GB2030947A - Buoys - Google Patents

Abstract

A buoy has two body parts 14, 16 preferably tubular, in telescopic relationship and the inner part (16) is buoyant while the outer part is not. Means 18, 20 is provided to prevent separation of the parts. In a preferred assembly, there are three nestable tubular parts (12, 14, 16), one buoyant (16), the other two (12, 14) non-buoyant to differing degrees. The buoy may carry a rotary head having radar reflective vanes. The vanes may also be light reflective. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A buoy This invention relates to buoys and, more particularly, to safety buoys fitted with distress signalling equipment such as an optically visible flashing light, radar reflective surfaces and/or radio transmitter and aerial. In a separate aspect, the invention is concerned more broadly with a signalling device or installation.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Australian Patent 249,062 discloses a buoy comprising two tubular parts which are telescopically moveable with respect to each other. Both tubes are of themselves buoyant in water, but to different degrees. When the buoy is dropped into the water, the inner, more buoyant tube rises to extend its distress signalling equipment well clear of the surface.

Other telescopically expansible buoys are described in United States Patent specification 3,307,208 (Jacobson), 3,482,517 (Angelos et al), 3,061,249 (Chipperfield), 2,546,956 (Yeomans) and 2,819,476 (Dodge). The Jacobson reference illustrates a hollow cup-shaped float which telescopically receives a balance arm optionally filled partially or fully with lead shot. Expansion of the buoy is effected prior to immersion, making use of a manually applied locking pin to prevent separation of the parts. The buoy is said to require an associated anchorto prevent it from floating away.

In the buoy disclosed in patent specification 3,482,517, a cylindrical shroud telescopically receives a smoke grenade canister. The parts separate to impart positive buoyancy to the assembly only on combustion of a spacer element and once smoke generation is complete, the buoy tips over to allow admission of water to the shroud through parts which, have previously been blown open by the pressure of the smoke.

Patent specification 2,546,956 discloses a buoy comprising a multiplicity of telescopically nestable skirt portions. These skirt portions together bound a space which is sealed by packing rings bridging the skirt portions.

Separation of the skirt portions is prevented by abutment of co-operating flanges. The Sealed unit is extended or collapsed for flotation or sinking by application of compressed gas or vacuum to its interior.

The Dodge reference shows a float adjustable along a mast which is hollow and may fill with water by way of a series of apertures to reduce its bouyancy. The float is fixed in a chosen position on the mast by suitable clamps.

It is found in practice that known types of buoy, even if their overall height is reduced, are subject to varying and often considerable tilt and drift, especially wind driven drift, and may occasionally overturn in the water. It is an objective of the invention to provide a buoy which is less susceptible to these un-desirable tendencies.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention accordingly provides, in one aspect, a buoy comprising at least two body parts which are telescopically moveable with respect to each other between a nested condition in which one embraces the other and an extending condition in which they are prevented from further separating by co-operating stop means on the respective parts, wherein the inner of the body parts is of itself buoyant in water while. the other is not.

Advantageously, the buoy further comprises distress signalling means supported on said buoyant body part.

In a preferred construction, there are provided three body parts which are telescopically moveable with respect to each other, wherein the intermediate and outer parts are non-buoyant in water, the intermediate part being less so than the other.

The invention also provides, in a second aspect, a buoy having a body which is overall buoyant in water with a favoured orientation determining an upper portion of said body, and a head which is freely rotatably supported at the upper portion of said body and which includes outwardly projecting or projectable radar reflective vanes.

Advantageously, the head further includes optically reflective elements mounted to same or all of the vanes.

