ANCHOR REELING

ENROULAGE A DISPOSITIF D'ANCRAGE

English Abstract

A new use for a cranked reel employing a clutch bearing and a drag, which drag is controllably released by reverse rotation of the crank. The new use is to raise or lower an anchor using a cranked reel employing a clutch bearing and a drag, which drag is controllably released by reverse rotation of the crank.

French Abstract

Une nouvelle utilisation d'un enroulement à dispositif d'ancrage comportant un roulement d'embrayage et une résistance au roulement, laquelle résistance au roulement peut être libérée de manière contrôlable par rotation inverse du mécanisme d'enroulement. La nouvelle utilisation vise à relever ou à abaisser un ancrage à l'aide d'un dispositif d'enroulement comportant un roulement d'embrayage et une résistance au mouvement, laquelle résistance au mouvement peut être libérée de manière contrôlable par rotation inverse du mécanisme d'enroulement.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:
1. A new use for apparatus comprising a reel, a shaft, a crank, a clutch
bearing, and a drag washer, the reel mounted on a first portion of the shaft,
a second portion
of the shaft mounted in the clutch bearing so that the shaft will rotate only
in one rotational
direction, the crank threadably attached to a threaded third portion of the
shaft so that when
the crank is rotated in the rotational direction permitted by the clutch
bearing, the crank
threads onto the threaded portion of the shaft thereby compressing a drag
washer mounted
on the shaft directly or indirectly in contact with the reel and the shaft so
that the reel rotates
in the rotational direction permitted by the clutch bearing and so that when
the crank is
rotated in the rotational direction opposite the direction permitted by the
clutch bearing, the
crank unthreads from the threaded portion of the shaft thereby decompressing
the drag
washer mounted on the shaft directly or indirectly in contact with the reel
and the shaft so
that the reel can rotate in the rotational direction opposite that permitted
by the clutch
bearing, the new use being the raising or lowering of a boat anchor by
attaching the boat
anchor to one end of an anchor line and winding the other end of the anchor
line on the reel.
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Description

