US3000021A - Combination boat fender and boat step - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 19, 1961 c. LANG COMBINATION BOAT FENDER AND BOAT STEP 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 21, 1958 INVENTOR. C HARLES L ANG S p 1 1 c. LANG 3,000,021

COMBINATION BOAT FENDER AND :BOAT STEP Filed Aug. 21, 1958 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. CHARLES LANG United States Patent 3,000,021 COMBINATION BOAT FENDER AND BOAT STEP Charles Lang, 24th and Blvd., Ship Bottom, NJ. Filed Aug. 21, 1958, Ser. No. 756,489 2 Claims. (Cl. 9-1) This invention relates to boats and more particularly to accessories therefor.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a combined boat fender and step pad for all types of boats for protecting the exterior finish thereof during use.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a protective boat fender and step pad, the fender attached to and supported solely by said step pad that may be readily attached to the body and said fender resting against the sides of all types of boats for protecting the side of the hull when being berthed or in port, and which will further provide means for stepping on to the boat without scratching the finish of the deck or gunnel.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a protective accessory of the above type that may be permanently attached to the boat and selectively swung between an operative and an inoperative position as required.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a boat accessory bearing the above objects in mind which is of simple construction, has a minimum number of parts, is inexpensive to manufacture and efficient in operation.

For other objects and for a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a combined fender and step pad made in accordance with one form of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged longitudinal cross sectional view of the fender and step pad shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view, partly in section, further showing additional details of construction;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary transverse cross sectional view of a boat embodying a protective pad made in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 4, showing the manner in which the pad is used with a difierent type of boat construction;

FIGURE 6 is a side elevational view of a boat embodying several protective pads made in accordance with the present invention; and

FIGURE 7 is a plan view of a slightly modified form of construction.

Referring now more in detail to the drawing, and more particularly to FIGURES 1 to 3 thereof, a combined fender and step pad 10 for boats made in accordance with the present invention is shown to take the form of a rectangular panel that is preferably of molded rubber construction. This panel includes a fender section 12 and a step section 16. The fender section 12 is of greater thickness than the step section 16 and is substantially fiat on one side, but is provided with a plurality of spaced apart parallel segmental cylindrical elements 14 that serve as cushions for engaging the side of the boat and protecting it against scratching or other marring while the boat is being berthed or while it is against the dock. The fender section 12 is pivotally supported solely by said step section 16. The step section 16 also includes a plurality of spaced apart parallel segmental cylindrical sections 18, running transversely of the longitudinal axes of the bumper elements 14. The ribs 18 on one side of the step section 16 serve to prevent damage to the gunnel or deck of the boat, while the ribs 18 on the opposite side serve as a traction surface to prevent any slipping during use. The junction area between said step section and ice I said fender section forming an integral restricted pivotal hinge member of reduced thickness between said fender section 12 and the first segmental cylindrical section 18 adjacent said fender section 12. The outermost extremity of the step section 16 is provided with a pair of transverse bores 20 through which wire or string, or rope may be threaded for fastening the protective pad to anchors 26 carried by brace members 28 beneath the gunnel or deck 24, as shown in FIGURES 4 and 5 of the drawing. With the pad properly positioned, the fender section 12 hangs over the side 22 of the boat and prevents damage thereto by contact with other objects. An annular wire element 23 embedded within the step section 16 is suflicient- 1y yieldable to allow the step section 16 to be deformed to conform to the shape of the particular boat with which the device is used. For example, in FIGURE 4, the outer extremity of the step section 16 is bent downwardly around the inner extremity of the gunnel 24. In FIG- URE 5 of the drawing, the outer extremity of the step section 16 is bent around the knee board 30 so as to conform to the exact shape of each section of the vessel 32. This wire frame also serves to rigidify and reinforce the pad so as to prolong the useful life thereof in use. This wire frame also serves to strengthen the restricted molded rubber integral hinge portion and effecting pivotal support to said fender section since the wire is a loop and extends to the free end portion, opposite from said hinge portion, of said step section provided with bores 20 for attachment to the boat. (FIG. 3.)

Referring now to FIGURE 7 of the drawing, a modified form of protective pad 40 is used, to be of substantially the same shape as the protective pad 10 hereinbefore described. In this arrangement, however, the fender section 44 is of canvas or other flexible sheet material to which segmental cylindrical sections of rubber 42 are secured in spaced apart relationship. The step section 46 is in the form of a molded rubber sheet having spaced apart parallel ribs 50 on each side that functions in a manner similar to the ribs 18 hereinbefore described. Reinforcing rods 48 embedded within the rubber pad 46 prevent tearing thereof at the point of securement to the fender section 44 on one side and an apron 52 on the opposite side. This apron 52 is preferably constructed of plastic, leather, or rubber sheeting and has a pair of eyes or other openings 54, one at each side and end for receiving the end of a length of cable or rope 56 therethrough. This embodiment of the present invention is used in a manner similar to that hereinbefore described and for substantially the same purposes.

It will now be recognized that these protective pads may be more or less permanently secured in place upon the boat 32 for selective movement between operative positions illustrated in FIGURES 4 to 6 of the drawing, or may be swung inboard along the inside of the boat when not in use. It is thus unnecessary to tie and unfasten the units each time they are needed or not needed, as the case may be.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A combined fender and step plate device for protecting the gunnel of a boat comprising, in combination, a rectangular shaped one-piece rubber panel including a fender section and a step section, said step section being integrally connected to said fender section by a thin strip of rubber joining the adjacent portion of said fender section intermediate its front and rear walls, the rear wall of said fender section provided with a plurality of horizontally spaced apart parallel vertical segmental cylinder members integral therewith, and both sides of said step section provided with a plurality of spaced apart parallel horizontal segmental cylindrical elements, said step section to be disposed substantially at right angles to said fender section serving to protect the gunnel of the boat applied thereto from damage.

2. A protective combination step and boat fender adapted to overlie the deck and the top side portion of a boat comprising a one-piecerectangular shaped rubber mat having an upper step section and a lower fender section to be disposed substantially at right angles to one another when upon the gunnel portion of a boat, said step section having a medial portion with a plurality of spaced apart parallel segmental cylindrical elements running horizontally and transversely on both of its top and bottom sides thereof, said fender section having a medial portion of greater thickness than the thickness of said medial portionof said step section, said fender section being substantially fiat on its front side and having a plurality of horizontally spaced apart parallel segmental cylindrical elements running vertically and longitudinally on the rear side thereof, the outermost extremity of said step section being provided with a plurality of bores extending therethrough whereby rope may be threaded therethrough for fastening said mat to suitable means below said gunnel of the ship, said fender section being integrally connected to said step section by a thin strip of rubber joining the medial portion of said step section to its said medial portion thereof, whereby said segmental cylindrical elements on said fender section will serve as 5 cushions for engaging the side of the boat and protecting it against damage, while the said segmental cylindrical elements on the bottom side of said step section will serve as cushions for engaging the deck of the boat and protect it against damage and while the segmental cylindrical 10 elements on the upper side of said step section willserve as a traction surface to prevent any slipping by a user.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS OTHER REFERENCES Rudder (article entitled Step Plates found on page t 128 of the Rudder magazine of January 1950).

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