Abstract:
A boat mooring line dispenser comprises a reel onto which a mooring line or a respective mooring line (if there is more than one reel) can be wound. The reel has resilient biasing means urging it to rotate in a direction such as to wind in the line. A unidirectional clutch mechanism acts, when engaged, in opposition to the resilient biasing means so that the line can be drawn out and will remain in its extended condition. The unidirectional clutch can be released selectively to cause the line to be withdrawn automatically by winding it onto the reel by the resilient biasing means. A cleat, or jamming cleats secure the line when extended so that the moored vessel is held securely. A damper or brake prevents rewinding of the line at excessive speed.

Description:
1. PRIORITY CLAIMS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to and is a continuation of PCT Application No. PCT/GB2010/000831 titled Improvements In Or Relating To Retracting Mooring Lines filed Apr. 27, 2010, which claims priority to Great Britain Application no. 0907269.5 filed Apr. 28, 2009. 
     
    
     2. FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates generally to retracting mooring lines and in particular to a method and apparatus for storing and dispensing a boat mooring line. 
       3. RELATED ART 
       [0003]    When a boat is moored to a jetty or pier, or to a dock or another boat, or even to a buoy, it is necessary to secure the vessel by at least one, and preferably two mooring lines which are usually secured to a cleat on the vessel and a bollard or other fixing point on the shore or a fixed point on the other vessel. For this reason it is necessary for all boats to carry suitable lengths of mooring line with them at all times, and when sailing or motoring the mooring line is a potential trip hazard or at least an inconvenience unless it is stowed neatly. In practice, however, this frequently does not happen with the result that, when needed, often in a hurry, the mooring line is tangled or otherwise inconveniently enmeshed in other equipment or other lines on the boat and cannot be deployed quickly and easily. 
         [0004]    The present invention seeks to provide a storage device by which spare lengths of mooring line can be almost automatically and routinely coiled away out of sight so as not to be in the way of normal operations on-board the boat, whilst nevertheless being readily available and quickly and easily dispensed when needed. 
         [0005]    This objective has been addressed in the past, with various boat mooring devices being described. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,846,090 describes a boat mooring device capable of storing and dispensing a rope used to moor a boat or the like. In this prior art device a spring-biased reel assembly carrying a rope is rotatably mounted within a case. The reel assembly is urged by a spring in a rope take-up direction, and a lock device is provided for selectively inhibiting rotation of the reel. This lock assembly comprises a spring pawl which engages a ratchet wheel which rotates with the reel to allow the spring bias to coil up the spring, but prevent it from being withdrawn. A lock-release device disengages the pawl from the ratchet to allow the reel to turn in either direction for deployment. This device, however, does not prevent the rope shortening by operation of the spring should the tension in the mooring line be reduced, for example upon changes in the tide which may cause the vessel to approach closer the mooring point. This is disadvantageous if the mooring line has been carefully set to allow for such changes since a shorter mooring line may cause listing of the vessel when the mooring conditions change. This problem is addressed in subsequent U.S. Pat. No. 6,095,075 which described a retractable boat line for mooring a boat having a payoff reel contained within a stationary housing. The reel is freely rotatable and provided with a number of detent openings into which a locking pin may be introduced when the reel is in a desired orientation. The reel is thus, held, in a fixed position so that the length of the mooring line is invariable. However, this is not entirely convenient when mooring a vessel since it is necessary first to draw off an excess length of mooring line and then to lock the reel, otherwise, when under no tension as the mooring operation is conducted, the line would be rewound by the spring. 
         [0006]    The present invention seeks, therefore, to provide a mooring line storage and dispensing apparatus which allows more convenient use and overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0007]    According to one aspect of the present invention, therefore, apparatus for storing and dispensing a boat mooring line comprises a reel onto which a mooring line can be wound, resilient biasing means urging the reel to rotate in a direction such as to wind in the line, and a unidirectional clutch mechanism acting, when engaged, in opposition to the resilient biasing means, and means for selectively disengaging the unidirectional clutch whereby to allow the line to be wound in by the resilient biasing means. 
         [0008]    In use, therefore, the line is normally tidily wound on the reel. As the vessel approaches the shore or other mooring point, a sailor may grasp a free end of the line and draw out as much as may be required. If his attention is distracted by movement of the vessel or nearby vessels, for example if the sea is rough, or any other event occurs as the vessel approaches its mooring, relaxation of his grip on the mooring line will not result in the mooring line being rewound as would be the case in the device described in the prior art patents discussed above. The sailor may therefore tie off the line as required. Then, if there is any surplus, selective disengagement of the unidirectional clutch will allow the surplus line to be wound in the resilient biasing means of the reel. 
