Rope cleat teeth structure
OwnerRonald L. Uecker, deceased, by Mary J. H. Uecker, executrixinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A cleat formed with an improved rope-engaging surface adapted to facilitate the engagement of a rope and its subsequent release from the cleat. The rope-engaging surface is formed with a first stage raked and slanted teeth structure that tends to be self-feeding for engagement of the rope by the cleat. A second stage raked and slanted teeth structure tends to hold the rope secure within the cleat and also facilitates release of the rope from the cleat. The first and second stage teeth structures are joined by a transitional, curved teeth structure that permits continuous feeding into or release of the rope from the cleat. The teeth structure defined is useful in all types of cleats such as cam cleats, fixed jaw jam cleats, and sliding jaw jam cleats.
Claims23
An improved cam cleat for receiving and gripping a rope under tension comprising in operative combination:
- (a) a baseplate;
- (b) at least one vertical pivot pin mounted on said baseplate;
- (c) a cam block mounted on said pin and adapted to turn through an angular displacement thereof;
- (d) a plurality of rope-engaging teeth formed on a side surface of said cam block;
- (i) an upper portion of said teeth being adapted to form a rope entry zone wherein said teeth are slanted forwardly from bottom to top with respect to said baseplate and to the source of tension in the rope;
- (ii) a lower portion of said teeth being adapted to form a locking zone wherein said teeth are slanted backwardly from bottom to top with respect to said baseplate and to the source of tension;
- (iii) an intermediate portion of said teeth includes a curse transition zone between and joining said entry zone and said locking zone teeth;
- and
- (iv) the ridge lines of said teeth are continuous throughout said three defined zones;
- and
- (e) surface means spaced from said pin for forming a rope receiving and gripping nip between said cam block side surface teeth and said surface means;
- said combination providing ease of rope entry reduction in rope wear upon cleating and releasing said rope, and improved rope downward and gripping in said locking zone.
Improved teeth structure for a cleat assembly adapted to be mounted on a baseplate comprising:
- (a) means for grippingly engaging a rope having a rope-engaging surface,
- (b) a plurality of generally parallel, rope-engaging teeth formed on said surface;
- (i) an upper portion of said teeth being adapted to form a rope entry zone wherein said teeth are slanted forwardly from bottom to top with respect to said baseplate and to the source of tension in the rope;
- (ii) a lower portion of said teeth being adapted to form a locking zone wherein said teeth are slanted backwardly from bottom to top with respect to said baseplate and to the source of tension;
- (iii) an intermediate portion of said teeth includes a curved transition zone between and joining said entry zone and said locking zone teeth;
- and
- (iv) the ridge lines of said teeth are continuous throughout said three defined zones so that said ridge lines form generally a V configuration pointing backwardly with respect to the base plate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.