CA 02658409 2009-03-16
ANCHOR REELING
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The instant invention relates to reeling systems and more specifically to a
new use
for a cranked reel employing a clutch bearing and a drag, which drag is
controllably released
by reverse rotation of the crank.
Hand cranked reeling systems employing a clutch bearing and a drag, which drag
is
controllably released by reverse rotation of the crank are known. For example,
the
CAPTAIN'S PAK ONE-HAND-CRANK MANUAL SIDERIGGER brand reel from Big
Jon Sports, Inc. of Interlochen Michigan allows the retrieval of a cannonball
for downrigger
fishing by clockwise rotation of its hand crank. The clockwise rotation of its
hand crank
automatically tightens the drag so that the rotational motion of the hand
crank is transferred
to the reel through the drag. The cannonball is attached to wire rope which is
wound-up on
the reel. If the hand crank is released, counter-clockwise rotation of the
reel is prevented by
the clutch bearing. If the hand crank is rotated in the counter-clockwise
direction, the drag
is progressively released allowing controlled decent of the cannonball. When
the
cannonball reaches the desired depth, the hand crank is rotated in the
clockwise direction to
increase the drag and stop the decent of the cannonball. Suprisingly, anchors
have not been
raised or lowered using a cranked anchor line reel employing a clutch bearing
and a drag,
which drag is controllably released by reverse rotation of the crank.
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CA 02658409 2009-03-16
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The instant invention is a new use for a cranked reel employing a clutch
bearing and
a drag, which drag is controllably released by reverse rotation of the crank.
The new use is
to raise or lower an anchor using a cranked anchor line reel employing a
clutch bearing and
a drag, which drag is controllably released by reverse rotation of the crank.
More
specifically, the instant invention is a new use for apparatus comprising a
reel, a shaft, a
crank, a clutch bearing, and a drag washer, the reel mounted on a first
portion of the shaft, a
second portion of the shaft mounted in the clutch bearing so that the shaft
will rotate only in
one rotational direction, the crank threadably attached to a threaded third
portion of the shaft
so that when the crank is rotated in the rotational direction permitted by the
clutch bearing,
the crank threads onto the threaded portion of the shaft thereby compressing a
drag washer
mounted on the shaft directly or indirectly in contact with the reel and the
shaft so that the
reel rotates in the rotational direction permitted by the clutch bearing and
so that when the
crank is rotated in the rotational direction opposite the direction permitted
by the clutch
bearing, the crank unthreads from the threaded portion of the shaft thereby
decompressing
the drag washer mounted on the shaft directly or indirectly in contact with
the reel and the
shaft so that the reel can rotate in the rotational direction opposite that
permitted by the
clutch bearing, the new use being the raising or lowering of a boat anchor by
attaching the
boat anchor to one end of an anchor line and winding the other end of the
anchor line on the
reel.
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CA 02658409 2009-03-16
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. I is a side view of a preferred apparatus for use in the instant
invention having a
hand cranked reel upon which an anchor line can be wound;
Fig. 2 is a front view of the apparatus shown in Fig. l;
Fig. 3 is a back view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1; and
Fig. 4 is an enlarged crosssectional side view of a portion of the apparatus
shown in
Fig. 1.
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CA 02658409 2009-03-16
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The instant invention is a new use for apparatus comprising a reel, a shaft, a
crank, a
clutch bearing, and a drag washer, the reel mounted on a first portion of the
shaft, a second
portion of the shaft mounted in the clutch bearing so that the shaft will
rotate only in one
rotational direction, the crank threadably attached to a threaded third
portion of the shaft so
that when the crank is rotated in the rotational direction permitted by the
clutch bearing, the
crank threads onto the threaded portion of the shaft thereby compressing a
drag washer
mounted on the shaft directly or indirectly in contact with the reel and the
shaft so that the
reel rotates in the rotational direction permitted by the clutch bearing and
so that when the
crank is rotated in the rotational direction opposite the direction permitted
by the clutch
bearing, the crank unthreads from the threaded portion of the shaft thereby
decompressing
the drag washer mounted on the shaft directly or indirectly in contact with
the reel and the
shaft so that the reel can rotate in the rotational direction opposite that
permitted by the
clutch bearing, the new use being the raising or lowering of a boat anchor by
attaching the
boat anchor to one end of an anchor line and winding the other end of the
anchor line on the
reel.
Referring now to Fig. 1, therein is shown a side view of a preferred apparatus
10 for
use in the instant invention having a hand cranked reel I I upon which an
anchor line can be
wound. Fig. 2 is a front view of the apparatus 10 shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a
back view of
the apparatus 10 shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an enlarged crosssectional side
view of a portion
of the apparatus 10 shown in Fig. 1.
Referring now to Fig. 4, apparatus 10 comprises reel 11, shaft 12, hand crank
23,
clutch bearing 27, and drag washers 13 and 14. Clutch bearings are also known
as one way
bearings or one way clutch bearings. The reel 1 l is mounted on a central
