US1248328A - Rope-tightener. - Google Patents

Description

STATE PATENT @FFllF/Fi@ JOI-IN N. HOFFMAN, OF FOREST GROVE, OREGON'.

ROPE-TIGHTENER.

Application led March 22, 1917.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOHN N. HOFFMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Forest Grove, in the county of lVashington and State of Oregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rope- Tighteners; and l `do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains'to make and use the same.

My invention relates to rope tighteners and more particularly to that class o f tighteners which are designed to tighten tent ropes and the like.

The principal object of my invent-ion is to provide a tightener in which the rope is at all times disposed in the line of strain and which thereby causes the strain to be distributed in such a manner along the rope as to insure of its greatest holding power.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device of this character in which the rope may be adjusted at one side of the tightener and in such a manner that the rope will not be held in any sharp bends, thereby eliminating unnecessary wear and strain upon the rope and to this end the invention resides in the novel construction of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed, other objects of the invention appearing in the description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which form a part of this application and in which:

Figure l is a side elevation of my improved tightener;

Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section of the same, the rope being shown in plan view;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view;

Fig. l is a transverse section on the line 4 4 of Fig. l;

Fig. 5 is a transverse section on the line 5-5 of Fig. l; and,

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the blank from which my tightener is constructed.

Referring particularly to the drawing in which like reference numerals indicate like parts, the numeral 1 designates my preferred form of tightener which is composed of a fiat rectangular metallic blank and which may be made of sheet steel7 brass, copper or any other suitable metal and is provided with straight, longitudinal and end edges. Adjacent one end and disposed along the central longitudinal line of the Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov.. 27, 1191i?.

Serial No. 156,665.

blank is a longitudinally elongated aperture 2 being of a sui'licient width to receive a rope therethrough which is hereinafter to be described. ln the construction of my tightener, the blank is bent along its central longitudinal line in order to form a U- shaped member having walls 3 which are disposed with a suflicient width therebetween to accommodate a rope therein. The walls 3 of the U-shaped member are bent inwardly toward each other until they will meet on the end of the blank adjacent the aperture 2 and are continued in this bent formation to a point spaced Slightly from the edge of the aperture 2. These inwardly bent portions of the walls 3 are designated at 4l: and in their bent position form a tube 5 at the end of the member. The other end of the member is formed in a similar manner, having the bent portions of the walls extending inwardly to an equal distance with the walls of the other end.

This construction serves to provide tubes at each end of the tightener and leaves a central open portion 6 for a purpose to be hereinafter described. Through the tube formed on the end of the tightener adjacent the aperture 9. is passed one end of a rope 7 which is bulged or provided with a retaining ring in any suitable manner on its inner end to frictionally bind the rope in the tube and hold it secure to the tightening member at its end as clearly illustrated in Fig. 2. yllhe rope is then continued outwardly through the tube and looped around the post or peg to which it is desired to fasten the rope after which it is carried upwardly through the aperture 2 disposed in the bottom of the tightener into the open central portion 6. after which it is extended through the tube 5 at the opposite end of the tightening member and continued to its point of connection with the tent or to the object to which it is attached.

In the operation of my device, when it is desired to apply the tightener, the rope 7 is grasped by the operator in the open central portion 6 and pulled through the tube at the end of the member farthest from the aperture 2 until the desired adjustment has been reached, after which the rope is then pulled downwardly through the aperture in the bottom of the member so that it will be disposed longitudinally along the bottom of the central open portion 6 so that when strain is applied to the ropeu the edge 8 of the elongated aperture will bite into the rope and Cause the same to bind the tightening member. When it is desired to loosen the same, it is merely necessary to force the rope upwardly through the aperture in the bottom of the tightening member, after which it may be adjustedA through the cen'- tral open portion and through the tube at the other end of the tightener.

While I have shown in the accompanying drawing and specifically described certain details of construction and materials which are used in the manufacture of my tightener, I -desire it toV be understood that I do not limit myself specifically to these and that any changes in the details of construction may be made which will be embodied in the scope of the appended claim.

I claim f A device of the character described comprising a substantially fiat rectangular sheet metalv blank having straight edges bent receive a rope therethrough, whereby the rope may be adjusted to loop form through the open portion between the aperture and one end of the member, the other end of said member being utilized to secure the end of the rope and form a guide therefor.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

Y JOHN N. HOFFMAN. Witnesses:

M. S. ALLEN,

NETTIE HOFFMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissionei` of Patents, Washington', D. 0;

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