Elevating Skipper Chair For Boats

Abstract

A control station for a motor boat is constructed to permit operation of the boat from either a deck-side location or a flying bridge using a single set of controls and control panel. The controls and control panel are rigidly secured to an operator's chair which is supported by a lifting mechanism. When the lifting mechanism is activated, the control panel, controls and operator's chair are all moved between a first position adjacent the deck and a second position at the flying bridge. A flexible umbilical cord assures uninterrupted connection between the control station and the operating mechanism.

Description

This invention relates to the control of mobile vehicles, and, more particularly, to a control station which permits operation of a vehicle from different elevations.

With many types of vehicles for land, marine, and airborne usage, it is desirable or necessary to be able to control the vehicle from different elevations. The problem is exemplified in many small commercial and pleasure boats where it is found desirable to have a first control station on the deck of the boat and a second control station at a flying bridge. Although the flying bridge offers the skipper of the boat an unobstructed view, the deck-side control station is normally located within a closed cabin where the skipper is protected from the wind and weather, and, at the same time, is in a better position to carry on conversation with other passengers.

The above-described flying bridge has heretofore been largely associated with the "luxury type" of yacht. In recent years, the houseboat has become much more popular than the yacht because of its greater room at a lower cost. The usual houseboat type of structure, is, however, somewhat limited in its maneuverability and is not suitable for certain water sports such as skiing, because the operator is confined to an area within the cabin of the boat where his view is somewhat restricted.

It is, therefore, the primary object of the present invention to provide a vehicle control station which permits operation of a vehicle from different elevational levels utilizing a single set of controls.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a flying bridge control station of the type previously found in luxury yachts, but wherein the cost of duplicating the boat controls is greatly reduced by coupling a single set of controls and control panel therefor with an operator's chair which is disposed upon a lifting mechanism and is capable of moving from a deck-side location to a flying bridge location.

As a corollary to the above object, an aim of this invention is to provide a vehicle such as a boat which has a hatch in the cabin immediately above the deck-side operator's station and wherein the operator's station includes elevating mechanism for raising the operator's chair and control panel to a location where the skipper of the boat is above the roof of the cabin and has an unobstructed view thereby resulting in the houseboat having many of the attributes previously associated only with luxury yachts having dual control stations.

Still another one of the aims of the present invention is a vehicle control station for permitting operation of a vehicle from different elevational levels and wherein the lifting mechanism for elevating the control station is capable of being powered by electricity, air, a hydraulic motor, or other equivalent means.

Still other objects of the invention will be made clear or become apparent from the following descriptions and accompanying figures.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a type of marine vehicle with the novel control station of the present invention installed thereon and shown in both its lowered and raised positions;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, side elevational view of the operator's chair of the control station of the present invention with portions being broken away to illustrate details of the lifting mechanism; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, perspective view of the vehicle control station, its stabilizing structure and associated power source.

Referring initially to FIG. 1 wherein a marine vehicle or boat of one representative type is designated generally by the numeral 10, it is seen that the boat 10 includes a hull 12 having a deck 14, with an enclosed cabin 16 disposed atop the deck. The boat is propelled by a motor, the propeller of which is visible in the far right-hand corner of FIG. 1 and designated by the numeral 18. A rudder 20 is an integral part of the propeller-supporting structure. A sliding hatch 22 in the roof of the cabin 16 is immediately above a control station for the boat 10 which has been designated generally by the numeral 24.

The control station 24 is shown in greater detail in FIGS. 2 and 3 wherein it is seen that the station includes a control panel 26, structure for supporting the operator in the form of a chair 28, and lifting mechanism designated generally by the numeral 30 for moving the panel 26 and the chair 28 between different elevational levels. The chair 28 is mounted upon a base plate 32 and includes a foot support 34, and an extension arm 36 for mounting the control panel 26.

The control panel 26 mounts all of the controls and gauges for operating the boat 10. It includes a steering control 38 and a throttle control 40. A laterally extending, hollow rectangular housing 42 which is rigid with the control panel 26 encloses an umbilical cord designated generally by the numeral 44 which is comprised of the various cables and wires for coupling the controls with the operational components of the boat. For example, the umbilical cord 44 would include appropriate cables for connecting the steering control 38 and the throttle control 40 with the steering rudder 20 and the boat engine (not shown) respectively.

From FIG. 2, it is seen that the lifting mechanism 30 actually supports the chair 28 and the control panel 26. The mechanism 30 includes a first rigidly mounted tubular sleeve 46 of rectangular cross-section, and a second tubular sleeve 48 of complemental cross-section which is telescoped within the first sleeve 46 and is rigid with the base plate 32. The sleeve 48 is coupled with a jack screw 50 by a complementally threaded block 52 which is rigid with the sleeve 48 at the lower end of the same. The jack screw 50 is provided with a relatively large bevel gear 54 at its base and is driven by a motor 56 through a pair of universally coupled shafts 58 and 60, the former of which is coupled with the output of the motor and the latter of which is rigid with a relatively small second bevel gear 62. The motor 56 is preferably powered from a portable source such as a 12-volt battery 64 of the type well known to those skilled in the art. A lead wire 66 which is an integral part of the circuit of the power source 64 places the motor 56 under the control of an over-center switch 68 which is located on the control panel 26. A band 70 which extends around the outer perimeter of the sleeve 46 serves to mount a pair of stabilizing legs 72.

