US 4,471,511 AGranted

Releasable connector

AssigneeRFD Limited

InventorJohn A. Phipps

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A releasable connector for connecting a shackle bolt on a liferaft to the depending end of a davit cable is set in a safe condition for boarding and lowering of the liferaft. In the safe condition, a hook member supports the shackle bolt and is itself locked in its supporting position by a latch member. A coupling spring connected between the hook member and the latch member operates to one side of its dead-center position to urge the latch member into the locking position. A first downward pull on a lanyard causes a pawl member to engage a tooth on the latch member to move the latch member from its locking position to a drive position in which the coupling spring operates to the other side of its dead-center position and urges the latch member into its drive position. When the liferaft takes up a floating position on the water, the load on the sackle bolt is relieved and automatic release of the shackle bolt effected under the action of the coupling spring which turns the hook member out of its supporting position. If the automatic release fails, the lanyard is given a second pull which brings the pawl member, which has returned under spring loading, to engage a second tooth on the latch member and cause the latch member to execute a driving movement in which it displaces the hook member out of its supporting position for release of the shackle bolt. A first pull on the lanyard results only in the cocking of the connector for automatic release and cannot result in manual release. A second pull on the lanyard is required to effect manual release.

A releasable connector for releasably connecting together first and second elements comprising a support structure to which the first element is secured, a first securing member for releasably securing the second element to the support structure and mounted on the support structure for movement between a securing position in which it so cooperates with the support structure as to prevent the second element from releasing from the support structure and a release position in which it no longer prevents release of the second element from the support structure, a second securing member mounted on the support structure for movement firstly from a retention position in which it retains the first securing member in its securing position and prevents it from moving to its release position to a drive position in which it no longer retains the first securing member in the securing position and in which it drivingly engages the first securing member and then in a driving movement from the drive position to a release position in which driving movement it drivingly engages the first securing member to cause displacement of the first securing member from the securing position to its release position, and means for moving the second securing member from its retention position to its drive position and from its drive position to its release position comprising a drive member which is mounted on the support structure for forward and return movements between a first stop position to which it is biased and a second stop position and which so engages the second securing member that when the drive member is moved in a first forward movement from its first stop position to its second stop position against the biasing action it moves the second securing member from the retention position to the drive position and upon release returns under the biasing action to the first stop position without the return of the second securing member to the retention position and in a second forward movement from its first stop position to its second stop position against the biasing action it moves the second securing member from its drive position to its release position thereby to move the first securing member from its securing position to its release position.

Facts

Application

06/474,450Filed 11 Mar 1983

Priority

GB 820713511 Mar 1982

Granted

18 Sep 1984

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

B63B 23/58
Use of lowering or hoisting gear: with tackle engaging or release gear
B66C 1/34
Rigid members, e.g. L-shaped members, with parts engaging the under surface of the loads; Crane hooks: crane hooks
F16B 45/026
And having means biasing the closing member about the pivot: and including a coil type spring
F16B 45/028
And having position-locking means for the closing member: the position-locking means being pivotally connected

Abstract

Claims7