Abstract:
Described herein is an adjustable marine fender holder comprising: a cylindrical body comprising a hole, the hole sized to receive a rope connected to a marine fender; a rope jam coupled angularly to the cylindrical body, the rope jam comprising a channel, the channel comprising a plurality of teeth configured to grip the rope.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED INFORMATION 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/882,118, filed Sep. 25, 2013, titled “It&#39;s a one piece fender adjuster holder that secures the fender utilizing the existing rod holders on the boat. It can be inserted and adjusted using one hand.” 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure is directed to an adjustable marine fender holder. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Boats and other vessels that travel on water may occasionally dock at a quay or other docking platform to load or unload cargo and/or passengers. When a vessel is berthing against another vessel or object, a marine fender may be used to prevent the boat or vessel from rubbing against the other object. By using a marine fender, the vessel may avoid damage that would be caused by constant rubbing or bumping into the quay or other object. Some marine fenders are fixed to a vessel or other object. Some marine fenders are removable. Removable marine fenders may be deployed when a vessel is approaching a berthing to avoid damage as described above. The removable marine fenders may be suspended from the side of the vessel using a rope. As used herein, the term rope includes any type of line used to suspend an object from or secure an object to a boat or other vessel. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Described herein is an adjustable marine fender holder comprising: a cylindrical body comprising a hole, the hole sized to receive a rope connected to a marine fender holder; a rope jam coupled angularly to the cylindrical body, the rope jam comprising a channel, the channel comprising a plurality of teeth configured to grip the rope. 
     Also described herein is a method for adjusting a marine fender comprising: feeding a rope through a hole in an adjustable marine fender holder, wherein the rope is connected to a marine fender; pulling the rope through the hole to a desired length; and securing the rope into a rope jam comprising a plurality of teeth configured to hold the rope. 
     The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the invention. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and specific embodiment disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of the invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages will be better understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying figures. It is to be expressly understood, however, that each of the figures is provided for the purpose of illustration and description only and is not intended as a definition of the limits of the present invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a diagram of a vessel with an adjustable marine fender holder installed. 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of a preferred embodiment of an adjustable marine fender holder. 
         FIG. 3  is a bottom view of a preferred embodiment of an adjustable marine fender holder. 
         FIG. 4  is a front view of a preferred embodiment of an adjustable marine fender holder. 
         FIG. 5  is a sectional view of a preferred embodiment of an adjustable marine fender holder. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a diagram of a vessel  140  with an adjustable marine fender holder  100  installed is presented. The adjustable marine fender holder  100  may be installed in a typical rod holder  130  on vessel  140 . A fender  110  may be secured with a rope  120  to adjustable marine fender holder  100 . Rope  120  may also be referred to herein as a line. Rope  120  passes through a hole in adjustable marine fender holder  100  and is secured in a rope jam. The rope  120  may be pulled or released in order to adjust the height at which the fender  110  hangs from the vessel  140 . The height may be adjusted to ensure that the fender  110  is between vessel  140  and a dock or surface the vessel  140  may come into contact with. While vessel  140  is depicted as a boat with a cabin, adjustable marine fender holder  100  may be used with any type of vessel that has rod holders, for example a center console, walk around, or open bow boat. 
       FIG. 2-FIG .  5  present various views of adjustable marine fender holder  100 . Adjustable marine fender holder  100  may have a cylindrical body  225 . Cylindrical body  225  may be hollow or solid. The length of cylindrical body  225  may vary depending on the depth of the rod holder that the adjustable marine fender holder  100  will be used with. For example, the length of cylindrical body  225  may be several inches or several feet. In a preferred embodiment, the length of the body may be selected such that the adjustable marine fender holder  100  rests at a point such that a rope jam  220  is about one to one and a half inches above the top of the rod holder. The diameter of cylindrical body  225  may be selected to fit most rod holders. For example, the diameter may be an inch in diameter or more. The diameter should be sufficient to support the weight of most marine fenders. 
     Cylindrical body  225  may have a hole  215 . Hole  215  may be of a large enough diameter to allow a rope to pass through. A rope jam  220  may be attached to cylindrical body  225 . The rope jam  220  may surround a channel for a rope to pass through at a certain angle relative to cylindrical body  225 . The angle may for example be 45 degrees. The channel created by rope jam  220  may be a v-shape or some other shape to conform to a rope passed through hole  215 . The diameter of hole  215  may be selected to be substantially similar to the width of the channel created by rope jam  220 . 
     Within the channel created by rope jam  220  there may be several teeth  240  used to grip a rope that is pressed into the channel. Teeth  240  may be perpendicular to the angle of the channel formed by rope jam  220 . In other embodiments, teeth  240  may be at other angles suitable for gripping a rope pressed in the channel formed by rope jam  220 . The teeth  240  may be along the walls of the channel formed by rope jam  220 . Teethe  240  may be shaped to create a v-shaped channel, such that ropes of various diameters may be used with the adjustable marine fender holder  100 . The number of teeth  240  may vary depending upon the weight of the fender or other factors as determined by a user or manufacturer. The teeth  240  may hold the rope at the position desired by a user of the adjustable marine fender holder  100 , thereby adjusting the length at which a fender hangs from a rope to a desired length. As a user pulls a rope through hole  215 , the fender will hang at a distance closer to the adjustable marine fender holder  100 . As a user releases a rope through hole  215 , the fender will hang at a distance further from the adjustable marine fender holder  100 . 
     Adjustable marine fender holder  100  may have one or more notches  230  at its base. Notches  230  may allow the adjustable marine fender holder  100  to remain in a fixed position by sliding over a bar or other raised feature at the bottom of a rod holder. Adjustable marine fender holder  100  may also have a cap  210 . Cap  210  may be used to provide an enhanced gripping surface for adjustable marine fender holder  100 . Notch  235  may be used for securing cap  210  to cylindrical body  225 . In some embodiments, cap  210  may not have a notch  235 , for example if cap  210  is friction welded to cylindrical body  225  a notch  235  may not be needed. Adjustable marine fender holder  100  may be made of plastic, thermo-plastic resins, polymers, metals, wood, or other materials as desired by the manufacturer or end user. It may be desirable to choose a material that is resistant to the corrosive atmosphere and exposure to sun that ocean going vessels may encounter. In some embodiments, the adjustable marine fender holder  100  maybe coated with an ultraviolet (UV) protectant to further protect against damage from prolonged exposure to the sun. 
     While the foregoing description describes the adjustable marine fender holder in the context of marine fenders, other uses may be conceived of for the adjustable marine fender holder, for example as an anchor holder or livewell holder, or any other type of device that may hung by a rope from the side of a vessel. 
     Although the present invention and its advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Moreover, the scope of the present application is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments of the process, machine, manufacture, composition of matter, means, methods and steps described in the specification. As one of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate from the disclosure of the present invention, processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps, presently existing or later to be developed that perform substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same result as the corresponding embodiments described herein may be utilized according to the present invention. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to include within their scope such processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps.