BOAT SAFETY APPARATUS

• US 3,807,343 A
• Filed: 01/29/1973
• Issued: 04/30/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Richard A. Peebles
• Original Assignee: Richard A. Peebles
• Inventors: Peebles, Richard A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Blix, Trygve M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Reese, Randolph
• Application Number:
  US05/327,717
• Time in Patent Office: 456 Days
• Field of Search: 9/7 246/1R 180/101,102,99,82R 303/19 340/279 115/.5R,70
• US Class Current: 440/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/04 responsive to presence or absence of the driver, e.g. to weight or lack thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 15/10 Safety devices not otherwise provided for

Abstract

Boat safety apparatus for allowing operation of the boat engine in a forward direction as long as the operator is properly seated in the boat and for automatically opening the boat ignition circuit whenever the operator moves out of the boat seat.

Claims

1. A boat safety device, comprising:

a boat including an engine, transmission, an ignition circuit for oprating said engine and a boat seat;

said transmission including a gearshift lever movable between forward, reverse and neutral positions;

a starter circuit means in electrical connection with said ignition circuit for starting and operating said boat engine with said gearshift lever in said neutral and said reverse positions; and

safety circuit means in electrical connection with said ignition circuit and said starter circuit means for allowing operation of said ignition circuit and said engine with said gearshift lever in said forward position only with the operator seated in said boat seat, said safety circuit means including a first safety switch means mounted with said boat seat for opening said safety circuit means to prevent operation of said ignition circuit when said operator is not seated in said boat seat with said boat moving in the forward direction;

said safety circuit means further including a second safety switch connected with said gearshift lever, said second safety switch being closed with said gearshift lever in said forward position to allow operation of said ignition circuit; and

said starter circuit means further includes a third safety switch mounted with said gearshift lever and being closed with said gearshift lever in said neutral and reverse positions for starting and operating said engine independently of said safety circuit means.

2. The structure set forth in claim 1, wherein said first safety switch means includes:

a depressible contact mounted in said boat seat, said contact being depressed to close said switch whenever the operator is seated in said boat seat such that said ignition means is operable.

3. The structure set forth in claim 2, wherein said first safety switch means further includes:

means for urging said depressible contact to an open position when said operator is not seated in said boat seat thereby opening said safety circuit means and preventing operation of said ignition circuit.

4. The structure set forth in claim 1, wherein said third safety switch includes:

a first electrical contact mounted on said gearshift lever and electrically connected to said ignition circuit;

a second electrical contact in electrical connection with said ignition circuit, said first and second electrical contacts being in electrical engagement with said gearshift lever in said neutral or reverse positions.

5. The structure set forth in claim 1, including:

by-pass means for rendering said first safety switch inoperative.