Freight accommodation on freight carrier – Load lashing retainer or load lashing adjunct – Anchor
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-18
2001-06-05
Gordon, Stephen T. (Department: 3612)
Freight accommodation on freight carrier
Load lashing retainer or load lashing adjunct
Anchor
C410S101000, C410S110000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06241440
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is related to devices for tethering fittings to a deck or the like.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Pulleys or blocks are employed on sailing vessels to carry and transfer loads imposed on the sails and enable adjustments of the sails. Since the loads on certain fittings can be very high, such fittings are normally attached with the use of heavy duty shackles or posts made from stainless steel.
Recent developments in fiber technology have led to flexible lines and woven fabrics having extremely high tensile strengths. The use of such high strength fibrous materials in applications such as tethering boat fittings to a deck, however, has certain disadvantages associated with it. As an example, it is desirable to have such fittings be rotatable. Tethering a fitting snugly with a fiber cord or strap, however, does not allow for rotation.
In addition, it is desirable to have fittings as close to the deck as possible to give the boat a low center of gravity, as well as to reduce clutter. However, it is difficult to tether a fitting close to the deck with a fibrous material such as a cord or strap, as the cord must be tied to a cleat or other fitting on the deck, and then to the fitting above. This is a particularly acute problem should rotation of the fitting be desired, in which case a sufficient length of line must be provided in the line.
There is therefor an unresolved need in the industry for a fitting tethering device.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide a device for tethering a fitting or the like to a substantially flat surface, such as a deck.
It is a further object to provide a tethering device capable of swiveling or rotating generally about a vertical axis.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide a through-deck tethering device which is water tight.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention comprises a tethering device for anchoring a tether line, cord, or strap, with the device attached to a substantially flat surface, such as a deck or the like. An outer cylinder is mounted in the flat surface, and an inner cup is rotatably held in the outer cylinder. Fibrous material, such as rope or strap, is removably anchored to the inner cup.
Preferably, the inner cup has a lower flange which rotatably contacts the bottom rim of the outer cylinder, and the fibrous material is looped, with one end of the loop around a locking pin. The preferred locking pin has a length greater than the diameter of the inner cup, with the end of the loop around the pin thereby locked in place and prevented from passing through the cup. A second end of the loop is above the flat surface for tethering a fitting or the like. As loads are applied to the loop upwards and away from the cup, the inner cup lower flange holds the cup in place in the outer cylinder, although the cup and hence the anchored loop remain free to rotate.
A collar around the top of the inner cup rotatably contacts the outer cylinder top rim to prevent the cup from passing downwards through the cylinder. The fibrous material is preferably high strength cordage or strapping, preferably comprised of thermoplastic filaments.
The above brief description sets forth rather broadly the more important features of the present disclosure so that the detailed description that follows may be better understood, and so that the present contributions to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. In this respect, before explaining the several embodiments of the disclosure in detail, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited in its application to the details of the construction and the arrangements set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The present invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for description and not limitation.
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Harken 1998 Catalog, p. 60, Item c2805, Jan. 1998, Harken Co., Pewaukee, WI; as described on attached IDS Section Statement as to Item Illustrated in Publication.
Gordon Stephen T.
Harken, Inc.
Pyle & Piontek
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