Marine telescoping grab bar

Abstract

The marine grab bar of the present invention is intended for use on a boat wherein a passenger needs a gripping post when standing. The grab bar assembly includes a base mounted to a wall or upright surface in the boat, and a telescoping bar moveable between a lower retracted storage position and a raised extended gripping position. A lock is provided in the assembly for retaining the bar in the raised position relative to the base.

1 . A boat grab bar assembly, comprising:
 an upright tubular base having a longitudinal axis;   upper and lower mounting flanges on the base, each flange having a planar mounting surface substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the base so that the base is mountable on a substantially vertical boat surface;   a bar telescopically mounted within the base for movement between a lower storage position and a raised gripping position; and   a lock to maintain the bar in the raised position.   
   
   
       2 . The boat grab bar assembly of  claim 1  wherein the lock is a spring biased detent. 
   
   
       3 . The boat grab bar assembly of  claim 1  wherein the bar is hollow and the lock is located substantially within the bar. 
   
   
       4 . The boat grab bar assembly of  claim 3  wherein the lock is a slide pin. 
   
   
       5 . The boat grab bar assembly of  claim 1  wherein the base and the bar have holes extending therethrough which receive the lock when the holes are aligned to lock the bar in the raised position. 
   
   
       6 . The boat grab bar assembly of  claim 5  wherein the base includes a second hole for selective receipt of the lock to lock the bar in an intermediate position between the raised and lowered positions. 
   
   
       7 . The boat grab bar assembly of  claim 1  further comprising mounting hardware to secure the mounting flanges to the boat surface. 
   
   
       8 . The boat grab bar assembly of  claim 7  wherein the mounting flanges are at opposite ends of the base. 
   
   
       9 . The boat grab bar assembly of  claim 1  wherein the bar has an upper end, and further comprising a cap on the upper end of the bar. 
   
   
       10 . The boat grab bar assembly of  claim 1  wherein the bar has an enlarged upper end to limit downward movement within the base. 
   
   
       11 . In combination, a boat and a telescoping grab bar, comprising:
 an upstanding wall on the boat, the wall having an upper edge;   a vertically oriented base for mounting on the wall of the boat, below the upper edge;   mounting flanges at the upper and lower ends of the base defining a substantially vertical mounting plane, and being secured to the boat wall below the upper edge;   a bar slidably mounted to the base for movement between an extended position above the upper edge for gripping by a person and a retracted position below the upper edge; and   a lock to selectively retain the bar in the extended position.   
   
   
       12 . The combination of  claim 11  wherein the bar slides within the base. 
   
   
       13 . The combination of  claim 12  wherein the bar has an enlarged upper end to limit downward movement within the base. 
   
   
       14 . The combination of  claim 13  wherein the enlarged end is a cap on the bar. 
   
   
       15 . The combination of  claim 11  wherein the bar is hollow and the lock is located substantially within the bar. 
   
   
       16 . The combination of  claim 15  wherein the lock is a spring biased detent. 
   
   
       17 . The combination of  claim 11  wherein the lock extends through aligned holes in the base and the bar. 
   
   
       18 . The combination of  claim 11  further comprising hardware to secure the base-mounting flanges to the boat surface. 
   
   
       19 . The combination of  claim 18  wherein the mounting flanges include upper and lower arms at opposite ends of the base. 
   
   
       20 . A method of providing a grab bar for gripping by a person standing in a boat, the boat having a substantially vertical wall with an upper edge, comprising:
 mounting a base to the wall of the boat so as to extend upwardly;   telescopically mounting a bar to the base;   moving the bar from a retracted position within the base below the upper edge of the wall to an extended position the upper edge of the wall; and   releasably locking the bar in the extended position.