Abstract:
The present invention is a holding device for a rope, cable, wire and the like hereafter referred to as rope and more particularly a sliding cam rope cleat comprised of a holding device, a slideable cam member controlled by a sliding handle and two passageways therethrough for the rope member. While the sliding handle is engaged in the open position, the cam member will not be resident in the first passageway and a rope member may be freely inserted and drawn. However once the sliding handle is engaged in the clamping position, the cam member will partially obstruct the first passageway and the tapered serrated bottom of the cam member will engagingly grip and secure the inserted rope member. Subsequently, the holding device provides for a quick release of the secured rope member by returning the sliding member to its first open position thereby disengaging the tapered serrated cam member for the inserted rope member. In addition, the holding device offers a second passageway which serves as a storage receptacle for any slack in the rope member.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a holding device for a rope, cable, wire and the like, and more particularly to a sliding cam rope cleat having a slideable cam member for selectively locking and releasing the sliding cam and in turn locking and releasing a 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A broad range of cleat devices have been developed for holding ropes, cables and wires and the like hereafter referred to as rope. The purpose of these cleat devices is to permit the holding of a rope between two points in a secure manner as to overcome tensional resistance. 
     One such cleat device includes a cleat having a cam with a passageway adapted to receive a rope. The cleats function by allowing a rope to be freely drawn through a passageway in one direction and conversely pinching the rope if drawn in the opposite direction. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,548,873 issued on Aug. 27, 1996 to Macias and relates to an improved anti-locking cleat for rope, cable, and the like including a housing, a rotatable generally spherically-shaped engaging member, a biasing means and a positioning means. The housing includes an elongated base, a first passageway generally circular in cross-section and extending traverse to the length of the base. A chamber is formed in the base and is disposed adjacent one side of the first passageway. A length of rope is drawn through the first passageway in either a first or oppositely directed second direction. The rotatable engaging member is pivotally mounted within the chamber and is positionable at either a first or a second position. The member is biased into the first position by the biasing means and is manually positionable, via the positioning means, into the second position. When the member is in the first position it partially blocks the passageway and engagingly contacts the rope such that the rope may be freely drawn through the passageway in the first direction but not in the second direction. When the member is in the second position it does not block the passageway and does not engagingly contact the rope, such that the rope may be freely pulled through the passageway in either the first or the second directions. The device disclosed is complicated in design and whose function is based on the rotational motion of a cam device with the assistance of a spring. 
     Lindquist is the owner of U.S. Pat. No. 4,278,042 which issued on Jul. 14, 1981. This patent relates to a cam cleat designed to secure sheets, halyards, lines etc. introduced into it on boats. The can cleat includes two parts moving respectively, towards and away from each other, the faces of these parts which face each other being serrated, and these parts being so designed that they adopt a fixed position and a free position and are so pivoted that when they rotate in the same direction they either move towards each other or away from other. These parts are spring-loaded in such a way that the first of the parts strives to adopt the free position and the other of these parts strive to adopt the fixed position. Further, the first of these parts can be locked in the fixed position by an eccentric control device. The first part is pivoted about a point in such a way that when rotated from the fixed position to the free position its serrations tend to detension a line in the cam cleat. The device disclosed is comprised of two cam members and a cam control device release lever and requires the assistance of multiple torsion springs and pressure springs to function. 
     Brown is the owner of U.S. Pat. No. 5,133,111 which issued on Jul. 28, 1992. This patent relates to a device including a base plate having a rope receiving surface portion along and against which the rope travels, a cam pivotally connected to the base plate, and a plurality of protrusions extending generally radially outwardly from the surface of the cam. The device disclosed is complicated in design and whose function is based on the rotational motion of a cam device about a pivot point. 
