Pull-up boat cleat with infinite position adjustment

Abstract

A lift-up cleat assembly having a base member adapted for mounting on a mounting surface with the base having at least one downwardly depending hollow cylindrical guide tube which extends through the mounting surface and is connected to a liquid drainage conduit system. The cleat assembly includes a cleat member having a head adapted to be received by and seated on the cleat base and at least one vertically downwardly extending cleat post which is telescopingly received in the guide tube of the base member and reciprocally movable therein. A cylindrical shaped elastomeric keeper member is attached to the bottom end portion of the cleat post and frictionally engages the inside surface of the guide tube. The elastomeric keeper member has a faceted cylindrical surface with longitudinally extending grooves between cylindrical surface sections to allow passage of liquids and debris from the cleat base to a discharge conduit. The keeper elements are secured to the bottom end portions of the cleat posts by screw threaded fasteners which serve to compress the elastomeric keepers for maintaining frictional contact between the keeper and the side walls of the guide tube. The lower limit of travel of the cleat posts is provided by seating of the cleat member in the cleat base and the upper limit of travel is provided by a suitable stop means within the guide tube. The cleat member may be positioned at any point along the length of travel of the post with infinitesimal increments of adjustment with the cleat posts being held in position by the keeper member.

1 . In a pull-up cleat structure having a base member and a pull-up cleat member, said base member including a bottom surface for engaging a mounting surface, a top surface seating the pull-up cleat member, at least one guide tube with an inside guide surface, said guide tube extending from the base member, through said mounting surface and communicating with the base member top surface, said cleat member including at least one cleat post extending therefrom with an end portion telescopingly received in said guide tube for reciprocal movement therein along a travel path, a keeper member for restraining movement of said post, said keeper member comprising; 
 an elongated elastomeric radially deformable cylindrical keeper body with an outside cylindrical surface,    said keeper body being radially expandable by application of axial pressure,    connector means connecting said keeper body to the end portion of said post with the outside surface thereof in sliding frictional contact with the inside surface of said guide tube,    said frictional contact being sufficient to retain said post in any selected position of longitudinal adjustment while allowing repositioning of the post by hand pressure on said cleat member,    the outside surface of said keeper including at least one longitudinal drain groove therein extending the length of the keeper body for passage of liquid from said guide tube,    whereby incremental adjustment of said post along said travel path is provided and simultaneous drainage of liquid from said tube is permitted.    
   
   
       2 . The device of  claim 1  wherein said keeper member is connected to the bottom terminal end of said end portion of the post.  
   
   
       3 . The device of  claim 2  wherein said keeper body comprises a solid elongated cylindrical mass having a central through bore for mounting said connector means.  
   
   
       4 . The device of  claim 3  wherein the outside surface of said keeper body includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced drain grooves therein extending the length thereof forming a faceted right circular cylindrical surface on said keeper body.  
   
   
       5 . (canceled)  
   
   
       6 . The device of  claim 4  wherein; 
 said connector means comprises a headed screw threaded element passing through said bore and received in a screw threaded opening in the terminal end of said post, and    a first rigid spacer between the keeper body and the head of said screw threaded element,    whereby tightening of said screw threaded element radially expands said keeper body to enhance the frictional engagement thereof with the guide tube surface.    
   
   
       7 . The device of  claim 6  including; 
 a stop surface on said guide tube,    a second rigid spacer between said keeper body and the terminal end of said post,    said second rigid spacer being sized to contact said stop surface,    whereby telescoping movement of said post is limited in one direction by engagement of said second rigid spacer and said stop surface and in the opposite direction by seating of said cleat member in the top surface of said base member.    
   
   
       8 . The device of  claim 7  wherein said base member includes a plurality of said guide tubes and said cleat member includes a plurality of said cleat posts extending therefrom and telescopingly received in said guide tubes, each said cleat posts including a keeper member for restraining movement of the associated post.  
   
