Ships – Boats – boat component – or attachment – Deck or gunwale attachment
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-20
2001-08-14
Brittain, James R. (Department: 3626)
Ships
Boats, boat component, or attachment
Deck or gunwale attachment
C114S20100A, C024S298000, C024S300000, C024S301000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06273020
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to a restraint in which bungee (stretchable) cord is anchored to a surface at one end, and has a unidirectional snap fastener at the other end, whereby pulling on the bungee cord cannot release the snap, but pulling on a side of the snap opposite the bungee cord will release it.
BACKGROUND ART
An example for the need of a restraint for securely holding articles in place, while at the same time allowing quick access thereto, is found in tournament bass fishing. In tournament bass fishing, anglers have a limited amount of time in which to produce the best catch, thereby to win the tournament. Common practice is to fish, successively, at different spots seeking an adequate catch. Because of the time constraint, anglers in a bass tournament have many different poles, rigged and ready for use. Anglers typically use high speed boats so as to reduce the time required to travel from one fishing spot to the next, frequently encountering rough water, created by wind and/or other boats. When traveling from spot to spot, it is desirable to not restore rigged fishing poles to a pole locker, it being preferred to keep them readily accessible on deck. To hold the pole securely while traveling, some sort of restraint is required. Since some of the poles are extremely large, up to eight feet in length, the common practice is to secure poles to the forward deck of a bass boat when traveling.
Restraints for fishing poles known to the prior art have been inadequate. One restraint simply uses VELCRO to hold fishing poles to the deck of a boat. However, the VELCRO does not hold adequately. Another restraint uses an elastic strap which is secured with a hook and eye combination. However, this combination stands out from the deck and poses a safety hazard with the potential of tripping an angler, and/or injuring an angler that steps on the hook/eye combination. Another restraint utilizes a T-shaped slot embedded in the deck. However, slots have a tendency to fill with matter and become blocked.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
Objects of the invention include provision of a restraint for holding articles, such as fishing poles, securely to a surface which: will not be released in response to pressure from the article being held; which is easily released by a person; which is simple, low cost and easy to install; and which does not comprise a hazard to persons in its vicinity.
According to the present invention, a restraint for articles, such as fishing poles, comprises one or more lengths of resilient cord, such as bungee cord, permanently anchored at one end by a suitable fastener, such as a screw, and secured at the opposite end by means of a unidirectional snap fastener, positioned so that no amount of pressure on the bungee cord can release the snap fastener, but pressure on the snap fastener at a position opposite to the bungee cord will cause it to readily release. In accordance further with the invention, a restraint comprises a length of resilient cord folded back on itself, the two ends thereof being fastened together, such as by whipping or otherwise, so as to form a loop, one end of the loop being captured within the cap portion of a unidirectional snap fastener, the other end of the loop to be secured to a surface to which the restraint is to be mounted, the restraint including the body portion of a unidirectional snap fastener, which is to be secured to said surface. According to a particular embodiment of the present invention, a restraint for fishing poles comprises a length of bungee cord, which may be a single strand or plural strands, having one end secured to the deck of a boat, the other end captured in the cap of a unidirectional dot fastener, and the body of said dot fastener being secured to said deck. In further accord with this embodiment, the restraint is secured athwart said deck. In further accord with the invention, the restraint is secured with the unidirectional snap fastener adjacent to the gunwale of the boat, thereby to reduce contact thereof with anglers' feet. In accordance still further with the invention, one end of the restraint may be anchored in the edge of a hatch cover, thereby to avoid contact with anglers' feet.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent in the light of the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments thereof, as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
REFERENCES:
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patent: 4457553 (1984-07-01), Larkin
patent: 4692969 (1987-09-01), Johnson
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patent: 4986785 (1991-01-01), Flowers
patent: 5845891 (1998-12-01), West
patent: 5956834 (1999-09-01), Sardo et al.
patent: 6109459 (2000-08-01), Downey
Brittain James R.
Rodriguez Ruth C.
Williams M. P.
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