BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to pedestal-mounted seats in fishing and pleasure boats and more particularly, to a new and improved seat pedestal mount for fishing boats. In a first preferred embodiment, the seat pedestal mount of this invention ischaracterized by a tapered bushing seat topped by a plate flange adapted for mounting on the deck of a boat, with the tapered bushing seat recessed into the deck and a tapered, slotted, plastic bushing fitted in the bushing seat of the base plate forrigidly receiving and removably mounting a pedestal extension or seat pedestal. In a second preferred embodiment of the invention, the bottom end of a specially designed pedestal extension is fitted with a downwardly-projecting mount nipple which isthreaded to engage threads provided in the bottom of the bushing seat, in order to further secure the pedestal extension in the bushing and bushing seat. In both embodiments of the invention a coil spring may be provided in the base of the bushing seat,to facilitate easily removal of the slotted bushing from the bushing seat. The seat pedestal element of a seat unit fits in the top end of the pedestal extension and serves to stabilize the seat unit to minimize rocking and rotating movement of thepedestal extension and the seat unit with respect to the deck of the boat, both when the seat is occupied and unoccupied.

One of the problems which exists with prior art boat seat pedestal mounts is that of excessive tolerance between the seat pedestal and the pedestal mount, which tolerance causes a rocking action from front to rear and from side to side, as wellas a rotating motion, responsive to wave action as the boat moves through the water. These movements are particularly aggravating under circumstances where the occupant is fishing, as they disturb the natural rhythm of bait casting and retrieving. Continued rocking from front-to-rear or side-to-side, as well as rotational movement of the seat pedestal, usually results in gradual accentuation and aggravation of this motion, since the pedestal mount or seat pedestal support may be slowly "wallowed",deformed, worn or cracked, thereby contributing to additional undesirable seat motion.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Typical of the prior art patents which detail seat pedestal mounts for boats is U.S. Pat. No. 4,587,921, dated May 13, 1986, to Larry B. Currey, entitled "Mounting for Boating Equipment". This patent includes a seat pedestal assembly for useon boats such as bass boats. In the Currey design, the pedestal extension has a nipple of reduced diameter, with a threaded portion thereon. The base plate includes a threaded nut which is welded to the bottom thereof for receiving the threaded portionof the nipple and securing the extension to the base plate. In another embodiment, the base plate can be threaded along substantially the entire length of the cylindrical portion thereof. Other patents which detail various types of seat pedestal mountsfor boats are as follows: U.S. 1,224,405, dated May, 1917, to Wienstadt; U.S. Pat. No. 1,636,966, dated Jul., 1927 to Martin; U.S. Pat. No. 2,379,572, dated Jul., 1945 to Gibson; U.S. 2,974,625, dated Mar., 1961, to Lang; U.S. Pat. No. 3,151,910,dated Oct., 1964, to Larson; U.S. Pat. No. 3,415,475, dated Dec., 1968, to Goodman; U.S. Pat. No. 3,620,494, dated Nov., 1971, to DeGaston; U.S. Pat. No. 3,642,320, dated Feb. 1972, to Ward; U.S. 3,802,374, dated Apr., 1974, to Brown; U.S. Pat. No. 3,825,962, dated Jul., 1974 to Grounds, et al; U.S. Pat. No. 3,890,918, dated June, 1975, to Sell; U.S. Pat. No. 3,919,963, dated Nov., 1975, to Cox; U.S. Pat. No. 3,949,968, dated Apr., 1976, to Sell; U.S. Pat. No. 4,008,500, dated Feb.,1977, to Hall; U.S. 4,030,749 dated June, 1977, to Strahm; U.S. Pat. No. 4,106,143, dated Aug., 1978, to Lucas; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,148,465, dated Apr. 1979, to Bowman.

It is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved seat pedestal mount for boats and small fishing boats in particular, which seat pedestal mount includes a base plate adapted for mounting in the deck of the boat, a tapered bushingseat shaped in the base plate and a slotted bushing fitted in the bushing seat for receiving a seat pedestal extension in tight, but removable relationship, wherein the seat pedestal extension is designed to further receive the seat pedestal element of aseat frame, for mounting the seat frame in secure configuration on the boat deck.

