US3336893A

US3336893A - Anchor apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3336893A
Application number: US563895A
Authority: US
Inventors: Hallauer John
Original assignee: A W O ROURKE
Current assignee: A W O ROURKE
Priority date: 1966-07-08
Filing date: 1966-07-08
Publication date: 1967-08-22
Anticipated expiration: 1984-08-22

Description

Aug. 22, T1967 J. HALL/ WER 3,336,893

ANCHOR APPARATUS Filed July 8, 1966 INVENTOR JOHN HALLAUER Biff/@m e. m

United States Patent O M 3,336,893 ANCHOR APPARATUS John Hallauer, Temperance, Mich., assignor of lifty percent to A. W. GRourke, Toledo, Ohio Fired July s, 1966, ser. No. 563,895 9 Claims. (Cl. 114-208) This invention relates to anchoring apparatus in general, and in particular to anchoring apparatus in which the shank of the anchor is releasable to rotate with respect to the linkes to enable the disengagement of the anchor from the bottom of the body of water in which it is secured.

With todays society having an increasing amount of leisure time, more and more individuals are turning to the sport of boating. With the number and use of boats increasing, the variety of individuals utilizing the boats is also growing, including women and children. Previously, boats of certain sizes required anchors of sufficient size and weight alone to hold the boat in an anchored position. As the size of the boats increased, the size of the anchor increased to a point where the weight of the anchor exceeded that easily handled by a majority of the boat owners and users. As an improvement, liuke anchors were provided and designed so that the linkes engaged the bottom of the body of water and held the boat in the anchored position. These anchors required less weight since the holding power of the entrenched linkes replaced the weight required before. However, when it was desired to raise the anchor the problem arose of disengaging the liukes from the bottom. Sometimes, when the linkes were inserted under rocks, this became an almost impossible task.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide improved anchor apparatus.

It is a further object of this invention to provide improved anchor apparatus in which the shank of the anchor may be released lfor rotation with respect to the liukes so that the liukes may be pulled out or disengaged from the bottom in the direction in which they were inserted into the bottom.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an improved anchor apparatus having a shank extension which aids in engaging the flukes in the bottom of a body of water and then is active in assisting in the disengaging of the liukes from the bottom when the shank is rotated with respect to the engaged liukes.

The present .invention then features an anchor comprising a pair of liukes for engaging the bottom of a body of water, a shank, and a shaft mounted transversely to one end of the shank and extending on each side to support a liuke on each side of the shank. Means are provided for journally supporting the shaft so that the shaft is revoluble with respect to the linkes from and back into anchoring position. The linkes are advantageously secured to the shaft and the shaft is journally mounted in the shank. A release lever is provided which is pivotally mounted on and intermediate the length of the shank and extends between the pair of liukes. Release pin means are connected on the end of the release lever and adapted to abut the linkes and prevent the relative rotation of the shank and liukes beyond a predetermined anchoring position. The liukes have release slots formed in the shankadjacent edges and spaced from the normal abutting location of the release pin means. Means are provided for pivoting the release lever to bring the release pins into the release slots thereby freeing the shank for rotation with respect to the liukes.

Means `are provided for yieldingly biasing the release lever in a predetermined position to hold the release pin means in abutting relationship with the pair of liukes.

Vlo

3,3%3 Patented Aug. 22, 1967 ICC The biasing means advantageously comprises spring means mounted on the shank between the shaft and the release lever. The spring is preferably under compression and a plate or washer member is mounted on the shaft between the spring and the release lever to distribute and align the force of the spring along the release lever.

The release lever pivoting means may comprise a sliding operator mounted on the shank above the release lever, the operator being adapted to be moved down the shank and bear against the side of the release lever away from the liukes to pivot the lever. The sliding operator preferably comprises a ring-like member of sufficient diameter to provide leverage against the` release lever, the sliding operator being adapted for connection to a line to a boat which may be utilized for moving the ring-like member against the release lever.

Means are provided connected to the shank and extending past the transverse shaft to bear against the bottom of the body of water as the shank is being rotated to assist in urging the anchor from engagement with the bottom. The shaft extension means is preferably a bifurcated member having two paddle-like elements each disposed at an acute angle with respect to the axis of the shank. One rof the paddle-like members lies against the bottom of the body of water when the anchor is being engaged therewith and thus assists in digging lthe linkes into the bottom.

Other objects, advantage-s and features of this invention will become apparent when the following description is taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of anchor apparatus embodying the teachings of this invention; and iFIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional View of the anchor apparatus of FIGURE 1 ltaken along lines 2-2.

