AU2004229100B2 - A portable step assembly - Google Patents

Description

1 P/00/011 Regulation 3.2 AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT Name of Applicant: DAVID CARLTON HAIR Actual Inventor(s): DAVID CARLTON HAIR Address for Service: INTELLEPRO Patent & Trade Mark Attorneys Level 7 102 Adelaide Street BRISBANE, QLD, 4000 (GPO Box 1339, BRISBANE, 4001) Invention Title: A PORTABLE STEP ASSEMBLY Details of Associated Australian Patent Application No 2003906559 Provisional Application(s) No(s): filed 27 November 2003. The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: 2 A PORTABLE STEP ASSEMBLY FIELD OF THE INVENTION THIS INVENTION relates to a portable step and in particular but not limited to a portable step enabling a person to board or disembark from a boat, 5 vessel or the like using the step. The step is particularly suited to situations where it is desirable to board a boat, vessel or the like from a position below the deck as might occur when a person is entering a larger vessel from the water, or from a tender, jetty or the like adjacent the larger vessel. BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION 10 There are many arrangements that provide steps or other means including platforms that enable a person to board a boat by stepping onto a support located below the deck and outside the vessel proper. These may be fixed to the boat below the gunwale, near the transom, clamped, fitted by brackets, retractable, involve ladder sections, stirrups, single 15 or multiple steps or various other arrangements that perform the same general function. Compared to these the present invention is one of "invention in simplicity" in the face of a plethora of prior art. US Patent Number 2, 975,858 to BILLINGSLEY describes a boat stirrup particularly suited to small boats whereby a person desiring to do so may, with 20 safety, minimum physical exertion and unassisted, get out of the boat into the water or board the boat from the water. A triangular shaped loop reinforced by a metal frame to hold the shaped loop is used as a stirrup and is connected by a flexible strap to a bracket inside the boat and below the gunwale. The flexible strap enables the stirrup to be lifted into the boat and stored under the gunwale.

3 US Patent Number 4, 146, 949 to HASLAM describes a three-step ladder and mounting bracket used to position the ladder to provide access to the deck and above, across the bow of the boat. The mounting bracket is secured to the boat eye at the bow (the one used to secure the boat to a trailer when being 5 transported overland). The ladder is manually secured to and removed from the mounting bracket adjacent one main leg of the ladder, the other main leg comprises a plurality of exposed rungs. The bracket has angular cradle members that locate either side of the bow and consequently the only fastener employed is a hook that passes through the bow eye and employs a wing nut to 10 clamp the bracket to the bow. The ladder hangs vertically from the bracket and may be removed from the bracket for stowage or since it is pivoted to the bracket it may be tied back against the bracket. US Design Patent Number 296, 887 to WALLING et al describes a stirrup for a vehicle tailgate where a stirrup hangs from a U-shaped clamp. The clamp is 15 arranged to be secured to a horizontal platform, a vertical bar is pivoted to the bracket and a triangular stirrup is secured to the bar. The clamp employs a bolt used to secure the clamp in place. HASLAM and WALLING both describes steps that can be completely removed from the vessel and tailgate respectively. 20 US Patent Number 5,927,433 to JARAMILLO describes a boat step for a Jet Ski employing a U-shaped retractable step in a mounting assembly. The step is secured to the transom or the underside of the Jet Ski by brackets. The U- 4 shaped retractable step is spring biased into a retracted position. The step is not removed for storage. US Patent Number 4,926,965 to FOX describes a self-retracting step having a triangular shaped stirrup hanging from a mounting bracket so that when 5 it is stepped on it is located below water level but after weight is removed it automatically retracts to a position above water level. However, it protrudes dangerously. US Patent Number 3, 584, 704 to ECKMANN describes a small retractable step particularly suited to boats of the low-draft type commonly used 10 to transport swimmers and/or water skiers who may need to climb into the craft from the waterside. The retractable step is located inside a socket in the hull and retracts into the socket when not in use. A small retractable step, tread or stirrup located on the hull side just above the chine lies just below the waterline with the boat at rest, but would be free of the water when the boat is on plane. It is spring 15 loaded to hold it up in a retracted position, the weight of the user moving the step into the operational position. The above described steps are either permanently fixed in place as in the case of the retractable steps or in the case of the smaller steps of the portable type involve clamping or brackets so that fitting is not simple and straightforward. 20 It is an object of the present invention to provide a step that is simple and quick to fit and also simple and quick to remove.

