Abstract:
An apparatus for the deployment of four curtains for the sides of boat ‘wet slips’ and boat lifts, car ports or the like. A synchronized roller system is provided to roll up or down each of the four curtains that surround a space to be enclosed by the curtain system.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This invention relates generally to the deployment of curtains for the sides of boat ‘wet slips’ and boat lifts, car ports or the like, typically, but not always, that have a top to shelter the space below it from the rain but no sides. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Boat owners, particularly owners of relatively small boats (e.g., less than twenty five feet in length) oftentimes find it desirable to moor their boats in slips or boat lifts. These systems provide quick access to the boat and ensure the boat is secured and protected from wave action. 
     In order to protect the boat from the elements (e.g., the effects of sun and precipitation), a canopy is oftentimes placed over the slip or boatlift to provide a modicum of protection from the weather. This is particularly important for boats with fine wood and fiberglass hulls, as continued exposure to ultraviolet rays from the sun degrade the fine wood (e.g., mahogany and teak woods), finish, fiberglass, and/or substantially any material that the boat may be constructed from and/or contain (e.g., vinyl seats). The more the boat may be brought under the cover of the canopy the better it will be protected from the elements. While a canopy does provide protection against the elements, it only provides the maximum benefit if it is relatively close to the boat itself. A problem occurs, however, in that boaters must have easy access to their boats (i.e., to board and/or load their boats) or the boat geometry limits the canopy placement (wakeboard towers, Bimini tops, etc.). Many boat owners are forced to compromise in their placement of the canopy to allow access to the boat while providing at least some protection. 
     Other protective devices lower and raise a canopy or cover onto the top of a boat through cables and lines that hang above the boatlift. These canopies, however, due to their use of hanging cables provide the canopy or cover with an undesirable range of motion which extends beyond the vertical plane (i.e., the canopy is free to move laterally). This creates the potential for the canopy to undesirably contact the boat (e.g., the canopy may be repeatedly blown into the boat by a strong wind) and cause damage to the boat. 
     Also there are side and end curtain devices that attach to the frame of the canopy of a boat hoist or boat dock that can be lowered using gravity to surround the boat below the canopy when the boat is not being used and raised by pulling the curtains up when boat to the access is desired. Similar devices have also been used on motorcycle covers, golf cart covers, recreational vehicle covers and personal watercraft/jet ski covers. 
     If there is a mechanical issue with the drawstring system (motor failure, etc.), it is very difficult to manually actuate the system to get access to the boat. 
     Systems that only move one side or end at a time create a dangerous wind load condition for boat lifts. Many boat lift structures are not anchored to the sea bed. When the weight of the boat is not in lift (when out boating), the large surface area of the unmoved sides quickly create forces that can roll over or damage the boat lift structure. 
     Additionally, the aforementioned prior art curtain systems cannot be quickly installed and removed from boat slips and boat lifts to allow for easy seasonal storage. 
     Accordingly, there is a need for a side curtain deployment system on canopy assemblies that overcomes the drawbacks of prior art systems. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for the deployment of four curtains for the sides of boat ‘wet slips’ and boat lifts, car ports or the like. A synchronized roller system is provided to roll up or down each of the four curtains that surround a space to be enclosed by the curtain system. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above mentioned disadvantages of prior art curtain systems are at least partially overcome by the present invention for example by employment of an apparatus described in the following detailed description, particularly when studied in conjunction with the drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a prior art perspective view of a boat in a slip with a boat hoist in the slip; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view like  FIG. 1 , but showing the curtain apparatus of the present invention deployed round the boat and suspended from a top rectangular frame of the top of the boat hoist; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view like  FIG. 2  but showing the curtain apparatus in the process of being raised; 
         FIG. 4  is a side elevational view showing the curtain apparatus completely lowered; 
         FIG. 5  is a side elevational view like  FIG. 3  with the curtain apparatus in an intermediate position between fully up and fully down; 
         FIG. 6  is a side elevational view with the curtain being fully raised; 
         FIG. 7  is a view of the top of each one of four curtains shown schematically attached to an upper rectangular shaped metal frame showing the position of clamps, the clamps being shown in detail in  FIGS. 9-11 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the curtain apparatus alone for illustrative purposes without showing it attached to the frame of the boat hoist; 
