Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02717785 2010-10-15
BOAT TRAILER WITH A ROTATABLE SUPPORT STRUCTURE
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to the field of boat trailers, and in
particular, to boat
trailers with rotatable support structures.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] It is common for boats to be towed on a trailer behind a vehicle for
transport to a
suitable launch location. The trailer may be backed onto a boat ramp to allow
such boats to be
launched stern-first while still carried at the boat's trailed height. After
the launching of the boat,
the trailer is then driven from the boat ramp.
[0003] This type of launch may not be suitable in all circumstances. Under
certain field
conditions - for instance, where there are incoming waves to a boat ramp or
the launching is from
an unprepared surface such as a beach ¨ this type of launch may be fraught
with risk. Incoming
waves may cause difficulties during the launch or shortly thereafter owing to
the reduced
capability of a stern to cut the waves. Broaching and/or sinking are a very
real prospect in rough
surf conditions.
[0004] In light of the foregoing, it would be desirable to have a boat trailer
capable of
launching a boat either bow-first or stern-first while still attached to a tow
vehicle.
Advantageously, such a boat trailer would tend to permit launching of a boat
under various field
conditions in a relatively safe manner.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] According to a broad aspect of an embodiment of the present invention,
there is
provided a boat trailer. The boat trailer includes a front end configured for
hitching to a towing
vehicle, a rear end, a wheel assembly disposed between the front and rear ends
for rolling
engagement with the ground and a support frame assembly carried on the wheel
assembly. The
support frame assembly has a lower base frame portion and an upper carousel
frame portion
superimposed on, and pivotally connected to, the base frame portion. The
carousel frame portion
is configured to support a boat thereon. Also provided is a support frame
lifting assembly
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connected to the support frame assembly and the wheel assembly. The support
frame lifting
assembly is operable to raise at least a portion of the support frame assembly
above the wheel
assembly so as to permit rotation of the carousel frame portion relative to
the base frame portion.
[0006] In another feature, the wheel assembly includes at least one pair of
wheels. The at least
one pair of wheels includes first and second pairs of wheels arranged in
tandem. In an additional
feature, the wheel assembly includes a first wheel subassembly located
adjacent one side of the
support frame assembly, a second wheel assembly located adjacent an opposite
side of the
support frame assembly, and an axle subassembly connecting the first wheel
subassembly to the
second subassembly. In a further feature, the wheel assembly further includes
a first fender
assembly associated with the first wheel assembly and a second fender assembly
associated with
the second wheel assembly. The support frame lifting assembly is operable to
raise at least a
portion of the support frame assembly above the uppermost margin of the first
and second fender
assemblies. Additionally, the support frame lifting assembly is connected to
the axle
subassembly.
[0007] In another feature, the boat trailer is provided with a winch assembly
and a winch post
for supporting the winch assembly. The winch post is carried on the base frame
portion at a
location closer to the front end than to rear end.
[0008] In yet another feature, the base frame portion has an uppermost margin.
The carousel
frame portion has a lowermost margin. At least a portion of one of the
uppermost margin and the
lowermost margin is provided with a low friction surface to facilitate
movement of the carousel
frame portion relative to the base frame portion.
[0009] In still another feature, the boat trailer of claim 1 further includes
means for preventing
rotation of the carousel frame portion relative to the base frame portion. The
rotation preventing
means includes a first locking assembly disposed on one side of the support
frame assembly and
a second locking assembly disposed on an opposite side of the support frame
assembly.
100101 In an additional feature, the carousel frame portion includes a pair of
first and second,
spaced apart, side sills and a plurality of cross-members extending between
the pair of first and
second side sills to join one to the other. The base frame portion includes a
pair of third and
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fourth, spaced apart, side sills and a plurality of crossmembers extending
between the pair of
third and fourth side sills to join one to the other. The first locking
assembly is releasably
engageable with the first side sill of the carousel frame portion and the
third side sill of the base
frame portion when the carousel frame portion and the base frame portion are
oriented in a
parallel direction. The second locking assembly is releasably engageable with
the second side sill
of the carousel frame portion and the fourth side sill of the base frame
portion when the carousel
frame portion and the base frame portion are oriented in a parallel direction.
Additionally, the
rotation preventing means includes at least one locking bar moveable between a
locked position
and an unlocked position. In the locked position, the locking bar extends
above the lowermost
margin of the carousel frame portion to thereby present a physical obstacle to
the rotation of the
carousel frame portion. In the unlocked position, the locking bar extends
below the lowermost
margin of the carousel frame portion to thereby permit rotation of the
carousel frame portion.
Optionally, the locking bar may be spring-loaded and biased in the locking
position.
[0011] In a further feature, the carousel frame portion shares a common
footprint with a
portion of the base frame portion, when the carousel frame portion and the
base frame portion
are oriented in a parallel direction.
[0012] In yet another feature, the base frame portion is symmetrical about a
longitudinal
centerline. In still another feature, the carousel frame portion is
symmetrical about a longitudinal
centerline and/or a transverse centerline.
[0013] In still another feature, the carousel frame portion includes a cradle
for supporting the
hull of boat when it is loaded onto the support frame assembly. The carousel
frame portion is
provided with a pair of first and second, spaced apart, side sills and a
plurality of crossmembers
extending between the pair of first and second side sills to join one to the
other; a first support
guide rail assembly mounted to the first side sill; a second support guide
rail assembly mounted
to the second side sill; and a first set of rollers centrally disposed between
the first and second
side sills in a tandem arrangement. The first and second support guide rail
assemblies and the
first set of rollers cooperate with each other to define the cradle. In an
additional feature, the first
and second support guide rail assemblies are canted inwardly toward each
other. In yet another
feature, each support guide rail assembly includes a support guide rail
carried above the first set
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of rollers and a plurality of support posts for attaching the guide rail to
one of the first and
second side sills. Each support guide rail assembly includes a second set of
rollers carried on the
guide rail.
[0014] In one feature, the portion of the support frame assembly raised above
the wheel
assembly includes the carousel frame portion. In another feature, the support
frame lifting
assembly is disposed closer to the rear end of the boat trailer than to the
front end of the boat
trailer. In a further feature, the support frame lifting assembly includes at
least one piston and at
least one pivot arm. The at least one piston has a first end pivotally
connected to the support
frame assembly at a first location thereon and a second end pivotally
connected to the wheel
assembly at a second location thereon. The first location on the support frame
member is
disposed rearward of the second location on the wheel assembly. The at least
one pivot arm has a
first end and a second end. The first end of the at least one pivot arm is
pivotally connected to the
support frame assembly at a third location thereon. The third location on the
support frame
assembly is disposed forwardly of the first location on the support frame
assembly. The at least
one pivot arm is fixed to the wheel assembly at a fourth location intermediate
the first and
second ends of the at least one pivot arm.
[0015] In an alternate feature, the support frame lifting assembly includes at
least one piston
and at least one pivot arm. The at least one piston has a piston cylinder
pivotally connected to the
support frame assembly, and a piston rod mounted to extend within the piston
cylinder and
pivotally connected to the wheel assembly. The piston rod is moveable between
an extended
position and a retracted position. The at least one pivot arm has a first end
pivotally connected to
the support frame assembly, and a second end. The at least one pivot arm is
fixed to the wheel
assembly at a location intermediate the first and second ends of the at least
one pivot arm. As the
piston rod moves to the extended position, a portion of the support frame
assembly is raised
above the wheel assembly. Additionally, least one piston may be selected from
the group
consisting of: (a) a hydraulic piston; (b) a pneumatic piston. Optionally, the
at least one piston
includes a first piston associated with one side of the support frame assembly
and a second piston
associated with an opposite side of the support frame assembly. The at least
one pivot arm
includes a first pivot arm associated with the one side of the support frame
assembly and a
second pivot arm associated with the opposite side of the support frame
assembly.
