LOW-PROFILE FOLDING CHOCK
A folding chock for recreational boats and the like has a flush-mounted body member, a foldable chock member and a detent mechanism. The flush-mounted body member has facilities for mounting on an associated boat surface, requiring only screw-diameter holes drilled in the boat surface. The foldable chock member lies flat when not in use, and upright when extended for holding a rope. A detent mechanism keeps the foldable chock member in either the extended or retracted position until it is changed by a force exerted on the foldable chock member.
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This application is related to U.S. patent application titled, “Low-profile Folding Push-Pole Holders,” attorney reference number 2620.21, inventor Bernd Czipri, filed even date here within.
FIELDThis invention relates to chocks for boats and more particularly to low-profile folding chock.
BACKGROUNDRetractable cleats and other similar devices are widely used within boats for securing mooring lines and the like thereto. These retractable cleats typically include a base member, and a retractable cleat member that is telescopingly received within the interior of the base.
Heretofore, these devices have generally been constructed such that the mounting post portion of the retractable cleat passes downwardly, requiring substantial holes to be drilled/cut into the surface (e.g. gunnels) of the boat. These holes create a larger area for water seepage into the hull of the boat, even though proper sealing (e.g. gaskets) precautions are taken. Further adding to this, the area where the cleat is stored when in the retracted position provides for a funnel into which water collects, requiring very good sealing between the shafts of these devices and the framework. Often, boat owners do not want to drill/cut such large holes into the gunnels of their boat in case they wish to relocate the device to a different location. One would appreciate that filling and finishing a few small screw holes in a fiberglass gunnel is easier to perform than one large hole and a few small screw holes.
What is needed is a low profile folding chock that requires minimal drilling into the gunnels of a boat.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONOne aspect of the present invention is to provide a folding chock that includes a base member and a folding chock member. The base member has a bottom surface to be mounted on an associated boat surface, optionally, one or more screw holes for attachment to the boat and a cavity for accepting a chock member. The folding chock member hingedly attaches to the base member and swings upwardly into an extended position to hold a rope (e.g. anchor line) and swings downwardly into a retracted position, substantially flush in the cavity.
In one embodiment, a folding chock for a boat is disclosed including a flush mounted body member with a chock member hingedly coupled to the flush mounted body member. A detent mechanism holds the chock member either in an extended position or in a retracted position until changed by an outside force.
In another embodiment, a folding chock for a boat is disclosed including a flush mounted body member that has a way to attach to a surface of a boat and a chock member for holding a pole. The chock member is hinged to the flush mounted body member such that the chock member does not require holes to be cut in the surface of the boat for allowing the chock member to extend and retract. The chock member in held by a device for holding, and is held either an extended position or in a retracted position, until changed by an outside force.
In another embodiment, a folding chock for a boat is disclosed including a flush mounted body member that has a generally D-shaped central opening. One side of the D-shaped opening is substantially flat. The flush mounted body member has hinge cavities at each end of the substantially flat side. A chock member has a linear edge with hinge pins at each end of the linear edge for interfacing with the flush mounted body member. The hinge pins are held in cavities within the flush mounted body member allowing for hinged operation of the chock member. One or more longitudinal grooves are cut/formed in the chock member. A detent mechanism has a detent member that is urged into one of the longitudinal grooves when the chock member is rotated about the hinge pins and one of the longitudinal grooves faces the detent mechanism.
The invention can be best understood by those having ordinary skill in the art by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
Reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Throughout the following detailed description, the same reference numerals refer to the same elements in all figures.
Referring to
The longitudinal grooves 11 are described later.
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To maintain the hook member 12 in either the opened position (as shown in
Referring to
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To maintain the chock member 32 in either the opened position (as shown in
In some embodiments, a drain opening or gap 40 is provided in the flush-mounted body member 38 to provide drainage and drying of any moisture, should moisture or water seep underneath the flush-mounted body member 38.
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Equivalent elements can be substituted for the ones set forth above such that they perform in substantially the same manner in substantially the same way for achieving substantially the same result.
It is believed that the system and method of the present invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood by the foregoing description. It is also believed that it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the components thereof without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention or without sacrificing all of its material advantages. The form herein before described being merely exemplary and explanatory embodiment thereof. It is the intention of the following claims to encompass and include such changes.
