DESCRIPTION

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a vehicle for hauling and launching boats.

Background Art

Hoisting and handling systems used in the nautical field for hauling and launching boats are known. More particularly, carriages for hauling, launching and transporting a boat are known, which can be moved along a surface such as a ramp, in a harbor or in a shipyard, and comprise a wheel-mounted frame and fittings for hoisting and lowering the boat. Such carriages are also usually self-propelled, being equipped with a motor and a unit, for example of a hydraulic type, for transmitting motion to at least one of the wheel axles.

SE465026 (B) shows an example of a carriage of the aforementioned type provided with a frame extending, in a horizontal plane, according to a substantially "U"-like shape in which two parallel longitudinal beams and a transverse connecting section arranged between the two beams are provided. The frame is provided with axles, two of which are steering axles, for the wheels, as well as with swiveling arms for engaging the hull of the boat by means of specific slings. The hoisting and lowering the hull is effected by controlling the swiveling of the arms by means of hydraulic cylinders.

The hauling and launching of boats usually involves moving the boat along a plane with variable inclination. A typical example is the dock of a harbor that includes a horizontal floor and an inclined ramp to access the basin where the boat is located or needs to be placed.

Currently known vehicles do not allow the boat to be easily moved between areas with marked slope differences and therefore it is generally necessary to use at least two different vehicles, each equipped to face a specific slope. The boat must therefore be transferred from one vehicle to another with considerable loss of time and risk of damage to the hull.

The main object of the invention is to provide a vehicle for hauling and launching boats that does not have these drawbacks.

A further object of the invention is to provide a vehicle of the aforementioned type that facilitates the operations of hauling and launching boats in and from basins connected to ramps even with pronounced and variable slope. Another object of the invention is to provide a vehicle of the aforementioned type that is capable of hauling and launching boats in basins having an inclined bottom, even with a slope other than that of the access ramp to the basin.

A not least object of the invention is to provide a vehicle for hauling and launching boats that can be made in any suitable size and therefore be used both for large and small sized boats.

These and other objects are achieved with the vehicle for hauling and launching boats as claimed in the appended claims.

Disclosure of the Invention

The vehicle for hauling and launching boats according to the invention comprises a lower frame provided with a pair of longitudinal beams. The beams are inferiorly associated to devices for handling the vehicle and are mutually connected by means of at least one cross-bar. The frame has therefore a substantially "U"-shaped or "H"-shaped configuration. Additional stiffening transverse bars or tie rods may be provided if necessary. The lower frame can be made as a variable track frame, for example by providing a hydraulically controlled telescopic cross-bar. Advantageously in this way it will be possible to reduce the space intended for storing the vehicle.

The handling devices preferably include carriages that are swiveling with respect to the frame. The carriages are equipped with wheels or, more preferably, with crawler tracks. The movement of the wheels or crawler tracks is preferably controlled hydraulically.

The vehicle further comprises an upper support structure adapted to support the hull of a boat relative to the lower frame of the vehicle. The support structure is provided with a pair of longitudinal bars equipped with transverse slings for carrying the boat hull. The support structure therefore defines a corresponding cradle in which the hull of the boat is received.

According to the invention, swiveling posts are provided between the lower frame and the upper support structure. The swiveling posts are inferiorly hinged to the beams of the frame and superiorly to the bars of the support structure. Said posts are preferably three in number for each side of the vehicle. In addition, the middle post preferably has a fixed length, whereas the two posts adjacent thereto are telescopic. Still according to the invention, the upper support structure is therefore articulated to the lower frame so as to vary its distance and/or inclination relative to the frame depending on the inclination and extension of the telescopic posts. Still according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the distance between the lower hinge pin of the middle post and the lower hinge pin of a first adjacent post is substantially the same as the distance between the upper hinge pins of said adjacent posts and the distance between the lower hinge pin of the middle post and the lower hinge pin of a third, adjacent post is substantially thrice the distance between the upper hinge pins of said last-mentioned posts. The posts located at the ends are advantageously provided with means capable of extending and shortening said posts. Said means are for example hydraulic cylinders housed within the posts or mounted outside. The hydraulic cylinders are associated to a hydraulic circuit connected to a hydraulic control unit.

In a first embodiment of the invention, the means capable of causing the extension and shortening of the posts are manually controlled by an operator through the hydraulic control unit, for example by means of pushbuttons, levers, a remote control, or a joystick. Advantageously, according to this embodiment of the invention, the hull of the boat received in the supporting structure is maintained, by the operator, with the desired inclination with respect to the plane on which the vehicle travels. Such inclination may in particular be manually maintained at an angle such that the hull is substantially parallel to the water plane of the basin where the vehicle is effecting the hauling and/or launching. Such a configuration can be maintained with continuity, as the vehicle advances on land even with varying slopes.

In another embodiment of the invention, the means for causing the extension and shortening of the posts are controlled by an electronic control unit programmed to control said means according to the signal generated by at least one electronic level or similar inclination measuring sensor. Advantageously, according to this embodiment of the invention, the hull of the boat is automatically maintained with the desired inclination with respect to the plane on which the vehicle travels. Such inclination can be maintained, for example, automatically and consistently during movement of the vehicle, at an angle such that the hull received on the vehicle is substantially parallel to the water plane of the basin where the vehicle is effecting the hauling and/or launching.

