BUOY MOORING DEVICE
United States Patent 3775787
A buoy mooring device comprising a counterweighted frame slidable along a cable which extends from anchor to buoy. The counterweight and frame travel on the cable as the water level rises and falls permitting the distance between the anchor and the buoy to be varied while the buoy is retained in a stabilized, unsubmerged position.
US Patent References:
Deep-sea anchor
Hamilton - May 1930 - 1758911
Log-rolling device
Hutchinson - January 1940 - 2186606
Offshore drilling rig mooring
Gilmore - September 1961 - 3001371
MOORING BUOY
Christians - February 1969 - 3425069
ONE-POINT MOORING SYSTEM FOR LOADING OR UNLOADING FLUIDS INTO OR FROM A SHIP
Zunderdorf - March 1969 - 3430597
Deep-sea anchor
Hamilton - May 1930 - 1758911
Log-rolling device
Hutchinson - January 1940 - 2186606
Offshore drilling rig mooring
Gilmore - September 1961 - 3001371
MOORING BUOY
Christians - February 1969 - 3425069
ONE-POINT MOORING SYSTEM FOR LOADING OR UNLOADING FLUIDS INTO OR FROM A SHIP
Zunderdorf - March 1969 - 3430597
Application Number:
05/298964
Publication Date:
12/04/1973
Filing Date:
10/19/1972
View Patent Images:
Export Citation:
Primary Class:
Other Classes:
114/230.270
International Classes:
B63B22/20; B63B22/00; B63B21/52
Field of Search:
9/8P,8R,9 114/230,26R
Primary Examiner:
Halvosa, George E. A.
Assistant Examiner:
O'connor, Gregory W.
Parent Case Data:
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 75,008, filed Sept. 24, 1970, now abandoned.
Claims:
I claim
1. A buoy mooring system comprising:
2. upper and lower horizontal members,
3. vertical support members connecting said upper and lower horizontal members,
4. sheaves at one extremity of said horizontal members for guiding a mooring line as it extends from an anchor to said pulley, and
5. receiving means located at the other extremity of said horizontal members for guiding a mooring line as it extends from said pulley to a counterweight;
6. A buoy mooring system as recited in claim 1, wherein said system has a clamp attached to said mooring line above and proximate to said lower horizontal member to prevent said mooring line from passing down through said lower receiving means after said counterweight is positioned below and proximate to said lower horizontal receiving means.
7. A frame adapted for use in a buoy mooring system comprising:
8. A buoy mooring system comprising:
1. A buoy mooring system comprising:
2. upper and lower horizontal members,
3. vertical support members connecting said upper and lower horizontal members,
4. sheaves at one extremity of said horizontal members for guiding a mooring line as it extends from an anchor to said pulley, and
5. receiving means located at the other extremity of said horizontal members for guiding a mooring line as it extends from said pulley to a counterweight;
6. A buoy mooring system as recited in claim 1, wherein said system has a clamp attached to said mooring line above and proximate to said lower horizontal member to prevent said mooring line from passing down through said lower receiving means after said counterweight is positioned below and proximate to said lower horizontal receiving means.
7. A frame adapted for use in a buoy mooring system comprising:
8. A buoy mooring system comprising:
Description:
The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government, for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention has utility wherever buoys or floats are desired to mark a location in a body of water. The invention has particularly great value in flood control reservoirs where wide ranges of water levels are encountered.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Buoy mooring systems most commonly used today are variations of the type illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,191,202 consisting primarily of an anchor attached to a buoy by a cable or mooring line. Buoys of this type either are submerged during water rises or are lost when cable or anchor are not of sufficient strength or size to withstand pressures on the buoy.
