US-12617512-B1 - Trolling motor mount

US12617512B1US 12617512 B1US12617512 B1US 12617512B1US-12617512-B1

Abstract

A trolling motor mount to mount a trolling motor to a boat consisting of a multi-bar change point apparatus to lock the trolling motor in either a stowed position or a deployed position and a release assembly to unlock and move the multi-bar change point apparatus from either the stowed position to the deployed position or from the deployed position to the stowed position.

Inventors

John D. Oliverio
Nicholas A. Vicari
Christopher A. Konow

Assignees

John D. Oliverio
Nicholas A. Vicari
Christopher A. Konow

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20240830

Claims (20)

1 . A trolling motor mount to mount a trolling motor to a boat, said trolling motor mount comprising a multi-bar change point apparatus to lock the trolling motor in either a stowed position or a deployed position and a release mechanism to unlock said multi-bar change point apparatus and move the trolling motor from the stowed position to the deployed position or to unlock said multi-bar change apparatus and move the trolling motor from the deployed position to the stowed position, said release mechanism comprising an adjustable clutch assembly and a drive assembly coupled on a rotatable rod or shaft connected to said multi-bar change point apparatus to selectively move the trolling motor between the deployed position to the stowed position, said drive assembly comprises a first drive member rotatably mounted on said rotatable rod or shaft and a second drive member disposed in operative engagement with said first drive member and coupled to a reversible motor to selectively rotate said first drive member in a first direction or a second direction to move the trolling motor to the deployed or stowed position respectively, said clutch assembly comprising a first torque adjustment member moveable relative to said first drive member to adjust the torque applied to said release mechanism by the reversible motor.
2 . The trolling motor mount of claim 1 wherein said clutch assembly includes a friction disc disposed between said first drive member and said first torque adjustment member.
3 . The trolling motor mount of claim 2 wherein said clutch assembly comprises a friction disc disposed on each side of said first drive member.
4 . The trolling motor mount of claim 2 wherein said first torque adjustment member comprises a resilient ring moveably mounted on said rotatable rod or shaft.
5 . The trolling motor mount of claim 3 further including a second torque adjustment member is moveably mounted on said rotatable rod or shaft disposed to move said resilient ring er on said rotatable rod or shaft.
6 . The trolling motor mount of claim 1 wherein said a first torque adjustment member comprises a resilient ring moveably mounted on said rotatable rod or shaft.
7 . The trolling motor mount of claim 1 further comprises a second torque adjustment member including an internally threaded member disposed to move said first torque adjustment member relative to said first drive member to adjust the torque applied to said release mechanism by the reversible motor.
8 . The trolling motor mount of claim 7 wherein said first drive member comprises a worm gear and said second drive member comprises a worm coupled to the reversible motor.
9 . The trolling motor mount of claim 1 wherein said first drive member comprises a worm gear and said second drive member comprises a worm coupled to the reversible motor.
10 . The trolling motor mount of claim 1 wherein rotation of said first drive member rotates said rotatable rod or shaft releasing said multi-bar change point apparatus from the locked position to move the trolling motor including a propeller from the stowed position to the deployed position or from the deployed position to the stowed position.
11 . A trolling motor mount to mount a trolling motor including a propeller to the deck of a boat, said trolling motor mount comprising a multi-bar change point apparatus to lock the trolling motor in either a stowed position or a deployed position and a release mechanism to unlock and move the trolling motor from the stowed position to the deployed position or to unlock said multi-bar change point apparatus and move the trolling motor from the deployed position to the stowed position, said release mechanism comprises clutch assembly and a drive assembly mounted on a rotatable rod or shaft by a sleeve, said sleeve includes a retainer flange formed on one end portion of said sleeve and an externally threaded portion formed on an opposite end portion of said sleeve, said drive assembly comprises a first drive member rotatably mounted on said sleeve and a second drive member disposed in operative engagement with said first drive member coupled to a reversible motor, said clutch assembly comprises an inner friction disc and an outer retainer ring each rotatably mounted on said sleeve and disposed on each side of said first drive member, said clutch assembly further includes a first torque adjustment member or resilient ring rotatably mounted on said sleeve and disposed between an outer surface of one of said outer retainer rings and an inner surface of one of said outer retainer rings and inner surface of a second torque adjustment member or internally threaded member mounted on an externally threaded portion of said sleeve such that when said