FOLDING ANCHOR

Abstract: A foldable anchor comprises a shank (1) having mutually perpendicular pivots (A & B) at opposite ends. Pivot (A) supports arms (2) and pivot (B) supports stock arms (5). The pairs of arms may be folded against the shank or opened to operable position. Lever clips (4A and 4B) may be slid along the shank and clamped to it (using an overcentre action) to maintain the arms in the operable position. Alternatives described show an anchor in which one of the pairs or arms is mounted midway along the shank and anchors in which rings (held in position by pins passing through the shank) or detachable chains are used to maintain the arms in both open and folded positions. The folded anchor is stored inside a tube which may be rotatably mounted to facilitate the storage of anchor cable thereon.

Description: - I - FOLDING ANCHOR TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to anchors and more particularly to folding anchors. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION In one form the present invention provides a folding anchor comprising a shank member having a first transverse pivot adjacent one end pivotally supporting an opposed pair of arms, which arms are pivotal between a folded position against said shank and an operable position projecting transversely of said shank, locking means associated with said arms and adapted to secure said arms relative to said shank to prevent inadvertent folding of said arms after said arms have been folded to their operable position and permit folding of said arms against said stock when released from its locking position, and a further transverse pivot adjacent the other end of said shank, said further transverse pivot being substantially perpendicular to said first transverse pivot and pivotally supporting an opposed pair of stockarms which are pivotal between folded and operable positions relative to said shank. Preferably, the stock arms are lockable in their operable position to prevent inadvertent folding when in use. A preferred form of folding anchor has separate slidable clips for securing the arms and stock arms in folded and operable positions. In another embodiment the shank is formed as a hollow tubular part that can be filled with different amounts of ballast, e.g. concrete or lead, thereby enabling a single size of anchor to suit a wide variation of size of water craft. A further aspect of the present invention provides a store for a folding anchor comprising a hollow tubular member adapted to contain a folded anchor, said tubular member having means for attaching same to a surface and for restraining said folded anchor against inadvertent removal therefrom. A preferred form of folding anchor store comprises a rotatable reel portion surrounding said tubular member for winding up and storing anchor rope or chain attached to a folding anchor to be housed within the store. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Fig. 1 is a side view of a ξirst embodiment folding anchor of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a view II-II of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a view III-III of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a side view of second embodiment of the invention; Fig. 5 is another side view of the embodiment of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is the view V-V ofxFig. 5; Fig. 7 is the side view of a holder for storing the anchor of Figs. 1-3 or 4-6 when in its folded condition; Fig. 8 is the end view VIII-VIII of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a side view of a further form of holder for storing an anchor of Figs. 1 - 3 or 4 - 6 when in its folded condition; Fig. 10 is the end view X - X of Fig. 9; Fig. 11 shows plan and sectional views of a clip as employed in the embodiment of Figs. 4-6; Figs. 12, 13 and 14 show a third embodiment corresponding to the views of Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the first embodiment; Fig. 15 is an end elevation of a further holder for storing a folding anchor; Fig. 16 is a side elevation of the holder of Fig. 15; Figs. 17 - 19 are views of a fourth anchor embodiment corresponding to the views of Figs. 1 - 3 of the first embodiment; and Fig. 20 is the view XX - XX of Fig. 19. BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Referring to Figs. 1-3 there is shown a folding anchor comprising a shank 1 having pivots A and B at opposite ends. The pivots A, B being transverse to the shank and mutually perpendicular. Pivot A supports a pair of foldable arms 2 which are shown in dashed outline in their folded position and solid outline in their operable position. Lever clips 4A, 4B operate so that they clamp against shank 1 when lever arm 4' is folded against shank 1 as shown and release from the shank when lever arm 4' is raised perpendicular to shank 1. Security of clamping against shank 1 being provided by an over centre camming action of lever arm 4*. As can be seen to permit folding of arms 2 the clamping action of clip 4A is released by lever arm 4* and clip 4A is slid along shank 1 to the position indicated by dashed outline, whereafter arms 2 can be folded to lie against shank 1 as shown by their dashed outline. As shown in Fig. 2 the arms 2 are mounted by common pivot A on shank 1 in the manner depicted. The stock arms 5 as shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 5 and arms 2 in Fig. 4 being mounted in an identical fashion about their respective pivots on shank 1 as are the arms 2 as shown in Fig. 2. The unfolding and folding operation of stock arms 5 is the same as described in relation to arms 2. An anchor chain ring 3 is also provided around top pivot B. The folding and unfolding operation of the anchor of the second embodiment of Figs. 4 to 6 is substantially the same as for that of Figs. 1 to 3. However in this example a different form of clip 6 is provided. In this case clip 6 not only functions to hold arms 2 and stock arms 5 in their respective operable positions but also in ensures retention of same against shank 1 when in their folded positions. In this case also the extent to which arms 2 and stock 5 unfold is limited by projections 7 and 8, respectively, rather than the edges of - ~ shank 1 as for the previous embodiment. Clips 6 comprise ring members 6' having a flared portion 6" forming recesses for securing the free ends of arms 2 and stock arms 5 when folded, and being operable so that by removal of locking pins 9 they are readily slidable along shank 1 to their other locking positions which are provided by slots through the shank which cooperate with locking pins 9. Details of a clip arrangement are shown more clearly in Fig. 10. Fig. 7 shows a tubular anchor store 10 for the anchor of Figs. 1 to 3 or-4 to 6. Storage means 10 comprise a tubular body 11 having mounting lugs 12 which enable the storage means to be bolted or otherwise mounted on a deck or similar. Both ends of the tube 11 are open so that a stored anchor readily drains when within storage means 10. To secure the anchor within the tubular body 11 a chain 13 is looped through loop 3 of the anchor and around a mounting lug 12 the ends of the chain 13 being secured together by a shackle 14 as shown or a padlock or other locking means. Figs. 9 and 10 show a further form of tubular anchor store 10 wherein like parts are numbered similarly to the store 10 of Figs. 7 and 8. In this arrangement the tubular body 11 comprises a rotatable drum portion 11a upon which an anchor rope and/or chain 15 is wound. In this way an anchor and all its associated parts such as rope/chain and store are provided as a compact unit which can be readily mounted on or removed from a vessel. Referring to the third embodiment of Figs. 12, 13 and 14 like parts are numbered in corresponding manner to those of Figs. 1 - 3. In this embodiment, however, chains 4 are provided to keep the arms 2 and 5 in their operable position relative to shank 1. When arms 2, 5 are folded to their storage configuration the chains 4 are wrapped around the arms. The chains 4 are fixed to arms 2, 5 by means of shackles or split links which can be readily undone to permit e - D - folding and unfolding of the arms. The section shape of shank 1 of this embodiment is square and the arms have a complementary U-shape section which folds flat against the tubular shank and its opposed arm. Also a loop 7 is provided to which may be attached an additional rope which assists freeing of the anchor when caught on the sea-bed. The tubular anchor store of Figs. 15 and 16 is a modification of that of Figs. 9 and 10 and like parts are denoted by corresponding reference numerals. In this embodiment a large hand reel 16 is provided at each end of the drum 11a which is also provided with drainage holes 17. As viewed in Fig. 15 an anchor of the type of Figs. 12 - 14 is shown stored with the fixed tube 11 around which drum 11a is rotatable on bearings for storing anchor chain thereon between reels 16. Advantageously the anchor stores as shown are supplied in a knock down form so that they can be assembled when required by the consumer. Referring to the anchor of Figs. 17 - 20, which is a modification of the third embodiment, there are provided two downwardly folding arms 2 pivoted about their own pivot A as distinct from common pivot B as in the third embodiment. A through bore C is provided in shank 1 through which chain 4 is passed to hold upper arms 2 in their open position (Figs. 19, 20). Even though the present invention has been described with regard to particular embodiments it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited thereby.