     McCloud is the owner of U.S. Pat. No. 4,217,847 which issued on Aug. 19, 1980. This patent relates to a self-release cam cleat and further relates to a rope holding device including an improved cam cleat useful on a sailboat for maintaining sail ropes taut. The improved cam cleat contains two cam-type jaws to grip the rope, one of which has a serrated or tooth-like surface for gripping, while the other has a smooth-gripping surface which permits easy rotation of the smooth cam member to the release position. The smooth cam member has an arcuate face with a radius of curvature for the gripping surface substantially greater than the smooth face of the release surface adjacent it. Consequently, when the smooth surface release cam is pivoted so that the retained rope is slipped from the smooth gripping surface to the smooth releasing surface, the rope is automatically released without though need for the operator to exert a force on the rope to pull it away from the cam cleat as is usually done. This cam design lacks a covering of housing, such that the rope may be accidentally pulled from the passageway thereby disengaging the cleat mechanism and releasing the rope. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,505,384 B1 issued to Renton et al on Jan. 14, 2003. This patent relates to an apparatus for gripping a flexible elongated member including a housing having a base, a lever pivotally connected to the housing, and a gripping component having a gripping member. The lever is pivotally connected to the housing, and the gripping component is mounted so as to be movable relative to the housing. The gripping component, housing, and lever are arranged such that manipulation of the elongated member so as to contact the lever will cause the lever and gripping component to move relative to each other, thereby gripping or releasing the elongated member. The device disclosed is complicated in design and whose function is based on the rotational motion of a cam device about a pivot point. 
     Thus there is a need for a cleat device that minimizes the number of internal moving parts while maintaining the inherent protection of a housing device. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with one aspect of the present invention a holding device for a rope, cable, wire and the like (hereafter rope) in an attached housing is provided. 
     In accordance with another aspect of the present invention a holding device comprising a housing means with a passage therethrough, a cam member and a sliding cam member disposed within said housing means for movement between a first position with the cam member out of the passage and a second position where the cam member partly obstructs the passage. 
     In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention a holding device for a rope making use of a sliding cam member that is capable of movement in a substantially linear direction is provided. 
     Another aspect of the present invention relates to a holding means comprising a first member and a second member engageable with the first member in such a manner as to define a cavity for the cam member. 
     In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention a holding device and method that permits the insertion and drawing of a rope article in the first direction, thereby engaging the serrated gripping edge of the sliding cam member in such a manner as to permit movement of the rope in the first direction but to oppose movement of the inserted rope in the opposite or second direction. 
     Yet another aspect of the present invention, relates to a sliding cam member which is engageable by a slideable member that may lock and release the position of the sliding cam and in turn quickly lock and release the inserted rope article. 
     In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention a cleat for a rope comprising a first housing member engageable with a second housing member in such a manner as to define a cavity therein; a passageway disposed through the first housing member and communicating with the cavity; a cam member disposed with the cavity for sliding movement between a first position permitting insertion and withdrawal of a rope through the passageway and a second position clamping the rope between the cam member and the first housing member. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the flat bottomed holding device. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the flat bottomed holding device with the holding plate rotated 90 degrees. 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded view of the curved bottom holding device. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the curved bottom holding device. 
         FIG. 7A  is a partial cross-sectional view of the curved bottom holding device with the cam in the clamping position. 
         FIG. 7B  is a partial cross-sectional view of the curved bottom holding device with the cam in the open position. 
         FIG. 8  is a side view of the mounted curved bottom holding device. 
         FIG. 9A  is a perspective view of the cam. 
         FIG. 9B  is a side view of the cam. 
         FIG. 9C  is a top view of the cam. 
         FIG. 10A  is an inside perspective view of the first housing member of the holding device. 
         FIG. 10B  is a side view of the first housing member of the holding device. 
         FIG. 10C  is an inside view of the first housing member of the holding device. 
         FIG. 11  is a full cross-sectional view of the mounted curved bottom holding device. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     In the drawings, preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example. It is to be expressly understood that the description and drawings are only for the purpose of illustration and as an aid to understanding, and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention. 