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100161 According to another broad aspect of an embodiment of the present
invention, there is
provided a vehicle trailer. The vehicle trailer includes a front end
configured for hitching to a
towing vehicle, a rear end, a wheel assembly disposed between the front and
rear ends for rolling
engagement with the ground and a support frame assembly carried on the wheel
assembly. The
support frame assembly has a lower base frame portion and an upper carousel
frame portion
superimposed on, and pivotally connected to, the base frame portion. The
carousel frame portion
is configured to support a vehicle thereon. Also provided is a support frame
lifting assembly
connected to the support frame assembly and the wheel assembly. The support
frame lifting
assembly is operable to raise at least a portion of the support frame assembly
above the wheel
assembly so as to permit rotation of the carousel frame portion relative to
the base frame portion.
[0017] According to still another broad aspect of an embodiment of the present
invention,
there is provided a trailer. The trailer includes a front end configured for
hitching to a towing
vehicle, a rear end, a wheel assembly disposed between the front and rear ends
for rolling
engagement with the ground and a support frame assembly carried on the wheel
assembly. The
support frame assembly has a lower base frame portion and an upper carousel
frame portion
superimposed on, and pivotally connected to, the base frame portion. The
carousel frame portion
is configured to support lading thereon. Also provided is a support frame
lifting assembly
connected to the support frame assembly and the wheel assembly. The support
frame lifting
assembly is operable to raise at least a portion of the support frame assembly
above the wheel
assembly so as to permit rotation of the carousel frame portion relative to
the base frame portion.
[0018] According to yet another broad aspect of an embodiment of the present
invention, there
is provided a trailer. The trailer includes a front end configured for
hitching to a towing vehicle,
a rear end, a wheel assembly disposed between the front and rear ends for
rolling engagement
with the ground and a support frame assembly carried on the wheel assembly.
The support frame
assembly has a lower base frame portion and an upper carousel frame portion
superimposed on,
and pivotally connected to, the base frame portion. The carousel frame portion
is configured to
support lading thereon. Also provided is means for preventing rotation of the
carousel frame
portion relative to the base frame portion.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] The embodiments of the present invention shall be more clearly
understood with
reference to the following detailed description of the embodiments of the
invention taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0020] FIG. 1 is a top front perspective view of a boat trailer carrying a
boat on a support
frame assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the support
frame assembly
shown disposed in its lowered, towing configuration;
[0021] FIG. 2A is a side elevation view of the boat trailer and the boat shown
in FIG. 1;
[0022] FIG. 2B is a magnified view of the boat trailer depicted in the
encircled portion "2B" in
FIG. 2A;
[0023] FIG. 3 is rear end elevation view of the boat trailer and the boat
shown in FIG. 1;
[0024] FIG. 4 is a top front perspective view of the boat trailer of FIG. 1
shown isolation;
[0025] FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the boat trailer shown in FIG. 4;
[0026] FIG. 6 is a top front perspective view of the upper rotatable carousel
frame portion of
the support frame assembly of FIG. 4 shown in isolation;
[0027] FIG. 7 is a top front perspective view of the lower fixed base frame
portion of the
support frame assembly of FIG. 4 shown exploded from the wheel assembly and
the support
frame lifting assembly;
[0028] FIG. 8A is a front perspective view of the wheel assembly and the
support frame lifting
assembly shown in FIG. 7;
[0029] FIG. 811 is a magnified, partial rear bottom perspective view of one of
the wheel
subassemblies shown in FIG. 8A;
[0030] FIG. 9 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view of the boat trailer
shown in FIG. 6
taken along line "9-9";
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[0031] FIG. 10 is a side elevation view of the boat trailer and boat shown in
FIG. 1 showing
the support frame assembly disposed in its raised, rotatable configuration;
[0032] FIG. 11 is rear end elevation view of the boat trailer and the boat
shown in FIG. 10;
[0033] FIG. 12A is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view of the boat
trailer shown in FIG.
11 taken along line "12A-12A";
[0034] FIG. 12B is an isolated side elevation view of the locking assembly
illustrated in FIG.
12A showing the locking pin moved to its retracted, non-locking position to
permit rotation of
the upper rotatable carousel frame portion of the support frame assembly
relative to the lower
base frame portion thereof;
[0035] FIG. 13 is a top plan view of the boat trailer and the boat illustrated
in FIG. 1 showing
the bow of the boat initially oriented toward the front end of the boat
trailer;
[0036] FIG. 14 is a top plan view similar to that illustrated in FIG. 13,
except that the bow of
the boat is shown oriented at a 45 degree angle relative to the front end of
the boat trailer as the
upper carousel frame portion of the support frame assembly is rotated relative
to the lower base
frame portion thereof;
[0037] FIG. 15 is a top plan view of the boat trailer of FIG. 14 shown in
isolation;
[0038] FIG. 16 is a top plan view similar to that illustrated in FIG. 15,
except that the upper
carousel frame portion of the support frame assembly is shown rotated 90
degrees relative to the
lower base frame portion thereof;
[0039] FIG. 17 is a top plan view similar to that illustrated in FIG. 13,
except that the bow of
the boat is now shown oriented toward the rear end of the boat trailer to
facilitate launching the
boat bow-first into water;
[0040] FIG. 18 is a top front perspective view of a vehicle trailer carrying a
car on a support
frame assembly in accordance with another embodiment of the invention, the
support frame
assembly shown disposed in its lowered, towing configuration;
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100411 FIG. 19 is a side elevation view of the vehicle trailer and the car
shown in FIG. 18;
[0042] FIG. 20 is a bottom rear perspective view of the vehicle trailer
illustrated in FIG. 18
showing the upper rotatable carousel portion of the support frame assembly
exploded from the
remainder of the vehicle trailer;
[0043] FIG. 21 is a cross-sectional view of the upper carousel portion of the
support frame
assembly shown in FIG. 20 taken along line "21-21";
[0044] FIG. 22A is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view of the vehicle
trailer illustrated in
FIG. 20 taken along line "22A-22A" showing the support frame assembly disposed
in its raised,
rotatable configuration and the ramp members deployed in their respective
stowed
configurations;
[0045] FIG. 22B is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view similar to that
illustrated in FIG.
22A showing the support frame assembly disposed in its raised, rotatable
configuration and the
ramp members deployed in their respective extended configurations;
[0046] FIG. 22C is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view similar to that
illustrated in FIG.
22A showing the support frame assembly disposed in its raised, rotatable
configuration and the
ramp members being deployed from their respective extended configurations to
their respective
stowed configurations;
[0047] FIG. 23 is a top plan view of the vehicle trailer and the car
illustrated in FIG. 18
showing the front of the car oriented toward the front end of the vehicle
trailer;
[0048] FIG. 24 is a top plan view similar to that illustrated in FIG. 23,
except that the front of
the car is shown oriented at a 45 degree angle relative to the front end of
the vehicle trailer as the
upper carousel frame portion of the support frame assembly is rotated relative
to the lower base
frame portion thereof;
[0049] FIG. 25 is a top plan view similar to that illustrated in FIG. 23,
except that the upper
carousel frame portion of the support frame assembly is shown rotated 90
degrees relative to the
lower base frame portion thereof; and
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100501 FIG. 26 is a top plan view similar to that illustrated in FIG. 23,
except that the front of
the car is now shown oriented toward the rear end of the vehicle trailer to
facilitate unloading of
the car from the vehicle trailer.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
[0051] The description, which follows, and the embodiments described therein
are provided by
way of illustration of an example, or examples of particular embodiments of
principles and
aspects of the present invention. These examples are provided for the purposes
of explanation
and not of limitation, of those principles of the invention. In the
description that follows, like
parts are marked throughout the specification and the drawings with the same
respective
reference numerals.