   
       9 . A pull-up cleat comprising; 
 a base member having a bottom surface for engaging a mounting surface and a top surface seating a cleat member, said base member including at least one guide tube with an inside guide surface, said guide tube extending from the base member, through said mounting surface and communicating with the base member top surface,    said cleat member including at least one post extending therefrom with an end portion thereof telescopingly received in said guide tube for reciprocal movement therein along a travel path, and    a keeper member having an elongated elastomeric radially deformable cylindrical keeper body connected to the end portion of said post with an outside surface thereof in sliding frictional contact with the inside surface of said guide tube,    said keeper body being radially expandable by application of axial pressure thereon,    said frictional contact being sufficient to retain said post in any selected position of longitudinal adjustment while allowing repositioning of the post by hand pressure on said cleat member,    means for selectively radially deforming said keeper body to adjust the frictional contact with the guide tube,    the outside surface of said keeper including at least one longitudinally extending drain groove therein extending the length of the keeper body for passage of liquid from said guide tube,    whereby infinite incremental adjustment of said post along said travel path is provided, said elongated keeper body providing axially extended surface contact between the post and guide tube to maintain substantial axial alignment therebetween and simultaneous drainage of liquid from said guide tube is permitted.    
   
   
       10 . The device of  claim 9  wherein said keeper member is connected to the terminal end of said end portion of the post.  
   
   
       11 . The device of  claim 10  including; 
 connector means for connecting said keeper member to the post,    said keeper body comprising a solid cylindrical mass having a central through bore for mounting said connector means.    
   
   
       12 . The device of  claim 11  wherein the outside surface of said keeper body includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced drain grooves therein extending the length thereof forming a faceted right circular cylindrical surface on said keeper body.  
   
   
       13 . (canceled)  
   
   
       14 . The device of  claim 12  wherein said connector means includes a headed screw threaded element passing through said bore and received in a screw threaded opening in the terminal end of said post for connecting said keeper body to the post, and 
 a first rigid spacer between the keeper body and the head of said screw threaded element,    whereby tightening of said screw threaded element radially expands said keeper body to enhance the frictional engagement thereof with the guide tube surface.    
   
   
       15 . The device of  claim 14  including; 
 a stop surface on said guide tube,    a second rigid spacer between said keeper body and the terminal end of said post,    said second rigid spacer being sized to contact said stop surface,    whereby telescoping movement of said post is limited in one direction by engagement of said second rigid spacer and said stop surface and in the opposite direction by seating of said cleat member in the top surface of said base member.    
   
   
       16 . The device of  claim 15  wherein said base member includes a plurality of said guide tubes and said cleat member includes a plurality of said cleat posts extending therefrom and telescopingly received in said guide tubes, each said cleat posts including a keeper member for restraining movement of the associated post.  
   
   
       17 . A keeper member for restraining reciprocal telescoping movement of a cleat post having a terminal end portion within a cleat base guide tube comprising; 
 an elongated cylindrical keeper body having a central longitudinal through bore therein,    connector means located in said through bore for connecting said keeper body to the end portion of said post,    said keeper body including a radially deformable cylindrical elastomeric surface for sliding frictional contact with an associated guide tube, said keeper body being radially deformable by application of axial pressure thereon, and    at least one longitudinal drain groove in the surface of said keeper body and extending the length thereof.    
   
   
       18 . The keeper member of  claim 17  wherein said connector means includes means to selectively apply axial pressure to radially expand said keeper body to enhance frictional contact between the elastomeric surface and the surface of said guide tube.  
   
   
       19 . The keeper member of  claim 18  wherein; 
 said keeper body is connected to the terminal end of said post,    said connector means comprises a headed screw threaded element passing through said central bore and received in a screw threaded opening in the terminal end of the post for applying axial pressure to radially expand said keeper body.    
   
   
       20 . The device of  claim 19  including; 
 a first rigid spacer located between the keeper body and the head of said screw threaded element,    a stop surface on said guide tube defining the limit of travel of said post, and    a second rigid spacer located between the keeper body and the terminal end of the post and sized to contact said stop surface to limit travel of the post.    
   