Another object of the invention is to provide a seat pedestal mount that is substantially free of rocking and rotational movement relative to the boat deck, which seat pedestal mount is characterized in a preferred embodiment by a base platehaving a plate flange of desired size and shape adapted for mounting on a boat deck, the plate flange having a tapered bushing seat extending downwardly therefrom, for recessing in the boat deck and receiving a tapered, multi-slotted, plastic bushing,wherein the slotted bushing is designed to receive and tighten a seat pedestal or a seat pedestal extension in the bushing seat of the base plate and securely mount a seat on the boat deck.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved seat pedestal mount for fishing boats, which seat pedestal mount is characterized by a cast metal base plate having a flat plate flange provided with spaced openings formounting on a boat deck and a downwardly-extending, tapered bushing seat designed to receive a removable, tapered bushing having a first slot extending longitudinally through the top thereof and a second slot projecting longitudinally through the bottom,for removably locking one end of a pedestal extension or a seat pedestal of a seat frame therein, wherein the seat pedestal may be mounted and secured directly in the slotted bushing and bushing seat or in the pedestal extension, in removablerelationship.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved seat pedestal mount for receiving the seat pedestal of a seat frame, which seat pedestal mount further includes a base plate having a plate flange for mounting on the deck ofa boat, a downwardly-extending, internally-tapered bushing seat integrally cast with the plate flange and having a bushing seat shoulder and base of uniform diameter, respectively, for receiving and seating a correspondingly-shaped, removable,double-slotted plastic lock bushing having a cap and leg portion, also of uniform diameter, respectively. A hollow pedestal extension is designed to fit in the slotted and partially tapered bushing and in a most preferred embodiment of the invention,the bottom end of the pedestal extension is fitted with a threaded nipple for engaging corresponding threads located in the bushing seat and tightening the pedestal extension in the bushing, to receive the seat pedestal of a seat frame in secure, butremovable relationship. A coil spring may also be provided in the bushing seat to aid in removing the bushing from the bushing seat, such that even when unoccupied, the seat remains stabilized with respect to the boat deck when the bushing ridesupwardly in the bushing seat responsive to spring tension, due to the uniform diameter of the bushing seat shoulder and bushing cap, as well as the bushing seat base and bushing leg combination, respectively.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

These and other objects of the invention are provided in a new and improved seat pedestal mount for use in stabilizing a seat on the deck of a boat, which seat pedestal mount is characterized in a first preferred embodiment by a shaped metal baseplate having a top flange fitted with spaced apertures for receiving mount bolts or studs and mounting on the boat deck, and a bushing seat having internal shoulder and base elements of uniform diameter, respectively, connected by a tapered inner wall,the bushing seat extending downwardly from the top flange into the boat deck, for receiving a flexible, plastic, correspondingly-shaped, double-slotted bushing therein. A coil spring may be provided in the bushing seat beneath the bushing to facilitateeasy removal of the bushing from the bushing seat and a seat pedestal may be securely seated in the bushing and the bushing seat to mount the seat on the boat deck. In a second preferred embodiment of the invention a round, hollow seat pedestalextension is provided with a downwardly-extending, threaded nipple on the bottom end thereof and the pedestal extension is seated in the bushing, with the threaded nipple engaging internal threads provided in the base of the bushing seat, in order tothreadibly tighten the pedestal extension in the bushing and bushing seat and secure the seat pedestal of a seat frame inside the pedestal extension for supporting a fisherman in the seat over the boat deck.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the seat pedestal mount of this invention secured to the front deck of a fishing boat;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the seat pedestal mount of this invention, with a preferred seat frame illustrated in exploded configuration with respect to the seat pedestal mount;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the lower portions of the bushing seat and slotted bushing;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the slotted bushing;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5--5 of the slotted bushing illustrated in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6--6 of the slotted bushing illustrated in FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a top view of the slotted bushing illustrated in FIGS. 4-6; and

