Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~4~
Case 11,131 L
iV10 U~l T
Field of Invention
This invention relates to a mount, and, in
particular, to a mount for a marine antenna, or
similar device.
Backqround of Invention
Various types of mounting devices are known in the
prior art. Some of these mounting devices are especially
useful for marine vessels such as ships, boats, or the
like, for mounting antennas for Loran equipment. These
prior art antenna mounts are generally designed to be
secured to a deck or bulkhead of a marine vessel, or the
like, by means of a flat supporting plate that is secured
to the deck or bulkhead of a marine vessel, and may be
constructed of stainless steel or plastic. These prior
art antenna mounts are designed to accommodate
standard antenna base ferrules for securing antennas
thereto and may include integral feed-through holes for
the antenna cables.
It is desirable on a variety of ships or boats
to secure antennae or other devices to railings located
in various locations on the marine vessel. The railings
may be disposed in various planes relative to the body
of water that the vessel is supported in, including
vertical, horizontal, or angular orientations. When
the mount is used to secure an antenna, it is usually
necessary that the antenna be in a plane normal to the
plane of the water. The sensitivity of the ante a ;nay
. , .. , , I ,
1 vary with respect to its orientation relative to the
electrical signal it is receiuing and, therefore,
any mount should have the capability of easy and varied
orientation relative tothe rail it is mounted on to
allow the antenna's position to be varied for maximizing
the signal reception. It is desirable for a mount
adapted to be secured to a rail or similar supporting
member, to be designed for easy orientation thereof and
preferably provide infinite positioning. At the present
time, there are commercially available mounts that may be
secured to a rail or the like on a marine vessel for
securing antennae, barbecues, or the like. The prior art
devices are in the form of C-clamps used with plastic
sleeves mounted on the rail to prevent the C-clamp from
marring the mounting rail. These clamps are of a simple
construction and are generally employed to mount an
antenna. There is also commercially available a gimbaled
bracket that is mounted to a boat rail for supporting a
barbecue thereon and which allows a commercially available
barbecue to be universally mounted to a boat rail.
Summary of Invention
The present invention provides an improved,
relatively inexpensive mount that is especially adapted
to be used on a marine vessel, such as a ship or boat,
and mountable on a boat rail or the like and which can
be simply and reliably installed with a minimum of
fastening devices and tools in a minimum length of time.
The improved rail mount is simply constructed and defined
to allow the mount to be positioned in a multiplicity of
positions relative to the supporting member. The mount
of the present invention can be secured to a boat rail
with a device attached thereto extending outboard of
the rail to preserve the usable space inboard of the rail.
The mount is advantageously constructed to be clamped
to the mounting rail without damaging the rail and yet
;'3~
1 allow it to be readily removed therefrom and/or relocated.
The improved mount is attractive in appearance and has a
smooth outer configuration so as to minimize marine lines
from becoming entangled with the mount. When the mount
is usable for securing a marine antenna, it is provided
with a feed-through aperture to allow the antenna cable
to be fed through the rail mount. The improved rail
mount is further constructed and defined so that it
can be inexpensively manufactured by conventional metal
casting or plastic molding techniques from various
metals or plastic materials.
From a structural standpoint, the mount is
adapted to be secured to a supporting member, such as
a rail or the like. The mount includes a U-shaped
clamping strap having apertures defined adjacent each
end, with each aperture having a different geometric
configuration. The clamping strap conforms to the
configuration of the supporting member. The clamping
strap is used with a threaded securing post mountable
between the arms of the shaped clamp at the apertures
to be held therebetween. A second clamping member
in the form of a hollow housing member has one end
shaped to receive the ends of the strap with the post
secured thereto and to be clamped to the opposite side
of the supporting member. The hollow housing member
has a cylindrical end for slidably receiving an L-shaped
housing therein. The L-shaped housing has a stepped
bore sized to be slidably received over the cylindrical
end of the hollow housing member. A single threaded
fastener mounted to the small bore of the stepped bore
is mounted through the mount elements to be secured to
the threaded post and when tightly secured thereto,
tightly secures the thus defined mount to the supporting
member.
/ / /
1 Brief Descri~tin of Drawings
These and other features of the present
invention may be more fully appreciated when considered
in the light of the following specification and drawin-Js
in which:
FIG. 1 is an illustration of the mount as it
may be secured to a horizontal tubular rail for a
marine vessel or the like and embodying the invention;
FIG. 2 is an illustration ofthe mount of
Fig. 1 as it ;nay be secured to a vertical tubular rail
for a marine vessel or the like;
FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the
line 3-3 of Fig. 1 and illustrating an antenna secured
to the mount by means of an antenna ferrule in dotted
outline;
FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the
line 4-4 of Fig. 3;
FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the elements
of the mount detached from its supporting member;
FIG. 6 is a view taken along the line 6-6
of Fig. 2 and illustrating an antenna secured to the
mount by means of an antenna ferrule in dotted outline;
and
FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the
line 7-7 of Fig. 6.
