Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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CORD TENSIONING DEVICE
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the invention:
The present invention relates to a device
for easily tensioning cords attached between two
anchor points.
In the present specification, including
the appended claims, the term "cord" is intended to
encompass threads and strings of any diameter, ropes
of small, intermediate and large diameters, belts and
the like.
2. Brief description of the prior art:
Everybody has already experienced the
difficulty of tensioning a rope extending between two
anchor points. Moreover, when one succeeds in
installing the rope with the desired tension therein,
the knots and/or mechanical fasteners used to attach
the ends of the rope to the respective anchor points
often loosen to reduce the tension in the cable. The
rope itself may also lengthen under tension to further
reduce the tension in the rope.
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Also, it is often required to tension a
rope already installed between two anchor points. In
the prior art, such a tensioning operation has
required detaching one end of the rope from the
corresponding anchor point. Then, the above discussed
situation is repeated.
Major difficulties are also met when it
is required to interconnect end to end and tension two
lengths of rope each having one end tied to a
respective anchor point.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is
therefore to provide a device capable of tensioning a
cord installed between two anchor points.
Another object of the present invention
is to provide a cord tensioning device capable of both
attaching end to end two lengths of cord and
tensioning the resulting cord.
A further object of the invention is to
provide a cord tensioning device that is easy to use
and whose operation does not require physical
strength.
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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
More specifically, in accordance with the
present invention, there is provided a cord tensioning
device comprising:
a cord winding reel member to be mounted
on a cord to be tensioned and to be rotated about an
axis of rotation generally perpendicular to the cord
for winding a section of that cord onto the reel
member and thereby tension this cord; and
a hook member connected to and extending
transversely from the reel member for hooking the
tensioned cord and thereby prevent the reel member and
cord section to unwind.
Accordingly, the cord is tensioned by
winding a section thereof on the reel member and that
tension is maintained by hooking the hook member to
the tensioned cord.
According to a preferred embodiment of the
cord tensioning device, the reel member comprises
first and second laterally spaced apart and generally
parallel elongate elements on which the section of
cord is wound, and the spacing between these first and
second elongate elements define an aperture through
which the cord is inserted prior to winding of a
section thereof.
Accordingto anotherpreferredembodiment,
the cord tensioning device includes two hook members
comprising respectively a third elongate element
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extending radially from one end of the first elongate
element and having a free end curved to hook the
tensioned cord, and a fourth elongate element
extending radially from one end of the second elongate
element and having a free end curved to hook the
tensioned cord. Preferably, the third and fourth
elongate elements are radial and diametrically
opposed.
The third and fourth elongate elements may
comprise handle means for facilitating manual rotation
of the reel member for winding the cord section and
for subsequently hooking the hook members to the
tensioned cord.
lS
When the cord to be tensioned is formed
of two lengths of cord to be attached end to end and
tensioned, the respective adjacent ends of the cord
lengths are inserted in the spacing between the first
and second laterally spaced apart and generally
parallel elongate elements before winding a section of
the resulting cord.
The objects, advantages and other features
of the present invention will become more apparent
upon reading of the following non restrictive
description of preferred embodiments thereof, given by
way of example only with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the appended drawings:
s
Figure 1 is a front elevational view of
a first embodiment of the cord tensioning device in
accordance with the present invention;
10Figure 2 is a top plan view of the cord
tensioning device of Figure l;
Figure 3 is a front elevational view of
a second embodiment of the cord tensioning device of
the invention;
Figure 4 is a top plan view of the cord
tensioning device of Figure 3;
20Figure 5 is a front elevational view of
a third embodiment of the cord tensioning device in
accordance with the present invention;
Figure 6 is a top plan view of the cord
tensioning device of Figure 5;
Figure 7 is a front elevational view of
a fourth embodiment of the cord tensioning device
according to the present invention;
Figure 8 is a top view of the cord
tensioning device of Figure 7;
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Figure 9 is a front elevational view of
a fifth embodiment of the cord tensioning device of
the invention;
5Figure 10 is a top plan view of the cord
tensioning device of Figure 9;
Figures lla-lld illustrate the successive
steps carried out for tensioning a rope already
installed between two anchor points, using the cord
tensioning device of Figures 5 and 6; and
Figures 12a-12d illustrate the successive
steps carried out for interconnecting end to end and
tensioning two lengths of rope each having one end
tied to a respective anchor point, using the cord
tensioning device of Figures 5 and 6.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to Figures 1 and 2 of the
appended drawings, a first embodiment 10 of the cord
tensioning device according to the invention is
illustrated.