FIG. 8 is a bottom view of the slotted bushing illustrated in FIGS. 4-7.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring initially to FIGS. 1-3 of the drawings, the seat pedestal mount of this invention is generally illustrated by reference numeral 1. The seat pedestal mount 1 is characterized by a metal base plate 2, which includes anoutwardly-extending, round plate flange 3, secured to the front deck 42 of a boat 40, as further illustrated in FIG. 1 and as hereinafter further described. Spaced flange bolt holes (not illustrated) are provided near the periphery of the plate flange3, and deck studs (not illustrated) mounted on the front deck 42, project through the flange bolt holes and receive cooperating flange nuts 5 for mounting the plate flange 3 to the front deck 42, as illustrated in FIG. 1. Alternatively, other fastenerssuch as screws and bolts can be used to secure the plate flange 3 to the front desk 42, according to the knowledge of those skilled in the art. A bushing seat 7 extends downwardly from the plate flange 3 to complete the base plate 2 and in a preferredembodiment of the invention, the bushing seat 7 is cast integrally with the plate flange 3 in a suitable metal, such as aluminum, in order to provide a base plate 2 of maximum strength. A bushing seat shoulder 7a of uniform diameter is shaped in theinside top periphery of the bushing seat 7, as illustrated in FIG. 2 and as further illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, a spring chamber 8 is provided in the bushing seat base 7b of the bushing seat 7, in order to receive a coil spring 6. The bushing seatbase 7b has a uniform diameter extending downwardly from the bushing seat margin 22, which terminates the bushing seat taper 12, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. A pair of retaining apertures 9 are provided in oppositely-disposed relationship in thewall of the bushing seat 7 at the bushing seat taper 12, as further illustrated in FIG. 2, for a purpose which will be hereinafter further described. A bushing seat opening 10 is provided in the bottom 4 of the bushing seat 7, which bushing seat opening10 communicates with the spring chamber 8 and optional opening threads 11 may be provided in the bottom 4, bordering the bushing seat opening 10, as illustrated in FIG. 3.

As illustrated in FIGS. 2-8, a tapered, double-slotted bushing 13 is characterized by a plastic body having a bushing bore 23 extending longitudinally therethrough. An external bushing taper 15 extends from a bushing cap 24, having a cap margin26 of uniform diameter at the top thereof, to a bushing margin 18. Screws or other fasteners (not illustrated) of suitable design and size may be inserted through the retaining apertures 9 and into the aligned bushing apertures 16, when the bushing 13is seated in the bushing seat 7, in order to prevent the bushing 13 from inadvertently exiting the bushing seat 7. Alternatively, tabs (not illustrated) can be shaped in the slotted bushing 13 for engaging corresponding retaining slots (not illustrated)provided in the bushing seat 7, as detailed in my copending U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 07/239,327, to removably secure the slotted bushing 13 in the bushing seat 7. Parallel bushing depressions 19 extend longitudinally in radially spacedrelationship through the wall of the bushing 13 at the bushing taper 15 and below the bushing margin 18, to define corresponding flat depression faces 21. Parallel top depression slots 20 are provided in a first set of oppositely-disposed depressionfaces 21, respectively, and extend longitudinally through the bushing cap 24, to terminate below the bushing margin 18. A set of parallel bottom depression slots 20a begin at the tops of oppositely-disposed depression faces 21 and extend longitudinallydownwardly perpendicular to the top depression slots 20, through the entire length of the depression faces 21, to define a pair of bushing legs 17. The top depression slots 20 and bottom depression slots 20a facilitate wedging the slotted bushing 13tightly against the pedestal extension 37, which is inserted in the bushing bore 23, and the correspondingly wedge-shaped inside surface of the bushing seat 7, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. Alternatively, the bushing bore 23 of the slotted bushing 13can be sized to directly receive a seat pedestal 31 of corresponding diameter, without the use of a pedestal extension 37. In a most preferred embodiment of the invention, bushing threads 11 are provided in the bottom 4 of the bushing seat 7 andbordering the bushing seat opening 10, for removably locking the pedestal extension 37 or the seat pedestal 31 inside the slotted bushing 13 and bushing seat 7, as illustrated in FIG. 3 and as hereinafter further described.

