US3041045A - Reel mechanism - Google Patents

Description

June 26, 1962 M. BLEILER REEL MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 2, 1961 FIG.

INVENTOR. MANDUS BLEILER ATTORNEY June 26, 1962 Filed March 2, 1961 M. BLEILER REEL MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

MANDUS BLEILER Y B w ATTORNEY June 26, 1962 M. L L 3,041,045

REEL MECHANISM Filed March 2, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG 5 INVENTOR.

MANDUS BLEILER ATTORNEY M. BLEILER REEL MECHANISM June 26, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 2, 1961 INVENTOR.

MANDUS BLEILER ATTORNEY M. BLEILER REEL. MECHANISM June 26, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 2, 1961 INVENTOR.

MAN DUS BLEILER ATTORNEY United States Patent ()flice Patented June 26, 1962 3,041,045 REEL MECHANISM Mandus Bleiler, 404 Brady St, Elkhart, Ind. Filed Mar. 2, 1961, Ser. No. 92,987 Claims. (Cl. 254-185) The present invention relates to reels and more particularly to a combination reel and control mechanism for weighing and lowering a boat anchor.

In fishing from small boats such as conventional outboard motor boats, it is often necessary or desirable to anchor the boat from both the bow and stern to prevent the boat from whipping and floating from the preferred place for the fishing line. Since these boats are often small and frequenly overcrowded with fishing equipment and with occupants at both ends of the boat, manipulating the rope or cable for raising and lowering one anchor is diflicult and sometimes hazardous, in that the rope or cable is permitted to lie in tangled coils or loops on the bottom of the boat, often around or near the legs of the occupants. Consequently, when the anchor is thrown into the water, the one lowering the anchor may be pulled overboard. The use of conventional reels for the rope or cable reduces the hazard, but control of the anchor, particularly during the lowering operation, is often diflicult with those reels. If an anchor is used at both the bow and stern, separate conventional reels are usually impossible to use without the operator thereof shifting his position in'the boat between the reels, and together they are large, bulky and hard to handle, and occupy much needed space in the already often overcrowded boat. It is therefore one of the principal objects of the present invention to provide a reel and control mechanism for raising and lowering anchors at both the bow and stern of the boat, which can conveniently be manipulated to raise and lower both anchors from one natural position in the boat and with the use of easily operated control levers.

Another object of the invention is to provide a compact, relatively simple double reel and control mechanism for anchors at both the bow and stern of the boat, which is operated by a single lever to raise both anchors, and by a pair of separate levers so arranged that both anchors can be lowered simultaneously, or each one individually at different times.

A further object of the invention is to provide an anchor raising and lowering control device which can be mounted and operated as a single reel for one anchor or as a double reel for two anchors.

Still another object is to provide a real mechanism of the aforesaid type which can be mounted permanently in a boat or on the deck thereof in a limited and otherwise unusable space, and thereafter effectively operated by easily reached and manipulated handles.

Another object of the invention is to provide a double reel for raising and lowering two separate anchors, having a control mechanism completely enclosed within the reels, and which effectively regulates the rate of the lowering of the anchors and which looks the reels individually at any desired anchor location, including their fully raised position.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a small fishing boat having my reel and anchor control device mounted thereon for controlling an anchor at the bow and another anchor at the stern of the boat;

FIGURE 2 is an end elevational view of the anchor control device shown in FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of the anchor control device shown in the preceding figures;

FIGURE 4 is an elevational View of the side opposite that shown in FIGURE 3 of the present anchor control device;

FIGURE 5 is a vertical cross sectional view through the anchor control device shown in the preceding figures, taken on'line 5-5 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary elevational view of the present anchor control device showing the brake and clutch mechanism therein;

FIGURE 7 is an elevational view of the clutch mechanism of FIGURE 6, showing the clutch in one operating position;

FIGURE 8 is an elevational view of the clutch mechanism of FIGURE 7, showing the unit in an intermediate operating position; and

FIGURE 9 is an elevational view of the clutch and brake mechanism shown in FIGURE 6, showing the clutch and brake in a further operating position.

