Spar buoy pen system
AssigneeNor'Eastern Trawl Systems, Inc.
InventorsGary F. Loverich, Barry A. Griffin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A spar buoy pen system formed of a net pen, vertical spar buoys, and anchors. The spar buoys are formed of elongate tubular columns having a center of ballast above the center of gravity to float in a substantially upright position. Anchor lines, auxiliary floats, and attachment lines deflect the spar buoys at a predetermined angle such that the spar buoys and the anchors cooperate to hold the net pen in a predetermined configuration and in a taut condition. Alternative versions of the system may be provided with damper plates that are attached to the spar buoys so as to limit their wave-induced motions. A predator net can also be attached to the system to protect the net pen and its contents.
Claims16
A spar buoy pen comprising:
- a flexible net forming an enclosed pen;
- at least three elongated spar buoys adapted to float substantially vertically whereby each said spar buoy is attached to said net at at least two vertically spaced-apart locations so as to maintain a portion of said net adjacent said spar buoy in a substantially vertical orientation, and whereby said spar buoys are attached to said net at locations spaced apart from each other so that each said spar buoy can float freely relative to said spar buoys adjacent thereto;
- separate anchor means attached to each of said spar buoys, each said anchor means adapted to urge said spar buoy associated therewith outwards from said net so that said spar buoys are urged away from each other so as to maintain said pen in an open state;
- and
- at least two vertically spaced-apart, generally parallel lines extending between adjacent ones of said spar buoys so as to maintain said spar buoys in a predetermined configuration upon removal of said net.
A spar buoy pen comprising:
- a flexible net forming an enclosed pen;
- at least three elongated spar buoys adapted to float substantially vertically attached to said net pen at horizontally spaced-apart locations so as to suspend said net above a sea bed whereby at least one of said spar buoys is connected to said net pen by a first upper attachment line and a second upper attachment line, wherein said first attachment line is shorter than said second attachment line so that said spar buoy is displaced from the vertical position at a predetermined angle;
- a predator net suspended from said spar buoys so as to surround said pen;
- and
- separate anchor means attached to each of said spar buoys, wherein each said anchor means is adapted to urge said spar buoy associated therewith outward so as to maintain both said predator net and said pen in an open state.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.