Abstract:
An anchor connection and retrieving device is disclosed. The device is adapted to be interposed between an anchor and one end of an anchor line, the anchor has a shank, a crown and a plurality of tynes or flukes. The device has a locking assembly including a releasable portion, a locking portion relative to which the releasable portion is releasably coupled. One or more release members are movable between a first position which couples the releasable portion to the locking portion and a second position which decouples the releasable portion from the locking portion. The locking portion is connected to the one end of the anchor line and a retrieving line is connected to it and the crown of the anchor. The releasable portion is coupled to the shank of the anchor. A release block may move along the anchor line to engage the release members to decouple the releasable portion from the locking portion.

Description:
THIS INVENTION relates to an improved anchor connection and in particular, to an anchor retrieving device adapted to be positioned between an anchor and one end of a main anchoring line to retrieve the anchor when it becomes snagged at the bottom of a body of water. 
     When an anchor becomes snagged on rocks, coral, debris or the like, it is impossible to raise the anchor. The anchor chain or rope must then be cut and the anchor jettisoned. Alternatively, a diver may manually free the anchor but that is only possible where conditions are suitable and the depth of the anchor is not too great. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved anchor connection or an anchor retrieving device which at least minimises the disadvantage referred to above. 
     According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided an anchor connection and retrieving device adapted to be interposed between an anchor and one end of a main anchor line, the anchor having a shank, a crown and a plurality of tynes or flukes, the device having a locking assembly including a releasable portion, a locking portion relative to which the releasable portion is releasably coupled, a release member movable laterally between a first position allowing the releasable portion to be coupled to the locking portion and a second position in which the releasable portion may decouple from the locking portion, the locking portion being connected to the one end of the anchor line and a retrieving line connected to the locking portion and to the crown of the anchor, the releasable portion being coupled to the shank of the anchor, and a release block adapted for travel along the anchor line and for directly engaging the release member to move the release member laterally into the lock portion to allow the releasable portion to decouple from the locking portion. 
     According to one aspect the invention provides an anchor connection and retrieving device adapted to be interposed between an anchor and one end of a main anchor line, the anchor having a shank, a crown and tynes or flukes, the device having a locking assembly including a releasable portion, a locking portion relative to which the releasable portion is releasably coupled, two release members movable laterally between a first position allowing the releasable portion to be coupled to the locking portion and a second position in which the releasable portion may decouple from the locking portion whereby both said release members need to be moved to the second position before the releasable portion can be decoupled from the locking portion. 
     The release block may comprise a sleeve of suitable weight adapted to engage about the anchor line so that it may travel along the anchor line. The block may have a passage extending through it through which the anchor line may pass as the block travels along the line. The block may have an enlarged mouth at a leading end. Preferably, the enlarged mouth is provided by a flared opening. 
     The release block may consist of two parts hinged to each other which may be locked together to form a sleeve through which the anchor line may travel, the parts may be unlocked to allow the block to be positioned about the anchor line and then the parts may be locked together with the anchor line captured between them. 
     The locking portion may have a recess for receiving the releasable portion. The locking portion may consist of a sleeve within which the releasable portion may be received. 
     The releasable member may comprise a pin normally projecting outwardly of the locking portion. Preferably, the pin extends laterally of the locking portion. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     A particular preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 shows the anchor retrieving device according to an embodiment of the invention with the device in its normal position; 
     FIG. 2 shows the device of FIG. 1 with the device in its release position; 
     FIG. 3 shows detail of the device in its normal position; 
     FIG. 4 shows the device in its release position. 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a release block according to another embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 6 is a transverse sectional view through the block of FIG. 5; 
     FIG. 7 shows detail of an anchor retrieving/connection device of another embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 8 shows a view of the device of FIG. 7 in its release position; 
     FIG. 9 shows detail of an anchor retrieving/connection device according to another embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 10 shows a view of the device of FIG. 9 in its release position; 
     FIG. 11 shows a perspective view of the device of FIG. 9; 
     FIG. 12 shows detail of an anchor retrieving/connection device according to another embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 13 shows a view of the device of FIG. 12 in its release position; and 
     FIG. 14 shows a perspective view of the device of FIG.  12 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     In FIG. 1, an anchor connection or anchor retrieving device  10  is shown. A boat  11  has a main anchor line or chain  12  extending from it and having an end connected to device  10 . The anchor  13  has a shank  14  and a plurality of tynes  15 . In this embodiment, the crown  16  of the anchor is provided by bars  17 ,  18  and an end of a retrieval line or chain  20  is connected to the bars  17 ,  18 . If desired, bars  17 ,  18  may be omitted and an end of the line or chain  20  may be connected to the tynes at the location where they diverge from the shank  14 . 
