Halyard device for sailing boats

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6443082
  • Patent Number
    6,443,082
  • Date Filed
    Wednesday, July 5, 2000
    24 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, September 3, 2002
    22 years ago
Abstract
The invention relates to an arrangement for the detachable locking of a line (2) which is led out through an opening in, for example, a mast (55) on a sailing boat (6) in question and for enabling the line (2) to be led further to an existing winch on board. In accordance with the invention, a tension release device (1A) and a ferrule (1B) for the line (2) are formed by a common component. Each part of this common component (1) can be situated to either side (A and B respectively) of the wall (12) in the mast (5) and or a cockpit, through which a lead-in (11) for the line (2) extends.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




1. Field of the Invention




The present invention relates to an arrangement for the detachable locking of a line which extends through the wall of a mast or some other area which encloses a line on a sailing boat of the kind in question as far as the manoeuvring point for the line, and which comprises a tension release device with a locking component with a manually actuated operating device capable of actuation causing it to move against a holding component, and a ferrule for the line arranged next to a lead-in for the line.




Lines are normally led out from masts and through other walls, behind the spaces of which lines are enclosed in a movable fashion, via holes or slotted fittings, after which they continue through tension release devices which are securely screwed to the outside of the masts, for example, and finally to a winch. The task of the tension release device is thus to lock the end of the rope in question so that it can be removed from the winch, after which the winch can be used for another line. This avoids the need to have a winch for each line. The tension release devices are also so arranged that they permit winching-in of the line, including in the locked position, although in this case with greater friction than in the fully open position.




2. Description of the Related Art




Previously disclosed examples of such loaders are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,670,948A; U.S. Pat. No. 4,528,727A and U.S. Pat. No. 5,083,350A. All these previously disclosed tension release devices exhibit the primary disadvantage that they must be installed externally on masts or decks, which makes them bulky, and that sailors and sails and lines can become hooked fast, with the associated risk of damage, etc., being caused by the projecting handles and other component parts of the tension release device arranged in conjunction with them. In conjunction with this, the forces which act upon the tension release devices must be taken up only by the fixing screws that are screwed into the mast or the deck on the vessel in question, which can cause corrosion, eventually resulting in a weakened connection, and the fixing screws are subject to the risk of becoming corroded fast so that their removal is difficult.




This also means that a section of the line is present between the opening in the mast and the tension release device. This unprotected section is constantly exposed to sun, salt, weather and wind, which causes the line to be weakened in that particular section. The fact that this section is constantly under stress also exposes the line to being damaged more easily, for example if it is exposed to sharp objects on board. It also means that persons on board can be injured by it, for example as a result of becoming trapped.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




The principal object of the present invention is thus, in the first instance, to solve the aforementioned problems in a safe and effective manner.




The aforementioned object is achieved by means of an arrangement in accordance with the present invention, which is characterized essentially in that the tension release device and the ferrule for the line are executed in the form of a common component.




The invention is described below as a preferred illustrative embodiment, in conjunction with which reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

shows a perspective view of a section of a mast from below and with an arrangement in accordance with the invention mounted thereon;





FIG. 2

shows the tension release device viewed in perspective as a partially sectioned view in which the end of a line is being clamped by it;





FIG. 3

shows the tension release device in an open released position in which the end of the rope runs freely therein;





FIG. 4

shows an exploded view of the tension release device with certain component parts removed;





FIG. 5

shows an exploded view of the removed component parts;





FIG. 6

shows a view of the arrangement in a partially sectioned view; and





FIG. 7

shows the arrangement viewed from outside and also schematically inside a mast.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION




The invention is described below as an example of the mast on a sailing boat, in conjunction with which the invention is applied to a halyard which runs in the inside of the mast and out to the deck on the sailing boat, although the invention can naturally also be applied to lines other than halyards on board sailing boats. Lines in the example are designated by the specialist terminology halyard for this reason.




Furthermore, the space in which the line is enclosed is not restricted to masts alone, but other walls on board sailing boats through which it is wished to pass lines via openings are also possible, for example openings through decks to the cockpit, for example, or some other position on board.




An arrangement in accordance with the present invention is so arranged as to permit the detachable locking of halyards


2


which extend with one part


2


A internally


3


up through a mast


5


on a sailing boat


6


of the kind in question or some other vessel to the manoeuvring point for the halyard


2


, which arrangement comprises a tension release device


1


A with a wedge capable of actuation causing it to be displaced towards a holding component


7


. The aforementioned wedge


8


is capable of actuation causing it to be displaced by means of a manually actuated control device


9


respectively in an upward and downward direction


4


and


10


. A ferrule


1


B for the halyard


2


is arranged for this purpose next to a lead-in


11


in the wall


12


of the mast. A tension release device


1


A and a ferrule


1


B for the halyard


2


are formed by a common component


1


in this case. This common component


1


can either be undivided, in which case it is situated on the appropriate side of the wall through which the line passes, or it can be situated centrally between the sides in the opening. In the example illustrated and described here, the aforementioned component is divided into two parts, each of which parts


1


A,


1


B is situated on its own side A and B respectively of the wall


12


in the mast


5


and/or the cockpit (not shown), through which the lead-in


11


for the halyard


2


extends.




