Quick-detachable device for attaching ropes thereto

The present inventive relates to a quick-detachable device for attaching ropes thereto, including a first rope with a hooked end and a second rope with a plain end. The device includes a hollow body having a front opening, a clasp and a chuck both received in the hollow body. The clasp has a ring operable to be turned outward from the front opening of the body for hitching the first rope thereto, while chuck has a first jaw and a second jaw operable to be moved outward from the front opening through the ring for holding the second rope therebetween. In addition, a first actuator is provided for controlling the outward turn of the ring of the clasp from the front opening, and a second actuator is provided for controlling the outward movement of the jaws of the chuck from the front opening. The actuators have respective buttons available from a front face of the hollow body for operating the actuators.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a quick-detachable device for attaching ropes thereto and, more particularly, to a quick-detachable device for attaching ropes, either with a hooked end or with a plain end, thereto.

2. Description of Related Art

A truck is typically provided with hooks along its body for attaching ropes thereto so that a tarpaulin for example may be tightly secured over a load. These hooks are generally not shielded, which brings risks to the surroundings, particularly in traffic accidents when a victim may be gouged by such hooks.

A concealed type device for hitching a rope thereto is known. The device includes a hollow body having a front opening, with a spring-loaded staple received in the hollow body. The spring-loaded staple is operable to be moved outward from the front opening simply by pressing a button on the body. Although the staple may be hidden in the hollow body, it is applicable only to a rope with a hook at its end, which restricts the application of the device.

A concealed-type device for holding a rope therein is also known. This device includes a hollow body formed with a through-hole for allowing a rope to pass therethrough. In this device a toothed, spring-loaded slider is movable in the hollow body between a first position, in which the through-hole is opened, and a second position, in which the rope may be held in the through-hole.

However, this device is applicable only to a rope without a hook at its end, due to the limited diameter of the through-hole. Additionally, the rope is pressed by the toothed slider against a smooth face, which may offer a friction insufficient to hold the rope, particularly when the truck provided with this device is subjected to vibration and rolling.

Therefore, it is an objective of the invention to provide a quick-detachable device for attaching ropes thereto to mitigate and/or obviate the aforementioned problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide a quick-detachable device for attaching ropes, either with a hooked end or with a plain end, thereto.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a quick-detachable device for holding a rope with a plain end securely.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a quick-detachable device with a compact configuration.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a quick-detachable device which is operated easily.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 , there is shown a preferred embodiment of a quick-detachable device in accordance with the present invention for attaching ropes of a vehicle thereto. The quick-detachable device includes a hollow body ( 1 ) with a front opening ( 2 ) for receiving a clasp ( 30 ) and a chuck ( 40 ) therein.

However, the clasp ( 30 ) is operable to be turned outward and the chuck ( 40 ) is operable to be moved outward from the front opening ( 2 ) both by operating buttons ( 51 , 61 ), respectively.

Referring to FIG. 2 , the hollow body ( 1 ) consists of a tubular shell ( 20 ) with a front cover ( 70 ) and a back cover ( 16 ) respectively mounted at front and rear ends thereof.

The tubular shell ( 20 ) includes a front flange ( 21 ) with a plurality of threaded holes ( 212 ), and a chamber ( 23 ) extending through the shell ( 20 ), i.e. from the flange ( 21 ) to the rear end of the shell ( 20 ). The front cover ( 70 ) has a central opening ( 72 ) aligned with the chamber ( 23 ) of the shell ( 20 ), thus forming the front opening ( 2 ) for receiving the clasp ( 30 ).

The clasp ( 30 ) is configured as a ring ( 31 ) formed with two parallel legs ( 32 , 33 ) extending backward therefrom. The ring ( 31 ) is pivotally connected to the tubular shell ( 20 ), by means of a pin ( 341 ) that extends through a transverse hole ( 34 ) of the ring ( 31 ) with two ends of the pin ( 341 ) received in a pair of aligned slots ( 211 ), interrupted by the chamber ( 23 ), of the flange ( 21 ) of the shell ( 20 ).

As illustrated, the clasp ( 30 ) is spring-loaded by a pair of torsion springs ( 35 ) mounted around the pin ( 341 ) at opposed ends thereof. Each of the torsion springs ( 35 ) has a straight shank abutting an inner wall of the shell ( 20 ) and a U-shaped shank abutting a corresponding one of the legs ( 32 , 33 ) of the ring ( 31 ) in such a way that the ring ( 31 ) may be pivotally turned by the action of the springs ( 35 ) away from a nestle ( 25 ) and outward from the central opening ( 72 ) of the front cover ( 70 ), as best shown in FIG. 5 , unless the ring ( 31 ) is retained in place at the nestle ( 25 ) in the chamber ( 223 ) of the shell ( 20 ).