Detailed Description of the Invention
Now referring to the drawings, the mount 10
of the present invention will be described in detail.
The mount 10 will be described as it may be employed
as an antenna mount for a marine vessel or the like.
To this end the preferred embodiment of the mount 10
is constructed and defined to be assembled to a rail
R having a circular cross-sectional configuration, such
as found on a marine vessel or the like.
The drawings illustrate the referred embodiment of the
mount as applicable to a tubular supporting member to
1 secure an antenna to the tubular rail support and
is adapted to mount a conventional antenna, such as
a Loran antenna by means of a conventional antenna
ferrule secured thereto. It should be recognized at
S the outset that the rail R merely acts as a supporting
member for the mount 10 and the mount can be modified
to be assembled to supporting members having other
configurations, such as square, rectangular, or the
like, with the configuration of the elements comprising
the mount 10 shaped to compliment the shape of the
supporting member to allow the mount to be clamped
thereto in accordance with the teachings of the present
invention. Alternatively, inserts can be used with
the mount 10 to adapt it for mounting to a supporting
member of a circular cross-sectional configuration
to the configuration of a noncircular supporting member.
The mount 10 as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 is
mounted to the outboard side of a tubular rail R for
a marine vessel. The mount 10 is preferably positioned
on the outboard side of the tubular mounting rail R to
preserve space on the inboard side of the rail or within
the vessel proper.
The elements that comprise the mount 10 for
mounting-to the tubular rail R can be best appreciated
from examining Fig. 5 wherein the elements are illustrated
in an exploded relationship, detached from the tubular
supporting rail R. The mount 10 includes a pair of
clamping members 12 and 13 mountable to opposite sides
of the rail R to secure the assembled mount thereto.
The first clamping member 12 comprises a U-shaped
metallic strap having a configuration to be tightly
mounted to the outside surface of the rail R. The
opposite arms of the clamp 12 have apertures therein
adjacent the free ends thereof for accommodating a
securing post 12P therebetween. The apertures for
the clamping strap 12 are each of a different geometric
f
1 configuration so as to mount and hold the securing
post 12P therebetween. As illustrated in Fig. 5,
one of the post apertures 12C is of a circular
configuration, while the opposite aperture 12Sis
of a square configuration. The dimensions of the
aperture 12S conforms to the outside dimensions for
the post 12P to slidably receive the post therein
and to hold it in position between the arms of the
strap 12. For this purpose, the post 12P proper
has a square configuration that is slidably received
within the inner periphery of the aperture 12S for
the strap 12. At one end of the post 12P there is
provided a circular disk 12D that has a diameter so
as to allow it to fall within the outer perimeter of
the square end of the square post 12P. The diameter
of the disk 12D for the post 12Pis selected relative
to the diameter of the aperture 12C to allow the disk
12D to be slidably received within the aperture 12C.
The relationship of the apertures 12C and 12S and the
2i) post 12P is such that when the post 12Pis positioned
between the arms of the clamping strap 12, the
circular disk 12D for the post 12P will be slidably
received within the aperture 12C so as to slidably engage
the inr,er periphery of the aperture 12C. Similarly,
the perimeter of the post 12P will be slidably received
within the inside perimeter of the aperture 12S. It
should be noted that when the strap is in~-erted from the
position illustrated in Fig. 5, i.e., the circular
aperture 12C is at the bottom, such as is preferable
when mounting the mount 10 to the rail R on a marine
vessel, the different configurations for the apertures
12C and 12S cause the post 12P to be supported on the
strap 12 outside of the periphery of the aperture 12C
to prevent the post 12P from sliding throuqh the strap
12and fallinq into the water, as would be the case when
the strap 12 is oriented, as illustrated in Fig. 5.
1 The post 12P is also constructed and defined to have
a threaded aperture 12T extending therethrough
intermediate the ends for securing the assembled
elements of the mount 10 tightly together, as
will be evident hereinafter.
The second clamping member 13 comprises a ho]low
rail clamping member having one end 13C constructed
and defined to receive the apertured ends of the strap
12 when the post 12 is mounted thereto and having
the end 13C shaped with a concave configuration defined
to accommodate and tightly engage the outer periphery
of the rail R on the opposite side of the rail from the
strap 12. .~s illustrated, the end i3C is provided with
a slot 13S of a width to slidably receive and engage
an arm for the clamping strap 12. When assembled,
and secured toyether, the clamping members 12 and 13
tightly engage lie rail R on opposite sides thereof.
The remaining end of the hollow clamping member 13
is defined with a cylindrical outer surface 13C'having
a preselected outer diameter.
The outboard member of the mount 10 is the
member 14 that is defined as a hollow L-shaped element.
