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US 3,947,907 AGranted
Remote controlled scuttling buoy
AssigneeExxon Research & Engineering Co.
InventorSteve T. Synodis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A berthing buoy for mooring ships which provides for remote controlled release of mooring lines in emergency situations and sinking of the buoy by opening special scuttling valves. The buoy is refloated by blowing its compartments with compressed air manually admitted to the compartments by a diver using a special control station.
Claims10
A scuttling valve for admitting water to a submersible buoy or for releasing air from said buoy comprising:
- a. a support plate adapted to be secured to an opening in said buoy, said support plate having an opening for passing said water or air, said opening serving as a valve seat;
- b. an open cage means mounted on said support plate and surrounding said valve seat opening for providing free passageways, said cage being positioned with an exterior portion outside said buoy, and an interior portion inside said buoy;
- c. a valve plug adapted to close said valve seat opening of (b), said plug fixedly mounted on a guide member which is arranged perpendicularly to said plug and valve seat and extends on both sides of said supporting plate of (a), said guide member being positioned by a valve guide secured to the exterior portion of said cage;
- d. a fixed reaction plate mounted on the interior portion of said cage and having an opening for accepting and guiding the interior extending portion of said guide member of (c);
- e. a spring means positioned between said reaction plate and said valve plug for resisting movement of said valve plug toward said reaction plate and for urging said valve plug against said valve seat;
- f. a movable lift plate mounted perpendicularly on the interior end of said guide member and parallel to said reaction plate of (d);
- g. a valve plug operator for positioning the movable valve plug relative to the valve seat by acting against the movable lift plate.
4 more elements
A remote controlled self-scuttling mooring buoy comprising:
- a. a hollow body member having a plurality of compartments therein;
- b. a plurality of scuttling valves mounted on said body member for admitting water to said compartments and for releasing air therefrom, each of said valves including a support member including an opening and serving as a valve seat, valve plug means for closing said opening, a fixed reaction member and bias means positioned between said reaction member and said valve plug means for normally maintaining said valve plug means against said valve seat for closing said opening, and expandible means coacting with said valve plug means for positioning said valve plug means with respect to said opening in opposition to said bias;
- c. mooring hook means for mooring engagement with a mooring line for securing a vessel to said buoy, said mooring hook means responsive to a signal for movement between a first position for securing said mooring line to said buoy and a second position in which it is adapted to release said mooring line from said mooring hook means;
- d. receiving means for receiving a signal and commanding a response to said signal;
- e. actuating means responsive to said receiving means for releasing said mooring line from said mooring hook means and opening said scuttling valves, thereby freeing said vessel from said buoy and sinking said buoy.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.