Referring more specifically to the drawings and to FIG- URE 1 in particular, numeral 10 designates an outboard motor boat of conventional shape and construction, having mounted thereon, on a seat 12 near the center of the boat, my anchor control device 14 for raising and lowering anchor-s 16 and 18 suspended on cables 20 and 22, respectively. The anchor control device is secured to seat 12 near one end thereof by a plurality of bolts 24 extending downwardly from the device through the seat,

and the cables leading from the control device pass over sheaves 25 and 26 on the device and sheaves 28 and 30 attached to the boat and supported by fixtures 32 and 34, respectively. The boat 10, anchors 16 and 18, and sheaves 28 and 30 are for the purpose of the present invention considered conventional and of well known construction and design, and will not be described in detail herein. The present anchor control device may be mounted at various locations in the boat, for example either on seats 36 or 38 or on the bottom of the boat, so long as the operating levers of the device can be conveniently reached and operated and the cables leading from the device to the sheaves 28 and 30 will not meet any undue interference from the boat structure.

The present anchor control device consists of an inverted T-shaped base 40 having a vertically extending platedike member 42 joined at its bottom to a shoe 44, the latter having a plurality of holes for receiving bolts 24. Two substantially identical reels 48 and 50 are mounted on a hub 52, which in turn extends through plate 42 and is secured rigidly thereto, projecting laterally therefrom to form bearings 54 and 56 for reels 48 and 50, respectively. The two reels are retained on the hub by snap rings 57 and 57'. Hub 52 may be formed integrally with plate 42 or it may be machined separately and mounted thereon by welding or by suitable screws, rivets or the like, and contains an axial bore 58 extending therethrough for receiving a longitudinally movable shaft 60, the function of which will be more fully described hereinafter.

Reel 48 consists of a disc shaped body 70 having a bearing surface '72 for seating on bearing 54 of hub 52, and contains two annular flanges 74 and 76 forming annular recess '78 for receiving a cable for one of the anchors. A clutch and brake mechanism 80 is mounted on hub 52 within a cylindrical recess 84 on the internal side of body 70' and within an annular groove 86 surrounding recess 84 in the inner surface of the reel body. Reel 50 consists of a disc shaped body 90 having a bearing surface 92 for seating on hearing 56 of hub 52, and contains two annular flanges 94 and 96 forming annular recess 98 for receiving a cable for the other anchor. A clutch and brake mechanism 100 is mounted on hub 52 within a cylindrical recess 104 on the internal side of J body 90 and within an annular groove 106 surrounding recess 104 in the inner surface of the reel body.

Reels 48 and 50 are rotated to raise the respective anchor by an operating arm 120 and handle 122, the arm being connected to a disc shaped connector plate 124 mounted on the end of shaft 60, and secured thereto by a pin 126 extending through a hub 128 of the connector plate and through the end of shaft 60. Connector plate 124 contains a finger 138 projecting inwardly toward the eel and adapted to engage an abutment 132 on or in the outer face of reel 48. In order to facilitate engagement between finger 130 and abutment 132, an annular groove 134, spaced outwardly from the center of the reel the same distance as finger 130, receives the finger when connector plate 124 is pressed inwardly in the manner more fully described hereinafter. Mounted on the opposite end of shaft 60 is another connector plate 140 secured to the respective end of the shaft by pin 142 extending through a hub 144 of plate 140 and through the end of the shaft. Secured to the periphery of connector plate 140 is a finger 146 similar to finger 130 for engaging an abutment 148 on or in the external surface of reel 50. An annular groove 151} is provided in the face of reel 50' for receiving the finger as it is pressed inwardly, in the manner more fully described hereinafter, to engage abutment 148. In the particular construction, two separate, diametrically opposed abutments are used on both reels, the additional ones being shown at numerals 132' and 148', both of the abutments consisting of a bar extending across annular groove 150 and secured in a recess 154 by screws 156 and 157. Fingers 130 and 146 preferably contain an indentation 158 and 160, respectively, for receiving and firmly holding the bar shaped abutments 132 and 148 when the fingers are moved inwardly for rotating the respective reels.

