Abstract:
The manually adjustable outrigger moves a trolling pole on a fishing vessel to an elevated, outboard position for trolling and inboard to a lowered position when not in use. The outrigger is operated using an operating handle. Rotating the operating handle in one direction rotates a pole held by the outrigger from an inboard position to the outboard, deployed position. Simultaneously with the rotation in the horizontal plane, the pole is elevated in the vertical plane from a near horizontal position to a suitable trolling angle. The operating handle turns a shaft that communicates the rotation of the handle to an internal drive mechanism, which is housed in a drive mechanism housing. The rotational motion is converted to a linear, vertical action using a ball gear mechanism. A track provided by a bayonet coupler converts the linear vertical motion into a combined vertical and rotational motion.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/736,857, filed Nov. 16, 2005. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to fishing equipment in general, and in particular to a manually adjustable outrigger for extending trolling lines outboard of a boat.  
       DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART  
       [0003]     Trolling is a popular fishing technique. Trolling involves trailing a baited line and hook behind a slowly moving fishing boat. The slow motion of the boat causes the trolled bait to simulate the movement of a slow swimming prey, making the bait attractive to predator fish. Ideally, the predator fish will strike (attempt to bite) the bait in anticipation of obtaining an easy meal and will become hooked.  
         [0004]     A fisherman can increase the number of strikes by trolling multiple lines from the boat simultaneously. When trolling with multiple lines, it is desirable to keep the lines spatially separated behind the boat to cover a larger potential fishing area and to prevent a line from becoming entangled with one or more of the other lines.  
         [0005]     Outriggers are commonly used to provide the desired spatial separation between trolling lines. An outrigger uses a pole extended outboard of the fishing vessel. Outrigger poles of between ten and thirty feet are typical. A trolling line is extended from the end of the outrigger pole. The outrigger is mounted to the fishing vessel or boat to provide a stable point for positioning the pole. Angles near 90°, measured horizontally from the stern, provide the maximum separation distance from the boat for a trolled line. Outriggers mounted on separate sides of the boat and rigged outboard can provide trolling coverage over a wide area in the path behind the fishing vessel.  
         [0006]     When trolling using the outrigger, it is desirable to hold the pole at an elevated angle so that the tip of the extended, flexible pole does not dip into the water.  
         [0007]     The deployed position of the outrigger pole can present difficulties during navigation. The elevated pole position reduces the overall clearance to overhead obstacles, such as bridges. The extended poles require a wide clearance on each side of the boat. When navigating the fishing vessel in narrow waters, the required clearance around the boat may not be available. For these reasons it is desirable that the outrigger have the capability of rigging the outrigger pole to a stowed position inboard of the fishing vessel and with a lowered elevation of the outrigger pole to a near horizontal angle.  
         [0008]     It is desirable that the positioning of the outrigger pole be performed from a safe and convenient location. For example, it is preferable that repositioning the outrigger not require leaning over the side of the boat because doing so might expose personnel to a risk of falling overboard.  
         [0009]     The outrigger pole may experience a number of forces. The movement of the vessel produces a wind drag exerting a force on the outrigger pole that is largest when the outrigger pole is in the fully deployed position. The trolling line exerts a force on the pole, both from drag on the line and bait produced by movement through the water and from the force exerted by a caught fish striking and attempting to swim away with the bait. It is desirable that an outrigger firmly maintain the position of the trolling pole in both the stowed and the deployed condition so that the pole does not swing about, thus presenting a hazard to personnel aboard the vessel. For the same reason, the position of the outrigger pole should be maintained under positive control while the outrigger pole is being repositioned.  
         [0010]     Japanese Patent No. 7-67,502 describes an automated fishing device.  FIG. 1  of the document depicts a motor operated device employing a gear system for positioning fishing equipment. Japanese Patent No. 2003-125,688 describes a holding gear for mounting fishing gear to a boat. As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  of the reference, the described invention contains a plurality of pivot points allowing a fishing gear to be position in various orientations relative to a fixed base.  
         [0011]     Thus, a manually adjustable outrigger solving the aforementioned problems is desired.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0012]     The manually adjustable outrigger is a device for positioning a trolling pole outboard of a fishing vessel to deploy the pole for fishing and for rigging the trolling pole to a lowered and inboard position when not in use.  
         [0013]     The outrigger includes a base that supports the other components of the outrigger and that provides for mounting the outrigger to a position on a fishing boat.  
         [0014]     The outrigger is operated using an operating handle. Rotating the operating handle in one direction rotates a pole held by the outrigger from an inboard position to the outboard, deployed position. Simultaneously with the rotation in the horizontal plane, the pole is elevated in the vertical plane from a near horizontal position to a suitable angle for trolling. Rotating the operating handle in the opposite direction returns the trolling pole to the stowed position. For example, in one embodiment the vertical angle when the fishing pole is inboard is 4°, with the pole being elevated to 32° when fully deployed.  