In normal operation, a skipper of the boat 10 will operate the boat with the control station 24 disposed in its lowered position within the cabin 16 and adjacent the deck 14. This allows the skipper to converse with other passengers and also offers protection from surface winds. All of the controls for operating the boat 10 are readily accessible to the skipper when he is seated in the chair 28 as a result of the close proximity of control panel 26.

In certain instances, however, as for example when it is desired to use the boat 10 for pulling skiers, it is essential that the boat be operated from a flying bridge where the skipper has an unobstructed view. Thus, the hatch 22 is opened to present a flying bridge immediately above the control station 24. The switch 68 is then thrown to activate the motor 56 and rotate the jack screw 50. This in turn causes the chair 28 and control panel 26 to be moved to their alternative positions at the elevated level adjacent the flying bridge which is presented upon opening the hatch 22. With the skipper's chair 28 in this location, the operator's head projects above the roof of the cabin 16 a sufficient distance to permit an unobstructed view of the area surrounding the boat 10. At the same time, the operator has complete access to the control panel 26 and the controls mounted thereon. By virtue of the flexible umbilical cord 44 an uninterrupted connection between the controls and the operating components of the boat is assured even during the raising and lowering of the control station 24. When it is desired to again move the control station 24 to the lower elevation illustrated in FIG. 1, the switch 68 is simply moved in the opposite direction to reverse the motor 56 and turn the screw 50 in the opposite direction to thereby lower the chair 28.

It will be apparent, that not only has the present invention made it possible to provide a flying bridge control station on many types of marine craft which were heretofore not suited for such a station, but in addition has significantly reduced the cost of providing a flying bridge control station by eliminating the need for a dual set of controls. While the invention has been described with particular reference to marine vehicles, it is contemplated that the invention will also find use in many types of overland and airborne vehicles.

Difficulties in providing for pilot visibility in certain types of aircraft are becoming increasingly perplexing. These difficulties are in many respects similar to those herein described with respect to boats and, in the interests of brevity, need not be set forth herein in repetitious detail. It suffices to say that, for example, the construction of the nose sections of certain aircraft is such that elaborate and extremely expensive solutions have heretofore been advanced. One such solution involves hinging the entire nose section of a particular aircraft to provide pilot visibility from the cockpit during certain critical operations such as those involved in take-offs and landings.

This invention is useful to obviate the difficulties outlined above. The chair and control panel or console provided for the aviator would be contained within a preferably cylindrical enclosure for the pilot's station, which enclosure would be either of transparent material or provided with adequate window structure for the pilot's vision which would be desired.

The enclosure, operably associated with a chair mechanism such as that described herein especially with respect to its use for a boat, would be elevatable through a suitable aperture in the hull of the aircraft so that the pilot and his control console in the enclosure could be elevated to a position exteriorally of the main fuselage of the aircraft to a position affording the necessary visibility.

The movable enclosure for the pilot's station would logically be associated with the aircraft's cabin pressurizing equipment so that the pilot's station would remain at the desired pressure even when extended in the enclosure for purposes of enhanced visibility. Appropriate seals between the enclosure and the aircraft hull would be provided for maintenance of this pressure condition yet permit extension and retraction of the pilot's station.

Manifestly, comparable structure incorporating the principles of this invention may also be provided for submarine use. The extendable enclosure for the pilot's seat and console would be sealed against ingress of water and would provide protection against the forces of the water. The extension for affording enhanced visibility, either in the case of the aircraft or submarine could be in any direction with respect to the vessel hull.

As will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, many variations of the lifting mechanism 30 are possible, including mechanically equivalent systems which operate with air pressure.

Claims

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by letters patent is:

1. A vehicle control station comprising:

a control panel;

a chair coupled with said panel for seating an operator at the panel;

a first rigidly mounted sleeve section disposed at a lower elevation than the elevation of the chair;

a second sleeve section telescoped within the first section and coupled with said chair for supporting the latter;

means for moving said second section relative to the first section to raise and lower the elevation of the chair and control panel; and

means for holding said second section against rotation during raising and lowering of the same.

2. The invention of claim 1, wherein said moving means comprises a jack screw, coupled with said sections and power means for turning said screw.

3. The invention of claim 1 wherein said control panel includes steering and throttle controls for said boat.

4. The invention of claim 3, wherein said boat has a motor and a steering rudder, and including a flexible umbilical cord extending from said control panel for coupling said throttle and steering controls with the motor and steering rudder respectively.