POSITIONABLE JAM CLEAT

Abstract: A positionable jam cleat for use on a wind propelled vehicle. e.g. a surfboard, comprising a positioning sleeve (12) having an expandable circumference, slidably mounted on a respective one of the booms (30,31) and a cleat sleeve (18) having an inner diameter of a size such that when brought in contact with the outer surface of the positioning sleeve (12), the cleat sleeve (18) will compress the positioning sleeve (12), thereby increasing the frictional engagement of the boom (30,34) by the positioning sleeve (12), and with the cleat sleeve (18) having a jam cleat (20) formed on the outer surface thereof. The positioning sleeve (12) has an open seam (16) extending the length thereof and an inner diameter suffi­ ciently smaller than the outer diameter of the boom (30,31). A lip (14) on the positoning sleeve (12) prevents the cleat sleeve (18) from being drawn over the line-receiving end of the positioning sleeve (12). The jam cleat (20) is formed by a pair of upstanding channel sides (21) on the outer surface of the cleat sleeve (18) and has a row of teeth (22) on the inward facings of the channel sides (21) and a bridge (26) joining the upper edges of the channel sides (21) at the line-receiving end thereof.

Description: BACKGROUND AND SUGARY OF THE INVENTION Wind driven vehicles, e.g., surf boards, having a sail means attached to the vehicle and a pair of curved booms athwart a spar to which the sail means is mounted, and which booms contain the sail and form a hand-hold means for the user of the vehicle, are well known in the art as shown in the patent to the present Applicant, United States Patent No. 3,487,800. Such vehicles typically have the clew-end of the booms joined with a fitting have a siot through which is passed a clew sheet line attached to the clew of the sail, and used for trimming the sail. The clew sheet typically is attached by passing it through the clew of the sail, without knotting it at the clew, and passing the two ends of the clew sheet through the slot in the clew-end boom fitting, with each end being run along a respective boom and fastened at a point along the boom to a cleat. Thus, the user of the vessel, who provides motor fore for the vessel by holding the sail upright against the force of the wind by grasping a respective one of the booms, can trim the sail while grasping either of the booms, simply by loosening the respective end of the clew sheet from the cleat on the boom which the user is grasping and tightening or slackening the clew sheet as desired, followed by again making the clew sheet fast to the cleat. However, with varying wind conditions the position of the user along the boom will vary greatly, thus, making it difficult for the user to reach a single stationary cleat, at least at some times during the sailing of the vehicle. One possible solution would be to have a plurality of cleats spaced along the boom, however, since the user grasps the boom in order to control the sail and the vehicle, the positioning of a plurality of cleats along the boom would serve to hamper the ability of the user to grasp the boom, particularly when the cleats are of the metal variety and protrude significantly outwardly from the surface of the boom. It is thus desirable to have a positionable jam cleat along the boom which is easy for the user of the vehicle to operate to make fast the respective end of the clew sheet, and is also easily and quickly positionable to any of the infinite possible locations along the length of the boom. The present invention relates, therefore, to a positionable jam cleat comprising a positioning sleeve, having an expandable circumference, and slideably mounted on the boom, and a cleat sleeve which has an inner diameter of a size such such that when the cleat sleeve is forced over the positioning sleeve, with the positioning sleeve on the boom, the posi tioning sleeve will be compressed in circumference, thereby increasing the frictional engagement of the boom by the positioning sleeve, and with the cleat sleeve having a jam cleat formed on the outer surface thereof. The positioning sleeve is disclosed in a preferred embodiment to have an open seam extending the length of the positioning sleeve and to have an inner diameter sufficiently smaller than the outer diameter of the boom such that, when the positioning sleeve is placed on the boom, a gap will be formed at the open seam. Sliding the cleat sleeve over the positioning sleeve compresses the positioning sleeve, narrowing this gap, sufficiently to significantly increase the frictional engagement of the boom by the positioning sleeve. Examples of the more important features of the present invention have thus been summarized rather broadly in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are of course additional features of the invention which will be described hereafter and which will also form the subject of the appended claims. Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent with reference to the followinq detailed description-of a preferred embodiment thereof, in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals have been applied to like elements, in which: : BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURE 1 depicts a perspective view of the positioning sleeve and the cleat sleeve of the present invention FIGURE FIGURE 2 is a cross sectional view of the cleat sleeve shown in FIGURE 1, along lines 2-2 of FIGURE 1; FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the positioning sleeve and cleat sleeve in the normal operating configuration on the boom, with one end of a clew sheet made fast in the jam cleat formed on the cleat sleeve; FIGURE 4 shows a partially cut away view of the clew sheet line passing through the clew of the sail, and through the clew-end boom flitting, and with the respective ends thereof made fast in positionable jam cleats according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Turning now to FIGURE 1 a positionable jam cleat 10 according to the present invention is shown in perspective view. The positionable jam cleat 10 has a positioning sleeve 12 and a cleat sleeve 18. The positioning sleeve 12 is of expandable inner diameter and has a annular lip 14 at the clew sheet line-receiving end 15 of the positioning sleeve 12. The positioning sleeve d2 is shown in the embodiment of FIGURE 1 to have an open seam 16 extending along the longitudinal length thereof such that the inner diameter of the positioning sleeve 12 can be expanded by placing the positioning sleeve 12 over one of the respective booms (not shown in FIGURE 1) with the inner surface 17 of the positioning sleeve 12 contacting the boom, as discussed in more detail below. The cleat sleeve 18 has a jam cleat 20 formed on the outer surface thereof. The jam cleat 20 is shown to consist of two upstanding channel sides 20 forming a channel therebetween having a row of teeth 22 on the inwardly facing surfaces of the channel sides 21. At the line receiving end of the cleat sleeve 18 a bridge 26 connects the upper edges of the channel sides 21 to form a line receiving passage 24, into which the clew sheet (not shown in FIGURE 1) is inserted, as more fully described below. The bridge 26 serves to prevent the clew sheet line from pulling away from the teeth 22 of the jam cleat 20, thus insuring that the clew line will be made fast in the jam.cleat 20. The cleat sleeve 18 has an inner surface 28 havingan inner diameter of -a size such that when the cleat sleeve 18 is forced over the positioning sleeve 12, with the positioning sleeve 12 on the boom, the gap 16 will be narrowed, thereby increasing the frictional engagement of the boom by the positioning sleeve 12, and locking the positionable jam cleat 10 in a desired position on the boom. ii FIGURE 2 shows a cross sectional view of the cleat sleeve 18 along lines 2-2 in FIGURE 1. The teeth 22 are shown to be comprised of a row of spaced apart elevated ridges formed in the inwardly facing surface of the respective channel side 21, and at an angle of approximately forty-five degrees to the longitudinal axis of the cleat sleeve 18. The clew line (not shown in FIGURE 2) is inserted through the line receiving passage 24 under the bridge 26 and into the reaion of the jam cleat 20 containing the teeth 22, wherein the teeth engage and lock the clew sheet line at a desired position along the clew sheet line. The positioning sleeve 12 and cleat sleeve 18 are conveniently constructed of a molded plastic material which has the added advantage of facilitating the sliding of the cleat sleeve 18 onto the positioning sleeve 12, with the positioning sleeve 12 on the boom, because of the relatively friction free engagement between the surfaces of the positioning sleeve 12 and cleat sleeve 18. FIGURE 3 shows the positionable jam cleat 10 according to the present invention in place on a boom 30 with the cleat sleeve 18 in place over the positioning sleeve 12. The lip 14 of the positioning sleeve 12 prevents the cleat sleeve 18 from being pulled, by the force exerted on the cleat sleeve 18 due to tension on a clew line 34 engaged by the teeth 22 of the jam cleat 20, over the line-receiving end 15 of the positioning sleeve 12. The clew line 34 passes under the bridge 26 and through the line-receiving passage 24 into the teeth 22 of the jam cleat 20. The bitter end 32 of the clew sheet 34 is shown to k be hanging slacked after passing through and being engaged by the teeth 22 of the jam cleat 20. FIGURE 4 shows a convenient arrangement for the rigging of the clew sheet, which allows for trimming of a sail 32 contained between the booms 30, 31 from a position along either of the booms 30, 31. The booms 30, 31 are joined at the clew-end thereof by a clew-end boom fitting 38. The clew sheet 34 passes through a clew 36 on the sail 32, without being knotted at the clew 36, and both ends of the clew sheet are then passed through an opening 39 (shown in cut away view in FIGURE 4) in the clew-end boom fitting 38, and having curved bearing surfaces 40. The clew sheet line 34 passes over the bearing surfaces 40 and each end thereof is drawn back along the booms 30, 31 and made fast in a positionable jam cleat 10, constructed according to the present invention, and positioned at a desired location on either boom 30, 31. SUMMARY OF THE ADVANTAGES AND SCOPE OF THE PRESENT INVENTION It is will be appreciated that in constructing a. positionable jam cleat according to the present invention, certain significant advantages are provided. In particular, the positionable jam cleat of the present invention provides the user of the vehicle with a jam cleat which is quickly and conveniently positionable to any desired location along the length of the boom, in order to keep the jam cleat within ready reach for trimming the sail when the user is standing one of a number of different possible positions along the boom. The jam cleat does not interfere with the gripping of the boom even at the location of the jam cleat. The bridge at the line-receiving end of the jam cleat enables tightening the clew sheet with one.hand, simply by pulling on