Abstract:
A rope tie for an animal or other movable object comprising a helical coil fixedly or removably attached to a support. A free end of a rope is inserted through a first loop of the coil toward a second loop of the coil, then under, around, and through the second loop of the coil. When the animal or movable object pulls on an opposite end of the rope, the rope moves out of the coil until it tightens around the second loop and ceases moving, thus restricting or stopping the movement of the animal or movable object. The free end of the rope may be placed on a hook to reduce the movement of the rope through the coil. Slack in the portion of rope extending from the coil to the animal or movable object may be removed or reduced by pulling on the free end of the rope.

Description:
PRIORITY 
   This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional application Ser. No. 61/124,924 filed Apr. 21, 2008, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 

   FIELD OF INVENTION 
   The field of the invention is adjustable rope tie devices for use in connection with horses, dogs, boats, tree trimming and other applications where the object or animal tied may need an additional length of rope after being secured. 
   BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
   Many objects and animals must be tethered by ropes to keep them from moving away from a desired location. 
   Horses and dogs, for example, must be trained to calmly accept being tied to a stationary object. Young horses not accustomed to being tied in a stationary position often panic and attempt to pull away from the stationary object. Similarly, older horses spoiled in their training, may panic, feel trapped, and pull back in panic or fight when tied. Most dogs, too, will pull back on a secured leash or rope to escape and attend to other activities of more interest to the dog. If additional rope is not allowed to play out in these situations, the animal&#39;s panic, pulling, and resistance increase. 
   Many inanimate objects, such as boats, must also be tied by a rope to a dock or other object, but need a certain amount of slack or extra rope when waves or other water movement cause them to move and pull on the rope. If slack is not provided in these instances, the boat may strike, or repeatedly strike, nearby objects and be damaged. 
   In tree trimming and removal operations, an additional length of rope may also be needed to permit some movement in the tree limb or other part of the tree being cut or removed. 
   Indeed, there are many applications in which an object must be secured with a rope and, after securing or tying, require an additional length of rope due to environmental forces or conditions that cause the object to move and pull on the rope by which it is secured. 
   Many conventional, prior art rope ties do not easily allow an additional length of rope to be extended to accommodate for the movement of the animal or other tied object. If such rope ties do allow for additional rope to be extended in order to permit movement, there is usually no convenient way to retrieve the additional rope, or slack, once it is extended. 
   Many existing rope ties require the rope to be knotted to an anchor of some type. When the tied object moves, the knot tightens and may be very difficult to untie in order to provide an additional length of rope to accommodate movement. When the slack or additional rope is no longer needed the knot must be untied and retied in order to secure the object or animal with the desired length of rope and tension. Since it may be difficult for the user to know in advance the amount of slack needed for a particular application, or may be difficult to knot the rope to provide the optimal amount of slack, it is often necessary to secure an animal or object subject to movement several times—i.e., by trial and error—to achieve the optimal or desired rope length, which is time consuming and requires constant attention to the tie during the adjustment period. 
   Mechanical and spring loaded ties have been used to attempt to achieve more flexible and adjustable tying arrangements; however, they have movable parts that are subject to mechanical failure or unexpected rapid movements that may further panic or scare an animal and generate another round of panic, anxiety and pulling or, in the case of other movable objects, cause unexpected and undesirable movements of the object tied. Many mechanical ties do not provide a secure, solid attachment to a fixed support, and some mechanical ties must be held by a user who may not be strong enough to properly resist the movement of large animals or objects or quick enough to move with the changing play in the rope. 
   SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
   The tying device of the invention allows a limited, adjustable amount of rope to slide or play out of the tie. The slack in the rope created by such play out is easily retrieved when the slack is no longer needed or desired. 
   The tying device of the invention comprises a helical coil having one or more loops. The ends of the helical coil are straightened. The straighten ends of the coil are permanently attached to a base or mounting plate, which is, in turn, secured to a fixed support such as a wall, post, transport trailer, tree, or other massive object. Upright hooks are attached to the plate alongside the helical coil, one above the other. 
   In an alternative, portable embodiment, the helical coil has one end secured to the other end to form a frame or bracket. An extension from one of the ends of the coil forms a hook. A link is removably secured to both the bracket and an anchor having a threaded extension or stub. The threaded extension or stub of the anchor may be screwed into a wall, post, tree, transport trailer, or other supporting object. The portable embodiment allows the tying device to be used in various locations where it is possible to secure the threaded device to a support. 
