Boat drain plug system

• US 7,152,546 B2
• Filed: 05/24/2005
• Issued: 12/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chris Bernath
• Original Assignee: Bernath Engineering Concepts, Inc.
• Inventors: Bernath, Chris
• Primary Examiner(s): AVILA, STEPHEN P
• Application Number:
  US11/137,310
• Publication Number:
  US 20060266272A1
• Time in Patent Office: 581 Days
• Field of Search: 296/97.22, 248/309.1, 220/86.2, 215/390, 114/197, 114/198
• US Class Current: 114/197
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 13/00 Conduits for emptying or ballasting; Self-bailing equipment; Scuppers draining means for hatches B63B19/26; centrifugal bilge-water separators B04; arrangements of installations for treating ballast water B63J4/002; pipes in general F16L
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 13/02 Ports for passing water through vessels' sides jet propulsors with clogging prevention means B63H11/01

Abstract

A boat drain plug system for attachment to a drain hole within a boat hull, the system including a flange including a threaded sleeve that fits within the drain hole and a threaded opening, a cylindrical drain plug adapted for individually coupling with the threaded sleeve and the second threaded opening wherein the drain plug may be fitted into the threaded opening to secure the drain plug when the sleeve needs to be completely open to allow water to exit a boat.

Claims

1. A boat drain plug system for attachment to a drain hole within a boat hull, the system comprising

a) a flange including a threaded sleeve that fits within the drain hole and a second threaded opening;

b) a cylindrical drain plug adapted for individually coupling with the threaded sleeve and the second threaded opening; and

c) wherein the drain plug may be fitted into the second threaded opening to secure the drain plug when the sleeve needs to be completely open to allow water to exit a boat.

2. The boat drain plug system of claim 1 wherein the sleeve extends away from the boat hull and further comprises a drain opening therethrough a wall of the sleeve, away from the boat hull, which is sealed and unsealed based on how engaged the drain plug is with the sleeve.

3. The boat drain plug system of claim 2 wherein when debris blocks a flow of water from the drain opening, said drain plug is removed from the sleeve and secured to the threaded opening.

4. The boat drain plug system of claim 1 wherein the drain plug comprises an opening in a sidewall of the drain plug and that has access to the sleeve which is sealed and unsealed based on how engaged the drain plug is with the sleeve.

5. The boat drain plug system of claim 4 wherein when debris blocks a flow of water from the opening in the drain plug, the drain plug is removed from the sleeve and secured to the threaded opening.

6. The boat drain plug system of claim 1 further comprising connectors to secure the system to the boat hull.

7. An improvement to a boat drain plug apparatus wherein a boat hull has a drain opening formed in the boat hull through which a threaded sleeve fits and a drain plug, that is threaded, fits within the sleeve, the improvement comprising a threaded plug holder opening attached to the boat hull operable to receive the drain plug when the drain plug is removed from the sleeve and wherein the drain plug further comprises an opening in a side of the drain plug and that has access to a flow of water from the sleeve and which is sealed and unsealed based on how engaged the drain plug is with the sleeve.

8. The improvement of claim 7 wherein the sleeve extends away from the boat hull and further comprises a drain opening therethrough a wall of the sleeve, away from the boat hull, which is sealed and unsealed based on how engaged the drain plug is with the sleeve.

9. The improvement of claim 8 wherein when debris blocks a flow of water from the drain opening, the drain plug is removed from the sleeve and secured to the threaded plug holder opening.

10. The improvement of claim 7 wherein when debris blocks a flow of water from the opening in the drain plug, the drain plug is removed from the sleeve and secured to the threaded plug holder opening.

11. A boat drain plug apparatus wherein a boat hull has a drain opening formed in a boat hull, the apparatus comprising:

a) a threaded sleeve that fits within a drain opening;

b) a cylindrical drain plug adapted for coupling with the threaded sleeve;

c) a threaded plug holder opening attached to the boat hull operable to receive the drain plug when the drain plug is removed from the sleeve; and

wherein the drain plug further comprises an opening in a sidewall of the drain plug that has access to the sleeve which is sealed and unsealed based on how engaged the drain plug is with the sleeve.

12. The boat drain plug apparatus of claim 11 wherein the sleeve extends away from the boat hull and further comprises a drain opening therethrough a wall of the sleeve away from the boat hull which is sealed and unsealed based on how engaged the drain plug is with the sleeve.

13. The boat drain plug apparatus of claim 12 wherein when debris blocks a flow of water from the drain opening, said drain plug is removed from the sleeve and secured to the threaded opening.

14. The boat drain plug apparatus of claim 11 wherein when debris blocks a flow of water from the opening in the drain plug, the drain plug is removed from the sleeve and secured to the threaded opening.

15. The boat drain plug apparatus of claim 11 wherein the threaded sleeve and threaded plug holder opening are integrated and are formed from a single component.

16. The boat drain plug apparatus of claim 15 wherein the single component is at least one of a piece of brass or plastic.

17. The boat drain plug apparatus of claim 15 wherein the single component comprises a flange that comprises a surface area that is disposed against an exterior surface of the boat hull.

18. The boat drain plug apparatus of claim 11 wherein the threaded plug holder opening comprises at least one of an opening that results in a boat hull being visible or an opening that is closed wherein the boat hull is not visible through the opening.