Referring again to FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawings, in a most preferred embodiment of the invention, the elongated pedestal extension 37 is characterized by a round extension tube 37a, having an extension tube bore 25, with an optional tube flange29 shaped in the top thereof and provided with a downwardly-extending mount nipple 27, fitted with nipple threads 28, in the bottom end thereof. The extension tube bore 25 of the extension tube 37a is designed to receive a round seat pedestal 31, whichis welded or otherwise attached to the seat frame 30, as further illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 8. Accordingly, when the pedestal extension 37 is mounted in the seat pedestal mount 1, the extension tube 37a is extended into the bushing bore 23 of theslotted bushing 13. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the nipple threads 28 then threadibly engage the opening threads 11 in the bottom 4 of the bushing seat 7 as the mount nipple 27 extends into the bushing seat opening 10 against the bias of the coil spring6, such that the pedestal extension 37 may be tightly fitted into the slotted bushing 13. This tightening of the extension tube 37a in the slotted bushing 13 expands the bushing legs 17 and the upper portion of the slotted bushing 13 against the insidesurface of the bushing seat 7, to insure a snug and tight fit. The pedestal extension 37 is thusly removably locked in the slotted bushing 13 and the bushing seat 7 of the base plate 2. Removal of the pedestal extension 37 from the slotted bushing 13is effected by reversing the rotation of the pedestal extension 37 to unthread the mount nipple 27 from the opening threads 11, in a reverse operation of the installation procedure noted above. Alternatively, it will be appreciated that the extendingend of the seat pedestal 31 may itself be fitted with a threaded nipple (not illustrated), in order to mount the seat pedestal 31 directly in the bushing 13 and the bushing seat 7, without using a pedestal extension 37, as desired. As illustrated inFIG. 2, under circumstances where neither the pedestal extension 37 nor the seat pedestal 31 are fitted with a threaded mount nipple 27, these elements of the seat frame 30 can be seated in the bushing bore 23 of the slotted bushing 13 and the weight ofa person seated in the seat 43 compresses the coil spring 6 and stabilizes the pedestal extension 37 or the seat pedestal 31 in the slotted bushing 13 and the bushing seat 7, in the same manner as described above. Screws or other fasteners (notillustrated) of suitable design and size may be inserted through the retaining apertures 9 and into the aligned bushing apertures 16 when the bushing 13 is seated in the bushing seat 7, in order to prevent the bushing 13 from inadvertently exiting thebushing seat 7.

Referring again to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawing, in another most preferred embodiment of the invention, the seat frame 30 is further characterized by a square support plate 32, which includes a flat support plate flange 33 on the peripherythereof and a downwardly-extending, disk-shaped middle portion 39, which flattens at the bottom to receive a mount plate 34 and a cooperating mount block 35, as further illustrated in FIG. 1. The mount plate 34 and mount block 35 are welded or otherwiserigidly secured to the seat pedestal 31 and the center section of the support plate 32 is rigidly secured to the mount plate 34 in the same manner. A stiffening disk 36 is located in the center of the middle portion 39 and is welded thereto, to define aflange margin 38, which extends between the support plate flange 33 and the stiffening disk 36, as further illustrated in FIG. 8. Four flange slots (not illustrated) or openings are provided at the corners of the support plate flange 33, for mounting asupport cushion 44 to the seat frame 30, as illustrated in FIG. 1.

The slotted bushing 13 illustrated in FIGS. 4-8 may be typically constructed of a suitable flexible plastic material such as polyethylene and polypropylene, in non-exclusive particular, which may be injection-molded or otherwise shaped insuitable sizes and provided with a bushing bore 23 of suitable size to receive and securely mount a pedestal extension 37 or a seat pedestal 31 of any desired diameter. The primary required characteristic of the material used to shape the slottedbushing 13 is resiliency, or "memory", wherein the respective top depression slot 20 and bottom depression slot 20a are "squeezed" and at least partially closed when the seat pedestal 31 or pedestal extension 37 is inserted in the bushing bore 23 of theslotted bushing 13 and the slotted bushing 13 is inserted in the bushing seat 7.

Referring again to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawing, it will be appreciated that in a typical installation, the seat pedestal mount 1 of this invention is mounted to the front deck 42 of the hull 41 in the boat 40 and the seat 43 is designed to mounton the seat frame 30, illustrated in FIG. 2, as heretofore described. It is understood that the seat 43 can be designed in any conventional fashion, with the support cushion 44 attached to the support plate flange 33 of the seat frame 30 using suitablemounting fasteners (not illustrated), according to the knowledge of those skilled in the art. Furthermore, a suitable backrest cushion 45 can be hinged to the support cushion 44 in conventional fashion, further according to the knowledge of thoseskilled in the art.

It will be appreciated that the seat pedestal mount of this invention is characterized by a convenient design which is highly reliable and may support the seat pedestal of a boat seat directly or by means of a pedestal extension, in a highlystable relationship. Furthermore, the seat pedestal mount is easily maintained and can be quickly removed for maintenance and cleaning purposes. Moreover, the seat pedestal mount of this invention can be mounted on substantially any boat of any size,but is primarily applicable to fishing boats, where the occupant may be casting and fishing for long periods of time and requires a stable platform from which to fish.

While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been described above, it will be recognized and understood that various modifications may be made therein and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications which may fallwithin the spirit and scope of the invention.

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