A mooring device designed to prevent this is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,903,716. An elaborate take-up reel is attached to the bottom of a float from which the mooring line is played out until the buoy is properly planted. The specification indicates the mooring reel revolves only when the float ascends to the surface of the water and therefore if the water level recedes the mooring line will not be re-wound leaving the buoy free to drift. Adding structure such as counterweights and springs to the reel type device to re-wind the moring line as water recedes, would be costly and would increase the likelihood of failure.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The buoy mooring device comprises a metal frame having four guide sheaves on one side and a cable guide with a counterweight on the other, a pulley with a swivel hook for attachment to the bottom of the buoy, and an anchor. A mooring line extends from the anchor up through the sheaves of the frame, through the pulley, back down through the cable guide on the other side of the frame, and is attached to the counterweight. As the water level rises, the buoyant force on the buoy causes the frame to rise increasing the distance between the frame and the anchor. The buoy will stay afloat until the frame reaches the pulley at the bottom of the float. This permits the buoy to remain afloat despite a fluctuating water level since the water level may be twice as high as normal before the buoy will be submerged.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a buoy mooring device that will allow the buoy to remain afloat despite a greatly fluctuating water level.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an operable mooring device that will reduce the likelihood of failure and loss of equipment.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide an inexpensive yet durable mooring device requiring relatively no maintenance.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a buoy mooring device employing means to play out cable or take up excess cable in such a manner that the cable does not become intertwined or twisted up.
A further object of the invention is to provide a buoy mooring device which can be quickly, yet securely, attached to a buoy and planted in place.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the mooring frame and pulley;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the horizontal members taken along line 2--2;
FIG. 3 shows the mooring device attached to a buoy with the frame near the anchor; and
FIG. 4 shows the device with the frame near the buoy as caused by a higher water level than in FIG. 3.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIG. 1 a metal frame 10 has a pair of longitudinal members 11 secured together by metal straps 12. Longitudinal members 11 each have a hooked portion 13 (FIG. 2) forming a cable guide 14 on one end and a biased member 15 rigidly secured on the other. Two cooperating sheaves 16 with plastic bearings (not shown) are secured between each longitudinal member 11 and accompanying member 15. The frame 10 may be secured together by bolts 17, or by welding or other suitable means.
Other parts of the system include a suitable anchor 23 (FIG. 3), a pulley 24 with a swivel clamp 18 for attachment to the base of the buoy 19, and a counterweight 20 of greater diameter than the cable guide 14. A mooring line 21 which may be a cable, nylon rope or other suitable material, is secured to the anchor and threaded up through the two sets of cooperating sheaves 16, through the pulley 24 and back through the cable guides 14 of the longitudinal members 11 where it is then secured to the counterweight 20. A cable clamp 22 is attached to the cable 21 directly above where the cable 21 passes through the lower of the cable guides 14. The purpose of the clamp 22 is to prevent the counterweight 20 from sinking without the frame 10 rolling down the cable 21 passing through the sheaves 16.
It can readily be seen that during high water elevations, the pull of the buoy 19 will cause the frame 10 and counterweight 20 to roll up the length of the cable 21 until a balance is reached. With the fall of water, the frame 10 and counterweight 20 will roll down the cable length thus storing the excess cable 21. The weight of the counterweight is varied to accommodate buoys, anchors and cables of different sizes.
The frame 10 serves to keep the cable 21 from becoming intertwined while the swivel clamp 18 prevents the cable 21 from becoming twisted.
While in some combinations the frame 10 might be heavy enough to serve as a counterweight with the cable 21 attached to the lower of the cable guides 14, the addition of the counterweight 20 facilitates the operation by permitting the frame to be used with systems of different sizes.
The above-described buoy mooring device has particular utility with a buoy to be used in a flood control reservoir which is subjected to wide ranges of water elevation since the reservoir is designed to collect and store water during periods of heavy rainfall and run-off, and then gradually release the collected water to avoid or mitigate downstream flooding. The device prevents the buoy from being submerged in high water and thus unobservable to reservoir users, and aids in preventing the eventual loss of the equipment if the pressures become great enough to snap the cable or uproot the anchor.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention has utility wherever buoys or floats are desired to mark a location in a body of water. The invention has particularly great value in flood control reservoirs where wide ranges of water levels are encountered.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Buoy mooring systems most commonly used today are variations of the type illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,191,202 consisting primarily of an anchor attached to a buoy by a cable or mooring line. Buoys of this type either are submerged during water rises or are lost when cable or anchor are not of sufficient strength or size to withstand pressures on the buoy.
