Patents by Inventor Philip David ROBERTS

Philip David ROBERTS has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10450173
    Abstract: A gypsy is disclosed, adapted for mounting in a windlass for hauling and/or veering anchor rode. A chain-engagement region (12) of the gypsy comprises chain link pockets (18) sized and spaced around the chain-engagement region to engage with chain of the anchor rode. A line-engagement region (24) is provided, with an array of rope grip features (26) spaced around the line-engagement region. The chain-engagement region of the gypsy is formed from a polymeric material and the line-engagement region is formed from a metal material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: LEWMAR LIMITED
    Inventors: Nigel Christopher Smith, Sean Daniel Wilson, Philip David Roberts, Andrew Palmer
  • Patent number: 10081520
    Abstract: A line hauling device such as a windlass is disclosed for marine craft. The device has a support, a drum held on the support and rotatable with respect to the support, a motor for selectably driving rotation of the drum in a forward (hauling) direction and a reverse (paying out) direction, and a line laying mechanism for laying the line onto the drum. The drum is adapted to store the line on the drum. When operated in the forward direction, the line-laying mechanism lays the line onto the drum in a first series of turns. On completion of the first series of turns the line-laying mechanism lays the line in a second series of turns overlying the first series of turns. The line-laying mechanism includes a carriage which is driven reciprocally with respect to the drum by rotation of the drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: LEWMAR LIMITED
    Inventors: Nigel Christopher Smith, Philip David Roberts, Oliver Falconer
  • Patent number: 10005532
    Abstract: A thruster assembly is provided for a marine vessel, the assembly having a propeller unit (14), a motor (10) and a drive shaft (12) linking the motor (10) with the propeller unit (14) to drive the propeller unit (14). The drive shaft (12) is foldable and defines a drive path between the motor (10) and the propeller unit (14). A housing (2) locates the propeller unit (14) in a storage configuration. The motor (10) is fixed with respect to the housing (2), the housing (2) being adapted to be fixed with respect to an opening in a hull (8) of the marine vessel. An actuator (22) is operable to move the propeller unit (14) from the storage configuration to a deployment configuration in a direction from inboard to outboard, the propeller unit (14) being extended from the hull (8) for use in the deployment configuration. The propeller unit (14) is supported by a support assembly (36) which is pivotable relative to the housing (2) about a pivot axis (A).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: LEWMAR LIMITED
    Inventors: Nigel Christopher Smith, Philip David Roberts, Andrew Michael Matthews
  • Publication number: 20180127247
    Abstract: A gypsy is disclosed, adapted for mounting in a windlass for hauling and/or veering anchor rode. A chain-engagement region (12) of the gypsy comprises chain link pockets (18) sized and spaced around the chain-engagement region to engage with chain of the anchor rode. A line-engagement region (24) is provided, with an array of rope grip features (26) spaced around the line-engagement region. The chain-engagement region of the gypsy is formed from a polymeric material and the line-engagement region is formed from a metal material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2016
    Publication date: May 10, 2018
    Inventors: Nigel Christopher Smith, Sean Daniel Wilson, Philip David Roberts, Andrew Palmer
  • Publication number: 20170137099
    Abstract: A thruster assembly is provided for a marine vessel, the assembly having a propeller unit (14), a motor (10) and a drive shaft (12) linking the motor (10) with the propeller unit (14) to drive the propeller unit (14). The drive shaft (12) is foldable and defines a drive path between the motor (10) and the propeller unit (14). A housing (2) locates the propeller unit (14) in a storage configuration. The motor (10) is fixed with respect to the housing (2), the housing (2) being adapted to be fixed with respect to an opening in a hull (8) of the marine vessel. An actuator (22) is operable to move the propeller unit (14) from the storage configuration to a deployment configuration in a direction from inboard to outboard, the propeller unit (14) being extended from the hull (8) for use in the deployment configuration. The propeller unit (14) is supported by a support assembly (36) which is pivotable relative to the housing (2) about a pivot axis (A).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2016
    Publication date: May 18, 2017
    Inventors: Nigel Christopher SMITH, Philip David ROBERTS, Andrew Michael MATTHEWS
  • Publication number: 20150137054
    Abstract: A line hauling device such as a windlass is disclosed for marine craft. The device has a support, a drum held on the support and rotatable with respect to the support, a motor for selectably driving rotation of the drum in a forward (hauling) direction and a reverse (paying out) direction, and a line laying mechanism for laying the line onto the drum. The drum is adapted to store the line on the drum. When operated in the forward direction, the line-laying mechanism lays the line onto the drum in a first series of turns. On completion of the first series of turns the line-laying mechanism lays the line in a second series of turns overlying the first series of turns. The line-laying mechanism includes a carriage which is driven reciprocally with respect to the drum by rotation of the drum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2014
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventors: Nigel Christopher SMITH, Philip David ROBERTS, Oliver FALCONER