RATCHETING MOORING LINE DEVICE

Abstract

A ratcheting mooring line device includes a mooring line which can be tied to a cleat on a gunnel of a boat. A clamp is included which has a hook and a ratcheting mechanism. The hook can be extended through a cleat on a dock for attaching the clamp to the cleat on the dock. The mooring line slidably extends through the clamp and the ratcheting mechanism is biased to engage the mooring line to inhibit the mooring line from being pulled in a second direction through the clamp thereby inhibiting the boat from floating away from the dock. The ratcheting mechanism enables the mooring line to be pulled in a first direction through the clamp and the ratcheting mechanism to secure the boat to the dock. A boat fender can be positioned between the boat and the dock to inhibit the boat from striking against the dock.

Claims

1. A ratcheting mooring line device for simplifying the process of mooring a boat to a dock, said device comprising: a mooring line having a coupled end being attached to said mooring line to define a closed loop in said mooring line wherein said closed loop is configured to be tied to a cleat on a gunnel of a boat, said mooring line including a stop, said mooring line extending through said stop such that a free end of said mooring line is positioned adjacent to said stop, said mooring line being knotted at said free end thereby inhibiting said free end from being pulled through said stop; a clamp having a hook and a ratcheting mechanism and a closure being biased to engage said hook wherein said hook is configured to be extended through a cleat on a dock for attaching said clamp to the cleat on the dock having said closure inhibiting said hook from being disengaged from the cleat on the dock, said mooring line slidably extending through said clamp, said ratcheting mechanism being biased to engage said mooring line, said ratcheting mechanism enabling said mooring line to be pulled in a first direction through said clamp wherein said ratcheting mechanism is configured to enable said mooring line to be shortened to a desired length for securing the boat to the dock without requiring a user to tie an approved knot in said mooring line on the cleat of the dock, said ratcheting mechanism inhibiting said mooring line from being pulled in a second direction through said clamp wherein said ratcheting mechanism is configured to inhibit the boat from floating away from the dock; and a boat fender being comprised of a resiliently compressible material wherein said boat fender is configured to be positioned between the boat and the dock to inhibit the boat from striking against the dock and to absorb energy from the momentum of the boats motion as a result of waves.

2. The ratcheting mooring line device according to claim 1, wherein: said mooring line includes a sleeve; said mooring line extends through a front end of said sleeve at a point being spaced from said coupled end of said mooring line; said mooring line is looped through a back end of said sleeve such that said coupled end is positioned adjacent to said front end of said sleeve thereby enabling said closed loop to be formed in said mooring line having said closed loop extending away from said back end of said sleeve; and said sleeve is compressed onto said mooring line thereby inhibiting said mooring line from being pulled through said sleeve for retaining said closed loop in said mooring line.

3. The ratcheting mooring line device according to claim 1, wherein: said clamp has a yoke being spaced from and being oriented parallel to an arm to define a space between said yoke and said arm thereby enabling said mooring line to extend through said space; said clamp has a hole extending through said arm; said mooring line extending through said hole in said arm such that said stop is spaced from said arm thereby enabling said stop to inhibit said mooring line from being pulled through said hole when said mooring line is pulled in said second direction; said hook extends away from said yoke; said hook is curved between said yoke and a free end of said hook such that said free end of said hook is spaced from said arm; said closure has a coupled end being pivotally coupled to said arm; said closure is biased into a closed position having a free end of said closure engaging said free end of said hook wherein said closure is configured to inhibit said hook from being removed from the cleat on the dock; said closure is urgeable into an open position having said free end of said closure being disengaged from said free end of said hook wherein said closure is configured to enable said hook to be removed from the cleat on the dock.

4. The ratcheting mooring line device according to claim 3, wherein: said ratcheting mechanism comprises a cam being positioned in said yoke; said cam having a perimeter surface which has a first side and a second side; said first side curves away from said second side; said second side is planar; said perimeter surface has a plurality of teeth being integrated into said first side; said teeth are evenly spaced apart from each other and are distributed along a substantial length of said first side; said clamp includes a pin which extends through said yoke and said cam thereby rotatably attaching said cam to said yoke; and said pin is positioned closer to a first intersection between said first side and said second side than a second intersection between said first side and said second side.

