Handrail

Abstract: The invention relates to a hand-rail (18) for a tarpaulin (12) comprising a handlebar (22) which is received between two bushings (20) which respectively consist of a fixing arm (24) with a screw thread (26) disposed thereon which can be fixed by means of screw nuts (28). The invention also relates to a tarpaulin provided with a hand-rail. (end of abstract)

Agent: Dort Patent Corporation - Arlington, VA, US
Inventor: Ralph Zochert
USPTO Applicaton #: #20070068443 - Class: 114364000 (USPTO)
Related Patent Categories: Ships, Boats, Boat Component, Or Attachment, Deck Or Gunwale Attachment

Handrail description/claims

The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070068443, Handrail.

Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims

[0001] The present invention relates to a handrail or grip suitable for attaching to a boat tarpaulin. The present invention further relates to a tarpaulin with a handrail. Finally, the invention also relates to a mounting bush for attaching the handrail to a boat tarpaulin, for example.

[0002] A boat tarpaulin is a cover that is attached to the upper deck of a boat to protect it from sun, rain, or spray. In this regard, the prior art discloses full tarpaulins that cover the full upper deck of the boat; moreover, tarpaulins are known that are stretched over only part of the upper deck of the boat with the aid of a framework so that a person would be able to be under the tarpaulin and be sufficiently protected from spray and sunlight during the boat ride. Flexible panes are usually worked into this sort of tarpaulin so that the pilot of the boat is able to stay under the tarpaulin without his or her vision being blocked.

[0003] Sailcloth is the most commonly used material for these tarpaulins. However, nylon-reinforced PVC cloths or tarpaulins made of other man-made materials are known as well.

[0004] The prior art has the disadvantage that it is usually difficult to handle this type of tarpaulin because they usually must be stretched over the boat with a certain level of tension and are therefore difficult to grasp by hand. Furthermore, a person does not have anything to hold onto, in particular when entering and exiting the area covered by the tarpaulin.

[0005] The object of the invention is to eliminate the disadvantages of the prior art listed above and, in particular, to provide a tarpaulin that allows for easy handling and that may be easily grasped.

[0006] This object is attained by a handrail in accordance with Claim 1 and a tarpaulin in accordance with Claim 7 as well as by a mounting bush in accordance with Claim 9. Advantageous variations on the invention are the object of the respective subclaims.

[0007] According to the invention, a handrail is provided that includes a handlebar with a bush attached on each of its ends; these bushes are to be attached to the tarpaulin by an element of the bush being inserted through the cloth of the tarpaulin and being able to be attached to the support of the tarpaulin. By virtue of this modular construction, it is possible for a handrail to be attached to the tarpaulin in a simple manner. Moreover, the modular construction makes it possible for different handrails which, for example, may have handlebars of different lengths, to be attached to a tarpaulin. In order to adapt to the length of an individual handlebar, it is simply necessary to attach the bushes to the tarpaulin at an appropriate distance from one another, after which the handrail is affixed to the bushes. This handrail increases on-board safety to an important degree. In addition to the advantage of a simplified mounting, the further advantage is achieved that the support of the tarpaulin is reinforced by the attachment of the handrail.

[0008] In order to be able to be attached to the tarpaulin cloth, the bush has a screw thread on a threaded rod provided on the bush. A hole is formed in the tarpaulin and a fitting is provided, for example, in the form of a rivet. Thus, the screw thread can be inserted through the rivet hole and screwed in from the other side by means of a screw nut. For a better hold, a washer is provided, at least on the side of the screw nut. A wing nut is particularly suitable as a screw nut.

[0009] According to one advantageous embodiment, the bush has a fastening arm on which the screw thread on the threaded rod is arranged.

[0010] If a fastening arm is provided on the bush, it is also possible for a bore to be provided on the fastening arm into which an inside thread has been cut. Then the bush is fastened to a boat tarpaulin, for example, in that a screw is screwed into the inside thread through the tarpaulin from outside.

[0011] According to an advantageous embodiment, the handlebar is a tube with a round cross-section. In this regard, the bush is constructed in such a way that, on its one end, it has a round tube with an appropriate diameter for the handlebar rod to be inserted into it. Naturally, the round tube of the bush can also have a smaller diameter in comparison with that of the handlebar, so that the handlebar is slid onto the round tube of the bush. Although the embodiment of the handrail in the form of a round tube is viewed as advantageous, it is also possible for the handrail with its bush to be provided as a rectangular tube or the like.

[0012] Moreover, it is seen as advantageous for the bush to have a perpendicular bore on the exterior circumference of the bore mantle into which the handlebar may be inserted and for this perpendicular bore to have an inside thread in which a locking bolt may be screwed in. Thus, the handlebar may be secured after being inserted into the bush by tightening the locking bolt. For this purpose, it is advantageous for the locking bolt to have a point on its inner end that is pressed into the end of the handlebar by tightening the locking bolt.

[0013] Another embodiment is equally advantageous in this regard in which the handlebar is locked using so-called locking or support springs. An embodiment with two support springs for each bush fastening, such that it is always necessary for both springs to be pushed down in order to release the lock on the handlebar on one bush, has proven to be particularly advantageous.

[0014] Finally, it is possible for the attachment of the handlebar to each respective bush to be realized using a screw thread as well, i.e., for a screw thread to be cut into the handlebar tube on the one end of the handlebar itself that cooperates with a corresponding thread on the round tube of the bush. Here, it is possible to provide an outside thread on the handlebar with a cooperating inside thread on the bush or vice versa. In order to fix the handlebar, it is then rotated into the bush in the manner of a threaded water pipe connection.

[0015] Rust-proof materials are particularly suitable as materials for the handrail.

[0016] Moreover, the object of the present invention is a tarpaulin for a boat having a tarpaulin cloth with a handrail as described above.

[0017] According to an advantageous embodiment, the tarpaulin has a tarpaulin support frame over which the tarpaulin cloth is stretched. So, in this embodiment, the handrail is screwed onto the tarpaulin support frame. A round-tube framework is usually used as the "tarpaulin frame," such that it is possible for the handrail to be screwed in by attaching two bushes through two bores in the round-tube framework. The screw thread of a bush thus reaches through the tarpaulin cloth and tarpaulin frame.

[0018] An advantageous embodiment provides for one set collar per handrail bush to be slid onto the support tube before the tarpaulin cloth is pulled over the tarpaulin frame. The set collar is fixed on the framework using a screw in that the screw is screwed through the mantle of the set collar. The bush can then be fixed on this screw, which will be penetrating through the tarpaulin cloth after it has been stretched over the frame.

[0019] The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to an advantageous embodiment shown in the attached figures, which show:

[0020] FIG. 1 a perspective top view of the upper deck of a boat with a tarpaulin according to the invention and a handrail arranged thereon;

[0021] FIG. 2 a schematic exploded view of a detail of the handrail;

[0022] FIG. 3 an advantageous embodiment of the bush;

[0023] FIG. 4 another advantageous embodiment of the bush;

[0024] FIG. 5 the detail of a locking or support spring for locking the handrail onto the bush;

Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
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