GB2251003A

GB2251003A - Rope joining device

Info

Publication number: GB2251003A
Application number: GB9027403A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Norman Clifford Smith
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1990-12-18
Filing date: 1990-12-18
Publication date: 1992-06-24
Also published as: GB9027403D0

Abstract

The rope joining device 1 comprises a tube having between its ends an opening extending to its bore. The device may also be used to join two rope ends, or may be anchored, e.g. to a deck. The sides of the opening have blunt edges to grip the rope, and the ends of the opening are flaired to ease loop withdrawal. The ends of the tube bore are flaired to ease rope passage. <IMAGE>

Description

ROPE JOINING DEVICE The present invention relates to a rope joining device, that is a device for joining ropes in the manner of a knot, in particularly though not exclusively for forming a loop or eye at the end of a rope.

In this specification, the term "rope" is used to include different sizes of rope such as might otherwise be known as lines, cords, cables et cetera.

Knots can cause many people difficulty to tie in the first place; and then more difficulty to untie particularly if they have been incorrectly tied in the first place.

The object of the present invention is to provide a device with which rope can be easily joined and subsequently released.

A rope joining device, according to the invention, comprises a tubular member of a size to accommodate within its bore a rope to be joined, the member having an opening to its bore intermediate its ends of a length such that a loop of rope can be drawn from the bore and an end of the or another rope passed between the loop and the member, the member being so shaped at the intersection of the opening and the bore that tensioning of the rope to draw the loop back into the bore traps the end against the member and securely holds it there.

Preferably the opening has a length of the order of four to four and a half times the diameter of the bore.

Longer and shorter openings can work, with the proviso that too short an opening will not allow ready formation of the loop and too long an opening will mitigate against secure pulling of the end against the member when the rope is tensioned.

The opening is preferably to the full diameter of the bore. Too shallow an opening will not allow the loop to be withdrawn through the opening and too deep an opening will unduly weaken the member.

Preferably both sides of the opening are relieved to form a blunt edge to the opening. The purpose of this edge is to grip the rope end passed under the loop, when tensioning of the rope reduces the loop and forces the rope end against the blunt edge.

The ends of the opening are preferably flaired to facilitate withdrawal of the loop.

To help understanding of the invention, a specific embodiment thereof will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a side, plan and end view of a rope joining device of the invention, and Figure 2 is a side and plan view of the device in use.

The device shown in Figure 1 is a tubular member 1 having a central bore 2. To ease passage of a rope into the bore, its ends 3,4 are slightly flaired. Externally the ends are of reduced diameter for aesthetic reasons.

Intermediate the ends 3,4, the member 1 has an opening 5 to its diameter 6. This opening 5 has a length 7 which is four times the diameter 8 of the bore. The ends 9,10 of the opening are flaired. The effect of this is to form a blunt edge 11 intended to grip the formed loop at the load end to prevent slippage and increase the effective length of the opening due to the curvature of the intersection of the flair planes with the bore. The axial sides 12 of the opening at their intersection with the bore are relieved at 450 to form them into blunt edges 13 for gripping the rope as described below.

Referring now to Figure 2, in use, the device is slid onto the rope 15 and a loop 16 pulled out of the opening 5.

The end 17 of the rope is passed through the loop 16. Then on tightening of the rope to pull the loop back towards the member 1, the end 17 is trapped in the loop. It is urged against the blunt edges 13, which together with the rope at the loop, grip the end and secure it. The eye 18 thus formed at the end of the rope is as strong as if it had been formed with a bowline knot. Rapid release can be achieved by pulling the end 17 from the loop 16 once the load on the rope 15 is relieved.

The invention is not intended to be restricted to the details of the above described embodiment. For instance, the device may be anchored to a deck for securing a rope to the deck.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A rope joining device comprising a tubular member of a size to accommodate within its bore a rope to be joined, the member having an opening to its bore intermediate its ends of a length such that a loop of rope can be drawn from the bore and an end of the or another rope passed between the loop and the member, the member being so shaped at the intersection of the opening and the bore that tensioning of the rope to draw the loop back into the bore traps the end against the member and securely holds it there.

2. A rope joining device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the opening has a length of the order of four to four and a half times the diameter of the bore.

3. A rope joining device as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the opening is to the full diameter of the bore.

4. A rope joining device as claimed in claim 1, claim 2 or claim 3, wherein both sides of the opening are relieved to form blunt edges to the opening.

5. A rope joining device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the ends of the opening are flaired to facilitate withdrawal of the loop.

6. A rope joining device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the ends of the bore of the tubular member are flaired to ease passage of the rope into the bore.

7. A rope joining device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.