US2853039A - Device for launching and housing boat anchors - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 23, 1958 B. w. FUERST DEVICE FOR LAUNCHING AND HOUSING BOAT ANCHORS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 6, 1955 INVENTOR. 5 emam fl/Fu e/Jf BY @WM/Q 14770R/VEX p 23, 1953 B. w. FUERST 2,853,039

DEVICE FOR LAUNCHING AND HOUSING BOAT ANCHORS Filed Dec. 6, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 INVENTOR.

52/7? ordfllFuera/ ,4 TTORNEX United States Patent Ofitice 2,853,039 Patented Sept. 23, 1958 DEVICE FOR LAUNCHING AND HOUSING BOAT ANCHORS Bernard W. Fuerst, Grand Rapids, Mich., assignor to Edward De Groot, Grand Rapids, Mich.

Application December 6, 1955, Serial No. 551,319

15 Claims. (Cl. 114-410) This invention relates to improvements in device for launching and housing boat anchors.

The principal objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a device which may be mounted on the deck of a boat to receive and house the boat anchor when not in use and to elevate and project the anchor over the edge of the boat by simply pulling on the anchor rope when the anchor is to be dropped.

Second, to provide a device of the character described in which a releasable latch temporarily engages the anchor during retrieving of the anchor so that anchor is not relaunched when the pull on the anchor rope is released at the end of the retrieving operation.

Third, to provide a relatively simple and rugged anchor housing and launching device which can be secured to the deck of the boat and locked to prevent theft of the launching device.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from a consideration of the following description and claims.

The drawings, of which there are two sheets, illustrate a highly practical form of the invention.

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a boat with the anchor launching and housing device in place thereon.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of the launching device in partially open position with the anchor in released operative position and with the launching device partially closed at the end of the launching operation, portions of the device being broken away in cross section.

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of the launching device in open position as it will appear at an intermediate stage in either launching or retrieving operation.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevational View of the launching device in open position partially broken away in cross section along the plane of broken line 4-4 in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the launching device and the anchor retaining latch as the parts approach the end of the retrieving operation.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary horizontal cross sectional view taken along the plane of line 6-6 in Fig. l.

The launching device of the present invention is designed to permit the launching and retrieving of a boat anchor simply by manipulation of the anchor cable from a point remote from the launching device. In the drawings a portion of a boat is indicated at 1 with the launching device mounted on the deck adjacent to the edge of the boat. The device consists generally of a base 2 which is bolted or screwed to the deck in overhanging relation and a lever arm 3 pivoted to the base and projecting still further over the outer end of the base and the edge of the boat. More specifically the base 2 is formed as an elongated casting having an upstanding peripheral flange 4 and a bottom wall 5 with holes 6 therein through which screws or bolts may be passed for securing the base to the deck. At the rear or inner end of the base the flange 4 is provided with upstanding ears 7 which support a cross pin 8 on which the lever arm 3 is pivoted. o

The lever arm 3 is also formed as a chambered casting having a top wall 9 with depending side flanges 10. The rear ends of the side flanges 10 form pivot cars which are received on the cross pin and intermediate the ends of the lever arm the side flanges 10 are provided with depending legs 11 which engage the base 2 when the lever arm is closed on the base. Desirably one of the legs 11 is provided with a hole 12 which registers with a hole 13 in the base flange 4 to permit a padlock 14 to lock the lever arm and base together when desired. With the lever arm locked down access to the screws holding the base on the boat is prevented so the device is not readily stolen from the boat.

The outer or swinging end of the lever arm 3 is narrowed as at 15 and provided with a transversely extending pulley pin 16 on which the pulley wheel 17 is rotatably mounted. The top wall of the: lever arm defines a pulley slot 18 through which the top of the pulley wheel 17 extends.

The anchor cable 19 which supports the anchor is extended from a remote operating position over the pulley wheel 17 and through the slot 18 to the anchor 20. It will be understood that the term anchor cable is intended to cover metalor fiber ropes or cables as well as chains or other anchor supporting strands.

The anchor 20 is an elongated member desirably of cast iron to obtain the desired weight. The anchor is circular in cross section so that it is immaterial in what rotated position the anchor engages the launching device as will be described. The upper end of the anchor is provided with an eye 21 and a hole 22 through which the cable 19 is threaded and knotted on the end as at 23 to secure the anchor on the cable. The lower end of the anchor is provided with an enlarged portion 24 tapering conically to a lower point and forming an upwardly facing shoulder 25 completely around the anchor.

