Watercraft storage system

• US 6,007,288 A
• Filed: 01/30/1998
• Issued: 12/28/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Maff-Stack LLC
• Original Assignee: Brian D. Maffett, William C. Maffett
• Inventors: Maffett, William C., Maffett, Brian D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Werner, Frank E.
• Application Number:
  US09/016,471
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• Field of Search: 414/254, 414/281, 414/282, 414/283, 414/277, 414/264, 414/261, 414/255, 414/256, 414/259, 414/260, 114/44, 254/4 R, 254/4 C, 405/3, 212/319, 212/327
• US Class Current: 414/281
• CPC Class Codes: B63C 15/00 Storing of vessels on land otherwise than by dry-docking

Abstract

A system for moving watercraft for storage inside a dry stack watercraft storage facility. The system includes a frame assembly, a cradle assembly and a rack assembly which closely interact with each other to precisely and securely position and protect watercraft stored inside the facility. The cradle assembly lifts a watercraft from the watercraft'"'"'s center of gravity to position in the rack assembly. The rack assembly supports the watercraft through a pair of cantilever beams, and further includes a pair of cable guides used to guide the cradle assembly in the placement of the watercraft on the cantilever beams and to reduce the sway present during the positioning of the watercraft. The frame assembly supports and protects the other assemblies.

Claims

1. A storage system for watercraft including a support wall, at least two watercraft support modules mounted to said support wall, said support modules being mounted and stacked in relationship to each other, said support modules each including a pair of cantilever beams having opposing ends, one of each set of opposing ends being attached to said support wall and the other end of each set of opposing ends cantilevering out from said support wall, a remote support unit spaced from said support wall in a direction of the other opposing ends of said beams and beyond the said other ends of said beams;

the storage system further including;

a bridge extending between said support wall and said remote support unit and a trolley mounted on said bridge for movement along said bridge,

a cradle assembly for lifting and positioning said watercraft into the support modules, said cradle assembly including a pair of guide support runners and cradle beams, said cradle beams connecting said guide support runners, said guide support runners being spaced from each other a width less than a width of the watercraft to be placed on the cantilever beams, cables connecting said cradle beams and said trolley, a winch to wind the cables in order to lift the watercraft positioned within the cradle assembly and a trolley motor for driving said trolley laterally along said track to place the watercraft within the module.

2. The watercraft storage system of claim 1, wherein each guide support runner of the cradle assembly extends upward from the cradle beams at an angle toward the other guide runner of the pair.

3. The watercraft storage system of claim 2, wherein the guide support runners of the cradle assembly are padded for protected gripping of the watercraft.

4. The watercraft storage system of claim 3, wherein the cradle assembly further includes a cradle wall that extends upward from the cradle beams, the cradle wall being connected with the cables.

5. The watercraft storage system of claim 4, wherein the cradle assembly further includes a centering arm assembly attached to the cradle wall, the centering arm assembly comprising at least one pair of centering arms.

6. The watercraft storage system of claim 5, the centering arm assembly additionally comprising a pair of springs, the springs being attached to the cradle walls, each centering arm being connected to the respective spring and extending downward from the spring toward a center of the cradle assembly, the centering arm assembly serving to direct the watercraft to the center of the cradle assembly by applying pressure to sides of the watercraft.

7. The watercraft storage system of claim 5, wherein the cradle assembly includes a set of counter weights, the counter weights being attached to the cables at an end of said cables opposite an end of the cable attached to the cradle beams, the counter weights serving to offset the weight of the loose cables.

8. The watercraft storage system of claim 4, wherein the cradle assembly further includes a bumper assembly for holding the watercraft in the cradle assembly, the bumper assembly including a bumper, a bumper arm, and a bumper spring.

9. The watercraft storage system of claim 8, wherein the bumper assembly further includes a roller connected to said bumper.

10. The watercraft storage system of claim 1, wherein the storage system further includes a pair of cable guides positioned within each column of modules.

