Buckles – buttons – clasps – etc. – Cord and rope holders
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-20
2001-12-11
Sandy, Robert J. (Department: 3626)
Buckles, buttons, clasps, etc.
Cord and rope holders
C024S0710TD, C024S0680CD, C070S018000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06327752
ABSTRACT:
INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND
Copending application Ser. No. 09/028,138 filed on Feb. 23, 1998 [agent ref. 100-02] (the disclosure of which are included by reference herein) disclose novel methods and apparatuses for securing one end of a cable to another end of cable, for example, to secure the ends of a cable for attaching a recreational craft, for example, a surfboard, to the hood or roof of a car or truck. The present invention is an improvement of the earlier inventions and includes an improved means of locking the devices disclosed in the earlier application to make these devices easier and safer to use and more appealing to the eye.
U.S. Application Ser. No. 09/028,138 discloses a device for securing a cable consisting of a set of u-shaped brackets or channels hinged at one end. The unhinged end of one bracket includes an adjustable device for securing the first end of a cable, for example, a plastic-covered, braided steel cable. The unhinged end of the second bracket also includes an adjustable arrangement for securing the second end of a cable. The characterizing feature of the invention disclosed in application Ser. No. 09/028,138 is that when the second bracket is rotated about the hinged end it engages the first bracket while concealing the devices used to secure the cable to the brackets. The brackets also include means for securing the engaged brackets, for example, a perforated tab for a padlock, to prevent the two brackets from being disengaged and the cable ends released.
The present invention provides for further improvements to the devices disclosed in application Ser. No. 09/028,138. For example, in one embodiment of the present invention, the means by which the first cable end is secured to the first bracket allows for ease of securing and tightening the first cable to the first bracket. The same means for securing and tightening is also more easily released when the second bracket is disengaged from the first bracket.
In addition, where the devices described in the above-referenced applications have been shown to provide a simple and effective means of securing the ends of cables, the locking mechanism described in those applications can be cumbersome and prone to tampering by others. The present invention overcomes these limitations of the devices disclosed in the above applications by introducing means of locking the devices incorporating a combination lock or lock-and-key arrangement, for example, a locking arrangement having a more user-friendly push-button release.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Similar to the device disclosed in 09/028,138, the present invention provides means for securing the ends of the same or separate cables in order to secure the cable or cables about an object, for example, a kayak or surfboard. The invention consists or comprises a first channel or u-shaped bracket having a first end and a second end and a second channel or u-shaped bracket having a first end and a second end. The first channel includes means for securing a first cable end adjacent the first end and the second channel also includes means for securing a second cable end. The second end of the first channel is rotatably hinged to the second end of the second channel such that when the second channel is rotated about its second end, the first end of the second channel engages the first end of the first channel. When the channels are engaged, the two means of securing the cable ends are concealed and access or tampering with these means is prevented.
One embodiment of the present invention comprises a device for securing one or more pleasure craft to prevent their theft or unauthorized use consisting of: a cable having a first end and a second end; a first u-shaped channel having a first end and a second end, having means for securing the first end of the cable adjacent to the second end of the channel; a second u-shaped channel having a first end pivotably connected to the first end of the first channel, a second end, and means for securing the second end of the cable at a point between the first end and the second end of the second channel; means for locking the first channel to the second channel after the second channel is rotated into engagement with the first channel; wherein said means for securing the first end of the cable to the first channel comprises or consists of a slidable device in the first channel which engages and secures the first end of the cable to the first channel and having means for connecting the slidable device to the second channel so that the slidable device engages and secures the first end of the cable when the second channel is rotated into engagement with the first channel.
The means for connecting the slidable device to the second channel comprises one or more rigid bars or rods. The slidable device preferably includes a circular, disk-like device about which the first cable end is drawn. The first channel preferably includes one or more wedge-shaped elements at the first end and the first end of the cable is retained between the slidable device and the one or more wedge-shaped elements. In one embodiment, the position of the slidable device is biased by a coil spring. In another embodiment the slidable device comprises a wedge shaped element and a rotatable circular element, about which the first end of the cable is drawn, and the wedge-shaped element and the circular element are mounted on a slidable plate. Furthermore, the one or more rigid bars which are connected to the second channel preferably are connected to the slidable plate.
A further embodiment of this invention includes an apparatus for securing a first cable end to a second cable end comprising or consisting of: a first u-shaped channel having a first end and a second end, the first channel having means for securing the first cable end adjacent to the second end of the channel; and a second u-shaped channel having a first end pivotably connected to the first end of the first channel, a second end, and means for securing the second cable end to the second channel; wherein the first and second channels include means for securing the first channel to the second channel after the second channel is rotated into engagement with the first channel and further wherein said second channel includes means for securing excess cable. The means for securing excess cable preferably consists of a rigid plate mounted on the second channel having one or more u-shaped recesses into which the excess cable can be inserted and retained.
Still Another embodiment of the present invention is an apparatus for securing a first cable end to a second cable end consisting of or comprising: a first u-shaped channel having a first end and a second end, the first channel having means for securing the first cable end adjacent to the second end of the channel; and a second u-shaped channel having a first end pivotably connected to the first end of the first channel, a second end, and means for securing the second cable end to the second channel; wherein the first and second channels include means for securing the first channel to the second channel after the second channel is rotated into engagement with the first channel and said first channel includes a threaded pin rigidly mounted to said first channel and said means for securing the first cable end to the second end of the first channel consists of at least one rotatable, threaded device rotatable about said threaded pin; and further wherein said threaded device includes means of retaining excess cable. The means for retaining excess cable preferably consists of or comprises one or more u-shaped recesses in the nut-like device into which the excess cable can be inserted.
Another embodiment of this invention comprises a device for securing a first cable end to a second cable end, consisting of: a first u-shaped channel having a first end and a second end, and having means for securing the first cable end adjacent to the second end of the channel; a second u-shaped channel having a first end pivotably connected to the first end of the first cha
Pietrangelo John
Sandy Robert J.
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