     The present invention can be readily realized in one of two embodiments, a flat bottomed embodiment (see  FIG. 1 ) and a curved bottom embodiment (see  FIG. 5 ). 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the flat bottom holding device  2 . As further expounded upon, the holding device  2  is comprised of a first housing member  1  and a second housing member  3 . The housing members  1  and  3  are fastened together creating a passageway  33  that is adapted to receive the rope member  41 . Of special interest in the flat bottomed embodiment is the holding plate  80 . The holding plate  80  consists of two crossed channels which intersect in the centre of the plate forming a cross shape  86 ,  88 . The channels  86 ,  88  engagingly interact with the bottom of the housing member  3  in such a manner as to increase the stability of the entire holding device  2 . In addition, due to the crossed nature of the channels  86 ,  88 , the housing member  3  maybe be secured in four different orientations depending on the placement of the housing member  3  within the channels  86 ,  88 . The holding device  2  is also affixed to the holding plate  80  via a threaded hole track  90  (see  FIG. 3 ). The holding plate  80  is also comprised of two apertures  82 ,  84  to permit the mounting of the holding plate  80  via two screws on a flat surface. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the flat bottom holding device  2  with the holding plate rotated 90 degrees as compared to  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 2  is similar in nature to  FIG. 1  however the holding device  2  is mounted onto the holding plate  80  in the opposite orientation i.e. the housing member  3  is interacting with channel  88  as opposed to channel  86  in  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  is a side view of  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 3  clearly illustrates the central threaded hole  90  to which fasten the holding plate  80  with the holding device  2 . 
       FIG. 4  is a side view of  FIG. 2  where the flat bottomed holding device with the flat bottom plate is rotated 90 degrees relative  FIG. 3 . Similar in nature to  FIG. 3 ,  FIG. 4  further illustrates the two apertures  82 ,  84  to permit the mounting of the holding plate  80  via two screws on a flat surface. 
       FIG. 5  is an exploded view of the curved bottom holding device  2  as mounted on a cylindrical rail  57  illustrated herein.  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  4  and  5  are similar in function, and the following description relates top  FIG. 1-5 . 
     The holding device  2  is comprised of a first housing member  1  and a second housing member  3 . The housing members  1  and  3  are fastened together creating a passageway  33  that is adapted to receive the rope member  41 . 
     The housing members  1  and  3  when fastened together define an interior cavity  34  which receives a cam member  5 . Two holes  9  and  21  are formed in the first housing member  1  and permit two screws  7  and  19  to secure the first housing member  1  with the second housing member  3  by way of bore hole  11  and bore hole  23  disposed at either end of the second housing member  3 . 
     As mentioned the first housing member  1  and the second housing member  3  engage in such a manner as to define a passageway therethrough  33 . To assist the engagement between the two housing members, the first housing member includes a lip  35  and the second housing member  3  includes a channel  37  and a ridge  39  that is engageable with the lip  35  from the first housing member  1 . 
     The two housing members define a passageway  33  that is disposed at an acute angle “A” relative to the horizontal. The cam member  5  is disposed within the cavity  33  and can be manipulated by means of a handle  13 . The handle  13  is fastened to the cam  5  by way of bore hole  17  and protrudes through a slot  15  disposed in the first housing member  1  as shown. The handle  13  is slideable and free to move in a substantially linear path as dictated by slot  15  between the first position (as shown in  FIG. 7B ) with the cam member  5  out of the passageway  33  thereby permitting the insertion and withdrawal of the rope  41  and the second position (shown in  FIG. 7A ) with the cam member  5  obstructing the passageway  33  and thereby clamping the rope  41  between the cam member  5  and the bottom of the passageway  33 . 
     The holding device  2  can include a second passageway  43  transversely formed therethrough for receiving the end of the rope  41 . The rope  41  is drawn into the first passageway  33  and can be securely held therein by way of the cam member  5  and its placement within the first passageway  33 . The second passageway  43  is predominately an accessory passageway and may be used to house any slack in the rope  41 . The second passageway is generally circular in cross section and can include a groove  42  which is adapted to receive an insert  27  as shown. The insert  27  may be acted upon by a screw  28  inserted at  44 , which when tightened, causes the insert  27  to dimple and apply pressure on the inserted rope slack  41 , thereby securing it in place. In the opposite manner, when the screw  28  is loosened, the pressure on the rope slack  41  is reduced thereby allowing it to be freely removed. It should also be noted that the flat bottomed embodiment of the holding device  2  as shown in  FIG. 1 , also permits the insert  27  to be acted upon by a screw  93  inserted at  95 , however the orientation is adjusted and the insert  27  is mounted on the roof of the second passageway  43 . Similarly the screw  93  acts upon the insert  27  along the vertical axis as depicted in  FIG. 3 . 
