CORD LOCKING CLEAT

Abstract

A cleat device for adjustably securing two segments of a cord in locked engagement includes a body and an integral head having an open mouth communicating with a through passage and left and right cord channels extending from the through passage to slots at a back end of the body. The cord segments pass through the open mouth and out from an open top of the body. The cord segments are pulled down into the channels and slots to lock them in the cleat. The channels include ribbed sidewalls that progressively narrow near a bottom of the channels to wedge the cord segments in the locked position. The cord segments can be pulled out through the slots and out of the back end of the cleat when in the locked position, but cannot be pulled out in the opposite direction from the mouth when locked in the channels.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a device for securing a cord and, more particularly, to a cleat device that locks two segments of a cord in a fixed, adjusted position, and particularly cord segments at the end of a looped cord that is fitted around an object for purposes of tightening the loop around the object and locking it in place.

Discussion of the Related Art

Devices for holding or locking a cord at a fixed position are well known in the art. In particular, spring loaded barrel fasteners are well known devices that are squeezed against a spring force to open a passage so that a cord can be pulled through the barrel fastener until the cord is at a desired position for locking. At the desired position, a plunger of the barrel fastener is released causing the spring to urge the plunger outwards so that the passage closes and grips the cord or multiple cord segments in a locked position. Various other cleat devices are also well known in the art. Notwithstanding, the known cord locking devices in the related art have various shortcomings that have proven to be problematic in certain applications. For instance, barrel fasteners include multiple parts including a spring that tends to corrode, especially in a harsh environment, such as a swimming pool. Moreover, barrel fasteners and other cord locking devices tend to allow the cord to slip when significant pressure is exerted on the cord, causing the cord to back out from the device.

Accordingly, there remains a need for a cord locking device that is specifically adapted to secure two segments of a cord in a locked position, and wherein the device is manufactured as a single piece to avoid moving parts that may jam or become corroded. Moreover, there is a need for a one piece cord locking device that is adapted to hold two segments of a cord in a fixed, locked position that resists significant forces tending to pull the cord out of the locking device. Still further, there is a need for a simple one piece cord locking device that effectively secures two cord segments of a looped cord so that the looped cord can be fitted around an object, such as a pool vacuum head, to secure the cord and a fitting such as a net on the vacuum head in a manner that resists loosening and accidental separation of the looped cord and net from the vacuum head.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a cleat device for adjustably securing two segments of a cord in locked engagement includes a body and an integral head having an open mouth communicating with a through passage and left and right cord channels extending from the through passage to slots at a back end of the body. The cord segments pass through the open mouth and out from an open top of the body. The cord segments are pulled down into the channels and slots to lock them in the cleat. The channels include ribbed sidewalls that progressively narrow near a bottom of the channels to wedge the cord segments in the locked position. The cord segments can be pulled out through the slots and out of the back end of the cleat when in the locked position, but cannot be pulled out in the opposite direction from the mouth when locked in the channels.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a fuller understanding of the nature of the present invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view showing a mesh bag fitted over a discharge opening of a pool vacuum head and secured thereto with a cord that is locked in place with the cord locking cleat of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an isolated perspective view showing the cord locking cleat of the present invention with two cord segments of a cord extending outward from an open top of the cord locking cleat in the process of adjustably securing and positioning the cord locking cleat against the side of the pool vacuum head to effectively secure the mesh bag on the vacuum head with the looped cord pulled tight around the vacuum head;

FIG. 3 is a bottom perspective view of the cord locking cleat of the present invention showing the two cord segments passing through an open mouth on the head of the cord locking cleat and out from the back end of the cord locking cleat;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the cord locking cleat of the present invention showing the two cord segments passing therethrough in the locked position;

FIG. 5 is an end elevational view, in partial cross section, taken along the plane of the line indicated by the arrows 5-5 in FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view taken along the plane of the line indicated by the arrows 6-6 in FIG. 4.

Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the several views of the drawings, a cord locking cleat 10 is shown and includes a main body 12 and a head 14 that is integrally formed with the main body 12. The head includes a forward distal edge 15 that is slightly curved for abutting engagement against the side of a surface, and particularly the curved surface of a neck surrounding a discharge opening on a vacuum head 102, as seen in FIG. 1. In particular, the cord locking cleat 10 of the present invention is adapted for securing two cord segments 50, 52 in locked position and, is particularly used for securing the cord segments 50, 52 of a looped cord 60 that is fitted about an object, such as the neck 104 of a pool head vacuum 102, of a pool vacuum device 100, as seen in FIG. 1. More specifically, the locking cleat 10 secures the looped cord 60 that is fitted through a sleeve surrounding an opening of a bag 108, whereupon closing the loop 60 serves to close the opening of the mesh bag 108. In this particular use, the cord locking cleat 10 locks the cord in place once the loop 60 is pulled tight around the neck 104 of the vacuum head 102 to effectively secure the mesh bag 108 onto the neck 104 and over a discharge opening of the vacuum head 102 with the curved forward distal edge 15 of the locking cleat in abutting engagement against the side of the neck 104.

