Ships – Bitts – cleats – and pin rails
Reexamination Certificate
2001-03-26
2001-10-02
Swinehart, Ed (Department: 3617)
Ships
Bitts, cleats, and pin rails
Reexamination Certificate
active
06295942
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to boat tie-up such as are established at the edges of docks, wharfs, and such, and more particularly to a tie-up capable of being quickly secured.
2. Description of Related Art
The prior art teaches the use of dock cleats and tying pins, tie-up and a wide range of devices for receiving a boat line, but does not teach a docking tie-up capable of being tightened by rotation of its primary shaft nor of providing for a replaceable insert. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages as described in the following summary.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention teaches certain benefits in construction and use which give rise to the objectives described below.
The instant invention may be used for a wide range of applications such as for tying up cattle and horses and other livestock. In various forms it may be also used in the mechanics or woodworker's shop for many applications limited only to the imagination of these that have a need. The insert of the present invention may be configured as a support, an attachment, a holder, a gripper and many other things. As a docking fixture for securing a water craft to a dock it includes a linear rigid shaft, terminating at one end with a ring. The shaft is integral with an exterior surface of the ring which provides a first internal machine thread. A disk shaped element provides a first external machine thread for threadedly engaging the first machine thread of the ring. The disk shaped element further provides a pair of opposing arms, extending outwardly from its opposing sides. A pair of spaced apart washer disks are threadedly engaged with the shaft such that rotation in a first rotational sense drives the washer disks together for gripping a dock, and rotation in an opposite sense drives the washer disks apart for loosening the invention from its mount.
A primary objective of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method of use of such apparatus that provides advantages not taught by the prior art.
Another objective is to provide such an invention capable of being tightened in its mount by turning a single shaft.
A further objective is to provide such an invention capable of being assembled using a washer of its construction as a wrench.
A still further objective is to provide such an invention capable of accepting a range of different insert for a variety of purposes.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4297963 (1981-11-01), Beacom
patent: 5690042 (1997-11-01), Bentley
patent: 5941191 (1999-08-01), Dysarz
Gene Scott-Patent Law & Venture Group
Swinehart Ed
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