This invention has particular but not exclusive 5 application to transportation means for use in transporting boats and the like and for illustrative purposes reference will be made to such application. However, it is to be understood that this invention could be used in other applications, such as the transportation of items of 10 machinery and various other objects which would normally require the use of a trailer or trolley.

The majority of small. boats are maintained on a trailer ready for quick transport to a launching site such as a boat ramp or the like. Trailers of all types are relatively 15 cumbersome devices which require a large storage area. This can be disadvantageous particularly as little space is available surrounding boat ramps for the storage of boat trailers. Furthermore, many boat trailers left unattended are stolen each year or have parts removed therefrom. 20 The present invention aims to alleviate at least one of the above disadvantages and to provide transportation means which will be reliable and efficient in use. Other objects and advantages of this invention will hereinafter become apparent.

»

< 25 With the foregoing and other objects in view, this - invention in one aspect resides broadly in boat transportation means including:-

a pair of wheel assemblies, and mounting means for operatively connecting said wheel assemblies to a boat, said mounting means permitting said wheel assemblies to be selectively arranged in a supporting position or a stowed position. Preferably when in a stowed position, the wheels are supported above the wateriine of the boat.

The wheel assemblies may be mounted on a rear part of the boat including the transom. In one embodiment, the mounting means may include a plurality of socket mountings for the releasable attachment of the wheel assemblies to the boat in either a supporting or a stowed position. Alternatively, the mounting means may support the movement of the wheel assemblies between a supporting position and a stowed position and in one embodiment the wheel assemblies may pivot about the mounting means. Preferably, the wheel assemblies may pivot about a transverse axis which is inclined both upwardly and outwardly.

Each wheel assembly may include an axle supported by a supporting assembly such as a supporting frame and suspension means interposed between the axle and the supporting assembly. The suspension means may include a pneumatically or hydraulically operated ram, or a compressibly resilient member such as a spring or a rubber block. Preferably the suspension means includes either a leading or trailing link suspension means.

The mounting means may include a mounting bracket or a

plurality of mounting brackets mounted on the boat. In on embodiment, the mounting brackets may be adapted fo permanent connection to the boat. In an alternativ embodiment the mounting brackets may be integral with th 5 boat.

The mounting means may further include dampening means adapted to absorb some of the vibrations attributable to the transportation of the boat over the land which might otherwise be transmitted to the boat. The dampening means 10 may include the placement of an absorbent material such as rubber between the boat hull and the mounting means including any fasteners used to fasten the mounting means to the boat hull. In one embodiment the dampening means may include sheets of rubber placed between the mounting brackets and the 15 boat hull.

The boat transportation means may also include breaking means for selectively preventing the rotational movement of the wheels. The breaking means may be actuated by the actuation of the breaking system of the towing vehicle. 20 Alternatively, each wheel assembly may include breaking means which may be actuated by mechanical means associated with the wheel assembly.

The boat transportation means may also include locking means for locking the wheel assemblies in a supporting

% 25 position or a stowed position.

In a further aspect of this invention there is provided boat transportation means including:-

a wheeled supporting assembly operatively coπnectable to a boat whereby the boat may be wheeled and a drawbar assembly -operatively connectable to the boat and to a towing vehicle. Preferably the draw bar assembly includes attachment means for the releasable attachment of the drawbar assembly to the bow of a boat and connection means such as a ball coupling for the connection of the assembly to a towing vehicle.

The drawbar assembly may include a draw bar and perhaps one or more supporting stays. In one embodiment, the supporting stays may be pivotally or releasably attached to the drawbar such that the assembly may be folded or disassembled for the purpose of storage. Furthermore, the draw bar and the stays may each comprise a plurality of interconnected members. The drawbar may also include a handle.

