US3081465A - Sectional boat - Google Patents

Description

March 19, 1963 w. s. BILLMYER SECTIONAL BOAT 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed April 3, 1961 l March 19, 1963 w. s. BILLMYER SECTIONAL BOAT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 3, 1961 ff'. Myx

ATTORNEY United States Patent Oiiice Patented Mar. 19, 1963 3,081,465 SECTIONAL BOAT William S. Billmyer, 2307 Fifth St., Moline, Ill.

Filed Apr. 3, 1961, Ser. No. 100,274 7 Claims. (Cl. 9--2) More particularly, it is an yobject of the present invention to provide a boat composed of sections which may be nested one within another for ltransportation and storage and which may be readily secured rigidly together with the sections in end-to-end relation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sectional boat wherein each section provides a separate open top compartment, and wherein the boat sections are connected by novel joints by which the compartments are sealed from one another to substantially above the waterline of the boat.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a novel interlocking joint between the sections of the boat to provide maximum rigidity between the assembled boat sections and to enable the boat sections to be assembled and disassembled very quickly and easily.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a sectional boat the sections of which are so designed that sai-d sections may be readily molded or cast.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following ydescription of the drawings, illustrating a presently preferred embodiment thereof, and wherein:

FIGURE l is a top plan view, partly in horizontal section, of the assembled boat;

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal substantially central sectional view thereof;

FIGURE 3 is 4across Sectional 'View taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 3-3 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 4 is a cross sectional view showing the boat sections nested for transportation or storage;

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of a boat deck attachment for the bow section; f

FIGURE 6 is `a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 6-6 of FIGURE 2;

from the outer edge of the portion 21, as best seen in FIGURE 7. The horizontal gunwale portion 21 is provided with longitudinally spaced openings 23, for a purpose which will hereinafter be described. The rear wall 18 terminates below the level of the gunwales 20 and said gunwales terminate forwardly of therear wall 18 so that the side walls 17 have upper edge portions, disposed behind the gunwales 20, which are disposed coplanar with the upper edges of the transverse wall 18, as seen in FIG- URE 7. The front wall 19 has a forwardly extending horizontal Iflange 24 at its upper edge which is disposed above the level of the upper edge of the rear wall 18 and substantially coplanar with the horizontal gunwale portions 21. A wall 2-5 is formed integral with and extends downwardly from the forward edge of the top ange 24 and terminates in its bottom edge just above the level of the bottom 16. The wall 25 has slots 26 at the ends thereof which extend from the bottom of said wall to the horizontal liange 24, lower portions of said slots being seen in FIGURE 4. l

The stern section 15 likewise includes a substantially flat bottom 16', upright substantially parallel side walls 17', an upright transverse rear wall 18 and an'upright transverse front wall 19. As seen in FIGURE 6, the stern section -15 is slightly wider than the intermediate 1 section 14 so that the side walls 17' are spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the spacing between the walls 17. The side walls 17 have gunwales 20', corresponding to the gunwales 20, and which are disposed at the same height above'the bottom 16 as the gunwales 20 p are `dispose-d `with respect to the bottom 16. The rear FIGURE 7 is an exploded fragmentary perspective View, partly in section, and on an enlarged scale, showing parts forming the interlocking joint between twov of the boat sections; t

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal vertical sectional view, taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 8--8 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary side elevational view'of a part of the assembled boat;

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary cross sectional view showing the connection of the boat deck attachment of FIG- URE 5 to a part of the boiw section, and

FIGURE 11 is an enlarged bottom planview ofy a part of the assembled boat.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the sectional boat in its entirety is designated generally 12 and in the embodiment thereof as illustrated, includes a bow section 13, an intermediate section 14 and a stern section 15.