         [0009]    The apparatus of the present invention may comprise, or further comprise, means for securing a line against withdrawal from the reel. The means for securing the line against withdrawal from the reel may be simply a cleat fixed or fixable to a casing of the apparatus. Such cleat may be a conventional fixed cleat or may be a so-called “jamming” cleat which clamps the line when it is placed in the appropriate position. Alternatively, the means for securing the line against withdrawal may comprise means for locking the reel against rotation in the unwinding direction (the unidirectional clutch already locks it against winding in). The locking means may, of course, provide additional secure locking in either direction. 
         [0010]    In one embodiment of the invention the means for locking the reel against rotation acts to lock the unidirectional clutch. 
         [0011]    Because a boat may be moving violently on the swell or waves of the water during mooring it is important that all deck-mounted equipment can be operated securely even when wet and even when the vessel is moving violently. For this reason the means for selectively disengaging the unidirectional clutch is preferably a boss or protrusion which requires only to be depressed by a hand or foot. A foot-operable pedal is particularly convenient since the sailor may have both hands already occupied with the line and/or with clinging on to the safety rail of the vessel. 
         [0012]    It is a particularly advantageous feature of the present invention that the resilient biasing means which bias the reel act to provide a substantially constant restoring force as the mooring line is withdrawn from the reel regardless of the length of line withdrawn. With conventional resilient biasing means, such as clock springs, the force required to withdraw the line increases progressively as the spring is wound up. However, in circumstances where it may be necessary to utilize the full length of the line, the force necessary to withdraw the final part of the line from the reel could become inconveniently excessive, resulting in failure successfully to moor the boat in difficult or inclement conditions. By having a biasing means with a constant restoring force the actions required by the sailor dealing with the mooring line can be predictably regularised. 
         [0013]    In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, therefore, the resilient biasing means comprise a spirally wound strip spring with a reflex curvature. The spirally wound strip spring may be carried on a spring-carrier spool freely rotatably mounted on a carrier member on which the reel is also rotatably mounted, with a secondary spool mounted for rotation coaxially with the spool and being connected to a free end of the strip spring whereby to unwind it from the spring-carrier spool as the reel is turned in the directional sense corresponding to unwinding of the mooring line from the reel. 
         [0014]    In one embodiment of the invention the unidirectional clutch is a ratchet and pawl arrangement, the ratchet teeth being formed on or carried by the spool or on a component mounted for rotation therewith. The pawl is preferably urged into engagement with the ratchet teeth by pawl-biasing means and it is particularly convenient if the pawl is formed as a first order lever with the ratchet disengagement means acting at the end opposite the pawl tooth. A push rod, one end of which is contactable with the pawl lever, and being linearly displaceable between a first or release position and a second, or ratchet engagement position, can provide for easy operation since the end of a push rod can be formed suitably into a push button for manual or pedal operation as described above. 
         [0015]    Preferably the push rod is independently biased towards the ratchet-engagement position and, likewise, it is preferred that the push rod has an exposed end remote from the one pawl-contacting end thereof for operation by hand or foot. 
         [0016]    Alternatively, the unidirectional clutch may be a so-called rope clutch, which allows free running of the line in one direction but which locks the line against running in the other direction by means of a cam action; the cam can be released by a lever to allow the line to run in both directions. 
         [0017]    Apart from a conventional cleat or the above-described reel locking means, the means for securing mooring line against withdrawal from the reel may alternatively comprise or include a jamming cleat or some form of reel clamping means. 
         [0018]    In a preferred embodiment of the invention the reel may be mounted on a reel support member which depends from a support plate mountable parallel to the deck of a boat. In this way the entire storage and dispensing apparatus may be located beneath the deck in a concealed location where it leaves the decks clear for normal sailing operations. 
         [0019]    It is particularly convenient if the ratchet is carried for rotation with the secondary spool on the side of the reel support member remote from the reel itself. 
         [0020]    In a particularly convenient embodiment a second unidirectional clutch acts in an opposite directional sense from the unidirectional clutch, there being means for selectively disengaging one clutch or the other to allow the line to be drawn in or paid out respectively. The two unidirectional clutches may be respective ratchet and pawl arrangements, the ratchet teeth being formed on or carried by the spool or a component mounted for rotation therewith. Conveniently the two unidirectional clutches are jamming cleats acting directly on the line itself. The means for selectively disengaging a unidirectional clutch may be operable by means of a foot pedal or foot-operated push button. 
