Abstract:
A retractable mooring line device comprising a reel for storing and paying off a mooring line, having side walls each comprising a series of notches for receiving a releasable latch. A latch simultaneously engages between notches in both side walls at a substantially right angle to provide a secure, positive locking engagement between the latch and the reel while permitting the latch to be released under the application of relatively little force. In the preferred embodiment the latch may be actuated by a user&#39;s hand or foot and is biased toward the reel by a spring which bears against the housing. The mechanism can be exposed for maintenance or repair simply by removal of the gunnel plate and reinstallation of the gunnel plate does not require special loading of the latch spring.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates to mooring lines. In particular, this invention relates to a retractable mooring line device for a boat or other watercraft. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Mooring or docking a boat conventionally involves tying at least one mooring line between a cleat secured to the boat and a dock, pier, slip or other stationary mooring structure. This can be a difficult and trying task, particularly in rough water where the motion of the boat and slippery wet surfaces can render it difficult to properly secure the mooring line to the boat. 
   Moreover, the boat must be equipped with a mooring line of sufficient length to accommodate various mooring environments, although in many cases only a portion of the mooring line will be required to secure the boat. The excess mooring line can be difficult to stow neatly, and is thus subject to becoming knotted or tangled, or entangled with persons, cargo or equipment on the boat, which can pose both an inconvenience and a hazard. 
   Retractable mooring lines have been proposed, in which a line is wound about a payoff reel and dispensed as needed to moor the boat under the particular mooring conditions encountered at the time. An example of such a device is described and illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,846,090 issued Jul. 11, 1989 to Palmquist, which is incorporated herein by reference, which teaches a spring-loaded reel biased in the take-up direction and provided with a ratchet-type lock that is selectively engaged to ratchet teeth provided along the edges of the reel guide walls, to prevent rotation in the payoff direction when the boat is moored. 
   However, the use of a ratchet-type lock with a spring-loaded payoff reel can cause problems due to the oscillating motion experienced by a moored boat in wavy conditions. Where the mooring structure is above the level of the securing point on the boat, as the boat is lifted upwardly by a wave the tension on the mooring line is temporarily released, which allows the reel to rotate in the take-up direction. As the crest of the wave passes, the boat begins to fall, but in the newly locked position of the reel the mooring line is too short to allow the boat to freely roll off of the wave, causing the boat to list away from the mooring structure. Similarly, where the mooring structure is below the level of the securing point on the boat, when the boat falls into a trough the tension on the mooring line is temporarily released, which allows the reel to turn in the take-up direction and locks the mooring line so that as the crest of the next wave arrives and lifts the boat the mooring line is too short to allow the boat to rise to the crest of the wave, causing the boat to list toward the mooring structure. 
   A retractable mooring line device which provides a positive lock against rotation of the payoff reel in both directions is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,095,075 issued Aug. 1, 2000 to Gordon et al., which is incorporated herein by reference. This device is particularly suitable for light- and medium-duty applications. However, the latch engages only one wall of the payoff reel. A moored boat can be subjected to very high peak forces due to wave action and currents, and repetitive momentary tension on the mooring line is transferred to the payoff reel, which in turn subjects the locking mechanism to high momentary stresses. The payoff reel guide wall becomes subject to shearing or deformation and thus must be formed to a gauge sufficient to resist deformation under ordinary conditions. 
   It would accordingly be advantageous to provide a retractable mooring device with a payoff reel that can be locked in both the payoff and take-up directions and which provides a secure and stable lock simultaneously against both walls of the payoff reel, to effectively double the resistance to deformation of the reel under the stresses normally encountered by a mooring line, but in which the lock can be released with minimal effort. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention overcomes the above disadvantages by providing a retractable mooring line device which locks the payoff reel against rotation in both the payoff and take-up directions. The locking mechanism in the device of the invention is sturdy and stable, yet easy to release. 
   The invention accomplishes this by providing a reel for storing and paying off the mooring line, having side walls each comprising a series of notches for receiving a releasable latch. The latch engages between notches at a substantially right angle, which provides a secure, positive locking engagement between the latch and the reel while permitting the latch to be released under the application of relatively little force. 