5. The ratcheting mooring line device according to claim 4, wherein: said cam is biased to rotate in a first direction having said first side being positioned in said space between said yoke and said arm thereby enabling said first side to compress against said mooring line; said teeth engage said mooring line when said cam is biased to rotate in said first direction such that said cam inhibits said mooring line from being pulled in said second direction; said cam is rotatable in a second direction having said first side being displaced from said space between said yoke and said arm such that said teeth on said first side disengages said mooring line thereby enabling said mooring line to be pulled in said second direction; said cam has a finger extending laterally away from said second intersection between said first side and said second side wherein said finger is configured to be manipulated by a user to rotate said cam in said second direction; said clamp has a rib extending laterally away from an outwardly facing surface of said arm; said coupled end of said closure is pivotally attached to said rib; and said rib is positioned above said hole in said arm.

6. The ratcheting mooring line device according to claim 1, wherein: said boat fender has an outer wall being continuously arcuate about an axis extending between an upper end of said boat fender and a lower end of said boat fender such that said boat fender has a cylindrical shape wherein said boat fender is configured to enable the boat to press against said boat fender without sustaining impact damage; each of said upper end and said lower end is rounded; said boat fender has a pair of tabs each being coupled to and extending away from a respective one of said upper end and said lower end; each of said pair of tabs has a hole extending through a front face and a back face of a respective tab; said device includes a rope being attached to said boat fender; said rope extends through said hole in a respective one of said tabs having said rope being tied to itself for securing said rope to said respective tab; said device includes a clasp being attached to a distal end of said rope with respect to said boat fender; said clasp has a gate being movably attached to said clasp; said gate is urgeable into an open position such that said clasp and said gate form an open loop thereby enabling said clasp to be positioned on said mooring line wherein said rope is configured to suspend said boat bender from said mooring line thereby enabling said boat fender to be positioned between the boat and the dock when the boat is moored to the dock; said gate is biased into a closed position such that said clasp and said gate form a closed loop thereby enabling said rope to be retained on said mooring line wherein said boat fender is configured to be retained between the boat and the dock.