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3 , the flange ( 21 ) of the tubular shell ( 20 ) has a pair of cavities ( 213 , 214 ) defined respectively at two sides of the chamber ( 23 ). The first one of the cavities ( 213 , 214 ) is provided for receiving a first actuator ( 50 ) that normally retains the ring ( 31 ) in place in the chamber ( 23 ) of the tubular shell ( 20 ).

In the illustrated embodiment, the first actuator ( 50 ) includes the first button ( 51 ), which is mentioned above with reference to FIG. 1 . The first button ( 51 ) is movable in the first cavity ( 213 ) between an upper position and a lower position, and has a first bore ( 53 ) for receiving a first helical spring ( 54 ) to urge the button ( 51 ) to the upper position.

The first actuator ( 50 ) further includes a bar ( 52 ) laterally extending from the button ( 51 ) and adapted to be moved into a channel ( 311 ) defined in an underside of the ring ( 31 ), thereby retaining the ring ( 31 ) in place in the chamber ( 23 ) of the shell ( 20 ), as best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 .

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 4 , retained in the chamber ( 23 ) of the tubular shell ( 20 ) behind the ring ( 31 ) is a guide ( 10 ) that has a front end ( 111 ) and a rear end ( 112 ). The guide ( 10 ) preferably has formed at its rear end ( 112 ) a plurality of tenons ( 15 ) to be held in a rear indentation (not numbered) of the shell ( 20 ), and a pair of lateral extensions ( 151 ) to be engaged with the rear end of the shell ( 20 ). Additionally, the guide ( 10 ) has a through-hole ( 11 ) extending from its front end ( 111 ) to its rear end ( 112 ) for receiving the chuck ( 40 ).

The chuck ( 40 ) includes a first jaw ( 401 ) and a second jaw ( 46 ). The first jaw ( 401 ) has a front end and a rear end, with a pair of spaced arms ( 41 ) extending forward from the front end thereof, and with a plurality of first teeth ( 43 ) formed on the front end between the spaced arms ( 41 ). The second jaw ( 46 ) is pivotally connected to the first jaw ( 401 ) between the spaced arms ( 41 ), by means of a pintle ( 473 ), and has a plurality of second teeth ( 462 ) engagable with the first teeth ( 43 ) of the first jaw ( 401 ).

The second jaw ( 46 ) is additionally spring-loaded by a U-shaped spring ( 47 ) mounted around the pintle ( 473 ). The spring ( 47 ) here is formed with a U-shaped end positioned in a bottom slit ( 461 ) of the second jaw ( 46 ) and with a pair of shanks ( 472 ) positioned in respective narrow slots ( 411 ) of the arms ( 41 ), thereby providing the second jaw ( 46 ) with a tendency to be rotated, relative to the first jaw ( 401 ), to bring the second teeth ( 462 ) closer to the first teeth ( 43 ).

Furthermore, the guide ( 10 ) has a pair of opposed grooves ( 13 ) parallel to and open to the through-hole ( 11 ), while the first jaw ( 401 ) has a pair of wings ( 45 ) extending into and movable along the grooves ( 13 ) of the guide ( 10 ), in order to ensure the correct movement of the chuck ( 40 ) or the assembled jaws ( 401 , 46 ) outward from the central opening ( 72 ) of the front cover ( 70 ) through the ring ( 31 ) of the clasp ( 30 ).

The outward movement of the chuck ( 40 ) is urged by a compression spring ( 17 ) which, preferably received at least partially in a bore ( 44 ) defined in a rear end of the first jaw ( 401 ), is compressed between the first jaw ( 401 ) and the back cover ( 16 ). As a result, the chuck ( 40 ) will be moved outward unless being retained in place in the through-hole ( 11 ) of the guide ( 10 ).

Referring still to FIG. 2 and back to FIG. 3 , the second one of the cavities ( 213 , 214 ) is in communication with the through-hole ( 11 ), such as via a recess ( 215 ) defined in the tubular shell ( 20 ) and a cutout ( 12 ) defined in the guide ( 10 ). The second cavity ( 214 ) is provided for receiving a second actuator ( 60 ) that normally retains the chuck ( 40 ) in place in the through-hole ( 11 ) of the guide ( 10 ).

Similar to the first actuator ( 50 ), the second actuator ( 60 ) includes the second button ( 61 ), which is also mentioned above with reference to FIG. 1 . The second button ( 61 ) is movable in the second cavity ( 214 ) between an upper position and a lower position, and has a second bore ( 63 ) for receiving a second helical spring ( 631 ) that urges the button ( 61 ) to its upper position.

The second actuator ( 60 ), however, further includes a polygonal tumbler ( 64 ) operable to be moved into a notch ( 42 ) defined in one of the arms ( 41 ) of the first jaw ( 401 ), thereby retaining the ring ( 31 ) in place in the chamber ( 23 ) of the shell ( 20 ), as best shown in FIG. 4 .

