Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~2Z55~15
THE NATURE OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a heaving line storage and
deployment apparatus from which a rope may be rapidly deployed by
hand. In particular, the apparatus may be used as a throwable
safety device of particular interest in marine environments.
BACEGROUND OF TRE INVENTION
In many situations, as for e~ample in an emergency, it is
desirable to deploy a rope from one person to another across an
intervening distance. For e~ample, in a boating accident, a
person may fall over-board and be separated from a boat. In many
cases, rough waters make close approach to the victim difficult or
impossible. In such situations, especially in cold waters, rescue
of the victim must be effected as soon as possible. Time is of
the essence, as the victim may become hypothermic and drown within
minutes of entering the water. Accordingly, no time can be wasted
in an effort to bring the boat so close to the victim that a~
person on board the boat may reach and haul the victim out of the
water. In any event, even if the boat could be maneuvered so
close to the victim, the high sides of the boat may make it
difficult or impossible to pull the victim on board.
Many coast guard or similar regulations require boats and
other vessels to keep a certain type and length of rope on board
for use in such emergency situations. Such ropes are commonly
known as "heaving lines". Typically, such heaving lines must be
of buoyant polypropylene rope at least 50 feet in length.
~'
~~ - 2 - 12~5~5
1 In practice, heaving lines are typically used for
everyday purposes, such as mooring, towing or anchoring, rather
than reserved only for emergency use. When not in use, they are
often stored loosely in a relatively inaccessible location on the
boat. However, under such conditions, the rope may easily become
twisted, looped, tangled and knotted. The useful life of the
heaving line is reduced. Even more importantly, it may not be
useable in the event of an emergency. The rope may become tangled
or caught up with the boat, so that it might not be throwable.
Tangles, knots and loops in the rope reduce its length and thus it
might not e~tend to the target. Furthermore, such tangles, knots
and loops may interfere with a smoothly made and smoothly paying
out throw, thus affecting the accuracy and reliability of the
thro~. The tangles, knots and loops may also be more easily
caught by the wind or by obstacles, thus interfering with the
throw.
... ~
Simple heaving lines suffer from the further disadvantage
that a line in the water may be invisible to a victim. The victim
may not be able to maintain hold of a relatively thin rope for
long enough to be pulled to the boat and out of the water. There
is a good possibility that a victim may, due to the effects of
cold or otherwise, let go his grasp on the rope, before being
safely pulled on board.
In view of the above-described storage difficulties, it
is desireable to store the rope in an organized fashion on the
boat. Typically, this is accomplishèd by wrapping the rope around
an object on or in the boat. Before such a heaving line can be
used, it must first be removed from the ~torage object and then
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12~559L~
1 thrown. Valuable time may be lost. Some ropes, such as anchor
lines or ski tow ropes, may be attàched to a rotatable drum or
w1nch attached to the boat. Before such a rope could be heaved,
at least some of it must be unwrapped from the winch before being
thrown. Again, valuable time may be lost. In addition, the winch
and its mechanism may impede the smooth payout ~f the thrown
rope.
In other cases, the heaving line is wrapped around or
attached to a conventional life ring, which may be thrown. For
e~ample, U.S. Patents No. 4,033,276, 4,416,640 and 4,449,947 all
disclose life ring devices which are intended to be stored in a
boat with a heaving line.
However, life rings are relatively heavy and it may be
difficult for a rescuer to throw the ring all the way to the
victim. In addition, if the life ring strikes the victim, the
impact may stun or render him unconscious, thus decreasing the
chances of a successful rescue. Furthermore, it may be difficult
to control the accuracy of the throw. In order to achieve a
ma~imum distance on a throw, the ring and rope must be thrown high
into the air. This requirement reduces the possibility that the
throw will be accurate. Furthermore, the accuracy o~ the throw
may be affected or impaired by the action of the wind on the rope
and ring.
Life rings are relatively bulky, requiring a significant
amount of storage space in a boat, or other vessel or vehicle.
This factor may discourage the use of life rings as safety
devices, particularly in small boats.
- 4 - 12~55~
1 Ideally, any flotation or safety device thrown to a
victim in the wster should land within arm's rech of the victim.
However, in reality, many throws will go at least slightly astray,
putting the ring or other device out of srm's reach of the victim.
In such a case the victim must swim to the ring or d vice.