Claims: - b - Claims: 1. A folding anchor comprising a shank member having a first transverse pivot adjacent one end pivotally supporting an opposed pair of arms, which arms are pivotal between a folded position against said shank and an operable position projecting transversely of said shank, locking means associated with said arms and adapted to secure said arms relative to said shank to prevent inadvertent folding of said arms after said arms have been folded to their operable position and permit folding of said arms against said stock when released from its locking position, and a further transverse pivot adjacent the other end of said shank, said further transverse pivot being substantially perpendicular to said first transverse pivot and pivotally supporting an opposed pair of stockarms which are pivotal between folded and operable positions relative to said shank. 2. A folding anchor as claimed in claim 1 comprising separate slidable clips on said shank for securing the arms and stock arms in their respective folded and operable positions. 3. A folding anchor as claimed in claim 2 wherein said clips are lockable at respective folded and operable positions by means of a pin passing through each clip and said shank. 4. A folding anchor as claimed in claims 1 or 2 wherein each said clip is lockable at its respective positions by an over centre action lever.5. A folding anchor as claimed in claim 1 comprising locking means for retaining said stock arms in lockable and operable positions. 6. A folding anchor as claimed in claim 1 or 5 wherein each said locking means comprises a flexible chain or cable adapted to retain its associated arms in open and folded position. 7. A folding anchor as claimed in any one of the previous claims wherein the cross-sectional shape of said shank is circular and the sectional shape of each arm is of a complementary semi-circular shape. 8. A folding anchor as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the cross sectional shape of said shank is box shaped and the sectional shape of each arm is of a complementary U-shape. 9. A folding anchor substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 to 3, 4 to 6, 11 or 12 to 14 of the accompanying drawings. 10. A store for a folding anchor comprising a hollow tubular member adapted to contain a folded anchor, said tubular member having means for attaching same to a surface and for restraining said folded anchor against inadvertent removal therefrom. 11. A store for a folding anchor as claimed in claim 10 wherein said hollow tubular member is rotatably mounted on inner sleeves adapted to support a stored anchor. 12. A store for a folding anchor as claimed in claim 11 wherein said hollow tubular member comprises two spaced apart reels for storing wound on anchor rope or chain therebetween. 13. A store for a folding anchor substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 7 and 8 or 9 and 10 or 15 and 16 of the accompanying drawings.

Inventors: ROENNHOLM KARL JOHAN
Applicants: ROENNHOLM KARL JOHAN
Application year: 1982
Main classification: B63B21
IPC codes: B63B21