Patent Publication Number: US-2011070784-A1

Title: Combination anode and line cutter

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
     This invention relates to marine equipment and is particularly directed to improved sacrificial anodes and line cutters. 
     RELATED CASES 
     This invention is described in my copending Provisional Application, Ser. No. 61/277,342, filed ______, and now ______. 
     PRIOR ART 
     It has long been known that, because various types of metals are used for different parts of a boat, exposure to water, especially salt water, creates electrical currents which tend to erode the metal parts. This results in weakening or failure of the effected part. As a result, it has become common practice to provide sacrificial anodes, usually formed of zinc or some other inexpensive and chemically active metal, which will erode more rapidly and, hence, serve to protect the more valuable parts. It is also known to provide cutters in the propeller shaft or the like to protect against entanglement by water plants, fishing lines and the like. However, prior art line cutters and sacrificial anodes have been provided as separate items. Therefore, it has not been possible to provide both sacrificial anodes and line cutters in many locations, such as propeller shafts. Thus, none of the prior art sacrificial anodes or line cutters have been entirely satisfactory. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF INVENTION 
     These disadvantages of the prior art are overcome with the present invention and improved sacrificial anodes and line cutters are provided which can quickly and easily be installed in common in substantially any desired locations, such as propeller shafts, simultaneously. 
     These advantages of the present invention are preferably attained by providing improved sacrificial anodes and line cutters which are formed into a single unit. 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide improved sacrificial anodes and line cutters. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide improved sacrificial anodes and line cutters which can be installed quickly and easily. 
     A further object of the present invention is to provide improved sacrificial anodes and line cutters which can be installed quickly and easily in a common location. 
     An additional object of the present invention is to provide improved sacrificial anodes and line cutters which can be installed quickly and easily in common si substantially any desired location. 
     A specific object of the present invention is to provide improved sacrificial anodes and line cutters which are formed into a single unit. 
     These and other objects and features of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, taken with reference to the figures of the accompanying drawing. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a combination sacrificial anode and line cutter embodying the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a top view of the device of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a top view of an alternative form of the device of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is an isometric view of another alternative form of the device of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is an isometric view of showing three of the devices of the present invention mounted on a propeller shaft; and 
         FIG. 6  is an isometric view of an alternative form of the device of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     In that form of the present invention chosen for purposes of illustration,  FIG. 1  shows a sacrificial anode and line cutter, indicated generally at  10 . The sacrificial anode  10  is an annular device formed of chemically active metal, such as zinc, aluminum or the like, comprising upper and lower semicircular halves  12  and  14  respectively. The cutter blade  16  is formed of strong, rigid non-metal material, such as carbide, and is also formed in upper and lower halves and is formed with cutting teeth  17 , which project beyond the perimeter of the sacrificial anode  10 . The cutter blade  16  is formed into a single unit with the sacrificial anode  10  as seen in  FIGS. 1-7 . The upper and lower halves  12  and  14  of the sacrificial anode  10  are secured together and the sacrificial anode  10  is secured to a propeller shaft  24 , as seen in  FIG. 5 , or other suitable location by bolts  18 . The bolts  18  pass through suitable holes  20  formed in the upper halves  12  and are received in threaded holes, not shown, in the lower halves  14 . The holes  20  and  22  may be located on the same side of the cutter blade  16 , as seen in  FIG. 2 , or may be located on alternate sides of the cutter blade  16 , as seen in  FIG. 3 . Obviously, various sizes of the sacrificial anode  10  may be provide to accommodate different diameters of propeller shafts. 
     In use, because the cutter blades  16  are molded into the upper and lower halves,  12  and  14  of the sacrificial anode  10 , the sacrificial anode  10  becomes a single unit including the cutter blade  16 . Thus, when the sacrificial anode  10  is mounted onto a propeller shaft  24  or the like, the cutter blades  16  are also mounted in the same location. Should fishing lines, ropes, kelp seaweed or other material become tangled about the propeller shaft  24 , the teeth  17  of the cutter blade  16  will rapidly shred and sever them to prevent them from interfering with the functioning of the propeller  26 . The sacrificial anode  10  serves in the usual manner to protect the propeller blade and shaft from electrolytic corrosion. 
       FIG. 6  shows a sacrificial anode  34  having a cutter blade  36  attached thereto by screws  38  to form an integral unit. 
     Obviously, numerous other variations and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Therefore, it should be clearly understood that the forms of the present invention described above and shown in the figures of the accompanying drawing are illustrative only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.