The intermediate section 14 has a substantially flat bottom 16, corresponding vertical side walls 17, a transverse vertical rear end wall 18 and a transverse vertical front wall 19. The side walls 17 at their upper edges are provided with integral gunwales 20, each of which includes an outwardly projecting horizontal portion 21 yand a depending vertical portion 22 which exten-ds downwardly wall 18 corresponds to the rear wall 18 and its upper edge is disposed coplanar `with the portions of the upper edges of the walls 17 which are located behind the gunwales 20. Thus, another boat section, not shown, can be added t-o the boat 12 behind the section 15. As seen in' FIGURE 7, the front 'wall 19', which corresponds to the front wall 19, has a forwardly extending horizontal top ange 24', and a wall 215 which extends downwardly from the forward edge of the ange 24 and which terminates slightly above the level of the upper surface of the bottom 16. The flange 24' and the rwall 25' correspond with the flange 24 and wall 25, said wall 25' being provided with slots 26 at the ends thereof, corresponding to the slots 26. As seen in FIGURE 7, the side walls 17 extend beyond the front wall 19 to terminate coplanar with the forward edge of the ange 24 and the front surface of the wall 25', so that the slots 26 separate the side walls 17 from the wall 25. The gunwales 20 extend to the forward ends of the side walls 17 and are beveled on their outer sides and Iat their forward ends, as seen at 27, in FIGURES l and 7. The gunwales 20 are similarly beveled on their outer sides and at their forward ends as seen at 28 in FIGURE 1.

The bow section 13 includes a bottom 29 having a substantially yflat rear portion 30 of a width somewhat less than the width of the bottom 16, and an upwardly curved and tapered forward portion 31. The bow section 13 includes corresponding side walls 32 which are spaced apart a distance less than the spacing between the walls 17 and which side walls include substantially parallel rear portions 33, ywhich are spaced apart a distance'le'ss than the spacing between the walls 17, and inwardly curved converging forward portions 34 the bot tom edges of which conform in contour to the bottom portion 31 andthe forward ends of which converge with one another and with the forward end of said bottom portion 31. The bow section 13 has a rear wall 18", corresponding to the rear wall 18.

The bow section 13 has gunwales 3S along its side walls 32, each including a horizontal top ange 36 which extends to the forward ends of the walls 32 and an outer vertical depending flange 37, which extends only along a part of the gunwale which is spaced outwardly `from the wall portion 33. The rear ends of the gunwales 35 and wall port-ions 33 correspond with the rear ends of the walls `17 and gunwales 20, as seen in FIGURE 7, to provide notches 38 to accommodate the tapered forward ends 28 of the gunwales 2f), and end portions of the top flange 24, as Will hereinafter be described. The horizontal gun- 'wale portions 36 are provided with spaced openings 39 similar -to the openings 23. The bow section 13 may be provided with a bow seat 4t) which extends rearwardly from the bottom portion 31 and between the wall portions 34, somewhat below the level of the gunwale surfaces 36. An apertured plate 41 may be provided at the forward end of the wall portions 34 and above the seat 40, and a mooring eye 42 may be provided externally of the bow section and at the upper forward end o-f the bottom portion 31.

The bottom 16 is provided on its underside and adjacent each end thereof with longitudinally disposed lugs 43 having bores 44 extending longitudinally therethrough, as seen in FIGURE 8. The underside of the bottom 16', adjacent both of its ends, has similar lugs 45 provided rwith longitudinal bores 46, and the underside of the bottom portion 30, near the rear wall 18, has similar lugs 47 provided with bores 48.

