AU2020200830A1

AU2020200830A1 - A rope recovery tool

Info

Publication number: AU2020200830A1
Application number: AU2020200830A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Mario John Cufone
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2019-02-20
Filing date: 2020-02-05
Publication date: 2020-09-03

Abstract

A rope cutting tool for use on an anchor rope. The tool includes a weight and a saddle that enclose the rope, the saddle including a blade adapted to be nested partially in a notch in the weight. The tool is attached to a recovery rope, whereby in use the tool is fed down the anchor rope until it reaches its end and the recovery rope is then used to pull on the tool causing the blade to cut the rope close to the anchor thus recovering most of the anchor rope.. 4 * a0

Description

4 * a0

A rope recovery tool

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a rope recovery tool where the rope is attached to an anchor and the anchor cannot be retrieved.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

[0002] Recreational fishing is a very popular past time. Typical fishing boats are anywhere between 5 to 10 meters in length and once a desired fishing spot is found engage an anchor to keep the boat in the same position which otherwise would drift. The anchor is first connected to a chain that keeps the anchor flat on the sea floor and the chain is then connected to a rope that extends from the boat. The depth that may be fished may be tens or hundreds of metres deep and because typically the rope extends to the boat at an angle the rope in the water maybe a few hundred metres long.

[0003] The anchor is subsequently winched up but there are times when the anchor snags on the sea floor. Larger boats that have the engine capacity are generally able to simply forcefully drag the anchor but smaller vessels may not have the power to do so. At times the only option for the boat operator is the cut the rope. A buoy may be attached to the end of the rope for subsequent retrieval perhaps by a diver but if it is deep then the cost to retrieve the rope and anchor becomes prohibitive.

[0004] Having a length of rope freely moving around the sea floor or even floating is an obvious hazard and undesirable.

[0005] The object of this invention is to provide a tool that recovers the rope even if an anchor is shagged and not retrievable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] In a first aspect the invention comprises a rope cutting tool for use on an anchor rope including a weight and a saddle that enclose the rope, the saddle including a blade adapted to be nested partially in a notch in the weight, the tool attached to a recovery rope, whereby in use the tool is fed down the anchor rope until it reaches its end and the recovery rope is then used to pull on the tool causing the blade to cut the rope.

[0007] It should be noted that any one of the aspects mentioned above may include any of the features of any of the other aspects mentioned above and may include any of the features of any of the embodiments described below as appropriate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] Preferred features, embodiments and variations of the invention may be discerned from the following Detailed Description which provides sufficient information for those skilled in the art to perform the invention. The Detailed Description is not to be regarded as limiting the scope of the preceding Summary of the Invention in any way. The Detailed Description will make reference to a number of drawings as follows.

[0009] Figure 1 is a schematic view of the use of the apparatus;

[0010] Figure 2 is a perspective exploded view of the rope recovery apparatus;

[0011] Figure 3 is a cut out view of the details of the apparatus; and

[0012] Figure 4 illustrates in more detail the blade used in the apparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] The following detailed description of the invention refers to the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings and the following description to refer to the same and like parts. Dimensions of certain parts shown in the drawings may have been modified and/or exaggerated for the purposes of clarity or illustration.

[0014] Referring now to the Figures in detail, a boat 10 uses an anchor rope 12 attached to an anchor chain 14 that is connected to anchor 16. When the anchor 16 becomes snagged and cannot be retrieved from the sea floor 18 by moving the boat 10 the recovery tool 22 is used. The anchor rope 12 is captured between weight 24 and saddle 26 that straddles the weight, the two joined together using bolts 28. The tool is then fed down the anchor rope using a recovery rope 20 that is attached to it using shackle 30. The weight ensures that the tool slides downward on the anchor rope.

[0015] When the tool reaches the anchor chain 14 it stops and the operator then pulls on the tool using the recovery rope 20. Located within the tool is blade 32 that is supported at an angle in notch 34 in the weight. A blade spring 36 abuts the inside of the saddle to ensure the blade remains in place and is connected to it using spring bolts 38. The blade includes a pivot point 40.

[0016] As the tool is being pulled up the blade cuts into the anchor rope and eventually cuts through it separating it from the chain and the anchor and allowing the rope to be retrieved. The tool is then also retrieved using the recovery rope. With the blade sitting partially in the notch support is provided for the blade to cut through the rope.

[0017] The dimensions of the tool may be selected based upon a range of anchor rope thicknesses but for typical small boats is of the order of some 20 cm long and 10 cm tall. The weight may be cut or a cast block.

LIST OF COMPONENTS

[0018] The drawings include the following integers. boat 10 anchorrope 12 anchorchain 14 anchor 16 sea floor 18 recovery rope 20 recovery tool 22 weight 24 saddle 26 bolts 28 shackle 30 blade 32 notch 34 blade spring 36 spring bolts 38 blade pivot 40

[0019] Further advantages and improvements may very well be made to the present invention without deviating from its scope. Although the invention has been shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices and apparatus. Any discussion of the prior art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such prior art is widely known or forms part of the common general knowledge in this field.

[0020] In the present specification and claims (if any), the word "comprising" and its derivatives including "comprises" and "comprise" include each of the stated integers but does not exclude the inclusion of one or more further integers.

Claims

1. A rope cutting tool for use on an anchor rope including: a weight and a saddle that enclose the rope; the saddle including a blade adapted to be nested partially in a notch in the weight; the toolattached to a recovery rope; whereby in use the tool is fed down the anchor rope until it reaches its end and the recovery rope is then used to pull on the tool causing the blade to cut the rope.