Abstract: A fishing reel includes a spool rotatably supported between a pair of side frames, and a guide member mounted across the side frames. The guide member includes an elongate bore which extends axially relative to the spool and both lengthwise ends of which are positioned inwardly of opposite inner surfaces of the side frames. The periphery of the elongate bore includes curved drawn-line guide surfaces for guiding the fishing line as it is wound onto or drawn out of the spool.

Abstract: A self-threading capstan drive includes two sheaves mounted in a frame, each having a spiral groove with approximately three turns. The sheaves are slightly misaligned so that an elongated sonar array is directed from one sheave to the next without lateral bending. A pair of containment troughs are aligned with the top and bottoms of the sheaves to direct the sonar array between the sheaves. At least one of the sheaves is motor-driven such that its direction of rotation is reversible, the sonar array being reeled onto and off of a storage reel. Each of the sheaves and the containment troughs includes a groove with an inner channel whose dimensions accommodate the sonar array and an outer channel of larger diameter accommodating an endless tubular belt which recirculates over both sheaves and makes contact throughout most of its length with the sonar array, positively driving and carrying the sonar array in either direction.

Abstract: A portable outboard motor foot control device having adjustable cables characterized by a cable house which is adjacent to the foot pedal and from which the cable or cables extend, and a guide through which the cable or cables extend as they exit the cable house, the guide being adjustable to firmly set the direction at which the cable or cables exit the cable house. Preferred embodiments include a drum frictionally held between opposed upright plates forming part of the cable house. Changes in the rotational orientation of the drum change the angle of passageways in the drum through which the cables pass.

Abstract: In order to bring a pulley block close to the load to be hauled, same is provided with a carriage, removable or not, and possibly completed by a drawbar, the carriage including means for rolling on the ground and means for its fixation to the pulley block.

Abstract: Retractable tow line guide pins (1 and 2) at the stern of a tugboat or supply boat are made to be elevated from/retracted into the deck (3) of the vessel and are also pivotable, such that over a portion of the raising or lowering movement they are pivoted 90.degree., whereby fixed locking members (4,5) mounted thereon and the pins themselves pivot from an inoperative position into a position in which the opening between the pins (1 and 2) is closed at the top, thereby preventing a tow line disposed in the opening between the pins from being released therefrom.

Abstract: A towed body deployment/retrieval system which includes first and second hollow arms for passage of a cable from a winch to the towed body. The adjacent ends of the arms include forked fittings which are in cooperative engagement with a slip boundary sheave having, in a peripheral channel thereof, an endless belt slidable in the channel and having a groove which receives the cable. The arms are movable relative to the slip boundary sheave over a limited distance during normal usage. The slip boundary sheave rotates about an effective center located outside of its contour and accordingly is much smaller and can fit into a smaller space than an equivalent circular sheave which would normally be required for the same diameter towing cable.

Abstract: A ladder hoist attachment consists of a boom and prop combination that allows a conventional ladder to be used to hoist heavy loads. The boom assembly consists of a number of feet that removably attach to a rung of the ladder; a boom that extends horizontally over the top rung of the ladder; and braces connecting the feet and boom that also rest against the top rung of the ladder. One end of the prop removably attaches to a lower rung of the ladder. The other end of the prop has a vertical step to hold the ladder at a predetermined distance away from the edge of the roof. A winch or pulley is suspended from the end of the boom extending over the top rung of the ladder to allow loads to be lifted through the prop and between the ladder and the building. After the load has been lifted above the height of the roof, the end of the prop against the building is lifted by the user to allow the ladder to be moved to rest against the edge of the roof, thus allowing the load to be lowered on to the roof.

Abstract: Line or net hauling apparatus is disclosed comprising a drum having a cylindrical surface from which project a plurality of generally radially extending engagement members each having a first surface element at the cylindrical surface on the opposite side of a circumferential center line from that of the adjacent members to define a sinuous path for a flexible line or net wound on the drum; edge surface elements of the engagement members being inclined with respect to the diametral axial plane in which lies the said first surface element of the engagement member, the inclination of adjacent edge surface elements being in opposite directions from one another.

Abstract: A wheel-operated winch assembly which includes in a preferred embodiment and as a first element, a generally cylindrically-shaped cable drum divided by spaced flanges which define a cable seat and a drum base extending from the cable drum and having base tabs for mounting to a base plate which is bolted to the wheel rim of an automobile. A cable is wound on the cable seat, the free end of the cable is attached to a tree or other point of anchor and the vehicle wheel is rotated to wind the cable on the cable drum and extract the vehicle from mud, snow, sand or ice. As a second element in the assembly, a cable guide is attached to the bumper of the vehicle and the cable is extended through a guide tube in the cable guide from the drum to the point of attachment.

