Claims
- 1. A canoe seat for a canoe having gunwales stabilized by thwarts, the canoe having a shell with a side region and a bottom region and having a beam B, the canoe seat comprising:
- a brace having a brace first end region, which is connected to a thwart of the canoe, and a brace second end region, which engages the bottom region of the shell of the canoe;
- a connector which is affixed to said brace first end region and to one of the thwarts, said connector providing a rigid connection of said brace first end region to one of the thwarts of the canoe;
- a platform which is pivotably mounted with respect to said brace for support of the operator, said platform having a width W which is less than the beam B of the shell; and
- means for maintaining said platform in a substantially horizontal position for supporting the operator, where said platform is substantially parallel to the gunwales, and in an inclined position for supporting the operator, where said platform is inclined with respect to the gunwales.
- 2. The canoe seat of claim 1 wherein said brace second end region supportably engages the bottom region of the shell of the canoe.
- 3. The canoe seat of claim 2 further comprising:
- a pad interposed between said brace second end region and the bottom region of the shell of the canoe,
- said pad providing said supportable engagement of said brace second end region and the bottom region of the shell.
- 4. The canoe seat of claim 1 wherein said brace second end region fixably engages the bottom region of the shell of the canoe.
- 5. The canoe seat of claim 1 wherein said means for maintaining said platform in said substantially horizontal position and said inclined position further comprises:
- a prop having a prop first end region and a prop second end region, said prop being rotatable between an upper prop position, where said prop engages said platform and said brace such that said platform is substantially parallel to the gunwales, and a lower prop position, where said prop engages said platform and said brace such that said platform is inclined with respect to the gunwales.
- 6. The canoe seat of claim 5 wherein when said prop first end region is pivotably attached to said platform and said prop second end region rotates between an upper prop engaging site associated with said brace and a lower prop engaging site associated with said brace,
- said upper prop engaging site being so positioned that when said prop second end region is engaged with said upper prop engaging site, said platform is substantially parallel to the gunwales; and
- said lower prop engaging site being so positioned that when said lower prop end region is engaged with said prop second engaging site, said platform is inclined with respect to the gunwales.
- 7. The canoe seat of claim 6 wherein said brace further comprises:
- a first brace rail having a first brace rail first end region, which forms part of said brace first end region, and a first brace rail second end region, which forms part of said brace second end region;
- a second brace rail having a second brace rail first end region, which forms part of said brace first end region, and a second brace rail second end region, which forms part of said brace second end region, said second brace rail being spaced apart from said first brace rail; and
- means for maintaining said first brace rail spaced apart from said second brace rail.
- 8. The canoe seat of claim 7 wherein said means for maintaining said first brace rail spaced apart from said second brace rail further comprises:
- a first rung which engages said first brace rail and said second brace rail, said first rung being positioned in said brace second end region; and
- a second rung spaced apart from said first rung, said second rung engaging said first brace rail and said second brace rail, said second rung being positioned in said brace second end region such that said first rung lies between said second rung and said brace first end region.
- 9. The canoe seat of claim 8 wherein said first rung serves as said upper prop engaging site and said second rung serves as said lower prop engaging site and further wherein said prop further comprises:
- a first prop post having:
- a first prop post first end providing part of said prop first end region, said first prop post first end being pivotably attached to said platform; and
- a first prop post second end terminating in a first prop clamp, said first prop post second end and said first prop clamp providing part of said prop second end region, said first prop clamp being configured to be engageable with said first rung and said second rung; and
- a second prop post having:
- a second prop post first end providing part of said prop first end region, said second prop post first end being pivotably attached to said platform; and
- a second prop post second end terminating in a second prop clamp, said second prop post second end and said second prop clamp providing part of said prop second end region, said second prop clamp being configured to be engageable with said first rung and said second rung.
- 10. The canoe seat of claim 9 further comprising:
- an expandable coupling connecting said brace second end region to the canoe.
