WO1987006905A1

WO1987006905A1 - A sea rescue block

Info

Publication number: WO1987006905A1
Application number: PCT/NO1987/000036
Authority: WO
Inventors: Bo^/rre REKSTEN
Original assignee: Reksten Boerre
Priority date: 1986-05-07
Filing date: 1987-05-07
Publication date: 1987-11-19
Also published as: NO861825L; EP0270564A1; NO159156C; NO159156B; AU7352687A

Abstract

A rescue device for persons who have fallen overboard, especially for use in crafts having a relatively low freeboard. The device comprises a tackle (1) having a fastening means (16) for securing to a gunwale, a manrope, or the like on said craft. Secured to said tackle (1) is a life line (3) having a holding means (2), e.g. a safety belt for the person who has fallen overboard. Said line (3) is passed through lugs on said holding means (2), through a guide at the same end of the tackle as the fastening point of the line, and up the craft itself. Both said tackle rope (11) and life line (3) are passed through automatically operating locking means (7, 13). By pulling in said life line (3) at first the person is conveyed to the side of the craft and may then be hoisted up to deck level by the aid of tackle (1).

Description

A sea rescue block

The present invention relates to a rescue device for per¬ sons who have fallen overboard, especially for use on boats having a relatively low freeboard.

It is generally known to be a very heavy and difficult task to get somebody who has fallen overboard and is floating in the water onboard a boat. This is a problem even when it is a question of vessels having a relatively low freeboard, e. g. a pleasure craft or a small fishing cutter. Unless there are several physically strong persons onboard rescue may be impossible, especially in a seaway, or if the person in the water is weakened. This problem is also present in bad wheather with boats having approved life-saving equipment onboard, and with pleasure craft having a rescue ladder, e. g. a stern ladder. The problems arise, e.g. due to seaway. If a lifebuoy is thrown this may help the victim, but there is still the problem of getting said person aboard.

It is, thus, an object of the present invention to provide a rescue device by the aid of which a person onboard, even a person who is not very strong, and with minimum help from the person in the water, is able to get the victim aboard, even if he is at some^' distance from the craft. Another object of the invention is to provide a device that is as simple as possible to operate and may in special situations, e.g. in case of one-man sailing, be operated by the person who has fallen overboard .

Said objects are achieved by a rescue device that is characterized as stated in the claims.

The device according to the invention enables a person on¬ board, even though he might not be strong, and with minimum help from the person in the water, to get such a person aboard, even if he is at some distance from the craft. If the rescue equipment is secured to the craft in a suitable manner, as disclosed below, a person falling overboard can haul himself aboard, which means that such rescue equipment may also be used by a person who is alone in a boat, or in case a person onboard can be of little or no assistance.

The device according to the invention, in principle, oper¬ ates in two steps, the first step combining the tasks of closing the safety belt and moving the person in the water close to the craft's side, and the second step, being comprised of a tackle, permits lifting a person up to deck level by exertion of relatively little force.

The invention is now disclosed in more detail with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawing, wherein

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic sketch illustrating the device according to the invention and its utilization by a person who has fallen overboard.

Figure 2 is a view in perspective of the device according to the invention.

Figure 3 is a detailed view showing the tackle provided with a protective stocking, and

Figure 4 is a partial view illustrating an embodiment which enables a person in the water to haul himself aboard.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the device according to the invention mainly comprises a tackle generally designated 1 and provided with an automatic rope locking or blocking means 13. Said tackle comprises two blocks of which the uppermost block in an operative position is designated 10 , and the lower block is designated 4. Upper block 10 can be secured to a gunwale, a manrope,or another suitable holding means above deck by the aid of fastening means 16, e.g. two hook shaped members that may simply be hooked over the gun¬ wale or the like. In the drawing only the principle of such securing is shown. On said tackle 1 there is, further¬ more, provided an attachment for the end of a life line, said end attachment being provided on lower block 4, and rope guides both on lower block and on upper block for said life line, as well as a locking or blocking means 7 for a rope which is provided on lower block 4. Said rope guide on the upper block is designated 8. The tackle itself is extended to such a length that lower block 4 will hand approximately at water level when said upper block 10 is fastened onboard. There is, thus, formed an outer loop of line from said lower block 4. This loop of line is provided with a safety belt 2, said life line 3 being passed through two rings or ears at the end of said safety belt. The outer loop of line should have a length sufficient for being thrown as far as a person may be expected to be able to throw the safety belt. If de¬ sired, said safety belt may be provided with a heaving line to increase the range of throwing.

When upper block 10 is attached to the boat and tackle 1 is hanging down along the side of the craft the life line 2 is trown to the person lying in the water. This person will put on the safety belt to have it under his arms, as illust¬ rated in Figure 1. The rescue operation is carried out in two steps:

1. At first the outer line or life line 3 is pulled in. The line will slide through the ring of safety belt 2 and close said line about the chest of the person in the water, at the same time as he is pulled towards lower block 4. Life line 3 will, thus, be automatically locked in rope locking means 7 of lower block, so that the line cannot be pulled out again, when it is necessary to change ones hold or rest.

2. When the person in the water has arrived adjacent said lower block the safety belt with the person is hoisted up by the aid of the tackle. The tackle rope 11 passes through the automatically locking means 13 of upper block 10 to prevent tackle 1 from running out if the tackle rope 11 is released.

With a normal height of the gunwale of a small craft the person in the safety belt may be hoisted high enough to have the upper part of his body above deck level, so that he may get readily onboard. It is also possible to sit in said safety belt in stead of wearing it under ones arms and, thus, to get higher up in case that is desirable.

Upper tackle block 10 may be provided with pulleys or the like 15, as shown in Figure IV. The free ends of the life line and tha tackle rope are then passed about pulley 15 and the ends hang down along the side of the craft. When the rescue equipment is arranged in this manner a person who plunged into the water may pull himself onboard without assistance. The equipment may, thus, be used by a person who is alone in a craft, e.g. a solo sailer or a cutter fisher. The free end of life line 3 may, suitably, be fastened to said safety belt.

In order to prevent said two rope systems from becoming entangled a stocking 14 may, advantageously, be provided around said tackle, as illustrated in Figure III. Said stocking is suitably secured both about lower block 4, and about upper block 10 to keep said two rope systems separated and to avoid problems by having the safety belt, the outer rope or one of the blocks inserted between the ropes in said tackle.

Many modifications will be possible within the scope of the invention. In stead of said safety belt other suitable equipment may, thus, be used as well as different kinds of blocks from those shown for instance with the tackle rope extending from another position at the block than shown in the drawing, such as from the lower part of the block or at a middle mounting. A swivel may be used for said lower block, and the suspending means may be structured differently. Thus, the device may be adapted to different uses and different boat types.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A rescue device for persons who have fallen overboard, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the device comprises a tackle (1) provided with a fastening means (16) for fastening to a gunwale, a mannrope, or the like, to which tackle (1) a life line (3) with a holding means (2) for the person who has fallen overboard is secured, said line (3) being passed through lugs on said holding means (2), through a guide at the same end of said tackle being a fixing point of said line, and up to the vessel.

2. A rescue device as defined in claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that both the tackle rope (11) and said life line (3) are passed through automatically acting rope locking means (7, 13).

3. A device as defined in claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that said holding means (2) is a belt having lugs at its ends and being arranged to be tightened when said life line is pulled.

4. A rescue device as defined in claims 1 and 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the fastening means for said life line, its guide, _* and said rope locking means (7) are provided at the block (4) which is closest to the sea.

5. A rescue device as defined in claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that said tackle rope (11) is enclosed in a stocking (14) that is fastened to the two blocks (4, 10) of the tackle (1).

6. A rescue device as defined in claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that a rounded rope guide having low friction, or a roll or pulley (15) is positioned above the rope locking means (13), and that said tackle rope (11), and said life line (3) are placed over said guide, roll or pulley (15) .

7. A rescue device as defined in claim 6, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the rounded rope guide, roll or pulley (15) is provided in the area of the upper tackle block (10) of the tackle (1).

8. A rescue device as defined in claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that a guide is provided on said uppermost tackle block (10), preferably together with locking means (13) of said tackle rope (11).