5 OUTLINE OF THE INVENTION In one aspect therefore the present invention resides in a portable bow step assembly comprising a step and a first mounting member used to position the assembly in operative position on the bow of a vessel, a pivot, the step and 5 first mounting member being pivotally coupled together by the pivot so that the step is adapted to pivot relative to the first mounting member, the first mounting member having a shoulder spaced from the pivot and being adapted to locate against a co-operating shoulder of a second mounting member on the bow of the vessel to retain the step assembly in said operative position under the load of a 10 person stepping on the step. In a preferred from there is provided a step carried by a first mounting member, the first mounting member having a shoulder and an end section spaced from the shoulder , the end section being adapted to slide into a guideway, the guideway being adapted to constrain transverse movement of the 15 end section, the shoulder blocking sliding movement of the end section out of the guideway when a user's weight is placed on the step and the weight automatically stabilising the step by a lever action having its fulcrum at or adjacent the shoulder. Preferably, the first member comprises a stainless-steel tube having a 20 goose-neck defining the shoulder, the end section being an extension of the stainless-steel tube, the gooseneck being marginally spaced from a pivotal connection to a stirrup defining a step, the stirrup being preferably generally 6 triangular shaped while the guideway preferably comprises spaced apart guides located on a deck of a vessel such as a boat. For convenience, the spaced apart guides comprise an anchor chain roller and a saddle spaced from the roller so that the stainless-steel tube may be fed 5 under the saddle until the shoulder of the gooseneck is located on the saddle side of the roller at which point the shoulder of the gooseneck inhibits movement of the stainless-steel tube across the roller by reason of the shoulder on the gooseneck and the weight of the stirrup. In this position the step according to the invention is self-supporting without the need for any additional fasteners to 10 secure it in position. Selection of the size and position of the gooseneck relative to the roller will provide a stable connection to the vessel under the influence of the weight of a user stepping on the step. Where the guideway comprises spaced apart guides, one being near an edge of a boat, the guide used nearer the edge of the boat typically comprises an 15 open channel or walled recess that prevents sideways motion of the gooseneck whereas the other guide being further from the edge of the boat constrains all lateral movement. When the weight of the person is taken off, the person simply slides the first member out of the guide. The step itself may be of any shape or configuration but preferably 20 comprises a stirrup of generally elongated triangular shape. It will be appreciated that the present invention resides in the principle by which the first member is slid into the guideway and is stabilised under the influence of the user stepping onto the step.

7 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In order that the present invention may be more readily understood and be put into practical effect reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate two preferred embodiments and wherein: 5 Figure 1 is a perspective drawing illustrating a user stepping onto a vessel using a step according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a side view illustrating the embodiment of Figure 1 and the means by which the remote guideway is fastened to the deck of the boat; Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 utilising the same step assembly but 10 employing a different arrangement of guideways; and Figure 4 is a perspective view of a step assembly according to the present invention illustrating movement of the first member into a stowage position. METHOD OF PERFORMANCE Referring to the drawings and initially to Figure 1 there is illustrated a 15 vessel 10 having a bow 11 and a user 12 climbing onto the deck 13 via the bow 11 using a step assembly 14 according to the present invention. The step assembly 14 comprises a first mounting member in the form of a stainless-steel tube 15 cooperating with a second mounting member in the form of respective guideways 16 and 17, the guideway 16 is also the anchor chain roller normally 20 located at the bow of a vessel of this size. The guideway 16 on the other hand is a U-shaped saddle or U-bolt secured to the deck 13. The step assembly 14 includes a step in the form of a stirrup 21 coupled to the stainless-steel tube 15 by a pivot pin 18. The tube 15 is rigid and has a 8 slight kink adjacent the pivot pin 18 forming a gooseneck 19 providing a shoulder 20. The shoulder 20 co-operates with the roller 16, the roller 16 effectively providing a channel for the tube 15. The U-bolt 17 retains the tube 15 in position. The rigid stirrup 21 provides of itself sufficient weight so that the whole step 5 assembly is self-supporting and is inhibited from sliding off the roller by reason of the gooseneck 19 against the roller 16. It will be appreciated that the weight of the user 12 creates a lever action with the fulcrum at the shoulder 20 on the roller 16 and serves to remove all play and create a rigid stable step assembly as the user steps onto the vessel. Once 10 on the deck 13 the user simply reaches down and lifts the step assembly out of the guideways. Referring to Figure 2 the geometry of the gooseneck and its relationship to the guideways when the step assembly 14 is in its operative position is more clearly seen. 15 In order to remove the step assembly from the guideways a user simply grasps the region of the pivot pin 18 and moves the assembly in the direction of the arrow 22 enough so that the end section 23 of the tube 15 slides out of the U bolt 17. The same applies the arrangement of Figure 3 except the arrangement of Figure 3 does not use the dual function provided by the roller 16 as illustrated 20 in Figures 1 and 2 but rather utilises a specially designed channel guide 23 that has a slight recess matched to the curvature of the tube 15 but in effect functions just the same as the roller 16. Each guide 23 may be positioned anywhere 9 around the deck and have an associated guide U-bolt 17. Each guide 23 is simply screwed to the deck with a screw fastener shown in phantom at 25. Once the step assembly has been removed from the guideways the tube 15 is rotated to the position illustrated in phantom in Figure 4 at 26 so that the 5 step assembly may be stowed essentially as a flat ring bounded by the rigid loop formed by the rigid stainless-steel stirrup. Whilst the above has been given by way of illustrative example of the present invention many variations and modifications thereto will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from abroad ambit and scope of the 10 invention as set out in the appended claims.