7. A ratcheting mooring line device for simplifying the process of mooring a boat to a dock, said device comprising: a mooring line having a coupled end being attached to said mooring line to define a closed loop in said mooring line wherein said closed loop is configured to be tied to a cleat on a gunnel of a boat, said mooring line including a sleeve, said mooring line extending through a front end of said sleeve at a point being spaced from said coupled end of said mooring line, said mooring line being looped through a back end of said sleeve such that said coupled end is positioned adjacent to said front end of said sleeve thereby enabling said closed loop to be formed in said mooring line having said closed loop extending away from said back end of said sleeve, said sleeve being compressed onto said mooring line thereby inhibiting said mooring line from being pulled through said sleeve for retaining said closed loop in said mooring line, said mooring line including a stop, said mooring line extending through said stop such that a free end of said mooring line is positioned adjacent to said stop, said mooring line being knotted at said free end thereby inhibiting said free end from being pulled through said stop; a clamp having a hook and a ratcheting mechanism and a closure being biased to engage said hook wherein said hook is configured to be extended through a cleat on a dock for attaching said clamp to the cleat on the dock having said closure inhibiting said hook from being disengaged from the cleat on the dock, said mooring line slidably extending through said clamp, said ratcheting mechanism being biased to engage said mooring line, said ratcheting mechanism enabling said mooring line to be pulled in a first direction through said clamp wherein said ratcheting mechanism is configured to enable said mooring line to be shortened to a desired length for securing the boat to the dock without requiring a user to tie an approved knot in said mooring line on the cleat of the dock, said ratcheting mechanism inhibiting said mooring line from being pulled in a second direction through said clamp wherein said ratcheting mechanism is configured to inhibit the boat from floating away from the dock, said clamp having a yoke being spaced from and being oriented parallel to an arm to define a space between said yoke and said arm thereby enabling said mooring line to extend through said space, said clamp having a hole extending through said arm, said mooring line extending through said hole in said arm such that said stop is spaced from said arm thereby enabling said stop to inhibit said mooring line from being pulled through said hole when said mooring line is pulled in said second direction, said hook extending away from said yoke, said hook being curved between said yoke and a free end of said hook such that said free end of said hook is spaced from said arm, said closure having a coupled end being pivotally coupled to said arm, said closure being biased into a closed position having a free end of said closure engaging said free end of said hook wherein said closure is configured to inhibit said hook from being removed from the cleat on the dock, said closure being urgeable into an open position having said free end of said closure being disengaged from said free end of said hook wherein said closure is configured to enable said hook to be removed from the cleat on the dock, said ratcheting mechanism comprising a cam being positioned in said yoke, said cam having a perimeter surface which has a first side and a second side, said first side curving away from said second side, said second side being planar, said perimeter surface having a plurality of teeth being integrated into said first side, said teeth being evenly spaced apart from each other and being distributed along a substantial length of said first side, said clamp including a pin which extends through said yoke and said cam thereby rotatably attaching said cam to said yoke, said pin being positioned closer to a first intersection between said first side and said second side than a second intersection between said first side and said second side, said cam being biased to rotate in a first direction having said first side being positioned in said space between said yoke and said arm thereby enabling said first side to compress against said mooring line, said teeth engaging said mooring line when said cam is biased to rotate in said first direction such that said cam inhibits said mooring line from being pulled in said second direction, said cam being rotatable in a second direction having said first side being displaced from said space between said yoke and said arm such that said teeth on said first side disengages said mooring line thereby enabling said mooring line to be pulled in said second direction, said cam having a finger extending laterally away from said second intersection between said first side and said second side wherein said finger is configured to be manipulated by a user to rotate said cam in said second direction, said clamp having a rib extending laterally away from an outwardly facing surface of said arm, said coupled end of said closure being pivotally attached to said rib, said rib being positioned above said hole in said arm; a boat fender being comprised of a resiliently compressible material wherein said boat fender is configured to be positioned between the boat and the dock to inhibit the boat from striking against the dock and to absorb energy from the momentum of the boats motion as a result of waves, said boat fender having an outer wall being continuously arcuate about an axis extending between an upper end of said boat fender and a lower end of said boat fender such that said boat fender has a cylindrical shape wherein said boat fender is configured to enable the boat to press against said boat fender without sustaining impact damage, each of said upper end and said lower end being rounded, said boat fender having a pair of tabs each being coupled to and extending away from a respective one of said upper end and said lower end, each of said pair of tabs having a hole extending through a front face and a back face of a respective tab; a rope being attached to said boat fender, said rope extending through said hole in a respective one of said tabs having said rope being tied to itself for securing said rope to said respective tab; and a clasp being attached to a distal end of said rope with respect to said boat fender, said clasp having a gate being movably attached to said clasp, said gate being urgeable into an open position such that said clasp and said gate form an open loop thereby enabling said clasp to be positioned on said mooring line wherein said rope is configured to suspend said boat bender from said mooring line thereby enabling said boat fender to be positioned between the boat and the dock when the boat is moored to the dock, said gate being biased into a closed position such that said clasp and said gate form a closed loop thereby enabling said rope to be retained on said mooring line wherein said boat fender is configured to be retained between the boat and the dock.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 6 thereof, a new mooring line device embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.

