Patent Publication Number: US-6659823-B1

Title: Safety throw rope dispenser

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a dispenser for a safety throw rope which would normally be used in situations where a person in distress may need assistance, for example, to be towed out of the water to the safety of a watercraft or shoreline. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Throw bags for containing a length of rescue rope to be thrown to persons in distress are known. An example of such a bag is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,676,882. It will be seen that the throw bag includes a weight so that the bag can be thrown more accurately towards the victim. Conveniently, the bag has a handle portion which the victim can grasp. One of the problems experienced with such throw bags is that the weight of the bag may cause it to sink in water rescue situations. The water rescue device described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,836,815 includes a buoyant housing for storing a length of line which may be payed out during an emergency. The housing includes a battery powered light which is activated by pulling on the end of the life line affixed to the housing. 
     Buoyant devices such as a life ring of the kind shown in D246,542 and which provide integral handles for the victim to hang on to are also known. One of the problems associated with such life saving rings is the difficulty in storing a sufficient length of a throw rope to make the ring useful. One manner of addressing the problem is to include on the life ring or flotation disc a peripheral groove for storing the life line. Such a device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,019,651. A problem which arises with using such a device is that the thrower must have a significant amount of skill to accurately throw the device to the intended location while the life line is unwound during rotation of the floatation disc. 
     A need therefore exists to provide a safety device for use in particular in a water rescue environment which is buoyant and which can easily be thrown to the intended location with sufficient rope to be effective. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the invention, there is provided a dispenser for a safety throw rope which has a rigid hollow body that defines a cavity for receiving a length of rope. The body has a bung hole at one end through which the length of rope may be payed out. The body also has a looped hollow handle portion at another end spaced from the bung hole. The rope is coupled to a closure assembly for the bung hole at one end and to the handle portion inside the cavity at another end. When the closure assembly is separated from the body, the body may be thrown and the rope is payed out of the bung hole. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the rope is looped around the handle portion inside the cavity. Most preferably, the body has a rope locator dimensioned to be received through the opening of the body and defining two spaced passages for receiving the rope therethrough. The rope is threaded through a first passage, around the handle portion inside the cavity and through a second passage in the rope locator. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In order the invention may be more clearly understood, reference will be had to the following drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is perspective view of a dispenser for a safety throw rope made in accordance with the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view through the dispenser of FIG. 1 drawn on line  2 — 2  with the throw rod stored inside; 
     FIG. 3 a cross-sectional view through the dispenser of FIG. 1 with the throw rope payed out; 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a rope locator forming part of the dispenser of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 is a similar view to FIG. 2 showing an alternative embodiment of the invention without a rope locator device; 
     FIG. 6 is an end elevation view of the dispenser; and 
     FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view through the dispenser of FIG. 1 drawn on line  7 — 7 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION WITH REFERENCE TO THE DRAWINGS 
     A dispenser for a safety throw rope in accordance with the invention is generally indicated in the drawings by reference numeral  20 . The dispenser has a rigid hollow body  21  which is made from a suitable synthetic plastic material and which is UV resistant and could, for example, consist of synthetic plastic material which may easily be formed into the desired shape by blow moulding. From FIG. 2, it will be seen that the dispenser body  21  defines a cavity  22  that has a bung hole  24  at one end and a hollow handle portion  26  at another end. The handle portion is an integral part of the dispenser body  21  and is formed into a loop that defines an opening  28  so that the dispenser can conveniently be grasped by a person in distress. A closure assembly  30  is provided for releasably closing the bung hole  24 . The closure assembly  30  consists of a fluted bung which seats in the bung hole  24  and which is prevented from moving into the dispenser body  21  by a detent  31  (FIG.  7 ). The bung may be removed by tugging on a grip portion  32  shown in the drawings as a length of rope formed into a loop and coupled to the closure assembly  30 . 
     The shape of the fluted bung forming part of the closure assembly  30  is shown in greater detail in FIG.  6 . It will be seen that the bung has a plurality of radially extending ribs dimensioned to abut in a close-fitting relationship with the bung hole  24 . The ribs are adapted to flex to facilitate entry and exit from the bung hole  24 . An air space is defined between the ribs to allow air to circulate into the body cavity  22  to minimize fouling of the contents of the body cavity. Conveniently, the ribs also define channels for draining water from the body cavity  22  so that the contents will be relatively dry. 
     In accordance with current Coast Guard regulations, a buoyant heaving line or rope  34  not less than 15 meters in length is stored inside the cavity  22 . In the embodiment shown, the rope  34  has a free end which forms the grip portion  32  and which is secured to the bung by knots  33 ,  35  (FIG.  2 ). The other end of the rope  34  is coupled to the handle portion  26 . In the assembled condition shown in FIGS. 2 and 7, the rope  34  is positioned with a rope locator indicated by reference numeral  36 . The rope locator  36  (shown in detail in FIG. 4) is a discrete element formed with two spaced passages  38 ,  40  dimensioned to receive the rope  34  therethrough. 
     In order to assemble the rope  34  with the rope locator  36  in the operational position shown in the drawings, a free end of the rope is first threaded through a first passage  38  (FIG. 4) in the rope locator  36  outside of the dispenser body  21 . A length of the rope  34  is then pulled through the passage  38  for a sufficient length to traverse the length of the dispenser  20  through the handle portion  26  and to emerge from the bung hole  24 . Conveniently, a weight may be attached to a free end of the rope  34  in order to guide it inside the cavity  22  through the handle portion  26 . The free end of the rope  34  is then threaded through a second passage  40  (FIG. 4) in the rope locator  36  outside of the dispenser  20  and knotted into a stop knot  42  suitable for restraining the rope  34  from passing through the passage  40 . The rope locator  36  is then introduced into the cavity  22  through the bung hole  24  and snugged up against the handle portion  26  by tugging on the end of the rope secured to the closure assembly  30 . 
     In an alternative embodiment  43  of the invention shown in FIG. 5, the rope  34  is looped around the handle portion  26  inside the cavity  22  and has a free end secured to itself with a slip knot  44 . The remaining portions are identical and are identified by like numerals. 
     In use, it will be appreciated that the dispenser body  20  will be separated from the closure assembly  30  as shown in FIG.  3  and that the closure assembly will be grasped with one hand by the grip portion  32  while the other hand will grab the body  21  of the dispenser to throw it to the required location. Conveniently, the body  21  of the dispenser is waisted so that it can easily be held in one hand. The weight of the dispenser  20  is sufficient to facilitate accurate throwing of the dispenser and the rope  34  pays out easily from the bung hole  24  along the trajectory of the thrown dispenser. The handle  26  may conveniently be grasped by the person in distress being rescued and because the dispenser body  21  is buoyant, it may easily be found even if the throw is not accurate or the intended recipient is not alert enough to immediately grasp the device. With a firm grip on the handle portion  26  by the person being rescued, the thrower of the device can begin to tow the victim into a safe location such as a shoreline of a moving river or a rescue craft. 
     After use, the rope  34  is easily restored to a useable condition by stuffing the rope into the cavity  22 . The closure assembly  30  keeps the rope intact until it is pulled and prevents inadvertent release of rope so that the device is always ready to be used while minimizing the likelihood of the rope becoming tangled or snagged. 
     It will of course be understood that several variations may be made to the above described embodiment of the invention within the scope of the appended claims. In particular, it will be understood that the shape of the dispenser  20  may be varied, as required, to suit the intended application and to satisfy aesthetic concerns. Other variations, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art may be made for coupling the rope to the handle portion and to the closure assembly.