WO2005123496A1

WO2005123496A1 - Device for automatically releasing anchors, particularly of the plow type

Info

Publication number: WO2005123496A1
Application number: PCT/EP2005/006432
Authority: WO
Inventors: Sergio Crovato
Original assignee: Malatesta, Corrado
Priority date: 2004-06-16
Filing date: 2005-06-15
Publication date: 2005-12-29
Also published as: ITMI20041218A1

Abstract

A device (1) for automatically releasing all plow-type anchors (100, 200) of any size, of the Bruce, CQR, Delta and other types, constituted by a telescopic system (2, 3, 4)made of steel, by two hooks (5, 11) having a particular shape, by a line of chain (13) whose dimensions are suitable for the typo of anchor, by three shackles (9, 14, 16) suitable for the type and size of the anchor (100, 200). The device (1), which is provided in various dimensions depending on the weight and type of anchor, is completely free from external or auxiliary mechanisms and works at all times, even in the most adverse and difficult conditions.

Description

DEVICE FOR AUTOMATICALLY RELEASING ANCHORS , PARTICULARLY OF THE PLOW TYPE

The present invention relates to a device for automatically releasing anchors, particularly of the plow type. One problem that has always been felt strongly in navigation is the possibility of the anchor jamming. The anchor may sometimes remain caught in natural obstacles, but the presence, especially in the roads, of objects such as steel cables or ropes left on the bed, anchor chains of other watercraft or catenaries for mooring in ports causes the possibility of anchor jamming to be anything but remote. Those objects make it particularly difficult, if not impossible, to weigh the anchor. The aim of the present invention is to provide a device that allows an automatic release of the anchor. An object of the invention is to provide a device that can be applied to the various types of anchor that are more commonly used especially in leisure boating. A further object of the invention is to provide a device that can be applied to an anchor that is already installed and without any structural modification thereto. A further object is to provide a device that is structurally simple, reliable and durable. This aim and these and other objects that will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by a device for automatically releasing anchors, particularly of the plow type, characterized in that it comprises an elongated member, in which one end is associated with the ring of the anchor and the other end is associated with a line of chain, which in turn is associated with the crown of the anchor so that the shackle to which the restraining chain is fixed can slide along the elongated member from the position that corresponds to the ring to the opposite end of the elongated member. Further characteristics and advantages will become better apparent from the description of preferred but not exclusive embodiments of the invention, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a side view of the device according to the invention, applied to an anchor of the Bruce type; Figures 2 to 6 illustrate the various steps of an example of getting the anchor aweigh by means of the device according to the invention; Figure 7 is a side view of the device according to the invention, applied to a CQR anchor; Figure 8 is a side view of the device, according to another aspect of the invention, applied to a Bruce anchor; Figure 9 is a detail view of a Bruce anchor provided with the device according to a further aspect of the invention. With reference to the cited figures, a device according to the invention, generally designated by the reference numeral 1 , comprises a preferably telescopic member 2, which is constituted by a steel tube 3, within which a steel rod 4 slides freely. The steel tube 3 ends, at one end, with an open hook 5 which ends with two cheeks 6 that are bolted, by means of a pivot and a self-locking nut 7 made of steel, to a ring 8 of the anchor 100, for example of the Bruce type, as shown in Figure 1. The hook 5 thus fixed is free to rotate on the same plane as the shank of the anchor. The open hook 5 is curved in such a manner that facilitates the sliding of a shackle 9, to which an anchor restraining chain 10 is fixed, toward the crown. The steel rod 4 ends, at one end, with an open hook 11 , which continues by forming a closed loop 12, to which a line of chain 13 is fixed by means of a shackle 14. The line of chain 13 is sized so that, once the device is applied to the anchor, it also acts as a stroke limiter for the telescopic system and prevents the escape of the rod 4 from the tube 3, at the same time giving the greatest assurances of safety and solidity. For anchors of the Bruce type, such as the one shown in Figure 1 , the device may be provided with an L-shaped part 15, which provides an attachment point for the line of chain in alignment with the lower plane of the wings of the flukes 116 of the anchor 100. The L-shaped part 15 is provided with a hole, to which the other end of the line of chain 13 is fixed by means of a shackle 16. Anchors of the Bruce type are in fact provided with a hole 117 at the crown 118, at the end of the shank 102. The L-shaped part 15 allows to use the hole 117 of the crown 118 even though the position of the original hole 117 in the crown 118 of anchors of the Bruce type in fact would not allow the device to work at its best. For anchors of the Delta or CQR type, it is not necessary to use the L-shaped part 15. As shown in Figure 7, which illustrates an anchor of the CQR type, generally designated by the reference numeral 200, the hole at the crown 218 is in fact located sufficiently close to the lower surface of the flukes 216 of the anchor 200. The device according to the invention can be fitted on the anchor simply and easily by using ordinary tools. For example, in order to fit the device to an