- 11. The canoe seat of claim 8 wherein:
- a first rail upper engaging site on said first brace rail and a second rail upper engaging site on said second brace rail provide said upper prop engaging site; and
- a first rail lower engaging site on said first brace rail and a second rail lower engaging site on said second brace rail provide said lower prop engaging site; and
- further wherein said prop further comprises:
- a first prop post having a first prop post
- first end which is pivotably attached to said platform and a first prop post second end contoured to engage said first brace rail; and
- a second prop post having a second prop post first end which is pivotably attached to said platform and a second prop post second end contoured to engage said second brace rail; and
- still further wherein said means for maintaining said platform in a substantially horizontal position and an inclined position further comprises:
- a first crank pivotably engaging said first prop post second end and said first brace rail, said first crank directing said first prop post second end between said first rail upper engaging site and said first rail lower engaging site; and
- a second crank pivotably engaging said second prop post second end and said second brace rail, said second crank directing said second prop post second end between said second rail upper engaging site and said second rail lower engaging site.
- 12. The canoe seat of claim 1 wherein said means for maintaining said platform in said substantially horizontal position and said inclined position further comprises:
- a prop having a first prop post and a second prop post,
- said first prop post having a first prop post first end and a first prop post second end, said first prop post first end being pivotably attached to said platform, and
- said second prop post having a second prop post first end and a second prop post second end, said second prop post first end being pivotably attached to said platform;
- a first crank pivotably connected to said brace;
- a first lockable pivotable connector connecting said first prop post second end with said first crank, said first lockable pivotable connector having a first pivotable connector upper locking position and a first pivotable connector lower locking position,
- wherein when said first lockable pivotable connector is locked in said first pivotable connector upper locking position, said platform is in said substantially horizontal position, and when said first lockable pivotable connector is locked in said first pivotable connector lower locking position, said platform is in said inclined position;
- a second crank pivotably connecting to said brace; and
- a second lockable pivotable connector connecting said second prop post second end with said second crank, said second lockable pivotable connector having a second pivotable connector upper locking position and a second pivotable connector lower locking position,
- wherein when said second lockable pivotable connector is locked in said second pivotable connector upper locking position, said platform is in said substantially horizontal position, and when said second lockable pivotable connector is locked in said second pivotable connector lower locking position, said platform is in said inclined position.
- 13. A collapsible canoe seat suitable for use in a collapsible canoe having a shell, the shell having a flexible skin supported by a frame having stringers supported by ribs which in turn are tied into gunwales stabilized by thwarts, the collapsible canoe seat comprising:
- a brace having a brace first end region and a brace second end region;
- a platform pivotably mounted with respect to said brace;
- a brace support having a brace support first end region and a brace support second end region, said brace support first end region being pivotably mounted with respect to said brace;
- a prop having a prop first end region and a prop second end region, said prop being rotatable between an upper prop position, where said prop engages said platform and said brace such that said platform is substantially parallel to the gunwales, and a lower prop position, where said prop engages said platform and said brace such that said platform is inclined with respect to the gunwales;
- a base having a cross support which traverses the stringers and a supplemental cross support which traverses the stringers, and having a retaining element which maintains said cross support and said supplemental cross support in a spaced apart relationship;
- a guiding element engaged with said base and the frame and allowing sliding motion therebetween;
- means for maintaining said base in close proximity to the stringers; and
- means for connecting said brace and said brace support to said base.
- 14. The collapsible canoe seat of claim 13 wherein said means for maintaining said base in close proximity to the stringers also provides means for limiting said sliding motion between said base and the frame.
- 15. The collapsible canoe seat of claim 14 wherein said guiding element is affixed to said base and slidably engages at least one of the stringers of the frame.