The arrangement


1


is, as mentioned above, intended essentially to be positioned on the mast


5


, although it is also conceivable to position it at other points on the boat


6


, for example alongside the routing of other lines to the cockpit, when the line can be led beneath the deck and then led up to a winch on the deck in a neat and space-saving fashion.




An element other than a wedge can also be arranged as a locking component


8


, and mention can be made of, for example, a movably mounted cam, which, along one of its sides, can exhibit grip-increasing teeth, etc., although only a wedge


8


is indicated in the example.




The aforementioned wedge


8


, which may consist of plastic, metal or some other suitable material or other elements which are capable of displacement with low friction against a counter-pressure surface, in conjunction with which consideration can also be given to rollers, wheels, and caterpillar tracks, is spring-assisted in such a way as to be moved between a locked position LL and a released position FL. The spring is preferably in the form of a spiral-wound torsion spring


13


, which is connected with one spring leg


14


to a casing


15


and its internally hollow attachment


16


, and is connected with its other spring leg


17


to a part


18


of the wedge


8


, and preferably in such a way that a hole forms an attachment part for the spring


13


. The aforementioned casing


15


can be assembled together with an essentially congruently executed casing part


15




1


by means of screws


19


or rivets which are accommodated in holes


20


,


20




1


along their respective raised peripheral edges


21


,


21




1


, and is so arranged as to enclose the wedge


8


and the spring


13


and a number of other components included in the arrangement


1


in a protected fashion.




The control device


9


, which consists of a lever preferably made of metal, extends outwards at an angle X from the wedge to the opposite side B of the wall


12


from the side A where the wedge


8


is accommodated in such a way as to be capable of displacement


22


. The aforementioned lever


9


is fixed, for example by means of rivets


23


, so that it is rigidly attached to the wedge


8


via holes


24


,


25


passing through it. Present at the outermost end of the lever


9


is a preferably grooved gripping part


26


such as to enable a firm grip to be taken of it when actuating the lever


9


with the hand.




The aforementioned wedge


8


exhibits preferably a toothed line accommodating part


27


, along which one side


2


A of the line is so arranged as to make contact in order to obtain a firm grip along the inclined surface


28


of the wedge, and the aforementioned holding component


7


, against which the opposite side


2


B of the line is so arranged as to make contact in order also to obtain a firm grip, is in the form of a folded plate or, for example, a corrugated homogeneous piece of metal which is attached by its legs


29


,


30


to the casing


15


,


15




1


and is so arranged as to extend along the intended extent


31


of the halyard


2


internally inside the casing


15


,


15




1


.




The wedge


8


is also accommodated in such a way as to be capable of displacement along a track


32


functioning as a holding component surface, for example in the form of a guide rail, preferably made of metal.




The arrangement, which is a combined tension release device/slot fitting, leads out the line


2


from the mast


5


without causing wear to the line


2


. The line


2


is locked by the toothed wedge


8


, which presses the line


2


against the grooved holding component


7


. The greater the loading imposed on the line


2


, the harder the line


2


is securely wedged. The arrangement


1


is opened by first stretching the line


2


on a winch so that the wedge


8


is released, after which the wedge


8


is moved out manually to the fully open position with the help of the control device


9


. A double-acting spring


13


holds the wedge


8


in the open position FL. In order to lock the arrangement, the wedge


8


is moved in towards the line


2


with a movement of the hand, in conjunction with which the double-acting spring


13


is caused to move over. In this position, the operating position, the wedge


8


is held in contact with the line


2


under the effect of the spring


13


. The line


2


can run out, but it is locked in the direction of loading F, i.e. towards the top of the mast.




The aforementioned tension release device


1


A and the ferrule


1


B can be divided, in conjunction with which the casing


15


,


15




1


is attached internally


3


inside the mast


5


and/or the cockpit (not shown), whereas the ferrule component


1


B executed with a slotted lead-in


33


is attached to the outside of the aforementioned slotted hole


11


through the wall


12


of the mast


5


and/or in the wall of the cockpit.




The lever


9


is so arranged as to extend through the aforementioned hole


11


and opening


33


. A downward-facing opening


34


extends from the aforementioned lead-in


33


for the control lever


9


to the outside of the lower part of the ferrule


1


B to lead the halyard


2


between the inside


3


of the mast and the outside B of the mast


5


. A ring, in which the line


2


runs, can thus be accommodated in the aforementioned opening


34


.




Deflection of the line


2


internally in the mast


5


can be achieved with a deflection component


102


executed in such a way as to be gentle on the line


2


, for example in the holding component


7


in its upper part, in order to deflect the line to the desired angle.




