Patent Application
20180334074
The present invention relates to trailers and, more particularly, to a conversion cage that converts a boat trailer into an all-purpose trailer.
A boat trailer is a trailer designed to launch, retrieve, carry and sometimes store boats. Roll-on, also known as a “Roller style trailer”, uses rubber and/or polyurethane rollers for ease of launching and loading a boat. A glide-path, also known as a “Float-on” style trailer allows the boat to float onto the trailer; after the trailer has been partially submerged (usually ¾ of the trailer). Currently, boat trailers can only be used to transport or store boats. When a boat is not in use, the boat trailer cannot currently be used for anything else.
As can be seen, there is a need for a conversion cage that converts a boat trailer into an all-purpose trailer.
In one aspect of the present invention, a method of converting a boat trailer to an all-purpose trailer comprises steps of: providing a trailer cage comprising a base and sidewalls extending vertically from the base; providing a boat trailer comprising a tongue having a trailer coupler, a winch, a trailer frame configured to support a boat thereon, an axle, and wheels coupled to the axle; attaching a hook of the winch to the trailer cage; and pulling the trailer cage onto the trailer frame via the winch.
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims.
The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.
Referring to
As mentioned above, the trailer cage 18 includes a base 26 and sidewalls 27 vertically extending from the base 26. The sidewalls 27 may include vertical members coupled to horizontal cross members, forming a barrier around a periphery of the base 26. In certain embodiments, one of the sidewalls 27 is a tail gate door 20. In such embodiments, the tail gate door 20 is attached to the base 26 by hinges 22, and thereby may pivot up to 90 degrees relative to the base 26. Locks 24 may secure the tail gate door 27 in a closed position. In certain embodiments, casters may be secured to the bottom surface at the corners of the base 26. Further, a tarp may be used to cover the trailer cage 18 while in use.
As mentioned above, the trailer cage 18 is mounted to a boat trailer 12. The boat trailer 12 includes a tongue 9 having a trailer coupler 11. A winch 14 protrudes vertically from the tongue 9. The winch 14 may be a manual winch with a crank or an automated winch with a motor and power source. The boat trailer 12 further includes a trailer frame 16 configured to support a boat thereon. An axle 21 is coupled to the trailer frame 16. A pair of wheels 23 are rotatably coupled to the axle 21.
The trailer cage 18 is pulled onto the trailer frame 16 by the winch 14. In certain embodiments, a hook 30 protrudes from the sidewall 27 of the trailer cage 18. The winch 14 includes a hook 17 secured to a cable that is wrapped around a spool. The hook 17 of the winch 14 releasably secures to the trailer cage 18 by hooking onto the hook 30 of the trailer cage 18. The winch 14 is then either turned on or cranked to pull the trailer cage 18 onto the trailer frame 16, converting the boat trailer 12 into an all-purpose trailer.
The hook 30 of the trailer cage 18 is fastened to the sidewall 27 of the trailer cage 18. For example, an angle bracket 28 may be fastened to the base 26 and a front sidewall 27 by a plurality of bolts or screws 32. The hook 30 may be a U-bolt. Ends of the U-bolt are fastened to the angle bracket 28 by washers and nuts. The remainder of the U-bolt runs through openings of the front sidewall 27 and protrudes from an outer surface of the trailer cage 18. The hook 17 of the winch 14 easily slides onto the U-bolt, releasably connecting the trailer cage 18 to the winch 14.
The present invention may further include straps 19 to secure the trailer cage 18 to the trailer frame 16. In such embodiments, a plurality of straps 19 may wrap around the trailer cage 18 and the trailer frame 16 and the ends of the straps 19 are secured to one another. The present invention may utilize at least four straps, one securing each corner of the trailer cage 18 to the trailer frame 16. The straps 19 prevent the trailer cage 18 from detaching while the trailer cage 18 is in use.
A method of converting a boat trailer 12 to an all-purpose trailer may include the following steps: providing the trailer cage 18 described above; providing the boat trailer 12 described above; unwinding the cable of the winch 17; attaching the hook 17 of the winch 14 to the hook 30 of the trailer cage 18; winding the cable of the winch 17 back on the spool, thereby pulling the trailer cage 18 onto the trailer frame 16; and wrapping straps 19 around the trailer frame 16 and the trailer cage 18, thereby securing the trailer cage 18 to the trailer frame 16.
It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.
This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. provisional application No. 62/508,909, filed May 19, 2017, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62508909 | May 2017 | US |