Positioned within the chambered lever arm 3 near the lower or inner end thereof is a clip 26 having downwardly and forwardly diverging jaws 27 which form with the top wall of the lever arm a socket area 28 for retainingly receiving the conical end of the anchor. Pivotally supported on one side flange 10 of the lever arm is a latch bar 29 having a laterally turned retaining lug 30 on its outer end. The latch bar is pivoted at 31 and proportioned with respect to the conical end 24 of the anchor so that the lug 30 engages over the shoulder 25 on the anchor when the end of the anchor is retained in the socket 28. The inner end of the latch bar 29 is provided with a depending trip finger 32 which weight biases the lug 3i forwardly when the lever arm is in raised position as shown in Fig. 3. In this position descending motion of the conical lower end of the anchor will engage and cam the lug 30 rearwardly until the anchor is received in the socket and until the lug moves over the shoulder 25. When the lever arm 3 with the anchor locked in the socket 28 is permitted to close forwardly as in Figs. 2 and 5, the depending trip finger 32 engages a cam projection 33 secured to the side flange 4 of the base to raise the lug 30 and release the anchor 20 as appears in Fig. 1.

Positioned spirally around the cross pin 8 between the side flanges 10 of the lever arm is a coiled spring 34 having one end 35 hooked under the rear end of the lever arm. The other end of the spring is hooked behind a pin 36 on a disk 37 which is freely rotatable on the cross pin. The disk 37 has a plurality of radial holes 38 for selective reception of a stop pin 39 which engages the bottom of the base to limit rotation of the disk. The spring 34 can thus be prewound or tensioned to bias the lever arm 3 downwardly toward closed position and opening motion of the lever arm further increases the closing force applied by the spring to the lever arm.

The operation of the launching device from the stored position of the anchor as illustrated in Fig. 1 is as follows:

Initial tension on the cable 19 pulls the outer or upper end of the anchor out to the pulley wheel 17 and further pull on the cable functions to open or raise the lever arm to vertical position with the anchor hanging by gravity along the forward side of the lever arm as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Gradual release or paying out of the cable 19 permits the tension in the spring 34 to swing the lever arm forwardly and the anchor concurrently moves forwardly and downwardly in a vertical position until it clears the outer end of the base 2 and can be lowered over the side of the boat by the cable as will be understood. In retrieving the anchor the cable is drawn in until the top of the anchor again engages the pulley 17 and the lever arm is again swung to open upright position as in Figs. 3 and 4.

In order to retain and house the anchor rather than to relaunch it, the tension on the cable 19 is quickly released so that the anchor falls vertically by gravity behind the jaws 27 before the spring 34 has had an opportunity to swing the lever arm 3 forwardly in a closing motion. As the anchor falls behind the jaws 27 the latch bar 29 and lug 30 lock over the shoulder is previously explained and tension can be reapplied to the cable 19 to cushion or control the lowering and closing motion of the lever arm. The lower end of the anchor remains latched behind the lug until the final closing motion of the lever arm, at which time the trip finger 32 engages the cam projection 33 to release the anchor in horizontal housed position ready for the next launching operation.

It will be understood that various changes and modifications in the shape and materials of the anchor and launching device may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the following claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and is desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A boat anchor launching and storing device comprising an elongated base adapted to be secured to the deck of a boat in projecting relation over the edge of the deck and having an upstanding peripheral flange along its sides and ends, upstanding ears on the inner end of said base supporting a cross pin, a downwardly opening chambered lever arm pivoted at its inner end on said cross pin and projecting beyond the outer end of said base, legs on said arm abutted against the flange on said base and adapted to be locked thereto, spring means coiled around said pin and engaged between said base and said arm to bias said arm toward said base, a pulley slot opening through the top of the outer end of said arm and having a pulley wheel projecting therethrough and rotatably mounted on a horizontal axis on said arm, jaws on the underside of said arm at the inner end thereof forming an upwardly and longitudinally outwardly opening socket, an elongated anchor weight freely and unconnectedly receivable between said base and said arm and having a conical lower end receivable in said socket, said anchor weight having an annular shoulder spaced upwardly from said lower end and facing the upper end of the weight, means for attaching an anchor cable to the upper end of said anchor weight, a cable attached to said means at the upper end of said weight and threaded over said pulley and through said slot, the length of said anchor weight being less than the distance between said pulley and said socket, a latch bar pivoted on a horizontal axis on the side of said arm and having a laterally inwardly turned lug engageable over said shoulder on said anchor when the lower end of the anchor is received in said socket, a depending trip finger on said latch bar,

and a cam projection on the side of said base engageable with said trip finger when said arm is closed on said base to swing said latch bar and its lug upwardly out of engagement with said weight.

