Boat with a hinged gate

Abstract

A boat including a deck and at least two wall segments extending upwardly from the deck and at least partially defining an interior. The wall segments are spaced from one another by a gap or passage for providing passengers with access into an out of the interior. A gate including a hinge assembly is attached to the end of one of the wall segments at the gap for opening and closing to control access through the gap. The hinge assembly includes an outer member attached to the wall segment, an inner member attached to the remainder of the gate and a glide sleeve disposed between the inner and outer members. The glide sleeve is of a low-friction material for providing a low-friction contact surface between the inner and outer members.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A boat comprising:
 a deck;   at least two wall segments extending upwardly from said deck to at least partially define an interior space, said wall segments being spaced from one another to define a gap;   a gate having a hinge assembly connected to an end of one of said wall segments for selectively opening and closing said gap;   said hinge assembly including an outer member attached said end of one of said wall segments and an inner member disposed within said outer member and rotatable relative thereto;   said hinge assembly further including a glide sleeve disposed between said inner and outer members; and   said glide sleeve being made of a low-friction material different than that of said inner and outer members and providing a low friction contact surface between said inner and outer members for facilitating rotation of said gate relative to said wall segments between an open position and a closed position.   
     
     
         2 . The boat as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said low-friction material of said glide sleeve is of a polyoxymethylene material. 
     
     
         3 . The boat as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said inner member, said outer member and said glide sleeve have a tubular shape. 
     
     
         4 . The boat as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said glide sleeve has a tubular shape and is sized to restrict transverse movement of said inner member relative to said outer member. 
     
     
         5 . The boat as set forth in  claim 4  wherein said glide sleeve is in press-fitting relationship with one of said inner and outer members. 
     
     
         6 . The boat as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said gate further includes a skeleton having a rectangular member being bent into a generally rectangular shape. 
     
     
         7 . The boat as set forth in  claim 6  wherein said rectangular member presents a gap on one side and wherein said inner member of said hinge assembly is attached to the either end of said rectangular member at said gap. 
     
     
         8 . The boat as set forth in  claim 7  wherein said rectangular member includes at least one flange extending outwardly therefrom toward the middle of said rectangular shape and wherein a panel is attached to said at least one flange. 
     
     
         9 . The boat as set forth in  claim 8  wherein said rectangular member has a generally circular cross-section that extends along said generally rectangular shape. 
     
     
         10 . The boat as set forth in  claim 9  wherein said skeleton further includes a plurality of cross-members extending horizontally between the sides of said rectangular member. 
     
     
         11 . The boat as set forth in  claim 10  wherein at least one of said cross-members includes at least one flange attached to said panel. 
     
     
         12 . The boat as set forth in  claim 1  further including a plate attached to an exterior surface of said outer member and wherein said plate includes a plurality of threaded studs spaced from one another and in engagement with one of said wall segments. 
     
     
         13 . The boat as set forth in  claim 1  further including a pair of puck-shaped discs attached to opposite sides of said inner member for restraining axial movement of said outer member and said glide sleeve relative to said inner member. 
     
     
         14 . The boat as set forth in  claim 1  further including a plurality of pontoons for floatably supporting said deck. 
     
     
         15 . A method of forming a boat, comprising the steps of:
 providing a deck having at least two wall segments at least partially defining an interior and spaced from one another to define a gap;   forming a skeleton of a gate;   positioning a glide sleeve of a low-friction material between an inner member and an outer member onto the glide sleeve such that the glide sleeve is disposed between said inner and outer members to form a hinge assembly, wherein the glide sleeve is of a material different than the material of the inner and outer members to provide a low friction contact surface between the inner and outer members;   attaching the ends of the ends of the inner member of the hinge assembly to the skeleton of the gate; and   attaching the outer member to an end of one of the wall segments at the gap for allowing the gate to pivot about the hinge assembly between an open position and a closed position.   
     
     
         16 . The method as set forth in  claim 15  wherein the glide sleeve is of a polyoxymethylene material. 
     
     
         17 . The method as set forth in  claim 15  wherein the step of forming the skeleton is further defined as bending a tube into a generally rectangular shape.