         [0015]     The operating handle turns a shaft that communicates the rotation of the handle to an internal drive mechanism housed within a drive mechanism housing. The drive mechanism is a gearing system that receives the rotation from the handle and converts the handle motion into the rotation of a vertical drive shaft within the drive mechanism housing.  
         [0016]     A second gearing system converts the rotation of the vertical drive shaft into a vertical motion. The second gearing system includes a ball gear comprising a ball screw and a concentric ball nut that is threaded onto the ball screw. The ball screw is rotated by the drive shaft. The ball nut is attached to a piston that constrains the rotation of the ball nut so that the ball nut moves vertically on the ball screw as the ball screw rotates on a vertical axis. The motion of the ball nut moves the piston up and down, depending on the direction of rotation of the operating handle.  
         [0017]     A bayonet coupler concentric with the piston causes the piston to rotate as it moves vertically within the coupler. The coupler is provided with a parallel pair of inclined tracks cut into the cylindrical face of the coupler. Guide pins attached to bottom of the piston ride in the tracks of the bayonet coupler, causing the piston to rotate about its vertical axis as it moves upwards.  
         [0018]     A linkage is pivotally attached to the top of the piston, and a receiver adapted for holding a trolling pole is attached to the top of the linkage. As the piston moves upwards, the piston increases the angle of inclination of the linkage and of the fishing pole receiver. Simultaneously with the change of inclination, as the piston rotates, the trolling pole receiver is rotated in a horizontal plane towards the outboard position. When the piston moves downwards, the inclination of the trolling pole is reduced towards a nearly horizontal position, and the trolling pole is rotated towards an inboard position.  
         [0019]     These and other features of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0020]      FIG. 1A  is an environmental view of a manually adjustable outrigger according to the present invention installed on a fishing boat.  
         [0021]      FIG. 1B  is an environmental front view of a fishing vessel with the manually adjustable outrigger of the present invention deployed.  
         [0022]      FIG. 1C  is an environmental side view of a fishing vessel with the manually adjustable outrigger of the present invention rigged in.  
         [0023]      FIG. 2  is a front perspective view of the manually adjustable outrigger according to the present invention.  
         [0024]      FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of the underbody assembly of the manually adjustable outrigger of the present invention.  
         [0025]      FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of the underbody assembly of the manually adjustable outrigger of the present invention with the ball gear and the support plate.  
         [0026]      FIG. 5  is an exploded perspective view of body and upper cap assemblies of manually adjustable outrigger of the present invention.  
         [0027]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the piston and ball screw assembly of the manually adjustable outrigger of the present invention.  
         [0028]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view showing the bayonet coupling, piston, and receiver assemblies of the manually adjustable outrigger of the present invention. 
     
    
       [0029]     Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0030]     The present invention is a manually adjustable outrigger  20 , shown attached to a fishing boat in  FIGS. 1A-1C . The outrigger  20  is mounted to the top of the fishing boat  30 . The outrigger  20  holds a trolling pole  40 . By rotating the outrigger  20 , the pole  40  may be rotated into the desired position.  FIGS. 1A and 1B  show the outrigger  20  holding the pole  40  in a deployed position. In the deployed position, the pole  40  is elevated at a relatively high angle, and the trolling pole  40  is positioned outboard of the boat  30 . In  FIG. 1C , the outrigger  20  holds the trolling pole  40  in a stowed position inboard of the boat  30 . The elevation angle of the pole  40  is reduced to a more nearly horizontal position, providing a more compact arrangement of the pole  40  when not in use. By rotating the operating handle  62  (see  FIG. 2 ) of the outrigger  20 , the pole  40  may be moved from the deployed position to the stowed position from a convenient location within the boat  30 .  
         [0031]     The operation of the manually adjustable outrigger  20  may be understood by referring to  FIG. 2 . The manual adjustable outrigger  20  includes an operating handle  62 . The operating handle  62  may be rotated in a vertical plane. A system of gears, described below, transmits the rotation of the handle  62  into the actions required to deploy or stow a pole held by the outrigger  20 . The outrigger  20  further comprises an underbody  70 , which contains drive gear components, a base plate  90  for mounting the outrigger  20  to a boat, a body  110  that houses additional gearing components, and a rotating piston  140  that rotates in the horizontal plane to position the fishing gear inboard or outboard of a fishing vessel while simultaneously moving up or down to elevate or lower the fishing gear. The outrigger  20  further comprises a cap assembly  130  concentric with the piston  140 . The cap assembly  130  rotates freely around the piston  140 . A linkage pivotally attached to the cap assembly  130  and to the piston  140  supports the fishing gear receiver  150 . The fishing gear being deployed by the outrigger is held in the receiver  150 . As the piston  140  is moved up or down within the outrigger body  110 , the linkage rotates around the pivot points of the cap assembly  130  and the piston  140  to elevate or lower the receiver  150  and the fishing gear held by the receiver  150 .  
