Lift For Hand-Held Underwater propulsion Device

Abstract

A lift for launching and retrieval of hand-held underwater propulsion devices from a boat. The lift is removably inserted into a rod holder or receiving cavity in the gunnel of a boat, where it is able to swivel 360 degrees. The lift is designed with a serpentine shaped curve on the lower edge of the body of the frame of the lift, so that the lift can swivel outboard and inboard and lift a hand-held underwater propulsion device without damaging the edge of the boat and without damaging the object being lifted.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A lift for launching and retrieval of a hand-held underwater propulsion device from a boat comprising:
 two frame plates spaced apart by frame supports,   a first set of terminal ends of the frame plates forming a gunnel mount for a swivel connection to a boat;   a second set of terminal ends of the frame plates having mounted there between a lift pulley;   a winch mounted intermediate the two ends of the frame plates;   a cable deployable from the winch, wherein the cable runs over the lift pulley and contains a clip mechanism on the terminal end of the cable; and   wherein the frame plates are attached to the gunnel mount at an approximate 45 degree angle.   
     
     
         2 . The lift of  claim 1 , wherein the lower edge of the frame plates of the lift have a serpentine shaped curve. 
     
     
         3 . The lift of  claim 1 , wherein the winch is seated in a winch housing that is a void created through the frame plates. 
     
     
         4 . The lift of  claim 1 , wherein the gunnel mount is removably inserted into a receiving cavity in the boat's gunnel. 
     
     
         5 . The lift of  claim 4 , wherein the lift swivels 360 degrees in the receiving cavity in the boat's gunnel. 
     
     
         6 . The lift of  claim 4 , wherein the lift swivels inboard the boat and the lift swivels outboard the boat. 
     
     
         7 . The lift of  claim 1 , wherein the clip mechanism of the winch is attachable to a hand-held underwater propulsion device or a carrier for a hand-held underwater device. 
     
     
         8 . The lift of  claim 1 , wherein the winch is manually operated to raise and lower the hand-held propulsion device. 
     
     
         9 . The lift of  claim 1 , wherein the lift can lift a hand-held underwater propulsion device of about 100 pounds. 
     
     
         10 . The lift of  claim 1 , wherein the frame plates contain one or more cable line guide pulleys. 
     
     
         11 . The lift of  claim 1 , wherein the cable from the lift is attached to the hand-held underwater propulsion device, a winch on the lift is used to retrieve and raise the hand-held underwater propulsion device out of the water, the lift and hand-held underwater propulsion device is then swung inboard of the boat. 
     
     
         12 . The lift of  claim 1 , wherein the cable from the lift is attached to the hand-held underwater propulsion device, the lift is then swiveled overboard the boat, a winch on the lift is used to lower and launch the hand-held underwater propulsion device into the water. 
     
     
         13 . A lift, adopted to be mounted on or in a gunnel of a boat, for launching and retrieval of a hand-held underwater propulsion device from said boat, said hand-held underwater propulstion device weighing in excess of 60 pounds and being larger than 30 inches by 15 inches by 10 inches in length, width and depth, comprising:
 two frame plates spaced apart by frame supports, each frame plate having respective proximal terminal ends adapted to be disposed near the gunnel and having respective distal terminal ends spaced away from said gunnel, wherein the frame supports hold the frame plates a fixed distance apart creating an internal cavity there between and wherein the lower edge of the frame plates contain a serpentine shaped curve;   said proximal frame plate terminal ends fixed to a gunnel mount which gunnel mount is adapted to be rotatably and removably attached to said gunnel, thereby permitting the frame plates to swivel over and beyond said gunnel and to swivel over said gunnel into an inboard portion of the boat;   said distal frame plate terminal ends having mounted there between a lift pulley;   a winch mounted on the frame plates intermediate the distal and proximal frame plate ends;   a cable wound about said winch and deployable from the winch, wherein the cable is adapted to run through the internal cavity of the lift guided by one or more cable line guide pulleys and over the lift pulley, said cable having a clip mechanism for attaching said hand-held underwater propulsion device on a cable terminal end and wherein the cable is controlled by actuation of a winch handle; and   wherein the frame plates are mounted on the gunnel mount at an approximate 45 degree angle above a horizontal plane defined by said gunnel.   
     
     
         14 . The lift of  claim 13 , wherein the lift can lift a hand-held underwater propulsion device of about 200 pounds. 
     
     
         15 . The lift of  claim 13 , wherein the cable from the lift is attached to the hand-held underwater propulsion device, the winch on the lift is used to retrieve and raise the hand-held underwater propulsion device out of the water, then the lift and hand-held underwater propulsion device is swiveled inboard of the boat. 
     
     
         16 . The lift of  claim 13 , wherein the cable from the lift is attached to the hand-held underwater propulsion device, the lift is then swiveled overboard, a winch on the lift is used to lower and launch the hand-held underwater propulsion device into the water. 
     
     
         17 . A lift, adopted to be mounted on or in a gunnel of a boat, for launching and retrieval of a hand-held underwater propulsion device from said boat, said hand-held underwater propulsion device weighing in excess of 60 pounds and being larger than 30 inches by 15 inches by 10 inches in length, width and depth, comprising:
 two frame plates spaced apart by frame supports, each frame plate having respective proximal terminal ends adapted to be disposed near said gunnel, and having respective distal terminal ends spaced away from said gunnel;   said proximal frame plate terminal ends fixed or coupled to a gunnel mount which gunnel mount is adapted to be rotatably attached or affixed to said gunnel, thereby permitting said frame plates to swivel over and beyond said gunnel and to swivel over said gunnel and into an inboard portion of said boat;   said distal frame plate terminal ends having mounted there between a lift pulley;   a winch mounted on said frame plates intermediate said distal dn proximal frame plate ends;   a cable wound about said winch and deployable from said winch, said cable adapted to run over the lift pulley, said cable having a clip mechanism for said hand-held underwater propulsion device on a cable terminal end; and   wherein the frame plates are attached to the gunnel mount at an approximate 45 degree angle above a horizontal plane defined by said gunnel.