   
       21 . (canceled)  
   
   
       22 . (canceled)  
   
   
       23 . (canceled)  
   
   
       24 . A cleat assembly comprising; 
 a base member having a bottom surface for engaging a mounting surface and a top surface seating a cleat member, said base member including at least one guide tube with an inside guide surface, said guide tube extending from the base member, through said mounting surface and communicating with the base member top surface,    said cleat member including at least one post extending therefrom with an end portion thereof telescopingly received in said guide tube for reciprocal movement therein along a travel path, and    a keeper member having an elongated radially deformable cylindrical keeper body connected to the end portion of said post with an outside surface in sliding frictional contact with the inside surface of said guide tube,    said keeper body being radially deformable by axial pressure thereon to produce said frictional contact,    said frictional contact being sufficient to retain said post in any selected position of longitudinal adjustment while allowing repositioning of the post by hand pressure on said cleat member,    said elongated keeper body providing axially extended surface contact between the post and guide tube to maintain substantial axial alignment therebetween,    whereby infinite incremental adjustment of said post along said travel path is provided.    
   
   
       25 . The device of  claim 24  including means to selectively radially deform said keeper body to enhance said frictional contact.  
   
   
       26 . The device of  claim 25  wherein said keeper member is connected to the terminal end of said end portion of the post and further including; 
 a connector member for connecting said keeper body to the terminal end of the post, said keeper body comprises a solid cylindrical mass having a bore for mounting said connector member.    
   
   
       27 . The device of  claim 26  wherein; 
 said connector member comprises a headed screw threaded element passing through said bore and received in a screw threaded opening in the terminal end of said post, and    a first rigid spacer between the keeper body and the head of said screw threaded element,    whereby tightening of said screw threaded element radially expands said keeper body to enhance the frictional contact thereof with the guide tube inside surface.    
   
   
       28 . The device of  claim 27  including; 
 a stop surface on said guide tube,    a second rigid spacer between said keeper body and the terminal end of said post,    said second rigid spacer being sized to contact said stop surface,    whereby telescoping movement of said post is limited in one direction by engagement of said second rigid spacer and said stop surface and in the opposite direction by seating of said cleat member in the top surface of said base member.    
   
   
       29 . The device of  claim 28  wherein said keeper body is constructed from a cylinder of solid radially expandable elastomeric material with a central longitudinal through bore therein.  
   
   
       30 . The device of  claim 29  wherein said keeper body is constructed of a rubber material.  
   
   
       31 . The device of  claim 29  wherein said keeper body is constructed of a nylon material.  
   
   
       32 . The device of  claim 29  wherein said keeper body is provided with a roughened outside surface for frictional contact with the surface of said guide tube.  
   
   
       33 . The device of  claim 32  wherein said guide tube is provided with a roughened surface for frictional contact with the outside surface of said keeper body.  
   
   
       34 . The device of  claim 29  wherein said guide tube is provided with a roughened surface for frictional contact with the outside surface of said keeper body.  
   
   
       35 . The device of  claim 29  wherein sufficient clearance is provided between said post and said guide tube for passage of liquid, and 
 wherein the outside surface of said keeper body includes at least one longitudinal groove therein extending the length thereof for drainage of liquid from said guide tube.    
   
   
       36 . In a pull-up cleat assembly, a method for infinite incremental longitudinal positioning of a cleat post within a base guide tube comprising the steps of; 
 mounting an elastomeric radially deformable keeper body on the end portion of said cleat post,    applying axial pressure on the keeper body to radially expand the keeper body to provide sliding frictional contact with the guide tube,    maintaining said frictional contact sufficient to retain said post in any selected position of adjustment within said guide tube while allowing longitudinal repositioning of the post by hand pressure on the cleat member.    
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 36  including the further step of; selectively adjusting the axial pressure on the keeper body to control the radial expansion thereof for adjusting the frictional contact.  
   
   
       38 . The method according to  claim 36  wherein said keeper body comprises an elongated cylindrical mass configured to contact a substantial portion of the inside surface of the guide tube sufficiently to dampen said post against lateral vibration within the guide tube throughout its travel.  
   
   
       39 . The method according to  claim 36  including the further steps of: 
 providing sufficient clearance between said cleat post and said guide tube for passage of liquid, and    grooving the outside surface of said keeper body to permit drainage of liquid from said guide tube past said keeper body.