         [0021]    There may also be provided means for damping or braking the motion of the line in at least one direction of motion. The damping or braking means may act on the spool or a component mounted for rotation therewith. In one embodiment the damping or braking means act to damp rotation in one direction and offers substantially no resistance to motion in the other. Alternatively the damping or braking means may act in both directions of rotation and be connected to the spool or component mounted for rotation therewith by a unidirectional clutch. 
         [0022]    The present invention also comprehends apparatus for storing and dispensing a boat mooring line, comprising a reel onto which a mooring line can be wound, resilient biasing means, which may be constant tension biasing means, for urging the reel to turn in sense such as to wind the line onto the reel, and means for securing the line against withdrawal from the reel. 
         [0023]    Alternatively, the present invention can be considered to comprehend apparatus for storing and dispensing a boat mooring line, comprising a reel onto which a mooring line can be wound, the reel having two parallel spaced lateral cheeks separated by a distance not substantially greater than twice the diameter of the mooring line itself, whereby to avoid jamming of adjacent turns of the mooring line when wound onto the reel. 
         [0024]    Other systems, methods, features and advantages of the invention will be or will become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following figures and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the invention, and be protected by the accompanying claims 
         [0025]    The snatching loads on the boat pitching and rolling in a swell can be large and the apparatus of the invention must be robust to withstand these loads. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0026]    The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. In the figures, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the different views. An embodiment of the present invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0027]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating the main components of an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0028]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view from below and one side of the device shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0029]      FIG. 3  is a side view cut away illustrating the ratchet configuration; 
           [0030]      FIG. 4  is an end view, seen in the direction of the arrow A of  FIG. 3   
           [0031]      FIG. 5  is a sectional view of the ratchet release control or foot pedal illustrated in the other drawings; and 
           [0032]      FIG. 6  is a side view of a line brake or jamming device forming part of an embodiment of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0033]    Referring now to the drawings, it will be appreciated that the device when assembled is enclosed within a casing, generally indicated  11  in  FIG. 2 , to protect it from the elements. 
         [0034]    The mooring line dispensing and control device of the invention is intended to be deck-mounted with the working components lying beneath the deck. For this purpose the mooring line  12  is wound on drum  13  carried on a support plate  14  which is rigidly connected to and depend downwardly from a deck plate  15 . In use a rectangular opening is formed in the deck of a vessel to receive the device, and it is lowered through this opening with the opening itself being covered by the deck plate  15 . Fixings, such as bolts or screws (not shown) secure the deck plate is in place. A fairlead  16  forms a smooth-edged opening for the mooring line  12  to pass through the plate  15 , which is stiffened by a reinforcing rib  17 , which rib carries a cleat  18 . 
         [0035]    As can be seen in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the drum  13  has two parallel side cheeks  19 ,  20  spaced by a distance little more than twice the diameter of the mooring line  12  to ensure that, as the mooring line is wound onto it there is minimal risk of adjacent turns clamping or jamming so that mooring becomes difficult to unwind. Upon unwinding of the mooring line  12  from the drum  13  a restoring force, sufficiently strong to rewind the line when its is no longer in use, is applied by a resilient biasing device comprising two parallel spring drums  21 ,  22  mounted on the reel support plate  14 . The first drum  21  is carried by the axle  10  of the reel  13  and fixed to it for rotation therewith so that as the reel  13  is rotated the drum  21  turns identically. The drum  22 , on the other hand, is freely rotatably mounted on the support plate  14  and carries, wound on it, a clock spring  23  the free end of which leads from the drum  22  onto the drum  21  in a reverse rotational sense such that the spring has reflex curvature at the point  24  between the two drums. As the reel  13  is turned to unwind the mooring line  12 , therefore, the drum  21  turns with it and winds the clock spring off the drum  22 , but turns the spring in the opposite rotational sense so that the restoring force is applied by the flexing of the spring at the drum  22 . Unlike a conventional clock-spring arrangement, in which the spirally wound leaf of the clock spring results in tightening of the coils as the spring tension increases, here the unwinding of the clock spring  23  does not tighten the adjacent coils so that the restoring force remains substantially constant even though many turns of the reel  13  may have been drawn off. 