The cord locking cleat 10 further includes a bottom side 16, a top side 18 and an open mouth 20 in the head. The open mouth 20 communicates with an open through passage extending between the mouth 20 and a top opening 22 of the main body.

Left and right parallel cord channels 24 and 26 extend from the mouth to the back end of the cleat. More specifically, the left and right parallel cord channels 24 and 26 are in direct communication with the mouth and the through passage, as well as the top opening 22 and extend to corresponding slots 25 and 27 at the back end of the main body 12. The left and right cord channels 24 and 26 include a tapered portion 28 that narrows towards the bottom, and particularly near the through passage and open mouth at the forward end of the channels. The tapered configuration of the channels allows the cord segments 50 and 52 to be wedged down into the respective cord channels 24 and 26, as seen in FIG. 4, to effectively lock the cord segments 50 and 52 in place so that the cord segments 50, 52 cannot be pulled out through the open mouth away from the locking cleat 10.

Referring to FIGS. 2, 4 and 6, the cord channels 24 and 26 include ribs 30 extending upwardly rearwardly from the bottom of the channels to the open top of the channels. The ribs 30 assist in grabbing the cord segments 50, 52 when pulled down through the respective channels 24, 26. Apertures 32 and 34 integrally formed within the lower portion of the slots 25 and 27 allow for rearward directional movement of the respective cord segments 50 and 52 out through the slots 25 and 27 upon application of a linear pulling force on the cord segments 50, 52 in a direction away from the back end of the main body 12. This allows the cord segments 50, 52 to be pulled through the cleat to tighten the looped portion of the cord 60 without unlocking the cord segments from the cleat.

The outer sides of the main body 12 of the cleat 10 include textured areas 40 to promote gripping of the cleat between the fingers, and particularly between the thumb and index finger. Grasping the cleat 10 between the fingers, the user can then pull each of the cord segments 50, 52 through the cleat 10 to the desired adjusted position whereupon the cord segments 50, 52 can be locked into place by wedging the cord segments 50, 52 down deep into the channels 24, 26 so that the cord segments are effectively wedged within the tapered portion 28 and within the grip of the ribs 30. When in the locked position, as seen in FIGS. 4-6, the cord segments 50, 52 resist against significant forces pulling the card segments 50, 52 out from the mouth 20 and away from the cleat. This prevents the looped portion 60 from becoming loosened which would be undesirable during use of the cleat for purposes such as holding the mesh bag 108 and the vacuum head 102. To loosen the looped portion 60, and enlarge the opening of the mesh bag 108, thereby allowing removal of the bag 108 from the vacuum head 102, the cord segments are simply lifted up and out from the open top of the channels 24 and 26 while pulling slightly rearward on the cord segments 50, 52 until they are removed from the channels and extend out through the top opening 22, as seen in FIG. 2.

While the present invention has been shown and described in accordance with a preferred and practical embodiment thereof, it is recognized that departures from the instant disclosure are fully contemplated within the spirit and scope of the present invention which is not to be limited, except as defined in the following claims.

Claims

1. A cleat device for securing two segments of a cord, said cleat device comprising:

a main body having a top side, a bottom side and a back end;

a head integrally formed with the main body and including an open mouth communicating with a through passage extending to a top opening on the top side of the main body, and the head further including a forward distal edge;

a pair of parallel cord channels extending along the main body and in open communication with the open mouth, through passage and top opening, and the pair of cord channels extending to and communicating with slots at the back end of the main body; and

the pair of cord channels having a tapered portion narrowing in width for wedged, locking engagement of the cord segments therein.

2. The cleat device as recited in claim 1 wherein each of the pair of cord channels includes opposing wall structures having an arrangement of ribs thereon for frictional engagement with one of the cord segments extending therethrough.

3. The cleat device as recited in claim 1 wherein the pair of cord channels and slots are structured and disposed to allow linear movement of the cord segments out from the slots at the back end of the main body while preventing movement in the opposite direction out through the open mouth when the cord segments are pulled into the cord channels and wedged within the tapered portion.

4. The cleat device as recited in claim 1 wherein the head includes a forward distal edge having a curved configuration for congruent, abutting engagement against the side of an outer portion of a cylindrical surface.

5. The cleat device as recited in claim 3 wherein the slots at the back end of the main body include apertures integrally formed with the slots for allowing the cord segments to be pulled out from the slots at the back end of the main body.

6. The cleat device as recited in claim 1 wherein the two cord segments extend out from the open mouth to a looped portion of the cord.

7. The cleat device as recited in claim 6 wherein the looped portion of the cord is fitted through a sleeve surrounding an opening of a bag, whereupon closing the loop by pulling the two cord segments through the pair of parallel cord channels of the cleat device causes the opening of the bag to be cinched closed.