Abstract:
Mooring cleats are mounted on the decks of watercraft and piers adjacent to the water for tying watercraft to piers and to other watercraft. Illumination is provided by forming an elongated groove in the top of the cleat bar center portion or in the cleat housing of a cleat that is pivotally attached to the cleat housing. An illumination member is mounted in the groove. The illumination member can include a tube of trinium gas or a plurality of light emitting diodes. Both light sources provide a visable line that can be seen during periods of reduced visibility. The viable line indicates the location of water and the direction of a safe movement.

Description:
This application claims the benefit of the filing date of the U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/499,121, titled “Mooring Cleat With Illumination,” filed Nov. 18, 2003. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The mooring cleat for mooring watercraft is attachable to a pier or a watercraft and is illuminated to indicate cleat location during periods of low visability. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Piers are potentially dangerous places. Containers, equipment, cargo, ropes, chains and other items are deposited on piers. Some of these items are transferred from watercraft. Other items are awaiting transfer to watercraft. The remainder of items on a pier include equipment for transferring materials to and from watercraft and items for servicing watercraft. Most of these items are moved frequently and are only in one location on a pier temporarily. The edge or edges of a pier are often free of obstructions that could hinder access to or from a watercraft or that could prevent people from falling into the water. 
     A deck of a watercraft may be small, and is often a temporary storage area for ropes, nets, chains and other items relating to the operation or use of a watercraft. Railings and cables to keep people from falling from the deck of a watercraft are frequently minimal or non-existent. 
     Mooring cleats are attached to the edges of both piers and decks to receive lines and secure watercraft to piers. Because these cleats are on the edge of both piers and watercraft adjacent to the water, they indicate a location relative to the water and potential danger. During daylight hours and periods of good visibility, mooring cleats are easy to see and clearly indicate the location of a boundary that should not be crossed unintentionally. 
     During periods of darkness and periods of poor visibility it is difficult or even impossible to see mooring cleats. When the cleats cannot be seen, a person could trip on them and fall. A person could also walk off the edge of a pier or the side of a watercraft if a restraining system is not provided. 
     Piers and watercraft decks are not always well illuminated at night. Bright lights can make it difficult for the helmsman of an approaching watercraft to see what is under or to the rear of a bright light. Illumination on some watercraft is limited. It can be difficult to maintain electrical systems in a marine environment. The helmsman also needs to eliminate any artificial illumination that might interfere with his vision and ability to see other watercraft, piers, and other possible obstructions. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The mooring cleat assembly includes a center cleat section with a center top, a center bottom, a center left end and a center right end. A cleat left arm is integral with the center left end and extends outward from the center cleat section. A cleat right arm is integral with the center right end and extends outward from the center cleat section. At least one column is integral with the center bottom of the center cleat section and extends downward from the center cleat section. An elongated groove is formed in the center top of the center cleat section. An illumination source is mounted in the elongated groove. The illumination source can be tritium gas or a plurality of light emitting diodes. The diodes require a power source. The tritium gas does not require an outside power source. Both light sources are preferably low intensity light sources. 
     A mooring cleat assembly with a mooring cleat housing can also be illuminated. The mooring cleat housing has an upper housing surface, a housing first side, a housing second side, a housing first end, a housing second end, a housing bottom surface adapted to be supported by a deck, and a cleat recess. The cleat recess extends into the mooring cleat housing from the upper housing surface toward the housing bottom surface. A cleat includes a central post with a post upper end and a post free end, a first cantilevered arm integral with the post upper end and extending outward from a post first side, and a second cantilevered arm integral with the post upper end and extending outward from a post second side. A hinge pivot pivotally attaches the post free end to the mooring cleat housing for pivotal movement between a use position and a stowed position in the cleat recess. An elongated groove is provided in the mooring cleat housing. An illumination source is mounted in the elongated groove. The illumination source can be tritium gas or a plurality of light emitting diodes. The illuminated line provided by the light sources provides a warning of potential danger and indicates the directions in which it is safe to move. 
     Low intensity illumination is preferred. High intensity illumination could degrade night vision and may interfere with requirements for watercraft lighting. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and other objects, features and advantages will become more readily apparent in view of the following detailed description and best mode, appended claims and accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  a perspective view of the top of a cleat with illumination; 
         FIG. 2  is an perspective view of the top of an illuminated cleat, with the illumination source removed; 
         FIG. 3  is a vertical sectional view of the illuminated cleat with a radioactive gas illumination source; 
         FIG. 4  is a vertical sectional view of an illuminated cleat with an electrical illumination source; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a surface-mounted collapsible mooring cleat housing and mooring cleat with illumination; 
         FIG. 6  is a vertical transverse sectional view of a surface mounted collapsible mooring cleat with a radioactive gas illumination source; and 
         FIG. 7  is a vertical transverse sectional view of a surface mounted collapsible mooring cleat with an electrical illumination source. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The mooring cleat  10  as shown in  FIGS. 1–4  is a cleat of the type that is attached to the deck of a boat or other watercraft with illumination added. The cleat  10  has a center section  12 , a left arm  14  and a right arm  16 . The center section  12  has a first mooring plate  18  and a second mooring plate  20 . These mooring plates  18  and  20  are integral with the ends of center section  12 . The first mounting plate  18  has mulitple screw bores  22  for screws that clamps the first mounting plate to the deck of a watercraft. The second mounting plate  20  has multiple screw bores  26  for clamping the second mounting plate to the deck of a watercraft. Screws work well in wood. If the deck is some other material, it may be desirable to use bolts or some other mechanical fastener in place of screws. The bores  22 , and  26 , as shown, have beveled sides. The fasteners that are used preferably have heads with a conical surface. The beveled sides permit the heads of the fasteners to be recessed into the first and second mounting plates  18  and  20 . Recessing the fastener heads keeps the area around the cleat free of projections with sharp surfaces that could severe or abrade ropes and other lines used to moor a watercraft. 
