Claims
- 1. Apparatus for handling watercraft, where said apparatus is convertible from a transporting, loading and unloading mode, to a portable storage mode, said apparatus comprising a tiltable rail mechanism for positioning on the bed of a pickup truck, said tiltable mechanism including;a.) a pair of spaced apart, parallel rail members fixed in spatial relationship to one another by plural spacer members, said rail members having top and bottom surfaces, where said top surface includes removable roller elements, and the bottom surfaces include gear tracks; b.) a pair of pivotal, retractable legs mounted at a first end; c.) a longitudinally movable and pivotal leg support mechanism movable along and in contact with said gear tracks, manual means for moving said mechanism along said gear tracks, a towing arm for removable attachment to said pickup truck, where said support mechanism is pivotal relative to said towing arm, a pneumatic cylinder extending between said towing arm and said support mechanism to control the pivotal action therebetween, and at least one pivotal leg mounting a roller at its free end; and d.) winch means mounted at the second end of said rail mechanism to facilitate movement of said watercraft onto and off said removable roller elements.
- 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said bottom surface firther mounts plural, transverse roller members to facilitate sliding movement of said rail mechanism along said truck bed.
- 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said longitudinally movable and pivotal leg support mechanism includes a transverse member mounting a pair of pivotal legs, said transverse member further mounting a fixed leg, and said pneumatic cylinder extends between said towing arm and said fixed leg.
- 4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said transverse member further mounts a gear train in meshing engagement with said gear tracks.
- 5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein manual means are provided to rotate said gear train.
- 6. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said transverse member extends between a pair of plates, where said plates include roller elements in rolling contact with said rail members.
- 7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said winch means includes a stop member to limit the forward movement of said watercraft.
- 8. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said fixed leg is movable within the plane of said towing bar.
RELATED APPLICATION
This application is based on the priority document, Provisional Application, Ser. No. 60/152,373, filed Sep. 7, 1999, by the inventor hereof under the same title, where the contents thereof are incorporated herein in their entirety.
US Referenced Citations (12)
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60/152373 |
Sep 1999 |
US |