         [0032]     By referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , details of the lower portion of the outrigger  20  may be understood. The outrigger handle  62  is attached to a cylindrical drive shaft  60 . A knob  64  attached to the free end of the operating handle  62  provides a purchase point for an operator turning the operating handle  62 . The drive shaft  60  is rotatably journaled at one side of a cylindrically shaped gear housing  52 . Concentrically fixed to the drive shaft  60  is a worm  56  of a worm and worm gear pair. Rotating the handle  62  in a vertical plane rotates the worm  56  within the journal  54  of the gear housing  52 . The gear housing  52  defines a vertical cylindrical cavity, which communicates with the journal  54  holding the drive shaft  60  and worm  56 . A worm gear  68  is supported within the cavity formed by bottom cap  66  and the gear housing  52 . The bottom cap  66  closes off the bottom of the gear housing cavity. The worm  56  drives the worm gear  68  so that the rotation of the handle  62  results in the worm gear  68  rotating within the gear housing around the vertical axis.  
         [0033]     A cylindrical underbody  70  is attached to the top of the gear housing  52 . The underbody  70  defines an internal vertical cylindrical cavity. A vertical threaded shaft  78  is located concentrically within the cavity of the underbody  70 . The lower end of the vertical shaft  78  is provided with a hexagonal key, which mates with a hexagonal opening on top of a concentric hub on the worm gear  68 . A disked shaped position indicator  74  is threaded onto the vertical shaft  78 . The periphery of the indicator  74  is provided with a tab  76 , which slidably engages a vertical slot  72  on the underbody  70 . When the worm gear  68  rotates the vertical shaft  78 , the position indicator  74  moves vertically up and down, moving the indicator tab  76  vertically within the slot  74  on the under body  110 . The position of the indicator tab  76  is registered against scales printed on opposite sides of the indicator slot  72  to indicate the horizontal position and vertical elevation of the fishing gear held by the outrigger  20 . The top of the vertical shaft  78  is provided with a disk shaped shaft head  82 .  
         [0034]     Referring now to  FIG. 4 , further details of the manual outrigger  20  may be appreciated. The underbody  70  is mounted to the lower surface of a flat base plate  90 . The base plate  90  is provided with holes for mounting the outrigger  20  to a fishing boat. The center of the base plate  90  has a circular opening centered over the vertical shaft cap  82 . A ball gear assembly  100  is provided. The ball gear assembly  100  comprises a threaded ball screw  106 , and a ball screw nut  102  that threadably engages the ball screw  106 . The lower end of the ball screw  106  forms a tab  104  of an elongated horizontal cross section. The ball screw tab  104  extends through the central circular opening of the base plate  90  and engages a slot  80  in the cap head  82  of the vertical shaft  78  so that the rotation of the vertical shaft  78  is transmitted to the ball screw  106 .  
         [0035]     Referring now to  FIGS. 5, 6 , and  7 , further details of the operating mechanism for the manually adjustable outrigger  20  may be understood. The outrigger  20  further comprises an upper body  110 . The upper body  110  is attached to the upper surface of the base plate  90 . The upper body  110  is a hollow cylinder. The lower portion of the interior of the upper body  110  is a cavity  112  that rotatably journals a bayonet coupling  92 . The bayonet coupling  92  is a hollow, vertical cylinder. A pair of parallel spiral or helical tracks  94  is cut into the surface of the coupling  92 . The lower end of the piston  140  slidably engages the bayonet coupling  92 . A pair of guide pins  96  thread into the lower portion of the piston  140  on opposite sides of the coupling  92 . At the upper and lower ends of each track  94  are vertical detents. The heads of each guide pin  96  slidably engage one of the tracks  94  so that sliding the piston  140  vertically within the coupling  92  causes the guide pins  96  to move up or down the incline of the tracks  94 , rotating the piston within the coupling  92 . When the guide pins  96  are at the upper or lowermost ends of the tracks  94 , the guide pins  96  engage the corresponding vertical detents. Engaging the detent locks the mechanism in place so that external forces applied to a fishing pole held by the outrigger  20  do not displace the outrigger from the fully deployed or fully rigged in position. Engaging the guide pins  96  in the detents also prevents external forces from being transmitted into the gear train, which would cause wear on the drive mechanism components of the outrigger.  
