US3180304A

US3180304A - Boat anchor

Info

Publication number: US3180304A
Application number: US240245A
Authority: US
Inventors: Edward L Brady
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1962-11-27
Filing date: 1962-11-27
Publication date: 1965-04-27
Anticipated expiration: 1982-04-27

Description

April 27, 1965 E. L. BRADY 3,180,304

BOAT ANCHOR Filed Nov. 27, 1962 INVENTOR. Edward L. Broofy AT TORNE Y5 3,180,304 Patented Apr. 27, 1965 3,180,304 BUAT ANCHOR Edward L. Brady, 9313 Aberdeen Road, Prairie Village, Kane. Filed Nov. 27, 1962, Ser. No. 240,245 (Claims. (Cl. fl t-267) This invention relates to anchors used for mooring boats or other vessels.

Many anchor designs have heretofore been offered, however, regardless of the design chosen one or more of the following disadvantages normally have been experienced: (1) the anchor fails to exhibit desired holding power per pound of dead weight; (2) the anchor tends to catch or hook on submerged rock or coral, sometimes requiring cutting and loss of both the anchor and attached cable; and (3) upon changing of the wind or tide and resultant vessel drift in a direction different from the original hooking angle of the anchor in the bottom, the anchor tends to disengage from effective holding position permitting further drift until reengagement of the anchor is effected.

The principal objects of the present invention are: to provide a boat anchor which exhibits extremely high holding power per pound of weight; to provide such an anchor which is very unlikely to become hooked or otherwise caught on submerged rock or coral; to provide such a device which permits the drifting of a vessel in a full circle thereabout without disturbing the engagement with the bottom; to provide such a device which has a plurality of points or flukes spaced thereabout in groups of three to provide a tripod leveling effect thereon; and to provide such an anchor which is simple and inexpensive in construction.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein are set forth by way of illustration and example certain embodiments of this invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a boat anchor embodying this invention in bottom engaged position with portions broken away to illustrate the fluke configuration.

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross sectional view through the anchor in bottom disengaged "(raising or lowering) position.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary vertical cross sectional view through the anchor particularly showing cooperating locking portions.

FIG. 4 is a side elevation on a reduced scale illustrating the anchor pivoting about the shank thereof to avoid booking on a submerged rock.

Referring to the drawings in more detail:

The reference numeral 1 generally indicates a boat anchor embodying this invention. The anchor l oomprises a rigid elongated straight shank v2 having a forward end 3 and a rear end 4. The rear end 4 has a loop member 5 pivotally secured thereto and forming an eye 6 for receiving a cable or rope '7 in :a conventional manner. A clevis member '8 is fixed to the end. 3 of the shank 2 and, in the illustrated example, forms an integral extension of the shank 12.

The clevis member 3 includes

shoulders

9 and 10 extending laterally in opposite directions from the shank 2 and ending in protrusions if and 12 respectively extending longitudinally of the shank 2 in a direction generally toward the eye 6. The protrusions 11 and 12 respectively have sloping outer surfaces 13 and 14, the purpose of which will be discussed hereinafter.

The clevis member 8 terminates longitudinally of the shank Z in laterally

spaced legs

15 and 16 defining an open ended central slot :17 therebetween which extends laterally of the shank 2 in the directions of the shoulders 9 and it The legs vl5 and :16 have aligned transverse bores 1% and 1 9 therethrough, FIG. 2.

The boat anchor 1 includes an anchor member 20 having a disk portion 2d, in the illustrated example in the form of radiating spokes 22 for decreasing weight. The disk portion 2d has an upper surface 23 and a lower surface 24 and a circular periphery 2.5. A hollow cylindrical riser as is, in the illustrated example, integral with the periphery Q5 and terminates at the upper end 27 thereof in :a radially inwardly projecting circular lip 28 spaced above the upper surface 23. A central bore 29 extends axially through the disk portion 21 for a purpose described below.

A retainer 3th includes a shaft '31 having an enlarged head 32 fixed to one end thereof, the shaft being of slight- 'ly smaller diameter than the central bore 29 and axially received therein for rotation of the retainer with respect to the anchor member so. The head 32 slidably bears against the lower surface 24 of the disk portion 21 for preventing upward axial motion of the retainer 30 with respect to the anchor member 20 but permitting said rotation. The other end of the shaft '31 terminates adjacent the upper surface =23 and has an integral upstanding log 33 extending above the upper surface The log 33 has parallel side surfaces 34. spaced apart a distance slightly smaller than the transverse width of the slot 1.7. Atransverse bore 35 extends through the lug 33 between the side surfaces 34. A pin 36 extends through the leg bores 18 andl9 and the transverse bore 35 for pivotally securing the shank 2 to the anchor member '20. The lug bore 35 is substantially greater in transverse size than the diameter of the pin es permitting longitudinal motion of the shank 2 with respect to the lug '33 in the direction indicated by the arrows 37. The pin as is retained in position by means of

cotter pins

38 and 39 extending therethrough at opposite ends thereof.