Standard life rings and other safety devices generally have a low
profile with the water. This means that the visibility to the
victim, whose head is virtually at water level, is low. In other
words, it may be very difficult for the victim to see the
flotation or safety device which may be just out of arm's reach.
STATE~ENT OF T~E INVENTION
-
The invention comprises a heaving line storage and
deployment apparatus comprising a rope of sufficient strength to
pull a person through water, and, a buoyant spool comprising a
drum means about which said rope is rotatably secured, one flange
member having inner and outer faces, the inner face being attached
to one end of the drum means, and retaining means attached to the
- other end of the drum means for preventing the rope from sliding
off the drum means.
The apparatus of the invention conveniently allows for
tangle and knot-free storage of a heaving line, and yet allows
quick and reliable deployment of the line, when needed.
It may also be possible to use the heaving line storage
and deployment device according to the invention in other than
marine environments. For e~ample, in other dangerous situations,
where a victim cannot be easily reached (such as in icy conditions
~ 5 ~ 12~55~5
1 over water or in suamp conditions), a device according to the
invention could be easily used.
The various features of novelty which characterize the
invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims anne~ed
to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better
understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and
specific objects attained by its use, reference should be had to
the ~ccompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there
are illustrated and described preferred embodiments of the
invention.
IN T~E DRAWING
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a heaving line storage
and deployment apparatus, according to the invention;
Figure 2 is a cross-section of the heaving line storage
and deployment apparatus, according to the invention along the
line 2-2 of Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a view of the heaving line storage and
deployment apparatus of the invention in operation;
Figure 4 is a front view of a victim shown secured to a
heaving line storage and deployment apparatus, according to the
invention; and,
Figure 5 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment
of a heaving line storage and deployment apparatus, according to
the invention.
~2~55~
l DESCRIPTION OF A SPECIFIC ENBODIMENT
.
Referring to Figure 1, there is shown a perspective view
of a heaving line storage and deployment apparatus 10 according to
the invention. Rescuer R is shown holding the appsratus 10,
ready to be thrown or deployed.
Referring to Figure 3, a heaving line storage and
deployment apparatus 10 is shown being thrown toward a victim V.
Another heaving line storage and deployment apparatus 10 is shown,,
stored in boat B.
~ eaving line storage and deployment apparatus 10
comprises a spool 12 around which is wrapped heaving, or retrieval
line 14. Spool 12 is floatable and sufficiently buoyant to
support the force, if any, e~erted by line 14 when spool 12 is in
the water near victim V.
At its free end, retrieval line 14 loops around to define
a wrist loop 16. Wrist loop 16 may be formed by any suitable
means. A convenient clamp 18 is shown (Figures 1 and 23.
However, loop 16 could be formed by an appropriate tied knot,
splice, or otker rope joining means.
Preferably, line 14 comprises a buoyant polypropylene
rope having a diameter of about 5/16 inch. Smaller sizes of rope
may be used; however, they may be too weak for the tasks in which
they may be used. Lar~er sizes of rope may also be used; however,
they may result in an apparatus which is larger, heavier or both,
and thus less convenient to use. Rope 14 must be of a sufficient
size ~o at least pull a victim V through the water, and preferably
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12~SS~5
l to actually pull him out of the water into boat B. To satisfy
certain boating regulations, line 14 is preferably at least 50
feet long.
Referring to Figure 2, a cross-section of the heaving
line storage and deployment apparatus 10 is shown. Spool 12
comprises upper and lower flange discs 20 joined together by a
central drum 22. Spool 12 preferably defines a hollow interior
24, which is unable to communicate with the e~terior. Such a
hollow sealed interior may provide improved buoyancy to spool
12. Preferably, spool 12 is integrally manufactured from a
relatively strong, lightweight material. Ideally, the material of
spool 12 should have a low coefficient of friction with the
material of rope 14. A suitable spool material for use with
polypropylene rope would be a synthetic plastic, preferably
polyethylene. The material of spool 12 is preferably of a bright,
visible colour.
Discs 20 define outer diameters of preferably between ~
and 12 inches, and more preferably of about 10 inches. Discs Z0
are preferably spaced apart widely enough for an operator to
insert his fingers therebetween and for several coils of line 14
to be stored therebetween. Accordingly, the total height of
apparatus 10 is preferably between 3 and 6 inches, and most
preferably about 4 1/2 inches.
