Canoe carrier

[57] ABSTRACT

Apparatus to be worn by an individual for carrying a canoe in an inverted position and simultaneously to be used for carrying a pack. The apparatus comprises a pack carrier adapted to be strapped to the back of the individual, and includes arms pivotally connected to the lower portion of the pack carrier and having attachment means at the distal ends of the arms for attachment to a transverse strut of the canoe. The pack carrier has second attachment means for pivotally supporting a second strut of the canoe.

Claims, 5 Drawing Figures

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Patented May 22, 1973

3,734,367

FIG. I

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3,734,367

CANOE CARRIER

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to equipment adapted for recreational and camping purposes, and especially to a carrier to be worn by an individual for carrying a camping pack and a canoe.

When traveling by canoe it frequently is necessary to transport the canoe overland. Numerous problems arise when an individual seeks to transport a canoe by himself, and especially when he must also carry a camping pack. These problems relate to the initial positioning and lifting of the canoe to a carrying position, to the carrying of the canoe, and subsequently to the unloading of the canoe. Since the individual may be traveling alone it is essential for satisfactory use that the carrier be constructed and arranged so that these operations can be performed with maximum ease and safety. The prior art devices in use heretofore leave much to be desired in these respects.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention provides a carrier adapted to be worn by an individual which has eliminated many of the problems that exist when using prior art devices.

According to a preferred form of the present invention, a combination canoe and pack carrier is provided which is adapted to be worn on the back of an individual for carrying a canoe and a camping pack. The carrier comprises a frame having vertical upright members and transverse members connected to the upright members. Straps are connected to the frame for securing the frame against the back of the wearer, said frame being adapted when secured to the back of the wearer to support a camping pack. A pair of support arms are pivotally connected to lower portions of the frame and are arranged to extend forward and upward in parallel relationship on opposite sides of the wearer. The arms have first attachment means at their distal ends for attachment to a transverse strut of a canoe, and said frame has second attachment means at its upper end for attachment to a second transverse strut of the canoe. Strap means connect the distal ends of the arms to the upper end of the frame.

The second attachment means are open channelshaped members which may be either U-shaped or Yshaped to facilitate pivotally supporting of one of the transverse struts of the canoe when the canoe is in an inverted position. When supported in this manner, the canoe can be pivoted to a horizontal position in which the first transverse strut of the canoe will be seated in a U-shaped member at the distal end of each of the arms and in which the first strut may be cradled. Straps are then provided at said first attachment means for securing the first strut in the cradled position. The arms and the strap means are adjustable in length so that the combination canoe and pack carrier can readily be adjusted to fit the spacing between transverse strut members of any of a variety of canoes having different dimensions.

By virtue of the construction and arrangement of the combination canoe and pack carrier the canoe can easily be positioned in place for transportation by an individual, and when the individual is walking with the canoe in this position it will be balanced over his shoulders so as to enable him to carry the canoe with a minimum of effort and with maximum comfort. The straps connected to the frame for securing the frame to the back of the wearer can fit over the shoulders of the wearer so that he can quickly disengage himself from the frame in the event he encounters any difficulty while carrying the canoe. The canoe can also be removed easily from the frame merely by disconnecting the first attachment means from the first strut and allowing the canoe to pivot so that the one end of the canoe engages the ground while the canoe is pivotally supported in the second attachment means. The individual can then lift the canoe from the second attachment means and lower it to the ground with a minimum of difficulty. This arrangement also enables the individual to carry a camping pack on his shoulders in the manner that is conventional with pack carriers.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved canoe and pack carrier.

Other objects of this invention will appear in the following description and appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view in perspective showing a combination canoe and pack carrier in position on a wearer and showing a canoe supported on the carrier;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the second attachment means of the carrier;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a lower portion of the frame of the carrier;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the first attachment means of the carrier; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view similar to that of FIG. 1, showing a modified form of the combination canoe and pack carrier.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Before explaining the present invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

Referring now to the drawing, the invention will be described in greater detail. A combination canoe and pack carrier 10 is shown in FIG. 1 in the position that it normally is worn by an individual, and a canoe 12 is mounted in an inverted position on the carrier 10. Normally, a camping pack can be strapped to the frame 14 of the carrier 10 in the manner that is conventional, but the pack has been omitted from the drawings to better illustrate the invention. However, it is not necessary that a pack be carried when carrying the canoe. The canoe 12 is of a standard construction having a transverse strut 16 and a second transverse strut 18.

The frame comprises a pair of vertical upright members 22 and 24, and a plurality of transverse members 26 and 28. Other transverse members may be employed. In the illustrated embodiment the transverse member 26 is a rigid bar, and the transverse member 28 is a flexible fabric material. In the conventional

3,734,367 manner, the frame 14 includes a pair of shoulder straps 30, only one of which is shown, for securing the frame against the back of the wearer. A pair of support arms 32 and 34 are pivotally connected, as at 36 to lower portions 38 of the frame 14 and are arranged to extend forward and upward in parallel relationship on opposite sides of the wearer. The arms 34 and 36 have first attachment means 40 at their distal ends for attachment to the first transverse strut 16 of the canoe 12. As shown in FIG. 4, the first attachment means 40 includes an elastic strap or other suitable strap or band 42 which is secured to the distal end of the arm 32 at 44 and is releasably attached to the hook 46. By virtue of this arrangement the individual wearing the combination canoe and pack carrier can easily secure the strut 16 in a cradled position in the U-shaped member 48 at the distal end of the arm 32.

Second attachment means 50 are secured to the upper end of the frame 14 for attachment to the second transverse strut 18. The second attachment means is constructed and arranged so that the second strut 18 can be pivotally supported within the U-shaped brackets or channel members 52 that are open at the top to facilitate positioning the transverse strut 18 within the channel members 52.

The attachment means 50 can be secured to upright members 20 in any suitable manner, such as by the wing nuts 54 as is illustrated in FIG. 2. Also, it is desirable to have a strap means 56 connecting the distal ends of the arms 32 and 34 and the upper end of the frame 14 so that the arms will be held in an operative position for receiving the first transverse strut 16 during the mounting of the canoe to the position shown in FIG. 1. This strap means 56 may be made adjustable in length to facilitate the use of the combination canoe and pack carrier with any of a selected number of canoes having different spacing between their first and second strut members 16 and 18. Also, to facilitate adjustment, the arms 32 and 34 can be adjustable in length. Any conventional means may be used for this purpose. As shown in FIG. 1, the arms 32 and 34 can be made in two telescoping sections with springactuated retainer pins 58 adapted to be inserted into any of a series of holes 60. Likewise, for adjustment purposes the strap means 56 can have a series of holes for use in securing the strap means to the distal ends of the arms 32 and 34. Other suitable adjustment arrangements may be used, if desired.

The invention is not limited to the specific forms of the attachment means shown in FIGS. 1-4, inclusive, but other means may also be used. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, a second attachment means 62 may be employed which is Y-shaped in configuration, and it can also be secured to the upper ends of the frame 14. The embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 5 allows the canoe to be carried in a position that is more nearly centered over the back of the wearer so as to ease the burden of carrying the canoe 12.