Combination anode and line cutter
Sacrificial anodes and line cutters which are formed into a single unit.
This invention relates to marine equipment and is particularly directed to improved sacrificial anodes and line cutters.
RELATED CASESThis invention is described in my copending Provisional Application, Ser. No. 61/277,342, filed ______, and now ______.
PRIOR ARTIt has long been known that, because various types of metals are used for different parts of a boat, exposure to water, especially salt water, creates electrical currents which tend to erode the metal parts. This results in weakening or failure of the effected part. As a result, it has become common practice to provide sacrificial anodes, usually formed of zinc or some other inexpensive and chemically active metal, which will erode more rapidly and, hence, serve to protect the more valuable parts. It is also known to provide cutters in the propeller shaft or the like to protect against entanglement by water plants, fishing lines and the like. However, prior art line cutters and sacrificial anodes have been provided as separate items. Therefore, it has not been possible to provide both sacrificial anodes and line cutters in many locations, such as propeller shafts. Thus, none of the prior art sacrificial anodes or line cutters have been entirely satisfactory.
BRIEF SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF INVENTIONThese disadvantages of the prior art are overcome with the present invention and improved sacrificial anodes and line cutters are provided which can quickly and easily be installed in common in substantially any desired locations, such as propeller shafts, simultaneously.
These advantages of the present invention are preferably attained by providing improved sacrificial anodes and line cutters which are formed into a single unit.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide improved sacrificial anodes and line cutters.
Another object of the present invention is to provide improved sacrificial anodes and line cutters which can be installed quickly and easily.
A further object of the present invention is to provide improved sacrificial anodes and line cutters which can be installed quickly and easily in a common location.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide improved sacrificial anodes and line cutters which can be installed quickly and easily in common si substantially any desired location.
A specific object of the present invention is to provide improved sacrificial anodes and line cutters which are formed into a single unit.
These and other objects and features of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, taken with reference to the figures of the accompanying drawing.
In that form of the present invention chosen for purposes of illustration,
In use, because the cutter blades 16 are molded into the upper and lower halves, 12 and 14 of the sacrificial anode 10, the sacrificial anode 10 becomes a single unit including the cutter blade 16. Thus, when the sacrificial anode 10 is mounted onto a propeller shaft 24 or the like, the cutter blades 16 are also mounted in the same location. Should fishing lines, ropes, kelp seaweed or other material become tangled about the propeller shaft 24, the teeth 17 of the cutter blade 16 will rapidly shred and sever them to prevent them from interfering with the functioning of the propeller 26. The sacrificial anode 10 serves in the usual manner to protect the propeller blade and shaft from electrolytic corrosion.
Obviously, numerous other variations and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Therefore, it should be clearly understood that the forms of the present invention described above and shown in the figures of the accompanying drawing are illustrative only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.
Claims
1. A sacrificial anode device comprising:
- An article formed of chemically-active metal having a cutter blade formed therein.
2. The device of claim 1 wherein:
- said cutter blade is formed of strong, rigid non-metallic material.
3. The device of claim 1 wherein:
- said device is annular.
4. The device of claim 3 wherein:
- said device comprises upper and lower semi-circular halves.
5. The device of claim 4 wherein:
- said halves are formed with bolt holes for securing said halves together.
6. The device of claim 5 wherein:
- said bolt holes are both on the same side of said cutter blade.
7. The device of claim 5 wherein:
- one of said bolt holes is on one side of said cutter blade and the other of said bolt holes is on the opposite side of said cutter blade.
8. The device of claim 1 wherein:
- said cutter blade is formed of carbide.
9. The device of claim 2 wherein:
- said cutter blade has teeth which project beyond the periphery of said article.
10. The device of claim 1 wherein:
- said cutter blade is molded into said article.
11. The device of claim 1 wherein:
- said cutter blade is screwed onto said article.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 25, 2010
Publication Date: Mar 24, 2011
Inventor: Ian Roberts (Simi Valley, CA)
Application Number: 12/803,326