To assemble the boat 12, the boat sections 13, 14 and 15 are preferably inverted and the rear wall 18 of the intermediate section is displaced downwardly into the space 49 between the front wall 19 and the wall 25'. The wall 25 is of a length to fit snugly between the side walls 17, portions of which side walls are accommodated in the slots 26, as seen in FIGURE 6, so that the forward ends of the walls 17' overlap the rear ends of the walls 17. The width of the space 49 is substantially greater than the thickness of the Wall 18, and when the forward ends of the gunwales 20' are in abutting engagement with the rear ends of the gunwales 20, as seen in FIGURE 1, the wall 18 is disposed in the space 49 between and spaced from the walls 19 and 25' and with its upper edge abutting the top flange 24'. With lthe parts thus disposed, the bores 44 of the rear lugs 43 are disposed in alignment with the bores 46 of the front lugs 45 to receive headed bolts 50 which engage detachably through said aligned bores 44 and 46 and to which nuts 51 are applied and tightened for detachably securing the sections 14 and 15 rigidly together, with the adjacent ends of the gunwales 20 and 20 in abutting engagement and with the horizontal flange 24 resting upon the upper edge of the rear wall 18 and the upper edge of the rear wall 18 and the upper edges of the rear ends of the walls 17 The rear wall 18 is similarly applied in the space 52 of the intermediate section 14, between the walls 19 and 25, so that the upper edge of the wall 18 and the upper edges of the rear ends of the wall portions 33 abut against the underside of the horizontal flange 24. The walls 17 similarly overlap the rear ends of the wall portions 33 and the forward ends of the gunwales Z abut against the rear ends of the gunwales 35. When thus disposed, parts of the wall portions 33 will be snugly received in the slots 26 so that the sections 13 and 14 will be disposed in correct alignment and with the bores 44 of the forward lugs 43 in alignment with the bores 48 of the lugs 47 to receive additional bolts 53 which are secured to said lugs by nuts 54. It will thus be seen that the joint including the space 52 corresponds with the joint having the space 49 and that said joints, as best seen in FIGURE 7, due to their unique construction, provide a connection permitting no lateral movement of the sections relative to one another and only a slight lengthwise movement to the extent that the wall 18, for example, can move forwardly in the space 49 against the wall 25 until the fastenings 50, 51 are applied and tightened, and which effective- 4 ly holds the joint immovably in the position as illustrated in FIGURES 2, 6 and 8.

It will also be noted that-each section of the assembled boat 12 constitutes a separate open top compartment so that any water which might leak or otherwise collect in any one compartment or boat section cannot reach the other compartments or boat sections.

FIGURES 5 and l0 illustrate a boat deck 55 of the same shape as the top of the bow section 13 and which may be applied thereover. The deck 55 has inwardly turned back side edge portions 56 at its rear end forming upwardly opening inturned hooks which slidably engage the vertical gunwale flanges 37, when the deck 55 is slid rearwardly relative to the bow section 13. The deck 55 has openings 57 disposed to register with the openings 39 lwhen the deck 55 is applied. Selected ones of the aligned openings 39 and 57 can be engaged by nut and Ibolt `fastenings 58 for detachably securing the boat deck 55 in an applied position covering the open top of the bow section 13.

The openings 23 of the gunwales are adapted to receive conventional oarlocks, not shown, and are also adapted to be engaged by canopy poles, not shown, and seat supports. The seat supports, as illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 3, each includes two ropes or vother nonelastic flexi- -ble elements 59. One end of an angular pin 60 is secured `to each end of each rope 59 and the other ends of the pins 60 engage two openings 23 of one of the gunwales of the boat 12, as seen in FIGURES 1 and 3. The pins 60 of the other rope are engaged in corresponding openings 23 of the other gunwale. Each rope 59 extends downwardly from the pins 60 thereof through transversely spaced end notches 61 of a rigid seat member 62. An intermediate portion of the rope, which extends between said transversely spaced notches, engages either -an outer pair of hooks 63 or an inner pair of hooks 63. The elevation of the seat relative to the gunwales can thus be varied. The seat member 62 is preferably of a length to extend to adjacent the side -walls 17 to thereby cooperate with the hooks 63 or 63 in retaining the ropes 59 in engagement with the notches 61.

As previously stated, the intermediate section 14 is somewhat narrower than the stern section 15 and wider than the bow section y13 and is also of a greater length than said bow -section and of a lesser length than the stern section, so that when the sections are disconnected, the intermediate section 14 can be nested in the stern section 15 and the bow section 13 can be nested within said intermediate section 14 for transportation and/ or storage of the boat, as illustrated in FIGURE 4.

