The present invention is directed to a soft shackle to be used on lines and ropes. More particularly, the present invention relates to using a notched button made of high strength material for making a soft shackle that is integrated at the bitter end of a line or rope, and methods for making and tying the integrated soft shackle.
Over the course of history, man has used rope to perform many tasks such as tying items together, pulling items, domesticating animals, or for the simple joy of a swing. Over the years, man developed different knots to tie a rope to an object or to itself. In the field of sailing alone, there are hundreds of different knots used to tie lines to sails, spars, anchors, chains, and the like. Note, the word “line” is proper term for a rope onboard a boat while the term “rope” is commonly used on land.
For example,
The present invention provides a notched button made of high strength material to be used to form a soft button shackle that is integrated into the bitter end of a line or rope. Such a notched botton can be used to form an integrated soft shackle that is strong, safe, and reliable. Moreover, the present invention is light in weight and does not diminish the strength of the rope or line. The present invention as described below integrates a soft shackle into the end of the line by using the end of the line itself, which is not possible with prior art designs. Additionally the present invention does not easily snag on other items near rigging or other objects.
As such the present arrangement provides for a button, for use in a soft shackle in a rope. The button is made of a material equal to or exceeding the strength of the rope. The button has a notch and an oval. The notch and oval form a bar. The bar is dimensioned in size to not deform when the button is under a load equal to the strength of the rope.
The present arrangement also provide for a method of making a soft shackle by making a first loop in a rope such that the loop fits around a bar formed between a notch and an oval of a notched button. A noose is made in the rope that can cinch around the notched button, making a second loop that fits around the bar. The end of to rope is spliced back into the rope.
The present arrangement also provides for method of using a soft shackle with a rope having a button attached thereto and a noose at the end of the rope. The method includes opening the noose wide enough to slip over the button, placing the noose over the button, and cinching the noose tight around the button.
The present invention can be best understood through the following description and accompanying drawing, wherein:
Applicants begin by reciting the element number for ease in assiting with identitying such elements in
As described in more detail below, a notched button 1 is woven or spliced into a rope 4. Together an oval hole 2 and a notch 3 create a bar 9 that a first loop 5 and a second loop 7 of rope 4 wrap around. Bar 9 is sized so rope 4, when passed around it, does not lose strength.
In one embodiment, the notched button 1 has edges that are rounded or smoothed over, so rope 4 is not chafed or cut when a noose 6 is cinched over notched button 1. Notched button 1 is preferably disc shaped and made from high strength material, for example aerospace grade 7075 aluminum (AA7075), such that the strength of notched button 1 meets or exceeds the strength of rope 4 and thus does not deform when loads are applied that exceed the breaking strength of rope 4.
It is important that bar 9 of notched button 1 is dimensioned to a minimal length and diameter that will work, strength wise, based on the diameter (gauge) of rope 4 used to for first and second loops 5 and 7. In a preferred embodiment, a length L of bar 9 as illustrated in
For example, using an 8 mm rope 4 with a specified 5 mm core diameter (actual diameter of approximately 5.7 mm +/−), the overall diameter of button 1 would be about 25.5 mm with a preferred depth D of bar 9 of 9.5 mm and a preferred width W of 7.5 mm. That size allows notched button 1 to have a minimal profile while at the same time yield a sufficient contact surface between bar 9 and first and second loops 5 and 7 to avoid breaking the line or distorting bar 9. In this embodiment, the ratio of the cross sectional area of bar 9 (width W×depth D) to the cross sectional area of the core of rope 4 is preferably no less than 2.75 and no greater than 3.25. The ratio of the cross sectional contact area of bar 9 to the contact surface area of rope 4 is preferably no less than 1.25 and no greater than 3.25.
In another example, using a 10 mm rope 4 with a specified 8 mm core diameter (actual diameter 8.2 mm +/−), the overall diameter of buttom 1 would be approximately 35 mm with a preferred depth D of the bar at 11.1 mm and a preffered width W of the the bar at 11.1 mm. With a larger diameter rope 4, the ratio of the cross sectional area of bar 9 to the cross sectional area of the core of rope 4 is preferably no less than 2.25 and no greater than 3.25. The ratio of the contact areas (bar/rope) is preferably no less than 1.25 and not greater than 3.25.
In another embodiment as illustrated in
As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the required contact surface area is a function the strength of the materials used to manufacture notched button 1 and the strength of rope 4.
Initial testing of the the invention has demonstrated that the strength of the integrated soft shackle exceeds the strength of the rope. For example, using a 5 mm single braid UHMWPE Dyneema® line 4 from New England Ropes with a rated breaking strength of 6,050 pounds, the integrated soft shackle failed at loads ranging from 6,200 pounds to as high as 6,340 pounds, with the failure occurring at noose 6.
It will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that there are many ways to manufacture notched button 1. For example, one could take a rod of high strength aerospace grade aluminum having the approximate desired diameter of button 1, cut off a section of the rod to form a disc of the approximate desired thickness, and use a CDC machine to cut out oval 2 and notch 3, forming bar 9, and machine round off all of the edges. It is preferred that the surface of such an aluminum button 1 be anodized to further smooth the surface, for example, using a hard coat of MIL-A 8625 Type III Class 2 anodize.
Once button 1 is made it is fairly easy for one skilled in the art to integrate button 1 with line or rope 4. With reference to
Once the integrated soft shackle is made its method of use is simple. Place noose 6 over notched button 1 and cinch the noose tight around the button as shown in
It is contemplated that at least one use of the present arrangement is for use in creating integrated soft shackles for sailing rigging, but many other uses are contemplated, including, but not limited to, off road vehicle winch cables and recovery ropes and straps, as well as replacement for equestrian knots and leads for items such as holsters. The integrated soft shackle can also be used in camping, fishing, climbing, and fire and rescue fields.
While only certain features of the invention have been illustrated and described herein, many modifications, substitutions, changes or equivalents will now occur to those skilled in the art. It is therefore, to be understood that this application is intended to cover all such modifications and changes that fall within the true spirit of the invention.
This application claims the benefit of priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/122,351, filed on Dec. 7, 2021, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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1569303 | Regan | Jan 1926 | A |
1613635 | Zimmerlund | Jan 1927 | A |
1714770 | Finn | May 1929 | A |
3238585 | Froyd | Mar 1966 | A |
4939820 | Babcock | Jul 1990 | A |
20170334533 | Herman | Nov 2017 | A1 |
20190234487 | Cole | Aug 2019 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20220252136 A1 | Aug 2022 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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63122351 | Dec 2020 | US |