Adjustable length rope clip system

Abstract

An adjustable length rope clip with a body having a handle end, a hook end and an arm element formed midway between the hook and handle ends which allows a lead rope to be positioned thereon in one of three positions for permitting a predetermined length of rope to be released when pressure is applied, the pressure could result from a horse being tied to a holding location and pulling on the rope. The adjustable length rope clip aids in training the horse from getting spooked while adjusting to the training program.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Understanding of the invention will be enhanced by referring to the accompanying drawings, in which like numbers refer to like parts in the several views and in which:

FIG. 1A is a side view of the device of the invention, with a pair of element arms, one each on the dorsal side and distal side of the device;

FIG. 1B is a side perspective view of device of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 1C is a back side view of the device of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 2A is a side view of an embodiment having a single arm element on the side of the device;

FIG. 2B is a side perspective view of the device of FIG. 2A;

FIG. 2C is a back side view of the device of FIG. 2A;

FIG. 3A is a side view of the device of an embodiment having a single arm element on the side of the device and a round handle element;

FIG. 3B is a side perspective view of the device of FIG. 3A;

FIG. 3C is a back side view of the device of FIG. 3A;

FIG. 4A is a side view of the device of the embodiment having;

FIG. 5A is a side view of the device of an embodiment having a flattened arm element, FIG. 5B being the rear side view of this embodiment;

FIG. 6A is a side view of the device of FIG. 3 with a lead rope shown in a position of use where a lesser amount of pressure would need be applied before the lead rope would be released a predetermined length, FIG. 6B being the rear side view of this embodiment;

FIG. 7A is a side view of the device of FIG. 3 with a lead rope shown in a position of use where a greater amount of pressure would need be applied before the lead rope would be released a predetermined length, FIG. 7B being the rear side view of this embodiment; and

FIG. 8A is a side view of the device of FIG. 3 with the lead rope shown in a position of use where the lead rope is in a locked in position, FIG. 8B being the rear side view of this embodiment.

Claims

1. An adjustable length rope clip for use with an animal on a lead rope, comprising: a) a body, of uniform construction, having a handle portion formed in one end and a hook portion formed in the opposite end, said hook portion having an open end;b) a spring clip, attached to the hook portion of said body, said spring clip closing said open end of said hook portion, for temporary attachment of the animal on a lead rope to a fixed object;c) at least one arm element, formed mid way of said body, to position the lead rope relative to the apparatus and yet permit the automatic release of a predetermined length of lead rope upon application of pressure upon the lead rope;d) means for detaching said rope clip from the fixed object, while maintaining attachment of the lead rope to the animal, for moving the attached animal to a different location.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said handle portion of said body further comprises a generally triangular shaped opening.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said handle portion of said body further comprises a generally round shaped opening.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said spring clip is a steel spring clip.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said spring clip is a round wire length of stainless steel spring shaped generally as a rectangle, the legs of the long sides of the rectangle having different lengths and each leg having a projecting end for receipt by a pair of bores formed in said body of the apparatus.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said a pair of bores formed in said body of the apparatus, because said pair of bores are formed in a line on a hook base, said bores receiving projecting ends of said legs of said steel spring, they further comprise means to pre-load said spring such that said spring is pressured to close against a hook end lip of said hook portion closing an open end of said clip hook end.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said arm element further comprises a flattened projection extending upwardly at an angle midway between said handle portion and hook portion and providing means for selectively positioning a rope thereon.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said arm element further comprises a generally rounded shaped arm with a pair of flattened sides, one each toward said hook end and one toward said handle end of the apparatus.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said arm element further comprises a generally oval shaped arm element for positioning a lead rope relative to said apparatus.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein positioning a lead rope in a first position, with a lead rope loop above said arm element, further comprises means for automatic release of a length of a lead rope upon application of a generally lesser amount of pressure to the lead rope.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein positioning a lead rope in a second position, with the lead rope loop below said arm element, further comprises means for automatic release of a length of lead rope upon application of a generally greater amount of pressure to the lead rope.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein positioning a lead rope in said third position, the lead rope looped about said handle, further provides means for locking a lead rope attached to said apparatus preventing movement of the lead rope through said clip.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a lead rope may be re-positioned in any of the three positions, so long as pressure is not applied to the lead rope, the rope may be re-positioned manually with ease.

14. An adjustable length rope clip for use with an animal or object on a lead rope, the rope clip installed on the lead rope, the rope clip comprising: a) a body, of uniform construction, having a handle portion formed in one end and a hook portion formed in the opposite end of said body, said hook portion having an open end;b) a spring clip, attached to a hook base of said hook portion of said body, said spring clip closing said open end of said hook portion, for temporary attachment of the rope clip to a fixed object, the animal or object on the lead rope following;c) an arm element formed midway of said body to position a loop of the lead rope relative to said rope clip in one of three positions, a first position with the loop above said arm element, a second position with the loop below said arm element and a third position with the loop about said handle portion of said clip.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein positioning a lead rope in a first position, with a lead rope loop above said arm element, further comprises means for automatic release of a length of a lead rope upon application of a generally lesser amount of pressure to the lead rope.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein positioning a lead rope in a second position, with the lead rope loop below said arm element, further comprises means for automatic release of a length of lead rope upon application of a generally greater amount of pressure to the lead rope.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein positioning a lead rope in said third position, the lead rope looped about said handle, further provides means for locking a lead rope attached to said apparatus preventing movement of the lead rope through said clip.

18. A method of using an adjustable length rope clip, for use as a pulley for lifting heavy objects, further comprising the steps of: a) positioning the apparatus of claim 1 on a rope with a loop of the rope above a clip arm element;b) attaching the clip to a fixed point;c) pulling on the rope through the clip to hoist a weighted object to a desired position; andd) locking down the rope by re-positioning said loop of said rope about a handle portion of said clip.