US 12,630,265 B2Granted

Folding marine cleat with fastener retention

AssigneePatrick Industries, Inc.

InventorsJed Hawkes, Paul Masato Furrer, Paul Olliges

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Abstract

A longitudinally folding marine cleat can include a base having a first fastener retention slot and a second fastener retention slot, each having a first jaw and a second jaw defining opposing opening surfaces and opposing retention surfaces. The opposing retention surfaces can be spaced apart at a distance configured to receive a square portion of a carriage bolt therebetween to fix the fastener in axial rotation with respect to the base, and the opposing opening surfaces can be spaced apart at a distance narrower than a distance across the square portion of the fastener, but at a width permitting a shank portion of the fastener to laterally pass through. A cleat head can be hingedly coupled to the base with first and second legs, which together with the base are configured as a four-bar linkage to transition the cleat head between deployed and stowed positions.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A folding marine cleat for securing a line to a structure, the folding marine cleat comprising:

a cleat base configured to operably couple to a mounting surface of the structure, the cleat base having a first fastener retention slot and a second fastener retention slot, the first and second fastener retention slots each having:
a first jaw and a second jaw extending from the cleat base and together defining an open slot portion with opposing opening surfaces and opposing retention surfaces, the opposing retention surfaces being spaced apart at a distance configured to receive a square portion of a fastener therebetween to fix the fastener in axial rotation with respect to the cleat base, and the opposing opening surfaces being spaced apart at a distance narrower than a distance across the square portion of the fastener;
a cleat head having a first projection and a second projection extending in opposite directions along the mounting surface, the cleat head being configured to receive a portion of the line;
and
first and second legs each hingedly coupled to the cleat base and the cleat head,
wherein the cleat base, the cleat head, the first leg, and the second leg together form a four-bar linkage to transition the cleat head between a stowed position and a deployed position relative to the cleat base.

3 more elements

A longitudinally folding marine cleat for securing a line to a watercraft, the folding marine cleat comprising:

a cleat base configured to operably couple to a mounting surface of the structure, the cleat base having a first fastener retention slot having an open slot portion with opposing opening surfaces and opposing retention surfaces, the opposing retention surfaces being spaced apart at a distance configured to receive a square portion of a fastener therebetween to fix the fastener in axial rotation with respect to the cleat base, and the opposing opening surfaces being spaced apart at a distance narrower than a distance across the square portion of the fastener;
an elongate cleat head configured to receive a portion of the line;
and
first and second legs each hingedly coupled to the cleat base and the cleat head,
wherein the cleat base, the elongate cleat head, the first leg, and the second leg together form a four-bar linkage to transition the elongate cleat head between a stowed position and a deployed position relative to the cleat base.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.