         [0036]    When mooring a vessel, of course, it would be inconvenient if the mooring line were to be constantly trying to return on the reel  13  driven by the rotational restoring force of the resilient biasing device. In order to avoid this a ratchet mechanism is provided which acts against the action of the restoring force applied by the resilient biasing device so that, as the mooring line  12  is drawn off, it can be released and will not rewind, making it available for use to connect its free end to a bollard or other fixed point on the shore or an adjacent vessel. This will result in a remaining spare length of line which can be wound around the cleat  18 . If, having done this, there is still a surplus length of line the ratchet mechanism can be released, in a manner which will be described in more detail below, to allow the surplus length to be rewound onto the reel  13 . Alternatively, if this is more convenient for the user, having withdrawn a length of the mooring line  12  the part adjacent to the fairlead  16  can be wound around the cleat  18  leaving the free end of the line to be used in a conventional manner to secure the vessel to a bollard or other fixed point on the shore. 
         [0037]    The ratchet mechanism itself comprises a toothed ratchet wheel  25 , shown in  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 , located between the fixed clock spring drum  21  and the mounting plate  14 , and rotatable with the drum  21  and the reel  13 . A ratchet pawl  26  formed as a first order lever is also carried on the plate  14 , and biased by a tension spring  27  to a position such that the ratchet tooth  28  engages the teeth  29  of the ratchet wheel  25  and is held in such engagement by the spring  27 . 
         [0038]    Ratchet release is effected by pressing on a fee end  29  of the first order lever carrying the ratchet pawl  26  by means of a spring-loaded foot pedal arrangement generally indicated  30  and illustrated in more detail in  FIG. 5 . The foot pedal  30  is carried on the deck mounting plate  15  and comprises a hollow cylindrical guide  31  within which is located an inner sleeve  32  which projects from the bottom of the guide cylinder  31 . An actuator rod  33  is slidably housed within the sleeve  32  and has an enlarged head  34  projecting above the guide  31 . The guide  31  has an upper flange  35  which engages the upper surface of the deck mounting plate  15  and is held in place by a collar  36  clamped by grub screws  37  to the under side of the deck plate  15 . Between the upper end of the inner sleeve  32  and the lower face of the mushroom head  34  of the actuator rod is located a compression spring  38 . In the lower end of the actuator rod  33  is an adjustor device in the form of a set screw  40  threadedly engaged in a threaded hole  39  in the lower end of the actuator rod  33 . The head of the set screw  38  engages the free end  29  of the first order lever  26  carrying or constituting the pawl, and by suitably adjusting the set crew  38  any manufacturing tolerances can be accommodated so that the device is adjusted for reliable operation. The compression spring  37  urges the actuator pin  33  upwardly so that the mushroom head  34  projects just above the deck mounting plate  15  by a sufficient distance that when it is depressed to be flush with the deck mounting plate  15  the excursion of the lower end, carrying the set screw  38  displaces the free end of the lever  29  sufficient to release the pawl tooth  28  reliably from the ratchet wheel  29 . Upon release of the mushroom head  34  the spring  37  returns the actuator rod  33  to its original position re-engaging the ratchet tooth  28  into the ratchet wheel  29 . In use, therefore, as the mooring line  12  is withdrawn, the ratchet automatically engages and prevents return of the line  12  so that it is freely available for use. Regardless of the amount of line withdrawn from the reel  13  the restoring force remains constant so that the operator does not have a more difficult task in withdrawing the mooring line  12  from the reel  13  as it approaches the end of its available length. When it is desired to release the ratchet and cause deliberate return of the line onto the reel  13  the operator simply places his or her foot on the mushroom head  34 , leaving both hands free to manipulate the line as appropriate and/or to hold onto a handrail if the motion of the boat is sufficiently violent to require this, for example due to rough seas or high winds. 
         [0039]    Although a simple single-action release mechanism is described herein it is envisaged that a further embodiment (not illustrated) may be provided with means by which the actuator pin  33  may be held in the operating (ratchet-release) position without it being necessary to maintain the operator&#39;s foot on the push button. This may be by means of a simple bimorphic latch arrangement, or by a bayonet-type engagement requiring a half turn of the mushroom head  34  to lock it into position. 