In order that this invention may be more easily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, wherein:- FIG. 1 is a front view of a wheeled supporting assembly constructed in accordance with the present invention; FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of a fixed frame assembly constructed in accordance with the present invention; FIG. 3 is a front view of a mounting bracket for mounting the wheeled supporting assembly to the stern of a boat object;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the mounting bracket illustrate in figure 3;

FIG. 5 is a front view of another mounting bracket for mounting the wheeled supporting assemoly to the stern of a boat;

FIG. 6 is a side view of the mounting bracket illustrated in figure 5;

FIG. 7 is a side view of a drawbar assembly constructed in accordance with the present invention; FIG. 8 is a plan view of mounting means for mounting a lower portion of the drawbar of figure 7 to the bow of a boat;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of a backing plate illustrated in figure 8; FIG. 10 is a plan view of a mounting bracket illustrated in figure 8; FIG. 11 is a plan view of mounting means for mounting an

•#* upper portion of the drawbar of figure 7 to the bow of a boat; FIG. 12 is a plan view of a backing plate illustrated in figure 11;

FIG. 13 is a plan view of a mounting bracket illustrated in figure 11;

FIG. 14 is a plan view of an end portion of the drawbar illustrated in figure 7;

FIG. 15 is an front view of the transom of a boat having fitted thereto a pair of wheeled supporting assemblies;

FIG. 16 is an end view of the bow of a boat having fitte thereto a drawbar assembly;

FIG. 17 is a front view of the transom of a boat and an alternative wheel assembly constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 18 is a side view of the wheel assembly illustrated in figure 17;

Figure 19 is a side view of the locking means of the wheel assembly illustrated in figure 17, and Figure 20 is a plan view of the locking means illustrated in figure 19.

Figure 1 illustrates - a wheeled supporting assembly 10 including an axle assembly 11a suspended from a fixed frame 12 and a wheel 13 rotatably mounted on the free end 14 of an axle 11. A pair of wheeled supporting assemblies 10 may be fitted to the transom 82 of a boat, as illustrated in figure 15, using the mounting means 15 illustrated in figure 1 and figures 3 to 6.

The fixed frame 12 includes a first structural member 16, having a substantially "U" shaped transverse cross section, and a second structural member 17 comprising a pair of opposing plate like members 18 which are spaced apart by upper and lower end members 19 and 20 respectively. One end

21 of the first structural member 16 is positioned within the slot defined by the opposing plate like members 18 and is affixed thereto. The other end 22 of the first structural member 16 is closed and includes a pin 23 extending outwardly

therefrom which is locatable within a corresponding apertur 26 formed in a flange 24 of a lower transom mounting bracke 25.

The axle 11 is pivotally connected to an axle mountin bracket 27, shown secured to the first structural member 16, by a pin 28 which extends through an aperture, not shown, i the axle 11. The axle 11 is also supported by the secon structural member 17 and is positioned between opposing plate like members 18, the lower end member 20 and the end 21 of the first structural member 16. In order to dampen the vertical movement of the axle 11 resulting from undue upwardly directed forces applied thereto, the fixed frame 12 includes suspension means 30 including a heavy spring 31 and a pair of opposing rubber stops 28 releasably secured to the lower end member 20 and the end 21 of the first structural member 16 respectively by way of fasteners 29. The spring 31 is positioned intermediate and abutting an outwardly directed abutment flange 32 of the second structural member 17 and a bearing surface 33 formed on the axle 11 by the attachment thereto of a bearing member 34 having a substantially "U" shaped cross section. The abutment flange 32 includes a cylindrically shaped locating stub 35 adapted to fit snugly within the last or uppermost turn of the spring 31. The mounting means 15 also includes an upper transom mounting bracket 36 having mounting apertures formed therein through which fasteners 37 may pass. The mounting bracket 36

3 includes an outwardly directed mounting flange 38 having a aperture 39 formed therein through which may pass a locating -pin 40 extending outwardly from a complementary flange 41 of the upper end member 19. The locating pin 40 includes an aperture 42 formed therein through which a locking ring 43 or the like may pass thereby preventing the withdrawal of the pin 40 through the aperture 39.

