Boat cleat with retractable line

Abstract

A boat cleat with retractable line. A retractable line is wound around a spool that is rotatably mounted within a line encasing. A cleat is rigidly attached to the outside surface of the line encasing. A spring is operably coupled to the spool and urges rotation of the spool in a line take-up direction. In a preferred embodiment, a locking device is connected to the spool for preventing unwanted rotation of the spool.

I claim:  
     
         1 ) A boat cleat with retractable line, comprising: 
 A) retractable line,    B) a line encasing,    C) a cleat rigidly attached to said line encasing,    D) a spool rotatably mounted within said line encasing, wherein said retractable line is wound around said spool, and    E) a spring operably coupled to said spool for urging rotation of said spool in a line take-up direction.    
     
     
         2 ) The boat cleat as in  claim 1 , further comprising a weight attached to the throwing end of said retractable line.  
     
     
         3 ) The boat cleat as in  claim 1 , further comprising a locking device for preventing the rotation of said spool.  
     
     
         4 ) The boat cleat as in  claim 3 , wherein said spool comprises teeth around the circumference of said spool, wherein said locking device comprises: 
 A) a star wheel engaged with said teeth,    B) a bar removably engaged with said star wheel for locking said star wheel, and    C) a button connected to said bar, wherein said button controls the position of said bar to engage and disengage said bar with said star wheel.    
     
     
         5 ) The boat cleat as in  claim 1 , wherein said boat cleat is rigidly attached to a boat.  
     
     
         6 ) The boat cleat as in  claim 5 , wherein said boat is a recreational watercraft.  
     
     
         7 ) The boat cleat as in  claim 1 , wherein said boat cleat is rigidly attached to a pier.  
     
     
         8 ) The boat cleat as in  claim 1 , wherein said retractable line comprises a rectangular cross section and has a thickness no greater than approximately ½ inch.  
     
     
         9 ) The boat cleat as in  claim 1 , wherein said retractable line comprises a rectangular cross section and has a thickness no greater than approximately ⅛ inch.  
     
     
         10 ) A boat cleat with retractable line, comprising: 
 A) a retractable line comprising a rectangular cross section having thickness no greater than approximately ⅛ inch,    B) a weight attached to the throwing end of said retractable line,    C) a line encasing,    D) a cleat rigidly attached to said line encasing,    E) a spool rotatably mounted within said line casing, wherein said retractable line is wound around said spool, wherein said spool comprises teeth around the circumference of said spool,    F) a locking device for preventing rotation of said spool, comprising: 
   1 ) a star wheel engaged with said teeth,  
   2 ) a bar removably engaged with said star wheel for locking said star wheel, and  
   3 ) a button connected to said bar, wherein said button controls the position of said bar to engage and disengage said bar with said star wheel,  
   G) a spring operably coupled to said spool for urging rotation of said spool in a line take-up direction.    
     
     
         11 ) A boat cleat with retractable line, comprising: 
 A) retractable line means,    B) a line encasing means,    C) a cleat means rigidly attached to said line encasing means,    D) a spool means rotatably mounted within said line encasing means, wherein said retractable line means is wound around said spool means, and    E) a spring means operably coupled to said spool means for urging rotation of said spool means in a line take-up direction.    
     
     
         12 ) The boat cleat as in  claim 11 , further comprising a weight means attached to the throwing end of said retractable line means.  
     
     
         13 ) The boat cleat as in  claim 11 , further comprising a locking device means for preventing the rotation of said spool means.  
     
     
         14 ) The boat cleat as in  claim 13 , wherein said spool means comprises teeth around the circumference of said spool means, wherein said locking device means comprises: 
 A) a star wheel means engaged with said teeth,    B) a bar means removably engaged with said star wheel means for locking said star wheel means, and    C) a button means connected to said bar means, wherein said button means controls the position of said bar means to engage and disengage said bar means with said star wheel means.    
     
     
         15 ) The boat cleat as in  claim 11 , wherein said boat cleat is rigidly attached to a boat.  
     
     
         16 ) The boat cleat as in  claim 15 , wherein said boat is a recreational watercraft.  
     
     
         17 ) The boat cleat as in  claim 11 , wherein said boat cleat is rigidly attached to a pier.  
     
     
         18 ) The boat cleat as in  claim 11 , wherein said retractable line means comprises a rectangular cross section and has a thickness no greater than approximately ⅛ inch.  
     
     
         19 ) The boat cleat as in  claim 11 , wherein said retractable line means comprises a rectangular cross section and has a thickness no greater than approximately ⅛ inch.  
     
     
         20 ) A boat cleat with retractable line, comprising: 
 A) retractable line,    B) a line encasing,    C) a cleat rigidly attached to said line encasing,    D) a spool rotatably mounted within said line encasing, wherein said retractable line is wound around said spool, and    E) a spool rotating device operably coupled to said spool for rotating said spool.    
     
     
         21 . The boat cleat as in  claim 20 , wherein said spool rotating device is a motor.