Boat lift control device

Abstract

An air-displacement boat lift control that allows a user to raise an air-displacement boat lift in a single motion and also lower an air-displacement boat lift in a separate single motion. The boat lift control controllably couples a ball valve with a throttle-like lever arm having a forward (raise), reverse (lower), and neutral position.

1 . An air-displacement boat lift control for use with an air-displacement boat lift having an air chamber, comprising:
 at least one powered air source configured to selectively produce an air flow to increase the air volume in the air chamber; and   at least one bi-directional lever actuated control with a lever selectively movable between raise, lower and neutral positions, and the control being operative connected to the at least one air source and connectable to the air chamber, in the raise position the lever operating the control to direct air flow from the at least one air source to the air chamber, in the lower position the lever operating the control to direct air to be released from the air chamber, and in the neutral position the lever operating the control to prevent air from being released from the air chamber.   
   
   
       2 . The air-displacement boat lift control of  claim 1  wherein the at least one lever actuated control includes at least one valve, the lever controlling operation of the at least one valve to control airflow to and from the air chamber and from the at least one air source, in the raise position the lever placing the valve in a first open state whereat the valve allows air flow from the at least one air source, through the valve, and into the air chamber, in the lower position the lever placing the valve in a second open state whereat the valve allows air flow from the air chamber, through the valve, and into the atmosphere, and in the neutral position the lever placing the valve in a closed state whereat the valve prevents air from being released from the air chamber. 
   
   
       3 . The air-displacement boat lift control of  claim 2  wherein the at least one valve is a ball valve. 
   
   
       4 . The air-displacement boat lift control of  claim 3  wherein the ball valve has a valve ball with a first air flow passageway and a second air flow passageway in communication with the first air flow passageway, in the lower position the lever placing the valve ball with an input of the first air flow passageway in communication with the air chamber and an output of the first air flow passageway in communication with the air source when turned off to vent air therethrough, and with an output of the second air flow passageway venting to atmosphere. 
   
   
       5 . The air-displacement boat lift control of  claim 1  wherein in the raise position the lever turns on the at least one powered air source. 
   
   
       6 . The air-displacement boat lift control of  claim 1  wherein the lever releasably locks when in the neutral position. 
   
   
       7 . The air-displacement boat lift control of  claim 1  having two bi-directional levers arranged to be moved simultaneously by an operator, each controlling the air volume in a one of two separate air chambers. 
   
   
       8 . The air-displacement boat lift control of  claim 1  wherein the position of the lever is indicated by a spring detent locating mechanism. 
   
   
       9 . The air-displacement boat lift control of  claim 1  wherein the at least one lever actuated control includes a valve to control air flow to and from the air chamber. 
   
   
       10 . An air-displacement boat lift control for use with an air-displacement boat lift having a first air chamber and a second air chamber, comprising:
 first and second powered air sources configured to selectively produce an air flow to increase the air volume in the air chamber; and   first and second bi-directional lever actuated controls, the first control having a first lever selectively movable between raise, lower and neutral positions, and the second control having a second lever selectively movable between raise, lower and neutral positions, the first control being operative connected to the first air source and connectable to the air chamber, in the raise position the first lever operating the first control to direct air flow from the first air source to the air chamber, in the lower position the first lever operating the first control to direct air to be released from the air chamber, and in the neutral position the first lever operating the first control to prevent air from being released from the air chamber, and the second control being operative connected to the second air source and connectable to the air chamber, in the raise position the second lever operating the second control to direct air flow from the second air source to the air chamber, in the lower position the second lever operating the second control to direct air to be released from the air chamber, and in the neutral position the second lever operating the second control to prevent air from being released from the air chamber.   
   
   
       11 . The air-displacement boat lift control of  claim 10  wherein the first lever actuated control includes a first valve and the second lever actuated control includes a second valve, the first lever controlling operation of the first valve to control airflow to and from the first air chamber and from the first air source, in the raise position the first lever placing the first valve in a first open state whereat the first valve allows air flow from the first air source, through the first valve, and into the first air chamber, in the lower position the first lever placing the first valve in a second open state whereat the first valve allows air flow from the first air chamber, through the first valve, and into the atmosphere, and in the neutral position the first lever placing the first valve in a closed state whereat the first valve prevents air from being released from the first air chamber, and the second lever controlling operation of the second valve to control airflow to and from the second air chamber and from the second air source, in the raise position the second lever placing the second valve in a first open state whereat the second valve allows air flow from the second air source, through the second valve, and into the second air chamber, in the lower position the second lever placing the second valve in a second open state whereat the second valve allows air flow from the second air chamber, through the second valve, and into the atmosphere, and in the neutral position the second lever placing the second valve in a closed state whereat the second valve prevents air from being released from the second air chamber. 
   