[0052] Referring to FIGS. 1, 2A, 3, 4 and 5, there is shown a boat trailer,
designated generally
with reference numeral 20. The boat trailer 20 is configured to carry a boat
22. The boat 22 may
be tied to the boat trailer 20 by chains or tie-downs (not shown). In this
embodiment, the boat 22
may be a motor boat. In other embodiments, the boat could be a sailboat, a
dinghy, a catamaran
or any other similar watercraft capable of being carried on a trailer and
launched from a trailer.
The motor boat 22 has a generally V-shaped hull 24 provided with a keel 25
extending between
the bow 26 of the boat 22 and the stern 28 thereof In other embodiments, the
hull 24 could have
a different shape.
[0053] The boat trailer 20 is designed to be hitched to the rear of a motor
vehicle (not shown)
and towed. The boat trailer 20 includes a front end 30, a rear end 32, a
support frame assembly
34 extending between the front and rear ends 30 and 32 upon which may be
loaded boat 22, a
wheel assembly 36 for rolling engagement with the ground, and a support frame
lifting assembly
40 operable to raise the support frame assembly 34 above the wheel assembly
36. The lifting
assembly 40 allows the support frame assembly 34 to be deployed in a lowered,
towing
configuration 42 (as best shown in FIGS. 2A and 3) and in a raised, rotatable
configuration 44
(as best shown in FIGS. 10 and 11). As explained in greater detail below, when
the support
frame assembly 34 is in the raised configuration 44, a portion of the support
frame assembly 34
is rotatable so as to allow the orientation of the bow 26 of the boat 22 to be
changed from a front-
facing orientation to a rear-facing orientation, or vice versa.
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100541 With specific reference to FIGS. 4 to 7, the support frame assembly 34
includes a lower
base frame portion 50 and an upper carousel (or turntable) frame portion 52
superimposed on,
and pivotally connected to, the base frame portion 52. The carousel frame
portion 52 has a shape
that vaguely resembles a butterfly. It is built up of a plurality of hollow
structural steel (HSS)
sections welded to each other to form an integrated frame. While in this
embodiment, the HSS
sections have a substantially square profile, in alternative embodiments, HSS
sections with
different profiles could be used. The HSS sections making up the carousel
frame portion 52
include a pair of spaced apart longitudinal side sills 54 and 56, and a
plurality of spaced apart
cross-members designated generically with reference number 58, extending
between the
longitudinal side sills 54 and 56 and joining the latter to each other. To
prevent seawater from
filling the hollows within the cross-members 58 and possibly, corroding the
carousel frame
portion 52 from the inside, the cross-members are sealed after being
galvanized.
Advantageously, this tends to preserve and extend the service life of the boat
trailer 20.
[0055] In this embodiment, the plurality of cross-members 58 includes a front
cross-member
58a, a rear cross-member 58b and first and second interior cross-members 58c
and 58d arranged
intermediate the front and rear cross-members 58a and 58b. The first interior
cross-member 58c
is disposed closer to the front cross-member 58a than to the rear cross-member
58b, while the
second interior cross-member 58d is disposed closer to the rear cross-member
58b than to the
front cross-member 58a. In other embodiments, a greater or lesser number of
cross-members
may be provided.
[0056] Each longitudinal side sill 54, 56 has a front portion 70, a rear
portion 72 and an
intermediate portion 74 running between the front and rear portions 70 and 72.
The intermediate
portion 74 is substantially straight, while the front and rear portions 70 and
72 bow generally
inwards toward the opposed side sill 54, 56 (as the case may be). Welded to
the terminal ends of
each portion 70, 72 is a bent structural member identified generically with
reference numeral 76.
Four bent structural members ¨ members 76a, 76b, 76c and 76d ¨ are provided.
Bent structural
member 76a is welded at one end to the terminal end of the front portion 70 of
longitudinal side
sill 54, and at the other end to the front face of the front cross-member 58a.
In like fashion, bent
structural member 76b is welded at one end to the terminal end of the rear
portion 72 of
longitudinal side sill 54, and at the other end to the rear face of the rear
cross-member 58b. Bent
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,
structural members 76c and 76d are similarly mounted to the front and rear
portions 70 and 72 of
longitudinal side sill 56, respectively, and to the front and rear cross-
members 58a and 58b,
respectively.
[0057] Centrally disposed between the longitudinal side sills 54 and 56 is a
series of
polyurethane (or rubber) rollers 78 laid out in a tandem arrangement. These
rollers are
configured to rollingly engage the keel 25 of the boat 22 to facilitate
loading of the boat onto the
support frame assembly 34, or launching of the boat 22 therefrom. In this
embodiment, the
series of rollers 78 includes first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth,
seventh and eight cylindrical
rollers 78a, 78b, 78c, 78d, 78e, 78f, 78g and 78h. In other embodiments, a
greater or lesser
number of rollers may be used as appropriate for a particular application.
[0058] The first roller 78a is positioned forward of the front cross-member
58a and is held in
place by a pair of first and second dog-legged bracket members 80 and 82. The
first bracket
member 80 is attached at one end to the front cross-member 58a and at the
other end to the bent
structural member 76a. Similarly, the second bracket member 82 is attached at
one end to the
front cross-member 58a and at the other end to the bent structural member 76c.
The second and
third rollers 78b and 78c are disposed between the front cross-member 58a and
the first interior
cross-member 58c and are retained by a pair of opposed angle members 84 and 86
spanning
cross-members 58a and 58c. The fourth and fifth rollers 78d and 78e are
arranged between the
first and second interior cross-member 58c and 58d and are retained by a pair
of opposed angle
members 88 and 90 spanning cross-members 58c and 58d. The sixth and seventh
rollers 78f and
78g are disposed between the second interior cross-member 58d and the rear
cross-member 58b
and are retained by a pair of opposed angle members 92 and 94 spanning cross-
members 58d and
58b. Lastly, the eight roller 78h is positioned rearward of the rear cross-
member 58b and is held
in place by a pair of first and second dog-legged bracket members 96 and 98.
The first bracket
member 96 is attached at one end to the rear cross-member 58b and at the other
end to the bent
structural member 76b. Similarly, the second bracket member 98 is attached at
one end to the
rear cross-member 58b and at the other end to the bent structural member 76d.
[0059] A channel member 100 (best shown in FIGS. 5 and 6) spans between, and
is welded to
the angle members 88 and 90. It is arranged in tandem between the fourth and
fifth rollers 78d
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and 78e and is oriented with its legs facing upwards. Defined through the back
of channel
member 100 is an aperture (not visible) for receiving a pivot pin 102. In this
preferred
embodiment, the pin 102 forms the pivot connection between the carousel frame
portion 52 and
the base frame portion 50. However, this need not be the case in every
application. In other
embodiments, it may be possible to use an arrangement of roller bearings
disposed between the
base frame portion and the carousel frame portion to allow pivotal movement.
In yet other
embodiments, a circular rail system mounted between the base frame portion and
curved frame
portion could be employed. Further still, a stub axle and journal arrangement
can be used to
effect pivotal movement of the carousel frame portion relative to the base
frame portion.
[0060] The carousel frame portion 52 is also provided with a pair of opposed,
first and second,
support guide rail assemblies 104 and 106. Each support guide rail assembly
104, 106 includes a
longitudinally extending guide rail 108 carried above the rollers 78 and a
plurality of support
posts ¨ in this embodiment four support posts 110, 112, 114 and 116 ¨ for
attaching each guide
rail 108 to longitudinal side sill 54, 56 (as the case may be) and the cross-
members 58c and 58d.
Depending downwardly from each guide rail 108 are four post portions (not
visible) which are
configured to fit within openings defined in the four support posts 110, 112,
114 and 116. The
height at which each guide rail 108 is carried above the rollers 78 may be
adjusted by having
more (or less) of the guide rail post portions extend into the support posts.
Adjacent each post
portion, there is provided a pair of rollers 118 for rollingly engaging the
hull 24 of the boat 22.
In total, each guide rail 108 has four pairs of rollers 118.
