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 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . An anchor assembly, in assembled or disassembled form, comprising:
 a) an anchor having a fluke and a shank, said shank having a running slot within which a rode shackle can be received, the running slot allowing a captive sliding of the rode shackle between a first location and a second location along the slot, the first location being distal more from the fluke than the second location, and   b) an apparatus carried by the shank, the apparatus comprising a first side member and a second side member to locate on each side of said slot, the first and second side members being joined by an intermediate member extending through said slot to thereby capture said apparatus at said slot, wherein said apparatus is configurable between an expanded condition and a non-expanded condition to alter the distance between the first and second side members,   wherein said apparatus, when positioned intermediate of the first location and the second location, can be configured in its non-expanded condition to present itself as an occlusion of the slot to prevent the rode shackle from sliding from its first location toward its second location, and wherein said apparatus can be configured to its expanded condition to permit the apparatus to slide along the slot towards the second location in advance of the rode shackle.   
     
     
         3 . An anchor assembly as claimed in  claim 2  wherein said assembly is configured to prevent its removal from the slot. 
     
     
         4 . An anchor assembly as claimed in  claim 3  wherein said assembly is configured to prevent said side members from being disassociated with the intermediate member so that the apparatus cannot be removed from the slot. 
     
     
         5 . An anchor assembly as claimed in  claim 2  wherein said assembly is reconfigurable between its expanded and non-expanded conditions without being removed from the slot. 
     
     
         6 . An anchor assembly as claimed in  claim 2  wherein said first location is defined by an enlarged region of the slot, and/or wherein there is an enlarged region of the slot between said first and second locations of the slot. 
     
     
         7 . An anchor assembly as claimed in  claim 6  wherein the slot is of substantially constant width outside of the enlarged region of the slot. 
     
     
         8 . An anchor assembly as claimed in  claim 6  wherein said apparatus, in its expanded condition, is able to slide between the enlarged and non-enlarged regions of the slot,
 and wherein sliding of the apparatus in its non-expanded condition is isolated to the enlarged region of the slot and/or wherein the apparatus in its non-expanded condition can be stationed at the enlarged region of the slot. 
 
     
     
         9 . An anchor assembly as claimed in  claim 6  wherein said apparatus can only be configured to its non-expanded condition when positioned at the enlarged region of the slot. 
     
     
         10 . An anchor assembly as claimed in  claim 5  wherein said apparatus, when positioned at said enlarged region of the slot and configured in its non-expanded condition, can bear against the edges of the slot to occlude movement of the rode shackle from said first location toward said second location. 
     
     
         11 . An anchor assembly as claimed in  claim 6  wherein said intermediate member of the apparatus has at least one region of lesser width than the non-enlarged region of the slot (the “lesser-width region”), and at least one region of greater width than the non-enlarged region slot (the “greater-width region”). 
     
     
         12 . An anchor assembly as claimed in  claim 11  wherein when said apparatus is positioned at said enlarged region of the slot and configured in its non-expanded condition, the greater-width region of the intermediate member is drawn into the enlarged region of the slot and can bear against the edges of the slot to occlude movement of the rode shackle from said first location toward said second location. 
     
     
         13 . An anchor assembly as claimed in  claim 2  wherein there is a docking region of the slot proximate the fluke at which the apparatus can be stationed, and/or within which sliding of the apparatus can be isolated, said docking region optionally being an enlarged region of the slot. 
     
     
         14 . An anchor assembly, in assembled or disassembled form, comprising:
 a) an apparatus adapted for connection to an anchor rode, and   b) an anchor having a fluke and a shank, said shank having a running slot within which the apparatus can be received, the running slot allowing a captive sliding of the apparatus along the slot,   wherein the apparatus comprises a first side member and a second side member to locate on each side of said slot, said first and second side members being joined by an intermediate member extending through said slot to thereby capture said apparatus at said slot, the apparatus being configurable between an expanded condition and a non-expanded condition to alter the distance between the first and second side members,   wherein said apparatus can be configured in its non-expanded condition to be stationed at a region of the slot and/or wherein its sliding is isolated to a region of the slot, and wherein said apparatus can be configured to its expanded condition to permit the apparatus to slide freely along all regions of the slot.   
     
     
         15 . An anchor assembly as claimed in  claim 14  wherein said assembly is configured to prevent its removal from the slot. 
     
     
         16 . An anchor assembly as claimed in  claim 15  wherein said assembly is configured to prevent said side members from being disassociated with the intermediate member so that the apparatus cannot be removed from the slot. 
     
     
         17 . An anchor assembly as claimed in  claim 14  wherein said assembly is reconfigurable between its expanded and non-expanded conditions without being removed from the slot. 
     
     
         18 . An anchor assembly as claimed in  claim 14  wherein said slot has an enlarged region. 
     
     
         19 . An anchor assembly as claimed in  claim 18  wherein the slot is of substantially constant width outside of the enlarged region of the slot. 
     
     
         20 . An anchor assembly as claimed in  claim 18  wherein said apparatus, in its expanded condition, is able to slide between the enlarged and non-enlarged regions of the slot,
 and wherein sliding of the apparatus in its non-expanded condition is isolated to the enlarged region of the slot, and/or wherein the apparatus in its non-expanded condition can be stationed at the enlarged region of the slot. 
 
     
     
         21 . An anchor assembly as claimed in  claim 18  wherein said apparatus can only be configured to its non-expanded condition when positioned at the enlarged region of the slot. 
     
     
         22 . An anchor assembly as claimed in  claim 18  wherein said apparatus, when positioned at said enlarged region of the slot and configured in its non-expanded condition, can bear against the edges of the slot so as to restrict movement of the apparatus along the slot. 
     
     
         23 . An anchor assembly as claimed in  claim 18  wherein said intermediate member of the apparatus has at least one region of lesser width than the non-enlarged region of the slot (the “lesser-width region”), and at least one region of greater width than the non-enlarged region slot (the “greater-width region”). 
     
     
         24 . An anchor assembly as claimed in  claim 23  wherein when said apparatus is positioned at said enlarged region of the slot and configured in its non-expanded condition, the greater-width region of the intermediate member is drawn into the enlarged region of the slot and can bear against the edges of the slot so as to restrict movement of the apparatus along the slot. 
     
     
         25 . An anchor assembly as claimed in  claim 14  wherein there is a docking region of the slot proximate the fluke at which the apparatus can be stationed and/or within which sliding of the apparatus can be isolated, said docking region optionally being an enlarged region of the slot.