second torque adjustment member or internally threaded member is tightened against said first torque adjustment member or resilient ring said friction discs and corresponding outer retainer rings are forced together against opposite sides of said first drive member by said retainer flange and said second torque adjustment member such that when force is applied said clutch assembly rotates along with said first drive member driven by said second drive member and when the propeller strikes a hard object or hard bed or the trolling motor strikes an object on the deck of the boat, said first drive member will continue to rotate with said sleeve and wherein the force exerted on said first drive member or worm will continue to rotate with said sleeve and the force exerted on said first drive member by said second drive member overcomes the force pressing said clutch assembly to prevent damage to the trolling motor, when the torque required for said clutch assembly to rotate is adjusted by moving or positioning said second torque adjustment member longitudinally relative to said retainer flange.
12 . A trolling motor mount to mount a trolling motor including a propeller to the deck of a boat to selectively lock the trolling motor in either a stowed position or a deployed position and a release mechanism to unlock and move the trolling motor mount from the stowed position to the deployed position or to unlocked and move the trolling motor from the deployed position to the stowed position, said release mechanism comprises clutch assembly and a drive assembly mounted on a rotatable rod or shaft by a sleeve, said sleeve includes a retainer flange formed on one end portion of said sleeve and an externally threaded portion formed on an opposite end portion of said sleeve, said clutch assembly further includes a first torque adjustment member or resilient ring rotatably mounted on said sleeve and disposed between an outer surface of one of said outer retainer rings and an inner surface of one of said outer retainer rings and inner surface of a second torque adjustment member or internally threaded member mounted on an externally threaded portion of said sleeve such that when said second torque adjustment member or internally threaded member is tightened against said first torque adjustment member or resilient ring, friction discs and corresponding outer retainer rings are forced together against opposite sides of said first drive member by said retainer flange and said second torque adjustment member such that when force is applied said clutch assembly rotates along with said first drive member driven by said second drive member and when the propeller strikes a hard object or hard bed or the trolling motor strikes an object on the deck of the boat, said first drive member will continue to rotate with said sleeve and such that the force exerted on said first drive member or worm will continue to rotate with said sleeve and such that the force exerted on said first drive member by said second drive member overcomes the force pressing said clutch assembly to slip relative to said rotatable rod or shaft preventing damage to the trolling motor, wherein the torque required for said clutch assembly to slip is adjustable by moving or positioning said second torque adjustment member longitudinally relative to said retainer flange.
13 . A trolling motor mount to mount a trolling motor to a boat, said trolling motor mount comprising a release mechanism to unlock and move the trolling motor from the stowed position to the deployed position or to unlock and move the trolling motor from the deployed position to the stowed position said release mechanism comprising an adjustable clutch assembly and a drive assembly coupled on a rotatable rod or shaft connected to said trolling motor mount to selectively unlock and move the trolling motor between the deployed position to the stowed position, said drive assembly comprises a first drive member rotatably mounted on said rotatable rod or shaft and a second drive member disposed in operative engagement with said first drive member and coupled to a reversible motor to selectively rotate said first drive member in a first direction or a second direction to move the trolling motor to the deployed position or stowed position respectively, said clutch assembly comprising a first torque adjustment member moveable relative to said first drive member to adjust the torque applied to said release mechanism by the reversible motor.
14 . The trolling motor mount of claim 13 wherein said clutch assembly includes a friction disc disposed between said first drive member and said first torque adjustment member.
15 . The trolling motor mount of claim 14 wherein said clutch assembly comprises a friction disc disposed on each side of said first drive member.
16 . The trolling motor mount of claim 14 wherein said first torque adjustment member comprises a resilient ring moveably mounted on said rotatable rod or shaft.
17 . The trolling motor mount of claim 16 further including a second torque adjustment member is moveably mounted on said rotatable rod or shaft disposed to move said resilient ring or said rotatable rod or shaft.
18 . The trolling motor mount of claim 13 wherein said first torque adjustment member comprises a ring moveably mounted on said rotatable rod or shaft.