anchor of the CQR type, of the kind shown in Figure 7, it is sufficient to fasten the steel tube 3 to the hole in the ring 8 of the anchor 200 by the self-locking pivot 7, by using the hole in the two cheeks 6. The steel rod 4 is then inserted in the tube 3, and one end of the line of chain 13 is fastened to the ring 12 of the steel rod 4, by means of shackles 14, and the other end of the line of chain 13 is fixed to the hole or loop in the crown 218 of the anchor by means of a second steel shackle 16. Finally, the bow shackle 9 is used to fix the chain 10 of the anchor so that it can slide with respect to the telescopic system. The device according to the invention is applied to an anchor of the Bruce type, which is shown in Figure 1 and designated by the reference numeral 100, with a very similar operation. The steel tube 3 is fastened to the hole in the ring 8 of the anchor 100 by means of the self-locking pivot, by using the whole in the two cheeks 6, and then the steel rod 4 is inserted in the steel tube 3. One end of the line of chain 13 is fastened to the loop 12 of the steel rod 4 by means of the shackle 14 and the L-shaped member 15, which is provided with holes at its two ends, is arranged so that the short part rests on the shank and the long part has its hole located at the imaginary extension of the lower face of the flukes 116. The L-shaped member 15 is then fixed by means of a steel pivot with a self-locking nut to the hole 117 on the anchor at the crown 118, and the free end of the line of chain 13 is fixed to the free lower hole of the L-shaped member 15 by using the second steel shackle 16. Finally, the bow shackle 9 is used to fix the chain 10 of the anchor so that it can slide with respect to the telescopic system. The operation of the device according to the invention is as follows, with particular reference to Figures 2-6, in which the reference numeral 300 schematically designates an obstacle on the bed 301. When the anchor is jammed in rocks, cables, chains or other obstacles, the device allows, by moving automatically and only when the anchor is jammed, the point of force from the ring to the crown, releasing the anchor without effort by sliding it out from below the obstacle. To achieve this result, it is necessary to place the boat vertically above the anchor and then loosen the chain until it is no longer tensioned, i.e., the anchor is apeak, as shown in Figure 2. The chain is then tensioned again, moving automatically the point of application of the force from the ring to the crown, thus releasing the anchor. It is convenient, but not always necessary, to move the boat slightly ahead of the anchor apeak point, arranging the boat a few meters beyond the vertical above the anchor along the direction of the working chain before the release operations. For example, if the chain is working, i.e., is facing, in a SW direction, the boat advances, recovering the chain, automatically in a SW direction until, since the anchor is jammed, it is impossible to proceed or weigh anchor. The chain is then slackened until it is no longer tensioned, i.e., the anchor is again arranged on the bed but is still jammed, and is apeak, and the boat is advanced by a few more meters in a SW direction and the weighing of the anchor resumes. This maneuver causes the bow shackle to slide from the point of force on the ring to the point of force on the crown, and the anchor is automatically released by sliding its flukes out from below the obstacle. The telescopic system and the chain line allow, by completely inverting the anchor, the total release of the flukes from any type of obstacle, even the most difficult ones, such as steel cables or ropes left on the bed, anchor chains of other boats, or catenaries for mooring in ports. The open hook 5 of the telescopic system of the device, fixed to the ring of the anchor, always allows the anchor to work correctly and safely on the ring, and is activated only when necessary, when maneuvers are performed with the boat as described above. Since the open hook 5 is integrated in a closed system of established solidity, there is no possibility for the anchor to disengage from the chain. Several getting-aweigh and restraining tests, performed both on land and at sea in the most disparate conditions, have always yielded positive results. After the operations for getting the anchor aweigh the anchor, have been completed, the anchor is fully recovered in a completely inverted condition. To return the anchor to its normal position, i.e., with the point of force applied to the open hook of the telescopic system at the ring, it is sufficient to pass a cable in the bow shackle 9, fixing the two ends of the rope on board, and then slightly slacken the chain until the anchor is tensioned with respect to the rope, overturning automatically into its normal position. It is sufficient to tension the chain again, by releasing and taking up the doubled rope and by then moving the chain up to the normal position in which the anchor is inactive. Another system of returning the anchor to its normal position is by using a bucket fastened to the bulwarks by a rope. The ring portion of the anchor is inserted into the bucket by slackening the anchor chain and the weight of the anchor will cause the bucket to overturn together with the anchor. Figure 8 illustrates a device according to a further aspect of the invention, generally designated by the reference numeral 101 , which includes, in a manner similar to the embodiments described above, a preferably telescopic elongated member 122, which is constituted by a steel tube 103, in which a steel rod 104 slides freely. The steel tube 103 ends, at one end, with an open hook 105, which ends with two cheeks 106, which are bolted by means of a pivot and a self-locking nut made of steel

107 to the ring 108 of the anchor 100, for example of the Bruce type as shown in Figure

