Trolling motor mount
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.
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.
21 . The trolling motor mount of claim 13 wherein said first drive member comprises a worm gear and said second drive member comprises a worm coupled to the reversible motor.
22 . The trolling motor mount of claim 13 wherein rotation of said first drive member rotates said rotatable rod or shaft to selective move said release mechanism from the locked position to move the trolling motor from the stowed position to the deployed position or from the deployed position to the stowed position.