Ships – Mooring device – Boom type
Patent
1995-05-19
1997-03-25
Swinehart, Edwin L.
Ships
Mooring device
Boom type
173 90, 52155, 114294, B63B 2124
Patent
active
056134584
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This application is a 371 of PCT/US94/08291, Jul. 22, 1994.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to a stake having a slidable captive hammer weight useful for driving the stake into the ground and for removing a driven stake from the ground. More particularly, it pertains to such a stake having a protective cover useful in both the driven and undriven states of stake.
2. Background of the Invention
A shore anchor is used to secure a small boat or personal watercraft, for example, to the shore when permanent docking structures are unavailable. Typically, a mooring line is tied from the boat or personal watercraft to a point on the shore provided by a shore anchor. The mooring often works in conjunction with an offshore anchor to prevent the boat or personal watercraft from drifting away from a desired, moored location between the shore and the offshore anchor.
With the rise in use of personal watercraft and smaller boats, a need has arisen for a shore anchor that can be safely transported on or in the watercraft or boat when not deployed. As personal watercraft are often used near and around heavily populated areas, a shore anchor must also be safe from harm to people when deployed to provide a mooring point.
Spike-like shore anchors are well known in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 4,960,064 to Mestas et al shows a land anchor comprised of a spike, a slidable hammer attached to the spike, and two stops located on the spike for limiting travel of the hammer along the spike. The hammer and stops are used to drive the spike into the ground and to remove the spike from the ground. Although the spike-like shore anchors known in the art provide the boat or water craft operator with a fixed point to secure the necessary mooring line, they have exposed sharp ends that can be dangerous or hazardous when they are transported. More significantly, the non-pointed end of a spike-like shore anchor also presents a danger and hazard to individuals on the shore who may trip over or fall onto the exposed end of the spike when the anchor is deployed and in use as a mooring point.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a captive-hammer spike-like shore anchor having a protective sheath or cover that allows for safe storage, movement, and deployment of the anchor. The sheath fits protectively over the exposed end of the anchor when the anchor is deployed. The sheath can be brightly colored to be highly visible to passers-by on the beach. The sheath can be used to cover the pointed end of the spike when the anchor is transported or stored.
Generally speaking, an anchor according to the present invention includes an anchor member, an annular hammer weight, and a generally tubular protective sheath. The anchor member is of elongated rod-like nature, and has a pointed end. A drive anvil is affixed to the anchor member substantially centrally of the length of the member, and a retraction anvil is affixed to the member proximate the other end of the anchor member. An annular hammer weight is slidably captive to and about the anchor member between the anvils. The hammer weight preferably is grooved so that it can be easily gripped by the operator. The sheath has a closed end and an open end via which the sheath is releasably connectable to either of the opposite ends of the hammer weight.
When the anchor is deployed, the protective sheath fits over the exposed end of the anchor member and is attachable to the slidable weight preferably via cooperating threads on the sheath and the weight. The protective sheath can be brightly colored so that is highly visible to individuals in the vicinity of the driven anchor. Bright coloring maximizes awareness of the anchor thus avoiding inadvertent contact by individuals on the shore. The protective sheath also minimizes possible harmful effects in the event a person falls on or against the upper end of the deployed anchor.
When the anchor is removed from the ground and not in use, the protective sheath can be placed over the pointed end of the spike-like anchor mem
REFERENCES:
patent: 3143817 (1964-08-01), Paulson
patent: 4960064 (1990-10-01), Mestas et al.
patent: 4971479 (1990-11-01), Byers, Sr. et al.
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