[0061] As best shown in FIG. 3, the first and second support guide rail
assemblies 104 and 106
are canted inwardly toward each other so that the pairs of rollers 118 on the
guide rails 108
engage the port and starboard sides of the boat's hull 24. It will thus be
appreciated that
configured in this manner, the first and second support guide rail assemblies
104 and 106 along
with rollers 78 cooperate to define a cradle 120 for supporting the hull 24 of
boat 22 when it is
loaded onto the support frame assembly 34.
[0062] In this embodiment, the angle 01 formed between the support posts 110,
112, 114 and
116 and the top faces of the cross-members 58c and 58d measures 68 degrees.
This need not be
the case in every application. In alternative embodiments, a different (larger
or smaller angle)
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could be used. In still other embodiments, it may be possible to configure the
support guide rail
assemblies with a variable angle 01 to allow the orientation of the assemblies
to be modified to
accommodate boats with differently-shaped hulls. This could be achieved, for
instance, by
replacing the fixed connection between the support posts on the one hand, and
the longitudinal
sides sills and cross-members on the other hand, with a pivotal connection
that can be locked in
place. In still other embodiments, the support guide rail assemblies could be
designed to be
releasably detachable from the carousel frame portion. Other modifications are
possible.
[0063] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the carousel frame portion 52 is
symmetrical about
a longitudinal centerline CLI such that the arrangement of side sill 54, cross-
members 58a, 58b,
58c and 58d, and the support guide rail assembly 104 is a mirror image of the
arrangement of
side sill 56, cross-members 58a, 58b, 58c and 58d, and the support guide rail
assembly 106.
Along the same vein, the carousel frame portion 52 is also symmetrical about a
transverse
centerline CL2 such that the front and rear of the carousel frame portion 52
are also mirror
images one of the other. This symmetry along the centerlines CLI and CL2 tends
to be preferred
because it obviates the need to return the carousel frame portion 52 back to
its original
orientation after launching the boat 22. Since the front and rear of the
carousel frame portion 52
are identical to each other, the boat 22 can be loaded onto the support frame
assembly from
either end of the carrousel frame portion 52. While not generally preferred,
the carousel frame
portion could be designed to be asymmetrical about one or both the
longitudinal centerlines CLI
and CL2.
[0064] Referring now to FIG. 7, the base frame portion 50 is of welded
construction and is
made up of a pair of opposed, first and second side sills 122 and 124 and a
plurality of cross-
members identified generically with reference numeral 126 extending between
first and second
side sills 122 and 124 and joining the latter to each other. The side sills
122 and 124 and cross-
members 126 are welded to each other to form an integrated frame. Much like
the cross-
members 58 of the carousel frame portion 52, the cross-members 126 are
fabricated from HSS
sections having a substantially square profile and are sealed to prevent water
from infiltrating
and accumulating within the hollows of the cross-members 126.
CA 02717785 2010-10-15
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100651 In this embodiment, the plurality of cross-members 126 includes a front
cross-member
126a, a rear cross-member 126b and first and second interior cross-members
126c and 126d
arranged intermediate the front and rear cross-members 126a and 126b. The
first interior cross-
member 126a is positioned approximately midway between the front and rear ends
128 and 130
of the base frame portion 50. The first interior cross-member 126c is disposed
closer to the front
cross-member 126a than the rear cross-member 126b, while the second interior
cross-member
126d is disposed closer to the rear cross-member 58b than to the front cross-
member 126a. In
other embodiments, a greater or lesser number of cross-members may be
provided.
[0066] A longitudinal stringer 132 oriented generally parallel to side sills
122 and 124 runs
between, and is welded to, the first and second interior cross-members 126c
and 126d.
Triangular gusset plates 134 reinforce the welded connection between the
stringer 132 and the
cross-members 126c and 126d. The stringer 132 has an apertured plate 136 fixed
to its top face.
During assembly of the support frame assembly 34, the back of channel member
100 will be
brought to rest on the apertured plate 136. The aperture defined in the plate
136 will be aligned
with the aperture defined in the back of channel member 100 and the pivot pin
102 will be
inserted through the aligned apertures. Assembled in this manner, the carousel
frame portion 52
sits directly on the base frame portion 50 in abutting relation therewith. To
minimise friction
between the channel member 100 and the apertured plate 136 which might
otherwise impede
rotation of the carousel frame portion 52 relative to the base frame portion
50, the apertured plate
136 is made of a low friction bearing material.
[0067] Similarly, the entire underside (or at least a portion ¨ preferably, a
substantial portion)
of the carousel frame portion 52 and the entire topside (or at least a portion
¨ preferably, a
substantial portion) of the base frame portion 50 (and more specifically, the
faces on each of
frame portions 52 and 50 which are in direct contact with each other) are
wrapped in a low
friction bearing material 138. For purposes of illustration, the low friction
bearing material 138
is shown in FIG. 2B wrapped on the underside of side sill 54 forming part of
the carousel frame
portion 52 and on the topside of side sill 122 forming part of the base frame
portion 50. The
depiction of the low friction bearing material on portions of the support
frame assembly 34 has
been omitted in the other drawings for the sake of clarity. In alternative
embodiments, this low
CA 02717785 2010-10-15
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friction bearing material could be replaced with a low friction coating or
treatment on the
carousel frame portion and the base frame portion, or omitted altogether.
100681 Each side sill 122, 124 has a generally dog-legged shape defined by a
first,
longitudinally extending, straight portion 150 and a second, bent portion 152.
The straight
portion 150 has a rear extremity 154 which projects beyond the rear cross-
member 126b and a
front extremity 156 at which the side sill 122, 124 transitions to the bent
portion 152. Fixed to
the rear extremity 154 of side sill 122, 124 on the outer face thereof, is a
triangular protective
housing 158 containing the tail light assembly (not shown). As best shown in
FIG. 5, the
configuration of the housing 158 and the location of its attachment, impart a
fin-like appearance
to the rear extremity 154 of the side sills 122 and 124 and tends to provide
enhanced protection
for the tail light assembly.
100691 To further reinforce the side sill 122 (and the base frame portion 50)
in the vicinity of
rear extremity 154, a bent structural member 160 is welded at one end to the
inner face of the
side sill 122 and at the other end to the rear face of the rear cross-member
126b. Similar
reinforcement is provided to side sill 124 with the provision of bent
structural member 162. In
that case, one end of the bent structural member 162 is welded to the inner
face of the side sill
124 while the other end thereof is welded to the rear face of the rear cross-
member 126b.
[0070] At the front of the base frame portion 50, the bent portions 152 of the
side sills 122 and
124 co-operate with each other to impart to define a tapering profile. The
terminal ends 164 of
bent portions 152 are welded to the opposed outer faces of an elongate tongue
166 that is
centrally disposed between the side sills 122 and 124. The tongue 166 has a
rear proximal end
168 and a front free or distal end 170. The proximal end 168 is tied to a
short crossbar 172 that
extends between the bent portions 152 of the side sills 122 and 124. The
tongue 166 and the
short crossbar 172 are arranged in a T-shaped configuration. The distal end
170 projects from
the front of the base frame portion 50 and carries a coupler (not shown) for
connecting the boat
trailer 20 to the hitch (not shown) of a motor vehicle. At a location closer
to the distal end 170
than to the proximal end 168, the tongue 166 holds an auxiliary wheel assembly
174 which may
be deployed to create a three-point surface contact between the boat trailer
20 and the ground.
The auxiliary wheel assembly 174 is outfitted with small, manually actuated
crank 176 which is
CA 02717785 2010-10-15
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operable to selectively raise wheel 178 away from the ground or lower the
wheel 178 onto the
ground for rolling contact therewith. When not in use, the auxiliary wheel
assembly 174 can be
rotated away from the ground at 90 degrees in a clockwise or counterclockwise
direction.