2. A boat anchor launching and storing device comprising an elongated base adapted to be secured to the deck of a boat and having an upstanding flange along its sides, upstanding ears on the inner end of said base supporting a cross pin, a downwardly opening chambered lever arm pivoted at its inner end on said cross pin and projecting beyond the outer end of said base, legs on said arm abutted against said base, spring means engaged between said base and said arm to bias said arm toward said base, a pulley slot opening through the top of the outer end of said arm and having a pulley wheel projecting therethrough and rotatably mounted on a horizontal axis on said arm, jaws on the underside of said arm at the inner end thereof forming an upwardly and longitudinally outwardly opening socket, an elongated anchor weight freely and unconnectedly receivable between said base and said arm and having a conical lower end receivable in said socket, said anchor weight having an annular shoulder spaced upwardly from said lower end and facing the upper end of the weight, a cable attached to the upper end of said weight and threaded over said pulley and through said slot, the length of said anchor weight being less than the distance between said pulley and said socket, a latch bar pivoted on a horizontal axis on the side of said arm and having a laterally inwardly turned lug engageable over said shoulder on said anchor when the lower end of the anchor is received in said socket, a depending trip finger on said latch bar, and a cam projection on said base engageable with said trip finger when said arm is closed on said base to swing said latch bar and its lug upwardly out of engagement with said weight.

3. A boat anchor launching and storing device comprising a base adapted to be secured to the deck of a boat and having an upstanding flange along its sides, upstanding ears on the inner end of said base supporting a cross pin, a downwardly opening chambered lever arm pivoted at its inner end on said cross pin and projecting beyond the outer end of said base, means on said arm abutted against said base with the top of the arm in spaced relation above the base, spring means engaged between said base and said arm to bias said arm toward said base, a pulley slot opening through the top of the outer end of said arm, a pulley wheel rotatably mounted on a horizontal axis on said arm below said slot, means on the underside of said arm at the inner end thereof forming an upwardly and longitudinally outwardly opening socket, an elongated anchor weight freely and unconnectedly receivable between said base and said arm and having a conical lower end receivable in said socket, said anchor weight having an annular shoulder spaced upwardly from said lower end and facing the upper end of the weight, a cable attached to the upper end of said weight and threaded over said pulley and through said slot, the length of said anchor weight being less than the distance between said pulley and said socket, a latch bar pivoted on a horizontal axis on the side of said arm and having a laterally inwardly turned lug engageable over said shoulder on said anchor when the lower end of the anchor is received in said socket, a depending trip finger on said latch bar, and atcam projection on the side of said base engageable with said trip finger when said arm is closed on said base to swing said latch bar and its lug upwardly out of engagement with said weight.

4. A boat anchor launching and storing device comprising a base adapted to be secured to the deck of a boat, upstanding ears on the inner end of said base supporting a cross pin, a downwardly opening chambered lever arm pivoted at its inner end on said cross pin and projecting beyond the outer end of said base, means on said arm abutted against said base with the top of the arm in spaced relation above the base, spring means engaged between said base and said arm to bias said arm toward said base, a pulley slot opening through the top of the outer end of said arm, a pulley wheel rotatably mounted on a horizontal axis on said arm below said slot, means on the underside of said arm at the inner end thereof forming an upwardly and longitudinally outwardly opening socket, an elongated anchor weight freely and unconnectedly receivable between said base and said arm and having a lower end receivable in said socket, said anchor weight having an annular shoulder spaced upwardly from said lower end and facing the upper end of the weight, a cable attached to the upper end of said weight and threaded over said pulley and through said slot, the length of said anchor weight being less than the distance between said pulley and said socket, a latch bar pivoted on the side of said arm and having a lug engageable over said shoulder on said anchor when the lower end of the anchor is received in said socket, a trip finger on said latch bar, and a cam projection on said base engageable with said trip finger when said arm is closed on said base to swing said latch bar and its lug out of engagement with said weight.