   In one preferred embodiment having a generally vertical orientation, and thus suitable for mounting internally within the gunnel or transom of a boat, the latch is actuated by a lever having a broad actuation plate which can be easily actuated by a user&#39;s hand or foot, and engages the reel radially. The latch is preferably biased to a locked position, i.e. with the latch engaging the reel, by a spring which bears against the gunnel plate, and thus the mechanism can be exposed for maintenance or repair simply by removal of the gunnel plate and the gunnel plate can then be reinstalled without requiring special loading or positioning of the latch spring. 
   In a further embodiment which is particularly suitable for mounting horizontally, for example within a pontoon of a pontoon or deck boat or the like, in which the latch is actuated by a button which can be actuated by a user&#39;s hand or foot. In this embodiment the latch moves axially relative to the reel and is provided with a pair of notches which align with the walls of the reel when the latch is in the release position. Preferably the latch is retained by the top plate and biased to the locked position by a spring which bears against the bottom of the housing, so in this embodiment after removing the housing the top plate can be removed and reinstalled without requiring special loading or positioning of the latch spring. 
   The present invention thus provides a retractable mooring line device, comprising a housing comprising side plates, a rotatable reel comprising sidewalls affixed in spaced relation to a hub, rotatably mounted to the side plates of the housing so that the reel is capable of rotating in two directions, the sidewalls each having a peripheral edge and a series of notches about each peripheral edge, and a locking mechanism comprising a latching member comprising a latch positioned and configured to move radially relative to the reel, between an unlocked position in which the latch disengages from the reel and a locked position in which the latch engages at least one of the series of notches about the peripheral edge of each of the side walls of the reel engaging both sidewalls to prevent rotation of the reel in both of the two directions, whereby when the latch is engaged to the notches of both sidewalls the reel is prevented from rotation in both of the two directions, and when the latch is disengaged from the notches of both sidewalls the reel is capable of rotation in two directions. 
   The present invention further provides a retractable mooring line device, comprising a housing comprising side plates and a gunnel plate affixed to a top edge of each side plate, a rotatable reel comprising sidewalls affixed in spaced relation to a hub, rotatably mounted to the side plates of the housing so that the reel is capable of rotating in two directions, the sidewalls each having a peripheral edge and a series of notches about each peripheral edge, and a locking mechanism comprising a latching member comprising an actuating plate exposed to an exterior of the housing and a latch disposed on opposed sides of the hub, the latch being positioned and configured to move radially relative to the reel, between an unlocked position in which the latch disengages from the reel and a locked position in which the latch engages at least one of the series of notches about the peripheral edge of each of the sidewalls of the reel engaging both sidewalls to prevent rotation of the reel in both of the two directions, the latching member comprising a spring bearing against the gunnel plate and urging the latch toward the locked position, whereby when the latch is engaged to the notches of both sidewalls the reel is prevented from rotation in both of the two directions, and when the latch is disengaged from the notches of both sidewalls the reel is capable of rotation in two directions. 
   The present invention further provides a retractable mooring line device, comprising a housing comprising side plates, a rotatable reel comprising sidewalls affixed in spaced relation to a hub, rotatably mounted to the side plates of the housing so that the reel is capable of rotating in two directions, the sidewalls each having a peripheral edge and a series of notches about each peripheral edge, and a locking mechanism comprising a latching member comprising a latch positioned and configured to move radially relative to the reel, between an unlocked position in which the latch disengages from the reel and a locked position in which the latch engages at least one of the series of notches about the peripheral edge of each of the sidewalls of the reel engaging both sidewalls to prevent rotation of the reel in both of the two directions, the latching member further comprising an actuating plate exposed to an exterior of the housing, the actuating plate and the latch being disposed on opposite sides of a hub, and the hub of the latching member is pivotally secured to the housing adjacent to the reel, whereby when the latch is engaged to the notches of both sidewalls the reel is prevented from rotation in both of the two directions, and when the latch is disengaged from the notches of both sidewalls the reel is capable of rotation in both of the two directions. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     In drawings which illustrate by way of example only preferred embodiments of the invention, 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the retractable mooring line device according to the invention, having a generally vertical orientation. 
