Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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The present invention relates to a device for-
detachably fixing a light-weight anchor of the pivoting
fluke type, onto a rail extending upwardly from a boat.
Light-weight anchors of the pivoting fluke type,
also known as Danforth anchors, are well-known in the art
and widely used on small and medium sized, sail and power
boats. Such anchors comprise an elongated shank connected
at one end to the boat by a chain and at the other end to
a pivoting rod extending transversally to the shank. The
1~ pivoting rod carries a crown plate assembly and a pair of
flukes symetrically arranged with respect to the shank. Of
course, the flukes and crown plate assembly are free to
pivot together with the rod relative to the shank.
When they are not in use, the anchors are usually
attached to the top of the deck or to some other part of
the boat, such as the rail usually extending at the bow of
the boat to define a pulpit.
Numerous devices have been proposed hitherto to
detachably fix light-weight anchors onto the bow rails of
~0 boats, using metal brackets or hooks c;ecured to the rail.
In this regard, reference can be made, by way of example,
to United States patents nos 3,752.107 of 1973; 3,935,830
of 1976; 3,991,699 of 1976; 4,122,794 of 1978 and 4,164jl94
of 1979.
All the known prior art devices have the common
advantage of making the anchor accessible when needed,
while positioning it off of the deck. However, some of them
have the disadvantage of leaving the flukes and crown plate
assembly free to rotate with respect to the shank or vice
versa, thus leading to an undesirable swaying as soon as
the sea is not perfectly smooth. Other devices have the
disadvantage of requesting substantial manipulation and
even skill to fix the anchors thereto or remove the anchors
therefrom.
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An object of the present invention is to provide
an improved device for detachably fixing a light-weight
anchor of the pivoting fluke type onto a rail extending
upwardly from a boat, which device is very simple in
structure and there~ore is very easy to contruct, mount and
use.
Another object of the invention is to provide an
improved device of the above-mentioned type, which avoids
the above-mentioned disadvantages encountered with the
known devices of the same type.
In accordance with the invention, a device is
provided for detachably fixing a light-weight anchor of the
pivoting fluke type onto a rail extending upwardly from a
boat, the anchor comprising an elongated shank connected at
one end to the boat by a chain, and at the other end to at
least one fluke. The device comprises a tubular hollow
member having a longitudinal axis, upper and lower ends,
and an inner diameter wide enough to receive the shank and-
the chain connected thereto. ~he device also comprises
clamping means externally secured to the member for detach-
ably mounting in onto the rail, in parallel relationship
therewith.
The anchor can be detachably fixed onto the
device by inserting the end of the shank with the chain
connected thereto into the upper end of the hollow member,
and letting the shank fall down until it is retained by the
fluke(s). In this position, the anchor remains fixed by
gravity with the shank located inside the member.
The structure o~ the basic components of the device
according to the invention and the way these components are
assembled, are very simple. The fixation of the anchor to
the device and the removal therefrom are also very simple
- and do not request extensive manipulation andtor skill from
the user. Moreover, the weight of the anchor after insertion
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of the shank inside the member, ensures positive engagement
of the pivoting part of the anchor onto the upper end of
the member, and thus prevents this pivoting part to swing
back and forth with respect to the shank inserted into the
member under rough sea conditions.
Accoxding to a preferred embodiment of the inven-
tion, a recess is provided in the upper end of the member
to give enough room to the chain to allow positive contact
of the pivoting part of the anchor onto the upper end of
the member when the anchor is fixed.
According to an another preferred embodiment of
the invention, the clamping means comprise a pair of clamps
having a contour similar to the one of the rail and an axis
parallel to the longitudinal axis of the member. These
clamps are positioned one above the other, adjacent to the
upper and lower ends of the member, respectively, to provide
better attachment of the device onto the rail.
As indicated hereinabove, the rail on which the device
according to the invention may be mounted, must extend up-
wardly from the deck or any other part of the boat. Therail needs not extend perpendiclllarly to the deck or bow of
the boat, but may lean forwardly or rearwardly. However,
it is compulsory that this rail extend upwardly so that the
member mounted parallel thereto extends in the same direc-
tion and allows the anchor to remain fixed by gravity withthe shank inside the hollow member.
The invention will be better understood with
reference ot the ~ollowing non-restrictive description o~
a pre~erred embodiment thereof, taken in connection with
accompanying drawings in which:
- fig. 1 is a fragmentary, perspective view of
the bow of a boat provided with a device according to the
invention for detachably fixing a light-weight anchor;
- - fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the device
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shown in fig. l; and
- fig. 3 is a top plan view of the device shown
in figs. 1 and 2.