[0071] A support arm or winch post 180 projects forward from the top face of
the tongue 166
at an angle. The winch post 180 carries a rearwardly oriented snubbing block
181 and a winch
assembly 182 which may be used when loading the boat 22 onto the boat trailer
20. The winch
assembly 182 includes a spool 184 upon which is wound a length of cable 185,
and a hand
actuated crank 186 for rotating the spool 184 to selectively take up or let
out cable 185. When
the cable 185 is tied to the bow 26 of the boat 22, the winch assembly 182 can
be used to load
the boat 22 onto the boat trailer 20. As explained in greater detail below,
when the cable 185 is
tied to the stern 28 of the boat 22, the winch assembly may be employed to
rotate the carousel
frame portion 52.
[0072] In this embodiment, the snubbing block 181 is connected to the winch
post 180 by a
telepscopic connection arm (not shown). The telescopic capability of the
connection arm allows
the snubbing block 181 to be retracted prior to the carousel frame portion 52
being rotated so as
not to present a physical obstacle to the rotation. In an alternative
embodiment, the snubbing
block could be configured differently. For example, it could be designed to be
rotated out of
engagement with the hull to allow unobstructed rotation of the carousel frame
portion.
[0073] As shown in FIG. 5, the carousel frame portion 52 is superimposed on a
portion of the
base frame portion 50 and shares a common footprint with that portion of the
base frame portion
50 when both are oriented in the same direction, affording a streamlined
profile to the support
frame assembly 34. While this is generally preferred, in alternative
embodiments, the footprint of
the carousel frame portion could be sized smaller or larger than the footprint
of the base frame
portion.
[0074] The support frame assembly 34 is further provided with means 200 for
locking (or
preventing rotation of) the carousel frame portion 52 relative to the base
frame portion 50 to
prevent rotation of the former relative to the latter when the support frame
assembly 34 is in its
raised, rotatable configuration 44. In this embodiment, the locking or
rotation preventing means
200 is embodied in a pair of spring-loaded, first and second locking
assemblies 202 and 204. As
CA 02717785 2010-10-15
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shown in FIG. 5, the first locking assembly 202 is mounted to the straight
portion 150 of the side
sill 122 at a location closer to the rear extremity 154 than to the front
extremity 156. The second
locking assembly 204 is similarly mounted to the straight portion 150 of the
side sill 124.
[0075] Referring to FIGS. 12A and 12B, each locking assembly 202, 204 includes
a generally
C-shaped bracket 206, and a spring member in the nature of a coil spring 208
and a locking bar
210 retained within the bracket 206. The bracket 206 has a back portion 212
and a pair of
opposed, apertured, upper and lower arm portions 214 and 216. The back portion
212 of the
bracket 206 is fastened to the inner face of the side sill 122, 124 with the
bracket 206 vertically
oriented. The coil spring 208 is retained between the upper and lower arm
portions 214 and 216
with its longitudinal axis aligned with the apertures defined in the arm
portions 214 and 216.
The locking bar 210 is an L-shaped bar provided with a relatively short handle
portion 218 and a
relatively long spring-engaging portion 220 oriented substantially
perpendicular to the handle
portion 218. The long portion 220 is mounted to extend through the lower arm
portion 216, the
coil spring 208 and the upper arm portion 214.
[0076] The locking bar 210 is movable between a locked, fully extended,
position 222 (shown
in FIG. 12A) and an unlocked, retracted position 224 (shown in 15B). When in
the locked
position 222, the terminal end 226 of the locking bar portion 220 projects
above the uppermost
edge 227 of the base frame portion 50 to thereby prevent rotation of the
carousel frame portion
52 relative to the base frame portion 50. To prevent undesired rotation of the
carousel frame
portion 52, the locking assemblies 202 and 204 are designed so that the
locking bars 210 are
biased in their respective locked positions 222 by the action of coil springs
208. When in the
unlocked position 224, the locking bar portion 220 is retracted against the
force of the coil
springs and the terminal end 226 of the locking bar portion 220 is lowered
below the uppermost
edge 227 of the base frame portion 50 so as to prevent any interference with
the carousel frame
portion 52. An aperture (not visible) defined in the locking bar portion 220
is adapted to receive
a cotter pin or other means for maintaining the locking bar 210 in the
unlocked position 224.
[0077] While it is generally preferred for safety reasons that the locking or
rotation preventing
means include two locking assemblies ¨ one locking assembly associated with
side sill 122 and
another locking assembly associated with side sills 124 - this need not be the
case in every
CA 02717785 2010-10-15
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application. In an alternative embodiment, a single locking assembly could be
provided. In
another embodiment, the one or more locking assemblies could be disposed at
different locations
on the support frame assembly (i.e. carried on structural members of the base
frame portion other
than the side sills, or carried on structural members of the carousel frame
portion). In still other
embodiments, the locking or rotation preventing means could take a different
form.
[0078] The base frame portion 50 is also provided with an attachment fitting
(not shown) for a
garden-hose type connection at the crossbar 172. This fitting allows a garden
hose to be
connected to the base frame portion 50 and fresh water to flow from the hose
into the hollow
side sills 122 and 124. The fresh water can fill the hollow of the side sills
thereby displacing any
sea water which may have accumulated therein through drain plugs located on
the underside of
the side sills 122 and 124 adjacent the rear ends thereof. In this way,
residual seawater from
within the hollows of the side sills 122 and 124 may be flushed out so as to
prevent corrosion of
the base frame portion 50.
[0079] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, the base frame portion 50 is
symmetrical about a
longitudinal centerline CL3 such that the arrangement of side sill 122, and
cross-members 126a
126b, 126c and 128d is a mirror image of the arrangement of side sill 124,
cross-members 126a
126b, 126c and 128d. In other embodiments, the base frame portion could be
designed to be
asymmetrical about the longitudinal centerline CL3 .
[0080] The wheel assembly 36 and the support frame lifting assembly 40 are now
described in
greater detail with reference to FIGS. 7, 8A and 8B. The wheel assembly 36
includes a first
wheel subassembly 230 located adjacent the side sill 124, a second wheel
subassembly 232
disposed opposite the first wheel subassembly 230 and located adjacent the
side sill 122, and an
axle subassembly 234 connecting the first wheel subassembly 230 to the second
wheel
subassembly 234. The wheel assembly 36 is also provided with a first fender
assembly 250
associated with the first wheel subassembly 230 and a second fender assembly
252 associated
with a second wheel subassembly 232.
[0081] Each wheel subassembly 230, 232 includes a wheel hub 233 provided with
a cylindrical
axle-receiving portion 234 and a tire 236 fitted onto the wheel hub 233. The
axle-receiving
portion 234 has a bore (not visible) and a bearing assembly (not visible)
mounted in surrounding
CA 02717785 2010-10-15
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relation to the bore. One end of a stub axle 238 is received within the bore
defined in the axle-
receiving portion 234, while the opposite end thereof is connected to a
portion of the axle
subassembly 234.
[0082] The axle subassembly 234 includes a main axle 242 (best shown in FIG.
9), a protective
axle housing 244 encasing the main axle 242, a first linkage plate 246 for
connecting the main
axle 242 to the stub axle 238 of the first wheel subassembly 230 and a second
linkage plate (not
visible) for connecting the main axle 242 to the stub axle 238 of the second
wheel subassembly
232. The first linkage plate 246 has a generally oblong shape and is provided
with two apertures
¨ one aperture (not visible) is circular and receives a portion of the stub
axle 238 of the first
wheel subassembly 230 and the other aperture (not visible) is square and
receives one end of the
main axle 242. The second linkage plate is configured similar to the first
linkage plate 246. It
has two apertures, one of which receives a portion of the stub axle 238 of the
second wheel
subassembly 230, while the other aperture (not visible) receives the opposite
end of the main
axle 242.