5. A boat anchor launching and storing device comprising an elongated base adapted to be secured to the deck of a boat and having an upstanding flange along its sides, a downwardly opening chambered lever arm pivoted at its inner end on the inner end of said base and projecting beyond the outer end of said base, means abutted between said base and said arm and holding the top of the arm in spaced relation above the base, spring means engaged between said base and said arm to bias said arm toward said base, a pulley slot opening through the outer end of said arm, a pulley wheel rotatably mounted on a horizontal axis on said arm under said slot, means on the underside of said arm at the inner end thereof forming a longitudinally outwardly opening socket, an elongated anchor weight freely and unconnectedly receivable between said base and said arm and having a lower end receivable in said socket, said anchor weight having an annular shoulder spaced upwardly from said lower end and facing the upper end of the weight, a cable attached to the upper end of said weight and threaded over said pulley and through said slot, the length of said anchor weight being less than the distance between said pulley and said socket, a latch bar pivoted on said arm and having a laterally turned lug engageable over said shoulder on said anchor when the lower end of the anchor is received in said socket, a trip finger on said latch bar, and a cam projection on said base engageable with said trip finger when said arm is closed on said base to swing said latch bar and its lug out of engagement with said weight.

6. A boat anchor launching and storing device comprising an elongated base adapted to be secured to the deck of a boat and having an upstanding flange along its sides, a lever arm pivoted at its inner end on the inner end of said base, means abutted between said base and said arm and holding the top of the arm in spaced relation above the base, spring means engaged between said base and said arm to bias said arm toward said base, a pulley slot opening through the outer end of said arm, a pulley wheel rotatably mounted on a horizontal axis on said arm under said slot, means on the underside of said arm at the inner end thereof forming a longitudinally outwardly opening socket, an elongated anchor weight freely and unconnectedly receivable between said base and said arm and having a lower end receivable in said socket, said anchor weight having an annular shoulder spaced upwardly from said lower end and facing the upper end of the weight, a cable attached to the upper end of said weight and threaded over said pulley and through said slot, the length of said anchor weight being less than the distance between said pulley and said socket, a latch bar pivoted on said arm and having a laterally turned lug engageable over said shoulder on said anchor .When the lower end of the anchor is received in said socket, a trip finger on said latch bar, and a cam projection on said base engageable with said trip finger when said arm is closed on said base to swing said latch bar and its lug out of engagement with said weight.

7. A boat anchor launching and storing device comprising an elongated arm adapted to be pivotally secured at its inner end to the deck of a boat and having a down turned flange along its sides, legs depending from said arm to be supported from the deck when the arm is generally parallel to the deck, spring means positioned to react between said deck and said arm to bias said arm toward said deck when said arm is secured to the deck, a pulley slot opening through the top of the outer end of said arm and having a pulley wheel projecting therethrough and rotatably mounted on a horizontal axis on said arm, means on the underside of said arm. at the inner end thereof forming a longitudinally outwardly opening socket, an elongated anchor weight freely and. unconnectedly receivable between said deck and said arm and having a conical lower end receivable in said socket, said anchor weight having an annular shoulder spaced upwardly from said lower end and facing the upper end of the weight, a cable attached to the upper end of said weight and threaded over said pulley and through said slot, the length of said anchor weight being less than the distance between said pulley and said socket, a latch bar pivoted on a horizontal axis on the side of said arm and having a laterally inwardly turned lug engageable over said shoulder on said anchor when the lower end of the anchor is received in said socket, and a depending trip finger on said latch bar engageable with an element fixed on said deck when said arm is closed on said deck to swing said latch bar and its lug upwardly out of engagement with said weight.

8. A boat anchor launching and storing device comprising an elongated arm adapted to be pivotally secured at its inner end to the deck of a boat and having a down turned flange along its sides, spring means positioned to react between said deck and said arm to bias said arm toward said deck when said arm is secured to the deck, a slot opening through the outer end of said arm, a pulley wheel rotatably mounted on a horizontal axis on said arm, means on the underside of said arm at the inner end thereof forming a longitudinally outwardly opening socket, an elongated anchor Weight freely and unconnectedly receivable between said deck and said arm and having a lower end receivable in said socket, said anchor weight having an annular shoulder spaced upwardly from said lower end and facing the upper end of the weight, a cable attached to the upper end of said weight and threaded over said pulley and through said slot, the length of said anchor weight being less than the distance between said pulley and said socket, a latch bar pivoted on the side of said arm and having a laterally inwardly turned lug engageable over said shoulder on said anchor when the lower end of the anchor is received in said socket, and a trip finger on said latch bar engageable with an element fixed on said deck when said arm is closed on said deck to swing said latch bar and its lug out of engagement with said weight.

9. A boat anchor launching and storing device comprising pivotally connected base and arm members defining an anchor chamber therebetween when in closed position, means biasing said members together, said base member being adapted to be secured to a boat deck, means forming a longitudinally outwardly opening socket at the inner end and inner side of said arm memher, the outer end of said arm member defining a cable slot, an anchor having a lower end portion receivable in said socket and an intermediate portion receivable in said chamber, a cable attaching portion at the Outer end of said anchor, said anchor being shorter from said lower end to said cable attaching portion than the distance between said slot and said socket, a cable attached to said cable attaching portion and threaded outwardly from the anchor through said slot, an upwardly facing shoulder on said anchor, a latch movably mounted on said arm and cammingly engageable with said anchor on inward motion of the anchor along said arm to engage over said shoulder, and a release portion on said latch engageable with a portion of said base member in the closed position of the arm and base member to move said latch to anchor releasing position.

