A cleat with automatic line-locking, includes a frame having
proximate and remote sides and formed with a passageway, extending between the
proximate and remote sides, for receiving a line for movement along a first line moving direction from the
proximate to the remote sides and an opposing line pulling direction from the remote to the proximate sides, and defining a line
bearing surface or limit stop on one side of the passageway for limiting excessive transverse movements of the line in a direction to the one side of the passageway. Fasteners attach the frame to a
support surface. A
cam is provided on the frame on the other or opposite side of said passageway and has a line engaging portion normally spaced a predetermined distance from the line. The
cam is movable between a line releasing position and a line locking position and is arranged to normally disengage from the line, engagement of the line by the
cam to the line locking position while advancing the line in the first line moving direction creating a force couple that wedges the line between the line
bearing surface or limit stop and the cam that tends to arrest or stop the line relative to the frame fixed on the
support surface. The cam is formed of generally flat
sheet material defining a cam plane and the line engaging portion being formed of a plurality of generally flat pressure-engaging segments or pressure pads that are angularly offset to opposite sides of said cam plane and together generally defining a line-receiving region having a generally uniform cross-section configured to frictionally engage the line in the line locking position. Auxiliary sheave assemblies may be used to provide automatic failsafe operation by means of the cleat when raising or lowering an object on a hook or loop. A pusher may be used to urge the line to move in the direction of the cam especially when the line is released.