Now descriptions about the front cover ( 70 ) are to be made. The front cover ( 70 ) is preferably formed with a recess ( 71 ) engaged with the front flange ( 21 ) of the tubular shell ( 20 ) to provide the correct alignment of the central opening ( 72 ) with the chamber ( 23 ). The front cover ( 70 ) is fixed to the tubular shell ( 20 ), by means of screws (only one of them is shown) which extend through a plurality of orifices ( 75 ) of the front cover ( 70 ) and are screwed into the threaded holes ( 212 ) of the flange ( 21 ).

Importantly, the front cover ( 70 ) includes a pair of ports ( 73 , 74 ) in alignment with the cavities ( 213 , 214 ) to allow the buttons ( 51 , 61 ) of the actuators ( 50 , 60 ) to extend therethrough and to project from the front cover ( 70 ), thereby making the two buttons ( 51 , 61 ) available from a front side of cover ( 70 ).

Referring to FIGS. 5 to 7 , the ring ( 30 ) can be pivotally turned outward from the central opening ( 72 ) of the front cover ( 70 ) simply by moving the first button ( 51 ) down, i.e. to its lower position, as shown in FIG. 6 .

The bar ( 52 ) of the first actuator ( 50 ) then follows the downward movement of first button ( 51 ) and is finally moved away from the channel ( 311 ) of the ring ( 31 ). As a result, the ring ( 31 ) is released and is turned outward, about the pin ( 341 ), from the central opening ( 72 ) of the front cover ( 70 ) by the action of the torsion springs ( 35 ), as shown in FIG. 6 . This means that the first actuator ( 50 ) is operable to control the outward turn of the ring ( 31 ) from the opening ( 72 ) of the cover ( 70 ).

At this time, a rope ( 80 ) with a hook ( 81 ) at its end can be hitched to the ring ( 31 ) and, in turn, to where the inventive device is fitted on.

The ring ( 31 ) can be restored by turning it back, about the pin ( 241 ), towards the central opening ( 72 ) of the front cover ( 70 ), and by moving the first button ( 51 ) down once more. As the ring ( 31 ) reaches its destination, the first button ( 51 ) is released and the bar ( 52 ) will be moved, by the compressed first helical spring ( 54 ), into the channel ( 311 ) of the ring ( 31 ), retaining the ring ( 31 ) in place in the tubular shell ( 20 ) again.

Referring to FIGS. 8 to 11 , the chuck ( 40 ) can be moved outward from the central opening ( 72 ) of the front cover ( 70 ) simply by moving the second button ( 61 ) down, i.e. to its lower position, as shown in FIG. 9 .

The tumbler ( 64 ) of the second actuator ( 60 ) then follows the downward movement of the second button ( 61 ) and is finally moved away from the notch ( 42 ) of the first jaw ( 401 ). As a result, the chuck ( 40 ) is released and is moved outward from the central opening ( 72 ) of the front cover ( 70 ) through the ring ( 31 ), by the action of the compression springs ( 17 ), as shown in FIG. 10 . This means that the second actuator ( 60 ) is operable to control the outward movement of the chuck ( 40 ) from the opening ( 72 ) of the cover ( 70 ).

Now, a rope ( 80 ) (as shown in FIG. 5 ) with a plain end can pass through an interspace between the jaws ( 401 , 46 ) after the second jaw ( 46 ) is turned against the action of the U-shaped spring ( 47 ). Once the second jaw ( 46 ) is released, the rope ( 85 ) is securely held between the jaws ( 401 , 46 ) due both to the teeth ( 43 , 462 )) and to the action of the U-shaped spring ( 47 ), which causes the second jaw ( 46 ) to bring the second teeth ( 462 ) as close as possible to the first teeth ( 43 ) of the first jaw ( 401 ).

The chuck ( 40 ) can be restored by moving it back towards the central opening ( 72 ) of the front cover ( 70 ), and by moving the second button ( 61 ) down once more. As the chuck ( 40 ) reaches its destination, the second button ( 61 ) is released and the tumbler ( 64 ) will be moved, by the compressed second helical spring ( 631 ), into the notch ( 42 ) of the first jaw ( 401 ), retaining the ring ( 31 ) in place in the tubular shell ( 20 ) again.

From the above description, it is noted that the invention has the following advantages:

Because of the ring ( 31 ) and the chuck ( 40 ), the inventive device is applicable for the ropes ( 80 ) either with or without the hook ( 85 ).

Because the chuck ( 40 ) is moved outward from the central opening ( 72 ) of the front cover ( 70 ) through the ring ( 31 ), the inventive device can be made in a significantly compact configuration.

Because both the ring ( 31 ) and the chuck ( 40 ) are actuated by moving the buttons ( 51 , 61 ) independently, the inventive device can be operated simply;

4. security in holding the rope ( 85 ):