US3897745A

US3897745A - Fender cleat

Info

Publication number: US3897745A
Application number: US388791A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ralph Hutchings
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1973-06-29
Filing date: 1973-08-16
Publication date: 1975-08-05
Anticipated expiration: 1992-08-05

Abstract

A cleat for securing a line to a surface, particularly for securing a fender cleat to a boat hull which avoids the necessity of removing fenders prior to leaving port and which provides for quick removal of fenders with a minimum of effort. The cleat includes a body and a pair of arms extending radially outwardly from said body in opposite directions to define, in use, a linereceiving recess at each side of said body. These arms each have a projection to define in use a restricted opening to the recess, the opening being spaced radially outwardly from the recess.

Description

United States Patent [1 1 Hutchings 1 FENDER CLEAT [76] Inventor: Ralph Hutehings, Port Carling,

Ontario, Canada 22 Filed: Aug. 16, 1973 [21 Appl.No.:388,79l

[451 Aug. 5, 1975 Primary E.\'uminerTrygve M. Blix Assisranr Examiner(]regory Ww OConnor [57] ABSTRACT A cleat for securing a line to a surface, particularly for securing a fender cleat to a boat hull which avoids the necessity of removing fenders prior to leaving port and which provides for quick removal of fenders with a minimum of effort, The cleat includes a body and a pair of arms extending radially outwardly from said body in opposite directions to define. in use. a linereceiving recess at each side of said body. These arms each have a projection to define in use a restricted opening to the recess, the opening being spaced radially outwardly from the recess.

6 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures FENDER CLEAT FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a cleat for securing a line to a boat hull or the like.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART In the past, for example, in US. Pat. No. 3,291,094 which issued Dec. 13, 1966 in the name of Patrick W. Beebe, a boat cleat is disclosed for retaining a replaceable fender adjacent the hull of a boat. A plurality of cleats may be provided, each of the cleats retaining a fender. The fenders are hung from the cleats by a line. The line includes a loop which is engaged in recesses at each side of the cleat body. The weight of the fender causes the loop to remain engaged in the recesses. Thus, damage due to contact with docks or other boats by the contacting of the boat hull therewith, is prevented.

Unfortunately, with this type of cleat, the fenders are often lost at sea if they are not removed prior to leaving port. If the fenders are left hanging outside the vessel when it is in motion, the action of the waves in unweighting the fender may be transmitted through the line, thus causing the loop to become disengaged from the cleat. It is possible to prevent losing the fenders by securing the line to the cleat by a knot or the like. However, this makes it difficult to remove the fenders quickly.

These disadvantages are overcome by providing a cleat which avoids the necessity of removing the fenders prior to leaving port and which provides for quick removal of the fenders with a minimum of effort.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION More specifically, the present invention provides a novel cleat for securing a line to a surface, comprising a body and a pair of arms extending radially outwardly from said body in opposite directions to define, in use, a line-receiving recess at each side of said body each arm further comprising a projection to define in use a restricted opening to the recess, said opening being spaced radially outwardly from said recess.

In a preferred embodiment, the cleat is fabricated with an integral mounting plate for mounting the cleat on a surface. In this arrangement, the line receiving recess is defined between the arms and the mounting plate at each side of the cleat body. Each arm includes a projection extending toward the mounting plate to define the restricted opening, therebetween.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Referring to the drawings which serve to illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a cleat according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the cleat; and

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the cleat.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, in which like reference numerals designate like parts, a cleat l is provided for securing a line 3 to a surface 5. The surface 5 is conveniently a boat hull. The cleat 1 comprises a body 7, having a pair of arms 9 extending radially outwardly from said body in opposite directions. A mounting plate 11 which extends below and beyond the ends of the arms 9 is provided for mounting the cleat on the surface 5. The cleat is conveniently mounted to a surface 5 by 3 screws 6 which are countersunk in the cleat.

A line receiving recess 13 is defined at each side of the body 7, between the arms 9 and the plate I]. Each arm 9 includes a projection 15 to define a restricted opening 17 to the recess 13 between the arms 9 and the plate 11. The restricted opening I7 is smaller than the diameter of the line 3. As seen in FIG. I, the cleat bends slightly to permit the line to pass into the recess IS. The line will also give slightly. The restricted opening 17 is spaced radially outwardly from the body 7. It will be appreciated that the projection [5 may alternatively be provided in the plate 11.

A guide surface 19 is provided radially outwardly of the restricted opening l7 to facilitate entry of the line 3 into the restricted opening 17. The guide surface may be provided by cutting away a portion of the free ends of the arms 9 to provide a region of larger diameter than that of the restricted opening 17, radially outwardly thereof.

The cleat is conveniently constructed e.g., by moulding in a suitable resilient material, so that the arms may bend slightly to permit the line to enter the recess and to prevent unslightly corrosion of the cleat. Suitable thermoplastic materials are preferred.

It will be appreciated that in operation, a looped line is guided along guide surfaces to restricted openings defined by the cleat arms and the mounting plate. The restricted openings are smaller than the diameter of the line. Consequently, the line must be forced through the restricted opening. The resilient arms are forced away from the mounting plate to permit the line to pass into the recesses wherein the loop of the line is engaged at each side of the cleat body.

The line will remain thus engaged unless sufficient force is applied to the line to force it outwardly through the restricted openings. Such a force is not encountered in unweighting of the line by the action of waves during motion of the vessel.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A cleat for retaining a replaceable fender adjacent the hull of a boat, whereby the fender may be left hanging outside the vessel without fear of loss, said cleat comprising a unitary integral body having a base of elongate form and a central upstanding part from which a pair of arms extend radially outwards in opposite directions overlying opposite ends of the base, said arms being separated therefrom by a distance greater than the diameter of a line and defining therewith a line-receiving recess on each side of the central part of the body, each arm having ends remote from said upstanding part defining with said base a restricted opening to said recess, said cleat being fabricated in a resilient material whereby each said arm can be resiliently displaced away from said base to permit passage of a line into said recess.

2. A cleat according to claim 1 wherein each restricted opening is defined on one side by a projection on the arm extending towards the base.

3. A cleat according to claim 2 wherein each arm further comprises a guide surface radially outwardly of said projection to facilitate entry of said line into said restricted opening.

4. A cleat according to claim 3 wherein the base has end portions extending radially beyond the free ends of tapers from the central part of the body towards its free end and is convexly curved so that its free end converges towards the corresponding end of the base.

Claims

1. A cleat for retaining a replaceable fender adjacent the hull of a boat, whereby the fender may be left hanging outside the vessel without fear of loss, said cleat comprising a unitary integral body having a base of elongate form and a central upstanding part from which a pair of arms extend radially outwards in opposite directions overlying opposite ends of the base, said arms being separated therefrom by a distance greater than the diameter of a line and defining therewith a linereceiving recess on each side of the central part of the body, each arm having ends remote from said upstanding part defining with said base a restricted opening to said recess, said cleat being fabricated in a resilient material whereby each said arm can be resiliently displaced away from said base to permit passage of a line into said recess.

4. A cleat according to claim 3 wherein the base has end portions extending radially beyond the free ends of the arms, said end portions having apertures to receive fasteners for securing the plate to the surface.

5. A cleat according to claim 1 wherein said cleat is moulded in a suitable thermoplastic material.

6. A cleat according to claim 5 wherein each said arm tapers from the central part of the body towards its free end and is convexly curved so that its free end converges towards the corresponding end of the base.