The fixed frame 12 also includes locking means 44 preventing pivotal movement of the axle support assembly 12 relative to the mounting means 15 about an axis aligned with pins 23 and 40. The locking means 44 includes an elongate locking member 46, one end 47 of which may be selectively located in an aperture 48 formed in a protrusion 49 extending outwardly from the mounting plate 36. The end 47 is operatively retained in the aperture 48 due to the action of a compressed spring 50 coiled around the locking member 46 and positioned intermediate a split pin 51 located along the locking member and a bearing surface 52 of a "U" shaped bracket 53 positioned intermediate opposing plate like members 18. The protrusion 49 extends through aligned apertures 49a formed in the first structural member 16 and an abutting plate like member 18 as shown in figure 2.

Figures 7, 14 and 16 illustrate a drawbar assembly 60 secured to the bow of a boat including an elongate drawbar 61 and two supporting struts 62. The leading ends 64 of the struts 62 are secured to a mounting plate 65 which is affixed o the leading end 63 of the drawbar 61 such that the struts

62 diverge upwardly and away from the end 63. The other end of the drawbar 61 includes a mounting bracket 66 having a mounting aperture 67 formed therein. The bracket 66, in use, aouts an end portion 68 of a lower bow mounting bracket 69 , see figure 16, such that aperture 67 is aligned with a corresponding aperture 70 formed in the end portion 68. A pin 71, threaded through apertures 67 and 70, is used to secure the mounting bracket 66 and the end portion 68 together and is prevented from withdrawal by the insertion of an additional pin 72 in an aperture formed in an end of the pin 71. The lower bow mounting bracket 69 also includes three mounting apertures 73 for the location of fasteners 74 as illustrated in figure 8.

The mounting plate 65 is provided with a mounting aperture 89 which may be used to secure a ball coupling, not shown, to the drawbar assembly.

The free ends 75 of the struts 62 are each provided with a mounting aperture 76 which, in use, may be aligned with a corresponding aperture 77 formed in an abutment flange 78 of an upper bow mounting bracket 79. The flanges 78 are secured to respective struts 62 by a fastener, not shown, passing through aligned apertures 76 and 77. The mounting bracket 79 also includes a mounting aperture for the location of fasteners 80 as illustrated in figure 11. In use, a pair of wheeled support assemblies 10 may be

••«■* ---»•«--■«•■ -*«»_-*_J -^ 4> -«"«ι>M M --ι-m O *1 - _* -»_ •£ »a -A n - -ϊ *s _-» •»- a-3 .-I •»— 4- -—-. (-. wn-fr -f ι m Tnα a n .. OCE U-U G - W bUC J. UUOWUI W _fc ..L CL J UQ - .k-1 W-JL ΛC: J. 1. W _/ J. V __L. -> by which the boat may be wheeled. The wheeled support

assemblies 10 are preferably secured to the transom 82 of the boat such that the wheels 13, when required, operatively extend below the hull of the boat and, when not required, are positionable above the gunnel 98 and adjacent any outboard motor 97 suspended from the transom 82a. In order that the wheeled supporting assemblies 10 may be secured to the transom 82 of the boat, opposing pairs of mounting means 15 comprising mounting brackets 36 and 25 are secured to respective sides of the transom 82 using fasteners 37. To provide strength and to prevent the mountings being torn from the transom, the mounting of mounting brackets 25 and 36 may include the use of respective backing plates 83 and 84 as illustrated in figures 4, 5 and 6.

The respective fixed frames 12 of the assemblies 10 are releasably fitted to the transom 82 by locating pins 23 and 40 in respective apertures 26 and 39 formed in mounting brackets 25 and 38 respectively. To retain the fixed frames in an operative position, locking rings 43 are inserted in apertures 42 and the locking members 46 are threaded through respective apertures 48 of the protrusions 49 as illustrated in figures 1 and 2.

A drawbar assembly may also be fitted to the bow of the boat thereby enabling the boat to be towed by a vehicle or the like. In order that the drawbar assembly may be secured to the bow of the boat, a lower bow mounting bracket 69 and an opposing pair ox upper bow mounting brackets 79 are secured to the bow 85 of the boat hull using fasteners 74.