10. A boat anchor launching and storing device comprising pivotally connected base and arm members defining an anchor chamber therebetween when in closed position, means biasing said members together, said base member being adapted to be secured to a boat deck, means forming a longitudinally outwardly opening socket at the inner end and inner side of said arm member, the outer end of said arm member defining a cable slot, an anchor having a lower end portion receivable in said socket and an intermediate portion receivable in said chamber, a cable attaching portion at the outer end of said anchor, said anchor being shorter from said lower end to said cable attaching portion than the distance between said slot and said socket, and a cable attached to said cable attaching portion and threaded outwardly from the anchor through said slot.

11. A boat anchor launching and storing device comprising pivotally connected base and arm members, said base member being adapted to be secured to a boat deck, means biasing said arm member on said base member toward the deck, means forming a longitudinally outwardly opening socket at the inner end and inner side of said arm member, the outer end of said arm member defining a cable slot, an anchor having a lower end portion receivable in said socket, a cable attaching portion at the outer end of said anchor, said anchor being shorter from said lower end to said cable attaching portion than the distance between said slot and said socket, and a cable attached to said cable attaching portion and threaded outwardly from the anchor through said slot.

12. A boat anchor launching and retrieving device comprising pivotally connected base and arm members, said base being adapted to be secured to a boat with the hinge located inboard and the outer end of the base adjacent the side of the boat, a spring connected between said arm and said base to bias-said arm toward said base and the deck, means for adjusting the biasing force of said spring, said arm being long enough to project beyond the end of said base and the side of the boat and having a pulley mounted in the projecting end and having a hole formed in its outer end adjacent said pulley, an r anchor rope trained downwardly through said hole and over said pulley, an anchor having a shank with said rope connected to its top, and coacting stop means on said base and said arm to hold said arm in spaced relation to said base and the deck to receive and retain the anchor therebetween.

13. A boat anchor launching and retrieving device comprising pivotally connected base and arm members, said base being adapted to be secured to a boat with the hinge located inboard, a spring connected between said arm and said base to bias said arm toward said base and the deck, said arm being long enough to project beyond the side of the boat and having a pulley mounted in the projecting end and having a hole formed in its outer end adjacent said pulley, an anchor rope trained downwardly through said hole and over said pulley, an anchor having a shank with said rope connected to its top, and stop means on said arm to hold said arm in spaced relation to the deck to receive and retain the anchor therebetween.

14. A boat anchor launching and storing device comprising an elongated arm adapted to be pivotally secured at its inner end to the deck of a boat and having a down turned flange along its sides, spring means positioned to react between said deck and said arm to bias said arm toward said deck when said arm is secured to the deck, a pulley slot opening through the outer end of said arm and having a pulley wheel rotatably mounted on a horizontal axis on said arm, means on the underside of said arm at the inner end thereof forming a longitudinally outwardly opening socket, an elongated anchor weight freely and unconnectedly receivable between said deck and said arm and having a lower end receivable in said socket, said anchor weight having an annular shoulder spaced upwardly from said lower end and facing the upper end of the weight, a cable attached to said weight and threaded over said pulley and through said slot, the length of said anchor below the point of attachment of the rope weight being less than the distance between said pulley and said socket, a latch bar pivoted on the side of said arm and having a laterally inwardly turned lug engageable over said shoulder on said anchor when the lower end of the anchor is received in said socket, and a trip finger on said latch bar engageable with an element fixed relative to said deck when said arm is closed on said deck to swing said latch bar and its lug out of engagement with said weight.

15 A boat anchor launching and storing device comprising pivotally connected base and arm members, said base member being adapted to be secured to a boat deck, means biasing said arm member on said base member toward the deck, a latch pivotally mounted on the inner end of said arm, the outer end of said arm member defining a cable slot, an anchor having a lower end portion receivable behind said latch, a cable attaching portion at the outer end of said anchor, said anchor being shorter from said lower end to said cable attaching portion than the distance between said slot and said socket, a cable attached to said cable attaching portion and threaded outwardly from the anchor through said slot, and a release portion on said latch adapted to be actuated in the lowered position of said arm to release said latch from said anchor.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

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