       FIG. 2  is an end elevation of the device of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  is a partially exploded view of the device of  FIG. 1  with one side plate removed to expose the moving parts of the device. 
       FIG. 4  is a partially exploded view of the reel and reel mounting mechanism. 
       FIG. 5  is an exploded view of a preferred embodiment of a spring for loading the reel. 
       FIG. 6  is an exploded perspective view of the spring and the reel. 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the latching member. 
       FIG. 8  is a side elevation of the device of  FIG. 1  with one side plate removed, showing the device in a fully unlocked position. 
       FIG. 9  is a side elevation of the device of  FIG. 1  with one side plate removed, showing the device in a locked position; and 
       FIG. 10  is a side elevation of the device of  FIG. 1  with one side plate removed, showing the device in a locked position with the safety latch engaged. 
       FIG. 11  is a perspective view of a further embodiment of the retractable mooring line device according to the invention, having a generally horizontal orientation. 
       FIG. 12  is a perspective view of the embodiment of  FIG. 11  with the top plate removed. 
       FIG. 13  is a side elevation of the embodiment of  FIG. 11 , showing the latch in the locked position. 
       FIG. 14  is a side elevation of the embodiment of  FIG. 11 , showing the latch in the release position. 
       FIG. 15  is an end elevation of the embodiment of  FIG. 11 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIGS. 1 and 2  illustrate a first embodiment of the retractable mooring line device according to the invention. The device comprises a housing  10  comprising side plates  12 ,  14  and a gunnel plate  16 . The side plates  12 ,  14  are connected in spaced relation as by bolts  10   a  extending through spacer sleeves  10   b , leaving sufficient clearance to allow free rotation of the reel  20 . 
   The gunnel plate  16  is preferably affixed to flanges  12   a ,  14   a  of the respective side plates  12 ,  14 , as by bolts  16   a  with countersunk heads exposed for removal in case the device requires maintenance or repair. An opening  16   c  is provided in the gunnel plate  16  for the mooring line  2 , shown in phantom in  FIG. 1 , to pass out of the housing  10 . 
   All components of the device are preferably composed of stainless steel, except as otherwise indicating in the following description. However, it will be appreciated that other materials may be suitable for any particular application, for example aluminium or plastic may be used for light duty applications, and the invention is not intended to be limited thereby. 
   The device may be housed in a plastic or fibreglass cup or casing  8 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , which provides a drainage outlet  8   a  to allow water to drain directly out of the hull of the watercraft, for example through a flexible hose  8   b.    
   The reel  20 , illustrated in  FIG. 4 , comprises a pair of side walls  22 ,  24  connected by (for example welded to) a hub  26 . The hub  26  fits snugly over a main bushing  28 , which is preferably composed of a self lubricating high density plastic, which in turn mounts over an axle or pin  30  rotationally fixed relative to the side plates  12 ,  14  of the housing  10 . The hub  26  is rotationally locked to the main bushing  28  by one or more locking pins  26   a , and the bushing  28  remains free to rotate on pin  30 . 
   The reel is preferably spring loaded for automatic retraction when the locking mechanism (described below) is released. A spring  40 , illustrated in  FIG. 5 , has a first anchoring end  40   a  for engaging a slot  30   a  or other engaging means at one end of the pin  30 , and a second anchoring end  40   b  for engaging a slot  26   b  or other engaging means in the hub  26 . Preferably the hub  26  is provided with a plurality of evenly spaced slots  26   b , so that the spring can be fixed to the hub  26  in one of a number of positions without requiring rotation of the reel  20  into a specific position. Also, preferably the spring  40  is contained within a casing  41  comprising a body  42  and a lid  44 , composed of the same self lubricating plastic as the bushing  28 . The casing  41  serves to both contain the spring against dislodgement when the reel  20  is removed from the housing  10  for servicing and to protect the spring  40  from salt water and the elements. 
   The encased spring  40  is thus inserted into the main hub  26  as shown in  FIG. 6 . It will be appreciated that the main bushing  28  has an axial length less than that of the hub  26 , leaving sufficient space for the spring casing  41  to fit fully within the hub  26 . 
