Ships – Boats – boat component – or attachment – Seat and foot support
Reexamination Certificate
2002-12-12
2004-05-25
Basinger, Sherman (Department: 3617)
Ships
Boats, boat component, or attachment
Seat and foot support
C114S343000, C114S360000, C114S364000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06739280
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The conventional practice of people riding in a planing boat has been to ride down in the boat, probably because boats were conventionally constructed to accommodate them in the lower portions of the boat. As a consequence, both the passengers and the driver rode in the lower portions of the boat. The instrument panel, console; or helm were usually mounted directly in front of the driver and most, if not all, of the passengers were located in what has been known as the “catch basin”, most of which was located at and slightly rearward of amidships.
As a consequence of the above, the driver in an effort to reach shelter and relative safety in a minimum of time would apply the necessary power and, in doing so, he causes the boat bow to elevate and obstruct his forward vision, which in turn, increases danger of collision with other boats, and possible passenger injuries.
The existence of the “catch basin” at the lowermost portions of the boat and the location of its passengers therein or closely adjacent thereto has substantially contributed to the relatively frequent “swamping” of boats in which the entire boat fills with water, frequently leading to injuries and drowning.
Close quarters of passengers and mixing thereof with supplies and baggage frequently lead to confusion and accidents, including injuries. My boat is designed to provide a clear deck for occupation by the passengers, to thereby obviate the problems which are an outgrowth of the conditions, as described above. I have eliminated the “catch basin” and its many disadvantages.
The prior confusion of people occupying the same identical space as their supplies, their seating, their currently used equipment and the lack of adequate railings for them to lean against and generally enjoy themselves without fear of falling overboard has been accepted as part of normal boating life.
In addition, power has been added currently to the small open planing power boat that is under the Coast Guards 26 foot length limits for such craft to the extent that the prior art seats mounted directly over a pedestal under the center of the seats' base are unsafe, because the extremely high speeds that are now easily reached, subject the boat to a resultant vector force of great power when the boat smashes into unyielding high water and it can instantly jam the boat and all its firmly fastened parts directly away in the line of flight of the incoming vector. The seat goes too, out from under the sitting rider, due to the inertia of the rider's body.
Contrarily, my inertia controlled swing pivot mounting beneath the base of my seat uses the inertia of the rider and the base itself to swing and catch the rider safely.
My complete flat deck allows for no swamping or capsizing.
My unique high railings practically eliminate people falling overboard.
The high elevation of the people on my decks provide for 360 degree unobstructed vision for all, therefore, much less chance of collisions killing and maiming.
Attaching paneling beneath the parallel railing and its directly beneath boat side edge provide splash protection and keeps small children from crawling out under the railing.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An important advantage of my boat is the retention of substantially all of the horizontal space within the boat at the passenger level, for the passengers convenience and enjoyment. This is made possible by retaining all of the area of the lower deck for supplies, and all other objects other than ordinary supplies, while the passengers frequent only the upper deck. This upper deck extends across the entire open area at the level of the top of the sidewalls of the boat. The top of such sidewalls were frequently, in earlier years, called “gunnels”. The upper deck of my boat is clear of most everything but the console or helm, and even that area can be increased by swinging the swingable chairs (with or without the passengers therein) outwardly beyond the sidewalls of the boat.
The upper deck of my boat extends from bow to stern and from the upper surface of one sidewall to the upper surface of the opposite sidewall, all at the level of the upper surface of the sidewalls of the boat. This provides a relatively spacious area to accommodate the passengers and, along with the high hand rails, promotes safety. The hand rails at each side and at the rear of my boat are at least 34 inches high. The chair seats are disposed approximately 16 inches above the deck. As a consequence, the chairs can be swung outwardly of the sidewalls of the boat and the passengers may or may not remain in them at that position. Actually, if the dock height is OK, the swing seats may be used as a debarking or boarding device. Many handicapped people would like to go boating, too.
The most important aspect of my upper deck, however, is that it extends in a flat plane, at the level of the upper surface of the sidewalls of the boat, and continuously, from bow to stern. As a consequence, substantially all water which hits the deck flows over the outer edge of the upper deck at the side opposite that from which the water approaches the boat, and not into the lower deck and into a “catch basin” area as is so common in boats as before constructed. Thus, the possibility of my boat, as so constructed, being “swamped” is non-existent, since substantially all of such water flows across the deck and returns to the original body of water from which it originated.
The upper deck of my boat is continuous because the only lack of continuity which exists is provided by the very minimum of space existent between the covers of the hatches, which constitute a major portion of my upper deck. The interior of the fixed hatches is used for the storage of supplies and any other items which the passengers do not wish to retain in their immediate possession. Any seepage is disposed of by the bilge pump, a common item beneath the lower deck of substantially all boats. The only seepage which occurs is that which makes its way into the lower deck is by passing between the close-fitting hatch covers, or between the edge of the deck opening and an adjacent hatch cover. The cover and the openings are closely fitted to preclude any substantial seepage.
A second important feature of my boat is the provision and disposition of a plurality of swingably mounted swing chairs over the upper surfaces of the opposite sidewalls of the boat. The swingable mounting of these chairs enables the operator to clear the deck, except for the passengers, if he so desires, and thereby make room for activity. In addition, the strong high railings of my improved boat, which extend along the length of the boat above its sidewalls, provide a strong measure of safety by preventing passengers from being washed overboard in the event of heavy waters, and stumbling over something and falling overboard.
The swingable mounting of the chairs of my boat is unique in that it includes a swing mounting at the outer and inner ends of the swingable frame. Since the inner end of the swingable frame is locked firmly in one position on the axis pivot of the support pedestal the axis of the seat support swing arm at the outer distal end of the frame must go with any movement introduced in the boat by the strong wave vector. The axis pin of the inertia control swing system under the seat introduces no torque to the situation, it just must go with the boat. The seat is a different matter, in that the pin under it is disposed near the front end of the seat, and therefore, the front end of the seat must go in whatever direction the violent vector of the wave pushes the boat, but, the center of the seat, the back of the seat and the person sitting in the seat are a different matter. Their weight center is away from the pin by approximately 4 inches, and since the seat is most likely faced in any other direction than that the violent vector is going, a torque or twisting effect takes place, instantly. The pin drags the front of the seat, “down wind”, so to speak, and the off center mass, regardless of its inertia,
Basinger Sherman
Keller Rogenald J.
LandOfFree
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