Rope tensioning and fastening device

A rope tensioning and fastening device comprising:

• a substantially flat, elongated body extending lengthwise from a front end to a back end and widthwise from a top edge to a bottom edge,
• the front end having a forward-opening V-shaped mouth including opposing surfaces,
• the back end having a rear-facing back edge and a knob extending rearward from the back edge, and
• a rear aperture having a forward-facing engagement surface and an alignment aperture having a rear-facing engagement surface,
• the forward-facing engagement surface configured to engage the beginning of one leg of a rear loop of a rope that is passed through the rear aperture and fastened around the knob,
• the rear-facing engagement surface configured to engage the end of a return leg of a forward loop of a rope received in the alignment aperture, and
• the mouth, the knob, the forward-facing engagement surface and the rear-facing engagement surface configured to be in a substantially linear arrangement.

A rope tensioning and fastening device comprising:

• a substantially flat, elongated body extending lengthwise from a front end to a back end and widthwise from a top edge to a bottom edge,
• the front end having a forward-opening V-shaped mouth including opposing surfaces,
• the back end having a rear-facing back edge and a knob extending rearward from the back edge,
• a rear aperture having a forward-facing engagement surface configured to engage the beginning of one leg of a rear loop of a rope that is passed through the rear aperture and looped securely around the knob,
• a cinching aperture having a rear-facing engagement surface configured to engage the end of a return leg of a forward loop of a rope extending from the rear aperture, the cinching aperture including a channel originating at an opening at the bottom edge and terminating at the rear-facing engagement surface, the rear-facing engagement surface disposed midway between the top and bottom edges,
• an alignment aperture configured to receive an initial leg of a forward loop of a rope extending from the rear aperture, the alignment aperture including a channel originating at an opening at the top edge and terminating midway between the top and bottom edges,
• the rear aperture is between the knob and the cinching aperture, the cinching aperture disposed between the rear and alignment apertures, and the alignment aperture disposed between the cinching aperture and the mouth,
• the mouth, the knob, the forward-facing engagement surface, the rear-facing engagement surface and the alignment aperture configured to be in a linear arrangement, and
• each of the opposing surfaces of the mouth having a plurality of gripping members formed thereon, the gripping members configured to engage a portion of rope disposed between the opposing surfaces for securing the rope in the mouth when the rope is under tension.