- 16. The collapsible canoe seat of claim 15 wherein said means for maintaining said base in close proximity to the stringers further comprises:
- a fore strap which is connected to said base and to one of the ribs which is forward of said base, said fore strap limiting the maximum separation between said base and the one of the ribs which is forward of said base; and
- an aft strap which is connected to said base and to one of the ribs which is aft of said base, said aft strap limiting the maximum separation between said base and the one of the ribs which is aft of said base.
- 17. The collapsible canoe seat of claim 16 wherein said fore strap is connected to the one of the ribs which is forward of said base by passing over the one of the ribs which is forward of said base and around one of the stringers at a point just forward of where the one of the stringers engages the one of the ribs which is forward of said base, and
- further wherein said aft strap is connected to the one of the ribs which is aft of said base by passing over the one of the ribs which is aft of said base and around the one of the stringers at a point which is just aft of where the one of the stringers engages the one of the ribs which is aft of said base.
- 18. The collapsible canoe seat of claim 17 wherein the length of said fore strap and the length of said aft strap can be varied.
- 19. The collapsible canoe seat of claim 13 wherein said prop first end region is pivotably attached to said platform and said prop second end region rotates between an upper prop engaging site associated with said brace and a lower prop engaging site associated with said brace,
- said upper prop engaging site being so positioned that when said prop second end region is engaged with said upper prop engaging site, said prop is in said upper prop position, thereby maintaining said platform substantially parallel to the gunwales; and
- said lower prop engaging site being so positioned that when said prop second end region is engaged with said lower prop engaging site, said prop is in said lower prop position, thereby maintaining said platform inclined with respect to the gunwales.
- 20. The collapsible canoe seat of claim 19 wherein said brace further comprises:
- a first brace rail;
- a second brace rail spaced apart from said first brace rail; and
- means for maintaining said second brace rail spaced apart from said first brace rail.
- 21. The collapsible canoe seat of claim 20 wherein said brace, said brace support and said prop are configured such that they nest when the collapsible canoe seat is collapsed.
- 22. The collapsible canoe seat of claim 21 wherein:
- said brace has a U-shape configuration, having an open end region of said brace and a closed end of said brace,
- said closed end of said brace providing said brace first end region and said open end region of said brace providing said brace second end region, said first brace rail, and said second brace rail;
- further wherein said brace support has a U-shaped configuration, having an open end region of said brace support and a closed end of said brace support, said closed end of said brace support providing said brace support first end region and said open end region of said brace support providing said brace support second end region, a first brace support post, and a second brace support post;
- still further wherein said prop has a U-shaped configuration, having an open end region of said prop and a closed end of said prop, said closed end of said prop providing said prop first end region and said open end region of said prop providing said prop second end region, a first prop post, and a second prop post; and
- yet further wherein said means for maintaining said second brace rail spaced apart from said first brace rail further comprises:
- a first rung fixably engaged with said first brace rail and said second brace rail, said first rung being positioned to accommodate said nesting of said brace, said brace support, and said prop.
- 23. The collapsible canoe seat of claim 22 wherein said brace, said brace support, said prop, said first rung, and said base are formed from tubular stock.
- 24. The collapsible canoe seat of claim 23 wherein said means for connecting said brace and said brace support to said base further comprises:
- brace clamps which terminate said first and second brace rails,
- said brace clamps being configured to engage said cross support of said base; and
- brace support clamps which terminate said first and second brace support posts,
- said brace support clamps being configured to engage said supplemental cross support of said base.
- 25. The collapsible canoe seat of claim 24 wherein said first rung serves as said upper prop engaging site and said cross support serves as said lower prop engaging site.
- 26. The collapsible canoe seat of claim 13 further wherein said brace and said brace support are pivotably attached to said platform.
Parent Case Info
This application is a provisional of application Ser. No. 60/002,342 filed Aug. 15, 1995 and a continuation in part of application Ser. No. 08/624,948 filed Mar. 29, 1996.
US Referenced Citations (6)
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
624948 |
Mar 1996 |
|