GB943969A - Improvements in or relating to cleats - Google Patents

Abstract

943,969. Clamp fastenings. F. VON OPEL. March 9, 1962 [March 24, 1961], No. 10851/61. Heading E2B. A device for securing a rope, for example, a rope from a sail of a sailing vessel, comprises a pivotal plate on which is mounted a jam cleat, the pivotal plate being held against movement by means that can be triggered to release the plate such that the pull on the rope swings the plate upwardly to release the rope from the jam cleat. In Figs. 2 and 3, the cleat comprises two eccentrics 21 between which the rope can be clamped when pulled in the direction of the arrow 26, the eccentrics 21 being pivoted on a slidable plate 23 that is held in the position shown in Fig. 2 until released by a trip mechanism permitting the plate 23 to pivot about a shaft 27 to release the rope 25. The trip mechanism includes a shaft 36 having pins 37 that engage one end of the plate 23 in a manner preventing it from moving to the right, and a fixed lip 31 that engages the other end of the plate 23. When a pivoted lever 42 is turned clockwise it strikes an abutment 41 that releases a trigger element 38 from a catch 39. The trigger element is coupled to the shaft 36 via a trigger lever 35, and the release of the trigger element 38 means that the pins 37 can now be pushed away from their locking position by the force exerted by the rope 25 on the plate 23. As the plate 23 moves away from the lip 31 the pull of the rope 25 causes the plate 23, and the eccentrics 21 thereon, to rock upwardly about the shaft 27 and thus release the rope 25 from the eccentrics. The lever 42 carries an upper weight 45 which, if the cleat is mounted on a vessel that rolls too far to the right, can pass an upper dead centre whereafter it causes the lever 42 to strike the abutment 41 to release the rope 25. In Fig. 1, if the lever 10 swings from the full line position to the position shown in broken lines the arm 8 moves anticlockwise thus withdrawing a catch 9 from the plate 1. The plate 1, and the eccentrics 2 thereon, then pivot upwardly about the hinge 5 due to the pull on the rope 4 and this causes the rope 4 to be released.