the clew sheet generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the jam cleat and releasing the clew sheet, whereupon the teeth of the jam cleat will be in engagement with the clew sheet. Similarly, the clew sheet can be slackened by using one hand to lift the clew sheet out of engagement by the teeth, slackening as desired and re-engaging the clew sheet in the teeth. The foregoing description of the invention has been directed to a particular preferred embodiment in accordance with the requirements of the patent statutes and for the purposes of explanation and illustration. It will be apparent, however, to those skilled in this art that many modifications and changes in both apparatus and method may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. For example, the particular form of the jam cleat itself and the teeth of the jam cleat may be modified to a number cf well known jam cleat forms presently used in the art. Also, the particular rigging of the clew line shown in FIGURE 4 is only one of a number of such riggings well known and used in the art. Further, the particular shape of the positioning sleeve and the cleat sleeve may be modified so long as the positioning sleeve expands in circumference when placed on the boom and the cleat sleeve, when inserted over the positioning sleeve, serves to compress this expanded circumference in order to tighten the positioning sleeve against the boom. Finally, the clew-end boom fitting is illustrative only and may be. modified, e.g., by placing pulleys along or in place of the curved bearing surfaces. It will be further apparent that the invention may also be utilized, with other suitable modifications within the state of the art, which will be apparent to those skilled in this art. It is the applicant's intention in the following claims to cover all such equivalent modifications and variations as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims: WHAT IS CLAIMED IS: 1. A positionable jam cleat tfor, use on a windpropelled vehicle having a sail means, attached to a spar attached to the vehicle, and contained between two curved booms extending athwart the spar, comprising: a positioning sleeve having an expandable circum ference and slideably mounted on the respective boom and having an outer surface; a cleat sleeve having an inner surface and an inner diameter of a size such that when the positioning sleeve is placed on the boom, and the cleat sleeve is placed on the positioning sleeve with the inner surface of the cleat sleeve in contact with the positioning sleeve, the cleat sleeve compresses the positioning sleeve, thereby increasing the frictional engagement between the positioning sleeve and the boom; and, the cleat sleevinq having a jam cleat formed thereon. 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the positioning sleeve has a line-receiving end and an annular lip on the line-receiving end of sufficient size to prevent the cleat sleeve from passing over the line-receiving end of the positioning sleeve. 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the positioning sleeve has a longitudinal open seam extending the length thereof and has an inner diameter sufficiently smaller than the outer diameter of the boom such that when the positioning sleeve is placed on the boom a gap is formed at the open seam of sufficient size, such that, when the cleat sleeve is placed over the positioning sleeve sufficient compression of the positioning sleeve occurs, narrowing the gap, to thereby significantly increase the frictional engagement between the boom and the positioning sleeve. 4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the jam cleat is formed by a pair of upstanding channel sides formed on the outer surface of the cleat sleeve, each having a row of inwardly facing jam cleat teeth. 5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the channel sides are connected at the upper edges of each at the line-receiving end of each by a bridge, which along with the channel sides forms a line passage into the region of the jam cleat containing the teeth. 6. A positionable jam cleat for use on a wind propelled vehicle having a sail means, attached to a spar attacked to the vehicle, and contained between two curved booms extending athwart the spar, comprising: a positioning sleeve having a longitudinal open seam extending the length thereof and an inner diameter suffi ciently smaller than the outer diameter of the boom, such that when the positioning sleeve is placed on the boom, a gap is formed at the open seam; ; a cleat sleeve having an inner surface and an inner diameter of a size such that, when the positioning sleeve is placed on the boom and the cleat sleeve is placed on the positioning sleeve, with the inner surface of the cleat sleeve in contact with the positioning sleeve, sufficient compression of the positioning sleeve occurs, narrowing the gap, to thereby significantly increase the frictional engagement of the boom by the positioning sleeve; the cleat sleeve having a jam cleat formed by a pair of upstanding channel sides formed on the outer surface of the cleat sleeve, each channel "side having an inwardly facing row of teeth; and, the channel sides are connected at a line-receiving end of the jam cleat, on the upper edges of the channel sides, by a bridge, forming with the channel sides a line passage into the region of the jam cleat containing the teeth.

Inventors: SCHWEITZER, HENRY HOYLE
Applicants: SCHWEITZER, HENRY HOYLE
Application year: 1981
Main classification: B63B35
IPC codes: B63B35, B63B21, B63H9