The sloping outer surfaces '13 and 14 on the protrusions 11 and l2 are selectively engageable with the lip 28-for urging the clevis member 8 inwardly of the riser 26 during pivoting of the shank 2 about the pin 36 toward the lip 28. There is sufiicient clearance between the pin 36 and transverse bore 35 to allow the protrusion (in the illust-rated example protrusion 11) to pass below the lip 28 at which point a longitudinal pull on the shank 2 will cause the protrusion to move away from the lug 33 and engage beneath the lip 28 for preventing reverse pivoting of the shank 2 about the .pin 36 (away from the lip v28). Without such engagement, the anchor would tend to pivot about fiukes or points described hereinafter greatly reducing the holding power of the anchor. It is noted, however, that a force tending to rotate the shank .2 in a circular motion about the center of the disk portion '21 will result in a rotating of the retainer 39 without permitting a disengagement of the protrusion il l from beneath the lip 28. in the latter instance, the protrusion 1:1 will merely slide along the riser Z6 beneath the lip.

A vertically extending sleeve 40, for example of Ms inch wall thickness, has a diameter substantially equal to the riser -26 and has an upper end, in the illustrated example, integral with the periphery 25 of the disk portion 21. The sleeve 4t) is formed or scalloped at the lower end thereof into two sets of three depending points or flukes designated ll through 46. For convenience the first set of liukes is designated 44, 45 and 46 and the

second set

41, 42 and 43. The first set of fiukes depends vertically a distance below the periphery 25 and the second set depends vertically below the first set, the members of the respective sets being respectively spaced apart in alternating relation equally circumferentially about the periphery 2.5. If the anchor rests upon a relatively hard bottom surface 47 the anchor will be supported on the three longer flukes, 41, 42 and 4-3, which produce a tripod leveling effect and greater digging-in than if all points contacted the surface. If the bottom surface 47 is soft the flukes in the first or longer set tend to sink in to a position where the shorter fiukes also engage the bottom producing greater holding power in soft mud or sand while tending to maintain the lip 28 level. This configuration also tends to permit a longer fluke to fall into a crack or depression 48 for greater holding power without unduly upsetting the level position of the anchor.

In operation, the anchor descends as shown in FIG. 2 to the bottom and slack is permitted in the rope 7 to allow the shank 2 to pivot about the pin 36 into contact with the riser '26. As the boat drifts laterally of the anchor tension is applied to the shank 2 which is transferred through the protrusion 11 to the anchor member 2d. Due to the engagement between the protrusion 11 and the lip 28, the flukes tend to remain pointed downwardly and dig in whereupon they exhibit maximum holding power rather than causing the anchor member 26 to pivot about the pin 36 which would upset the anchor. When it is desired to lift the anchor, an upward pull on the laterally extending shank -2 will produce disengagement between the protrusion :11 and lip 28 permitting the anchor to rise with the ilukes pointed downwardly. If, during pulling of the anchor, a protruding rock 48 or the like contacts the anchor member 29, it tends merely to produce a pivoting with respect to the shank 2 (FIG. 4), rather than hooking therewith which would often result in a loss of both the anchor and a large portion of the rope in order to free the vessel. When the anchor is on the bottom and the protrusion is engaged beneath the lip 28, the vessel is free to drift in :a complete circle about the anchor without interfering with the maximum holding position of the flukes.

It is to be understood that while one form of this invention has been illustrated and described it is not to be limited to the specific form or arrangement of parts herein described and shown except insofar as such limitations are included in the claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. -A bottom resting boat anchor comp-rising:

(a) a shank having a line receiving member at one end thereof and securing means at the other end thereof, said shank including a shoulder intermediate said shank and extending laterally therefrom,

(b) an anchor member including a substantially horizontal disk portion with a circular periphery, a r ser secured to said periphery and terminating in a radially inwardly projecting circular lip spaced above said disk portion, a retainer rotatably supported by said disk portion for rotation about a substantially vertical axis and located centrally thereof, said retainer having means loosely pivotally securing same to said securing means permitting said shank to pivot about a substantially horizontal axis with respect to said retainer,

-(c) said shoulder being selectively slidably engageable under said lip for selectively preventing pivoting of said shank about said retainer away from said lip but permitting circular sliding beneath said lip, and

(d) bottom engaging means depending from said anchor member a distance below said periphery, said last named means being adapted to engage the bottom while supporting said lip generally level,

(e) whereby said boat anchor permits vessel drifting 360 about said anchor while retaining holding power.

