Connector for lanyard attachment of seismic node to cable

A system to deploy seismic data acquisition units off a vessel to perform a seismic survey in an aqueous environment with the seismic data acquisition units coupled with an ocean bottom, comprising:

• a mechanical attachment device comprising:
• a first member coupled with a second member;
• a cavity formed by the first member and the second member;
• a first protrusion located on a first portion of the second member;
• a second protrusion located on a second portion of the second member;
• a third protrusion located between the first protrusion and the second protrusion;
• an opening that extends away from a portion of the mechanical attachment device;
• a lanyard to couple a seismic data acquisition unit to the mechanical attachment device via the opening;
• and
• the mechanical attachment device configured to move freely along a rope responsive to tension in the rope being less than a threshold, and the mechanical attachment device further configured to lock to the rope responsive to the tension in the rope being greater than or equal to the threshold;
• and
• the tension in the rope being greater than or equal to the threshold causes an increase in a coefficient of friction between the first protrusion, the second protrusion, and the third protrusion and the rope such that the mechanical attachment device grips onto the rope and prevents the mechanical attachment device from sliding relative to the rope.

A method of attaching seismic data acquisition units that couple with an ocean bottom to a rope aboard a vessel to perform a seismic survey in an aqueous environment, comprising:

• providing a mechanical attachment device, the mechanical attachment device comprising:
• a first member coupled to a second member;
• a cavity formed by the first member and the second member;
• a first protrusion located on a first portion of the second member;
• a second protrusion located on a second portion of the second member;
• a third protrusion located between the first protrusion and the second protrusion;
• an opening that extends away from a portion of the mechanical attachment device;
• the mechanical attachment device configured to move freely along the rope responsive to the tension in the rope being less than a threshold, and the mechanical attachment device further configured to lock to the rope responsive to the tension in the rope being greater than or equal to the threshold;
• and
• the tension in the rope being greater than or equal to the threshold causes an increase in the coefficient of friction between the first protrusion, the second protrusion, and the third protrusion and the rope such that the mechanical attachment device grips onto the rope and prevents the mechanical attachment device from sliding relative to the rope.