         FIG. 9  is a view of the structure, shown only schematically within the circle of  FIG. 7 , in more detail for attaching the top of the curtain to the frame of the boat hoist; 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the attachment structure for attaching the top of the curtain to the top outer periphery of the frame of the roof structure of the boat hoist; 
         FIG. 11  is an exploded view of the attachment structure shown in  FIG. 10 ; 
         FIG. 12  is an exploded perspective view of three of four rotors to which the curtains are respectively attached and showing how one of two motors is arranged to rotate meshing gears to rotate all four rotors; 
         FIG. 12A  is a cross sectional view taken along line  12 A- 12 A of  FIG. 12  to show how the curtains are attached to the rotors; 
         FIG. 12B  is a cross sectional view similar to  FIG. 12A  but shows the rotor having made one revolution to show how the top half and the bottom half of the curtains overlap each other as they are rolled onto the rotor; 
         FIG. 13  is a perspective view within the circle of  FIG. 2  showing a motor attached to an idler gear structure for selectively providing reversible power to rotate all gears and rotors shown in  FIG. 17 ; 
         FIG. 14  is a cross sectional view taken along line  14 - 14  to show the motor and meshing bevel gears attached to respective rotors where the four rotors meet at the corners shown in  FIG. 17 ; 
         FIG. 15  is a view within the circle of  FIG. 2  showing an idler mechanism to transfer rotational torque in two rotary directions to the rotors via power transmitted to one or more of the four rotors or eight gears of the preferred embodiment; 
         FIG. 16  is a cross sectional view taken along lines  16 - 16  of  FIG. 15  to show two meshing bevel gears attached at the corner of two of the rotors for transmitting power among all of the interconnected rotors and gears; 
         FIG. 17  is a schematic view showing how two matching or identical motors drive four matching or identical idler boxes, each idler box containing two meshing bevel gears attached to respective rotors; 
         FIG. 18  is a schematic view like  FIG. 17 , but is provided with structure in the circle of  FIG. 18A  of  FIG. 18  to permit a user to use a hand crank as shown in  FIGS. 18A and 18B  to turn the rotors in either rotary direction in lieu of using a motor or motors as shown in  FIG. 17 ; 
         FIG. 18A  is a cross sectional view taken from within the circle of  FIG. 18  showing an idler box and how it can be connected to a hand crank; 
         FIG. 18B  is a side elevational view take from within the circle of  FIG. 18  but adding a crank for turning one of the bevel gears and thereby all of the interconnected bevel gears and rotors at the same time and at the same speed in one rotary direction or the other rotary direction; and 
         FIG. 19  is a view of the present invention being used on a carport or portable automobile shelter. 
     
    
    
     Elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions and/or relative positioning of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of various embodiments of the present invention. Also, common but well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are often not depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments of the present invention. Certain actions and/or steps may be described or depicted in a particular order of occurrence while those skilled in the art will understand that such specificity with respect to sequence is not actually required. The terms and expressions used herein have the ordinary technical meaning as is accorded to such terms and expressions by persons skilled in the technical field as set forth above except where different specific meanings have otherwise been set forth herein. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding parts throughout the several views,  FIG. 1  shows a prior art wet boat slip  1  and boat dock  2  with a canopy  3  supported by vertical posts  4 , and showing a boat  5  in the slip  1  under the canopy  3 . The vertical posts can be part of a boat lift (not shown) or just attached to the dock  2 . 
       FIG. 2  shows the canopy  3  supported by a rectangular peripheral frame  6  with intermediate members  7  and  8  attached thereto to provide support to the canopy  3 , which canopy is typically made of a waterproof canvas cloth.  FIG. 2  also shows a curtain support and deployment system  10  constructed in accordance with the present invention in the deployed position to shield the boat  5  from the elements, primarily from wind and rain, but also to inhibit intrusion by strangers or pests such as birds and bugs. 
     As shown best in  FIG. 8 , the curtain support and deployment system  10  has first, second, third and fourth curtains  11 ,  12 ,  13  and  14  respectively. First and third curtains  11  and  13  are identical end curtains and second and fourth curtains  12  and  14  are identical side curtains. Curtains  11 - 14  have top/upper portions  11   t ,  12   t ,  13   t  and  14   t  respectively and bottom/lower portions  11   b ,  12   b ,  13   b  and  14   b  respectively. 
       FIGS. 2, 4 and 8  show the curtain support and deployment system  10  fully deployed so as to protect the boat as indicated above.  FIGS. 3 and 5  show the curtain support and deployment system  10  partially retracted on its way up or down.  FIG. 6  shows the curtain support and deployment system  10  fully raised to provide complete access to the boat  5 . 
