USRE39414EExpiredUtility

Outboard motor support device

40
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: May 5, 1997Filed: Mar 8, 2001Granted: Nov 28, 2006
Est. expiryMay 5, 2017(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Steven J. Poll
B63H 20/36B63H 20/007B63H 20/10
40
PatentIndex Score
4
Cited by
5
References
40
Claims

Abstract

An outboard motor support device for securing an outboard motor to a transom of a boat which comprises a tie down bracket, a support, and a tie down strap. The tie down bracket being secured to the transom of the boat while the support is rotatably mounted to the motor such that when the motor is in an up position, the support can rotate about its mounting point to contact and support the motor. The tie down strap then passes behind the motor and is secured to the tie down bracket. This secures the motor between the support and the tie down strap providing additional support.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1. An outboard motor support device for securing an outboard motor to a transom of a boat, the device comprising:
 a tie down bracket placed between a trim adjustment rack of the motor and the transom of the boat;  
 a support rotatably mounted with respect to the motor such that when the motor is in an up position the support can rotate about its mounting point to contact and support the motor; and  
 a tie down strap which passes behind the motor and is secured to the tie down bracket.  
 
     
     
       2. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the tie down bracket has a base plate which is secured adjacent to the transom by compression directed from the trim adjustment rack toward the transom and a pair of tabs that extend perpendicular to the base plate with the pair of tabs each having a hole. 
     
     
       3. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the tie down strap is adjustable in length and has a pair of ends that are secured to the tie down bracket on opposite sides of the motor. 
     
     
       4. The tie down strap  device of  claim 3 , wherein a hook is secured at each end of the tie down strap for securing the tie down strap to the tie down bracket through the holes on the pair of tabs. 
     
     
       5. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the support has a cradle which receives and secures the drive shaft housing of the motor. 
     
     
       6. The device of  claim 5 , wherein the support comprises a V-frame with a cross bar such that the opening of the V-frame mounts to the trim adjustment rack of the motor. 
     
     
       7. The device of  claim 6 , wherein the cross bar extends beyond the V-frame to form a pair of handles on either side of the V-frame. 
     
     
       8. The device of  claim 1 , wherein a lanyard is connected between the motor and the support to raise the support when the motor is raised to an up position. 
     
     
       9. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the support is rotatably mounted such that the support is positioned between the motor and the transom when the motor is in a down position. 
     
     
       10. The device of  claim 9 , and further including:
 means connected between the support and the motor for rotating the support upward when the motor is tilted from the down position to the up position.  
 
     
     
       11. The device of  claim 10 , wherein the support includes a handle. 
     
     
       12. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the tie down bracket has a base plate which is mounted to the transom by bolts which mount the motor to the transom by passing through the trim adjustment rack of the motor and the base plate of the tie down bracket, the tie down bracket also including a pair of tabs that extend perpendicular to the base plate with the pair of tabs each having a hole. 
     
     
       13. An outboard motor support device for securing an outboard motor to a transom of a boat, the device comprising:
 a tie down bracket having a base which is secured to the transom and a first and a second tab which extend from the base opposedly facing each other, wherein the first and the second tabs each have a hole;  
 a support formed in a V-frame having a cross bar and a cradle, wherein the opening of the V-frame is mounted in relation to the motor such that when the motor is in an up position the support can rotate about its mounting point and the cradle located at the apex of the V-frame receives and supports the motor along the drive shaft housing of the motor; and  
 a tie down strap of adjustable length having a pair of hooks secured to its ends, wherein one of the hooks is secured in each one of the holes in the tabs and the tie down strap passes behind the drive shaft housing of the motor.  
 
     
     
       14. The device of  claim 13 , wherein the cross bar extends beyond the V-frame to form a pair of handles for the support on either side of the V-frame. 
     
     
       15. The device of  claim 14 , wherein the tie down strap passes beneath the handles of the support. 
     
     
       16. The device of  claim 13 , wherein a lanyard cable is connected between the motor and the support to raise the support when the motor is tilted to an up position. 
     
     
       17. A method for securing a motor to a transom of a boat, the method comprising:
 sliding a tie down bracket of an outboard motor support device between a transom of the boat and a trim adjustment rack of the motor;  
 mounting the motor to the transom of the boat which compresses and secures the tie down bracket between the trim adjustment rack of the motor and the transom of the boat;  
 tilting the motor to an up position;  
 rotating a support of the motor support device which has a frame pivotally mounted with respect to the motor and which has a cradle, such that the cradle receives and supports the motor along a drive shaft housing of the motor; and  
 securing a tie down strap of the motor support device to the tie down bracket such that the tie down strap passes behind the drive shaft housing of the motor and secures the motor in place between the cradle of the support and the tie down strap.  
 
     
     
       18. An outboard motor support device for securing an outboard motor to a transom of a boat, the device comprising:
 a tie down bracket;  
 a support having a V-frame with a cradle at its apex which is rotatably mounted with respect to the motor such that when the motor is in an up position the support can rotate about its mounting point to contact and support the motor in the cradle; and  
 a tie down strap which passes behind the motor and is secured to the tie down bracket.  
 
     
     
       19. The device of  claim 18 , wherein the tie down bracket has a base plate which is secured between the transom of the boat and a trim adjustment rack of the motor, the tie down bracket further including a pair of tabs that extend perpendicular to the base plate with the pair of tabs each having a hole. 
     
