Attwood Corporation

Warwick M Whitley, Ii

Donald L Clark

Clifton J Ratza

Trent Allan Eekhoff

Bruce Lynn Reniger

Elzie McKinney

James L Kusiak

Edward G Malone

A lift-up cleat assembly includes a base member having an upper plate shaped to abut a mounting surface and at least one normally vertically oriented tube depending from the plate, wherein the tube has a hollow interior, and a retractable cleat member having an upper cleat-shaped head shaped to retain lines thereon, and at least one normally vertically oriented mounting post depending from the head, wherein the post is telescopingly received in the interior of the tube of the base member and is telescopingly movable along a given length of travel. The cleat assembly also includes a cup-shaped retainer located within the hollow interior of the tube base member and having a central portion fixed with respect to the mounting post of the cleat member and an elastically deformable skirt portion that flexibly abuts the tube of the base member, thereby providing infinitesimally small increments of adjustability of the post of the cleat member within the tube of the base member along the length of travel, and wherein the retainer is shaped to allow liquid located within the interior of the tube of the base member to drain therefrom.

Lift-up cleat

A compact, lightweight, inexpensive surge restrictor for use in the fuel tank vent line of a marine craft includes a housing which defines a chamber having an inlet and an outlet, a baffle member disposed within a flow path through the chamber so that liquid passing therethrough impinges upon and is redirected to dissipate liquid momentum, and a movable closure member, which in response to a surge of liquid into the inlet, abates liquid flow through the surge restrictor. More specifically, the movable closure member is movable between a normal rest position wherein vapor and air can easily flow through the surge restrictor to allow venting and atmospheric pressure equalization within a fuel tank, and a liquid fuel surge arresting position wherein the closure member blocks a passageway in the flow path between the inlet and outlet of the surge restrictor to abate fluid flow therethrough. Preferably, small openings allow continuous air/fuel vapor flow even when the movable closure is in its fuel arresting position. On form of the device also provides a combined surge restrictor and water ingestion restrictor. The surge restrictor of the invention provides a simple device for effectively preventing discharge of liquid fuel into the environment on account of fuel surges which can, for example, be caused by overfilling of the fuel tank or by rocking of the marine craft due to wave action.

Fuel overflow restrictor/water intake restraining devices

A fuel filling assembly for liquid fuel tanks, especially on boats or the like, includes a fill tube adapted for mounting through a deck and a closure cap preferably hinged over the fill tube opening for selective opening and closing. Preferably, a positioning member allows the closure cap to be mounted in various positions with respect to the fill tube to accommodate various mounting locations on a boat. The fill tube may be angled or straight to further accommodate varied mounting positions. In one version, a separate vent tube joins the fill tube to provide continuous fuel tank venting, pressure equalization and return of fuel overflow to the fuel tank in case of tank overfill. In the vented version, a rigid shield on the closure cap extends over the opening to a vent passageway through the cap to restrict the escape of liquid fuel in the event of fuel surge due to extreme boat movements or the like when the closure cap is closed. The vent passageway is preferably tortuous to restrict ingestion of water or other contaminants and a baffle is mounted over the vent tube opening to prevent expulsion of fuel through the fill tube opening during tank filling when the closure cap is in open position. The positioning member and angled or straight fill tube may also be included in the vented version.

Fuel fill devices for boats

A fuel filling assembly for liquid fuel tanks, especially on boats or the like, includes a fill tube adapted for mounting through a deck and a closure cap preferably hinged over the fill tube opening for selective opening and closing. Preferably, a positioning member allows the closure cap to be mounted in various positions with respect to the fill tube to accommodate various mounting locations on a boat. The fill tube may be angled or straight to further accommodate varied mounting positions. In one version, a separate vent tube joins the fill tube to provide continuous fuel tank venting, pressure equalization and return of fuel overflow to the fuel tank in case of tank overfill. In the vented version, a flexible valve member on the closure cap closes a vent passageway through the cap in the event of fuel surge due to extreme boat movements or the like when the closure cap is closed. The vent passageway is preferably tortuous to restrict ingestion of water or other contaminants and a baffle is mounted over the vent tube opening to prevent expulsion of fuel through the fill tube opening during tank filling when the closure cap is in open position. The positioning member and angled or straight fill tube may also be included in the vented version.

Fuel fill device for boats

Chock for boats

Cleat for boats

Louvered vent for boats

Marine bow/courtesy light

Marine bilge blower

Marine bilge pump

Pump

A hydrofoil for mounting on the lower unit of a marine outboard engine/marine outdrive which improves the performance and stability of a boat driven by the lower unit. Each hydrofoil includes an upwardly angled wing segment and a wingtip fin at the outer end of the wing segment. The hydrofoils are preferably mounted in a pair on the lower unit and form a V-shaped assembly. Alternately, the hydrofoils may be formed as a single unit in which they are joined near their trailing edges. When mounted on the lower unit on a boat with a V-shaped hull bottom, the hydrofoil assembly generally matches the hull bottom shape to lower drag and water resistance during operation and to prevent interference with the forks of a fork lift truck when the boat is lifted.

Hydrofoil for marine outboard engine/marine outdrive

Marine outboard stabilizer

A portable pump assembly having a hollow housing with enlarged top and bottom is provided for holding a motor, switch, and battery pack. A pump chamber is formed on the underside of the housing and houses a pump impeller mounted on the end of the motor shaft. A flexible discharge tube extends from the pump and passes through an opening in the enlarged bottom such that the tube may be conveniently wrapped around the housing for storage or extended for use. A removable cover provides an easy access for replacing batteries. Further, the batteries are carried in a battery pack which plugs into a receptacle in the housing, thus simplifying and speeding battery replacement.

Growing community of inventors

Lynn Haven, FL, United States of America

Warwick M Whitley, Ii