Abstract: A vehicle undercarriage spare tire carrier having a roll bar secured adjacent the storage position of the tire, a pulley assembly secured on the rear bumper of the vehicle, a lever arm pivotally secured to the rear bumper of the vehicle in spaced relation with respect to the pulley assembly, a bracket removably securable to the wheel of the spare tire, a flexible cable secured between the bracket and the lever arm and passing over the roll bar and around the pulley assembly whereby pivoting of the lever arm in one direction lowers the spare tire from the storage position for releasing of the tire for retrieval thereof, and pivoting of the lever arm in an opposite direction pulls the tire into the storage position thereof, and a latching bracket secured to the rear bumper of the vehicle and engagable by the lever arm for locking the lever arm in the position thereof which locks the tire in the storage position.

Abstract: A connecting bracket for a tripod support comprises a trapezoidally shaped base plate, two hollow cylindrically shaped receptacles mounted on the same side of the base plate at the inclining ends thereof, and an elongated metal rod receptacle mounted on the other side of the base plate at the center thereof. The rod comprises an upper leg-engaging portion and a lower hook-shaped portion. The tripod support formed thereby can be used to support a winch assembly as well as the object to be lifted, i.e. an automobile engine. In another embodiment, the two cylindrical receptacles are replaced by elongated metal rods.

Abstract: A continuous cable winch having at least one cable drum arranged within the winch frame, and a cable storage drum located externally of the frame for receiving a non-loaded cable section which is disposed with play in a guide which surrounds the cable and is located in the region between the winch frame and the cable storage drum. The ends of the guide are respectively secured on the winch frame and on the cable storage drum. The guide is flexible, and has radially open portions over its periphery. The guide may be a helical spring, the coils or windings of which are spaced from one another.

Abstract: A stop assembly on a vessel for securing a buoy line connecting a mooring anchor and an associated buoy, comprising at least one fork-shaped stop member which is mounted so as to be raised up from and lowered down into the deck of a ship and which can be remote-controlled from a command location, the opening between the arms of the fork being wide enough to provide room for the buoy line, but narrow enough that an expansion on the line, for example, a swage sleeve, rope wire thimble or the like will be restrained so that the line is securely locked in position.

Abstract: A U-shaped suspension ring is pivotally supported on a horizontal pin inserted through a suspension shaft supported by the top plate of a load suspending tripod or by a support member disposed at a high place. In order to lift a chain block to the position of the suspension ring, a rope passed around the hook of the chain block is divided into a hook lifting rope portion extending around the opposite ends of the horizontal pin and tension rope portions to be pulled from the ground.

Abstract: A boom rack assembly pivotally mounted upon a wall or ceiling, warehouse stacker or the like, either a fixed or movable apparatus, for handling and positioning a cargo net or tie down over palletized cargo. The device includes a pair of vertically disposed, inverted J-shaped tubes complemented with rollers, pulleys or sprockets as an assembly, each having a counterweighted cable or chain extending therethrough with a hook harness hanging outwardly thereof. The tubes may be pivoted outwardly of the wall fixture such that the hooks may be pulled outwardly of the tubes and clasped to the cargo net or related tie down equipment. Upon release of the hooks, the counter-weights then lift the net, while the booms by retracting, vertically convey the net over the carbo, such that the net, when released from the device, may be secured conventionally at its edges to the cargo pallet.

Abstract: An adjustable two-piece rope guiding device [21, 26], particularly adaptable for use on offshore guyed tower drilling and production structures [11]. On such structures it is necessary to deflect a taut guy rope [14] into a direction that may not be precisely known, or that may vary with time. Such deflection must not damage the rope by excessive static or cyclic straining or by wearing. To minimize problems of clearance within the structure the guiding is performed in two parts: (1) a permanent deflection into a direction that satisfies the foregoing clearance requirements and (2) a variable deflection occurring beyond clearance problems that completes the required total deflection.

Abstract: In mining operations, a number of mining machines will have flexible cable attached thereto which then drag along behind the machine as it operates. When the machine moves in a backward direction, the machine often times will run over and damage the cable. In the past, the cable has been moved manually to prevent damage. The disclosed invention provides an automatic device which will lift a predetermined length of cable above the groun so that the cable will not be cut as the machine moves backward a given distance.

