Ships – Anchor – Fluke type
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-18
2001-06-05
Swinehart, Ed (Department: 3617)
Ships
Anchor
Fluke type
Reexamination Certificate
active
06240871
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to anchors for marine use and other aquatic uses, and in particular to anchors having multiple flukes and multiple arm elements.
2. Description of Related Art
Many different anchor types have been proposed and implemented for holding a boat in a particular place by means of a fluke which digs into the bottom of an ocean, lake, or river. Numerous shapes of anchors have been proposed including grapnel, “A” frame, yachtsman's, mushroom, and Danforth (limited pivoting fluke).
One serious limitation of prior anchors, and in particular the Danforth type of anchor is that they have a tendency to roll in the direction of a sideways pull, such as which may occur with a shift of wind, tide, or current. Such a roll is often the precursor of one or both of the flukes breaking out of the sea floor. Often the anchor in such situations fails to reset itself, and skates along on the edge of one fluke and the shackle end of the shank.
Although there have been prior attempts to solve the problem of anchor rolling and breakout by providing various modifications and accessories to conventional anchors, all such attempts have been cumbersome, un eliable, and ill-suited for serious use. Such limitations. have undoubtedly been a reason such anchor modifications have not received widespread acceptance.
It is of critical importance for an anchor to have the ability to catch and grab on uneven ground. The present invention provides a very simple yet extremely efficient and reliable solution to such limitations in prior anchors. Accordingly, it is the primary object of this invention to provide an anchor with a plurality of radially oriented and angularly spaced flukes which are combined with a plurality of radially aligned and oriented arm elements to provide quick and considerable grip and holding potential. Because of its unique configuration the anchor of the present invention also has a minimum level of dragging and fouling when pivoting and/or swinging with the change of tides and winds.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentality's and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To achieve the foregoing objects, and in accordance with the purposes of the invention as embodied and broadly described herein an anchor comprising a shank having a forward and a rear end has a plurality of flukes secured to the rear end of the shank. The plurality of flukes are secured to the shank by a fluke mounting element. The plurality of flukes are radially oriented and angularly spaced apart and positioned on the fluke mounting element. A plurality of arm elements are radially aligned and oriented with respect to the fluke mounting element. Each of the plurality of flukes may be provided with an inwardly sloped bill segment at a distal end of the fluke.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4337717 (1982-07-01), Gregory
patent: 4785758 (1988-11-01), Eichelberger, Sr.
patent: 5529023 (1996-06-01), Boardman
Courtheyn Steven M.
Swinehart Ed
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