US 7,614,635 B2
Apparatus and means for remotely launching and securely retrieving a trailered watercraft
Paul A Pelligrino, Muskego, Wis. (US)
Assigned to Pages, LLC, Muskego, Wis. (US)
Filed on Jul. 17, 2007, as Appl. No. 11/779,225.
Prior Publication US 2009/0020981 A1, Jan. 22, 2009
Int. Cl. B60P 3/10 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 280—414.1  [414/559] 5 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A watercraft trailer, comprising:
a watercraft support having a front end, a rear end and a plurality of trailer wheels disposed proximate said rear end;
a trailer hitch disposed on the front end of said watercraft support for releasably securing said trailer to a tow vehicle;
a post arm fixedly attached proximate said front end of said watercraft support, said post arm having a remotely controlled power winch, a power winch cutoff switch and watercraft bow support rollers attached thereto;
a key chain remote to operate said winch;
first and second dolly track rails fixedly attached to said watercraft support;
a track strut fixedly attached to the rear end of said first and second dolly track rails;
a position lever rail fixedly attached to the top of said first dolly track rail, said position lever rail having first and second cutouts; and
a dolly assembly moveably positioned in said dolly track rails, said dolly assembly comprising:
a. a first and second dolly frame rail to which are rotatably attached a plurality of dolly guide wheels, said guide wheels rotatably and moveably contained in said dolly track rails;
b. a rear end support bar attached to the first ends of said first and second dolly frame rails;
c. a first support bar fixedly attached proximate said first ends of said first and second dolly frame rails;
d. a constant force cable tensioner attached to said first support bar, the cable of said constant force cable tensioner being attached at first end to said cable tensioner and at a second end to said track strut;
e. a second support bar fixedly attached proximate the longitudinal center of said dolly frame rails;
f. a first and second cradle frame rails pivotably mounted at a first end to said second support bar, one cradle frame rail mounted proximate each end of said second support bar;
g. a third and fourth support bars fixedly mounted to said first and second cradle frame rails;
h. a first and second air shocks mounted at a first end proximate the second end of said cradle frame rails and at a second end to the front end support bar, said front end support bar fixedly attached to a second end of said dolly frame rails;
i. a fifth support bar fixedly mounted to said dolly frame rails between said second support bar and said front end support bar;
j. a spring biased triggering mechanism for activating and deactivating a hooking mechanism; and
k. a bow cradle assembly pivotably mounted to said second ends of said cradle frame rails, said cradle frame assembly comprising:
1. two bow cradle assembly rails connected by two cross member supports;
2. two bow protector and alignment guides attached to said bow cradle assembly rails;
3. a bow stop adjustably mounted to said bow cradle assembly rails;
4. two hook mechanism support bars pivotably mounted to said bow cradle assembly rails;
5. a hook mechanism slide bar fixedly attached to said hook mechanism support bars; and
6. a hook mechanism slidable attached to said hook mechanism slide bar, said hook mechanism comprising:
a. a hook frame;
b. four rotatable rollers which ride on said hook mechanism slide bar;
c. a first spring which is attached at a first end to said hook frame and at a second end to said hook mechanism support bars;
d. a second spring which is attached at a first end to the second end of said triggering mechanism cable and at a second end to said hook frame;
e. a hook plate is fixedly attached to said hook frame, said hook plate having an angled through-hole slot;
f. a first pivot pin rotatably and slideably mounted in said slot;
g. attached to said first pivot pin on a first end is a watercraft hook and on a second end is a rotatable first end of a first linkage bar;
h. attached to the second end of said first linkage bar is a first end of a second linkage bar;
i. the second end of said second linkage bar is rotatably attached to a first end of a second pivot pin;
j. a hook rest is attached to the second end of said second pivot pin;
k. a third spring is attached at a first end to said second end of said first linkage bar and at a second end to said hook frame; and
l. a fourth spring is wrapped around said hook rest and attached at both ends to said hook.