GB2218065A

GB2218065A - Mast ladders for sailing vessels

Info

Publication number: GB2218065A
Application number: GB8805019A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Guy Stewart Morton; Miles Leonard David Webb
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1988-03-02
Filing date: 1988-03-02
Publication date: 1989-11-08
Also published as: GB8812076D0; GB8805019D0

Abstract

A mast ladder for fitting to a mast comprises a series of steps each having an upright 10 to the upper end of which is fitted a slider 11 received wnhin the slide track 12 and engaging only the internal surface thereof and external slider 14 which cooperates with the outer surface of the mast. <IMAGE>

Description

MAST lADDERS FOR SAILING VESSElS.

This invention relates to mast ladders for sailing vessels.

It is often necessary for a person to ascend the mast of a stiling vessel in order, for example, to carry out maintenance, repairs or modifications-to thelmsst or:its stgging.or to install or maintain equipment mounted upon it at regular intervals.

The bosuns S chair.

consists of a seat on which the user rs hauled, or hauls himself up the mast, It is difficult to use in safety whei short or singlehanded and will not lift the user to a height which allows easy working over the top of the mast.

Another means of enabling ascent is by steps permanently secured to the sides of the mast, these cause windage ani are prone to chafe sails and foul running rigging, A recent means of facilitating ascent of mast is a ladder comprising a series of steps, each having a standard mast slider centrally secured thereto and their corresponding ends onnected by lines. 'ihe general arrangement is thus that of a rope ladder with means to secure each tread centrally to the sail slide track. The ladder is thus suspended from the top of the mast and used in tension, which leads to difficulties in providing a stable arrangement.

A further recent means makes similar use of a slide in the sail slide track but the rungs or steps are attached to an upright member located between each slider and which support the load tn comprtaaion to the boon to mast fitting. When located in the track the separately stored steps form one rigid column as each ane keys and hooks into the one above it. This makes a much more positive arrangement.

rhe main problem wi'th both the means just described is in providing sliders to fit the very widely varying dimensions of sail slide track section. In order to give good location, the sliders have to be an easy sliding fit Un the metal at either side of the sailslide track and must not have excessive clearance in the groove. Variations in metal thickness and groove width make this very difficult to achieve.In addition to the striations just mentioned, the surface of the metal at either side of the track may differ widely in the way in which it slopes or curves awayw According to the present invention, there is provided a mast ladder as just described having sliders which slide only on the inner surfaces of the sail slide track in a similar manner to the standard sail slides and shaped and dimensioned so that they accomadate as wide as possible a variety of sail slide track groove widths.

There is also provided a separate sliding member attached either to the body of the step or to the slider itself which slides oL the outer surface of the mast and is made adjustable so that the desired sliding fit may be achieved on a wide variety of metal thicknesses at the sides of the aail slide track.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to. the accompanying drawing in which Fig. I is a perspective view of a portion of aluminium mast with a mast ladder fitted in it's sailslide track.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view through the mast and ladder on a horizontal plane but omitting foothold part of steps for clarity.

Fig. 3 is a similar view to that of Fig. 2 showing an alternative arrangement.

Fig. 4 is a similar view to that of Fig. 2 showing an alternative arrangement.

Referring to the drawing the mast ladder comprises steps with uprights IO.

Secured to the bottom end of each upright 10 is one of the sliders 11. The top end of each stepupright IC hooks and keys into the bottom of the slidcr II immediately above it as it is placed in the sail elide track I2 which is integral with or attached to the mast, External sliders 13 are fitted to the upper end of each step upright IO.

When each slider II is fitted in the track it is only loosely located by it's tee'd end which facilitates its passage through the slide entry. It is only when the step upright IO next below it has been fitted that it is finally located d5 shown at tig. 2.That is brought about by the external slïders i3.:The latter being circular but eccentrically mounted can be unblocked and turned to give optimum sliding clearance consistent with stable location of the steps and then relocked, thus allowing for wide variations in metal thickness at either side of the sail slide track I2 from mast to mast The radiused neck of the teead end of the slider II enables one size of slider to give adequate sideways location to. a range of varying groove widths.

Any suitable alternative means of clearance adjustment to that provided by the external slider I3 may be used and may be alternatively incorporated in or fitted to the slider II. Fig. 3 shows such an alternative means.

The external slider 14 is made iDterchangeable in various sizes in order to provide the desired clearance.

Fig. 4 shows a further such alternative means. Plastic screws I5 or screws of sny other suitable material slide directly on the mast and provide the means of adjusting the clearance Any other suitable alternative means ( not shown ) may be used including the use of spring loading to take up the clearance rather than by adjusting it In order to provide sideways location for the steps separate from that given by the neck of the tee'd end of slider II, a toungue, peg or other formo@f sliding member may be incorporated in or fitted to the step upright IQ, the tiki separate slider 14 or the slider II itself, This would slide inside the sail slide track groom and be adjustable or interchangeable in order to suit the groove width.

Claims

* sLAIMS -

1 A mast ladder each having a slider which slides only on the inner surfaces of the sail slide track in a similar manner to the standard sail slides and is shaped and dimensioned so that it accomodates as wide as possible a variety of sail slide track groove widths.

2 A ladder as claimed in claim I in which a separate sliding member is attached either to the body of the step or to the slider itself and slides onthe outer surface of the mast and is made adjustable so that the desired sliding fit may be acheived on a wide variety of metal thicknesses at the sides of the sail slide track.

3 A ladder as claimed in claim 1 & 2 and substantially as herein described.

4 = mast ladder substantially as herein described with reference to FIGS1 and FIGS 2, 3 or 4 of ih e accompanyinG drawings.

5 The features herein described or their equivalents, in any novel or patentable selection.