Transducer mounting bracket
First Claim
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1. A bracket for mounting an acoustic transducer to a boat or the like, comprising:
- shaft means,means for coupling said shaft means to a boat or the like with the shaft means located with its lower end in the water, said means for coupling said shaft means to said boat including structure for allowing universal pivotal movement of said shaft such that substantially vertical positioning of said shaft can be effected regardless of the attitude of said boat and such that reflections of acoustic energy from said acoustic transducer can be interpreted correctly;
a transducer support mount pivotally coupled to the lower end of said shaft means for pivotal movement about an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of said shaft means,means for rotating said shaft means about its said longitudinal axis, andmeans for pivoting said mount and hence a transducer when supported by said mount between first and second angular positions,said mount when in said first angular position allowing the transducer to transmit and receive signals generally in the direction of the axis of said shaft means for measuring distance vertically to a reflecting object, as for measuring water depth,said mount in second position allowing the transducer to transmit and receive signals in a direction generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of said shaft means.
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Abstract
A bracket for mounting an acoustic transducer to a boat or the like to allow the transducer to be used as a depth sounder or as a scanning device. The bracket comprises a shaft; support means for coupling the shaft to a boat with the shaft located with its lower end in the water; a transducer supporting mount pivotally coupled to the lower end of the shaft for pivotal movement about an axis transverse to the shaft; means for rotating the shaft 360° about its axis; and means for pivoting the mount between different angular positions to allow vertical and generally horizontal signal transmission and reception.
40 Citations
8 Claims
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1. A bracket for mounting an acoustic transducer to a boat or the like, comprising:
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shaft means, means for coupling said shaft means to a boat or the like with the shaft means located with its lower end in the water, said means for coupling said shaft means to said boat including structure for allowing universal pivotal movement of said shaft such that substantially vertical positioning of said shaft can be effected regardless of the attitude of said boat and such that reflections of acoustic energy from said acoustic transducer can be interpreted correctly; a transducer support mount pivotally coupled to the lower end of said shaft means for pivotal movement about an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of said shaft means, means for rotating said shaft means about its said longitudinal axis, and means for pivoting said mount and hence a transducer when supported by said mount between first and second angular positions, said mount when in said first angular position allowing the transducer to transmit and receive signals generally in the direction of the axis of said shaft means for measuring distance vertically to a reflecting object, as for measuring water depth, said mount in second position allowing the transducer to transmit and receive signals in a direction generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of said shaft means. - View Dependent Claims (7)
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2. A bracket for mounting an acoustic transducer to a boat or the like comprising:
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first collar means, support means coupled to said collar means and adapted to be attached to a boat or the like to locate said collar means above the water with the axis of said collar means generally vertical, first shaft means extending through said collar means and supported for angular movement about its axis within said collar means, a mount having a lower end for supporting a transducer in the water, said mount being pivotally coupled to the lower end of said shaft means for pivotal movement about a first axis generally transverse to the length of said shaft means, lever means coupled to the top end of said shaft means for angularly moving said shaft means about its axis within said collar means, said lever means being pivotally coupled to the top ends of said shaft means for pivotal movement about a second axis generally transverse to the length of said shaft means, and rod means having a top end pivotally coupled to said lever means and a bottom end pivotally coupled to said mount for causing said mount to pivot about said first axis upon pivotal movement of said lever means about said second axis; said support means comprising; i. base means adapted to be coupled to a boat or the like, ii. second collar means pivotally coupled to said base means so as to allow movement in at least a first plane, and iii. second shaft means supported for angular movement about its axis within said second collar means and having an end connected to said first collar means for positioning said first collar means and hence said shaft means in different angular positions in other said planes relative to the axis of said second shaft means such that, by selective movement in said plurality of planes, said shaft means can be emplaced in a substantially vertical position regardless of the attitude of a boat on which it is supported. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 8)
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6. The bracket of claim 10 comprising:
means for positively holding said lever means and hence said mount in a plurality of known angular positions relative to said shaft means.
Specification