Patent ID: 7428879

Claim:
A device for automatically raising a warning flag over a boat when a tow line attached to the boat goes slack, the device comprising: a tower mounted to the boat and including a cross bar for anchoring the tow line, with the cross bar defining a cross bar axis; an arm pivotably connected to the cross bar, with the arm forming a hole to receive the cross bar, wherein the arm is biased toward a first orientation and has a second orientation, and wherein the tow line engages the arm and pivots the arm about the cross bar axis from the first orientation to the second orientation when the tow line becomes taut; a housing mounted to the cross bar, the housing defining an internal cavity for receiving the arm and the cross bar; a first link having a distal end and a proximal end pivotably mounted to the housing; a second link having a distal end and a proximal end pivotably connected to the distal end of the first link, wherein the distal end of the second link is pivotably connected to the arm; a third link having a distal end and a proximal end pivotably connected to the arm and pivotably connected to the distal end of the second link; and a flag mount having a distal end and a proximal end pivotably mounted to the housing, wherein the flag mount has a pivot distanced from the proximal end and pivotably connected to the distal end of the third link, wherein the warning flag is connected to the distal end of the flag mount, and wherein the flag mount lowers the warning flag when the arm is in the first orientation and raises the warning flag when the arm is in the second orientation.