The diameter of drum 22 is preferably at least 20Z ~hat
of disc 20 and at least 2 inches, in order to decrease the effect
of polypropylene rope set (namely, the tendency for polypropylene
rope to retain a coil or other shape). ~ore preferably, the
1.2~5545
diameter of drum 22 is about 4 inches. If rope 14 is too tightly
coiled, there may be a deleterious effect on the thro~ing of
apparatus 10.
ID order to decrease the risk of injury to a victim V,
spool 12 is preferably no heavier than about 800 grams. On the
other hand, for accurate rope deployment at up to 50 feet, it
preferably weighs no less than abo~t 300 grams. ~ore preferably,
spool 12 weighs about 500 grams.
Rope 14 is preferably about as massive as spool 12.The
weight of rope 14 is thus a significant component of the total
weight of apparatus 10. For e~ample, 50 feet of 5/16 inch
polypropylene rope 14 weighs about 375 grams and conveniently fits
on a 10 in~h diameter spool 12 weighing about 500 grams. The rope
14 in such a case represents more than 40~ of the total weight of
apparatus 10. Thus, the momentum of apparatus 10 is higher at the
beginning of a throw, which may assist in deployment of rope 14.
At the end of the throw when rope 14 is substantially deployed,
spool 12 is relatively light and there is less likelihood of
injury to a victim V.
The outer surfaces of discs 20 define outwardly oriented,
circumferential outer rim formations 26. The central portion of
the outer surface of discs 20 defines an essentially flat surface
28. However, surface 28 may e~tend slightly outwardly at the
central a~is of spool 12 in order to provide additional structural
strength to spool 12.
- 9 - 12~55~5
l Surface 28 of lower flange disc 20, together with outer
rim 26 of lower disc 20, together define an aerodynamic surface
capable of providing at least some aerodynamic lift to heaving
line storage and deployment apparatus 10 as it is thrown towards a
victim V. Although surface 28 may define a slightly outwardly
conve~ shape for additional strength, it will be appreciated that
such outward conve~ity cannot be too great or the aerodynamic
qualities
oi disc 20 will be worsened. The e~tent of the outward conve~ity
is readily ascertainable by any person skilled in the art.
Preferably, heaving line storage and deployment apparatus
10 is circularly symmetrical about a central a~is. Furthermore,
the upper and lower halves of apparatus 10 are also preferably
symmetrical. Thus, while in Figure 1 a rescuer R is shown as
beiDg right-handed and holding a lower disc 20, rescuer R could as
easily be holding upper disc 20. In addition, it makes no
di~ference whether rescuer R is left or right-handed. The
apparatus 10 can be as easily thrown from either left-handed or
right-handed sides. In addition, either disc 20 may be used as
lower disc 20. In other words, apparatus 10 may be thrown
right-side-up or up-side-down. The rescuer R must, of course, take
care to ensure that prior to throwing that he will throw the
apparatus 10 in a manner allowing rope 14 to unwind from spool 12,
and not to wind more tightly.
Referring again to Figure 2, the inner faces of discs 20
define annular reinforcing portions, or steps 28. Steps 28
provide additional structural strength to spool 12. This may be
particularly important uhen the rope has been completely deployed
~Z~554S
l and a victim is holding onto spool 12 and being hauled toward the
rescuer R. In such a situation, substantial stress may be applied
to drum 22 and to its junction with the inner surfaces of the
flange discs 20.
Preferably, inner steps 28 are radially located about
half way between the outer edges of drum 22 and of discs 20. Such
a positioning optimizes the rope capacity and strength of spool
12.
Rope 14 is wrapped around central drum 22 and secured to
itself, formi~g an inner loop (not shown). Preferably, drum 22 is
free to rotate within such inner loop. The loop can be formed by
any suitable securing means (not sho~n). Preferably, such
securing means may be a clamp or a suitable crimping member,
crimped around rope 14, much in the manner of clamp 18. However,
it will be appreciatd that any suitable means, including knotting,
splicing or whipping, may be used.
During storage, rope 14 is wrapped into place around
central drum 22. Rope 14 in its wrapped or stored position does
not extend all the way out to the edges of flange discs 20.
Rather, a suitable space is left adjacent the outer edge of discs
20 to provide a suitable gripping location for the rescuer's thumb
or fingers. Preferably, about one inch of space is provided.