     
       20. The device of  claim 18 , wherein the tie down strap is adjustable in length and has a pair of ends that are secured to the tie down bracket on opposite sides of the motor. 
     
     
       21. The tie down strap  device of  claim 20 , wherein a hook is secured at each end of the tie down strap for securing the tie down strap to the tie down bracket. 
     
     
       22. The device of  claim 18 , wherein the cradle receives and secures the motor along a drive shaft housing of the motor. 
     
     
       23. The device of  claim 22 , wherein the V-frame opening of the support mounts to a trim adjustment rack of the motor. 
     
     
       24. The device of  claim 22 , wherein the V-frame has a cross bar which extends beyond the V-frame to form a pair of handles on either side of the V-frame. 
     
     
       25. The device of  claim 18 , wherein a lanyard is connected between the motor and the support to raise the support when the motor is raised to an up position. 
     
     
       26. The device of  claim 18 , wherein the support is rotatably mounted such that the support is positioned between the motor and the transom when the motor is in a down position and the axis  plane of rotation for the support is along a plane parallel to the length of the boat. 
     
     
       27. The device of  claim 26 , and further including:
 means connected between the support and the motor for rotating the support upward when the motor is tilted from the down position to the up position.  
 
     
     
       28. The device of  claim 27  wherein the support includes a handle. 
     
     
       29. An outboard motor support device for securing an outboard motor to a transom of a boat, the device comprising:
   a tie down bracket;        a v - shape support with a cradle at an upper end and having a lower end rotatably mounted with respect to the motor at a position above a bottom edge of the transom such that when the motor is in an up position the support can rotate about its mounting point to contact and support the motor and when the motor is in a down position the support is positioned between the motor and the transom; and        a tie down element which passes behind the motor and is secured to the tie down bracket when the motor is in the up position to hold the motor in contact with the support.     
     
     
       30. The device of  claim 29  wherein a hook is secured at each end of the tie down element for securing the tie down element to the tie down bracket through holes at opposite ends of the tie down bracket. 
     
     
       31. The device of  claim 29  wherein the support has a cradle which receives and secures a drive shaft housing of the motor. 
     
     
       32. The device of  claim 31  wherein the support has an first end and a second end, wherein the cradle is located at the first end, and wherein the support is rotatably mounted at its second end. 
     
     
       33. The device of  claim 29 , and further including:
   means connected between the support and the motor for rotating the support upward when the motor is tilted from the down position to the up position.     
     
     
       34. An outboard motor support device for securing an outboard motor to a transom of a boat, the device comprising:
   a rigid tie down member;        a v - shape support with a cradle at an upper end and having a lower end rotatably mounted about a horizontal pivot axis which is generally parallel to the transom and located above a bottom edge of the transom such that when the motor is in an up position the support can rotate about the pivot axis to contact and support the motor in the cradle and when the motor is in a down position the support is positioned between the motor and the transom; and        a flexible tie down element connectable to opposite ends of the tie down member which passes behind the motor to hold the motor in contact with the cradle when the motor is in its up position.     
     
     
       35. The device of  claim 34  wherein the cradle receives and secures the motor along a drive shaft housing of the motor. 
     
     
       36. The device of  claim 34  wherein a lanyard is connected between the motor and the support to move the support to a position for contacting and supporting the motor when the motor is raised to an up position. 
     
     
       37. An outboard motor support device for securing an outboard motor to a transom of a boat, the device comprising:
   a tie down bracket having holes at opposite ends;        a v - shape support having a cradle at an upper end, wherein a lower end of the support is mounted for pivotal movement about an axis located above a bottom edge of the transom such that when the motor is in an up position the support can rotate about its mounting point to a first position at which the cradle receives and supports the motor along a drive shaft housing of the motor and when the motor is in a down position the support is in second position between the motor and the transom; and        a tie down element having a pair of hooks secured to its ends, wherein each one of the hooks is secured in one of the holes in the tie down bracket and the tie down element passes behind the drive shaft housing of the motor to hold the drive shaft housing in contact with the cradle when the motor is in the up position.     
     
     
       38. The device of  claim 37  wherein a lanyard is connected between the motor and the support to pivot the support when the motor is tilted to an up position. 
     
     
       39. An outboard motor support device for securing an outboard motor to a transom of a boat, the device comprising:
   a rigid tie down member;        a v - shape support rotatably mounted at a lower end and having a cradle at an upper end, the support being rotatable about a pivotal axis located above a bottom edge of the transom so that when the motor is in an up position the support can rotate about its lower end so that the cradle receives and supports the motor along a drive shaft housing of the motor and when the motor is in a down position the support is positioned between the motor and the transom; and        a flexible tie down element connectable to the rigid tie down member, which passes behind the motor for securing the drive shaft housing in place against the cradle when the motor is in an up position.     
     
     
       40. An outboard motor support device for securing an outboard motor to a transom of a boat, the device comprising:
   a rigid tie down member;        a v - shape support rotatably mounted at a lower end and having a cradle at an upper end, the support being rotatable about a pivotal axis located above a bottom edge of the transom so that when the motor is in an up position the support can rotate about its lower end so that the cradle receives and supports the motor along a drive shaft housing of the motor and when the motor is in a down position the support is positioned between the motor and the transom;        a flexible tie down element connectable to the rigid tie down member, which passes behind the motor for securing the drive shaft housing in place against the cradle when the motor is in an up position; and        means connected between the support and the motor for rotating the support upward when the motor is tilted from the down position to the up position.

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