       FIGS. 7 and 9-11  show a clamping structure  20  for attaching the top of each curtain  11 - 14  to the top peripheral frame part  6  of the canopy  3  support frame.  FIG. 7  shows the approximate placement of the clamping structures  20  to the peripheral frame part  6 . More or fewer clamping structures  20  can be used. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 9-11 , the clamps  20  have a main frame  20   f  with four apertures  20   a  therein for receiving adjustable radiator type clamps  20   r . Identical mating curtain clamp parts  20   ca  and  20   cb  extend around the rectangular shaped top curtain rod/support tube  15  as shown in  FIG. 10  which tube  15  has a portion of the top  12   t  of curtain  12  connected to it. The clamp parts  20   ca  and  20   cb  are held together by a bolt  20   b  that extends through holes  20   h  in clamp parts  20   ca  and  20   cb  and is threadably engaged by female threaded knob  20   k . Then, the head  20   bh  of each respective pair of clamp parts  20   ca  and  20   cb  is received into slot  20   s  from the top as shown by the arrow in  FIG. 11 . It is to be understood that preferably all of the clamp frames  20   f  would first be attached to the canopy peripheral frame  6  first; then all of the clamp parts  20   ca  and  20   cb  would be installed on curtains  11 - 14  in the same spaced relationship that the frames  20   f  are on canopy peripheral frame  6 . That way the entire curtain assembly  10  can just be lifted by its respective top rectangular frame  15  for example in the same way that canopy  12  is connected as shown in  FIG. 10 . The entire curtain assembly  10  can then be first raised and then lowered into place so that each respective bolt head  20   bh  extends into each respective slot  20   s  in each respective clamp frame  20   f  that is already attached to the peripheral frame part  6 . Other sequences of connection of these parts can be done instead if desired. 
     Each of the curtains  11 - 14  are actuated by a system shown best in  FIGS. 12 and 12A .  FIG. 12A  shows how the curtains are attached to rollers  30  using a “Keder extrusion”  11   ke  with a flap portion  11   kef  sewn to the respective curtain  11 - 14  and a “Keder extrusion” tube  11   ket  which is pushed into one of a pair of complementary shaped slots  30   s  in rotor  30  to hold the middle of the curtain  11  fixed with respect to rotor  30 . The “Keder extrusion” is usually a one piece extrusion, including parts  11   ket  and  11   kef . It is to be understood that in this preferred embodiment each of the other curtains  12 - 14  has the same or similar “Keder extrusion” structure for affixing the respective curtain to a respective rotor  30  as that shown in  FIG. 12A . A tube  30   t  in center opening  30   c  of each rotor  30  is fixed with respect to tube  30   t  so that each rotor  30  and tube  30   t  rotate together. 
     Two motors  40  and four idlers  50  are provided in the preferred embodiment  10  to selectively turn the rotors  30  in one direction to roll the respective curtains onto the rotors  30  from the position shown in  FIGS. 2, 4 and 8  to the positions shown in  FIG. 6 , with positions of the curtains  11 - 14 , motors  40  and idlers  50  shown in  FIG. 5  being an intermediate position in the rolling or unrolling process. 
       FIG. 17  shows two motors  40 , which can be electric, hydraulic or pneumatic, having power coming from line  40   c  as shown in  FIG. 13 . These motors  40  ( FIG. 16 ) turn a bevel gear  50   bga  on a shaft  50   sa  in each idler  40 . This bevel gear is meshed with another bevel gear  50   bgb  attached to shaft  50   sb  so that when the motor  50  turns shaft  50   sa , the bevel gear  50   bga , attached rigidly thereto, turns in the same direction and at the same speed as shaft  50   sa . This turning of bevel gear  50   bga  turns meshing identical bevel gear  50   bgb , which is rigidly attached to shaft  50   sb . Each of the shafts  50   sa  and  50   sb  are rigidly attached to respective tubes  30   t , which are rigidly attached to rotors  30 . So rotation of the shafts  50   sa  and  50   sb  from the idlers  40  and motors  50  will cause rotors  30  to rotate as well. Because all of the gears in all fours of the idlers  40  are identical and because motors  40  are essentially identical, all of the rotors  30  will be rotated in a synchronized fashion in the same direction and at the same speed. 