Referring to FIGURES l and 2, there is illustrated an anchor 10 embodying the teachings of this invention. The anch-or 10 comprises a pair of ilukes 2d, 21 and a shrank 11 having an eye 12 formed in one end thereof for attaching a line to the boat. A shaft 30 is mounted transversely to one end of the shank 10 and extends on each side of the shank to support the liukes 20 and 21. The shaft 30 may be welded or otherwise attached to the liukes 20, 21 and journally supported in the lower end of shank 11. Alternatively, the shaft 30 may be journally-mounted in liukes 20, 21 and retain the linkes thereon by the enlarged ends 31 formed on the shaft. In the latter instance, the shaft will be secured to the lower end of the shank 11. In either instance, means are provided for journally supporting the shaft so that the shank is revoluble with respect to Ithe liukes from and back into anchoring position.

A release lever 40 is pivotally mounted at 41 on and intermediate the length of the shank 11. The release lever extends between the pair of flakes. Release pin means 42, 43 are attached to the ends of the release lever and adapted to abut the flukes and prevent the relative rotation of the shank and the liukes beyond a predetermined anchoring position. In FIGURE l, it may be seen that the liukes are abutting release pin means 42 thereby holding the liukes in an anchoring position. Release slots 22, 23- are formed in the shank ladjacent edges of the flukes 20 and 21, respectively, yas can thus be seen in FIGURE 2. By pivoting the release lever 40 on pivot means 41, which may be a pin inserted through the lever and the shank 11, the abutting release pin means, in this instance 42, may be brought up by the linkes 20, 21 so that the release pin means may pass through the release slots 22, 23. When the respective release pin means are adjacent the release slots 22, :23, the shank 11 is revoluble with respect to the linkes from the anchoring position. This allows the shank 11 to be rotated so that -posite that in which they were driven during their engagement with the bottom of the body of water.

To assist the anchor in engaging the bottom and disengaging from the bottom, a shank extension 13 is provided which extends past the shaft 30 to bear against the bottom of the body of water. The extension 13 is preferably bifurcated having two paddle-like elements 13a and 13b, each disposed at an acute angle with respect to the axis of the shank. One of the padd-le-like members, for example 13a, lies against the bottom of the body of water as the anchor is lowered and assists in disposing the flukes at the proper angle for engaging the bottom of the lake. When the anchor is being removed and the shank is in a rotatable position, the paddle-like element lying adjacent the bottom of the lake acts as a lever to assist in working the flukes 20, 21 free as the shank is rotated since a paddle-like element will be bearing and pushing against the bottom of the lake.

In the preferred embodiment there is provided means for pivoting the release lever 40 to bring the release pins 42 or 43 into-the release slots 22, 23 thereby preparing the shank for -rotation with respect to the fiukes. In FIGURES l and 2 there is shown a sliding operator 60 which comprises a ring-like member of sufficient diameter to provide leverage against t-he release lever. The sliding operator is mounted on the shank 11 and is adapted for connection to a line to a boat. The boat is utilized for moving the ring-like member 60 down the shank and against the release lever to pivot the release lever and effect the freeing of the shank 11 for rotation. The normal anchor line is connected to the eye end 12 of the shank to hold the boat in its anchored position. A .second release line is connected to the release operator 60.

Means are provided for yieldingly biasing the release lever 40 in a predetermined position to hold the release pin means in abutting relationship with the pair of flukes. In the preferred embodiment, the biasing `means is a spring means St] mounted on the shank between t-he shaft 30 and the release lever 40. In this instance, the spring is under compression and to distribute and align the force of the spring along the lever a spring washer or plate member 51 is mounted on the shaft between the spring 50 and the release lever 40. A similar spring washer or retainer 52 may be provided at the other end ofthe spring 50 to maintain the spring in an aligned relationship. Each of the plate members 51 and 52 may have a cupped relationship with respect to the ends of the springs to retain the spring in a centered position on a shank 11.

In operation, the anchor is lowered overboard by a line connected to the eye end 12 of the shank 11 and is engaged with the bottom of the body of water as described hereinbefore. When it is desired to release the anchor, the line connected to the eye end 12 is slackened or dropped overboard and a line connected to the release operator 60 is drawn taut. The release line is held taut, as by snubbing, while the boat is driven back along the -axial direction of the shank, sliding the operator 60 down the shank to the release lever 40. Contact with the release lever 40 will pivot the release lever pushing the release pin means 42 or 43 to the release slots 22, 23 thereby freeing the shank for relative rotation with respect to the flakes. The boat continues to bear on release line 60 rotating the shank 11 to a position substantially in line with the flukes 20, 21. During this rotation, the shaft extension 13 pushes against the bottom of the lake loosening the flukes from their embedded position. As the boat continues, the release operator 60 slides back up the shank and bears against the eye end 12 and pulls the anchor from the bottom.

