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US4127031A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Boat theft detector

Assignee: NAUTICAL RESEARCH Corp A CORP OF
•
Filing: 1977-05-23
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Granted: 1978-11-28
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Expires: 1997-05-23
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Abstract

Abstract Attempted boat theft is detected by measuring the increased displacement of the boat caused by the added weight of the thief. The device measures the slight sinking of the boat into the water under the added weight and automatically resets so as to be in readiness for responding to the next person.

Inventors

  • 👤 Dale R. Barnes

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-26 06:39
CPC Classifications
G; G08; G08B; G08B21/00; G08B21/02; G08B21/08; B; B63; B63B; B63B17/00; B63B2017/0009

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim 155 words
A boat theft detection apparatus comprising a vented receiver adapted to be mounted in fixed relation to a boat for holding water at the level of the ambient water outside the boat, a tube having one end feeding water to the receiver at water level and its other end submerged in the ambient water of the boat whereby under steady state conditions the water level in the receiver is the same as the water level outside the boat, and means actuated by the sinking of the boat under the added weight of an unauthorized person for causing a transient differential between the water level in the receiver and the boat, the hydrostatic pressure of this differential causing a transient flow of water through said tube in the direction equalize the water levels in the receiver and outside the boat, and means coacting with the tube utilizing this flow for sensing the presence of such person.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 155 words
A boat theft detection apparatus comprising a vented receiver adapted to be mounted in fixed relation to a boat for holding water at the level of the ambient water outside the boat, a tube having one end feeding water to the receiver at water level and its other end submerged in the ambient water of the boat whereby under steady state conditions the water level in the receiver is the same as the water level outside the boat, and means actuated by the sinking of the boat under the added weight of an unauthorized person for causing a transient differential between the water level in the receiver and the boat, the hydrostatic pressure of this differential causing a transient flow of water through said tube in the direction equalize the water levels in the receiver and outside the boat, and means coacting with the tube utilizing this flow for sensing the presence of such person.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 174 words
A boat theft detection apparatus comprising a vented receiver adapted to be mounted in fixed relation to a boat for holding water at the level of the ambient water outside the boat, a tube having one end feeding water to the receiver at water level and its other end submerged in the ambient water of the boat whereby under steady state conditions the water level in the receiver is the same as the water level outside the boat and the sinking of the boat under the added weight of an unauthorized person cause a flow of water through the tube to provide make up water for maintaining the water level in the receiver the same as the water level outside the boat, means for heating the water in the tube above the ambient water temperature, and means coacting with the tube for sensing the presence of said unauthorized person by temperature sensing means which senses the drop in temperature of the water in the tube when the make up water flows through the tube.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 174 words
A boat theft detection apparatus comprising a vented receiver adapted to be mounted in fixed relation to a boat for holding water at the level of the ambient water outside the boat, a tube having one end feeding water to the receiver at water level and its other end submerged in the ambient water of the boat whereby under steady state conditions the water level in the receiver is the same as the water level outside the boat and the sinking of the boat under the added weight of an unauthorized person cause a flow of water through the tube to provide make up water for maintaining the water level in the receiver the same as the water level outside the boat, means for heating the water in the tube above the ambient water temperature, and means coacting with the tube for sensing the presence of said unauthorized person by temperature sensing means which senses the drop in temperature of the water in the tube when the make up water flows through the tube.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 35 words
The apparatus of claim 2 in which said temperature sensing means is also actuated by rising of the boat under the loss of weight of said unauthorized person for sensing the absence of such person.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 68 words
The apparatus of claim 2 in which the heating means is applied to a short section of heat conductive tube in a longer length of thermal insulating tubing so the water in said short section can be heated above the temperature of the water in the adjoining sections of tubing and the temperature sensing means responds to the change of temperature of the water in said short section.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US2678434A Cited
US2808580A Cited
US3101695A Cited
US3246523A Cited
US3559204A Cited
US3760396A Cited
US3781839A Cited
US3925756A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1981-11-27 1982-05-29 1982-11-28 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1985-11-27 1986-05-29 1986-11-28 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1989-11-27 1990-05-29 1990-11-28 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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