   The portable tie may also be used with multiple, more permanent anchors which may be attached to multiple supports in a variety of convenient locations. The anchors may, but need not, be screwed into the fixed support. Instead, the anchor may be secured to the fixed support in a more permanent manner by bolts, plates, welds, nails, or rivets. Alternatively, the link may be connected to hooks, loops, rings, or other suitable anchors that form a part of the support structure. Of course, the anchors may be removably attached to support structures, as well. 
   The portable embodiment of the tie allows multiple anchors to be attached to multiple, fixed supporting objects in various locations, so that the portable tying device may be removably secured to the anchor when the animal or other movable object is in the vicinity of the anchor. For example, it may be desirable to tether or tie a horse to a barn, a tree in a pasture, a trailer, a fence, or some other support when the horse is in the vicinity of such support. In such cases, anchors may be attached to nearby supports in each location. The portable tying device may then be easily secured to the anchor when the horse arrives at the location of the anchor and easily removed from the anchor when the horse leaves the location of the anchor. 
   In use, the lead or free end of the rope secured to a horse, dog, or other movable object is inserted through the hole or open space in the first helical loop, around the bottom of the second helical loop, through the hole or open space in the second loop, and, if desired, placed on the hook, thus securing the animal or other moving object. Alternatively and equivalently, the free end of the rope is bent in a U shape and placed over the top of the first loop; then the free end of the rope is wound around the second loop and, if desired, placed on the hook, thus, securing the animal or moving object. This placement of the rope in the coil requires only one hand and can be done quickly, efficiently, easily. Subsequent movement of the animal or other moveable object allows an additional length of rope, but not the entire end of the rope, to play out of the coil when the animal or movable object moves. 
   The length of rope that is allowed to play out of the coil, and thus, the overall allowed tension of the rope may be altered by placing the end of the rope over the hook that accompanies the tie. Placing the rope over the hook allows less rope to extend or play out of the coil. In the plate-mounted embodiment of the tie, two or more hooks may be provided. Placing the lead or free end of the rope over the lower hook restricts the amount of rope that may slide out of the coil. Placing the free end of the rope over the upper hook further decreases the amount of rope that may play out of the coil and, thus, increases the overall tension in the rope. The use of the hooks, therefore, allows the user to adjust the play and tension of the rope. Moreover, the tension and play may be easily and quickly adjusted by simply removing the lead or free end of the rope from the hook or moving to another hook when there are multiple hooks. 

   
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a front plan view of a plate-mounted tying device of the invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a side view of the tying device or  FIG. 1  showing the orientation of hooks secured to a mounting plate; 
       FIG. 3  is a top plan view of the tying device or  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the tying device of  FIG. 1  showing a portion a length of a free end of a rope placed in the device with a portion of the free end of the rope on one of the hooks; 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the tying device of  FIG. 1  secured to a support and showing the rope placed in the device and under tension; 
       FIG. 6  is a front plan view of an alternative portable embodiment of the tying device of the invention; 
       FIG. 7  is a side plan view of the portable embodiment of the tying device of  FIG. 6 ; 
       FIG. 8  is a top plan view of the portable embodiment of the tying device of  FIG. 6 ; 
       FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the portable embodiment of the tying device of  FIG. 6  showing the rope placed in the portable tying device with the lead or free end of the rope placed on a hook of the portable device; and 
       FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the portable tying device of  FIG. 6  secured to a support and showing a rope placed in the device under tension. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   As shown in  FIGS. 1  though  5 , a rope tie  1  of the invention comprises a helical coil  5  having a first loop  10  and a second loop  15 . End portions  20  of the coil  5  are straightened. Ends  25 ,  26  of the end portions  20  are welded or otherwise permanently attached to a plate  30 . Upper hook  35  and lower hook  40  are also welded or permanently attached to the plate  30  alongside the coil  5 . 
   The plate  30  is secured to or mounted on a fixed or relatively fixed support  45 , as shown by dashed lines in  FIG. 5 . The plate  30  may be secured to the support  45  by screws  50 , as shown in  FIG. 5 , or by any other means of permanent attachment. As shown in  FIG. 1 , holes  55  may be placed or formed in the plate  30  so that screws, bolts, or other attaching means may be secured to the supporting structure  45  through the holes  55 . 
   Hooks  35 ,  40  are bent so they each have vertical portions  60  and  65 , respectively, as best shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  4 , and  5 . 
