Material or article handling – Self-loading or unloading vehicles – Conveyor
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-19
2001-04-03
Bratlie, Steven A. (Department: 3652)
Material or article handling
Self-loading or unloading vehicles
Conveyor
C414S538000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06210096
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to apparatus for loading articles in the bed of the truck, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to apparatus for loading a personal watercraft in the bed of a pickup truck.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In recent years the popularity of personal watercraft has led to the need for convenient means for loading and transporting the watercraft from the home to the body of water upon which the watercraft is to be used.
Many such apparatus have been constructed for the particular purpose of loading such a watercraft in the bed of a conventional pickup truck.
One such apparatus is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,542,810 to Florus. The Florus apparatus includes a ramp which extends from the bed of the truck into the body of water. A winch is used to pull the watercraft up the ramp onto a rack located within the bed of the truck. Then the ramp is disconnected from the rack for transport.
Another such device is that marketed by Monsoon Industries, LLC of Clinton Township, Michigan under the brand Roller Ramp. The Monsoon Roller Ramp includes a two-part ramp. A first part of the ramp is fixedly mounted in the bed of the truck. A second part of the ramp may be extended rearwardly from the first part and pivoted downward into the body of water. Then, the watercraft is pulled up the second ramp section on to the fixed first ramp section. Then the second ramp section can be slid into a retracted storage position below the fixed first ramp section.
The structure disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,810,546 to Schmoling appears to be similar to that of the Monsoon Roller Ramp just described.
Both the devices just described are complex in their construction and use, and they require that the portion of the loading ramp which extends into the lake be manually retracted or disassembled after the watercraft has been loaded.
Thus, it is seen that there is still a need for an improved watercraft loading apparatus which is simple of construction, economical to manufacture, and easy to use.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An apparatus is provided for loading and unloading a personal watercraft or like article onto and from the bed of a truck or a flat bed of a trailer. The apparatus includes a skid mount connected to the truck. A skid is provided which is movable relative to the skid mount between an extended position and a retracted position. The extended position enables the watercraft to be received upon the skid from a body of water. In the retracted position, the watercraft is supported upon the skid within the bed of a truck. In its extended position, the skid is cantilevered from a rear end of the bed of the truck, generally parallel to the bed of the truck.
The skid is preferably constructed to be received by a skid mount on the bed of the truck and includes first and second rails, each having an underside and a topside. A plurality of cross pieces are connected between the first and second rails. First and second strips of friction reducing material are mounted on the undersides of the first and second rails for engaging the bed of the truck so that the skid can slide upon the bed of the truck. First and second friction reducing supports are attached to the topsides of the first and second rails for engaging the article to be loaded so that the article can slide upon the rails.
A method of loading a personal watercraft using the apparatus described includes providing such an apparatus and then sliding the skid rearward relative to the truck to an extended position extending past a rear end of a truck. Then a winch line from the winch is connected to the watercraft and retracted thereby pulling the watercraft onto the skid and pulling the skid and the watercraft onto the truck so that the watercraft is supported by the skid and the skid is supported by the truck.
It is therefore, a general object of the present invention to provide methods and apparatus for loading an article such as a watercraft onto the bed of a truck or onto a flat bed of a trailer or the like.
Another object of the present invention is the provision of an apparatus which allows one person to easily load and unload a personal watercraft from the bed of a pickup truck.
Still another object of the present invention is the provision of a watercraft loading apparatus which is simple and economical to manufacture.
Still another object of the present invention is the provision of an apparatus which allows watercraft to be safely loaded within the bed of a pickup truck.
Other and further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following disclosure when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2485793 (1949-10-01), Vassar
patent: 4626162 (1986-12-01), Parisi
patent: 4960356 (1990-10-01), Wrenn
patent: 5184913 (1993-02-01), Meriwether
patent: 5244335 (1993-09-01), Johns
patent: 5249910 (1993-10-01), Ball
patent: 5257728 (1993-11-01), Gibson
patent: 5492454 (1996-02-01), Colyer
patent: 5509639 (1996-04-01), Ellis
patent: 5513941 (1996-05-01), Kulas et al.
patent: 5542810 (1996-08-01), Florus
patent: 5603600 (1997-02-01), Egan et al.
patent: 5752799 (1998-05-01), Carey et al.
patent: 5810546 (1998-09-01), Schmoling
patent: 5863173 (1999-01-01), Bremner
patent: 5882170 (1999-06-01), Walton
patent: 5897284 (1999-04-01), Ardohain
patent: 5934863 (1999-08-01), Beck
Splash Magazine, p. 122 (Jun. 1996).
Watercraft World, p. 155 (Jul. 1996).
Personal Watercraft Illustrated, p. 141 (Jun. 1997).
Watercraft World, p. 183 (Jul. 1996).
Declaration of Ricky J. Fielder (not prior art).
Collection of advertising literature regarding the roller Ramp device manufactured by monsoon Industries, LLC the appears to be constructed in accordance with the teachings of the Schmoling U.S. Patent 5,810,546.
Bratlie Steven A.
Waddey & Patterson
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