[0083] As shown in FIG. 9, the main axle 242 is a solid bar with a generally
diamond-shaped
profile. It is retained within the box-like axle housing 244 formed from a
section of HSS of
square cross-section. It should be appreciated that the axle housing 244
serves a dual purpose.
First, it protects and reinforces the main axle 242 and provides increased
rigidity to the axle
subassembly 234. Second, as explained in greater detail below, it serves as an
attachment point
for the support frame lifting assembly 40 and the first and second fender
assemblies 250 and 252
associated with the first and second wheel subassemblies 230 and 232,
respectively.
[0084] While the wheel assembly 36 shown in the drawings includes a single
pair of wheels
236, it should be appreciated that in other embodiments, the wheel assembly
could be configured
to have a double pair of wheels arranged in tandem with a corresponding number
of fender
assemblies. In still other embodiments, the wheel assembly could be provided
with more pairs of
wheels.
[0085] Referring to FIGS. 8A, 8B, 9 and 11, the support frame lifting assembly
40 includes a
first hydraulic piston 254, a first pivot arm 256, a second hydraulic piston
258 and a second pivot
arm 260. Each hydraulic piston 254, 258 includes a piston cylinder 262 and a
piston rod 264
CA 02717785 2010-10-15
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mounted within the piston cylinder 262 moveable between an extended position
266 (shown in
FIG. 10) and a retracted position 268 (shown in FIG. 9). At one end of the
first hydraulic piston
254, the piston cylinder 262 is pivotally attached to a tab 270 fixed to a
short crossbar 272. The
crossbar 272 itself extends between the side sill 124 and a longitudinal
stringer 274 mounted
between the rear cross-member 126b and the second interior cross-member 126d.
At the
opposite end of the first hydraulic piston 254, the distal end 274 of the
piston rod 264 is pivotally
connected to the axle housing 244 by a pivot pin 276. The pivot pin 276
extends between and is
retained by a tab 278 and block 280 spaced apart from the tab 278. Both the
tab 278 and the
block 280 are welded to the axle housing 244. The weld connection between the
block 280 and
the axle housing 244 is further reinforced by a gusset member 288 welded to
the axle housing
244 and the block 280.
[0086] The second hydraulic cylinder 258 is similarly mounted with the piston
cylinder 262
pivotally attached to a tab 290 fixed to a short crossbar 292. The crossbar
292 extends between
the side sill 122 and a longitudinal stringer 294 mounted between the rear
cross-member 58b and
the second interior cross-member 58d. The distal end of the piston rod 264
belonging to the
second hydraulic piston 254 is pivotally connected to the axle housing 244 by
a pivot pin (not
visible). The pivot pin extends between and is retained by a tab and block
arrangement (not
visible, but similar to tab 278 and block 280).
[0087] The first pivot arm 256 is an HSS section having a front end 300 and a
rear end 302.
The front end 300 of the pivot arm 256 is pivotally connected to an L-shaped
bracket 303 fixed
to the inner surface of the side sill 124 adjacent the front extremity 156 of
the straight portion
150. The rear end 302 of the pivot arm 256 is welded to an inclined structural
member 304 which
extends downwardly at an angle to join to the block 280. A straight structural
member 294
extends downwardly from the first pivot arm 256 to the block 280 to provide
additional
reinforcement. At a location closer to the rear end 292 than to the front end
290, the first pivot
arm 256 is welded to the axle housing 244.
[0088] When the piston rod 264 of the first hydraulic piston 254 is in its
retracted position 268,
the first pivot arm 256 extends substantially parallel to side sill 124. When
the piston rod 264 is
in its extended position 266, the first pivot arm 264 is oriented downwardly
at an angle 02
CA 02717785 2010-10-15
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relative to a horizontal axis H parallel to side sill 124. In this embodiment,
the angle 02 measures
16 degrees. In other embodiments, a different angle may be used.
[0089]
The second pivot arm 260 is similar in structure, configuration and geometry
to the
first pivot arm 256. The front end 305 of the pivot arm 260 is pivotally
connected to an L-
shaped bracket 306 fixed to the inner surface of the side sill 122 adjacent
the front extremity 156
of the straight portion 150. The rear end 308 of the pivot arm 260 is welded
to an inclined
structural member (not visible, but similar to inclined structural member 304)
which extends
downwardly at an angle to join to the block connected to pivot pin 276. A
straight structural
member (similar to straight structural member 294) provides additional
reinforcement to the axle
housing 244 and the block. At a location closer to the rear end 308 than to
the front end, the first
pivot arm 260 is welded to the axle housing 244.
[0090] In like fashion to the first pivot arm 256, the second pivot arm 260 is
substantially
parallel to side sill 122 when the piston rod 264 of the second hydraulic
piston 258 is in its
retracted position 268. When the piston rod 264 is in its extended position
266, the second pivot
arm 260 is oriented downwardly at the angle 02 relative to the horizontal
axis.
[0091] To deploy the support frame assembly 34 from the lowered, towing
configuration 42 to
the raised, rotatable configuration 44, the first and second hydraulic pistons
254 and 258 are
actuated to cause each piston rod 264 to move from its respective retracted
position 268 (shown
in FIG. 9) to its respective extended position 266 (shown in FIG. 12A). As the
piston rods 264
extend they alter the position of the support frame assembly 34 relative to
the wheel
subassemblies 230 and 232, causing on the one hand, the piston cylinders 262
to pivot relative to
the base frame portion 50 and on the other hand, the piston rods 264 to pivot
relative to the axle
housing 244, thereby lifting the rear end of the support frame assembly 34.
[0092] Preferably, the support frame lifting assembly 40 employs two paired
arrangements of
hydraulic pistons and pivot arms. However, it should be appreciated that this
need not be the case
in every application. For instance, in some embodiments, it may be possible to
use only a single
piston. In other embodiments, the hydraulic pistons could be replaced in
favour of pneumatic
pistons. In still other embodiments, the support frame lifting assembly could
employ different
means altogether. For example, with some modifications, one or more scissor
jacks mounted
CA 02717785 2010-10-15
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between the axle housing and the base frame portion could be used to raise the
support frame
assembly. Other mechanical, electrical, hydraulic or pneumatic arrangements
could also be used.
Further still, it may be possible to configure a boat trailer in accordance
with the principles of
the present invention wherein only the carousel frame portion is raised to
provide clearance over
the wheel assembly 36 to thereby allow unimpeded rotation of the carousel
frame portion.
[0093] Referring now to FIGS. 8A, there are shown the first and second fender
assemblies 250
and 252. Each fender assembly 250 and 252 includes a vaguely semi-circular
fender member
320 mounted over the wheel subassembly 230, 232 (as the case may be), a
mounting crossbar
322 spanning the interior of the fender member 320 and a triangular gusset
plate 324 for
reinforcing the fender member 320. The mounting crossbar 322 has a front
flange 326 (visible
in FIG. 8A) welded to the front of the fender member 320 and the back of the
gusset plate 324,
and a rear flange 328 welded to the rear of the fender member 320. Along its
section, the
mounting crossbar 322 is welded to a structural reinforcement member 330 which
is itself fixed
to the upper face of the pivot arm 256, 260.
[0094] Each fender assembly 250, 252 is further reinforced with two paired
arrangements of
angle members ¨ a first pair 332a of angle members mounted to the front flange
326 of the
mounting crossbar 322 and a second pair 332b of angle members mounted to the
rear flange 328
of the mounting crossbar 322. Each arrangement of angle members 332 includes a
vertically
oriented angle member 334 and a horizontally oriented angle member 336. The
vertically
oriented angle member 334 of the first pair 332a is welded to and extends
downwardly from the
front flange 326. Fixed to one leg of the vertically oriented angle member 334
in a transverse
orientation is the horizontally extending angle member 336 of the first pair
332a. A plate 338 ties
the horizontally extending angle member 336 of the first pair 332a to
structural reinforcement
member 330. The vertically oriented angle member 334 and horizontally oriented
angle member
336 of the second pair 332b is similarly arranged with the vertically oriented
angle member 334
welded to and extending downwardly from the rear flange 328 and the
horizontally extending
angle member 336 fixed to one leg of the vertically oriented angle member 334
in a transverse
orientation relative thereto. A plate 340 ties the horizontally extending
angle member 336 of the
second pair 332b to the inclined structural member 304.