   The coil  5 , plate  30 , and hooks  35 ,  40  are made of durable, weather resistant material such as stainless steel. The coil  5 , plate  30 , and hooks  35 ,  40  may also be made of plastic or any other durable, weather resistant material that allows the coil ends  25 ,  26  to be permanently molded or fixedly attached to the plate  30 , and the plate  30  fixedly attached to the support  45 . The parts of the tie  1  should be of sufficient durability and strength to allow the tie  1  to be used out of doors and provide the necessary strength to withstand the forces generated by the movement of large animals or other objects. 
   As shown in  FIGS. 6 through 10 , an alternative portable rope tie  70  has a coil  5  with first and second loops  10 ,  15  that are the same as that of the rope tie  1 , except that the end sections or portions  75 ,  76  of the coil  5  are bent or angled to form an open frame  80  with an opening therethrough. 
   A link or clasp  85  (see  FIG. 10 ) that opens and closes is connected to the frame  80  as show in  FIG. 10 . The link  85  is also connected to a mount or anchor  90 , which is in turn attached to the support  45 , again as shown in  FIG. 10 . 
   An extension  92  of end portion  75  forms a hook  95 , as best shown in  FIGS. 6 ,  8 ,  9 , and  10 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 10 , the anchor  90  forms a hole  93  that allows the link or clasp  85  to be connected to the anchor  90 . The anchor  90  may have a threaded stub  96  (threads not shown) that may be screwed into the support  45  to provide for a secure attachment for the anchor  90 . However, the stub  96  and anchor  90  may also be made in other shapes and configurations that allow the anchor  90  to be securely attached to the support  45  by welding, nails, bolts, welding, or any suitable form of attachment. The anchor  90  may, of course, also be configured to be removably secured to the support  45  so that the anchor  90 , as well as the coil  5  and link  85 , may be moved from location to location. 
   The coil  5 , anchor  90 , link  85 , and hook  95  of the portable tie  70  are also made of durable, weather resistant material such as stainless steel. As noted above, the parts of the portable tie  70  may also be made of plastic or any other durable, weather resistant material that allows them to be used out of doors and provides the necessary strength to withstand the forces generated by the movement of large animals or other objects. 
   Suitable supports  45  for the rope tie  1  or the portable rope tie  70  include any massive object that will not be dislodged by the movement of a horse, dog, boat, tree, trailer, motorized vehicle, or other moving or moveable object that is secured by the rope tie  1 ,  70 . Most supports  45  will be fixed, practically unmovable supports; however, massive movable supports such as trucks or trailers may also be used as supports  45 . 
   Securing the animal or other moveable object to either the rope tie  1  or the portable rope tie  70  is performed in the same manner for both the rope tie  1  and the portable tie  70 . In each device  1 ,  70 , a lead or free end portion  98  of a rope  100 —i.e., the end of the rope that is not attached to an animal or other moveable object—is inserted through the hole or open space  101  in the first helical loop  10 , around the bottom  102  of the second helical loop  15 , through the hole or open space  103  in the second loop  15 , and, if desired, placed on the hook  35  or  40  of rope tie  1 , as shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , or on the hook  95 , as shown in  FIG. 9 , thus securing the animal or other moving object to the rope tie  1  or the rope tie  70 , respectively. Alternatively and equivalently, the end portion  98  of the rope  100  is bent in a U shape and placed over the top of the first loop  10 . Then, the free end  98  of the rope  100  is wound around the second loop  15  and, if desired, placed through one of the hooks  35 ,  40  of rope tie  1  or hook  95 , if the portable embodiment  70  of the rope tie is being used, thus, securing the animal or moving object. 
   When the rope  100  is secured to the coil  5  in the manner stated in the immediately preceding paragraph, the configuration of the rope  100  in the coil  5  is as shown in  FIGS. 4 ,  5 ,  9  and  10 . This placement of the rope  100  in the coil  5  requires only one hand and can be done quickly, efficiently, and easily. 
   If the animal or object is not moving when secured to the coil  5 , the rope  100  is relaxed, as shown in  FIG. 4  in the case of the rope tie  1  and in  FIG. 9  in the case of the portable rope tie  70 . If the tied animal or object subsequently pulls away from the rope tie  1  or the portable rope tie  70 , the rope  100  becomes taut, winds or closes more tightly around the coil  5 , and may ride upward somewhat on the coil  5  as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 10 . As the rope  100  becomes taut due to the movement, the rope  100  is allowed to play out of the coil  5 , and an additional length of the rope  100  is made available for the animal or other moving object. The play out of the rope  100 , however, stops short of allowing the entire end portion  98  of the rope  100  to be removed from the coil  5 , thus continuing to restrain and secure the animal or other moving object to the rope tie  1  or  70 , as the case may be. 
