Gas driven anchor and launching system therefor

An anchor an launching system comprising

• a launcher having an elongated pressure vessel with a launch tube extending axially within said pressure vessel and open at its upper end within said vessel and extending through the lower end of the vessel,
• an anchor having a body with its upper end being slidably postioned within said launch tube and having a downwardly pointed lower end and movable elements pivotally secured near the lower end of the body above said pointed lower end and arranged within a circle having a diameter less than the diameter of the upper portion of said pointed end,
• sealing means between the lower interior of said launch tube and the exterior of said body.
• an anchor line connected between said anchor and said launcher,
• means for lowering and hoisting said launcher between the sea bottom and the water surface,
• means releasably connecting the anchor to the launcher,
• means for supplying gas under pressure to said pressure vessel in its launch position on the sea bottom, and
• means for remotely releasing said connecting means after the charging of said pressure vessel with gas.

An anchor suitable for launching into the sea bottom comprising

• a body having an elongated upper end which has a cylindrical exterior surface and a downwardly pointed cone at its lower end,
• a slot in said body, and
• a pulley mounted in said slot, and
• said anchor line including
• an anchor cable, and
• a messenger line extending through said slot and in engagement with said pulley,
• one end of said messenger line being secured to the anchor cable and the other end being secured to an element retrievable to the water surface,
• means on said body for being releasably engaged prior to its launching, and
• movable elements pivotally secured near the lower end of said body above the cone and arranged within a circle having a diameter less than the diameter of the upper end of the cone,
• said elements movable from a pre-launched position extending along the exterior of said body to an anchor set position extending outwardly and upwardly to secure the anchor body in such position.

An anchor launcher for launching an anchor into the sea bottom comprising

• an upright pressure storage vessel,
• a launch tube positioned within said vessel and extending axially therein with its upper end spaced from the upper interior of said vessel and its lower end extending through the lower end of said pressure vessel,
• a groove around the interior of said launch tube near its lower end,
• a seal ring positioned within said groove for sealing against a portion of an anchor to be launched therefrom, and
• means for releasably engaging an anchor until it is to be launched.