves as a fender. The rubber strip can also be arranged to cover the heads of the fasteners as well. 
     Again, the gunwale  10  comprises a raised rail  16  that extends peripherally around the outer edge of the deck  14 . Typically the gunwale  10  in these kinds of fiberglass boats is hollow, comprising an inverted channel shape. Sometimes the inverted-channel has an inverted square-U shape, other times and inverted rounded-U shape. Nevertheless, such gunwales  10  can be reckoned as comprising an inboard flange portion and outboard flange portion joined by a crown web portion. 
     The gunwale  10  gives both structural stiffness to the deck  14  as well as serves as a sort of a curb or wall to prevent items or passengers from easily falling out of the boat. The outboard flange portion terminates in a lower edge, and it is this lower edge which meets the hull  12 . 
     The hulls of bass boats and runabouts are characterized by flare in the sidewalls of the hull  12  (not shown). Generally, the sidewalls of the hull  12  are those portions that are above the hard chine (not shown), in contrast to the bottom of the hull (also not shown), which is below. That is, as the hull  12  terminates in its upper edge, just where it meets the lower edge of the gunwale  10 &#39;s outboard edge, the flare is the outward-spreading of the sidewall of the hull  10  in the upward direction, when looked at in cross-section. This flare provides several things. When crashing waves, the flare throws spray away from the passenger compartment. The flare also provides for an expanded deck  14  for the same amount of hull  12  below the chine. 
     Flare is in contrast to flam. Flam is where the cross-section of the hull is perhaps semi-circular, maybe even parabolic or the like (not shown). In any event, flam is more characteristic of displacement hulls, especially sail boats. 
     The fiberglass in fiberglass boats  12 ,  14  is typically given a smooth exterior finish that can be elaborately ornamented with lively colors and/or metal flake and so on. This smooth exterior finish typically comprises a gel coat layer. It is an object of the invention to clamp around a gunwale  10  of a fiberglass boat  12 , 14  without scratching or otherwise marring the exterior finish of the fiberglass. 
     Again,  FIGS. 1 through 3  show a first embodiment of an adjustable clamp  20  in accordance with the invention for securing across the gunwales  10  of fiberglass boats  12 , 14  (and in contrast to pontoon-boat rails, eg., pontoon boats don&#39;t formally have gunwales, but they have counterparts, which are typically square or rectangular aluminum tubes). 
     The adjustable clamp  20  comprises an outer jaw  24  in opposition to an inner jaw  26 , and an optional auxiliary jaw  25  for connecting to either the inner or outer jaw  26  or  24  as desired. In  FIG. 1 , a first optional position for the auxiliary jaw  25  is shown in solid lines and is shown attached to the inner  26 . A second optional position for the auxiliary jaw  25  is shown in dashed lines and is shown connected to the outer jaw  24 . The inner jaw  26  is tightened relative to the outer jaw  24  by a screw assembly  50  in the style of a hand vise. The inner and outer jaws  26  and  24  are furthermore articulated (eg., jointed within themselves and not relative to any other jaw) with linkages as more particularly described below. 
     The outer jaw  24  comprises an inner link  32  and an outer link  38 . The connection between the outer link  38  and inner link  32  is optionally perpendicular. Preferably, the connection between the inner and outer links  32  and  38  is adjustable such that the effective lengths of either of the inner link  32  or outer link  38  lies between elongated and foreshortened extremes. Optionally the links  32  and  38  can be constructed of spaced pairs of apertured bar stock to allow relatively easy re-configuring and adjustment relative to each other by pins or fasteners and the like. The outer link  38  preferably terminates in longitudinally elongated padded or grippy ends  42  utilized to contact the hull  12 . The wide grip pads  42  give the clamp  20  stability in the fore to aft direction. The grip pads  42  protect against scratching or marring the finish or the gel coat of the fiberglass hull  12 , as well as scratching the rub rail  16 . 
       FIG. 1  shows that the outer jaw  24 &#39;s padded ends  42  should preferably contact the hull  12  below the rub rail  16  or, more preferably still, just underneath the rub rail  16 . 
     The inner jaw  26  comprises an inner link  46  and outer link  66 . Optionally the inner and outer links  46  and  66  for the inner jaw  26  comprise spaced pairs of apertured bar stock. The inner links  32  and  46  of the outer and inner jaws  24  and  26  are respectively connected together by a threesome of pins (bolts)  48  which relatively fix the connection between the inner links  32  and  46  of the outer and inner jaws  24  and  26  respectively in a relatively fixed alignment. Such alignment is preferably an approximately perpendicular alignment. 
     The screw assembly  50  provides for the squeeze between the jaws  24  and  26 . The screw assembly  50  optionally comprises a threaded-rod  52  (eg., all thread) with a cam nut  54  for quick manual and tool-free clamping and release of the inventive clamp  20 . The screw assembly  50  interconnects between the inner link  46  of the inner jaw  26  and outer link  38  of the outer jaw  24 . As  FIG. 1  shows better, the inner link  46  of the inner jaw  26  furthermore carries a stand-off  56  for standing the inner jaw  26 &#39;s inner link  46  off the crown or web portion of gunwale  10 . The stand-off  56 , like the outer jaw  24 &#39;s hull-contacting forked end  38 , has a hull-contacting T-end that is covered in rubber pads. 