   In the preferred embodiment the pin  30  is rotationally fixed relative to the side plates  12 ,  14  by a square end  30   b , best seen in  FIG. 1 , which fits into a square opening in the side plate  12  and thus locks the pin  30  against rotation relative to the housing  10 . The reel  20  (and concurrently the main bushing  26  and spring casing  42 ) rotate around the pin  30 . 
   In the preferred embodiment the locking mechanism comprises a latching member  50 , illustrated in  FIG. 7 , comprising an actuating plate  52  and a latch  54  disposed on opposite sides of a hub  56 . The latching member  50  is engaged to the side plates  12 ,  14  as by pin  50   a , seen in  FIG. 3 , so that as the actuating plate  52  is depressed into the housing  10  the latch  54  moves away from the side walls  22 ,  24  to unlock the reel  20 . 
   An opening  16   b  is provided in the gunnel plate  16  to expose the latching member  50 , preferably approximating the peripheral configuration of the actuating plate  52  for aesthetic reasons and to keep dirt out of the housing  10 . 
   A series of notches  60  is formed in the periphery of each of the side walls  22 ,  24  of the reel  20 . Preferably the notches  60  are provided entirely around the periphery of each sidewall  22 ,  24 , to maximize the number of positions in which the device can lock, separated by sufficient material to withstand the forces normally encountered by the watercraft when moored. The latch  54  is configured to simultaneously engage one of the notches  60  in each of the side walls  22 ,  24  of the reel  20 . The latch  54  thus extends substantially across the entire interior of the housing  10 , which both ensures that the latch  54  engages both side walls  22 ,  24  and allows some deflection of the latching member  50  without dislodging the latch  54  from the notches  60 . 
   The latching member  50  is accordingly mounted adjacent to the gunnel plate  16 , so as to pivot between the position in which the latch  54  is disengaged from the notches  60  as shown in  FIG. 8 , which allows the reel  20  to rotate freely, and a position in which the latch  54  is engaged within a notch  60  in each side wall  22 ,  24 , as shown in  FIG. 9 , to lock the reel  20  against rotation in both directions. In the preferred embodiment the latching member  50  is mounted such that the actuating plate  52  is flush with the gunnel plate  16  when the device is in the locked position shown in  FIG. 9 , and the latch  54  engages each notch  60  in a substantially perpendicular orientation. 
   Preferably the latching member  50  is spring biased to the locking position, so that the device locks automatically unless the actuating plate  54  is being depressed. In the preferred embodiment this is accomplished by affixing to the latching member  50  as by rivets or any other suitable means, a spring  70 , for example a leaf spring. Spring  70  is oriented such that the free end  72  of the spring  70  engages against the underside of the gunnel plate  16 . The pressure applied by the spring  70  can be optimized by separating the free end  72  of the spring  70  into a series of fingers  70   a ,  70   b ,  70   c , the width of each being selected so that the cumulative force supplied by the fingers  70   a ,  70   b ,  70   c  provides the desired resistance to disengagement of the latching member  50 . This ensures that the latch  54  does not become dislodged from the notch  60  inadvertently, but at the same time minimizes the pressure required to release the latching member  50 . 
   In the preferred embodiment a maintenance lock  80  is also provided, rotatably mounted between the side plates  12 ,  14  as by a pin  82 , in a position adjacent to the reel  20 . The maintenance lock  80  can thus be pivoted from the unlocked position, as shown in  FIG. 9 , to a locked position shown in  FIG. 10  in which the reel  20  is prevented from rotating regardless of the position of the latching member  50 . During normal operation of the device the maintenance lock  80  is retained in the unlocked position by a boss or stud  84  projecting from the side plate  12  and/or  14  into a hole  83  in the maintenance lock  80 . During maintenance or servicing the maintenance lock  80  can be rotated to the locked position and retained in the unlocked position by a boss or stud  85  projecting from the side plate  12  and/or  14  into the hole  83  in the maintenance lock  80 . The maintenance lock  80  is provided solely to prevent the reel  20  from uncoiling during servicing or repair activities, and is not used in normal operation. 
