Abstract: A hydro-pneumatic device secures and releases a mooring or towing hawser to a vessel. A carriage reciprocates on a frame on the vessel and moves a bollard between one position securing a hawser to the towing or moored vessel and another position releasing the hawser. Movement of the carriage on the frame is accompanied by movement of a piston in a cylinder on the frame, the piston being connected to the carriage by a chain trained around a sprocket on the piston rod. A combination of liquid and gaseous fluid systems with various manual and automatic controls is connected to the cylinder and normally allows the piston to oscillate about a chosen average position. The fluid system by manual or automatic control lets the carriage move to a predetermined, extreme position on the frame. In such position the carriage actuates the bollard to release position, freeing the line. The carriage can be locked to the frame in the extreme position.

Abstract: A device for handling a line or rope includes a fixed base. A release lever is horizontally pivoted at one end to the base. An upright bollard drum is, in turn, horizontally pivoted at the bottom to the release lever for restricted movement toward and away from upstanding pads on the release lever so as to grip and release a line or rope disposed between the drum and one or more of the pads. A hook is horizontally pivoted to the base and normally is spring-urged to hold the release lever against movement relative to the base but can be pulled by a lanyard to free the release lever and the drum thereon to pivot away from the base.