     The center section  12  of the mooring cleat  10  has a recess  30  between the mounting plates  18  and  20  as shown in  FIG. 4 . The recess  30  permits water to pass between the mooring plates to ensure that the cleat  10  does not hold water. The recess  30  is formed by a first column  32  and a second column  34 . The first column  32  is integral with one end of the center section  12  and the first mounting plate  18 . The second column  34  is integral with the other end of the center section and the second mounting plate  20 . Together, the first and second columns  32  and  34  and the center section  12  form an arch  36 . The arch  36  holds the cantilevered left arm  14  and the cantilevered right arm  16  above the watercraft surface  37  to which the cleat  10  is secured thereby providing space for a line. The outer surfaces of the cleat  10  are all smooth and arcuate to eliminate sharp surfaces that could damage a line. The mounting plate  18  extends outward from both sides of the first column  32 . The mounting plate  20  extends outward from both sides of the second column  34 . 
     A groove  38  is machined into the top of the center section  12  of the cleat  10 . The groove  38 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , intersects the vertical passage  40  through the first mounting plate  18  and the first column  32 . The groove  38  also intersects the vertical passage  42  through the second mounting plate  20  and the second column  34 . 
     A tube  44  of tritium gas is embedded in a molded transparent or translucent plastic  46 . Tritium gas is a radioactive gas that glows in the dark and when there is reduced visibility. The glow can be in various colors. The glow will continue for about ten (10) years or more. Tritium gas is used in exit signs in commercial buildings and in other uses where safety is involved. 
     The tritium gas can be replaced by a glow rod. A glow rod is a plastic material that glows when light is received from an external source. Glow rods are made from a material similar to the material used to make fiber optic cables. The rod would replace the tube  44 . Light can be transmitted to the glow rod from a diode by a fiber optic cable. The fiber optic cable extends from the end of the tube  44 , through one of the vertical passages  40  or  42 , through the deck and to a diode below the deck. The passage, for a fiber optic member, through the deck can be sealed. One fiber optic cable can transmit light, from one or two light emitting diodes or other light emitters energized by an electrical current, to a number of cleats  10 . 
     A light plurality of emitting diodes  48  or other light emitters can also be mounted in the plastic member  46  or in the groove  38  under a transparent cover. When a diode or other light emitter is mounted directly in the groove  38 , a removable cover for the groove  38  is required to permit diode replacement. Electric wires  49  and  51  are required to extend into the groove  38 . Electrical connectors are difficult to maintain in marine environments. Potting light emitting diodes and their electric terminals in a transparent or translucent material  46  protects the diodes and terminals from water and other environmental conditions. Electrical systems  53  are, however, provided on many watercraft. 
       FIG. 5  shows a surface-mounted collapsible mooring cleat housing  52  that is modified to include an illuminated insert  50 . The housing  52  is designed to be used on piers. The cleat  54  mounted in the housing  52  folds down into the housing as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,438,944 to Burke. When the cleat  54  is folded down there is little chance of a person tripping and falling on the cleat or the cleat housing  52 . Forklift trucks and other wheeled vehicles can move over the low-profile housing without difficulty. 
     The illuminated insert  50  is mounted in a groove  56  formed in the cleat housing  52 . The groove  56  is preferably in a surface  58  that is lower than the top surface  60  of the cleat housing  52 . 
     The insert  50 , as shown in  FIG. 6 , extends out of the groove  56  and is below the top surface  60  of the housing  52  to protect the insert and to position the insert where it can be seen by people on the pier  62 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , the illuminated insert  50  is also on the opposite side of the housing  52  from the water edge  64  of the pier  62 . The illuminated insert  50  can be illuminated by a radioactive material such as tritium gas in a tube  44  or by a glow rod. A glow rod of fiber optic material can provide illumination as described above. Light emitting diodes  48  can also be employed as the illumination source, if desired, as described above. 
     The cleat  54  includes a central post  66 , a left cantilevered arm  68  and a right cantilevered arm  70 . Both arms  68  and  70  are integral with the central post  66 . The lower end of the central post  66  is pivotally attached to the cleat housing  52  by a horizontal pivot pin  72 . The pivot pin  72  permits the cleat  54  pivot, from a vertical use position shown in  FIG. 6 , ninety degrees to a horizontal stowed position in a recess  74 . When in the horizontal position, the cleat does not extend above the surface  60 . 
     The cleat housing  52  is clamped to the edge of a pier by screws or bolts that pass through bores  55 . The deck of a pier is generally wood planks. Wood planks can accommodate bolts and screws. If the pier has a concrete top, mechanical fasteners are available to clamp the housing  52  in place. The tritium gas works well for illuminating the insert  50 . Diodes and other illumination devices can be used as described above, if a power source is available. It can be difficult, however, to add wiring or fiber optics to an existing pier. 
     Cleats  10  are generally attached to the deck of a watercraft adjacent to an edge on either side, the stern or the bow. Cleats  52  on a pier are generally clamped in place adjacent to an edge of the pier in the area where ships dock. The illumination of these cleats  10  and  52  help a person locate the cleats during periods of reduced illumination. Illuminated cleats also indicate where the edge of a watercraft or pier is located during periods of darkness thereby warning a person that there is a danger of falling into the water. 
     The disclosed embodiment is representative of a presently preferred form of the invention, but is intended to be illustrative rather than definitive thereof. The invention is defined in the claims.