     The cam member  5  can be controlled by the sliding handle  13  on the side of the holding device  2 . If the sliding handle  13  is positioned in the open or first position, the cam member  5  is not obstructing the passageway  33  and the rope  41  may be freely drawn therein. If the sliding handle  13  is positioned in the clamping position or the second position, the cam member  5  would partially obstruct the passageway  33  and the tapered serrated edge of the cam member  6  would engage and grip the rope  41  in a secured manner. The secured manner could be described as a self locking manner and by virtue of the sliding handle  13 , the holding device also possess a quick release. Once the sliding handle  13  returns to the open position or the first position  53 , the tapered serrated edge of the cam member  6  no longer engages the rope  41  and the rope  41  may be freely drawn or freely removed. 
     In the preferred embodiment, the holding device  2  is mounted to a cylindrical rail  57 . To assist the engagement and subsequent fastening of the holding device  2  to the cylindrical rail  57 , the bottom surface of the holding device  2  may posses a curved are that mirrors the curved path of the upper surface of the cylindrical rail  57 . Further detailed in  FIG. 11  the holding device  2  can be mounted to a rail  57  via three screws  25 ,  29 ,  31 . 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the curved bottom holding device  2 ; the preferred embodiment of the present invention mounted to a cylindrical rail  57  as illustrated in  FIG. 5 .  FIG. 6  depicts the holding device  2  as a single unit. Both housing members  1  and  3  have come together in such a manner that the channel  37  and ridge  39  disposed on the second housing member  3  engage with the lip  35  disposed on the first housing member  1 . 
     The passageway  33  is clearly visible as the product of the engagement of the first housing member  1  with the second housing member  3 . The rope  41  is depicted as being drawn through the passageway  33 . It should be noted that the rope  41  is free to be drawn through the first passageway  33  because the sliding handle  13  is in its first position  53  whereby the cam member  5  is largely out of the passageway  33 . If the sliding handle  13  were depicted in its second position  51  whereby the cam member  5  is obstructing the passageway  33 , the rope  41  could not be freely drawn. 
       FIG. 7A  is a partial cross-sectional view of the holding device  2  with the cam member  5  in the clamping position.  FIG. 7A  depicts the earn member  5  in its second position or the clamped position. The sliding handle  13  (not shown) has been moved to its second position and as a result the cam member  5  is in its second position  51  or the clamped position. Once the cam member  5  is in its second position, the tapered serrated edge of the cam member  6  engages and grips the rope  41  in a secured manner. As depicted in  FIG. 7A , the tapered serrated edge of the cam member  6  is disposed in a substantially parallel manner to the axis of the first passageway  33 . 
       FIG. 7B  is a partial cross-sectional view of the curved bottom holding device with the cam member  5  in the open position.  FIG. 7B  depicts the cam member  5  in its first position or open position. The sliding handle  13  (not shown) has been moved to its first position and as a result the cam member  5  is in its first position or the open position. Once the cam member  5  is in its first position  53 , the tapered serrated edge of the cam member  6  is no longer capable of engagingly gripping the rope  41  and as a result, the rope  41  is freely capable to be drawn back through the first passageway  33 . 
       FIG. 8  is a side view of the mounted curved bottom holding device.  FIG. 8  clearly depicts the sliding handle  13  protruding from the first housing member of the holding device. The engagement between the lip  35  of the first housing member  1  and the channel  37  and ridge  39  of the second housing member  3  is shown. In addition, the two passageways  33 ,  43  are both clearly displayed. 