Connector plates 124 and 140 and the respective fingers 130 and 146 are held in their disengaged position from reels 48 and 50 by centralizing spring 162, reacting between hub 52 and plate 124, and spring 164, reacting between the opposite end of hub 52 and plate 140. It is seen from this construction that the operator can readily select the reel which he wishes to use by merely applying pressure to the right or left on handle 122, thereby moving shaft 60 longitudinally in bore 58. For example, if the operator wishes to wind the cable on reel 48, he pushes handle 122 to the left, as viewed in FIGURE 5, until finger 130 seats in groove 134 and engages abutment 132. This operation compresses spring 162 but engages finger 130 firmly with abutment 132 as handle 122 is rotated. While the handle is in this position, connector plate 1411 and finger 146 are complete- 1y disengaged from abutment 148 of reel 50. With the operating arm and handle in this position, the operator can rotate reel 48 freely without any interference from reel 50 or in any way disturbing the anchor controlled by reel 50. Should the operator then desire to raise the anchor controlled by reel 50, he applies pressure to handle 122 to move the handle, arm 1211 and shaft 60 to the right, carrying connector plate 140 with finger 146 into engagement with abutment 148, thereby causing reel 50 to rotate in unison with handle 122. Whenever the operator has finished raising the anchor, the connector fingers 130 and 146 are automatically disengaged from abutments 132 and 148 by centralizing springs 162 and 164 which return plates 124 and 140 to the positions shown in FIGURE 5.

The clutch and brake mechanisms for holding the reels in fixed position when the anchors have been raised are identical in construction and operation. Consequently, only one will be described in detail herein, the parts of the other being identified 'by the same numerals with primes. Clutch 80 consists of an annular central ring 180 surrounding an enlarged bearing 181, joined rigidly to the hub and held in stationary position throughout the operation of the present anchor control device. This ring contains a plurality of tapered slots 182, 184 and 186 for receiving rollers 188, 190 and 192, respectively, the rollers projecting beyond the opposite edges of ring 180. These three rollers are moved from their disengaged position at the deepest end 194 to the shallowest end 196 of the slot by laterally disposed annular members 198 and 200, each of which contains outwardly facing slots 282, 204 and 206 for receiving the ends of rollers 188, 190 and 192, respectively. These annular members are joined together to form a rigid structure by bolts 208, 210 and 212 extending through the members and through slots 214, 216 and 218 in ring and through spacers 220, 222 and 224 in slots 214, 216 and 218, respectively. Annular members 198 and 208, after being connected by the bolts, rotate in unison on bearing 181 and move rollers 188, and 192 be tween the deepest position 194 and the shallowest posi' tion 196 of the slots 182, 184 and 186 in ring 180. Rings 198 and 260 are urged to the position shown in FIGURE 7 for firmly holding the respective reel in locked position by spring 240 reacting between spacer 220 and the edge of slot 214- in ring 180. A lever 242 for rotating members 198 and 200 from the position shown in FIGURE 7, wherein a reel is held in locked position, to its unlocked position shown in FIGURE 8, is joined rigidly to the external side of ring 200 and projects outwardly from between reels 48 and 50 where it can be readily grasped by the operator for rotating the annular members in the foregoing manner. A handle 244 is preferably secured to the outer end of lever 242 for convenience in operating the clutch. Clutch 100 is likewise operated by a handle 246 projecting outwardly from between the two reels in approximately the same position, and con taining a handle 248 on the outer end thereof for the operator.

In order to control the lowering operation of the anchor, a brake 260 is provided, consisting of a brake shoe 262 having a friction surface 264 secured to the external surface thereof and being anchored on a pin 266 secured to base plate 42. Shoe 262 mounted on pin 266' lies in annular recess 86 and normally is disengaged from the surface 268 of groove 86. However, when it is desired to control the rate at which the anchor is lowered, lever 242. is moved in a counter-clockwise direction, as shown in FIGURE 9, to the point where it engages the free end 270 of the shoe and forces the shoe into en gagement with surface 268, thereby effectively braking the rotation of reel 48. When lever 242 is released by the operator, spring 240 urges annular members 198 and 280 in the clockwise direction, thereby releasing brake 266 and returning the clutch into fully engaged position with rollers 188, 190 and 192 located in the shallow portion 196 of slots 182, 184 and 186. With the rollers in this position, they are in firm contact with surface 272 of the reel body.

In the operation of the present anchor control device, the operator effectively controls the lowering of the anchor by moving lever 242, as viewed in FIGURE 7, from it fully clutched position in the counter-clock- Wise direction to an intermediate position as shown in FIGURE 8. In this latter position, rollers 188, 190 and 192 are fully disengaged from surface 272 so that reel 48 can rotate freely to permit the anchor to fall of its own weight from the boat downwardly in the water. However, if the rate at which the anchor is lowered is excessive, the operator merely pushes lever 242 fur ther in the counter-clockwise direction, as view in FIG- URE 9, contacting end 270 of brake shoe 262 and forcing the brake shoe against surface 268 with sufficient force to retard the rotation of reel 48. If desired, he can completely stop the rotation of the reel by pressing the brake shoe firmly against said surface. After the anchor has been lowered, the operator releases lever 242, and spring 240 returns it to its original position and simultaneously moves rollers 188, 190 and 192 into firm engagethem with surface 272, and thereby locks reel 48. Reel 50 is operated in the same manner by the use of lever 246, and hence will not be described in detail herein.

