US3057318A - Anchor - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 9, 1962 ,1. CHURCHWARD ANCHOR Filed Jan. 22, 1960 Ja e4 Orurc/z ward INVENTOR.

BY r f A77 RNEY United States Patent 3,057,318 ANCHOR Jack Churchward, 976 Douglas Ave., Dunedin, Fla. Filed Jan. 22, 1960, Ser. No. 4,109 3 Claims. (Cl. 114-408) This invention relates to anchors and is particularly concerned with small craft anchors of lightweight, simple construction, especially designed to meet the demands of economic manufacture.

Small craft anchors are for the most part of a generally standard design including a main shank, transverse related fluke arms and flukes preferably pivoted for a limited oscillating movement with respect to the shank. Such structures are usually of cast components, not only of considerable more weight than required for the light crafts which they are intended to secure, but such cast construction is expensive, requiring considerable capitalization for the molds and expensive as to the cost of the metal cast.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide an anchor of equivalent efficiency and effectiveness as cast anchors, one which may be manufactured without the high capital investment required for casting and one which eliminates both the weight and expense of materials commonly required for cast anchors. In accomplishing this objective, the present invention provides an anchor formed of rod material suitably shaped and welded together with stamped metal flukes which may be welded to the fluke arm. Thus, the invention may be fabricated without the use of any cast parts and hence, without the capital investment of molds and without the high cost of the material of heavy castings. Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from a consideration of the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

The single FIGURE of the drawing constitutes a perspective view of the present preferred and commercially successful form of the present invention.

As indicated in the drawing, the shank of the present invention consists of a return bent rod structure including substantially parallel shank bars united by return bend 11 at the upper or far end of the composite shank formed thereby. Secured between the shanks 10 and precluded from disengagement therebetween by the return bend 11, is an anchor cable ring 12, freely slidable within the confines of the composite shank. While the shank members 10 are substantially parallel, they converge slightly to point 9 approximately two-thirds of the length of the shanks from the return bend 11 and there diverge to their terminal portions 13 between which there is mounted a centrally apertured fluke bar block 14 through which the fluke bar 15 passes and is freely rotatable.

The cross or fluke bar 15 is of rod material preferably similar to the stock rods 10 and may, for convenience, be of a like gauge therewith. It will, of course, be understood that while the invention is not limited nor confined to the materials of the rods 10 and 15, they are preferably formed of rigid and sturdy but lightweight material and may be of steel, aluminum or such alloys as fulfill the requirement for strength without overburdening the anchor as to weight. Fluke plates 16 are preferably formed of stamped rigid material and are preferably of conventional, generally triangular formation, being provided with right-angularly turned lips 17 at their inner edge to enhance their rigidity and to cooperate in engaging subsurface soil to restrain the anchor movement. The base portions 18 of the flukes are Welded as at 19 to the fluke rod 15 after the rod has been passed through the aperture 20 of the block 14. Thus, the assembly may be completely fabricated from rods and stampings without the requirement of any cast parts and at a minimum fabrication expense as well as minimum cost of materials.

For restraining the pivotal movement of the flukes and the fluke bar to which they are welded, a limit pin 21 is provided, bridging the fluke 16' and passing between the lower diverging portion of the shank rods 10, closely adjacent the block 14. One feature of the invention is the fact that the limit pin 21 may be readily fracturable so as to constitute a shear pin whereby, upon excessive strain on ring 12 by the anchor cable when the flukes may be fouled under a subsurface obstruction, the pin 21 may be broken to permit the fiukes to turn beyond the otherwise normal limit to permit withdrawal of the anchor. It will, of course, be understood that after shearing of the pin 21 for release of the anchor, the bar may be readily replaced as by rewelding at the ends 22 on the face of the fluke plates.

A further feature of the present invention is the angular turning of the ends 23 of the fluke bar so as to provide for the engagement of such ends with the subsurface in order to orient the flukes in an appropriate direction for engagement with the subsurface to secure the anchor. The ends being disposed in a plane normal to the plane of the fiukes. Terminal buffer balls 24 of rubber or the like may be applied over the ends of the fluke bar to resist wear and to preclude damage to deck surfaces and the like where the anchor may be disposed when not in use.

In operation, it will be noted that the ring 12 is slidable between the stock rods 10. Hence, additional means is provided by which the anchor may be released should it become engaged beneath a subsurface obstruction. Should the flukes be so lodged a slackening of the anchor cable will permit the ring 12 to slide downwardly between the stock rods 10 to a position adjacent the block 14. Tension on the ring 12, while in this location adjacent the block 14, will permit the flukes to be withdrawn from under an obstruction, thus releasing the anchor without necessity of shearing the pin 21.

While the present invention is here shown in one of its commercially successful adaptations, it will, of course, be understood that the invention is not specifically limited to the details of construction or the materials here suggested and that in the practice of the invention numerous changes, modifications and the full use of equivalents may be resorted to without departure from the spirit or scope of the invention as outlined by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. An anchor of the character set forth including a shank formed of a single rod having a return bend and spaced side rods, and anchor cable ring encircling said rod and freely slidable thereover, a fluke rod, a fluke rod block welded between the ends of said shank rod and pivotally receiving said fluke rod therethrough, stamped metal flukes welded to said fluke rod on either side of '3 said fluke block, the terminal ends of said fluke rod being turned at opposite right angular relation to lie normal to the plane of said flukes.

2. An anchor including a shank, a pivoted cross bar on said shank, flukes welded to said bar to pivotally move therewith with respect to said shank, said cross bar having ends bent at 90 opposite one another perpendicular to said flukes, and means between said flukes limiting the pivotal movement of said bar and fiukes.

3. An anchor as set forth in claim 2, in which said means includes a pin welded between the flukes determining the greatest possible angle of fluke in relation to said shank.

References Cited in the file of this patent

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