AU757528B2 - A boat anchor - Google Patents

Description

vvw rieruuy cermiy nmat nis is a true ano correct copy ot tne original specification of which it purports to be a copy.

.PIZZEYS

1 John K Pizzey A BOAT ANCHOR FIELD OF INVENTION The present invention relates to a boat anchor.

This invention has particular but not exclusive application to anchors for use in anchoring boats in areas where there are reefs or rocky seabeds.

PRIOR ART Anchors used to anchor on reefs and rocky seabeds typically include a shank with multiple arcuate prongs radiating from one end of the shank. When the anchor o*oo rests on the seabed, the arcuate prongs tends to prop the end of the anchor with the 10 prongs radiating therefrom above the opposing end which is also usually weighed S"down by the anchor chain. The arcuate prongs are somewhat resilient and during anchoring especially in windy conditions, they have a tendency to skip along the seabed and over obstacles on which they might otherwise anchor.

Further, when one or more of the prongs grips the seabed, the resultant load on the gripping prong may straighten causing the anchor to lose its grip on the seabed and thereafter be unable to grip or anchor to the seabed. As this is most likely to occur in windy conditions and the boat operator will not be immediately aware of the state of the anchor beneath the water, the safety of the anchored vessel may be at risk.

Such anchors however do enable the prongs to be bent by pulling on the anchor line with the express purpose of straightening the engaged prong to free the anchor from an underwater abutment. Therefore it is often necessary to re-bend the prongs into an appropriate arcuate shape after use. Further, continual re-bending may weaken the prongs and make them easily straighten under pressure. These 2 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention aims to provide an improved anchor for anchoring boats in areas where there are reefs or a rocky seabed.

With the foregoing in view, this invention in one aspect broadly resides in an anchor comprising an elongate shank having a longitudinal axis, a line attachment formed at a first end of said shank, a plurality of prongs fixedly extending from a second end of said shank opposite to said first end, each prong including a stem portion diverging longitudinally away from said axis and terminating in a terminating portion having a free end ending in a tip, the terminating portion making an acute:.

angle with said stem, the stem portion being arranged relative to said shank so that the free end is spaced radially from the point of attachment to the shank and longitudinally from the second end of the shank the longitudinal spacing being i greater than the radial spacing.

There are at least three or more prongs and preferably four arranged about the shank and suitably arranged symmetrically about the shank. The prongs may be formed from resilient material such as galvanised low carbon spring steel. The prongs are suitably formed from slender bar-like material with the terminating portion of each prong forming a hook at the outer end of the respective prong. The base of the hook may be a sharp angular bend, a square or a curved U-shaped bend.

Suitably the included angle between the returned terminating portion and the stem is greater than the included angle between the stem and the axis of the shank and typically the included angle between the returned terminating portion and the stem is in the order or 200 to 600 and the included angle between the stem and the axis of the shank is in the order of 100 to 300 In a typical embodiment the prongs extend longitudinally from the shank a zA- distance which is substantially equal to the length of the shank, the included 3 such that the wedge is presented so as to resist lateral movement relative to the longitudinal anchor axis of the engaged wedged shaped end. In an alternative form the gripping arm end may be pointed.

The shank may be of different lengths to suit different sea bottoms. It may be very short and be constituted by joined portions of the gripping arms. Preferably however, the shank is formed as a relatively large diameter metal supporting the gripping arms at on end thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In order that this invention may be more readily understood, reference will 10 now be made the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of *i the invention and wherein: SoFIG 1 is a diagrammatic view of an anchor according to the present invention; FIG 2 is a diagrammatic view of the configuration of the hooks relative to each other and the shank, and FIG. 3 illustrates a further embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT With reference to Fig 1, there is shown an anchor 10 having a shank 11 and four hooks 12 extending from an end of the shank 11. The other end of the shank 11 has a U-shaped extension 13 welded thereto for the attachment of a shackle and linked to the anchor line.

Each of the hooks 12 have a spacer portion 15 attached to the shank 11 at 14 and a hook end 16. The spacer portion 15 diverges outwardly from the longitudinal axis 18 of the shank 11 by approximately 15 degrees (see Fig. The spacer portion 15 is substantially straight. The spacer portion 15 separates the hook end 16 from the shank 11 and provides space to accommodate an uneven seabed while maintaining the hook end 16 in an effective engaging attitude. The hook end 16 faces outwardly. The hook end 16 has a curved transition between the spacer portion to the tip portion 17 with an included angle of approximately 50 degrees between the tip portion 17 and the spacer portion 15. (see Fig. The hook end 16 has a wedge shaped tip 17 such that a flat surface faces the spacer portion In use one or more of the hooks 12 are positioned in an engaging attitude when the anchor 10 rests on the seabed. When the anchor 10 is dragged backwards, the hook ends 16 grip the seabed. As the hook 12 diverges outwardly i 10 and away from the longitudinal axis of the shank 11, the hook 12 is able to accommodate rock, coral and the like on an uneven seabed while maintaining the hook end 16 in an engaging attitude. As the hook tip 17 grips the seabed further backward drag secures the anchoring.

The anchor illustrated in Fig. 3 provides angles and dimensions for a reef anchor suitable for a runabout or the like vessel.

The anchor of the current invention provides the advantage that skipping of .:.eei the anchor is substantially reduced during anchoring while maintaining the hook ends 16 in an engaging attitude. Further the anchor of the present invention separates the functions of gripping (hook end 16) and spacing/accommodation (spacer portion whereas conventional anchors with arcuate prongs do not have these functions separated so that they may be disengaged from an anchored attitude by straightening of the arms. In the present case, upon lifting the shank, the relatively small hooks will either rotate out of engagement with the seabed obstacle or will readily release upon up and down jiggling of the anchor line.

It will of course be realised that while the foregoing has been given by way of example, all such and other modifications and variations thereto as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of this invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims (9)

1. An anchor comprising an elongate shank having a longitudinal axis, a line attachment formed at a first end of said shank, a plurality of prongs fixedly extending from a second end of said shank opposite to said first end, each prong including a stem portion diverging longitudinally away from said axis and terminating in a terminating portion having a free end ending in a tip, the terminating portion making an acute angle with said stem, the stem portion being arranged relative to said shank so that the free end is spaced radially from the point of attachment to the shank and longitudinally from the second end of the shank the longitudinal spacing being greater than the radial spacing.

2. The anchor according to claim 1 wherein said terminating portion is wedge shaped towards said free end for engaging a protuberance on a seabed.

3. The anchor according to claim 1 wherein said terminating portion is chisel shaped towards said free end for engaging a protuberance on a seabed. l go

4. The anchor according to claim 1 wherein said plurality of prongs number four.

The anchor according to claim 1 wherein the terminating portion of each prong is relatively short compared to the stem and forms a hook at the outer end of the corresponding stem.

6. The anchor according to claim 5 wherein said acute angle is in the range of 200 to 600 and the included angle between the stem and the axis of the shank is about 100 to 300

7. The anchor according to claim 5 wherein said acute angle is greater than the included angle between the stem and the axis of the shank.

8. The anchor according to claim 7 wherein the shank is formed from heavy bar and extends from the line attachment to a prong connection adjacent the mid-length of the anchor whereby said heavy bar operatively resists lifting forces applied by a line connected to the line attachment.

9. The anchor according to claim 8 wherein the prongs and the shank are formed from steel bar and the prongs are about one-third the thickness of the shank. An anchor substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings. DATED this 2 9 t h day of November 2002 ALAN FITZMAURICE By his Patent Attorneys PIZZEYS