When the operator wishes to raise the anchor controlled by reel 48, he presses handle 122 and arm 120 to the left, engaging finger 130 with abutment 132. He then rotates the reel in the counter-clockwise direction, thereby causing rollers 188, 190 and 192 to move from their locking position in their respective slots and permitting the reel to rotate freely. As soon as the operator releases the handle, slight clockwise movement of the reel causes the rollers to return to their locking position in end 196 of the slots. When the operator wishes to raise the anchor controlled by reel 5! handle 122 and arm 120 are moved rightwardly as viewed in FIGURE 5, engaging finger 146 with abutment 148. Rotation of handle 122 in the opposite direction from that at which reel 48 was rotated releases the clutch mechanism in the same manner, permitting the operator to freely wind reel Stl and thereby raise the respective anchor.

While only one form of the present invention has been described in detail herein, various changes may be made to suit requirements. The dual arrangement is the preferred structure; however, it is possible to utilize a number of the inventive features of the present anchor control device without departing from the scope of the present invention.

I claim:

1. A device for controlling two separate anchors, comprising a base having a vertical Plate-like support member with a shoe at the bottom, a hub extending transversely from side to side of said support member and joined rigidly thereto and having an axial hole through said hub, reels rotatably mounted on said hub on opposite sides of said support member, each of said reels having an axial recess and a concentric annular groove on the side thereof adjacent said support member, an annular part in said recess rigidly connected to said hub and having a plurality of cam surfaces, outwardly movable rollers on said surfaces, an oscillating frame for moving said rollers on said surfaces to engage the peripheral Wall of said recess, a lever connected to said frame and projecting beyond the reel for rotating said frame to retract said rollers from said recess wall, a resileint means for urging said frame in the direction to seat said rollers on said wall, a brake shoe disposed in said concentric groove and having a part engageable by said lever for urging said shoe against the peripheral wall of said groove when the rollers are retracted, an axially movable shaft extending through the hole in said hub, a radially extending plate on each end of said shaft adjacent the outer surface of the respective reel, a finger on each of said plates extending inwardly toward the respective reel, an abutment on each reel engageable by the respective finger, a radially extending arm for rotating said shaft, and springs on said shaft between each reel and the respective plate for axially positioning said shaft and thereby disengaging said fingers from the abutments.

2. A device for controlling two separate anchors, comprising a base having a vertical plate-like support member, a hub etxending transversely from side to side of said support member and having an axial hole therethrough, reels rotatably mounted on said hub on opposite sides of said support member, each of said reels having an axial recess and a concentric annular groove on the side thereof adjacent said support member, an annular part in said recess rigidly connected to said hub and having a plurality of cam surfaces, outwardly movable rollers on said surfaces, an oscillating frame for moving said rollers on said surfaces to engage the peripheral wall of said recess, a lever connected to said frame and projectin'g beyond the reel for rotating said frame in the direction to retract said rollers, a brake shoe disposed in said concentric groove and having a part engageable by said lever for urging said shoe against the peripheral wall of said groove when the rollers are retracted, an axially movable shaft extending through the hole in said hub, a radially extending member on each end of said shaft adjacent the outer surface of the respective reel, a finger on each of said members extending inwardly toward the respective reel, an abutment on each reel engageable by the respective finger, a radially extending arm for rotating said shaft, and a spring means for axially positioning said shaft and thereby disengaging said fingers from the abutment.

3. A device for controlling two separate anchors, comprising a base having a vertical plate-like support member, a hub extending transversely from side to side of said support member and having an axial hole therethrough, reels rotatably mounted on said hub on opposite sides of said support member, each of said reels having an axial recess on the side thereof adjacent said support member, an annual part in said recess rigidly connected to said hub and having a plurality of cam surfaces, outwardly movable rollers on said surfaces, an oscillating frame for moving said rollers to disengage the peripheral wall of said recess, a lever connected to said frame and projecting beyond the reel for rotating said frame, a resilient means for urging said frame in the direction to seat said rollers on said wall, an axially movable shaft extending through the hole in said hub, a radially extending member on each end of said shaft adjacent the outer surface of the respective reel, an abutment on each reel engageable by the respective last mentioned member, a radially extending means for rotating said shaft, and springs on said shaft between each reel and the respective member for axially positioning said shaft and thereby disengaging said fingers from the abutments.

