Controllable variable depth mooring system and method
US5129848A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 21, 1991 |
| Grant date | Jul 14, 1992 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 21, 2011 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB63B22/06
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A mooring system and method of anchoring a buoyant module (16) in a submerged location in the sea for supporting an underwater structure such as a plurality of acoustical arrays (18) for receiving and transmitting acoustical signals is disclosed. The buoyant module (16) is held in a submerged position by at least one anchor leg or line (46) anchored to the sea floor and of a variable length to permit controlled movement of the module (16) to the sea surface (10) for servicing. The single anchor line (46) is a stretchable line and includes an upper segment (56) formed of a Kevlar material and a lower segment (58) formed of a nylon material. Line 46 may stretch easily for a length of 400 feet, a preferred submerged depth of the module (16). Module (16) includes a constant buoyant material (36) and a source of compressed gas (32) controlled by a remotely actuated valve (40) to provide a variable buoyancy.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.