The hollow member 14 comprises a body member 14s having
a stepped bore 14SB extending therethrough and sized
at one end (the left' hand end, as viewed in Fig. 5),
to be slipped onto the outer cylindrical surface 13C
for the element 13 and to be rotatable thereon to
preselected positions relative to the clamping member
13 before the elements of the mount 10 are finally
tightly secured together,. The stepped bore 14SB is
reduced in diameter at the end opposite to the end that
slidably receives the cylidrical surface 13C'to slidably
receive the mount securing member in a slidable relation-
ship therewith (see Figs. 6 and 7, for example). The
I,-shaped member 14 provides a mounting post 14P extending
outwardly of the body member 14 proper to provide a
13~;
1 jeans to have a device attached thereto. us illustrated
in Fig. 5, the mounting post 14P is externally threaded
at 14PT to accommodate the conventional antenna ferrule
for mounting the antenna thereto by means of the threads
14Pr. The member 14 is also constructed and defined witl
a feed through aperture for accommodating the antenna
cable to allow the cable to be fed through the assembled
mount 10. The post 14P is constructed as a hollow
post having a preselected inside diameter defining
the bore 14PB and having an aperture 14A in communication
with the bore 14PB at the inner end thereof. The
opposite end of the body 14B from the aperture 14A is
provided with a feed through aperture 14F that permits
an antenna cable to be fed through the apertures 14~B,
14A and 14F and thereby be fed through the mount 10
proper.
The remaining element for the mount 10 is the
fastener lS which is employed for tightly securing the
elements of the mount 10 together in an assembled
relationship. For this purpose, the fastener 15 is
illustrated as a socket head cap screw having a washer
16 mounted therewith for permitting the fastener lS
to be tightly secured to the outer face of the rotary
housing 14 at the stepped bore at the end having the
reduced diameter. This end of the housing 14 accommodates
the screw cap in a smooth fashion so as to provide a
smooth contour at the end of the housing; see Figs. 3
and 6. The end of the fastener 15 is threaded so
as to be secured into the threaded aperture 12T for the
post 12P. When the threaded fastener is secured to the
securing aperture 12T, the elements of the mount 10
may be loosely secured together in this fashion and
thereby allow the positioning of the various parts
relative to the rail R and then the two housing elements
13 and 14to be rotated relative to one another to position
the antenna or any other device mounted to the mounting
1 post 14P of the housing 14 in any orientation desired.
With the above structure in mind, the elements
comprising the mount 10 can be examined as they would be
mounted to a tubular rail R in accordance with either
Fig. 1 or Fig. 2, or a rail oriented somewhere in
between the horizontal and vertical orientations illu-
strated in these figures. To assemble the elements to
the rail R, the clamp 12 is poisitioned on one side
of the rail to encircle it, with the clamping member
13 arranged on the opposite side of -the rail, so as to
secure the rail R in between the two. For this purpose,
the post 12P is mounted between the arms of the strap
12. It should be noted that when the rail R is associated
with a marine vessel and is positioned on the outside
of the vessel, to prevent the post 12P from falling
into the water in which the marine vessel is submerged,
it is preferable to mount the strap 12 with the circuiar
aperture 12C at the bottom and to allow post 12P
with the disk portion 12D arranged within the aperture
12C so that the post will rest at the supporting surfaces
12SS against the adjacent face of the strap 12, as
described hereinabove. In this fashion, the post 12P
will not slip through the aperture to allow it to fall
into the water and require additional time and effort
to obtain a second post. In this configuration, the
square end of the post 12P will be accommodated in the
square opening 12C which would be arranged at the top
of the strap 12. The arms of the strap 12T will be
accommodated at the concave end 13C of the clamping
member 13. The rotary housing member 14 can then be
mounted to the cylindrical surface 13C for the clamping
member 13. The assembly is completed by mounting the
securing member 15 throuah the bore 14SB for the rotary
mounting member 14 so that the fastener will be secured
at its threaded end within the threaded aperture 12T
for the post 12P. When the fastener 15 is threaded into
3~
1 the aperture 12T to loosely hold the elements in
position, the mount 10 can be rotated around the
rail R in any desired position in accordance
with the application of the mount 10. Similarly,
once the two clamping members 12 and 13 are positioned
at the desired location on the rail R, the rotary
housing member 14 can be oriented relative to the
clamping housing 13 to position it in a desired
position in accordance with the application of the
mount 10. Once the desired positions for the
elements are achieved, the fastener 15 may be
tightly secured to the post 12P and then each of the
aforementioned elements will be tightly secured to
the rail R without marring the outer surface of the
rail. In the arrangements illustrated in Figs. 1 and
2, the mount 10 is in a position to accept an antenna
which is illustrated in dotted outline in the drawings
by threading a conventional antenna ferrule to the .
threaded portion 14PT for the post 14P. If the antenna
. 20 carries electrical conductors or cable, they can be
threaded through the assembled mount by feeding the
lead wires through the aperture 14B, 14A and 14F.
It should now be appreciated that the present
invention has advanced the state of the art by
providing an improved, simple and relatively inexpensive
rail mount that may be used for securing various objects
thereto.