A mooring device designed to prevent this is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,903,716. An elaborate take-up reel is attached to the bottom of a float from which the mooring line is played out until the buoy is properly planted. The specification indicates the mooring reel revolves only when the float ascends to the surface of the water and therefore if the water level recedes the mooring line will not be re-wound leaving the buoy free to drift. Adding structure such as counterweights and springs to the reel type device to re-wind the moring line as water recedes, would be costly and would increase the likelihood of failure.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The buoy mooring device comprises a metal frame having four guide sheaves on one side and a cable guide with a counterweight on the other, a pulley with a swivel hook for attachment to the bottom of the buoy, and an anchor. A mooring line extends from the anchor up through the sheaves of the frame, through the pulley, back down through the cable guide on the other side of the frame, and is attached to the counterweight. As the water level rises, the buoyant force on the buoy causes the frame to rise increasing the distance between the frame and the anchor. The buoy will stay afloat until the frame reaches the pulley at the bottom of the float. This permits the buoy to remain afloat despite a fluctuating water level since the water level may be twice as high as normal before the buoy will be submerged.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a buoy mooring device that will allow the buoy to remain afloat despite a greatly fluctuating water level.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an operable mooring device that will reduce the likelihood of failure and loss of equipment.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide an inexpensive yet durable mooring device requiring relatively no maintenance.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a buoy mooring device employing means to play out cable or take up excess cable in such a manner that the cable does not become intertwined or twisted up.
A further object of the invention is to provide a buoy mooring device which can be quickly, yet securely, attached to a buoy and planted in place.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the mooring frame and pulley;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the horizontal members taken along line 2--2;
FIG. 3 shows the mooring device attached to a buoy with the frame near the anchor; and
FIG. 4 shows the device with the frame near the buoy as caused by a higher water level than in FIG. 3.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIG. 1 a metal frame 10 has a pair of longitudinal members 11 secured together by metal straps 12. Longitudinal members 11 each have a hooked portion 13 (FIG. 2) forming a cable guide 14 on one end and a biased member 15 rigidly secured on the other. Two cooperating sheaves 16 with plastic bearings (not shown) are secured between each longitudinal member 11 and accompanying member 15. The frame 10 may be secured together by bolts 17, or by welding or other suitable means.
Other parts of the system include a suitable anchor 23 (FIG. 3), a pulley 24 with a swivel clamp 18 for attachment to the base of the buoy 19, and a counterweight 20 of greater diameter than the cable guide 14. A mooring line 21 which may be a cable, nylon rope or other suitable material, is secured to the anchor and threaded up through the two sets of cooperating sheaves 16, through the pulley 24 and back through the cable guides 14 of the longitudinal members 11 where it is then secured to the counterweight 20. A cable clamp 22 is attached to the cable 21 directly above where the cable 21 passes through the lower of the cable guides 14. The purpose of the clamp 22 is to prevent the counterweight 20 from sinking without the frame 10 rolling down the cable 21 passing through the sheaves 16.
It can readily be seen that during high water elevations, the pull of the buoy 19 will cause the frame 10 and counterweight 20 to roll up the length of the cable 21 until a balance is reached. With the fall of water, the frame 10 and counterweight 20 will roll down the cable length thus storing the excess cable 21. The weight of the counterweight is varied to accommodate buoys, anchors and cables of different sizes.
The frame 10 serves to keep the cable 21 from becoming intertwined while the swivel clamp 18 prevents the cable 21 from becoming twisted.
While in some combinations the frame 10 might be heavy enough to serve as a counterweight with the cable 21 attached to the lower of the cable guides 14, the addition of the counterweight 20 facilitates the operation by permitting the frame to be used with systems of different sizes.
The above-described buoy mooring device has particular utility with a buoy to be used in a flood control reservoir which is subjected to wide ranges of water elevation since the reservoir is designed to collect and store water during periods of heavy rainfall and run-off, and then gradually release the collected water to avoid or mitigate downstream flooding. The device prevents the buoy from being submerged in high water and thus unobservable to reservoir users, and aids in preventing the eventual loss of the equipment if the pressures become great enough to snap the cable or uproot the anchor.