     The screw assembly  50 &#39;s threaded rod  52  is axially-confined on the inner jaw  26 &#39;s inner link  46  by a pin or bolt  62 . 
     To turn to the inner jaw  26 &#39;s outer link  66 , the outer link  66  is pinned to inner link  46  by a pivot pin (eg., a bolt)  68 . The inner and outer links  46  and  66  of the inner jaw  26  are variously adjustable relative to each other by moving the pin  68  around in various different ones of the apertures of the apertured bar stock. The spaced bars of the inner link  46  flank a central collar (not shown), and the spaced bars of the outer link  66  flank the pair of bars of the inner link  46  (however, this arrangement could be readily reversed). The outer link  66  terminates in a T-end that is covered in gel-coat protecting pads. Again, bass boats have such low gunwales relative to the deck floor that the gunwales are sometimes alternatively referred to as toe rails. Given a bass boat deck (not shown), preferably the outer link  66 &#39;s T-end nests in the crease between the gunwale&#39;s inboard flange and the deck&#39;s floor. 
     The outer link  66  includes a socket  72  for a strut  76 . The socket  72  is formed in or attached close to the T-end of the inner jaw  26 &#39;s outer link  66 . The strut  76  is pivotally connected to the inner link  46  by cross-wise dowel nut  74 . The dowel nut spans between the spaced bars of the inner link  46 . The dowel nut  74  comprises a short section of round bar with a threaded hole bored through perpendicular to the axis of the round bar. The attachment point on the inner link  46  for the dowel nut  74  is inboard of the attachment point on the inner link  46  for the outer link  66 . 
     The strut  76  optionally comprises a lag bolt. The strut  76  is threaded through the threaded-aperture of the dowel nut  74 , between the spaced bars of the inner link  46 , with the dowel nut pivotally caged in a pair of opposite apertures. The strut  76  threads through the dowel nut  74  until the strut  76 &#39;s end opposite the nut end is jammed in the socket  72  for the strut  76 . Among other things, the dowel nut  74  allows the strut  76  to pivot freely relative to the inner link  46 . 
       FIG. 1  allows reckoning that, the clamp  20  in accordance with the invention clamps tight over the gunwale  10  by a user handling the lever  78  of the cam nut  54  on the screw assembly  50 . It can be noticed in this view that the strut  76  axially opposes the outer jaw  24 &#39;s hull-contacting ends  42  more on the same line than the line of the inner jaw  26 &#39;s outer link  66 . Hence the strut  76  assists in the squeeze on the deck  14  and hull  12  coming from two opposite directions on a diagonal line. 
     The clamp  20  in accordance with the invention optionally comprises an auxiliary jaw  25  for either the inner jaw  26  or outer jaw  24 . The auxiliary jaw  25  preferably connects optionally to the inner link  46  of the inner jaw  26  (as shown in solid lines) or else to the inner link  32  of the outer jaw  24  (as shown in dashed lines in  FIG. 1 ), but necessarily exclusively in the positions as illustrated. The auxiliary jaw  25  preferably comprises a construction like the outer link  66  of the inner jaw  26 , including its own pivot pin and axially adjustable threaded strut. That way, the auxiliary jaw  25  can be tightened independently of inner or outer jaws  26  and/or  24 . 
       FIG. 1  shows a non-exclusively preferred relation between the inner jaw  26  and auxiliary jaw  25 , wherein the inner jaw  26  contacts the deck  14  on the inboard side of the gunwale  10 , while the auxiliary jaw  25  contacts the outboard side of the gunwale  10  (and not the hull  12 , which is below the rub rail  16 ). Again, the auxiliary jaw  25  can be connected to either of the inner links  46  and  32  of the inner or outer jaw  26  or  24 , respectively, to do this. The auxiliary jaw  25  preferably has a T-end covered in pads for contacting the gunwale as shown. 
     The adjustable clamp  20  in accordance with the invention affords quick connection and disconnection to and from the gunwale  10  a fiberglass boat  12 , 14  and thereafter serves as a base on which to mount any number of various, interchangeable accessories. Non-limiting examples thereof include without limitation (none which are shown): —a fish locator display (as mounted on the top of the inner jaw  26 ); a fish locator transducer (as hung from the bottom of the outer jaw  24 ); rod holder (s); rod storage; drink holder(s); an arch system for boat covers; a pole system for any of a Bimini, canopy, sun shade, or rain shield; a frame system for either a tent or duck blind; oar locks; bow and/or stern lights; bait bucket(s); lantern(s); black light(s); bumper(s); and so on. 
       FIGS. 4 and 5  show an alternate embodiment of a clamp  22  in accordance with the invention. The threaded-rod screw assembly  50  of  FIGS. 1-3  has been replaced by a turnbuckle screw  82 . 
     The invention having been disclosed in connection with the foregoing variations and examples, additional variations will now be apparent to persons skilled in the art. The invention is not intended to be limited to the variations specifically mentioned, and accordingly reference should be made to the appended claims rather than the foregoing discussion of preferred examples, to assess the scope of the invention in which exclusive rights are claimed.