US 4,057,024 AGranted

Releasable anchor

AssigneeIndianapolis Center for Advanced Research

InventorTruman W. Adams

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Abstract

An anchor incorporating an arrangement for releasing the anchor when it becomes snagged on large rocks or other objects. One embodiment includes a blocking element which is positioned in the elongated anchor body to prevent the anchor arms from moving out of a radially extending position to a position in which they extend longitudinally of the body. The blocking element is spring biased into its blocking position and has a sleeve thereon which is also spring biased to a position wherein the sleeve holds the anchor arms away from the blocking element. A sharp jerk on the anchor line causes the blocking element to move in the elongated anchor body out of blocking position releasing the anchor. Another embodiment includes a blocking element similarly positioned in an elongated anchor body. A striker element is mounted on the anchor body and connected to the anchor line and is spring biased to a position spaced from the blocking element. A sharp jerk on the anchor line causes the striker element to strike the blocking element to drive it out of blocking position releasing the anchor. A further embodiment of the invention releases the anchor by a pull of predetermined amount.

Claims9

Dependent claims

A releasable anchor comprising:

a body;
an arm pivotally mounted on said body, said arm including a gripping surface, said arm being pivotable between an outwardly-extending position and a retracted position;
a blocking element connected to said body, said blocking element having a blocking position and a release position, said blocking element being movable between the blocking and release positions;
said arm having a first position in which said blocking element is in the blocking position and the gripping surface of said arm frictionally engages said blocking element and prevents movement of said blocking element from the blocking position to the release position, said arm in the first position being intermediate the outwardly-extending position and the retracted position;
biasing means for biasing said arm to the outwardly-extending position;
said arm having a second position corresponding to the outwardly-extending position, said biasing means being operable to move said arm from the first position to the second position, said blocking element being movable from the blocking position to the release position when said arm is in the second position;
and
release means for moving said blocking element from the blocking position to the release position, said release means including means for connecting said blocking element to an anchor line, said arm having a third position corresponding to the retracted position, said arm being movable from the second position to the third position when said blocking element is in the release position.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.