         [0036]     The slope of the tracks  94  of the bayonet coupler  92  determines the correlation between the horizontal motion and the vertical motion of the piston  140  and, thus, the trolling pole. In a typical installation, a pair of outriggers  20  are mounted on opposite sides of a fishing vessel. The outrigger  20  on the port side of the vessel is constructed to elevate as the trolling pole  40  is rotated in a counterclockwise direction, while the outrigger  20  on the starboard side of the vessel would be constructed to elevate as the trolling pole  40  is rotated in a clockwise direction. These opposing travel senses are achieved by having the tracks  94  on the port side outrigger  20  defined with an incline that rises in a counterclockwise direction around the circumference of its coupler  92 , while the tracks  94  of the coupler  92  on the starboard side outrigger  20  rise in a clockwise direction around the circumference of the respective coupler  92 .  
         [0037]     A concentric cavity  146  within the piston  140  slidably engages the screw of the ball screw  106 , allowing the piston  140  to move up and down over the central axis of the screw  106 . A lower portion of the piston cavity  146  holds the ball screw nut  102 . Setscrews threaded into the piston cavity  146  engage the ball screw nut  102  so that it cannot rotate within the cavity. As the ball screw  106  is rotated by the drive shaft  60 , the ball screw nut  102  moves vertically up and down the screw  106  of the ball gear assembly  100 , resulting in a corresponding vertical motion of the piston  140  within the upper body  110  of the outrigger  20 .  
         [0038]     A cap seat coupling  120  provides a reduced friction surface for the upper rotating components of the manually adjustable outrigger. The lower portion of the cap seat coupling  120  threads into the top of the upper body  110 . The upper portion of the cap seat coupling  120  is provided with a smooth annular ring. The ring provides a seat  122  for the cap assembly  130  described below, allowing the cap assembly  130  to rotate freely about a vertical axis.  
         [0039]     The cap assembly  130  comprises a cap base  124 , and the cap head  126 . The cap base  124  is a hollow cylinder. The lower surface of the cap base  124  provides a smooth surface, which seats against the cap seat  122  allowing the cap assembly  130  to rotate around the piston  140 . The cap head  126  is also a hollow cylinder concentric with the piston  140 . The lower rim of the cap head  126  is attached to the upper rim of the cap base  124 . The upper surface of the cap head  126  is provided with lugs  128  for pivotally attaching a linkage  152  so that the linkage  152  can pivot in a vertical plane.  
         [0040]     At the end of the linkage  152  opposite that pivotally attached to the cap head  126 , the linkage  152  is pivotally attached to the piston  140  at a slot  154  defined in the linkage. A vertical slot  142  at the upper portion of the piston  140  forms a clevis  144 . An pin extending through the clevis  144  slidably and pivotally engages the linkage slot  152  slot. When the piston  140  is moved up and down by the gearing mechanism, the linkage  152  pivots at the cap head and piston pivot points, varying the inclination angle of the linkage  152 . A fishing pole receiver  150  is attached to the top of the linkage so that the inclination angle of the receiver  150  is the same as that of the linkage. The fishing pole receiver  150  is a hollow cylinder, tapered at one end to allow the receiver to grip a fishing pole.  
         [0041]     Summarizing the operation of the drive mechanism, when the operating handle is rotated, a worm and worm gear combination translates the handle motion into a rotation of an internal shaft. The rotation of the internal shaft is coupled to a ball gear. The ball gear moves the piston vertically up or down depending on the direction of rotation of the operating handle. A coupling causes the piston to rotate as the piston moves vertically up or down. The vertical motion and horizontal rotation of the piston is transmitted to a receiver holding a fishing pole allowing the fishing pole to be rigged out and elevated and rigged inboard and lowered as the operating handle is rotated. A pointer mechanism moves up or down on the internal shaft to indicate the vertical and horizontal position of the fishing pole.  
         [0042]     The horizontal position of a trolling pole may be between 10° and 80°, as measured from the stern. The vertical inclination of the pole is controlled between 4° above horizontal in the stowed position to 32° above horizontal in the deployed position. These angular descriptions are provided by way of example and do not limit the invention to the described dimensions.  
         [0043]     The gear drive mechanism comprises components that transfer the rotation of the operating handle to a vertical shaft within the outrigger. The described gear drive mechanism comprises a drive shaft with a concentric worm, and a worm gear, with the worm and worm gear combination transferring the rotation of the operating handle to a rotation of the vertical shaft around a vertical axis. The drive mechanism alternatively may be comprised of any gearing arrangement for transmitting the rotation of an operating handle to the rotation of the vertical shaft known in the art, including, but not limited to, arrangements of planetary gears, ring and pinion gears, or helical gears.  
         [0044]     It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.