Mooring device

A mooring device comprising a base adapted to be fastened to a surface of a dock or boat deck for mooring a boat. An arm extends up from the base generally adjacent one end of the base and converges toward the opposite end of the base thereby to define, in conjunction with the base, a space for retaining a mooring line. The arm converges toward the base to a point where it is relatively closely spaced to the base thereby to form a mouth through which a mooring line may be passed inwardly into the line-retaining space. A finger is provided on the arm adjacent the mouth inclined downwardly and inwardly toward the line-retaining space. The arm is spring biased from an open position in which the mouth is relatively wide open and the finger is spaced from the base a distance sufficient to permit passage of a mooring line inwardly through the mouth between the retaining member and the base into the line-retaining space, toward a closed position in which the mouth is relatively closed and the finger is spaced from the base a distance less than the diameter of the line for blocking passage of the mooring line outwardly through the mouth.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates generally to mooring devices, and more particularly 
to such a device for quickly mooring a boat to a dock. 
Heretofore, small boats have generally been moored to docks by mooring 
lines, and this has presented certain problems. For example, excess 
portions of such mooring lines are typically left in large piles on the 
dock, where they are likely to become entangled with a person's feet. 
Moreover, when the mooring lines are tied by inexperienced boaters, 
"granny knots" are frequently used and this type of knot tends to loosen, 
thereby allowing the boat to slip away from the dock. As a result, there 
is a need for a device for conveniently and securely mooring small 
recreational boats to a dock. 
Various mooring devices have been developed for mooring large boats to a 
dock. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,143,613 discloses docking apparatus 
designed to allow the operator of a boat to secure the boat to a dock 
without leaving the controls of the boat. A hooked arm extending from the 
side of the boat is provided to snag and hold a mooring line suspended 
from a post on the dock. U.S. Pat. No. 2,764,792 discloses a "pelican type 
mooring hook" attached to one end of a mooring line, the hook having a 
spring-operated closure member for securing the hook to a mooring ring on 
a bouy. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,813,122; 3,763,815; and 1,281,336 also disclose 
mooring devices. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Among the several objects of the invention may be noted the provision of a 
mooring device for quickly and securely mooring a boat to a dock; the 
provision of such a mooring device which facilitates easy and quick 
disconnection of mooring lines; the provision of such a mooring device 
which is adapted to retain the looped end of a mooring line; the provision 
of such a mooring device which avoids piling excess mooring line on a dock 
or boat thereby to keep the dock and/or boat neat; and the provision of 
such a mooring device which is durable and inexpensive. 
Generally, a mooring device of the present invention comprises a base and 
means for fastening the base to a surface, such as the surface of a dock 
or boat deck. An arm is provided extending up from the base generally 
adjacent one end of the base and converging toward the opposite end of the 
base thereby to define, in conjunction with the base, a space for 
retaining a mooring line. The arm converges toward the base to a point 
where it is relatively closely spaced to the base thereby to form a mouth 
through which a mooring line may be passed inwardly into the 
line-retaining space. A finger is provided on the arm adjacent the mouth 
inclined downwardly and inwardly toward the line-retaining space. The arm 
is spring biased from an open position in which the mouth is relatively 
wide open and the finger is spaced from the base a distance sufficient to 
permit passage of a mooring line inwardly through the mouth between the 
retaining member and the base into the line-retaining space, toward a 
closed position in which the mouth is relatively closed and the finger is 
spaced from the base a distance less than the diameter of the line for 
blocking passage of the mooring line outwardly through the mouth. 
Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out 
hereinafter.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Referring now to the drawings, a mooring device of the present invention is 
designated in its entirety by the reference numeral 1. Mooring device 1 is 
especially adapted for holding a mooring line 3 (shown in phantom) to 
secure a boat (not shown) to a surface, such as the surface 5 of a dock or 
boat deck. 
As shown in FIG. 1, the mooring device 1 generally comprises a base or body 
member 7 and a spring arm generally indicated at 9. The arm 9 is formed of 
resilient metal wire bent to form, in conjunction with the base 7, a 
line-retaining space 11 and a mouth 13 through which mooring line 3 may be 
passed inwardly into the line-retaining space. "Inwardly" and "outwardly" 
are herein defined with respect to line-retaining space 11, e.g., pulled 
inwardly means pulled into the line-retaining space. Means, such as 
threaded studs 14 and nuts 15, is provided for fastening the base 7 to 
surface 5. 
More specifically, the arm 9 comprises two generally J-shaped arm members 
16 and 17 (e.g., of bent metal wire) extending laterally outwardly from 
opposite sides of the base 7 adjacent one end 19 of the base (the right 
end as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2). The arm members 16 and 17 are bent toward 
the right end 19 of the base and then upwardly from the base to form 
smoothly curving bights 20 at the right end of the line-retaining space 
11. From the upper ends of respective bights 20, the arm portions 16 and 
17 extend or converge toward the opposite (left) end 21 of the base 7 to a 
point 23 where they are relatively closely spaced to the base to form 
mouth 13. The arm members 16 and 17 also converge toward each other in the 
direction away from the bights 20 until at the mouth 13, they are spaced 
apart a distance approximately equal to the width or diameter of one arm 
member. An outer free end portion 25 of the arm 9 flares upwardly and 
outwardly from the mouth 13 for guiding the line 3 into the mouth. 
Finger means comprising a finger 27 is provided on the arm 9 adjacent the 
mouth 13. Finger 27 is inclined downwardly and inwardly toward the 
line-retaining space 11 and is received in a recess 29 formed in the base 
7 adjacent the left end 21 of the base to prevent mooring line 3 from 
being pulled outwardly from the line retaining space. The finger 15 may be 
formed of metal wire similar to that of the arm 9. Preferably, the finger 
15 is attached to the outer free end portion 25 of the arm 9 between arm 
members 16 and 17, the finger 15 extending toward the base 7 in a plane 
generally parallel to the outer free end portion of the arm. The free end 
31 of the finger 15 may be configured to facilitate pulling the mooring 
line 3 inwardly past the finger, as by, for example, being cut or bevelled 
at a diagonal to the central longitudinal axis of the finger, as shown in 
the drawings. 
The arm 9 is spring-biased toward a closed position (FIG. 1) in which the 
mouth 13 is relatively closed and the finger 27 is received in recess 29 
in the base 7 for blocking passage of the mooring line 3 outwardly through 
the mouth. The arm 9 is movable against the spring bias from the closed 
position to an open position (FIG. 3) in which the mouth 13 is relatively 
wide open and the finger 27 is spaced a distance from the base 7 
sufficient to permit passage of a mooring line 3 inwardly through the 
mouth between the finger and the base into the line-retaining space 11. It 
will be understood that, in order to block passage of the mooring line 3 
when the arm is in the closed position, the finger 27 must be spaced from 
the base 7 a distance less than the diameter of the line. Thus, while 
recess 29 provides additional security, it is not essential to the 
operation of the invention. 
Preferably, a safety member 33 is provided to prevent a mooring line from 
being inadvertently pulled inwardly into the line-retaining space 11. The 
safety member 33 is pivotably connected to the outer free end portion 25 
of the arm 9, and is pivotable from a closed position (FIG. 1) wherein it 
blocks passage of a line inwardly through the mouth 13, to an open 
position (FIG. 3) to permit passage of the line 3 inwardly through the 
mouth. 
FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate a second embodiment of the mooring device, 
generally designated 1A. This device generally corresponds to the device 
shown in FIGS. 1-4, the principal differences being that the base, here 
designated 7A, comprises two generally parallel spaced-apart legs 35 and 
37 (e.g., of metal wire) integrally formed with one another and mounted on 
a cylindrical member 39. The arm 9A comprises two generally parallel 
spaced-apart arm members 16A and 17A integrally formed with the legs 35 
and 37 and extending upwardly from the legs to form bights 20A at the 
right end of the line-retaining space 11A. Finger 27A has a free end 31A 
adapted to be received in the space between the legs 35 and 37 when the 
arm is in its closed position. The finger 27A is formed of metal wire 
having a diameter slighlty less than the space between the legs 35 and 37. 
A circular portion 41 of the legs 35 and 37 is received in a 
circumferential groove in the cylindrical member 39 to securely fasten the 
base 7A to the cylindrical member. The cylindrical member 35 has an 
coaxial bore (not shown) for receiving a bolt 43 to fasten the mooring 
device 1A to surface 5A. 
Before attaching the mooring line 3 to the mooring device 1 or 1A, a loop 
45 is formed at the end of the line for connection to the device. Then, to 
attach the mooring line 3 to the mooring device 1, the safety member 33 is 
pivoted to its open position (FIG. 3), and loop 45 is pulled inwardly 
through mouth 13, 13A into the line-retaining space 11, 11A (see FIG. 2). 
The safety member 33, 33A is then pivoted to its closed position (FIG. 1) 
to prevent the loop 45 from accidentally disengaging itself from the 
device, it being understood that if the loop were to be again pulled 
inwardly through the mouth 13, 13A, the loop would release itself from the 
mooring device (e.g., see FIG. 4). To remove the line 3 from the mooring 
device, the safety member 33, 33A is pivoted to its open position (FIGS. 3 
and 4), and a portion of the loop 45 is then pulled inwardly through the 
mouth 13, 13A to release the line from the mooring device. 
It will be observed that, in addition to mooring small and large boats, the 
mooring device 1 has many other potential applications where a line must 
be quickly and securely attached to a surface. 
In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the 
invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained. 
As various changes could be made in the above constructions without 
departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter 
contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings 
shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.