   
       12 . The air-displacement boat lift control of  claim 11  wherein the first valve is a first ball valve and the second valve is a second ball valve, the first ball valve having a first valve ball with a first air flow passageway and a second air flow passageway in communication with the first air flow passageway, in the lower position the first lever placing the first valve ball with an input of the first air flow passageway in communication with the first air chamber and an output of the first air flow passageway in communication with the first air source when turned off to vent air therethrough, and with an output of the second air flow passageway venting to atmosphere, and the second ball valve having a second valve ball with a first air flow passageway and a second air flow passageway in communication with the first air flow passageway, in the lower position the second lever placing the second valve ball with an input of the first air flow passageway in communication with the second air chamber and an output of the first air flow passageway in communication with the second air source when turned off to vent air therethrough, and with an output of the second air flow passageway venting to atmosphere. 
   
   
       13 . The air-displacement boat lift control of  claim 10  wherein the first and second levers are arranged adjacent to each other for simultaneous movement between the raise, lower and neutral positions by an operator using a single hand. 
   
   
       14 . An air-displacement boat lift control for use with an air-displacement boat lift having an air chamber, comprising:
 at least one powered air source configured to selectively produce an air flow to increase the air volume in the air chamber; and   at least one bi-directional lever actuated control with a lever selectively movable between raise and lower positions, and the control being operative connected to the at least one air source and connectable to the air chamber, in the raise position the lever operating the control to direct air flow from the at least one air source to the air chamber, and in the lower position the lever operating the control to direct air to be released from the air chamber.   
   
   
       15 . The air-displacement boat lift control of  claim 14  wherein the at least one lever actuated control includes at least one valve, the lever controlling operation of the at least one valve to control airflow to and from the air chamber and from the at least one air source, in the raise position the lever placing the valve in a first open state whereat the valve allows air flow from the at least one air source, through the valve, and into the air chamber, and in the lower position the lever placing the valve in a second open state whereat the valve allows air flow from the air chamber, through the valve, and into the atmosphere. 
   
   
       16 . The air-displacement boat lift control of  claim 14  wherein in the raise position the lever turns on the at least one powered air source. 
   
   
       17 . An air-displacement boat lift control for use with an air-displacement boat lift having a first air chamber and a second air chamber, comprising:
 first and second powered air sources configured to selectively produce an air flow to increase the air volume in the air chamber; and   first and second bi-directional lever actuated controls, the first control having a first lever selectively movable between raise and lower positions, and the second control having a second lever selectively movable between raise and lower positions, the first control being operative connected to the first air source and connectable to the air chamber, in the raise position the first lever operating the first control to direct air flow from the first air source to the air chamber, and in the lower position the first lever operating the first control to direct air to be released from the air chamber, and the second control being operative connected to the second air source and connectable to the air chamber, in the raise position the second lever operating the second control to direct air flow from the second air source to the air chamber, and in the lower position the second lever operating the second control to direct air to be released from the air chamber.   
   
   
       18 . The air-displacement boat lift control of  claim 17  wherein the first lever actuated control includes a first valve and the second lever actuated control includes a second valve, the first lever controlling operation of the first valve to control airflow to and from the first air chamber and from the first air source, in the raise position the first lever placing the first valve in a first open state whereat the first valve allows air flow from the first air source, through the first valve, and into the first air chamber, and in the lower position the first lever placing the first valve in a second open state whereat the first valve allows air flow from the first air chamber, through the first valve, and into the atmosphere, and the second lever controlling operation of the second valve to control airflow to and from the second air chamber and from the second air source, in the raise position the second lever placing the second valve in a first open state whereat the second valve allows air flow from the second air source, through the second valve, and into the second air chamber, and in the lower position the second lever placing the second valve in a second open state whereat the second valve allows air flow from the second air chamber, through the second valve, and into the atmosphere. 
   
   
       19 . The air-displacement boat lift control of  claim 17  wherein the first and second levers are arranged adjacent to each other for simultaneous movement between the raise and lower positions by an operator using a single hand.