The arrangement


1


thus consists of a part


1


A, which is placed inside the mast


5


, and a part


1


B, which is placed outside the mast. The inner part


1


A is introduced in conjunction with installation through a slot


11


sawn into the mast


5


and is installed with screws


35


from the outside B through the external component


1


B, and then through a clearance hole


36


in the wall


12


of the mast, and is finally secured in nuts


37


which are accommodated in cavities


37


A in the actual fitting


1


A and with retaining washers


38


behind. A fixing screw


35


A is screwed in before the outside part


1


B is placed on the mast


5


.




The aforementioned tension release device


1


A and the ferrule


1


B exhibit an extended form and are capable of being screwed to one another as indicated above.




The tension release device


1


A is divided along its longitudinal median plane, and the two parts


15


,


15




1


of the casing are, as indicated above, capable of being screwed to one another across their longitudinal extent by means of screws


19


or are riveted together.




The function of the arrangement should have emerged from the above description and with reference to the illustrations in the drawings.




The novel features of the invention and the advantages associated therewith are summarized below.




Novel Features




The tension release device


1


A/line ferrule


1


B is partially recessed/positioned inside the mast


5


.




In addition to locking the line


2


, the tension release device


1


A/line ferrule


1


B also leads the line


2


out from the mast


5


in a manner that is gentle for the line


2


.




There is no projecting handle with which lines and sails, etc., can become entangled—in either the open, locked or operating position.




The tension release device


1


A/line ferrule


1


B consists of two parts


1


A,


1


B, which, when assembled, form a clamped connection around the wall


12


of the mast.




Advantages




The function “lead out the line from the mast and down to the tension release device” occupies significantly less space than previously in a vertical sense on the mast, which space can be used for the attachment of other fittings. Also, the fact that no part of the line is exposed between the slot and the tension release device eliminates the risk of its being weakened by external influences.




Assembly with transcurrent screws, which clamp together the fitting instead of being threaded directly into the wall of the mast, prevents corrosion and in so doing provides a connection which avoids the risk of becoming weakened in time and is easy to dismantle even after a long period.




The position of the fitting inside the mast


5


now causes the outward-directed forces, which arise when the line is stretched with a winch, to be absorbed directly by the wall


12


of the mast without imposing any loading on the fixing screws.




The arrangement functions in the open position as a slotted fitting. If the tension release function is not required for any reason, there is thus no need to remove the tension release device


1


A.




There is no projecting handle with which lines and sails, etc., can become entangled—in either the open, locked or operating position.




The low profile reduces the risk of impact and causing injuries.




The invention is not restricted to the illustrative example described above and shown in the drawings, but may be modified within the scope of the Patent Claims without departing from the idea of invention.



Claims
  • 1. Arrangement for the detachable locking of a line which extends through a wall of a mast which encloses a line on a sailing boat and which comprises a tension release device with a wedge having a manually actuated operating device capable of actuation causing the wedge to move against a holding component and a ferrule for the line arranged next to a lead-in for the line, characterized in that:the tension release device and the ferrule For the line are formed by a common component and the wedge is spring-assisted, arranged to be moved between a locked position and a released position; the tension release device and the ferrule is capable of being divided into two parts which are adapted to be detachably connected to one another, each of the tension release device and the ferrule is situated on an opposite side of the wall through which the lead-in for the line extends: a spiral-wound torsion spring is connected with one spring leg to a casing, which is arranged to enclose the wedge and the spring, and is connected with its other spring leg to a part of the wedge.
  • 2. Arrangement in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the aforementioned spring is double acting and holds the wedge in the released position and holds the wedge pressed against the line in the loaded position.
  • 3. Arrangement in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the operating device, which consists of a lever which extends outwards at an angle from the wedge to the opposite side of the wall wherein the wedge is arranged capable of displacement, is rigidly attached to the wedge.
  • 4. Arrangement in accordance with claim 1 characterized in that the wedge is capable of displacement with low friction along a track in the casing functioning as a holding component surface.
  • 5. Arrangement in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that a guide between the wedge and the casing is arranged to guide the wedge in the direction of displacement and to prevent the wedge from lifting from the track.
  • 6. Arrangement in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the holding component is in the form of one of a folded plate and a corrugated homogeneous piece of metal, attached to the casing and extends along an intended extent of the line.
Priority Claims (1)
Number Date Country Kind
9902611 Jul 1999 SE
US Referenced Citations (9)
Number Name Date Kind
1322956 Ruff Nov 1919 A
3628221 Pasbrig Dec 1971 A
3851613 Armour Dec 1974 A
3996873 Weghorn Dec 1976 A
4278042 Lindquist Jul 1981 A
4425862 Hirsch et al. Jan 1984 A
4465011 Merry Aug 1984 A
4620499 Slemmons Nov 1986 A
4873934 Renault Oct 1989 A
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number Date Country
117466 Sep 1984 DK