19 . The trolling motor mount of claim 18 further including a second torque adjustment member comprising an internally threaded member disposed to move said first torque adjustment member relative to said first drive member to adjust the torque applied to said release mechanism by the reversible motor.
20 . The trolling motor mount of claim 19 wherein said first drive member comprises a worm gear and said second drive member comprises a worm coupled to the reversible motor.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE This application is a continuation application of application Ser. No. 17/803,600 filed Sep. 2, 2022 to issue as U.S. Pat. No. 12,077,271 on Sep. 3, 2024 filed as a continuation-in-part application of application Ser. No. 17/803,376 filed Aug. 2, 2022 issued as U.S. Pat. No. 12,012,193 on Jun. 18, 2024 claiming priority of provisional Application No. 63/258,890 filed Jun. 3, 2021. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention A trolling motor mount comprising a multi-bar change point apparatus to selectively secure a trolling motor in either a stowed position or a deployed position. Description of the Prior Art Trolling motors are often used by fishermen to provide a small amount of thrust to slowly and quietly propel a boat while fishing. Typically these trolling motors comprise an elongate shaft or hollow tube having a lower propulsion unit secured to one end thereof and an upper trolling motor head unit at the opposite end. The elongate tube may be mounted to the bow or the transom of the boat by a mounting mechanism. Generally these mounting mechanisms allow the trolling motor to be removed from the water when not in use. U.S. Pat. No. 7,722,417 relates to a mount for securing a trolling motor to a watercraft comprising a base, a main arm, a motor coupling and a linkage. The motor coupling is configured to rotatably retain the trolling motor. The main arm is pivotally coupled to the base. The linkage is pivotally coupled with the base and the main arm and extends within the main arm to contact the motor coupling for actuating rotation of the motor coupling between a first position when the main arm is in a stowed position and a second position when the main arm is in a deployed position. U.S. Pat. No. 6,325,685 discloses a trolling motor system comprising a chassis coupled to a boat, a housing pivotally coupled to the chassis, a lower propulsion unit, at least one shaft supported by the housing and coupled to the lower propulsion unit at a first end and a drive system including at least one actuator. The at least one shaft extends along a first axis. The first end is movable relative to the housing along the first axis. The drive system includes at least one actuator, a linear drive, a pivot drive and a coupler. The linear drive moves the first end of the first shaft along the first axis while the pivot drive pivots the housing about a second axis. The coupler connects the actuator and the pivot drive to pivot the housing. In one embodiment, the coupler connects the actuator and the pivot drive based upon the position of the at least one shaft along the first axis. U.S. Pat. No. 8,814,129 describes a trolling motor mount comprising a base to attach the mount to a watercraft, an arm assembly pivotally attached to the base, a motor mount assembly pivotally attached to the arm assembly for rotatably securing the trolling motor, and an actuator adapted to move the arm assembly between a fully deployed position and a fully stowed position. U.S. Pat. No. 7,972,188 shows an apparatus for mounting a trolling motor to a watercraft comprising a bracket, a coupling hinge, a lift arm, a cam mechanism, a collet, a resistance knob, a first bias spring and a second bias spring. The bracket is configured to mount on a transom or a gunnel of the watercraft. The coupling hinge receives a shaft of the trolling motor therethrough to retain the trolling motor via the collet and resistance knob mounted thereon. The collet and knob can be selectively tightened or loosened about the shaft of the trolling motor. The bracket defines detents and an arcuate track in which a track follower portion of the coupling hinge can move. The movement of the coupling hinge along the bracket tilts the trolling motor between a stowed position and a deployed position. The lift arm is pivotally coupled to the coupling hinge and carries a locking pin. The lift arm is biased by the first bias spring such that the locking pin engages the detents. The cam mechanism is pivotally coupled to the bracket and is biased by the second bias spring to disengage the locking pin from a lower portion of the detents. Additional examples of the prior art are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,369,542 and 9,296,455. While some of the prior art may contain some similarities relating to the present invention, none of them teach, suggested or include all of the advantages and unique features of the invention disclosed hereafter. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a multi-bar change point apparatus to selectively position a trolling motor in either a stowed position when not in use or deployed position when in use. The multi-bar change point apparatus includes a side frame member extending upwardly from each side of a base and held in substantially parallel relationship by a rotatable transverse rod or shaft and a distal transverse rod or shaft. An interconnecting link or arm disposed on each side of the multi-bar change point appara