2. The anchor as set forth in claim 1 wherein said bottom engaging means comprises:

(a) a vertically extending sleeve having a diameter substantially equal to said riser and having an upper end secured to said periphery, said sleeve being formed into circumferentially spaced downwardly pointed flukes.

3. In a boat anchor,

(a) a body, a circular lip on said body,

(12) a shank, universal joint means pivotal'ly securing said shank to said body centrally of said lip for simultaneous pivoting about two axes, and

(0) means on said shank for selectively slidably engaging said lip to permit pivoting of said shank about one axis but prevent pivoting about the other axis.

4. A bottom resting boat anchor comprising:

(0.) a shank having a line receiving member at one end thereof and securing means at the other end thereof, said shank including a shoulder intermediate said shank and extending laterally therefrom,

(b) an anchor member including a disc portion with a circular periphery, a riser secured to said periphery and terminating in a radially inwardly projecting circular lip spaced above said disc portion, a retainer rotatably supported by said disc portion and located centrally thereof, said retainer being loosely pivotally secured to said securing means,

(c) said shoulder being selectively slidably engageable under said lip for selectively preventing pivoting of said shank about said retainer away from said lip but perm tting circular sliding beneath said lip,

(d) bottom engaging means depending from said anchor member a distance below said periphery, said last named means being adapted to engage the bottom while supporting said lip generally level, whereby said boat anchor permits vessel drifting 360 degrees while retaining holding power,

(e) said securing means comprising a clevis member having laterally spaced terminating legs defining an openended central slot therebetween extending laterally of said shank, said legs having aligned transverse bores therethrough,

(f) said anchor member having means forming a central bore extending axially through said disk portion, said retainer having shaft and an enlarged head fixed to one end. of said shaft, said shaft being of slightly smaller diameter than said central bore and axially received in said central bore for rotation of said retainer with respect to said anchor member, said head slidably bearing against the lower surface of said disk portion preventing upward axial motion of said retainer with respect to said anchor member but permitting said rotation,

(g) the other end of said retainer shaft terminating adjacent the upper surface of said disk portion and having an upstanding lug extending above the disk portion upper surface, said lug having parallel side surfaces spaced apart a distance slightly smaller than the width of said slot, a transverse bore extending between said side surfaces,

(/2) said lug being received in said slot and a pin extending through said leg bores and lug bore for pivotally securing said shank to said anchor member, said lug bore being greater in transverse size than the diameter of said pin permitting longitudinal motion of said shank with respect to said lug.

5. A bottom resting boat anchor comprising:

(a) a shank having a line receiving member at one end thereof and securing means at the other end thereof, said shank including shoulder means intermediate said shank,

(b) an anchor member including a disk portion with a circular periphery, a riser secured to said periphery and terminating in a radially inwardly projecting circular lip spaced above said disk portion, a retainer rotatably supported by said disk portion and located centrally thereof, said retainer being loosely pivotally secured to said securing means,

(c) said shoulder means comprising a pair of shoulders extending laterally in opposite directions from said shank and ending in protrusions extending longitudinally on said shank toward said receivin member, said protrusions having sloping outer surfaces,

(d) said protrusion outer surfaces being selectively engageable with said lip for urging said shank inwardly of said lip during pivoting of said shank toward said lip,

said protrusions being selectively engageable under said lip for selectively preventing pivoting of said shank away from said lip during axial pull on said shank laterally of said anchor member but permitting ei'rcul'ar sliding between said lip,

-(e) Ibottom engaging rneans depending from said anchor meun ber .a distance |b61O-W said periphery, said last named means being adapted to engage the bottom While supporting said lip generally level, and

whereby said iboat anchor permits vessel drifting 360 degrees about said anchor lWhilB retaining holding power.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,305,507 6/19 Froger 114-206 5 3,074,082 1/63 Griebe 114-230 X FOREIGN PATENTS 85,0 14 v1 2/3 5 Sweden.

1119;348 10/ 18 Great Britain.

EERGUS S. MIDDLETON, Primary Examiner.

Claims

3. IN A BOAT ANCHOR, (A) A BODY, A CIRCULAR LIP ON SAID BODY, (B) A SHANK, UNIVERSAL JOINT MEANS PIVOTALLY SECURING SAID SHANK TO SAID BODY CENTRALLY OF SAID LIP FOR SIMULTANEOUS PIVOTING ABOUT TWO AXES, AND (C) MEANS ON SAID SHANK FOR SELECTIVELY SLIDABLY ENGAGING SAID LIP TO PERMIT PIVOTING OF SAID SHANK ABOUT ONE AXIS BUT PREVENT PIVOTING ABOUT THE OTHER AXIS.