4. A device for controlling two separate anchors, comprising a base having a vertical support member, a hub extending transversely from side to side of said support member and having an axial hole therethrough, reels rotatably mounted on said hub on opposite sides of said support member, each of said reels having an axial recess on the side thereof adjacent said support member, a clutch in said recess, an operating lever connected to said clutch and projecting beyond the reel, an axially movable shaft extending through the hole in said hub, a radially extending member on each end of said shaft adjacent the outer surface of the respective reel, an abutment on each reel engageable by the respective last mentioned member, a radially extending means for rotating said shaft, and springs on said shaft between each reel and the respective member for axially positioning said shaft and thereby disengaging said last mentioned members from the abutments.

5. A device for controlling two separate anchors, comprising a base having a support member, a hub extending transversely from side to side of said support member and having an axial hole therethrough, reels rotatably mounted on said hub on opposite sides of said support member, an axially movable shaft extending through the hole in said hub, a radially extending member on each end of said shaft adjacent the outer surface of the respective reel, an abutment on each reel engageable by the respective last mentioned member, a radially extending means for rotating said shaft, and springs on said shaft between each reel and the respective member for axially positioning said shaft and thereby disengaging said last mentioned members from the abutments.

6. A device for controlling two separate anchors, com.- prising a base having a plate-like support member, a hub extending transversely from side to side of said support member and having an axial hole therethrough, reels rotatably mounted on said hub on opposite sides of said support member, an axially movable shaft extending through the hole in said hub, a radially extending member on each half of said shaft, a finger on each of said members extending toward the respective reel, an abutment on each reel engageable by the respective finger, a radially extending arm for rotating said shaft, and spring means on said shaft for axially positioning said shaft and thereby disengaging said fingers from the abutments.

7. A device for controlling two separate anchors, comprising a base having a support member, a hub on said support member having an axial hole therethrough, reels rotatably mounted on said hub, an axially movable shaft extending through the hole in said hub, a radially extending member on each half of said shaft, an abutment on each reel engageable by the respective last mentioned member, means for rotating said shaft, and a spring means for axially positioning said shaft and thereby disengaging said last mentioned members from the abutments.

8. An anchor control device, comprising a base having a vertical support member, a hub mounted on said member, a reel rotatably mounted on said hub and having an axial recess and a concentric annular groove on one side, an annular part in said recess rigidly connected to said hub, a plurality of cam surfaces on said part, outwardly movable rollers on saidsurfaces, an oscillating frame for moving said rollers on said surfaces to engage the peripheral wall of said recess, a lever connected to said frame and projecting beyond the reel for rotating said frame, a resilient means for urging said frame in the direction to seat the rollers on said wall, a brake shoe disposed in said concentric groove and having a part engageable by said lever [for urging said shoe against the peripheral Wall of said groove when the rollers are disengaged from the recess Wall, and an arm for rotating said reel.

9. A11 anchor control device, comprising a base having a support member, a hub mounted on said member, a

reel rotatably mounted on said hub and having an axial recess and a concentric annular groove on one side, a clutch in said recess, a lever for operating said clutch, a brake shoe disposed in said concentric groove and having a part engageable by said lever for urging said shoe against a wall of said groove when the clutch is disengaged, and a means for rotating said reel.

10. An anchor control device, comprising a base having a support member, a hub mounted on said member, a reel rotatably mounted on said hub and having an axial recess and a concentric annular groove on one side, a part in said recess rigidly connected to said hub, a plurality of cam surfaces on said part, outwardly movable rollers on said surfaces, an oscillating frame for moving said rollers on said surfaces to engage the peripheral wall of said recess, a lever connected to said frame and projecting beyond the reel for rotating said frame, a resilient means for urging said frame in the direction to seat the roller on said wall, and an arm for rotating said reel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 493,446 Protzman Mar. 14, 1893 769,908 Hunt Sept. 13, 1904 787,444 Hall Apr. 18, 1905 881,772 Canney Mar. 10, 1908 930,390 Kneisley Aug. 10, 1909 1,111,089 Parker Sept. 22, 1914 2,442,211 Rice May 25, 1948 2,530,586 Smith Nov. 21, 1950 2,535,318 Ratcliife Dec. 26, 1950

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