   In use, the gunnel plate  16  is attached to the side plate flanges  12   a ,  14   a  by bolts  16   a . The reel  20  is rotated a sufficient number of revolutions to retract the mooring line,  2  and the mooring line  2  is passed through the opening  16  and attached to the reel  20 . When the reel  20  is released the spring  40  rotates the reel in the take-up direction and the mooring line  2  is automatically loaded onto the hub  26 . The device is optionally placed in a water-catching container  8  and mounted into the gunnel  4  of a boat (shown in phantom in  FIG. 2 ), preferably so that the upper surface of the gunnel plate  16  is flush with the gunnel  4 , and secured in place as by screws, rivets or other suitable fastening members (not shown) through holes  16   d.    
   When the watercraft is to be moored, the actuating plate  52  of the latching member  50  is depressed, which may be conveniently effected by the user&#39;s foot. The mooring line  2  is drawn out to the required length and affixed to a dock or other mooring structure (not shown). The spring  40  winds tighter as the mooring line  2  is drawn out, because the end  40   a  engaging the pin  30  remains stationary while the end  40   b  rotates with the hub  26 . The actuating plate  52  is released and the latch spring  70  urges the latch  54  into the next nearest notches  60  of the respective sidewalls  22 ,  24  of the reel  20 , thus locking the reel  20  against rotation. 
   To retract the mooring line  2 , the actuating plate  54  is depressed to disengage the latch  54  from the notches  60 . The spring  40  rotates the reel  20  in the retracting direction to retract the mooring line  2  back onto the reel  20  for storage. 
     FIGS. 11 to 15  illustrate a further embodiment of the retractable mooring line device according to the invention. This embodiment has a generally horizontal orientation, which is particularly suitable for mounting on a watercraft via housing flange  10   a , for example onto the frame between pontoons of a pontoon boat or the like. In this embodiment a latch  90  comprises a latch plate  92  having notches  94  (best seen in  FIG. 13 ) large enough to allow the sidewalls  22 ,  24  of the reel  20  to pass freely through the notches  94 , and spaced apart a distance corresponding to the spacing between the sidewalls  22 ,  24 . The latch  90  is slidably disposed through an opening (not shown) in the top plate  16  at any suitable position adjacent to the reel  20 , and movable between a locked position, shown in  FIG. 13 , with the button  96  raised from the top plate  16  and the notches  94  out of alignment with the reel sidewalls  22 ,  24 ; and a release position, shown in  FIG. 14 , with the button  96  depressed and the notches  94  in alignment with the reel sidewalls  22 ,  24 . 
   Preferably the latch  90  is biased to the locked position by one or more springs  98  (two springs  98  are shown in the embodiment illustrated, as best seen in  FIG. 15 ), which bear against the bottom plate  18  of the housing  10 . Thus, in this embodiment also the top plate  16  can be removed and reinstalled (after demounting the housing from the frame of the boat) without requiring special loading or positioning of the latch spring  98 . As in the previously described embodiment, the button  96  can be actuated by a user&#39;s hand or foot. However, in the embodiment of  FIGS. 11 to 15  the latch  90  moves axially relative to the reel  20 , releasing the reel  20  when the notches  94  are aligned with the reel sidewalls  22 ,  24 , as shown in  FIG. 14 . 
   In the operation of the embodiment of  FIGS. 11 to 15 , the reel  20  is retained in the locked position by engagement of the latch plate  92  with one of the series of notches  60  disposed about the periphery of each sidewall  22 ,  24 . When a user depresses the button  96  the latch plate  92  moves axially relative to the reel  20  until the notches  94  come into alignment with the sidewalls  22 ,  24 , at which point the reel  20  is released and able to rotate in both directions. 
   In both of the described embodiments, servicing and maintenance of the device  10  is easily effected by removing bolts  16   a  and removing the gunnel plate  16 , which exposes the entire interior of the housing  10  and all of the moving components of the device  10 . 
   Various embodiments of the present invention having been thus described in detail by way of example, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variations and modifications may be made without departing from the invention. The invention includes all such variations and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.