Various other modifications and changes are contemplated and may be resorted to, without departing from the function or scope of the invention as hereinafter defined by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A sectional boat comprising at least two longitudinally aligned sections including a first section and a second section; an interlocking joint detachably interconnecting said sections to one another, said interlocking joint including an inner transverse wall, an outer transverse wall and a top flange disposed above and rigidly connecting said transverse walls together in spaced apart substantially parallel relation to one another to define a downwardly opening space therebetween extending from top to bottom of said transverse walls, said transverse Walls and top flange constituting an end of said first section, said second section having a transverse end wall fitting detachably in said space and bearing against the top flange, said outer transverse wall having downwardly opening end slots, and said `second section having side walls including recessed top portions snugly engaging in said slots `and abutting portions of said top flange; said boat sections each comprising an upwardly opening compartment and said interlocking joint being interposed `engaging through said lugs for retaining the joint between and separating said compartments from one another.

2. A sectional boat as in claim 1, said boat sections having bottoms provided with apertured lugs disposed on the undersides thereof, said lugs being disposed in alignment with one another when said top flange is abutting said transverse end wall and the recessed end portions of said side walls, and fastening means detachably parts in interlocked engagement with one another.

3. A sectional boat as in claim 1, said rst section having side -Walls including end portions overlapping said inner and outer transverse walls and the Itop iiange and disposed in overlapping relation to said recessed end portions of the side walls of the second section.

4. A sectional boat as in claim 3, said side walls having outwardly extending horizontal gunwale portions provided with spaced openings, a boat seat, flexible elements detachably connected to and extending upwardly from the boat seat and having pins engaging in certain of the openings of oppositely disposed gunwale portions for detachably suspending the seat in one of said boat sections.

5. A sectional boat as in claim 1, said lsecond section being of a length and width less than the length and Width, respectively, of the rst section for storing the second section nested within the first section.

6. A sectional boat as in claim 1, a third boat section, and a second interlocking joint, corresponding to said rst mentioned interlocking joint, formed in part by one end of said third boat section and in part 'by the other end of lsaid second section, for interconnecting the second and third sections with said second section interposed between the rst and third sections.

7. A -sectional boat as in claim 6, said third section comprising a bow section and defining an upwardly opening compartment, a deck member detachably mounted on and covering the open top of the compartmen-t of said third section, and means detachably securing the deck member on said third section.

ReferencesCited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

Claims (1)

1. A SECTIONAL BOAT COMPRISING AT LEAST TWO LONGITUDINALLY ALIGNED SECTIONS INCLUDING A FIRST SECTION AND A SECOND SECTION; AN INTERLOCKING JOINT DETACHABLY INTERCONNECTING SAID SECTIONS TO ONE ANOTHER, SAID INTERLOCKING JOINT INCLUDING AN INNER TRANSVERSE WALL, AN OUTER TRANSVERSE WALL AND A TOP FLANGE DISPOSED ABOVE AND RIGIDLY CONNECTING SAID TRANSVERSE WALLS TOGETHER IN SPACED APART SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL RELATION TO ONE ANOTHER TO DEFINE A DOWNWARDLY OPENING SPACE THEREBETWEEN EXTENDING FROM TOP TO BOTTOM OF SAID TRANSVERSE WALLS, SAID TRANSVERSE WALLS AND TOP FLANGE CONSTITUTING AN END OF SAID FIRST SECTION, SAID SECOND SECTION HAVING A TRANSVERSE END WALL FITTING DETACHABLY IN SAID SPACE AND BEARING AGAINST THE TOP FLANGE, SAID OUTER TRANSVERSE WALL HAVING DOWNWARDLY OPENING END SLOTS, AND SAID SECOND SECTION HAVING SIDE WALLS INCLUDING RECESSED TOP PORTIONS SNUGLY ENGAGING IN SAID SLOTS AND ABUTTING PORTIONS OF SAID TOP FLANGE; SAID BOAT SECTIONS EACH COMPRISING AN UPWARDLY OPENING COMPARTMENT AND SAID INTERLOCKING JOINT BEING INTERPOSED BETWEEN AND SEPARATING SAID COMPARTMENTS FROM ONE ANOTHER.

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