Anchor system

Abstract

An anchor assembly comprising an anchor having a shank with a running slot for a shackle connection to an anchor rode with which the anchor is to be supported, the running slot allowing a captive movement of the shackle between a location at the free end of the shank and a location adjacent the fluke of the anchor, and apparatus carried by the shank, configurable through or at the slot to maintain the shackle, at or in the vicinity of the location at the free end of the shank.

1 . An anchor assembly comprising:
 an anchor having a shank with a running slot for a shackle connection to an anchor rode with which the anchor is to be supported, the running slot allowing a captive movement of the shackle between a location at the free end of the shank and a location adjacent the fluke of the anchor, and   apparatus carried by the shank, configurable through or at the slot to maintain the shackle, at or in the vicinity of the location at the free end of the shank.   
     
     
         2 . An anchor assembly as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said apparatus is repositionable and configurable between a slidable condition wherein the apparatus can slide along the slot and a captive condition wherein the movement of the apparatus is isolated to a region of the slot at the location at the free end of the shank. 
     
     
         3 . An anchor assembly as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the location at the free end is defined by a first locator of the anchor shank. 
     
     
         4 . An anchor assembly as claimed in  claim 3  wherein the first locator is an enlargement of the slot. 
     
     
         5 . An anchor assembly as claimed in  claim 4  wherein the slot is of a substantially constant width other than at said first locator. 
     
     
         6 . An anchor assembly as claimed in  claim 3  wherein a second locator is provided located at or proximate the end of the slot nearest the fluke of the anchor. 
     
     
         7 . An anchor assembly as claimed in  claim 6  wherein the second locator is an enlargement of the slot. 
     
     
         8 . An anchor assembly as claimed in  claim 7  wherein the slot is of a substantially constant width between said first and second locators. 
     
     
         9 . An anchor assembly as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the apparatus carried by the shank, comprises at least:
 c) fastener with a shank, and 
 d) a fastening means, mounted on said shank and moveable along the shank, 
 wherein the apparatus can be configured between its slidable and captive conditions by adjusting the position of the mounted fastening means along the shank. 
 
     
     
         10 . The anchor assembly of  claim 9  wherein the shank of the fastener is at least partially threaded, and wherein the shank mounted fastening means is a nut with a corresponding thread. 
     
     
         11 . An anchor assembly comprising:
 a shank having a running slot over the full length of which a shackle is connected, or to be connected to the anchor rode or chain, can run, there being at least one zone of larger width into which a shackle or other apparatus can be fitted as an occlusion to prevent the running of the shackle of the anchor chain beyond and into the running slot more proximal to the fluke(s).   
     
     
         12 . An anchor assembly as claimed in  claim 11  wherein the shackle or other apparatus can be selectively positioned at said zone of larger width yet be reconfigured and/or removed to be repositioned or repositionable so as to nor present itself as an occlusion. 
     
     
         13 . An anchor assembly as claimed in  claim 11  wherein said shackle or other apparatus cannot be removed from said slot. 
     
     
         14 . An anchor assembly as claimed in  claim 11  wherein said shackle or other apparatus cannot be removed from said slot but only be reconfigured between a condition where it is prevented from movement away from said zone and where it can be moved away from said zone. 
     
     
         15 . An anchor assembly as claimed in  claim 11  wherein shackle or other apparatus comprises at least:
 c) a fastener, having a head and an at least partially threaded shaft, and 
 d) a nut with a corresponding thread to be associated with the shaft of the fastener, 
 wherein the head and the nut are situated on either side of the slot and the shaft extends therebetween, passing through the slot, 
 and wherein there is a region of the shaft adjacent either or both of the head or the nut which is of greater diameter or width than the remainder of the shaft, and wherein on tightening of the nut on the shaft, the region of the shaft of greater diameter or width can be drawn into an enlarged region of the slot so as to station the assembly within that enlarged region, on loosening of the nut on the shaft, the region of the shaft of greater diameter or width can be withdrawn from the slot so as to permit sliding of the assembly along all regions of the slot. 
 
     
     
         16 . The anchor assembly as claimed in  claim 15  wherein the region(s) of greater width or diameter of the shaft of the shackle or apparatus is/are provided by way of an additional insert(s) mounted on the shaft. 
     
     
         17 . The anchor assembly as claimed in  claim 16  wherein the additional insert(s) is/are plastic. 
     
     
         18 . The anchor assembly as claimed in  claim 15  wherein the shaft of the shackle or apparatus is manufactured as a single component with a stepped profile to provide at least one region of the shaft of greater diameter or width than the remainder of the shaft. 
     
     
         19 . The anchor assembly as claimed in  claim 15  wherein there are shaft mounted spacer elements situated either side of the slot aperture and intermediate the head and the nut of the shackle or apparatus. 
     
     
         20 . The anchor assembly as claimed in  claim 19  wherein the spacer elements are plastic. 
     
     
         21 . An assembly or combination of
 an anchor with slotted shank and a shank supported fluke,   a rode connectable shackle or rode connected shackle engaged through the slot of the shank, and   means connectable to the shank, or connected to the shank, to restrict the run of the first mentioned shackle from the distal region (with respect to the shank) of the slot.   
     
     
         22 . An anchor assembly as claimed in  claim 21  wherein said means connectable to the shank is repositionable and configurable through the slot between a slidable condition wherein it can slide along the slot and a captive condition wherein its movement is isolated to a region of the slot at the location at the free end of the shank.