Claims (16)

1. A portable bow step assembly comprising a step and a first mounting member used to position the assembly in operative position on the bow of a vessel, a pivot, the step and first mounting member being pivotally coupled 5 together by the pivot so that the step is adapted to pivot relative to the first mounting member, the first mounting member having a shoulder spaced from the pivot and being adapted to locate against a co-operating shoulder of a second mounting member on the bow of the vessel to retain the step assembly in said operative position under the load of a person stepping on the step. 10

2. A portable step assembly according to claim 1, the first mounting member having an end section spaced from the shoulder of the first mounting member, the end section being adapted to slide into a guideway located on a surface of the bow of the vessel and spaced from the second mounting member, the guideway being adapted to constrain transverse movement of the end section, 15 the shoulder of the first mounting member blocking sliding movement of the end section out of the guideway when a user's weight is placed on the step.

3. A portable step assembly according to claim 1, the first mounting member having an end section spaced from the shoulder of the first mounting member, the end section being adapted to slide into a guideway located on a surface of 20 the bow of the vessel and spaced from the second mounting member, the guideway being adapted to constrain transverse movement of the end section, the shoulder of the first mounting member blocking sliding movement of the end section out of the guideway when a user's weight is placed on the step, the 11 weight automatically stabilising the step by a lever action having its fulcrum at or adjacent the shoulder of the first mounting member.

4. A portable step assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the first mounting member comprises a stainless-steel tube having an 5 end section locatable in and retained in a guide on the bow of the vessel.

5. A portable step assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the first mounting member comprises a stainless-steel tube having a goose-neck defining the shoulder, the end section being an extension of the stainless-steel tube, the gooseneck being marginally spaced from the pivotal 10 connection to a stirrup defining the step, the stirrup being generally triangular while the guideway comprises spaced apart guides located on a surface comprising a deck of the vessel.

6. A portable step assembly according to Claim 5 wherein the second mounting member comprises spaced apart guides comprising an anchor chain 15 roller and a saddle spaced from the roller so that the stainless-steel tube may be fed under the saddle until the shoulder of the gooseneck is located on the saddle side of the roller at which point the shoulder of the gooseneck inhibits movement of the stainless-steel tube across the roller by reason of the shoulder on the gooseneck and the weight of the stirrup. 20

7. A portable step assembly according to Claim 5 wherein the second mounting member comprises spaced apart guides comprising an anchor chain roller and a saddle spaced from the roller so that the stainless-steel tube may be fed under the saddle until the shoulder of the gooseneck is located on the saddle 12 side of the roller at which point the shoulder of the gooseneck inhibits movement of the stainless-steel tube across the roller by reason of the shoulder on the gooseneck and the weight of the stirrup, the stirrup being pivotally connected to the tube and being adapted to hang from the tube. 5

8. A portable step assembly according to any one of claims 4 to 6 wherein selection of the size and position of the gooseneck relative to the roller is adapted to provide a stable connection to a boat deck under the influence of the weight of a user stepping on the step.

9. A portable step assembly according to Claim 2 wherein the shoulder of the 10 first mounting member is formed by a gooseneck, and the shoulder in the second mounting member comprises a roller and the selection of the size and position of the gooseneck relative to the roller provides a stable connection to the surface under the influence of the weight of a user stepping on the step.

10. A portable step assembly according to Claim 2 for a boat to be used near 15 an edge of the boat wherein the guideway comprises spaced apart guides, one of the guides being near the edge of the boat and the other being further from the edge of the boat, the guide used nearer the edge of the boat comprises an open channel or walled recess that prevents sideways motion of the gooseneck whereas the guide further from the edge of the boat constrains all lateral 20 movement of the first mounting member.

11. A portable step assembly according to Claim 1 wherein the step is a stirrup of generally elongated triangular shape. 13

12. A portable step assembly according to Claim 2 wherein the step is a stirrup of generally elongated triangular shape.

13. A portable step assembly according to claim 1 comprising a triangular stirrup and the first mounting member comprises a rod pivoting adjacent an 5 uppermost end of the stirrup.

14 A portable step assembly according to claim 1 wherein the second mounting member comprises spaced guides and the co-operating shoulders retain the first mounting member in the guides when the step assembly is in use.

15. A portable step assembly according to claim 1 wherein the second 10 mounting member comprises spaced guides and the co-operating shoulders retain the first mounting member in the guides when the step assembly is in use without the use of fasteners.

16. A step assembly substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 15 DATED this 16 th day of September 2010 DAVID CARLTON HAIR BY his patent attorneys INTELLEPRO