       FIG. 9A  is a perspective view of the cam member  5 . As depicted, the cam member  5  is a quadrilateral shape with two sides parallel with the vertical  8 ,  10 , a flat top side parallel with the horizontal  12  (not shown) and a tapered serrated bottom  6  with gripping means once the cam member  5  engagingly makes contact with an inserted rope  41  (not shown). The angle of the tapered serrated bottom  6  is disposed in a substantially parallel manner to the axis of the first passageway  33  (not shown). Also visible in  FIG. 9A  is the threaded bore hole  17  by which the sliding handle  13  engages the cam member  5 . 
       FIG. 9B  is a side view of the cam member  5 . The side view clearly demonstrates the angle of tapered serrated bottom  6  of the cam member  5 . Once the cam member  5  is in its second position  51  the tapered serrated bottom  6  engagingly grips the inserted rope  41  (not shown). 
       FIG. 9C  is a top view of the cam member  5 . The top view of the cam demonstrates the two sides of the cam member  5  that are parallel with the vertical  8 ,  10  as well as displaying the flat top side that is parallel with the horizontal  12 . In addition, the depth of the bore hole  17  can be viewed. 
       FIG. 10A  demonstrates the portion of the passageway  33  that is formed by the first housing member  1 . In addition the view further illustrates the restricted linear path of the sliding handle  13  (not shown) due to its placement in the slot  15 . 
       FIG. 10B  is a side view of the first housing member  1  of the holding device  2 . The side view of the first housing member  1  best illustrates the lip  35  that articulates with the channel  37  and the ridge  39  of the second housing member  3 . In addition, the side view further illustrates the acute angle of the passageway  33  that is formed by the two housing members  1 ,  3 . 
       FIG. 10C  shows the first housing member  1  of the holding device  2 . 
       FIG. 11  is a full cross-sectional view of the mounted holding device  2 . Apart from detailing the substantially linear motion of the cam member  5  due to the sliding aperture  15 .  FIG. 7  also highlights the mounting of the holding device  2  onto the rail  57  preferred embodiment. The housing device  2  is mounted via three screws  25 ,  29 ,  31 . Screw  25  bolts the housing device  2  to the rail  57  from the top and screws  29  and  31  fix the housing device  2  to the rail  57  from the inside of the rail  57 . In addition, the preferred embodiment depicts the housing device  2  being mounted to a rail  57  and subsequently mounted to a revolute joint  59 . As depicted in  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 11 , the revolute joint  59  is comprised of two members  61  and  63  fixed by a screw  65  which engages with threaded hole  60 . It addition it should be noted that the rail  57 , may be open ended at  58  to permit the insertion of a device such as a fishing rod. The other end (from # 58 ) has a rod extending through the centre to hold the fishing rod in place. However other means could be used to retain the fishing rod handle in the cylindrical holder. The rail  57  would be able to rotate through the range of motion defined by the engagement of members  61  and  63  permitting the fishing rod to be positioned in a desired position. 
     The housing device  2  may be fastened to an assortment of surfaces; flat surfaces such as a wall or a deck as described in  FIGS. 1-4 , or curvilinear surfaces such as the preferred embodiment of the rail  57  as described in  FIGS. 5-11 . Depending on the desired fastening surface, the bottom surface of the housing device  2  may be adjusted accordingly to assist the engagement and fastening of the housing device  2 . 
     Accordingly the present invention describes a cleat for a rope comprising a first housing member  1  engageable with a second housing member  3  so as to define a cavity or passageway  33 . In addition the cleat is comprised of a cam member  5  that is disposed within said passageway  33  for sliding movement between a first position  53  and a second position  51  clamping the rope  41  between the cam member  5  and the bottom of the passageway  33  formed by the engagement of the first housing member  1  and the second housing member  3 . 
     Lastly the present invention describes a method for holding a rope with a device having a housing  2  with a passageway  33  therethrough and a sliding cam member  5  disposed in said passageway  33  for sliding movement from a first position  53  out of the passageway  33  for insertion of a rope member  41 , to a second position  51  into the passageway  33  thereby engagingly clamp the cam member  5  to the rope member  41 , and returning to the first position  53  out of the passageway  33  for removal of the rope member  41  in the passageway  33 . 
     It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that other variations of the preferred embodiment may also be practised without departing from the scope of the invention.