[0019] As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 6, the ratcheting mooring line device 10 generally comprises a mooring line 12 that has a coupled end 14 which is attached to the mooring line 12 to define a closed loop 16 in the mooring line 12 thereby enabling the closed loop 16 to be tied to a cleat 18 on a gunnel 20 of a boat 22. The boat 22 may be a pleasure boat, a commercial boat or any other type of boat that would commonly be moored at a dock. The mooring line 12 includes a sleeve 24 and the mooring line 12 extends through a front end 26 of the sleeve 24 at a point which is spaced from the coupled end 14 of the mooring line 12. The mooring line 12 is looped through a back end 28 of the sleeve 24 such that the coupled end 14 is positioned adjacent to the front end 26 of the sleeve 24 thereby enabling the closed loop 16 to be formed in the mooring line 12 having the closed loop 16 extending away from the back end 28 of the sleeve 24. Furthermore, the sleeve 24 is compressed onto the mooring line 12 thereby inhibiting the mooring line 12 from being pulled through the sleeve 24 for retaining the closed loop 16 in the mooring line 12. The mooring line 12 includes a stop 30 and the mooring line 12 extends through the stop 30 such that a free end 32 of the mooring line 12 is positioned adjacent to the stop 30. Furthermore, the mooring line 12 is knotted at the free end 32 thereby inhibiting the free end 32 from being pulled through the stop 30.

[0020] A clamp 34 is provided which includes a hook 36 and a ratcheting mechanism 38 and a closure 40 which is biased to engage the hook 36. The hook 36 be extended through a cleat 42 on a dock 44 for attaching the clamp 34 to the cleat 42 on the dock 44 having the closure 40 inhibiting the hook 36 from being disengaged from the cleat 42 on the dock 44. The mooring line 12 slidably extends through the clamp 34 and the ratcheting mechanism 38 is biased to engage the mooring line 12. The ratcheting mechanism 38 enables the mooring line 12 to be pulled in a first direction through the clamp 34. In this way the ratcheting mechanism 38 enables the mooring line 12 to be shortened to a desired length for securing the boat 22 to the dock 44 without requiring a user 45 to tie an approved knot in the mooring line 12 on the cleat of the dock 44.

[0021] The ratcheting mechanism 38 inhibits the mooring line 12 from being pulled in a second direction through the clamp 34 to inhibit the boat 22 from floating away from the dock 44. The clamp 34 has a yoke 46 which is spaced from and is oriented parallel to an arm 48 to define a space 50 between the yoke 46 and the arm 48 thereby enabling the mooring line 12 to extend through the space 50. The clamp 34 has a hole 52 extending through the arm 48 and the mooring line 12 extends through the hole 52 in the arm 48 such that the stop 30 is spaced from the arm 48. In this way the stop 30 inhibits the mooring line 12 from being pulled through the hole 52 when the mooring line 12 is pulled in the second direction. The hook 36 extends away from the yoke 46 and the hook 36 is curved between the yoke 46 and a free end 54 of the hook 36 such that the free end 54 of the hook 36 is spaced from the arm 48.

[0022] The closure 40 has a coupled end 56 which is pivotally coupled to the arm 48. The closure 40 is biased into a closed position having a free end 58 of the closure 40 engaging the free end 54 of the hook 36. In this way the closure 40 can inhibit the hook 36 from being removed from the cleat 42 on the dock 44. Conversely, the closure 40 is urgeable into an open position having the free end 58 of the closure 40 being disengaged from the free end 54 of the hook 36. In this way the closure 40 enables the hook 36 to be removed from the cleat 42 on the dock 44.

[0023] The ratcheting mechanism 38 comprises a cam 60 which is positioned in the yoke 46. The cam 60 has a perimeter surface 62 which has a first side 64 and a second side 66; the first side 64 curves away from the second side 66 and the second side 66 is planar.

[0024] The perimeter surface 62 has a plurality of teeth 68 integrated into the first side 64. The teeth 68 are evenly spaced apart from each other and are distributed along a substantial length of the first side 64. The clamp 34 includes a pin 70 which extends through the yoke 46 and the cam 60 thereby rotatably attaching the cam 60 to the yoke 46. Additionally, the pin 70 is positioned closer to a first intersection 72 between the first side 64 and the second side 66 than a second intersection 74 between the first side 64 and the second side 66.