portion of the
shaft 12. Another central portion of the shaft 12 is mounted in the clutch
bearing 27 so that
the shaft will rotate only in one rotational direction. The hand crank 23 is
threadably
attached to a threaded third portion of the shaft 12 so that when the hand
crank 23 is rotated
in the rotational direction permitted by the clutch bearing 27, the hand crank
23 threads onto
the threaded portion of the shaft 12 thereby compressing the drag washers 13
and 14
mounted on the shaft directly or indirectly in contact with the reel I 1 and
the shaft 12 so that
the reel I I rotates in the rotational direction permitted by the clutch
bearing 27 and so that
when the hand crank 23 is rotated in the rotational direction opposite the
direction permitted
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CA 02658409 2009-03-16
by the clutch bearing 27, the hand crank 23 unthreads from the threaded
portion of the shaft
12 thereby decompressing the drag washers 13 and 14 mounted on the shaft
directly or
indirectly in contact with the reel 1 1 and the shaft 12 so that the reel I I
can rotate in the
rotational direction opposite that permitted by the clutch bearing 27 thereby
facilitating the
raising or lowering of a boat anchor by attaching the boat anchor to one end
of an anchor
line and winding the other end of the anchor line on the reel 11.
Referring still to Fig. 4, other details of the apparatus 10 will he
described. Steel
washers 15, 16, 17, 20 and 21 are mounted on shaft 12 as shown. A Belleville
washer 19 is
mounted on shaft 12 as shown. When the crank 23 is rotated in the direction
permitted by
the clutch bearing 27, the crank 23 presses against the thrust bearing
assembly 21, 22, 20,
compressing Belleville washer 19, pulling the other end of shaft 12 to
compress drag washer
13, drag washer 14, washer 18 and thrust bearing assembly 16, 18 and 17.
Thrust bearing
27 is mounted in stanchion 30. An outer sleeve 26 is attached to stanchion 30
by cap screws
27. An inner sleeve 28 is attached to stanchion 30 by cap screws 29. Retaining
bolt 25
prevents inadvertent separation of the crank 23 from the shaft 12.
Referring again to Fig. 1, one end of the stanchion 30 is attached to base
side 43 by
pivot bolt 35. The base side 34 is attached to base bottom 33. The base bottom
33 is
configured to be attached to a boat hull. Stanchion 30 can be pivoted to a
stowed position
by loosening stanchion locking bolt 36 and pivoting the locking bolt 36 in the
curved slot 38
in base side 34. Stanchion locking bolt washer 37 is positioned as shown. A
crank handle
31 is mounted to one end of crank 23 by crank handle retaining screw 32.
Referring still to Fig. 1, most preferably, the reel I I is made of cast
aluminum, has
an outer diameter of about twelve inches, an drum diameter of about seven and
one half
inches and a width of about three and one half inches. Such a reel can hold
over 300 feet of
one quarter inch diameter anchor rope. The drag washers are preferably fiber
washers.
Preferably the remainder of the apparatus 10 is preferrly made of steel,
stainless steel or
aluminum. It should be understood that the combination of a ratchet and a
journal bearing is
equivalent to a clutch bearing in the instant invention. It should be
understood that the term
"clutch bearing" in the claim of this application is intended to encompass the
combination
of a ratchet and a journal bearing. It should be understood that a cone drag
as used in better
quality fly fishing reels is equivalent to the "drag washer" drag in the
instant invention. It
should be understood that the term "drag washer" in the claim of this
application is intended
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CA 02658409 2009-03-16
to encompass the use of such a cone drag. The crank of the instant invention
can be a hand
crank or a motor driven crank. A preferred motor driven crank comprises a gear
motor
employing a reversible direct current electric motor. Any suitable anchor line
can be used in
this invention, including rope made of natural or synthetic fibers and rope or
chain made of
a metal or a metal alloy. Most preferally, the nachor line is made of a
synthetic fiber such as
NYLON brand polyester fiber from DuPont.
In use (assuming the anchor is suspended above the water over the side of a
boat via
its anchor line wound on the reel 1 1) the crank 23 is rotated
counterclockwise to let out the
anchor to the bottom of, for example, a lake or a river. When the desired
amount of anchor
line has been let out the crank 23 is rotated clockwise to lock the rotation
of the reel 11. If
the boat is in a lake, an extra amount of line can be let out to permit the
boat to drift
downwind over a desired fishing location and then the crank 23 can be rotated
to stop
rotation of the reel 1 1 and maintain the position of the boat over the
desired fishing location.
If the boat is in a river, an extra amount of line can be let out to permit
the boat to drift
downriver over a desired fishing location and then the crank 23 can be rotated
to stop
rotation of the reel 11 and maintain the position of the boat over the desired
fishing location.
The position of the boat can then easily be further adjusted nearer or farther
from the anchor
by taking in or letting out the anchor line using the disclosed invention.
CONCLUSION
While the instant invention has been described above according to its
preferred
embodiments, it can be modified within the spirit and scope of this
disclosure. This
application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or
adaptations of the instant
invention using the general principles disclosed herein. Further, the instant
application is
intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within
the known or
customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains and which fall
within the limits
of the following claims.
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Representative Drawing