US2858690A - Outboard motor mounting clamp locking device - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 4, 1958 R. l. SANDERSON ETAL ,3

OUTBOARD MOTOR'MOUNTING CLAMP LOCKING DEVICE 1 Filed June 26, 1956 m mum Tea m r VMT. mSG

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United States Patent OUTBOARD MOTOR MOUNTING CLAMP LOCKHIG DEVICE Richard I. Sanderson and Richard G. Trefts, Medina, N. Y.

' This invention relates generally to the fastener art, and more specifically to a new and useful locking device for outboard motor mounting clamps.

Outboard motors usually are detachably secured to a boat by means including adjustable clamp devices which bear against the sternboard and hold the motor in place thereon. While such mounting clamp devices normally serve their intended purpose, they can and sometimes do work lose and permit accidental and undesired separation of the motor from the boat. In addition, such mounting means do not prevent unauthorized removal of the motor.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of this inventin to provide a dependable locking device for an outboard motor mounting clamp which is simple to install, easy to manipulate and foolproof in operation.

It is also an object of this invention to provide an outboard motor mounting clamp locking device having the aforesaid characteristics and which is simple in construction and readily and relatively inexpensively fabricated and assembled.

An outboard motor mounting clamp locking device constructed in accord with our invention is characterized by the provision of a base plate member adapted to be secured to the sternboard of the boat, a locking plate member movable relative to the base plate member and having a portion slotted to receive the usual motor clamping screw, the slotted portion of the locking plate member being spaced from the base plate member to confine therebetween the presser foot or pad usually carried by such motor clamping screw, and means for releasably holding the locking plate member against movement relative to the base plate member.

The foregoing and other objects, advantages and characterizing features of an outboard motor mounting clamp locking device in accord with this invention will become clearly apparent from the ensuing detailed description of a presently preferred embodiment thereof, taken together with the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification illustrating such embodiment wherem:

Fig. l is a generally perspective view showing our outboard motor mounting clamp locking device as it appears in use, with the outboard motor and its mounting clamp shown in phantom;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the locking device of Fig. 1, certain parts being broken away for greater clarity; and

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional View taken about on line 3--3 of Fig. 2. I

-Referring now to the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 shows the stern of an outboard motorboat 1 of conventional design having the usual sternboard 2. The locking device of this invention is generally designated 3 and is adapted to lock the mounting clamp of a conventional out-board motor 4 in position on sternboard 2. Motor 4 can have the usual tiller 5, propeller drive shaft housing 6 and hand grip 7, and the mounting clamp therefor usually will include an inverted generally U-shaped part 8 adapted to slip fit over the top edge of sternboard 2 and having depending legs 9 carrying adjustable, threaded stud members 10 having pivoted handles 11 at their outer ends and pads or feet 12 (Fig. 2) loosely carried at their inner ends. v

The locking device of this invention serves to lock such motor mounting clamps in position so that the motor '4 can not possibly become separated from the boat 1 under conditions of use apt to be encountered, and also provides means for preventing unauthorized removal of the motor from the boat.

In the presently preferred embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawing, the outboard motor mounting I clamp locking device of our invention comprises an elongated base plate member 13 of generally channeled form in cross section having a main body part 14 provided along one edge thereof, comprising its bottom edge, with .an inturned flange 15 defining a first guide channel, and provided along its other edge with a pair of inturned flanges 15' adjacent the opposite end portions thereof defining an opposing guide channel. The main body part 14 of base plate member 13 also is provided with a number of openings for receiving fastening screws 16 or the like.

A pair of locking plate members 17 are slidably mounted on base plate member 13 in opposition to each other, and inasmuch as the two locking plate members are identical in construction only one thereof will be described in detail herein.

Each locking plate member 17 has a main body part 18 spaced from the main body part 14 of base plate member 13 in generally parallel relation thereto, a depending outturned flange 19 along the bottom edge thereof, and a similar but slightly shorter depending outturned flange 19 along the'upper'edge thereof.