Claims
1. A folding chock for a boat, the folding chock comprising:
- a flush mounted body member;
- a chock member hingedly coupled to the flush mounted body member; and
- a detent, the detent holding the chock member either in an extended position or in a retracted position until changed by an outside force.
2. The folding chock of claim 1, wherein the flush mounted body member is affixed to the boat by a plurality of screws, the screws passing through the flush mounted body and into a surface of the boat.
3. The folding chock of claim 1, wherein a bottom surface of the flush mounted body member has a plurality of threaded studs and the flush mounted body member is affixed to the boat by the threaded studs passing through a surface of the boat and the threaded studs are held in place by a plurality of nuts.
4. The folding chock of claim 1, wherein the detent comprises one or more spring loaded balls, the spring loaded balls urged into longitudinal grooves formed in the hook member.
5. The folding chock of claim 4, wherein the one or more spring loaded balls are held within cavities of the flush mounted body member by cover plates that are held to a bottom surface of the flush mounted body member by screws.
6. The folding chock of claim 1, wherein the a chock member is hingedly coupled to the flush mounted body member by pins, the pin formed at distal ends of the chock member and the pins held in mating cavities of the flush mounted body member by plates and screws.
7. A folding chock for a boat, the folding chock comprising:
- a flush mounted body member having a means for attaching to a surface of a boat;
- a chock member;
- a means for hingedly interfacing the chock member to the flush mounted body member whereby the chock member does not require holes to be cut in the surface of the boat for allowing the chock member to extend and retract; and
- a means for holding the chock member in either an extended position or in a retracted position until changed by an outside force.
8. The folding chock of claim 7, further comprising a means for mounting the flush mounted body member to the surface of the boat.
9. The folding chock of claim 8, wherein the means for mounting is a plurality of screws, the screws passing through the flush mounted body and into a surface of the boat.
10. The folding chock of claim 8, wherein the means for mounting includes a plurality of threaded studs extending from a bottom surface of the flush mounted body member and the threaded studs pass through the surface of the boat and the threaded studs are held in place by a plurality of nuts.
11. The folding chock of claim 7, wherein the means for holding is a detent mechanism, the detent mechanism comprising one or more spring loaded balls, the spring loaded balls urged into longitudinal grooves formed in the chock member.
12. The folding chock of claim 11, wherein the one or more spring loaded balls are held within cavities of the flush mounted body member by cover plates that are held to a bottom surface of the flush mounted body member by screws.
13. The folding chock of claim 7, wherein the means for hingedly interfacing includes pins formed at distal ends of the chock member, the pins hingedly held in mating cavities of the flush mounted body member by plates and screws.
14. A folding chock for a boat, the folding chock comprising:
- a flush mounted body member having a generally D-shaped central opening, one side of the central opening being substantially flat, the flush mounted body member having hinge holes near distal ends of the substantially flat side;
- a chock member having a linear edge for interfacing with the flush mounted body member, the chock member has pins at each end of the linear edge and one or more longitudinal grooves;
- a means for rotatably holding the pins to the flush mounted body member, the means for rotatably holding enabling the chock member to fold from an extended position to a retracted position; and
- a detent mechanism in the flush mounted body member, the detent mechanism having a detent member that is urged into one of the longitudinal grooves when the chock member is rotated about the hinge pin and the one of the longitudinal grooves faces the detent mechanism.
15. The folding chock of claim 14, wherein the flush mounted body member has a plurality of mounting holes and the flush mounted body member is affixed to the boat by a plurality of screws, the screws passing through the mounting holes and into a surface of the boat.
16. The folding chock of claim 14, wherein a bottom surface of the flush mounted body member has a plurality of threaded studs and the flush mounted body member is affixed to the boat by the threaded studs passing through a surface of the boat and the threaded studs are held in place by a plurality of nuts.
17. The folding chock of claim 14, wherein the detent mechanism comprises one or more balls, the balls being biased by springs, the balls urged into longitudinal grooves by the springs.
18. The folding chock of claim 17, wherein the one or balls and springs are held within cavities of the flush mounted body member by cover plates that are held to a bottom surface of the flush mounted body member by screws.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 29, 2009
Publication Date: Jun 30, 2011
Applicant: R & D SHED, L.L.C. (CLEARWATER, FL)
Inventor: John Czipri (Boone, NC)
Application Number: 12/648,862
International Classification: B63B 21/04 (20060101);