     In operation of the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 2-17 , to move the curtains  11 - 14  from the lowered position shown in  FIG. 2  to the raised position in  FIG. 6 , the motors  40  would be actuated to turn the rotating parts shown in  FIGS. 12 and 17  in a first synchronized rotary direction until the curtains  11 - 16  are in the raised position shown in  FIG. 6 .  FIG. 12B  shows how the upper half of each curtain (e.g.  12   t ) and lower curtain (e.g.  12   b ) overlap as they roll onto the rotor  30 . Then, when it is desired to move the curtains  11 - 14  to the lowered position shown in  FIG. 2 , the motors  40  direction is reversed to turn all of the rotating parts shown in  FIGS. 12 and 17  in an opposite direction until the curtains  11 - 14  are fully lowered to the  FIG. 2  position thereof. 
     Looking now to the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 18, 18A and 18B , it is noted that everything is the same except that instead of motors  40 , the system is cranked by hand using crank handle  60  to rotate the shaft  50   sa . The crank  60  is pivotally attached by a pin  60   p  that extends through openings in flanges  60   fa  and  60   fb  and though an opening not specifically shown in  FIGS. 18B and 18B . So to turn the rotors  30  to roll the curtains  11 - 14  onto rotors  30  from the position shown in  FIG. 2  to  FIG. 6  a person just keeps cranking on the crank  60  until it is impossible to crank it any more in one direction. The crank  60  would then be held in place or kept from rotating to keep the curtains  11 - 14  from unrolling from the rotors. Or if it is desired to remove the crank  60  by taking out the pin  60   p , it is noted that locking or preventing any one of the rotating elements of  FIG. 18  in place will keep all of the other rotating elements from rotating as well. To let the curtains  11 - 14  down, the rotary cranking direction can be reversed slowly from the  FIG. 6  to the  FIG. 2  positions thereof. 
       FIG. 19  shows an alternate embodiment wherein the a curtain support and deployment system  70  is identical to the curtain support and deployment system  10  except that it is used on a car shelter to shelter a car  9  or any other vehicle or item which is desired to be sheltered from the elements of rain, snow, wind, etc. but which needs to be accessed easily from time to time. The motors  40 , idlers  50  shown in solid line and rotor  30  shown in upper dashed lines works just like the curtain deployment system shown in  FIGS. 2-18 . 
     It is to be understood that while the preferred embodiment  10  illustrates the rotors  30  in the middle of each curtain  11 - 14 , the rotors  30  could just be at the bottom of each one of the curtains  11 - 14 , especially when not in an on water boating environment as shown in  FIGS. 2-17 . In that case the rotors would just need to rotate more turns to roll up the entire curtain, instead of having the top  11   t ,  12   t ,  13   t  and  14   t  and bottom portions  11   b ,  12   b ,  13   b  and  14   b  of the curtains  11 - 14  overlap each other as they would in using the embodiment  10  shown in  FIGS. 2-19 . 
     The aforementioned alternate embodiment is shown in dashed lines in  FIG. 19 .  FIG. 19  shows the dashed line motors  40 , idlers  50  at the bottom of the curtain  12 . In this optional dashed line embodiment, the motors  40 , idlers  50  and rotors  30  can just hang from the bottom of the curtains  11 - 14  and just make more rotations to roll up the curtain completely instead of having an overlapping upper half and lower half of the curtains as shown by example in  FIG. 12B . This dashed line embodiment is especially adapted to use in non-boating environments because in a boat slip or boat lift environment the motors  40 , idlers  50  and rotors  30  would be disposed close to the top of the water, which is not ideal as compared to a car port situation wherein the motors  40 , idlers  50  and rotors  30  would act as a weight on the bottom of the curtains to hold the bottom of the curtain on or close to the ground. 
     While not required, when a user is out boating, it is preferred that all four sides be left in a retracted or lowered position thereof, thereby reducing wind load on boat lift structures. 
     The use of mesh material on the curtains  11 - 14  is also an optional feature that allows the fabric to dry out when rolled—allowing the retracted system to be stored on a boat lift in the offseason. Using this option can eliminate the need to remove the curtains for storage as well. 
     Those skilled in the art will recognize that a wide variety of modifications, alterations, and combinations can be made with respect to the above described embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and that such modifications, alterations, and combinations are to be viewed as being within the ambit of the inventive concept as expressed by the attached claims.