Boat latch

Abstract

A boat latch for securing a boat or the like having a bow ring to a trailer including, a roller mount assembly having a roller adapted to guide the bow of a boat into position said roller being attached to an upper end of a kicker arm, said kicker arm being pivotally mounted in a housing; a locking pin assembly movable between a cocked and a free position; whereby as a boat is guided into position against the roller mount assembly a rotation of said kicker arm may be induced by pressure exerted against the roller by a boat to thereby activate the locking pin at a position wherein the locking pin engages the bow ring to thereby secure the boat to the trailer.

1 . A boat latch for securing a boat or the like having a bow ring to a trailer including,
 a roller mount assembly having a roller adapted to guide the bow of a boat into position said roller being attached to an upper end of a kicker arm, said kicker arm being pivotally mounted in a housing;   a locking pin assembly movable between a cocked and a free position;   whereby as a boat is guided into position against the roller mount assembly a rotation of said kicker arm may be induced by pressure exerted against the roller by a boat to thereby activate the locking pin at a position wherein the locking pin engages the bow ring to thereby secure the boat to the trailer.   
   
   
       2 . A boat latch according to  claim 1 , wherein the roller mount assembly serves to hold the roller in position and consists of a pair of side arms attached to the roller at ends thereof through an axis of the roller, each of the side arms projecting from a base member, and wherein the kicker arm extends downwardly from the base member. 
   
   
       3 . A boat latch according to one of the preceding claims in which the kicker arm consists of a flat plate having a generally central transverse pivot point about which the kicker arm is freely rotatable. 
   
   
       4 . A boat latch according to  claim 1 , wherein the kicker arm is biased into a disengaged position. 
   
   
       5 . A boat latch according to  claim 1 , wherein the kicker arm is biased into a disengaged position by a compression spring acting against a rear upper side of the kicker arm and wherein force acting on the roller is able to counteract the effect of the compression spring. 
   
   
       6 . A boat latch according to any one of the preceding  claims 1 , additionally including a pair of parallel, outermost forwardly extending flanges terminating in outwardly directed guide wings serving to avoid damage to a boat as the boat is guided onto the latch. 
   
   
       7 . A boat latch according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, the locking pin is biased into an engaged position and may be secured in the cocked position against a stop 
   
   
       8 . A boat latch according to  claims 8 , wherein the locking pin is released from a cocked position as a result of the rotation of the roller and kicker arm. 
   
   
       9 . A boat latch according to any one of the preceding claims, additionally including a securing clip to lock the locking pin against inadvertent release. 
   
   
       10 . A boat latch according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the roller mount assembly is pivotally movable with the latch to accommodate variability in boat hull angles.