[0025] The cam 60 is biased to rotate in a first direction having the first side 64 being positioned in the space between the yoke 46 and the arm 48 thereby enabling the first side 64 to compress against the mooring line 12. Furthermore, the teeth 68 engage the mooring line 12 when the cam 60 is biased to rotate in the first direction such that the cam 60 inhibits the mooring line 12 from being pulled in the second direction. The cam 60 is rotatable in a second direction having the first side 64 being displaced from the space between the yoke 46 and the arm 48 such that the teeth 68 on the first side 64 disengages the mooring line 12. In this way the mooring line 12 is enabled to be pulled in the second direction. The cam 60 has a finger 76 extending laterally away from the second intersection 74 between the first side 64 and the second side 66 and the finger 76 can be manipulated by the user 45 to rotate the cam 60 in the second direction. The clamp 34 has a rib 78 extending laterally away from an outwardly facing surface 80 of the arm 48 and the coupled end 14 of the closure 40 is pivotally attached to the rib 78. Additionally, the rib 78 is positioned above the hole 52 in the arm 48.

[0026] A boat fender 82 is comprised of a resiliently compressible material, including but not being limited to rubber or silicone, thereby enabling the boat fender 82 to be positioned between the boat 22 and the dock 44 to inhibit the boat 22 from striking against the dock 44 and to absorb energy from the momentum of the boat's 22 motion as a result of waves. The boat fender 82 has an outer wall 84 which is continuously arcuate about an axis extending between an upper end 86 of the boat fender 82 and a lower end 88 of the boat fender 82 such that the boat fender 82 has a cylindrical shape. In this way the boat fender 82 enables the boat 22 to press against the boat fender 82 without sustaining impact damage. Each of the upper end 86 and the lower end 88 is rounded.

[0027] The boat fender 82 has a pair of tabs 90 each being coupled to and extending away from a respective one of the upper end 86 and the lower end 88. Additionally, each of the pair of tabs 90 has a hole 92 extending through a front face 94 and a back face 96 of a respective tab 90.

[0028] A rope 98 is provided and the rope 98 is attached to the boat fender 82. The rope 98 extends through the hole 52 in a respective one of the tabs 90 having the rope 98 being tied to itself for securing the rope 98 to the respective tab. A clasp 100 is attached to a distal end 102 of the rope 98 with respect to the boat fender 82 and the clasp 100 has a gate 104 which is movably attached to the clasp 100. The gate 104 is urgeable into an open position such that the clasp 100 and the gate 104 form an open loop thereby enabling the clasp 100 to be positioned on the mooring line 12. In this way the rope 98 can suspend the boat 22 bender from the mooring line 12 thereby enabling the boat fender 82 to be positioned between the boat 22 and the dock 44 when the boat 22 is moored to the dock 44. The gate 104 is biased into a closed position such that the clasp 100 and the gate 104 form a closed loop 16. In this way the rope 98 can be retained on the mooring line 12 thereby enabling the boat fender 82 to be retained between the boat 22 and the dock 44. The clasp 100 may comprise a D-ring or other type of mechanical clasp that can either be opened or closed.

[0029] In use, the closed loop 16 in the mooring line 12 is secured to the cleat 18 on the gunnel 20 of the boat 22 and the hook 36 of the clamp 34 is secured to the cleat 42 on the dock 44. The mooring line 12 is pulled through the clamp 34 in the first direction until the mooring line 12 reaches a desired length to secure the boat 22 to the dock 44. In this way the mooring line 12 can be secured to the dock 44 without requiring the user 45 to understand how to tie an approved knot for mooring the boat 22 to the dock 44. Furthermore, the ratcheting mechanism 38 inhibits the mooring line 12 from being pulled in the second direction through the clamp 34 thereby inhibiting the boat 22 from floating away from the dock 44. The clasp 100 on the rope 98 can be secured to the mooring line 12 to enable the boat fender 82 to be positioned between the boat 22 and the dock 44 thereby enabling the boat fender 82 to cushion the boat 22 when the boat 22 floats against the dock 44. The cam 60 is rotated in the second direction to enable the mooring line 12 to be pulled in the second direction through the clamp 34 thereby enabling the mooring line 12 to be loosened to subsequently release the boat 22 from the dock 44.

[0030] With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0031] Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word comprising is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded.

[0032] A reference to an element by the indefinite article a does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.