         [0040]    Likewise, in another embodiment (not shown) it is possible to lock the ratchet against release so that it can be neither withdrawn nor retracted, thereby obviating the need for a separate cleat  18 . In order to achieve this the interconnection between the lower end of the actuator pin  33  and the free end  29  of the pawl lever  26  can be so arranged that, instead of a simple contact between the set screw  38  and the free end  29  of the pawl lever  26 , a two-way interengagement may be provided, for example by means of a lateral hook which can be engaged in a slot in the pawl lever upon turning the pin  33  through a fractional turn, for example using a knurled peripheral surface of the mushroom head  34 . Such an arrangement ensures that the ratchet cannot turn in either direction. This can be maintained by the strength of the spring  37 , or alternatively a mechanical interlock between the pin  33  and the sleeve  32  or the guide cylinder  31 . 
         [0041]    It is possible to design an alternative embodiment of the invention utilising two rope clutches in opposite orientations, one to prevent rewinding, and therefore act in the same way as the ratchet, and the other to take the strain of snatching loads and secure the rope at its correct extended length and thus take the place of the cleat. Releasing both clutches allows the rope to run freely in both directions and releasing each independently allows the rope to run freely one way or the other as desired. This can be achieved using two oppositely-directed selectively releasable unidirectional clutches, acting on the reel itself or its axle, or may be achieved by acting directly on the line itself.  FIG. 6  illustrates one way in which this can be achieved by acting directly on the line. In this embodiment the reel (or reels) are spaced from the deck penetration and securing assembly which is shown in  FIG. 6 . Most boats have an anchor well or locker at the bow, which occupies considerable space. When a vessel is moored at a marina it is usual to have two bow ropes each running off at an angle to secure the bow in a lateral direction. For this purpose there may be two deck penetration and securing sub-assemblies each with a rope clutch or cleat. The ropes penetrate the deck and run over under-deck pulleys to a pair of drum reeling devices located under the deck, preferably in the region of the anchor locker. In  FIG. 6  one such deck penetration and securing sub-assembly is shown. A boat may be fitted with one or more such sub-assembly, one for each mooring line with which the boat is equipped. 
         [0042]      FIG. 6  illustrates an under-deck assembly generally indicated  50  carried beneath a part of the deck  51  and remote from the reels described in relation to  FIGS. 1 to 5 . A mounting plate  52  projects downwardly from the deck  51  and carries two guide pulleys  53 ,  54  which guide a line  55  to follow a path from an opening  56  through the deck  51  along a straight path between the pulleys  53 ,  54  between two jamming cleats  57 ,  58  and a counter-surface  59 . From the pulley  53  the line leads to the reel (not shown). 
         [0043]    As is known in the yachting world a jamming cleat comprises a pivoted body with a roughened or ridged surface for contacting a line. A spring biases the cleat body in one direction press its ridged surface against the line, and this jamming action is reinforced if the line experiences a tension tending to turn the cleat in the same direction as the spring bias. When a tension in the opposite direction is applied to the line it can move freely, and the cleat body is turned slightly against the action of the biasing spring by the contact between the line and the ridged surface. The cleats  57 ,  58  further have release mechanisms in the form of push rods  60 ,  61  which can be actuated by foot-operated push buttons  62 ,  63  projecting just above the deck  51 . The spring biasing is not shown in  FIG. 6  but acts to turn the cleat  57  clockwise as seen in  FIG. 6 . The cleat  58  is spring biased counter clockwise. This spring biasing presses respective ridged surfaces  63 ,  64  of the cleat bodies  57 ,  58  into contact with the line  55 , clamping it against movement in either direction. If the foot button  63  is depressed the cleat  58  is turned clockwise out of engagement with the line  55  which can then be drawn in, moving in a direction from the pulley  54  towards the pulley  53 . Attempted movement in the reverse direction results in jamming of the cleat  57 . Likewise, when the button  62  is depressed the line can be drawn out but is jammed by the cleat  58  if it starts to move in (left to right in  FIG. 6 ) if both buttons  62 ,  63  are depressed the line  55  can move freely in both directions. 
         [0044]    In order to slow the movement of the line when being drawn in there may also be provided a damper (not shown) which conveniently acts on the main spool to slow the rate at which the mooring line is drawn in when the jamming device or cleats are released. This may be a unidirectional damper or a bi-directional damper connected to the reel by a unidirectional clutch. The line can thus be drawn out freely with no resistance but will not be drawn in so rapidly that it presents a hazard to the user. 
         [0045]    Embodiments can also be envisaged in which the mooring line is arranged to serve also as an anchor line thus reducing space requirements or providing back-up for the main anchor line. 
         [0046]    While various embodiments of the invention have been described, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many more embodiments and implementations are possible that are within the scope of this invention. In addition, the various features, elements, and embodiments described herein may be claimed or combined in any combination or arrangement.