CA 02717785 2010-10-15
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100951 Having described the structure of the boat trailer 20, an exemplary
deployment of the
boat trailer 20 will now be described in greater detail below with reference
to FIGS. 2A, 3, 9, 10,
11, 12A, 12B and 13 to 17. As a preliminary matter, the boat 22 is
disconnected from the winch
assembly 180 and the snubbing block 181.
[0096] FIG. 13 shows the boat trailer 20 with the boat 22 carried on the
support frame
assembly 34 in an initial position with its bow 26 oriented toward the front
end 30 of the boat
trailer 20. In this position, the support frame assembly 34 is deployed in its
lower, towing
configuration 42 and is able to support the boat 22 relatively close to the
ground for enhanced
stability during towing and transport. The carousel frame portion 50 is
carried below the
uppermost edge 342 of the fender members 320 (see FIG. 2A and 3) and the
piston rods 264 of
the hydraulic pistons 254 and 258 are in their respective retracted positions
268 (see FIG. 9). In
this embodiment, the lowermost edge 340 of the carousel frame portion 50 is
carried at a height
of approximately 35 cm above the ground when the support frame assembly 34 is
deployed in
the lowered configuration 42. In other embodiments, the lowermost edge could
be carried at a
different height.
[0097] The snubbing block 181 is retracted away from the hull 24 so as to
allow unobstructed
rotation of the carousel frame portion 52 about the base frame portion 50. To
reorient the boat
22 bow-first, the support frame lifting assembly 40 is first actuated in order
to raise the carousel
frame portion 50 over the fender members 320. More specifically, the first and
second hydraulic
pistons 254 and 258 are actuated to cause the piston rods 264 to move to their
respective
extended positions 266. As the piston rods 264 extend they cause the rear end
30 of the boat
trailer 20 to lift away from the wheel assembly 36 and the fender assemblies
250 and 252. In this
position, the lowermost edge 340 of the carousel frame portion 50 is carried
above the uppermost
edge 342 of the fender members 320, when the support frame assembly 34 is
deployed in the
raised configuration 44.
[0098] Actuation of the support frame assembly 40 can be done while the boat
trailer 20 is still
hitched to the towing vehicle. In this case, the rear end 32 of the boat
trailer 20 will be carried
higher off the ground than the front end 30 of the boat trailer 20.
Alternatively, the boat trailer
20 can be uncoupled from the towing vehicle and the auxiliary wheel assembly
174 may be
CA 02717785 2010-10-15
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deployed to lower the wheel 178 onto the ground and also raise the front end
30 of the boat
trailer 20 so that it is carried at the same height as the rear end 32, as is
shown in FIG. 10.
[0099] Next, the locking means 200 preventing the rotation of carousel frame
portion 52
relative to the base frame portion 50 is released by moving the locking bars
210 of the first and
second locking assemblies 202 and 204 to their respective unlocked, retracted
positions 224
(shown in 15B). The locking bars 210 are then secured in their retracted
positions 224 by
inserting a cotter pin into an aperture defined in the locking bar 210. With
the locking means 200
released, the carousel frame portion 52 is free to rotate relative to the base
frame portion 50.
[00100] Preferably, the carousel frame portion 52 is rotated using the winch
assembly 182.
More specifically, the winch cable 185 is drawn along the port side of the
hull 24 and tied to the
stern 28 of the boat 22 such that when a length of cable is taken up on the
spool 184, the boat 22
(along with the carousel frame portion 52) is urged to rotate in the clockwise
direction. In an
alternative embodiment, rotation of the carousel frame portion 52 may be
effected manually by
pushing against the port side of the hull 24 near the bow 26.
1001011 FIGS. 14 to 17 show the sequence of rotation of the boat 22 on the
carousel frame
portion 52. In FIG. 14, the boat 22 is shown partially rotated with the bow 26
of the boat 22
oriented at 45 degrees from the longitudinal axis of the boat trailer 22. In
FIG. 15, the boat 22
has been removed to illustrate the position of the carousel frame portion 52.
FIG. 16 shows the
carousel frame portion 52 oriented at 90 degrees from the longitudinal axis of
the boat trailer 20.
Finally, FIG. 17 shows the boat 22 (and the carousel frame portion 52) rotated
180 degrees from
the initial position with the bow 26 of the boat 22 now oriented toward the
rear end 32 of the
boat trailer 20. In this final position, the support frame lifting assembly 40
is actuated to deploy
the support frame assembly 34 from its raised configuration 44 to its lowered
configuration 42.
Thereafter, the boat 22 may be launched bow-first into the water from the rear
end 32 of the boat
trailer 20.
[00102] From the foregoing, it will thus be appreciated that the boat trailer
20 readily lends
itself to a bow-first launching of a trailered boat, irrespective of the way
in which the boat is first
positioned onto the boat trailer and despite the fact that it is carried on
the support frame
assembly relatively low to the ground. This may be achieved even while the
boat trailer is
CA 02717785 2010-10-15
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attached to a tow vehicle. Moreover, as designed, the boat trailer 20 is
capable of receiving a
significantly sized trailerable boat from the water bow-first and further re-
launching that boat
subsequently either bow-first or stern-first as required. Re-launching of the
boat bow-first can be
achieved without a great deal of effort or without the boat trailer 20 ever
having been
disconnected. In rough surf, as it frequently encountered, the wave cutting
nature of the bow
when the boat is at little speed provides sufficient stability for the initial
movement out through
the waves. This boat trailer tends to be versatile and is operable to launch
boat 22 under various
field conditions in a relatively safe manner.
[00103] The foregoing description relates to a boat trailer constructed in
accordance with the
principles of the present invention. However, it should be appreciated that
the present invention
is not limited to boat trailers. The principles of the present invention could
be applied to similar
advantage to construct other types of trailers, for instance, vehicle
trailers. An example of such a
vehicle trailer is shown in FIGS. 18 to 25 wherein the vehicle trailer
designated generally with
reference numeral 350 is shown carrying a car 352. Although, in other
embodiments, with minor
modifications, the vehicle trailer 350 could be used to carry other vehicles,
such as all terrain
vehicles (ATVs), snowmobiles, or the like.
[00104] The car 352 has a body 354 which includes a front end 355 and a rear
end 356. The
body 354 is supported by two pairs of wheels 358 and 360 mounted in tandem.
The first pair of
wheels 358 is mounted adjacent the front end 355 of the car 352 while the
second pair 360 is
mounted near the second end 356.
[00105] The vehicle trailer 350 is generally similar to the boat trailer 20 in
structure, function
and configuration. It too includes a front end 362, a rear end 364, a support
frame assembly 366
extending between the front and rear ends 362 and 364 upon which may be loaded
car 352, a
wheel assembly 368 for rolling engagement with the ground, and a support frame
lifting
assembly 370 operable to raise the support frame assembly 366 above the wheel
assembly 368.
The lifting assembly 370 allows the support frame assembly 366 to be deployed
in a lowered,
towing configuration 372 (as best shown in FIG. 19) and in a raised, rotatable
configuration 374
(as best shown in FIGS. 21). As explained in greater detail below, when the
support frame
assembly 366 is in the raised configuration 374, a portion of the support
frame assembly 366 is
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rotatable so as to allow the orientation of the car 352 to be changed from a
front-facing
orientation to a rear-facing orientation, or vice versa.