Fig. 1 shows in continuous lines, a device 1
according to the invention for detachably fixing a light-
weight anchor 3 onto a rail 5 extending upwardly and front-
wardly from the bow 7 of a boat 9. The rail 5 can be
part of the pulpit 11 provided for retaining a sailor who
has to work at the bow 7 of the boat.
Of course, the device 1 can also be fixed onto
another rail extending upwardly from another part of the
bGat, provided that this rail extends upwardly.
As aforesaid, the device 1 is designed for detach-
ably fixing a light-weight anchor 3 of the pivoting 1uke
type. This anchor 3 comprises an elongated shank 13 con-
nected at one end 15 to the bow 7 of the boat 9 by a chain
17. The chain can be fixed to the shank through a mooring-
ring or any other attachment means not shown in the drawings.
The shank 13 is pivotably connected at the other end to a
rod 19 extending transversally thereto. The pivoting rod
19 carries a crown plate assembly 23 and a pair of flukes
21 and 21' symmetrically arranged with respect to the shank
and free to pivot together with the rod 19 relative to this
shank.
In accordance with the invention, the device 1
comprises a tubular hollow member 25. This member which is
preferably cylindrical as shown in the drawings, comprises
a longitudinal axis, an open lower end 27 and an open upper
end 29. The inner diameter of this member 25 is selected
to be wide enough to receive the shank 13 and chain 17 when
the same are inserted thereto as shown by the arrow in fig.
1.
The device 1 also comprises clamping means exter-
nally secured to the member 25 for detachably mounting it
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onto the rail 5 in parallel relationship therewith. `These
clamping means comprise a pair of clamps 33 and 35 having
a contour similar to the one of the rail 5 and an axis
parallel to the longitudinal axis of the member. These
clamps 33 and 35 are positioned one above the other adja-
cent the lower and upper end 27 and 29 of the member 25,
respectively, to provide better attachment of the device 1
onto the rail 5, as clearly shown in fig. 2.
Each of the clamps 33 and 35 comprises an open
sleeve having a contour similar to the one of the rail 5.
The free ends 37 and 37' of the sleeve are flattened and
provided with aligned openings 39 to receive a bolt and nut
assembly 41 as shown in fig. 3. The clamps 33 and 35 are
secured onto the member 25 by tangentially welding the
sleeves onto the member 25 along welding lines 43 and 45
opposite to the flat ends 37 and 37'. Thus, the common
longitudinal axis of the sleeves of the clamps 33 and 35
extend parallel to the longitudinal axis of the member 25.
This arrangement allow the member 25 to be easily and
quickly mounted on, and parallel to, the rail 5 as shown
in fig. 1.
The device 1 further comprises a recess 31 pro-
vided into the upper end 29 of the member 25 opposite to
the clamps 33 and 35. The shape of this recess is not
critical, provided that it gives enough room to the chain
17 to avoid it from interfering with the flu]ces 21 and 21',
the crown plate assembly 23 and/or the rod 19.
In operation, the anchor 3 can be detachably
fixed in a very fast and easy manner onto the device 1, by
inserting the end 15 of the shank 13 with the chain 17
connected thereto into the upper end 29 of the hollow mem-
ber 25, and letting the anchor fall down inside the member
until it is retained by its flukes 21 and 21' and/or crown
plate assembly 23 and/or rod 19. In this inserted position,
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the anchox 3 remains fixed by mere gravity with a shank 13
located inside the member 25. In the meantime, the recess
31 allows the chain 17 connected to the shank 13 inserted
into the member to extend out of the same through it.
As can be easily understood, the weight of the
anchor 3 after insertion of its shank 13 inside the member
25, ensures positive engagement of the pivoting part of the
anchor onto the upper end 29 of the member, and thus pre-
vents this pivoting part to swing back and forth with
respect to the shank 3 under rough sea conditions.
As can also be understood, the structure of the
device 1 is very simple. The anchor 3 can be fixed to the
device 1 or removed therefrom in a very fast and easy manner
without requesting extensive manipulation and/or skill from
the sailor.
Of course, the above described embodiment of the
present invention is merely examplary. Indeed, it is obvious
that the invention is susceptible to modification, variation
and change without departing from the proper scope and fair
meaning of the lnvention as defined in the foll~wing claims.
.
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