In a still further espect, the invention provides a signalling device or installation comprising a mounting shaft and a head which is freely rotatably supported on the shaft and which includes outwardly projecting or projectable radar reflective vanes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be further described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figures 1 and 2 are side elevational views of a buoy constructed in accordance with the invention, respectively depicting the buoy in its nested and expanded conditions; Figure 3 is a plan view of the buoy shown in Figures 1 and 2; Figure 4 is a vertical axial cross-section on the line 4-4 in Figure 2; Figure 5 is a view similar to the upper part of Figure 2 but with a radar reflective head mounted about the optical lens cover; and Figure 6 is a plan view of the modified buoy of Figure 5.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The illustrated buoy 10 includes three body parts 12,14, 16 which are telescopically moveable with respect to each other between an extended condition (Figure 2) and a nested condition (Figure 1) in which parts 14, 1 6 are disposed within part 12. The body parts are of skirted tubular form and of successiveiy decreasing diameter. They are moulded in any suitable plastics material and it will be noted that the largest of the three, is viz part 12, is of somewhat greater axial extent than the other two.

Complete separation of the three tubular parts 12, 14, 1 6 is prevented by respective stop means consisting of the tubular mouldings. In each case, an outer-turned flange 1 8 (Figure 4) on the inner tubular part engages under an inturned flange 20 on the next outer part, nylon bearing elements 22 being recessed into the flanges at peripherally spaced locations to actually bear arm forces transmitted through the buoy and prevent locking of the flanges.

To aid smooth collapse of the buoy to the nested condition, and also to prevent relative rotation of the tubular parts for a reason which will become more apparent hereinafter, the two larger tubular body parts are formed with four equally angularly spaced longitudinal keyways 24 which slideably receive complementary ribs 26 on the next inner parts.

Tubular body part 16 is rendered buoyant in water by being sealed against ingress of water by end walls or plates 28,29, while the other two parts are made non-buoyant by being open to ready inflow of water. Intermediate part 14 does not of course have end walls and is provided with rectangular air outlet ports 32. The largest tubular part 1 2 is open at the top but closed at the bottom to provide a solid base 35 for support of the buoy and also has air outlet ports 32a and water inlet ports 34.

The top wall or plate 28 of buoyant body part 1 6 essentially mounts a generally cylindrical optical lens 36 affording a sealed housing for an incandescent globe 38 and zenon discharge tube 40 (Figure 4). Watertight battery power pack 42 for these components is supported on base 35 and is electrically connected to operational circuitry 44 housed within buoyant body part 16 by way of waterproof leads 46 which transverse wall or plate 29 in sealed openings at 47. It will now be apparent that one reason for preventing rotation of the tubular body parts by way of keyways 24 and ribs 26 is to avoid twisting of these leads.

Incandascent globe 38 is conveniently rated 12 volt 18 watt and is operated by a diode programmed matrix circuitry, through a series transisitor, every 40 seconds. Discharge tube 40 is operated from 1 2 volts DC to transistor inverter to produce 220 volts DC. Tube 40 is arranged to discharge as so flash every 40 seconds by a 4KV ionizing spike. Set into the upper surface of top plate 28 are a pair of mirror segments 48 (Figure 3) which serve to reflect, upwardly and outwardly both sunlight and the output of the globe and flash.

The power pack 42 comprises a circular form of a two series arrangement of 12 volts D.C. with an effective operating period of, for example, 40 hours.

Mounted atop lens housing 36 is helical whip antenna 43 driven by a transmitter forming part of circuitry 44. The transmitter is crystal locked on the international distress frequency (2.182 MHz) and is a single stage pulsed CW transmitter producing 3W on key down. The signal consists of SOS in morse and vessel identification in CW at 5 words per minute every 40 seconds.

Figures 5 and 6 illustrate the provision of a reflector attachment 50 about the lens housing 36. This attachment includes a circular track or collar portion 52 which freely rotatably rides on nylon rollers 54 periphery spaced about the upper outer edge of buoyant body part 16. Track 52 supports radar reflective elements in the form of a rectangular cage 56, which may be rendered optically transparent so as not to interfere with transmission from globe 38 and flasher 40, and four equiangularly spaced radially projecting vanes 58 which lie in respective axial planes and include curved outer portions 60. Each of the vanes additionally mounts optical mirror elements 62.