Abstract: A rope protection device comprising several layers of canvass with spaced splints lodged between bottom and adjacent layers of canvass, said layers being joined at the periphery by sewing or the like wherein opposite edges of the canvass assembly are folded over towards each other to provide a channel for a rope therein including transverse spaced webbing binding the opposite edges of the assembly in a fixed channel forming position wherein the rope can be threaded through the opposite open ends of the device.

Abstract: When a hoist is used to elevate a grain truck for dumping same, at an elevator terminal or the like, a pair of lift cables extend from the overhead hoist assembly to the cradle upon which the front wheels of the truck are engaged. As the truck is lowered after emptying the grain therefrom, the slack cables often foul the truck as it is being driven from the cradle. In the present device, each cable passes through a spring loaded arm normally urging the cables outwardly away from the sides of the truck thereby clearing same, but which are aligned against the spring pressure as soon as the lifting load is applied so that the cables run vertically from the hoist assembly.

Abstract: The improved crab pot line hauler's drive motor, sheave and associated line guide means having a common support are mounted as a composite unit on pivotal support bearings that permit the unit to revolve freely about a fixed bearing axis in addressing itself to the incoming line being hauled and that restrain the unit against other bodily motion. Placement of the center of mass of the hauler unit at or closely adjacent to such pivot bearing axis assures its relatively steady orientation in operative relation to the incoming line with minimal line deflection force acting on it to do this. Polar moment of inertia about such bearing axis being also made relatively small by such mounting system, quickness of response of the unit to changing line approach direction is also achieved, a major advantage in stormy weather.

Abstract: This invention generally relates to a cable recovery device for use on bo a surface ship. The invention compensates for excessive tensions arising in cables carrying submerged loads which are caused by the swell of the ocean acting on the ship, and controls the tension at which the cable is wound. The invention includes a cable winding drum which is rotationally driven by a variable-speed motor, a loop-shaped cable passageway which circumscribes the drum which forms a loop of cable of varying length, and a means for sensing the length of said cable loop and for automatically controlling the speed of the variable speed motor in response thereto. The loop of cable of varying length compensates for excessive cable tensions resulting from the swell of the ship, and allows the cable to be wound around the drum at a desired uniform tension.

Abstract: A trotline guide comprising a substantially planar body having a recess in the upper edge including a circular portion and a slot for receiving and slidably accommodating a trotline together with a clamp on one side of the body for clamping the body to a hull of a fishing vessel so as to extend outwardly from the hull side wall perpendicular thereto in a substantially vertical plane with a spacing device on the one side of the body for engagement with the hull side wall to orient the body in the vertical plane.

Abstract: A wire guide is mounted with a bottom bracket at a bicycle and has a guide body having a guide groove, a support extending from the guide body axially of the bottom bracket, and a fixture narrow in width and of a circular arc shape, the fixture being provided in continuation of the extending end of support and approximately perpendicular thereto, so that one threaded bearing tubular member is screwed with one axial end of the bottom bracket to thereby fix the fixture thereto.

Abstract: An improved cable guide assembly applicable to machinery, scientific instruments and prosthetic devices. When subjected to varying rotational and directional cable stress the assembly has the ability to automatically align itself so that cable stress is minimized. The assembly is particularly applicable to prosthetic devices and, in addition to extending cable life in such devices from six weeks or less to more than one year, the occasional changing of the cables is remarkably facilitated.

Abstract: A spray head is carried on the end of a flexible hose guided for up and down movement in a chute by a length of roller chain which allows the hose to curve gradually from horizontal to vertical while providing a low friction support for the hose. The chain may be inserted endwise into the chute through a relatively small hole formed in the chute and in a wall surrounding the chute.

Abstract: An improved airborne hoist for use in lifting a load, particularly by means f a helicopter, comprising a pair of rotatable drums, each drum being rotatable in an opposite direction, a drive unit intergeared through a series of shafts for providing rotation to the drums, a cable holding device, in the configuration of a supplemental drum surrounding each of the first said drums, and each cable holding device provided for rotating simultaneously in unison with the rotation of its respective drum, while at the same time being axially shiftable for providing a winding or unwinding of its held cable from a constant location. The pair of drums each hold, respectively, its own cable, thereby providing a pair of cables that furnishes an inherent safety factor in that a single mechanical failure of a drum does not result in a loss of its held load.

Abstract: An end stop for a link chain hoist (10) in which a ring (28) is received through the opening (22a) of the next-to-last load chain link (20a) on one side of the third last link (20c), with the last load chain link (20b) received in the opening (22a) on the other side of the third last link to force the next to the last link sideways relative to the remainder of the load chain to define an end stop engageable with the chain guide (16) of the hoist.