To provide strength and to prevent the mountings being tor from the bow, the mounting of mounting brackets 69 and 79 may include the use of respective backing plates 86 and 87 as illustrated in figures 8 and 11. The drawbar mounting bracket 66 is releasably secured to lower bow mounting bracket 69 by passing pin 71 through aligned apertures 67 and 70 and is retained therein by the insertion of pin 72 in the aperture formed in the end of pin 71. Fasteners, not shown, located within aligned apertures 77 and 76 are used to secure the struts 62 to respective upper bow mounting brackets 79.

It will be appreciated that when the wheeled supporting assemblies 10 are in their operative position 89 and the drawbar assembly 60 is secured to the bow of the boat, the ball coupling 90 may be coupled to the tow bar 91 of a vehicle 92 thereby enabling the vehicle to tow the boat.

Having arrived at a boat ramp, the drawbar assembly 60 may be unhitched from the towing vehicle 92, and, if desired, also detached from the bow of the boat. Alternatively, the drawbar assembly may be detached from the boat once the boat is afloat and subsequently stored on board.

Once the boat is in the water, the wheeled supporting assemblies 10 may be transferred to an inoperative position 93, as indicated by the dotted outline of figure 15, by raising the elongate locking members 46 in the direction of arrows 94 sufficient to remove the end portions 47 of the members from the apertures 48 of the protrusions 49 and by

subsequently pivoting the wheeled supporting assemblies about respective axes containing pins 23 and 40. The wheeled supporting assemblies 10 may be retained in an inoperative position by way of additional locking means, not shown. Alternatively, by removing the locking pins 43 from the apertures 42, the fixed frames 12 may be detached from the mounting means 15 and suitably stored on board the boat.

The reverse procedure to that described above may be employed upon removal of the boat from the water for conveying the boat up a boat ramp and subsequently for towing the boat.

Figures 17 to 20 illustrate an alternative wheel assembly

100 pivotally mounted on the transom 101 of a boat. The wheel assembly 100 includes a wheel 102 rotatably mounted on an axle 103 which is supported by and suspended from a supporting frame 104 by leading link suspension means 105.

The supporting frame 104 includes a square shaped tubular frame member 106 connected to a channel shaped frame member 107 and wherein each frame member is hingedly connected to the transom 101 by mountings 108.

The suspension means 105 includes four rod like rubber buffers 121 fitted into the respective internal corners of the frame member 106 so as to bear against a respective outer face of an inner, square shaped, tubular member 122. The latter may rotate about its longitudinal axis within the 1 ΛC ■_» •-» i τ» 3 π •« •*+•«--_ -P >m>«.A 1 ~7 i a connected to the axle 103 by an intermediate link 123.

The wheel assembly 100 is aiso provided with locking means 109 including a lug 110 which projects outwardly from the transom 101 and a "U" shaped locking member 111 having a handle 112, an intermediate "neck portion" 113 and end portions 114. The lug includes a pair of shoulders 115 which extend through a locating aperture 116 formed in the web 117 of the frame member 107. The web includes two projections 118 and 119 disposed intermediate the end portions 114 and above and below the neck portion 113 respectively. In use, a pair of wheel assemblies 100 may be hingedly mounted on the transom 101 of a boat such that the wheels 102 of the assemblies 100, when in a supporting position, extend below and forward of the transom and when in a stowed position, extend above and to the rear of the gunnel 120, as illustrated in figures 17 and 18.

The wheel assemblies are locked in the supporting position by the retention of the end portions 114 of the locking member 111 between the shoulders 115 of the lug 110 and the web 117 of the frame member 107. The locking means 109 may be disengaged by sliding the locking member 111 in an upward direction such that the neck portion 113 engages projection 118 and the end portions 114 are splayed outwardly sufficient to clear the shoulders 115 of the lug 110. It will be appreciated that the wheeled assemblies when fitted to the transom of a boat do not inhibit the attachment of an outboard motor to the boat's transom. Furthermore, the

I3A wheels and their associated axles when stored in a supporting position do not prevent the use of the boat for purposes such as the towing of water skiers.

It will of course be realised that the above has been given only by way of illustrative example of the present invention and that all such modifications and variations thereto as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of this invention as is herein defined in the appended claims.