In use, when the buoy in its nested condition is dropped into the water, the non-buoyant part 12, which is also weighted down by the power pack, drops rapidly in the water, as does the intermediate non-buoyant part 14. In practive, the part 14 may be arranged to be only just nonbuoyant. The relationship between the parts is such that the buoyant part 1 6 supports the whole unit in its extended condition with the distress signalling devices comprising globe 38 and flasher 40 above the water level. The radar reflective head 50 may be mounted on top as desired. The globe and flasher control circuits are triggered by pressing a button 70 in the upper surface of top plate 28 while the radio transmitter may be activated by actuating a second, glass protected, button 72.

For manually grasping the buoy, or for securing a lifeline or the like, buoyant part 16 is provided with recessed pivoted hand grips (Figure 2) which are positioned to extend laterally outwardly at or just under the surface of the water.

It is found that the described and illustrated buoy is very stable in water and subject to little tilt. Drift of the buoy, especially wind induced drift, is minimal. For satisfactory performance, the three part construction is preferred but quite good results can be obtained with a buoy having only two telescopically related tubular parts. Because it is collapsible into the nested condition shown in Figure 2, the buoy is readily storable in a boat and indeed may be readily utilized for on board distress signalling purposes.

The reflective head 50 need not be mounted on the buoy but may be supported on any other suitable shaft to form a signalling device or installation which signals by reflection.

Claims (15)

1. A buoy comprising at least two body parts which are telescopically moveable with respect to each other between a nested condition in which one embraces the other and an extended condition in which they are prevented from further separating by co-operating stop means on the respective parts, wherein the inner of the body parts is of itself buoyant in water while the other is not.

2. A buoy according to claim 1 comprising three body parts which are telescopically moveable with respect to each other, wherein the intermediate and one of the inner and outer parts are non-buoyant in water, the intermediate part being less so than the other.

3. A buoy according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said body parts are of generally hollow skirted construction.

4. A buoy according to any preceding claim wherein the stop means comprises opposed flanges on the relatively moveable body parts.

5. A buoy according to any preceding claim further comprising distress signalling means supported on said buoyant body part.

6. A buoy according to claim 5 further including a power source for said distress signalling means, which source is mounted on a non-buoyant body part.

7. A buoy according to claim 5 or 6 wherein the distress signallingnmeans includes an optically visible light and/or flashing light, and/or a radio transmitter aerial, and/or radar reflective elements.

8. A buoy according to claim 7 wherein the distress signalling means includes a head which is freely rotatably supported at the outer end of the buoyant body part and which induces outwardly projecting radar reflective vanes.

9. A buoy according to claim 8 wherein the said head further includes a collar portion co-operable with the upper portion of said body by seating on the upper portion.

10. A buoy according to claim 8 or 9 wherein said head further includes optically reflective elements mounted to some or all of said vanes.

11. A buoy according to any preceding claim further including grip means extendible from the buoyant body part to lie at or adjacent the water surface when the buoy is freely floating in water.

12. A buoy having a body which is overall buoyant in water with a favouring orientation determining an upper portion of said body, and a head which is freely rotatably supported at the upper portion of said body and which includes outwardly projecting or projectable radar reflective vanes.

13. A buoy according to claim 12 wherein said head further includes a collar portion co-operable with the upper portion of said body by seating on the upper portion.

14. A buoy according to claim 12 or 1 3 wherein said head further includes optically reflective elements mounted to some or all of said vanes.

15. A signalling device or installation comprising a mounting shaft, and a head which is freely rotatably supported on the shaft and which includes outwardly projecting or projectable radar reflective vanes.

1 6. A signalling device or installation according to claim 1 5 wherein said head further includes optically reflective elements mounted to same or all of said vanes.

1 7. A buoy substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 8. Any novel feature or combination of features herein described.