   The length of the rope  100  that is allowed to play out of the coil  5 , and, thus, the overall allowed tension of the rope  100  may be altered by placing the end portion  98  of the rope  100  over the hook that accompanies the tie—i.e., upper hook  35  or lower hook  40  of rope tie  1 , or, hook  95  if the portable rope tie  70  is being used. Placing the rope over the hook  35 ,  40  or  95  allows less of the rope  100  to move or play out of the coil  5  due to the raised elevation of the end portion  98  of the rope  100 , which causes the rope  100  to more quickly tighten on the coil  5 . 
   In either rope tie  1  or portable rope tie  70 , a maximum amount or length of the rope  100  may be allowed to play out of the coil  5  before the rope  100  tightens on the coil  5  if the end portion  98  of the rope  100  is not placed on the respective hooks  35 ,  40 , or  95 . This configuration of the rope  100  and the coil  5  is shown in  FIG. 5  for the rope tie  1  and in  FIG. 10  for the portable tie  70 . 
   In rope tie  1 , the end portion  98  of the rope  100  may be placed on the lower hook  40  to cause the rope to tighten on the coil  5  more quickly and, thus, allow less of the rope  100  to play out of the coil  5 . If more tension and quicker tightening of the rope  100  is desired in rope tie  1 , the end portion  98  of the rope  100  may be placed on the upper hook  35  of the rope tie  1 , thus causing the rope to tighten even more quickly and allow even less of the rope  100  to play out of the coil  5  than when the end portion  98  is placed on the lower hook  40 . 
   The interaction of the rope  100 , the coil  5  and the hook  95  is essentially the same on the portable tie  70 . Less rope play and quicker rope tension is permitted when the end portion  98  of the rope  100  is placed on the hook  95 , as shown in  FIG. 9 , than when the end portion  98  of the rope  100  is not placed on the hook  95 , as shown in  FIG. 10 . 
   As will be appreciated from the above description of the interaction of the rope  100  and the coil  5 , it is very easy to relieve the slack in the rope  100  caused by the movement of the animal or moveable object tied to either rope tie  1  or portable rope tie  70 . In either case the slack, or play out of additional lengths of the rope  100  may be very easily relieved, and the tension on the rope  100  increased, by simply pulling on the end portion  98  of the rope  100 . Pulling on the end portion  98  of the rope  100  plays the rope  100  through the coil  5  in the opposite direction and shortens the length of the rope  100  secured to the animal or other moveable object. In addition, this relief of the slack in the rope  100  resets the rope  100  for subsequent movement of the animal or other object, which again allows the rope  100  to play out of the coil  5 . 
   It will also be appreciated that it is very easy to regulate the play of the rope  100  through the coil  5  by placing the end portion  98  of the rope  100  on or off of the hook  40  of the rope tie  1  or the hook  95  of the portable rope tie  70 . It is, of course, also convenient and easy to adjust the play and tension of the rope  100  in the rope tie  1  by moving the end portion  98  of the rope  100  from one of the hooks  35  or  40  to the other. 
   The adjustable tension and rope play are particularly useful in connection with animals of various sizes, ages, and strengths and in connection with movable objects such as small and large boats and trees or tree limbs. 
   Dogs or smaller horses, for example, have less strength and may be provided with a rope tie  1  or  70  in which the rope  100  is configured in the coil  5  and the hooks  35 ,  40 ,  95  so as to allow the animal to pull more of the rope  100  through the coil  5  or, alternatively, to pull the rope  100  through the coil  5  more easily. Larger horses and animals with greater strength may be provided with a rope tie  1  or  70  in which the rope  100  is configured in the coil  5  and the hooks  35 ,  40 ,  95  so as to present greater tension on the rope  100  and allow the animal to pull less of the rope  100  through the coil  5  or, alternatively, make it more difficult to pull the rope  100  through the coil  5 . 
   The ability to adjust the play and tension of the rope  100  also allows a trainer to train animals to calmly accept a tighter tether or tie by gradually increasing the tension on the rope  100 . It is also beneficial for trainers to increase the tension of the rope  100  after an animal has tried to flee and then calmed down, which, as shown above, is very easy with the ties  1  or  70 . 
   The adjustable play of the rope  100  may also be used to advantage in tying boats or tree limbs to a fixed location. More massive objects, or objects that are subject to greater movement to environmental conditions or events, may be tied such that there is greater tension on the rope  100 , whereas less massive objects, or objects that are subject to smaller movements due to environmental conditions, may be tethered with less tension on the rope  100 .