     Locking assembly  25  is coupled between one end of the line or chain  12  and the retrieval line or chain  20 . The retrieval chain  20  is of a length greater than the distance between the crown  16  of the anchor and the normal position assumed by the locking assembly  25  when it is in the position shown in FIG.  1 . 
     The shank  14  has a link  26  coupled to it and one end of the link is connected to the assembly  25 . 
     When the anchor is used to tether the boat  11 , the device appears as shown in FIG.  1 . To retrieve the anchor when the anchor is not snagged, chain  12  is hauled on board the boat and link  26  acts to lift the anchor from the floor of the body of water. Even when the anchor is not snagged, block  30  may be used in the manner described in the following paragraph. 
     If the anchor is snagged or even if it is not snagged, release block  30  which may either be a unitary sleeve or which consists of two halves hinged relates to each other and with the halves lockable to each other is allowed to travel down along the chain  12  under the influence of gravity until it passes over and against the lock assembly. 
     The block then acts upon the lock assembly to allow the releasable portion  35  to separate from the remainder of the lock assembly and the configuration shown in FIG. 2 is then achieved. When in this configuration, retrieval of the chain  12  onto the boat  11  now results in the anchor being lifted via chain  20  attached to the crown  16  and not via the shank  14 . This action results in unsnagging of the anchor if the anchor Is snagged. 
     Once the anchor  13  is back on board, the boat  11  releasable portion  35  may then be recoupled to the remainder of the lock assembly  25 . 
     FIG. 3 shows greater detail of the assembly  25 . The assembly has a locking portion  40  coupled between main anchor line or chain  12  and the release line or chain  20 . Portion  40  has a release member in the form of a pin  41  normally biased into the position shown extending outwardly of the portion  40 . Portion  40  has a tapered shoulder  71  and portion  35  has a shoulder  72  and shoulder  72  functions to drive the pin  41  into its FIG. 3 position when the portion  35  is coupled to the locking portion  40 . A sleeve  42  extends about the portion  40  and the pin extends through an aperture in the sleeve. 
     Releasable portion  35  is received in a recess defined between the sleeve  42  and the portion  40 . Portion  35  has a pin  43  biased by a spring  43 a and the pin  43  normally locates within the passage which receives pin  41  and pin  43  serves to retain the releasable portion  35  coupled to portion  40 . 
     FIG. 4 shows detail of the release block  30 . Block  30  is tubular and has a flared leading end  50 . The block  30  moves down along chain  12  under the influence of gravity and depresses pin  41 . This causes pin  41  to depress pin  43  and then releasable portion  35  is then decoupled from the remainder of the assembly. 
     The release block  30  engages over the lock assembly and positively decouples the releasable member. The device may then be used to unsnag the anchor and the anchor may then be retrieved. 
     The device may readily be assembled by reinserting the releasable portion into the recess in the remainder of the lock assembly. The device allows the anchor to be retrieved by lifting the anchor from the crown. The anchor therefor is unlikely to damage reef growth. 
     The release block  60  of FIGS. 5 and 6 is made of two halves  61 ,  62  secured to each other by a hinge  63 . Of course, the block may be made as one piece if desired. Hook  64  is fixed to the block and allows the block to be tethered to prevent it from moving down the anchor chain or rope and contacting the locking portion  70  of the anchor retrieving/connection device of FIGS. 7 and 8. The hook may be omitted if desired. 
     The two halves  61 ,  62  are fixed to each other in the closed position shown in FIG. 5 by a catch having an arm  65  and a spring biased release pin  66 . One end of the pin  66  is received in an aperture  67  in half  62  and is biased into that aperture by spring  68 . 
     The halves  61  and  62  may be opened up to allow the block to be located extending around an anchor chain or rope and the halves may then be brought into the closed position of FIG. 5 with the chain/rope extending through passage  71   a.    
     The chain  12  in FIG. 3 would normally be secured to a boat (not shown) and chain  26  is secured to a shank of an anchor. Chain  20  is coupled to the crown of an anchor. 
     The locking portion  70  has a first release member  72  in the form a pin normally biased into the position shown in FIG. 7 where it projects beyond outer casing  73  of the locking portion. The portion  70  has a tapered shoulder  74  and release portion  75  also has a tapered shoulder  76 . Shoulder  76  functions to drive pin  72  into its FIG. 7 position when the release portion  75  is coupled to the locking portion  70 . 
     Pin  72  is received in a passage  77  and is movable along that passage. 