Locking plate members 17 are mounted in opposition on base plate member 13 with their flanges 19 slidably received in flange 15 of base plate member 13 andwith their flanges 19 slidably received in the base plate member flanges 15', whereby the locking plate members are slidable on the base plate member toward and away from each other between the fully closed position shown in full lines in the drawing and the fully open position indicated by the broken line showing 20 of the left hand locking plate member in Fig. 2.

The locking plate members 17 are selectively, releasably held in adjusted position as by means of thumb screws 21 extending through slots 22 formed in the outer end portions of the locking plate members and engaging headed nuts 23 extending through the main body part 14 of base plate member 13 adjacent the opposite ends thereof. Each nut 23 has an annular flange 23' hearing against the back side of the base plate main body part 14 which is recessed, as at 24 (Fig. 3), to accommodate such annular flanges 23 While maintaining a flush fitting attitude against the sternboard 2. Star washers 25 are carried by the thumb screws 21 and bear against the locking plate main body parts 18. Thus, by simply manipulating thumb screws 21 the locking plate members 17 can be securely but releasably locked in adjusted position.

At their inner end portions the opposed locking plate members 17 are provided with slots 26 extending inwardly from the extreme inner ends of the locking plate members, which slots are adapted to receive the threaded studs of the motor mounting clamp as clearly illustrated in Fig. 2, the slots 26 terminating short of the slots 22, Because the locking plate body part 18 is spaced from the base plate body part 14, as previously noted, the pads 12 carried at the inner ends of the mounting clamp studs 1% are received between the respective body parts, whereby when the locking plate members are moved toward each other they confine the pads 12 in the locking device so that motor 4 can not accidentally come loose from sternboard 2.

In use, base plate member 13 is secured to sternboard 2 so as to extend in a generally horizontal direction across the inner side thereof, being held in place by the screws 16, and the locking plate members 17 are fitted thereto and held against accidental separation therefrom by thumbscrews 21. When it is desired to attach motor 4 to boat 1 thumb screws 21 are loosened and locking plate members 17 are retracted from each other, as to the broken line position illustrated in Fig. 2. Then the motor mounting clamp is fitted over the top edge of sternboard 2 in the usual manner, with studs 10 having to be retracted, by rotation of handles 11 only to a degree sufficient to permit the pads 12 carried thereby to slip between flanges 15 and over base plate member 13 which, as previously noted, lies flush against the sternboard 2. The locking device 3 is positioned on sternboard- 2 so that when the mounting clamp of motor 4 is in its usual position the threaded studs 10 thereof are aligned with the slots 26 of locking plate members 17. Then, studs 10 are advanced to engage pads 12 against base plate member 13 and thereby clamp motor 4 in position in the usual manner.

Then locking plate members 17 are slid toward each other, with the mounting clamp threaded studs 10 being received within the slots 26 and with the pads 12 carried thereby being received between the base plate body part 14 and the locking plate body parts 18, to a closed or locking position with respect thereto preferably comprising the fully closed, abutting position of locking plate members 17 illustrated in full lines in the drawing.

Thus, upon tightening thumb screws 21' the locking plate members 17 are securely, although releasably, locked in position with the motor mounting clamp pads 12 confined between the base and locking plate members, whereby it will be appreciated that the locking device of our invention eflectively locks the motor mounting clamp to the sternboard 2 in a manner precluding accidental separation of the motor 4 therefrom until the thumb screws 21 are released and the locking plate members 17 are retracted from each other to permit removal of the motor. In addition, slots 27 are provided in the inner end portions of the locking plate members 17 for receiving a padlock or other locking device therethrough to prevent unauthorized separation of motor 4 from boat 1. Accordingly, it is seen that an outboard motor mounting clamp locking device in accord with our invention clearly accomplishes the foregoing objects, and it will be noted that the slots 26 have flared or tapered outer end portions 28 facilitating entrance of the threaded studs 10 into the slots 26. Also, terminating flanges 19' of locking plate members 17 short of the inner ends of the locking plate members leaves an open upper edge portion for passage of pads 12 thereunder without completely retracting the locking plate members which, together with the space between flanges 15 of base plate member 13, simplifies the installation and removal of motor 4. The use ofseparate relatively short flanges 15" also reduces the weight and cost of the device.