There has thus been described an anchor which, for example, can be made to weigh only fteen pounds to retain a forty or fifty foot boat. This cuts many pounds from the weight of the anchors previously used and allows the effecting of an easy withdrawal of the anchor from its embedded position.

In conclusion, it is to be noted that the embodiment disclosed and described herein is meant to be illustrative only and not limiting in any sense. The embodiment serves only to illustrate the spirit and scope of. the invention.

I claim:

1. An anchor comprising a pair of flukes for engaging the bottom of a body of water, a shank, a shaft mounted transversely to one end of said shank and extending on each side to support a fluke on each side of said shank, means for journally supporting said shaft so that said shank is revoluble with respect to said liukes from and back into anchoring position, a release lever pivotally mounted on and intermediate the length of said shank and extending between said pair of linkes, release pin means on the ends of said release lever adapted to abut said ukes and prevent the relative rotation of said shank and flukes beyond a predetermined anchoring position, said Hakes having release slots formed in the shank-adjacent edges spaced from the normal abutting location of said release pin means, and means for pivoting said release lever to bring said release pins into said release slots, thereby freeing said shank for rotation with respect to said flukes.

2. An anchor as dened in claim 1 which further includes means for yieldingly biasing ysaid `release lever in a predetermined position to hold said release pin means in abutting relationship with said pair of flukes.

3. An anchor as defined in claim 2 in which said biasing means includes spring means mounted on said shank between said shaft and said release lever.

4. An anchor as defined in claim 3 in which said spring is under compression and which further includes a plate member mounted on said shaft between said spring and said release lever to distribute and align the force of said spring along said lever.

5. An anchor as defined in claim 1 in which said release lever pivoting means includes a sliding operator mounted on said shank above .said release lever, said operator bein-g adapted to be moved down said shank and bear against the side of the release lever away from said flukes to pivot said lever.

6. An anchor as defined in claim 1 in which said fiukesA are secured to said shaft and said shaft is journally mounted in said shank.

7. An anchor as defined in claim 5 in which said sliding operator comprises a 4ring-like member of sufficient diameter to provide leverage against said release lever, said sliding operator being adapted for connection to a line to a boat which may be utilized for moving said ring-like member against said release lever.

8. An anchor as defined in claim 1 which further includes means connected to said shank and extending past said shaft to -bear against the bottom of said body of water as said shank is being rotated to assist in urging said anchor from engagement with the bottom.

9. An anchor as defined in claim 8 in which said shaft extension means is a bifurcated member having two paddle-like elements each disposed at an acute angle with respect to the axis of said shank, one of said paddlel-ike members lying against the bottom of said body of water when the anchor is being engaged therewith.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2/1945 Northrop 4114-208 4/1957 Gollner 114-208

Claims

1. AN ANCHOR COMPRISING A PAIR OF FLUKES FOR ENGAGING THE BOTTOM OF A BODY OF WATER, A SHANK, A SHAFT MOUNTED TRANSVERSELY TO ONE END OF SAID SHANK AND EXTENDING ON EACH SIDE TO SUPPORT A FLUKE ON EACH SIDE OF SAID SHANK, MEANS FOR JOURNALLY SUPPORTING SAID SHAFT SO THAT SAID SHANK IS REVOLUBLE WITH RESPECT TO SAID FLUKES FROM AND BACK INTO ANCHORING POSITION, A RELEASE LEVER PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON AND INTERMEDIATE THE LENGTH OF SAID SHANK AND EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID PAIR OF FLUKES, RELEASE PIN MEANS ON THE ENDS OF SAID RELEASE LEVER ADAPTED TO ABUT SAID FLUKES AND PREVENT THE RELATIVE ROTATION OF SAID SHANK AND FLUKES BEYOND A PREDETERMINED ANCHORING POSITION, SAID FLUKES HAVING RELEASE SLOTS FORMED IN THE SHANK-ADJACENT EDGES SPACED FROM THE NORMAL ABUTTING LOCATION OF SAID RELEASE PIN MEANS, AND MEANS FOR PIVOTING SAID RELEASE LEVER TO BRING SAID RELEASE PINS INTO SAID RELEASE SLOTS, THEREBY FREEING SAID SHANK FOR ROTATION WITH RESPECT TO SAID FLUKES.