GB2323120A

GB2323120A - Cord gripping device

Info

Publication number: GB2323120A
Application number: GB9705442A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Desmond Jewitt
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1997-03-15
Filing date: 1997-03-15
Publication date: 1998-09-16
Anticipated expiration: 2017-03-15
Also published as: GB9705442D0; GB2323120B

Abstract

A cord gripping device comprises a lever 4 with a head portion 10 having two apertures 8,22, which is pivoted 28 to a handle 2 also with a head portion 12 having two apertures (6,20 Fig 5). A cord to be gripped is passed through the apertures 8,6 in the overlapping head portions 10,12, and then back through apertures 20,22 so that relative rotation of the lever 4 and handle 2 to misalign the apertures 8,6 and 20,22 prevents the cord slipping though the device.

Description

Cord Grippinq Device The present invention relates to a device for gripping a cord.

It is often difficult to gain sufficient purchase, when pulling upon a rope, line or other cord, to prevent slippage of the cord through the hands. Examples of tasks in which a strong grip upon a cord is required include the hoisting of a boat's sail and the raising or lowering of a line of washing.

Whilst it is entirely feasible that a device similar to a pair of open-jawed pliers may be used to grip the cord, the force exerted upon the device by the tensioned cord would tend to force open the jaws, thus allowing the cord to slip through the jaws and the device to become disengaged from the cord.

I have now devised a device which overcomes the abovementioned limitations of known devices when applied to the task of gripping a cord.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a cord gripping device comprising first and second parts arranged to clamp a cord therebetween and within one or more passages formed by overlapping portions of said parts.

Thus, a firm grip may be maintained without the risk of the device becoming disengaged from the cord.

Preferably the or each passage is formed by aligning respective apertures formed in the first and second parts.

Preferably, a relative movement between the first and second parts causes said apertures to become misaligned, thereby constricting the or each passage to compress a cord therein.

In a first preferred embodiment of the present invention, first and second parts are biased to clamp a cord therebetween to secure the device in position. To release the device, so that it may be relocated along the cord, the clamping force upon the cord must be removed, preferably by squeezing together portions of the first and second parts of the device to re-align their respective apertures.

In a second preferred embodiment, the cord is clamped by squeezing together portions of the first and second parts of the device. In this case, the first and second parts of the device may be biased to re-align the apertures of the device so that it may be relocated along the cord. Preferably the device comprises means for locking the first and second parts in position relative to one another. Thus, the device may be fixed in place by locking the first and second parts in a position in which the cord is clamped.

In both of the preferred embodiments, preferably the device comprises means for engaging a fixed body, to anchor the cord.

Preferably the first and second parts of the device are pivoted relative to each other. Preferably the first part comprises a handle portion. Preferably the second portion comprises a lever.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a gripping device in accordance with the present invention, arranged to be transposed along a cord; FIGURES 2 and 3 are respectively, a side elevation of, and sectional view through the device, as arranged in Figure 1; FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the device of Figure 1, arranged to grip the cord; and FIGURES 5 and 6 are respectively, a side elevation of, and sectional view through the device, as arranged in Figure 4.

Referring to the drawings, a gripping device is shown comprising a first part 2 and a second part 4. Apertures 6 and 8 are formed in overlapping head portions 10 and 12 of the first and second parts, and are aligned to form a passage 14 through which a cord 16 is passed. The cord 16 is returned via a second passage 18 through the device, formed by further apertures 20 and 22. An effect of bending the cord 16, to pass it through each of the passages 14 and 18, is to create friction between the cord and the device, and thus limit the rate at which the cord may run through those passages. The amount of friction may be adjusted, for instance when feeding cord through the device to lower a line of washing, by varying the amount of tension applied to the free end of the cord.

To operate the device, a hand is clasped around a handle portion 24 of the first part 2 and a lever portion 26 of the second part 4. In Figures 1 to 3, the device is shown arranged such that the lever portion 26 of the second part 4 is angularly displaced by a small distance from the handle portion 24 of the first part 2, so that apertures 6,8,20 and 22 are fully aligned. The cord 16 may therefore run freely through the passages 14 and 18 to allow the device to be relocated.

The first and second parts 2 and 4 are connected by a hinge 28, so that as the operator's hand is compressed, as shown in Figure 4, the lever portion 26 pivots about the hinge 28 towards the handle portion 24. As the lever portion is pivoted, so the apertures 6 and 20 are displaced a small distance relative to their corresponding apertures 8 and 22, respectively.

Figures 4 to 6 show the device arranged such that the lever portion 26 is in contact with the handle portion 24. In this position, the cord 16 is clamped within the passages 14 and 18, whose effective diameters have been reduced by the misalignment of their respective apertures. The device thus grips the cord firmly so that the operator may pull upon it.

Whilst not shown in the drawings, the first and second parts 2 and 4 are preferably biased to pivot away from one another so that the apertures in the head portions of the first and second parts are normally fully aligned. Also, the device preferably comprises means for locking the first part in position against the second part so that the cord remains gripped when the operator's hand is unclenched.

In an alternative embodiment, the apertures in the head portions of the first and second parts are arranged such that when the first and second parts are in their normal position, i.e. pivoted away from one another under the action of the biasing means, their respective apertures are misaligned to grip the cord. In this case, as the operator clenches his hand, the apertures become fully aligned and the grip upon the cord is released.

Once fixed in place upon the cord, either by the locking means of the first embodiment, or by the action of the biasing means of the second embodiment, the device may be used to anchor the cord 16, for example by hooking the handle portion 24 around a corresponding projection formed upon a fixed body.

Where, for example, the device is used to raise a line of washing, an end portion of the line is gripped using the device and pulled downwards using one of the operator's hands.

The line is then held by the operators's other hand at a point below the device, and the grip on the cord released so that the device may be slid to a higher point on the line. This action is repeated until the washing is raised to a sufficient height, at which point the line may be anchored by attaching the device to a fixed body.

The device thus described allows an operator to grip a cord so that it may be pulled without slippage, the device being arranged such that it is prevented from becoming disengaged from the cord during normal operation.

Claims

1) A cord gripping device comprising first and second parts arranged to clamp a cord therebetween and within one or more passages formed by overlapping portions of said parts.

2) A cord gripping device as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the or each said passage is formed by aligning respective apertures formed in said first and second parts.

3) A cord gripping device as claimed in Claim 2, wherein a relative movement between said first and second parts causes said apertures to become misaligned, thereby constricting the or each said passage to clamp said cord therein.

4) A cord gripping device as claimed in Claim 3, wherein said first and second parts are biased to clamp said cord therebetween.

5) A cord gripping device as claimed in Claim 4, releasable from said cord by squeezing together portions of said first and second parts.

6) A cord gripping device as claimed in Claim 3, wherein said cord is clamped by squeezing together portions of said first and second parts.

7) A cord gripping device as claimed in Claim 6, wherein said first and second parts are biased to re-align their respective apertures.

8) A cord gripping device as claimed in Claim 6 or Claim 7, comprising means for locking said first and second parts in position relative to one another.

9) A cord gripping device as claimed in any preceding claim, comprising means for engaging said device to a fixed body.

10) A cord gripping device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said first and second parts are pivoted relative to each other.

11) A cord gripping device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said first part comprises a handle portion.

12) A cord gripping device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said second portion comprises a lever.

13) A cord gripping device substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.