     Release portion  75  has a release member in the form of a pin with two parts  78 ,  79  biased away from one another by a spring  80 . Part  79  contacts one end of pin  72  and causes the pin  72  to be biased outwardly of the locking portion  70 . 
     Parts  78  and  79  are retained within passage  81  extending through release portion  75 . 
     In order to separate portion  75  from the locking portion  70 , part  78  and pin  72  must be driven into the passage  81  and  77  respectively as shown in FIG.  8 . If only one of part  78  or pin  72  is retracted then portion  75  will not separate from locking portion  70 . In this way the possibility of inadvertent release of portion  75  is unlikely to occur. 
     In FIGS. 9 and 10 alternative device  90  is shown. The device has a locking portion  91  coupled between a main anchor line or chain  12  and a release line or chain  20  is coupled to a stop plate  92 . Releasable portion  93  has a link  26  coupled to it which is connected to the shank of an anchor. Locking portion  91  and retaining sleeve  95  has  2  or  3  release pins spaced radially around it and these pins are biased into the position shown in FIG. 9 by springs shown in the configuration. 
     A locking sleeve  97  extends around the locking portion  91  and encases locking balls  98 . These balls are located in passages  100  in the portion  91 . These passages have a reduced diameter opening communicating with the bore  101  in the portion  91 . This construction allows a periphery of the balls to extend into the bore  101  and locate in a groove  102 , which extends around releasable portion  93 . When the sleeve  97  is in the position shown in FIG. 9, the balls prevent portion  93  from separating from the remainder of the device. 
     Circlip  103  extends around device  91  and fixes retaining sleeve  95 , sleeve  97  and stop plate  92  to device  91 . 
     The sleeve  97  is spring biased and has extended portion  104  and rests on pin  94  to maintain the configuration shown. Pin  94  has a circlip  94   a  to prevent pin from falling out of the device. Portion  104  may locate within recess  96  is shown in FIG.  10 . 
     When the release block  30  travels down the chain, the flared end  110  of the block drives the pins  94  inwardly against the spring bias and sleeve  97  is released and is able to move upwardly as shown in FIG.  10 . The balls  98  may then be moved outwardly as releasable portion  93  moves down. The balls are then received partially within an enlarged part  111  of a bore through the sleeve. 
     Sleeve  97  is prevented from moving further by plate  92 . The portion  93  may be returned to the FIG. 9 position by moving the block  30  along the chain  12  away from the device  91 . 
     The portion  93  is pushed into the bore  101  and the sleeve  97  is manually pulled downwardly against the spring  97   a  and then pins  94  return to the FIG. 9 position. 
     Sleeve  97  can be positioned on the chain  12  either way. (Flared end both sides). 
     FIG. 11 shows a perspective view of the device  90 . An eye  112  with an aperture  113  is provided at one end of portion  91  and the chain  12  may be secured to this eye. 
     The plate  92  has a chain link welded for receiving the chain  20  or as in FIGS. 9 and 10 extended portion  92  welded to  92  which contains link  20  and portion  93  has an eye  115  with an aperture  116  to which the link  26  is attached. 
     FIGS. 12,  13  and  14  show an alternative device  120 . The device  120  has a locking portion  121  with an eye  122  having an aperture  123  to which the chain  12  is secured. The portion  121  has a bore  124  for receiving a releasable portion  125 . Portion  125  has an eye  126  with an aperture  127  for receiving link  26 . Chain  20  is connected to portion  121 . 
     Three release pins  130  (only one of which is shown in FIGS. 12 and 13) are arranged around portion  121  and are spring biased by springs  130   a  to extend outwardly as shown in FIG.  12 . Each pin  130  has a groove  131 . A locking slide  132  is associated with each pin  130  and the slides are biased into the FIG. 12 position by a spring  133 . A ball  134  is associated with each slide and is located between each pin  130  and the slide  132 . Slide  132  has a reduced diameter intermediate portion  135  and portion  125  has a groove  136  extending around it. Retaining ball  137  is received within a passage  138  and projects into the bore  124  and into groove  136  to prevent portion  125  from separating from portion  121 . The ball  137  is held in this position by the slide  132 . 
     The release block  30  causes the pins  130  to be driven into the bore  124 . This causes the respective balls  134  and the respective slides  132  to be moved downwardly. The balls  137  are then free to move out of the groove  136  and portion  125  may then separate from portion  121 . 
     The portion  125  is reinserted into the bore  124  and then the block  30  is moved up the chain  12  so that the device may assume the FIG. 12 position. 
     When the block  30  is moved up the chain  12  the pins  130  return to the FIG. 12 position and the portion  125  may then be reinserted into and held within the bore  124 .