11. The watercraft storage system of claim 10, wherein a distance between the two cable guides is slightly less than a length of the cradle beams of the cradle assembly, the distance allowing each cable guide interacting with the respective pair of cables of the cradle assembly to direct the insertion of the cradle assembly around the column of modules, the cable guides making contact with the cables to prevent sway of the cradle assembly while the cradle assembly is positioning the watercraft on the cantilever beams.

12. The watercraft storage system of claim 11, the cable guides extending from the wall in an arcuate fashion with the unsupported end of each cable guide being arched toward a center of the column of modules.

13. The watercraft storage system of claim 1, wherein the cantilever beams of the support modules are padded for protected gripping of the watercraft.

14. The watercraft storage system of claim 13, wherein the storage system further includes a brace for each cantilever beam, each brace extending downward from the unsupported end of the cantilever beam back to the support column.

15. A watercraft storage system, the storage system comprising:

a storage building including a pair of support walls providing a framework of the building, each support wall including a series of vertical support columns and horizontal support beams,

a rack assembly for supporting watercraft, the rack assembly being attached to the support walls, the rack assembly forming a plurality of adjoining individual modules, each module comprising a pair of cantilever beams having opposing ends, one end of each cantilever beam being rigidly secured to said wall and the other end cantilevering out from said wall a distance between said cantilever beams being less than a width of the watercraft;

a cradle assembly for transporting watercraft between a water region and the rack assembly, the cradle assembly comprising a set of cradle beams and a pair of guide support runners, the cradle beams being joined by the guide support runners, the guide support runners extending upward from the cradle beams, the distance between the guide support runners being less than the width of the watercraft but greater than the distance between the pair of cantilever beams, the guide support runners grasping the watercraft as the watercraft is moved between a water region and the rack assembly;

the watercraft storage system further comprising a trolley and trolley bridge for moving the cradle assembly both laterally and longitudinally, the cradle beams being linked to the trolley by at least four cables attached to ends of cradle walls.

16. The watercraft storage system of claim 15, wherein the cantilever beams of the rack assembly are padded for protected gripping of the watercraft.

17. The watercraft storage system of claim 16, the rack assembly further comprising a pair of braces, each brace extending downward from the cantilevered end of the cantilever beam back to the support column.

18. The watercraft storage system of claim 17, wherein the rack assembly further includes a pair of cable guides positioned within each column of modules.

19. The watercraft storage system of claim 18, wherein a distance between the two cable guides being slightly less than a length of the cradle beams of the cradle assembly, the distance allowing each cable guide interacting with the respective pair of cables of the cradle assembly to direct insertion of the cradle assembly around the column of modules, the cable guides making contact with the cables to prevent sway of the cradle assembly while the cradle assembly is positioning the watercraft on the cantilever beams.

20. The watercraft storage system of claim 19, wherein the cable guides extend from the support wall in an arcuate fashion with an unsupported end of each cable guide being arched toward a center of the column of modules.

21. The watercraft storage system of claim 15, wherein the guide support runners of the cradle assembly are padded for protected gripping of the watercraft.

22. The watercraft storage system of claim 21 wherein the cradle assembly further includes a cradle wall that extends upward from the cradle beams, the cradle wall being connected with the cables.

23. The watercraft storage system of claim 22, wherein the cradle assembly further includes a centering arm assembly comprising at least one pair of centering arms.

24. The watercraft storage system of claim 23, the centering arm assembly additionally comprising a pair of springs, the springs being attached to the cradle walls, each centering arm being connected to the respective spring and extending downward from the spring toward a center of the cradle assembly, the centering arm assembly serving to direct the watercraft to the center of the cradle assembly by applying pressure to sides of the watercraft.

25. The watercraft storage system of claim 23, wherein the cradle assembly further includes a bumper assembly for holding the watercraft in the cradle assembly, the bumper assembly including a bumper, a bumper arm, and a bumper spring.

26. The watercraft storage system of claim 25, wherein the bumper assembly further includes a roller connected to said bumper.

27. The watercraft storage system of claim 25, the cradle assembly further comprising a set of counter weights, the counter weights being attached to the cables at an end of said cables to offset weight of loose cables.