Anchor for Water Ski Tow Rope

The invention relates to rope anchors and, more particularly, to a rope anchor specifically designed for detachably securing ropes such as a water-ski tow rope to a boat.

Numerous fittings have been designed to provide means of securing ropes, such as ski tow ropes, to the transom of a boat. Because these ropes are removed each time the use of the rope for skiing ends, it is not feasible to attach them by the use of conventional knots. Therefore, the common practice is to provide the rope with a latch mechanism which can serve as a quick attachment and release from the anchor member. While this system is functionally acceptable, it is relatively expensive and clumsy compared to the use of a rope with a simple loop on the end which could be secured to the anchor bracket on the boat. It is also important that the means used to replace the present conventional latch be both relatively easy to operate and secure against unintentional release.

The invention provides a U-shaped bracket with a finger in the center so designed that a rope can be passed through the bracket and engaged around the finger to secure it yet prevent release, except as a result of intentional manipulation of the rope for the express purpose of releasing it. The invention provides a means of quickly and easily releasing the rope by passing it between the anchor finger within the bracket and the face of the transom or other structure with which the anchor means is utilized. In this manner, a rope with a simple loop at the end can be quickly and easily secured and released but can be depended upon to retain the rope unless the release is intentional. The invention is effective for securing the rope, irrespective of whether the bracket is mounted horizontally or vertically. It is also equally effective whether the surface to which it is mounted is vertical or inclined.

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a boat equipped with this invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional elevation view of the rope anchor bracket illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the invention with a rope secured to it;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary oblique view of the invention with rope attached;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, sectional elevation view taken along the plane V--V of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a side elevation view illustrating a modified form of the invention; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view of a modified attachment of the rope to the anchor bracket.

Referring to FIG. 1, the numeral 10 indicates a boat having a transom 11 on which has been mounted an anchor bracket 12 incorporating this invention. In FIG. 1, the anchor bracket is illustrated as securing the end of a rope 13, such as would be used for water skiing. It will be recognized that the specific purpose for which the rope is used is not relevant to the invention.

The bracket 12 is illustrated in greater detail in FIGS. 3 and 4 and consists of a body having a pair of legs 14 and 15, joined by a cross member 16 which, in the particular construction illustrated, is a curved integral extension of the legs, thus forming a generally U-shaped structure. Extending parallel to the legs 14 and 15 and preferably midway between them is a finger 17. This finger extends toward the free ends of the legs and adjacent the cross member 16 and has a portion 18 which is in the same plane as the legs 13 and 14 and a second portion 19 which is inclined to this plane at a minor angle. A preferred angle of inclination of the finger portion 19 is about 30.degree.. The finger 17 terminates in a rounded end 20. In the anchor bracket construction illustrated in FIGS. 2-4, a stop member 30 is secured to each of the legs 14 and 15 by suitable means, such as welding. The stop members 30 can be washers or washer like collars welded, one to each of the legs. The free ends of the legs 14 and 15 remote from the cross member 16 are threaded to receive the nuts 31. The threading of the legs can be extended toward the cross member 16 to permit the use of nuts as stops as substitutes for the welded stops 30. This will permit adjustment of the width of the hereinafter described passage A.

The anchor bracket 12 can be secured to the boat with the inclined portion 19 of the finger extending either downwardly or upwardly. Whether the transom is vertical or inclined does not matter with respect to the direction of inclination of the finger 19, as will be explained subsequently. While FIG. 1 illustrates the anchor bracket with the legs of the bracket where they penetrate the transom being arranged generally horizontally, that is, parallel to the water surface, this invention will function properly even though the bracket is mounted with legs spaced vertically rather than horizontally. It will also operate at any angular position between horizontal and vertical.

In mounting the anchor bracket, the legs 14 and 15 are passed through suitable openings in the transom and are secured by the nuts 31 mounted on the threaded ends of the legs to draw the stops 30 tightly against the exterior face of the transom (FIG. 2). Preferably, washers are used between the nuts and the transom surface on the inside to increase the bearing area and reduce damage to the surface of the transom as a result of tightening the nuts.

When the rope has been secured to the anchor bracket, it is restrained from inadvertent or unintentional release when the rope is slack by the existence of the finger 17 and its shape. The rope can only become released when it is slacked so that the end of the loop can pass around the end 20 of the finger through the passage 40 between it and the surface of the transom. Thus, if the anchor bracket is mounted, as illustrated in FIG. 2, with the finger inclined downwardly, any tension applied to the rope will tend to pull the loop toward the fixed end of the finger and against the cross member. The same is true when the bracket is so mounted that the inclined end of the finger extends upwardly. The key to preventing the rope from accidental disengagement is the spacing A between the transom and the end 20 of the finger (FIG. 2). It will be noted in this Figure that the diameter B of the rope is significantly greater than the gap or passage A. This excess of diameter must be such as to positively resist movement of the rope through the passage unless an intentionally applied intervening force is exerted on it such as an operator squeezing the rope. However, the excess of diameter must not be so great that the rope cannot be made to compress and squeeze through the passage 40. This type of interference between the rope and the sides of the passage is enough to positively prevent the rope from passing through the passage A when the rope is slack. Restricting the width of the passage A to less than the normal diameter of the rope 13 is effective to prevent unintentional release irrespective of the orientation of the anchor bracket. The rounding of the end 20 of the finger 17 contributes to the result because it eliminates the possibility of the rope becoming snagged on the sharp edges of a square cut end.

The preferred method of securing the rope to the anchor bracket is illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4. In this method, the loop is first passed over the top of the cross member 16, squeezed and passed between the end 20 of the finger and the transom and then passed under and around the exterior of the cross member and once again down through the passage A and then pulled tight to eliminate the slack. This arrangement, requiring a dual passage through the gap A is substantially impossible to release without careful and intentional intervention. In fact, even if the rope secured as illustrated in FIG. 4 for some reason managed to effect release from the first transit through the passage A it would still be secured as illustrated in FIG. 7. In fact, having secured the rope as illustrated in FIG. 7, making the second pass through the passage A is more a matter of insurance rather than necessity except when the bracket is positioned with its leg spaced vertically. In this later circumstance, the weight of the rope does not necessarily cooperate in helping to prevent the rope inadvertently working its way through the passage.

When it is desired to detach the rope, its removal is accomplished simply by reversing the process of attachment, that is, by passing the end of the loop once or twice, depending upon how it was initially secured, through the passage A in the reverse direction.

FIG. 6 illustrates one method of adapting the invention to ropes of different diameters. While the passage A will be set for the rope diameter with which the bracket is normally expected to be used, the bracket can be adjusted at point of installation for use with ropes of greater diameter by placing one or more spacers or washers 35 between the stops 30 and the transom to provide the necessary increase in the width of the passage.

It will be recognized that the invention provides a rope anchor of simple design, permitting easy rope attachment and removal capable of a wide range of uses. While waterskiing has been specifically mentioned, such use is only illustrative and in no way limits the utility of the invention.

Having described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be recognized that modifications of it can be made without departing from the principles of the invention, such modifications are to be considered as included in the hereinafter appended claims, unless these claims by their language expressly state otherwise.