The device 10 comprises a metallic rod 11
and a circular metallic plate member 12. The plate
30member 12 is welded at 13 to a central section 14 of
the rod 11. At a first end of central section 14, the
metallic rod 11 is bent at 90 (see 15) to form a
first elongate element 16 generally perpendicular to
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the plate member 12. In the same manner, at the
second end of the central section 14, the metallic rod
11 is bent at 90 (see 17) to form a second elongate
element 18 laterally spaced apart and generally
parallel to elongate element 16. As it will be
described in the following description, the laterally
spaced apart and generally parallel elongate elements
16 and 18 form a reel member 20 rotatable about an
axis of rotation 19 to wind a section of cord to be
tensioned.
At their end opposite to the plate member
12, the elongate elements 16 and 18 are respectively
bent at 90 (see 21 and 22) to form third 23 and
fourth 24 radial and diametrically opposed elongate
elements. The free end 25 of elongate element 23 is
curved in a direction comprising axial and
circumferential components to form a first hook member
for hooking the tensioned cord and thereby prevent the
reel member 20 and cord section to unwind. In the
same manner, the free end 26 of elongate element 24 is
curved in a direction comprising axial and
circumferential components to form a second hook
member for hooking the tensioned cord and thereby
contribute to prevent the reel member 20 and cord
section to unwind. As can be seen in Figures 1 and 2,
the circumferential components of the directions of
curvature of the free ends 25 and 26 are opposite.
The second embodiment 30 of Figures 3 and
4 comprises the same circular plate member 12, the
same elongate elements 16, 18, 23 and 24, and the same
curved free ends 25 and 26 as the first embodiment of
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.
Figures 1 and 2. However, the cord tensioning device
30 of Figures 3 and 4 further comprises two asymmetric
inverted V-shaped handles 27 and 28 to facilitate
manual rotation of the reel member 20 about the axis
19 and for subsequently hooking the curved free ends
25 and 26 to the tensioned cord.
Referring to Figures 5 and 6, the third
embodiment 40 of the cord tensioning device according
to the invention comprises a metallic rod 29 and a
circular metallic plate member 31. The plate member
31 is welded at 32 to a central section 33 of the rod
29. At a first end of central section 33, the
metallic rod 29 is bent at 90 (see 34) to form a
first elongate element 35 generally perpendicular to
the plate member 31. In the same manner, at the
second end of the central section 33, the metallic rod
29 is bent at 90 (see 36) to form a second elongate
element 37 laterally spaced apart and generally
parallel to elongate element 35. As it will be
described in the following description, the laterally
spaced apart and generally parallel elongate elements
35 and 37 form a reel member 38 rotatable about the
axis of rotation 19 to wind a section of cord to be
tensioned.
At their end opposite to the plate member
31, the elongate elements 35 and 37 are respectively
bent at 90 (see 39 and 41) to form third 42 and
fourth 43 radial and diametrically opposed elongate
elements. The free end 44 of elongate element 42 is
curved in a plane perpendicular to the axis 19 to form
a first hook member for hooking the tensioned cord and
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thereby prevent the reel member 38 and cord section to
unwind. In the same manner, the free end 45 of the
elongate element 43 is curved in the same plane as
free end 44 but in an opposite direction to form a
second hook member for hooking the tensioned cord and
thereby contribute to prevent the reel member 38 and
cord section to unwind.
The third embodiment 40 of Figures 5 and
6 further comprises a first metallic ring member 46
welded to the elongate element 42 and a second
metallic ring member 47 welded to the elongate element
43, ring members 46 and 47 lying in a common plane
parallel to the axis of rotation 19. Ring members 46
and 47 form handles to facilitate manual rotation of
the reel member 38 about the axis 19 and for
subsequently hooking the curved free ends 44 and 45 to
the tensioned cord.
The fourth embodiment 50 of Figures 7 and
8 comprises the same circular plate member 31 and the
same elongate elements 35 and 37 as the third
embodiment of Figures 5 and 6. However, the elongate
elements 42 and 43 are longer and bent over 360 to
form loops 48 and 49, respectively, defining handles
to facilitate manual rotation of the reel member 38
about the axis 19 and for subsequently hooking the
curved free ends 44 and 45 to the tensioned cord.
Also, the curved free ends 44 and 45 of the device of
Figures 7 and 8 are longer than those of the device of
Figures 6 and 7 to better hook the tensioned cord.
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In the embodiment 50, the loops 48 and 49
are welded at their base 59 and 61, respectively, to
make the cord tensioning device more rigid.
The fifth embodiment 60 of Figures 9 and
10 is identical to the fourth embodiment of Figures 7
and 8 but is provided with an additional arm 51 curved
as shown in Figures 9 and 10 and having a proximate
end welded inside the loop 48 at the level of the
elongate element 42 and a distal end defining a hook
62. The curved free end (forming a hook) 44 have a
first angular position about the axis of rotation 19
for hooking the tensioned cord after the reel member
has rotated over a first angle (at least one half of
a turn) while the hook 62 has a second angular
position about the axis of rotation 19 for hooking the
tensioned cord after the reel member 38 has rotated
over a second angle smaller than the first angle.
When the cord to be tensioned is not sufficiently
loose to allow the reel member 38 to rotate over 180
and enable the curved free ends 44 and 45 to hook the
tensioned cord, the hook 62 can then be used to hook
the cord and thereby prevent the reel member 38 to
unwind. As hooking of the tensioned cord with the
hook 62 requires a smaller angle of rotation about
axis 19 in direction 52, the tension in the cord is
smaller to prevent damage, in particular to a cord of
small diameter.
Operation of the cord tensioning device
in accordance with the present invention will now be
described with reference to Figures lla-lld and 12a-
12d, using the embodiment of Figures 5 and 6. It will
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be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that
the same explanations apply to the other embodiments
illustrated in Figures 1-4 and 7-10.
To tension a cord 53 of which the two ends
are attached to respective anchor points (not shown),
the first step (Figure lla) consists of inserting the
cord 53 in the aperture 54 defined by the spacing
between the elongate elements 35 and 37. Of course,
the cord 53 is inserted in the aperture 54 through the
open end 55 of the reel member 38. As illustrated in
Figure lla, the cord 53 is then generally
perpendicular to the axis of rotation 19.
I5 The cord tensioning device 40 is then
manipulated through the handles 46 and 47 to rotate
the reel member 38 about the axis of rotation 19
(Figure llb) in direction 56 (Figure 6) to wind a
section of cord 53 in order to tension that cord 53
(Figure llc). It is therefore important that the
handles 46 and 47 be positioned on the side of the
elongate elements 42 and 43 opposite to the elements
35 and 37 to prevent mutual interference of the
handles and cord upon rotation of the device 40 about
axis 19. The tensioned cord 53 is then hooked (Figure
lld) to the curved free ends 44 and 45 to prevent the
reel member 38 and accordingly the cord section to
unwind. The cord 53 is then tensioned.
The example of Figures 12a-12d will
demonstrate that the cord tensioning device according
to the invention is capable of attaching end to end
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12
two lengths of cord while tensioning the cord formed
by these two cord lengths.
Figures 12a-12d illustrate two lengths of
cord 57 and 58 having respective opposite ends (not
shown) attached to corresponding anchor points (not
shown). The first step (Figure 12a) consists of
inserting the adjacent ends 59 and 61 of the lengths
of cord 57 and 58 in the aperture 54 defined by the
spacing between the elongate elements 35 and 37. As
illustrated in Figure 12a, the cord lengths 57 and 58
are then generally perpendicular to the axis of
rotation 19.
The cord tensioning device 40 is then
manipulated through the handles 46 and 47 to rotate
the reel member 38 about the axis of rotation 19 in
direction 56 (Figure 6) to wind a sections of the cord
lengths 57 and 58 (Figures 12b and 12c) in order to
tension the resulting cord. The tensioned cord
lengths 57 and 58 are then hooked (Figure 12d) to the
curved free ends 44 and 45, respectively, to prevent
the reel member 38 and accordingly the wound cord
section to unwind. The cord is then tensioned.
Cord tensioning devices in accordance with
the present invention are advantageously made of
steel, painted or anodized to resist to bad weather
conditions.
Cord tensioning devices according to the
invention can be used at home, at work and to do
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sports, for example to anchor planes, boats, tents,
etc. and to secure goods on truck decks, etc.
Of course, any size of cord tensioning
device can be manufactured to meet with the diameter
of the cord and the requirements of each particular
application.
As evidenced in the foregoing description,
operation of the tensioning device in accordance with
the present invention enables fast and secure
tensioning, loosening, attaching and/or detaching of
cords. Tensioned cords will not loosen without manual
operation of the tensioning device. Also, the
tensioning device will not wear, cut or otherwise
damage the cords.
Although the present invention has been
described hereinabove by way of preferred embodiments
thereof, these embodiments can be modified at will,
within the scope of the appended claims, without
departing from the spirit and nature of the subject
invention.