The vehicle according to the invention is advantageously suitable for use also on sandy bottoms.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Some preferred embodiments of the invention will be described by way of non-limiting example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: - Fig. l is a perspective view of the vehicle according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, with the support structure completely lowered;

- Fig.2 is a top plan view of the vehicle of Fig. l;

- Fig.3 is a side view of the vehicle of Fig. 1, with the support structure completely lowered;

- Fig.4 is a partial side view of the vehicle of Fig. 1, with the support structure in an intermediate inclined configuration;

- Fig.5 is a partial side view of the vehicle of Fig. 1, with the support structure in its hoisted configuration.

Description of Some Preferred Embodiments

Referring to Figs. 1 to 5, a first embodiment of a vehicle 11 for hauling and launching boats made in accordance with the invention is shown. The vehicle 11 mainly comprises a lower frame 13 provided with a pair of longitudinal beams 15, 17.

In addition, the longitudinal beams 15, 17 are mutually connected by a cross-bar 19, arranged at one of the ends of the frame 13. By convention this end will be assumed to be the rear end of vehicle 1 1. The frame 13 is lowerly associated to handling devices 21. In the embodiment example shown, the devices 21 are in a total number of four, two for each side of the vehicle 11. The devices 21 comprise corresponding carriages hinged to the beams 15, 17 at hubs 23. Said devices 21 are therefore tilting relative to the frame 13 depending on the inclination of the ground travelled by the vehicle 11. The tilting of the devices 21 around the hubs 23 can be either idle or hydraulically controlled. The tilting is effected preferably about an axis perpendicular to the beams 15, 17, i.e. transverse relative to the frame 13 of the vehicle.

In a variant embodiment, the cross-bar 19 is of a hydraulically controlled telescopic type so as to reduce the tread spacing, i.e. the transverse dimension of the vehicle 11, for example to minimize the space for storing.

Still referring to the example shown, the devices 21 are arranged along the beams 15, 17 so as to define a rear cantilever portion 13a of the frame 13. The devices 21 are provided with hydraulically controlled crawler tracks 22 for the advancing, backing and steering the vehicle 11. The vehicle further comprises a support structure 25 adapted to support the hull of a boat (not shown) relative to the frame 13. The structure 25 is provided with a pair of longitudinal bars 27,29 equipped with transverse slings 31. The slings 31 cooperate with the bars 27,29 for supporting the hull of the boat and, to this aim, the inner part of the bars 27,29 is preferably provided with deformable members 28, made, for example, of plastic material. The members 28 function as supports for the hull of the boat.

Posts 33 inferiorly hinged to the beams 15,17 of the frame 13 and upperly to the bars 27,29 of the support structure 25 are interposed between the frame 13 and the support structure 25. In the illustrated example, the posts are three in number for each side of the vehicle 11 and the two posts 33a,33c located at the ends are telescopic, whereas the middle post 33b has a fixed length. In the illustrated embodiment, each side of the vehicle 11 therefore comprises three posts 33, a corresponding beam 15,17 and a corresponding bar 27,29. The posts 33 are hinged by means of corresponding lower hinge pins 35a,35b,35c and upper hinge pins 37a,37b,37c. Said lower hinge pins 35a,35b,35c and upper hinge pins 37a,37b,37c are substantially perpendicular to the posts 33, the beams 15, 17 and the bars 27,29 and are therefore transverse relative to the vehicle 11.

The support structure 25 is therefore articulated to the frame 13 so as to vary its distance and/or inclination relative to the frame 13 depending on the extension and inclination of the posts 33.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the distance between the lower hinge pin 35b of the middle post 33b and the lower hinge pin 35a of the rear post 33a is substantially the same as the distance between the upper hinge pins 37a, 37b of said posts 33a,33b. The distance between the lower hinge pin 35b of the middle post 33b and the lower hinge pin 35c of the front post 33c, instead, is substantially thrice the distance between the upper hinge pins 37b, 37c of said posts 33b, 33c.

The posts 33a,33c are preferably hollow and incorporate inside them a corresponding hydraulic cylinder capable of causing the extension and shortening of the posts 33a,33c. In other embodiments, the hydraulic cylinder may be provided outside the post.

The frame 13 is stiffened by at least one transverse tie rod 39 and rearly holds a pair of cabinets 41,43, in which the motors that actuate the hydraulic control circuit of the devices 21 and of the hydraulic cylinders are accommodated.

According to a first embodiment of the invention, the hydraulic cylinders are manually controlled by an operator through an electronic control unit, preferably by means of a radio control. In this way, the operator can maintain the desired height and inclination of the bars 27,29 of the support structure 25 relative to the frame 13 and, consequently, with respect to the ground traveled by the vehicle 11. In particular, the inclination can be manually maintained at an angle such that the hull of the boat received on the support structure 25 is substantially parallel to the water plane of the basin where the vehicle is effecting the hauling and/or launching.

In a second embodiment of the invention, the hydraulic cylinders capable of causing the extension and shortening of the posts 33a, 33c are controlled by an electronic control unit programmed to control said cylinders according to the signal generated by at least one electronic level or similar inclination measuring sensor. According to this embodiment of the invention, the hull of the boat is maintained with the desired inclination with respect to the plane on which the vehicle travels. In particular, such inclination can be maintained automatically at an angle such that the hull is substantially parallel to the water plane of the basin where the vehicle is effecting the hauling and/or launching.