[00106] With specific reference to FIGS. 19 and 20, the support frame assembly
366 resembles
the support frame assembly 34 in that it also includes a lower base frame
portion 376 and an
upper carousel (or turntable) frame portion 378 superimposed on, and pivotally
connected to, the
base frame portion 376. The base frame portion 376 is similar in all material
respects to the base
frame portion 50 such that the description of the latter will suffice for the
former.
[00107] However, the carousel frame portion 378 is configured differently than
its counterpart
carousel frame portion 50 shown in FIG. 6. In contrast to carousel frame
portion 50, the carousel
frame portion 378 is configured as a loading platform as opposed to an open
framework. More
specifically, as shown in FIGS. 20 and 21, the carousel frame portion 378 is
made up of two
spaced apart, longitudinally extending side sill members 380 and 382, a
plurality of cross-
members 384 extending between the side sill members 380 and 382 and joining
the latter to the
former, and a floor panel 385. Each side sill member 380, 382 takes the form
of a rectangular
box section 386 having an upper wall 388, a lower wall 390 and a pair of
spaced apart side walls
392 and 394 extending between the upper and lower walls 388 and 390. Welded to
each upper
wall 388 is a C-shaped member 395 with its arms 396 oriented upwardly. Each
pair of arms 396
forms a track or guide rail for guiding the wheels 358 and 360 of the car 352.
[00108] The walls 388, 390, 392 and 394 cooperate with each other to define a
space or hollow
398 which are sized to accommodate (or store) ramp members 400 therein. The
ramp members
400 may be deployed in an extended, in-use configuration 402 (see FIG. 22B) to
facilitate
loading and unloading of the car 352 on and off the carousel frame portion
378, and a stowed
configuration 404 (see FIG. 22A). When the ramp members 400 are needed they be
deployed to
their respective extended configurations 402 by pulling them out from the
hollow 398 and one
end thereof can be placed on the ground while the other end is supported by
the box section 386
as shown in FIG. 22B. When the ramp members are no longer needed, they can be
stowed in the
hollow 398 of the box section 386 (see FIGS. 22C and 22A). Each ramp member
400 is a
longitudinal steel plate provided with a treaded friction-enhancing top
surface.
CA 02717785 2010-10-15
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1001091 In this embodiment, the plurality of cross-members 384 includes six
cross-members ¨
first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth cross-members 384a, 384b, 384c,
384d, 384e and 384f
¨ arranged in tandem. In other embodiments, a greater or lesser number of
cross-members may
be used. Each cross-member 384a, 384b, 384c, 384d, 384e, 384f is welded at one
end to the
side wall 392 of side sill member 380 and at the other end to side wall 394 of
side sill member
382.
[00110] The floor panel 385 is a checkered structural steel plate which
extends the entire length
of the carousel frame portion 378. Mounted to the underside of the floor panel
385 is a
rectangular, relatively short HSS section 402 which is adapted to receive a
pivot pin (not shown)
for pivotally connecting the carousel frame portion 378 to the base frame
portion 376. In other
embodiments, the floor panel 385 could be omitted to reveal an open framework.
[00111] The support frame assembly 366 is further provided with means 404 for
locking (or
preventing rotation of) the carousel frame portion 378 relative to the base
frame portion 376 to
prevent rotation of the former relative to the latter when the support frame
assembly 366 is in its
raised, rotatable configuration 374. Locking means 404 is similar to locking
means 200
described above.
[00112] The wheel assembly 368 is similar in all material respects (i.e.
structure, function and
configuration) to the wheel assembly 36 described above in that it too
includes a first wheel
subassembly 410, a second wheel subassembly 412, an axle subassembly 414
connecting the
first wheel subassembly 410 to the second wheel subassembly 412, a first
fender assembly 416
associated with the first wheel subassembly 410 and a second fender assembly
418 associated
with a second wheel subassembly 412.
[00113] The support frame lifting assembly 370 is also similar in all material
respects (i.e.
structure, function and configuration) to its counterpart assembly 40
described above such that
no additional description is required.
[00114] Deployment of the vehicle trailer 350 is similar to that of boat
trailer 20. FIG. 23
shows the vehicle trailer 350 with the car 352 carried on the support frame
assembly 366 in an
initial position with the front end 355 of the car body 354 oriented toward
the front end 362 of
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the vehicle trailer 352. In this position, the carousel frame portion 378 is
deployed in its lower,
towing configuration 372 and is able to support the car 352 relatively close
to the ground for
enhanced stability during towing and transport. The carousel frame portion 378
is carried below
the uppermost edge 420 of the fender assemblies 416 and 418 (i.e. the
uppermost edge of fender
members 422, see FIG. 19).
[00115] To reorient the car 352 front end-first, the support frame lifting
assembly 370 is first
actuated in order to raise the carousel frame portion 378 over the fender
members 422. Actuation
of the lifting assembly 370 is carried out in the same manner as described
above in the context
of the lifting assembly 40. The rear end 364 of the vehicle trailer 350 is
lifted away from the
wheel assembly 368 and the fender assemblies 416 and 418. In this position,
the lowermost edge
424 of the carousel frame portion 378 is carried above the uppermost edge 420
of the fender
members 422. Thereafter, the locking means 404 is released (in the same manner
as locking
means 200 described above) to allow the carousel frame portion 378 to rotate
relative to the base
frame portion 376. Rotation of the carousel frame portion 378 may be performed
in much the
same manner as described above in the context of carousel frame portion 52.
[00116] FIGS. 23 to 26 show the sequence of rotation of the car 352 on the
carousel frame
portion 378. In FIG. 24, the car 352 is shown partially rotated with the front
end of the car 355
oriented at 45 degrees from the longitudinal axis of the vehicle trailer 22.
FIG. 25 shows the
carousel frame portion 378 oriented at 90 degrees from the longitudinal axis
of the vehicle
trailer 20. Finally, FIG. 26 shows the car 352 (and the carousel frame portion
378) rotated 180
degrees from the initial position with the front end 355 of the car 352 now
oriented toward the
rear end 364 of the vehicle trailer 350. In this final position, the support
frame lifting assembly
370 is actuated to deploy the support frame assembly 366 from its raised
configuration 374 to its
lowered configuration 372. The ramp members 400 are then deployed to their
respective
extended configurations 402. Thereafter, the car 352 may be driven off the
vehicle trailer 350
front end-first.
[00117] From the foregoing description, it will be appreciated that the
vehicle trailer 350 may
be particularly useful in circumstances where it is not desired or practical
to have the car 352
driven off the support frame assembly 366 in reverse. This may be the case,
for instance, where
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the car is a vintage, classic or antique car, or further still, a racing car.
The trailer 350 has been
described in the context of a vehicle but it should be recognized that the
trailer 350 could be used
to haul other lading as well.
[00118] The principles of the present invention may also be applied to
construct other types of
trailers, for example, livestock or horse trailers. In such embodiments, the
carousel frame portion
could be formed with a box-like enclosure or superstructure defining a pen or
other stowage area
for animals to be transported. One or more doors could be provided at the
front and rear of the
carousel frame portion to provide access to the animal stowage area from
either end. The horse
trailer could be operated in this same fashion as trailers 20 and 350 and
could allow the horse or
other animal to exit the enclosure by advancing forward without having to exit
the trailer by
backing up.
[00119] While the trailers 20 and 350 described above are provided with
support frame lifting
assemblies, this need not be the case in every application. In alternative
embodiments, a trailer
constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention having
a carousel frame
portion rotatable relative to a base frame portion could be configured without
a support frame
lifting assembly. In such embodiments, the need for a lifting assembly could
be obviated by
having the carousel frame portion carried above the uppermost margin of the
wheel assembly.
This could be appropriate for use with small boats, for instance. Such a
trailer would be provided
with means for preventing rotation of the carousel frame portion relative to
the base frame
portion, similar to that described above.
[00120] Although the foregoing description and accompanying drawings relate to
specific
preferred embodiments of the present invention as presently contemplated by
the inventor, it will
be understood that various changes, modifications and adaptations may be made.
