Nautical Term: Choked
Definition of Choked
When a rope or chain, known as the fall, becomes entangled in a block or pulley system, it can be intentionally chocked or jammed for a temporary securing. This technique can be useful in situations where the falls need to be held in place for a short period of time before they can be properly secured or released.
For example, when setting up a shore-based crane, the falls need to be secured to the crane’s counterweight or anchor point. If the crane operator needs to make adjustments to the crane’s setup or position, the falls may need to be momentarily chocked or jammed to prevent them from slipping or moving out of position while the adjustments are being made.
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