Flange discs 20 define circumferential, inwardly oriented
inner rim formations 30. Such inner rims 30 provide a suitable
and comfortable gripping location for the rescuer's thumb or
fingers. In addition, such inner rims S0 assist in the smooth
L2~i5~5
l paying out of retrieval line 14 as apparatus 10 is thrown towards
a victim V.
The radially inward side of each of outer rims 26 and
inner rims 30 is preferably provided with suitable friction
formations, such as annular ribs 32. Such ribs 32 provide
improved grip for rescuer R.
In operation, referring to Figure 3, there is shown a
boat B floating on a body of water W. A victim V has fallen
overboard and is in need of assistance. Rescuer R is located in
boat B. Rescuer R removes a heaving line storage and deployment
apparatus 10 from its storage location in boat B. ~e places his
hand through wrist loop 16 and grasps the edge of either upper or
lower flange disc 20. Ribs 32 provide grip for rescuer R's thumb
and fingers. Ensuring that he is holding apparatus 10 whereby
retrieval line 14 may unwind (rather than wind up more tightly) as -.
it is thrown, rescuer R throws rope deployment apparatus 10
towards victim V substantially in the same manner as a FRISBEE
(trade mark) flying disc toy would be thrownO Prior to throwing,
rescuer R may remove a few feet of rope 14 from apparatus 10 by
merely putting on wrist loop 16. The relatively low co-efficient
of friction between the polypropylene rope 14 and the polyethylene
spool 12 allows the entire coil of rope 14 to rotate, as loop 16
is pulled . It is not necessary to actually unwind rope 14 rom
the spool 12. Such a few feet of freed rope 14 may improve the
throw.
Apparatus 10 spins as it moves through the air, allowing line
14 to unwind off spool 12. Inner rims 30 assist in the smooth
- 12 - ~2~55~5
l paying out of line 14, a characteristic enhanced by the low
co-efficient of friction between rope 14 and spool 12.
The lower surface 28 of lower disc 20 provides at least
some aerodynamic lift to apparatus 10 as it moves through the air
toward victim V. Apparatus 10 can therefore be thrown relatively
low over water U to victim V. This decreases interference from
wind and improves the accuracy of the rescuer's throw.
In the event that the rescuer's throw goes astray,
rescuer R can retrieve spool 12 by pulling in on retrieval line
14. It is not necessary to rewind line 14 onto spool 12. Rather,
rescuer R may simply throw spool 12 towards victim V on a second
attempt. In this case, central drum 22 simply spins around in the
inner loop of line 14 and line 14 is pulled behind spool 12 as it
sails towards victim V. Of course, if spool 12 is thrown on such
a second attempt, rescuer R must ensure that he is not stan~ing on
retrieval line 14 and that line 14 is otherwise unlikely to be
restricted as it is being paid out towards victim V.
When spool 12 strikes the water, it will float relatively
high on the water W. Hopefully, spool 12 will land within the
grasp of victim V. However, if it does not, because of the high
profile of the spool and its bright colour, spool 12 will be
highly visible. Accordingly, victim V may swim to spool 12 and
retrieve the end of retrieval line 14.
Victim V can be hauled towards boat B by rescuer R by
holding on to spool 12. Alternatively, and in many instances more
desirably, victim V can secure himself to the rope 14 in the
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1 following way. Referrlng to Figure 4, the victim V passes spool
12 around his body and over line 14. When line 14 is tightened,
spool 12 will catch against tautened retrieval line 14 between the
upper and lower flange discs 20. Such a method for securing line
14 to victim V is relatively simple, quick and reliable. Once
line 14 is secured in this way about victim V, he can be simply
hauled toward and into boat B. In the event that victim V loses
consciousness or otherwise becomes immobile prior to actually
reaching the boat B, rescuer R can complete the rescue.
In other embodiments, it may be possible to provide for
upper and lower discs of different sizes. It may also be possible
to provide only one disc, being a lower disc. Referring to Figure
~, a retaining means 40 to merely hold the rope 14 onto the drum
22 may replace the upper disc 20 of the other Figures. Retaining
means 40 prevents rope 14 from slipping off drum 22. However, for
such embodiments different left and right hand models may ~ave to
be provided for use by left and right-handed people,
respectively.
The foregoing is a description of a preferred embodiment
of the invention which is given here by way of e~ample only. The
invention is not to be taken as limited to any of the specific
features as described, but comprehends all such variations thereof
as come within the scope of the appended claims.