While only the presently preferred embodiment of our invention is' disclosed and described herein it is understood that We do not intend to limit ourselves to the details thereof and that the same is susceptible of variationand modification without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

Having fully disclosed and completely described our invention, and its mode of operation, what we claim as new is:

l. A locking device for an outboard motor mounting clamp of the type adapted to engage the sternboard of a boat and having adjustable clamping members including studs carrying pads comprising, an elongated base plate member having a main body part adapted to be secured to a sternboard and to receive such pads thereagainst, said base plate member having flange parts along its opposite side edges to provide guide portions thereat, a pair of opposed locking plate members each having a main body part spaced from the main body part of said base plate member, said locking plate members having flange parts along the opposite side edges thereof interfitting with said base plate member guide portions, whereby said locking plate members are mounted on said base plate member for sliding movement relative thereto toward and away from each other, means defining lengthwise elongated locking slots in the outer end portions of said locking plate members, nut members carried by said base plate member main body part adjacent the opposite ends thereof in alinement with said locking slots, adjustable locking screw members extending through said locking slots into engagement with said nut members and'havin-g meansfor clamping said locking plate members against said base plate member thereby to releasably hold said locking plate members in adjusted position and against movement relative to each other and to said base'plate member, and means defining slots extending into the inner end portions of said locking plate main body parts from the inner ends thereof for receiving such studs while confining such pads between said base plate member main body part and the inner end portions of said locking plate member main body parts.

2. A locking device for an outboard motor mounting clamp such as those of the type adapted tobe secured to the sternboard of a boat and having adjustable clamping parts including a pair of stud members carrying presser feet comprising, an elongated base plate member having a main body part adapted to be secured to a sternboard and to receive such presser feet thereagainst, inturned flange portions along the opposite side edges of said base plate main body part providing opposed guide channel formations thereat, one of said guide channel formations comprising a pair of guide channel parts spaced apart centrally of said base plate main body part,.-a pair of locking plate members aligned lengthwise of said base plate member and each having a main body part in spaced apart and generally parallel relation to' said base plate main body part, said locking plate members having outurned flange parts along the opposite side edges of the main body parts thereof, said locking plate flange parts fitting in said base plate guide channel formations whereby said locking plate members are mounted for slidingni'ovement lengthwise of said base plate member toward and away from each other, the locking plate flange parts fitting in said one base plate guide channel formation terminat ing short of the inner ends of said locking plate main body parts, means defining a locking slot aligned lengthwise of said base plate member in the outer end portion of each of said locking plate main body parts, nut member's carried by said base plate main body part adjacent the'opposite ends thereof in alinement with said locking slots', said base plate main body part being recessed in the region of said nut members to enable the remainder of said base plate main body part to be substantially flush against a sternboard, adjustable locking screw members extending through said locking slots into engagement with said nut members and having means for clamping said locking plate members against said base plate member for selectively holding said locking plate members against move- 6 ihent relative to each other and to said base plate member, ends thereof to accommodate a lock device preventing slots extending into the inner end portions of said locking unauthorized separation of said locking plate members. plate main body parts from the inner ends thereof for receiving such stud members upon movement of said Referen es Cited in the file of this patent locking plate members toward each other to confine such 5 presser feet between said locking plate main body parts UNITED STATES PATENTS and said base plate main body part, the outer ends of 1,256,132 Hillbul'g 12, 1913 said last-named slots being flared to facilitate entry of 2,521,875 Showaltel' P 12, 1950 such stud members therein, and a pair of further slots 2,639,505 Knutson May 26, 1953 formed in said locking plate members adjacent the inner 10

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