US2876729A

US2876729A - Marine buffer eye

Info

Publication number: US2876729A
Application number: US533629A
Authority: US
Inventors: Georgette Daniel
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1955-09-12
Filing date: 1955-09-12
Publication date: 1959-03-10
Anticipated expiration: 1976-03-10

Description

MARINE! BUFFER EYE Filed Sept. 12, 1955 A 29 28 5- wag ezs ATTORNEYS.

United States Patefl MARINE BUFFER EYE Daniel Georgette, Stratford, Conn. Application September 12, 1955, Serial No. 533,629

' 2 Claims. (Cl. 114-218) This invention relates to a marine buffer eye, particularly to a buffer eye for use on boats for fastening down a canvas cover for an open cockpit and similar uses, and has for an object to provide a simple and effective buffer eye which may be used at the outer side of the gunwale of a boat for fastening down various objects when the boat is moored, particularly a canvas cover, forinstance, for the cockpit or other portions of the boat, and to provide such a buffer eye so shaped and constructed that it will not injure or mar or cause damage to another boat or a dock if it should rub against it, or itself be injured by this action, and also one in which the securing hooks for the article fastened may be easily and quickly applied to or disconnected from the eye.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, I have devised the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification. It is, however, to be understood the invention is not limited to the specific details of construction and arrangement shown, but may embody various changes and modifications within the scope of the invention.

In this drawing:

Fig. 1 is a somewhat diagrammatical perspective view showing one use of this improved eye;

Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view on a larger scale showing how it is used with the fastening means;

Fig. 3 is a similar view on a smaller scale looking toward the top of the eye;

Fig. 4 is a partial section and partial side view looking from the right of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of one form of buffer eye comprising the invention;

Fig. 6 is a transverse section thereof substantially on line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of a buffer eye showing a different form of buffer eye;

Fig. 8 is a side view thereof, and

Fig. 9 is an end view.

A common construction or arrangement for boats is to have a row of hooks or pins along the outer side of the gunwale or adjacent the top of the outer side of the boat just below the top edge of the deck, over which the lacing for holding down a canvas cover over an open cockpit or other portions of the boat is hooked to secure this canvas in place. These hooks or pins are damaged or broken oif if the boat rubs against a dock or another boat, for example, and they also could cause damage to another boat or dock if the boat on which they are applied rubs against this other boat or clock. This device is used in place of these hooks or pins and provides a securing means for the lacing of the canvas, which will not be readily damaged or broken or which will not be apt to damage another boat or a dock.

It comprises a body or block 10 of suitable material, such, for example, as bronze, which is resistant to the action of salt water, and is preferably of oblong shape having a flat base or lower side 11 adapted to seat on the surface of a support, such, for example, as the outer 2,876,729 Patented Mar. 10, 1959 side of the gunwale 12 of the boat 13. It is rounded at its opposite ends, as indicated at 14, and its outer suron or damage another object such as another boat or a dock against which a boat to which this eye is applied might rub, or which projections or shoulders might provide a gripping means by which the object against which the [eye is engaged would gain a purchase to tear the eye from its support. In other words, thissurface convexly curved both longitudinally and transversely comprises a continuous outer'curved surface for the eye which may rub against another object without damaging it and also without providing a grip against the other object, but the other object would merely be deflected and slide over this convexly curved surface without damage either to the object or to the eye itself.

Adjacent its opposite ends the block or body is provided with countersunk openings 16 for securing means, such, for example, as screws or bolts 17, for fastening it to the boat. Intermediate its ends it is provided with a transverse passage or opening 18 opening through its opposite side walls, thus providing recesses 19 leading inwardly from these opposite side walls forming entrances to the transverse opening 18, which thus provides a bar 20 at the outer side of this passage or opening, which in the form of Figs. 7, 8 and 9 has an outer curved surface forming a continuation of the outer convexly curved surface 15 of the block or body 10. This is the preferred form because this provides a continuous outer curved surface for the block or body over which any object against which it may slide or contact readily slides or passes without damage to either member,

A somewhat modified form is shown in Figs. 5 and 6. In this form the body or block is the same as the first form, but the connecting bar 21 at the outer side of the transverse opening or passage 22 corresponding to the opening or passage 18 in the first form is placed somewhat lower so that it is below the outer convexly curved surface 15 of the block or body and is concavely curved on its top edge, as shown at 23. This forms a transverse depression or recess 24 in which one side bar 25 of a securing hook 26 may belocated, and due to this recess lie below the outer surface 15 of the block. This would prevent another object, such, for example, as another boat or a dock, engaging the securing hook should this eye with the hook in it be rubbed against it.

Uses of this improved eye are shown in Figs. 1 to 4. Thus, for example, a series of these eyes is placed along the upper edge of the outer side or gunwale 12 of the boat, as shown in Fig. 1. A covering canvas 27 for an open cockpit or other portion of the boat has a series of grommets 28 through which is passed suitable lacings '29, and on this is a series of securing hooks 26, such,

for example, as a common type of snap hook. In securing down the canvas all that is necessary is that these hooks be snapped into the openings in these buffer eyes, as shown for example in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, around the

cross bars

20 and 21. These are ordinarily used for fastening the canvas only after the boat has been anchored, and so the hooks are not ordinarily in the eyes when the boat is being operated. Therefore, in coming into a dock the outer smooth, continuous, convexly curved surface 15 merely rubs against the side of the dock or another boat without harming this eye in any way or marring or damaging either the other boat or the dock.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, I claim:

1. A marine buffer eye comprising an oblong solid block of metal having a substantially flat base to seat against a support, the upper surface of the block oppo- 3 site said base being convexly curved both longitudinally and" transversely to substantially 'said' base forming a buffer surface, the shock being provided with screw holes adjacent its opposite ends to receive screws for fastening it to the support, and said block being provided with a transverse opening between said holes providing a bar at the'outer side of the opening to receive and hold a securing hook.

2. A marine buffer eye comprising an oblong block of metal having a substantially flat base adapted to seat against a support and rounded ends, the upper surface of the block opposite said base being conveXly curved both longitudinally and transverselythroughout to sub stantially said base forming a buffer surface, the block being provided with screw holes adjacent its opposite ends to'receive screws for fastening it tof the support, said block being provided with a transverse passage between said holes opening through its opposite sides providing a securing bar at the outer side of the passage to receive and hold a securing hook, and the outer side of the bar being concavely curved and spaced below the outer curved surface of the block.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,168,982 Walker Jan. 18, 1916 1,960,171 Seeger May 22, 1934 2,605,721 Johnson'et al Aug. 5, 1952 OTHER REFERENCES Boat Supplies, by Willis, 1940, pages 75 and 76.