US3838659A - Marine bitt - Google Patents

Abstract

A marine bitt for receiving a line to be secured, the bitt having a pair of posts upstanding from a base with a slot between the posts and flanges extending outwardly from the top of the posts so that a line to be secured can have its standing portion put into said slot and a half hitch laid thereover under said flanges. The bitt can be used for making ships fast, towing, anchorage, or wherever a line or cable is to be secured.

Description

United States Patent Coleman, II 1 Oct. 1, 1974 1 MARINE BITT 3,507,242 4 1970 Brown 114/218 [7 6] Inventor: William H. Coleman, 11, 4405 FOREIGN PATENTS'OR APPLICATIONS Congressmal COYPUS Cm 1511, 801,683 1/1951 Germany 114/218 Tex. 78413 [22] Filed: Apr. 24, 1972 Primary ExaminerTrygve M. Blix Assistant Examiner-Gregory W. OConnor [21] App! 24676l Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Smythe & Moore [52] :LS. Cl. 114/218 57 ABSTRACT v [51] nt. Cl B63b 21/04 [58] Field of Search 114/218, 217; 24/129 R, 'T 'i 9 a be secured I 24/115 R 115 J b1tt havmg a pan of posts upstandmg from a base w1th a slot between the posts and flanges extending out- 1561 281 3822812582:8582532812:3112;222:1252; UNITED STATES PATENTS and a half hitch laid thereover under said flanges. The 1,012,328 l2/l9ll Cope 24/129 bitt can be used for making ships fast, towing, anchor- 1'694'312 12/1928 Clark 14/218 age, or wherever a line or cable is to be secured. 1,960,171 5/1934 Seeger 114/218 X 3,398,714 8/1968 Wallen et a1 114/218 I 3 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures MARINE BITT This invention relates to marine bitts or the like for securing lines or cables thereto.

In the prior art, conventional marine-type bitts have required at least a clove hitch or similar hitch to be made in the line or cable placed thereon, a single half hitch being insufficient. Frequently, a half hitch also is placed on the bitt or capstan over the clove hitch so as to insure adequate holding. In the case of the conventional cleat, after the line is placed thereon, one or more half hitches usually are placed on the extending horns or arms of the cleat. The result is that time and effort are necessary to make the fastening or to remove the line from the bitt or cleat. Sometimes it is desirable to take in the line or shorten the same, which requires undoing of the half hitches or clove hitch. Also, when more than one line is placed on a bitt, it is necessary to loosen or remove the outside one in order to adjust or cast off the under one.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide an improved marine bitt upon which a line can be secured in a simple manner. I

In one aspect of the invention, the bitt has a base which can be secured to a ship or other surface or object. There are at least a pair of upstanding posts from the base, the posts having flanges only on the tops thereof. The posts preferably are semicircular-like in section. The posts are arranged to define a slot therebetween for receiving the standing part of the line to be secured, the slot preferably being less than about two line diameters, but it can be one line diameter. The flange or lip width can be .from k to one line diameter, although in some instances where there may be vertical pull involved, the flanges may need to be larger. The line to be secured has the standing part placed in the slot and then a half hitch laid thereover around the posts and under the flanges or lips.

The term line includes cable and the term marine includes all uses where a line or cable is to be secured. The terms standing end and free end have the meaning as used in the art of Seamanship.

These and other objects, advantages, and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description and drawings which are merely exemplary.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a line secured to the bitt;

FIG. 2 is a reduced sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is similar to FIG. 2 except that the free end of the line has been drawn out; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the line being placed on the bitt.

Referring to FIG. 1, the bitt can be fastened to surface 11 in any suitable manner such as by bolts or screws (not shown). The bitt 10 has a base portion 12 with upstanding posts l3, 14, the posts having flanges or lips 15, 16 at the upper ends thereof. Such leaves a reduced diameter zone or portion 17, 18 for the line. Slot 19 is located between the upstanding posts 13, 14 for receiving the line to be secured as will be explained hereafter.

A line to be secured has its standing part 20 placed in slot 19 as seen in FIG. 4 and a half hitch 21 looped over the posts 13, 14 and drawn tight so as to be below flanges or lips l5, 16 on the reduced portion 17, 18 of the bitt. Thus, the half hitch is laid over the bitt and standing portion 20 of the line upon which pull or tension is placed. As strain is placed upon standing portion 20, free end 22 will be wedged at 23 against the edge 24 (FIG. 4) of a post so as to firmly hold the line in place. Corners or edges 24 should not be made so sharp that the line will be cut or crimped at this point.

As previously mentioned, the slot width should be less than two line diameters for positive holding. it must be, however, at least one diameter. The flanges or lips can vary according to use, as to one line diameter being normally adequate. If there may be uses where the line pull approaches vertical, then the flanges may have to be wider. Also, where the pull is always horizontal, the flanges can be minimized or possibly omitted.

When it is desired to loosen, take in, or remove the secured line, it is only necessary to pull the free end 22 as shown in FIG. 3 which will remove the wedging or binding action at the edge 24 so that the relation of the standing part 20 in the slot and bitt can be changed. Similarly, if there is another line'(not shown) in slot 19 with a half hitch on the bitt, underneath the outside half hitch, the lower one can be removed by merely pulling the free end of the lower one which will permit removal thereof. Also, the standing portion 20 of the line can be loosened in order to remove the same.

Thus, it can be seen that the bitt can easily have a line secured thereto and removed therefrom. Slack can be taken up by merely pulling on the free end without undoing or remaking the lines. Further, when the free end is released, the line will be automatically relocked in position. Only one half hitch is required to obtain positive holding power.

It is to be understood that variations may be made in details of constructions and in uses or arrangement without departing from the spirit of the invention except as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

. 1. In a marine bitt, the combination including a base securable to a surface, and having only one pair of upstanding posts with outwardly extending integral flange means only at the tops of said posts, said posts being substantially semicircular in cross section, the semicircular portion of said cross section being at the exterior surfaces of said posts, and with said flange means extending around said semicircular cross sections, said posts defining a slot therebetween, said flanges extending outwardly with respect to said slot, so that a line to be secured can be placed in the slot between the posts and a half hitch laid around said posts over said line and below said flange means.

2. A marine bitt as claimed in claim 1 wherein the slot is between approximately one and two diameters in width of the line to be used.

3. A marine bitt as claimed in claim 1 and including a line having its standing part in said slot with its free end in a half hitch around said posts and over said standing part in said slot, the standing part gripping the free end at the edge of the slot and post as tension is placed on said standing part.

Claims (3)

1. In a marine bitt, the combination including a base securable to a surface, and having only one pair of upstanding posts with outwardly extending integral flange means only at the tops of said posts, said posts being substantially semicircular in cross section, the semicircular portion of said cross section being at the exterior surfaces of said posts, and with said flange means extending around said semicircular cross sections, said posts defining a slot therebetween, said flanges extending outwardly with respect to said slot, so that a line to be secured can be placed in the slot between the posts and a half hitch laid around said posts over said line and below said flange means.

2. A marine bitt as claimed in claim 1 wherein the slot is between approximately one and two diameters in width of the line to be used.

3. A marine bitt as claimed in claim 1 and including a line having its standing part in said slot with its free end in a half hitch around said posts and over said standing part in said slot, the standing part gripping the free end at the edge of the slot and post as tension is placed on said standing part.

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