8. The hook 105 thus fixed is free to rotate on the same plane as the shank of the anchor. The open hook 105 is curved in such a manner that facilitates the sliding of the shackle 109, to which the restraining chain 10 of the anchor is fastened, toward the crown. The cheeks 106 are provided with an undercut member 166, which prevents the pivot

199 of the shackle 109 from moving beyond the ring 108 of the anchor in the unlikely event that the chain is dragged by the movement of the boat exactly in the direction of the shank 102 of the anchor. On the opposite side with respect to the hook 105, the steel rod 104 ends, at one end, with an open hook 111 , which continues by forming a closed loop 112, to which a line of chain 113 is fixed by means of a shackle 114. The line of chain 113 is sized so that once the device has been applied to the anchor it also acts as a stroke limiter for the telescopic system and prevent the escape of the rod 104 from the tube 103, at the same time giving the greatest assurances of safety and solidity. For anchors of the Bruce type, such as the one shown in Figure 8, the device is provided with a laterally-pivoted part 115, which forms a point for the engagement of the line of chain in alignment with the lower surface of the flukes 116 of the anchor 100. The laterally-pivoted part 115 is formed by a plate that is folded into a ring and is provided with a hole, to which the other end of the line of chain 113 is fixed by means of a shackle 166. Therefore, the hole 117 provided in anchors of the Bruce type at the crown 118 at the end of the shank 102 is not used in the device 101 shown in Figure 8, and therefore, without using the L-shaped part 15 described earlier it is still possible, by the use of the laterally-pivoted part 115, to avoid even the slightest change to the original design and structure of the anchor. Figure 9 illustrates still a further manner of fastening the chain 113 by simply boring a hole 215 in a point which is in alignment with the lower surface of the flukes 116 of the anchor. The chain 113 is thus fastened to the anchor by means of the shackle 166. In practice it has been found that the invention achieves the intended aim and objects, a device having been provided which is structurally simple and reliable and is capable of releasing the anchor to which it is applied with a simple and quick operation. The device can be used to release automatically all plow anchors of any size, for example the anchors known commercially as Bruce, CQR, Delta or the like. The device is provided in various sizes depending on the weight and the type of anchor. The device according to the invention requires no external or auxiliary mechanisms and always operates even in the most adverse and difficult conditions. The device according to the invention is formed simply by a telescopic system made of steel, by two hooks having a particular shape, by a line of chain whose dimensions are suitable for the type of anchor, and by three shackles that are suitable for the type and size of the anchor. An important advantage is that the device can be applied to a standard anchor with very simple assembly operations. A further important advantage is constituted by the fact that the overall dimensions of the anchor are not changed significantly by applying the device according to the invention, which forms a compact assembly with the anchor. The device according to the invention is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, within the scope of the appended claims. All the details may be replaced with technically equivalent elements. The materials used, as well as the dimensions, may of course be any according to the requirements and the state of the art.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A device for automatically releasing anchors, particularly of the plow type, characterized in that it comprises an elongated member, in which one end is associated with the ring of the anchor and the other end is associated with a line of chain, which in turn is associated with the crown of the anchor so that the shackle to which the restraining chain is fixed can slide along the elongated member from the position that corresponds to the ring to the opposite end of said elongated member. 2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that said elongated member is telescopic. 3. The device according to claim 1 , characterized in that said elongated member is telescopic and comprises a steel tube within which a steel rod slides freely. 4. The device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said steel tube ends, at one end, with an open hook which ends with two cheeks that are bolted to the ring of the anchor, by means of a pivot and a self-locking nut made of steel. 5. The device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said hook is free to rotate on the same plane as the shank of the anchor. 6. The device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said open hook is curved in order to facilitate the sliding, toward the crown, of the shackle to which the chain for restraining the anchor is fixed. 7. The device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said steel rod ends, at one end, with an open hook which continues by forming a closed loop to which said line of chain is fixed by means of a shackle. 8. The device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said line of chain is sized so that once the device is applied to the anchor it also acts as a stroke limiter for the telescopic system and prevents the escape of the rod from the tube. 9. The device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises, for application to anchors of the Bruce type or the like, an L-shaped part, whose function is to create a point for the engagement of said line of chain in alignment with the lower surface of the flukes of the anchor. 10. The device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said L-shaped part is provided with a hole, to which the other end of said line of chain is fastened by means of a shackle. 11. The device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said cheeks are provided with an undercut member which prevents the pivot of the shackle from moving beyond the ring of the anchor if the chain is dragged by the movement of the boat exactly in the direction of the shank of the anchor. 12. The device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a laterally-pivoted part which provides a point for the engagement of the line of chain in alignment with the lower surface of the flukes of the anchor. 13. The device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said laterally pivoted part is formed by a plate, which is bent into a ring and is provided with a hole to which the other end of the line of chain is fixed by means of a shackle.