Patent ID: 7261138

Claim:
A cord lock comprising: a housing; a plurality of cams attached to the housing at a position to be able to rotate about a first axis from at least one unlocked position to a locked position, and from the locked position to the at least one unlocked position; a surface spaced apart from the plurality of cams such that a cord passing over the surface will be pressed against the surface and restrained when the plurality of cams are in the locked position, and the cord can freely pass over the surface in at least one direction when the plurality of cams are in the at least one unlocked position; a cam lock within the housing and capable of assuming a first position in which the plurality of cams are in the locked position, and at least one additional position in which the plurality of cams are engaged by the cam lock and in the at least one unlocked position; a spring attached to one of the cam lock and the plurality of cams biasing the plurality of cams to the locked position and enabling the plurality of cams to move from the locked position and the cam lock to move from the first position to the at least one unlocked position when a selected force acts on one of the cam lock and a cord positioned within the cord lock; and a release cord attached to the cam lock in a manner so that pulling the release cord moves the cam lock to engage and move the plurality of cams from the locked position positioned within the cord lock to pass over the surface in a direction opposite the one direction.