Mast step assembly
AssigneeAtecs Corporation
InventorsDaniel Camp, Richard W. Grant, Ronald Sciulli
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A quick-connect mast step assembly has a round main body bolted to the surface of a sail board wherein the upper surface of the body has a T-slot for receiving a mast shoulder bolt and a plug associated with the T-slot which, when rotated, prevents disengagement of the shoulder bolt from the T-slot, the body being bolted to a fin box in the upper surface of the sail board which allows easy adjustment of the position of the assembly.
Claims14
A quick-connect mast step assembly for securing a mast to a sail board, comprising a body having first connecting means for connecting the body to the sail board and second connecting means for connecting the mast to the body, wherein the first connecting means comprises a bolt extending downwardly from an underside of the body into a groove disposed longitudinally on an upper surface of the sail board, and a nut disposed within the groove, and wherein the second connecting means comprises a T-slot disposed at the upper surface of the body, a shoulder bolt having a headed portion extending downwardly from an axial end of the mast, the headed portion being receivable in an eccentric portion of the T-slot and movable to a central portion of the T-slot, and means for securing the shoulder bolt in the central portion of the T-slot.
A mast stepping device for securing a mast to a sail board comprising a round main body, a round bottom plate corresponding in size to a cavity formed in an underside of the main body, the bottom plate having a central axial bore through which passes a threaded and headed mounting bolt, the head being countersunk into an upper surface of the bottom plate, the head having two flat surfaces which correspond to flat surfaces in the countersunk portion to prevent rotational movement of the bolt relative to the bottom plate, and the threads engaging a nut which becomes countersunk into a lower surface of the bottom plate, the nut preventing axial movement of the bolt relative to the bottom plate, the bottom plate being inserted into the cavity formed in the underside of the main body and fixedly attached therein by retaining screws so that the main body, bottom plate, nut and bolt rotate in unison, the mounting bolt extending downwardly into a fin box disposed longitudinally along an upper surface of the sail board, the fin box providing an inverted T-shaped groove in the sail board, a flat nut disposed within the fin box for threadedly engaging the mounting bolt, and a T-slot having an eccentric, circular opening into which a mast shoulder bolt is axially inserted, the shoulder bolt being connected to a rubber power joint and being radially movable to a central circular opening in the body so that the shoulder bolt extends axially upwardly from the central circular opening.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.