GB2211794A - Float-free arrangement for marine radio distress beacons - Google Patents
Float-free arrangement for marine radio distress beacons Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2211794A GB2211794A GB8825450A GB8825450A GB2211794A GB 2211794 A GB2211794 A GB 2211794A GB 8825450 A GB8825450 A GB 8825450A GB 8825450 A GB8825450 A GB 8825450A GB 2211794 A GB2211794 A GB 2211794A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- beacon
- casing
- retaining
- housing
- raft
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
Links
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
- B63C—LAUNCHING, HAULING-OUT, OR DRY-DOCKING OF VESSELS; LIFE-SAVING IN WATER; EQUIPMENT FOR DWELLING OR WORKING UNDER WATER; MEANS FOR SALVAGING OR SEARCHING FOR UNDERWATER OBJECTS
- B63C9/00—Life-saving in water
- B63C9/21—Boats, rafts, buoys or the like, characterised by signalling means, e.g. lights, reflectors
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Ocean & Marine Engineering (AREA)
- Emergency Lowering Means (AREA)
Abstract
A marine radio distress beacon 4 is mounted on the casing 1 of an automatic self-inflating lift-raft, the casing being encircled by retaining straps 2 which are broken by the self-inflation of the life-raft, and the beacon being mounted by one or more of the retaining straps so as to be released when the straps break. <IMAGE>
Description
FLOAT-FREE ARRANGEMENT FOR -MARINE RADIO DISTRESS BEACONS
The invention relates to marine radio distress
beacons for location of survivors in the event of an
accident at sea. It is a requirement that such
beacons should be capable of automatic deployment in
the event of the sinking of the vessel on which they
are carried. Thus, each beacon should be capably of
floating and be stowed in a position where it may
float free when released. An automatic release
mechanism must be provided, possibly a pressure
sensitive device which releases on submersion to a
given depth. The invention seeks to provide an
improved deployment system for such a beacon.
According to the invention a marine radio
distress beacon is mounted on the casing of an
automatic self-inflating life-raft, the casing being
encircled by retaining straps which are broken by the
self-inflation of the life-raft, and the beacon being
mounted by one or more of the retaining straps so as
to be released when the straps break. The strap which
retains the beacon may be a dedicated strap provided
for the purpose or use may be made of the existing
life-raft retaining straps.
Mounting the beacon on a life-raft in the "piggy-back" manner described so that it is released
by the automatic life-raft mechanism has many
advantages. Firstly the life-raft has very
considerable bouyancy, which allows it to clear a
sinking vessel readily. Secondly, no separate
pressure-sensitive release mechanism is required for
the beacon. Further, there is no need to allot
additional deck or wheel-house space for the beacon.
If as is preferred, the beacon is tethered to the life
raft, then the beacon cannot float away from the survivors taking to the life raft.
Preferably, it is possible to release the beacon from its mounting manually, so that it may be used by an individual or in conjunction with another life-raft.
In a preferred arrangement the beacon is held in a water-tight two-part housing which is held on the life-raft casing by the retaining strap. The retaining strap serves to hold the two parts of the housing together so that when the strap is broken not only is the housing released from the life-raft casing but also the two parts of the housing come apart to release the beacon. Preferably one part of the housing is weighted so that it will not float, whereas the beacon floats. The aerial of the beacon (which preferably operates in the hundreds of MHz frequency of 406 MHz) may be fixed, or spring-retracted or bent within the housing to extend on release.
The invention will further be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a life-raft casing with a distress beacon mounted thereon in accordance with the invention;
Figure 2 is a view showing release of the beacon housing and opening of the housing when the retaining strap is broken; and
Figure 3 is a view of the floating beacon.
Referring to Figure 1 there is shown a liferaft casing 1 mounted on the deck 9 of a vessel. The casing comprises two halves and is held by a band 2 linked to a hydrostatic release unit 5. A radio distress beacon is mounted within a waterproof housing 4 which is held by retaining straps 3 to the casing.
In the event of the vessel sinking, the hydrostatic release unit 5 releases the mounting band at a given depth. The casing and beacon assembly floats to the surface. A supply of pressurised gas inflates the life raft when a line (not shown), tethered to the ship is pulled tight. The inflating life-raft bursts the retaining straps 3 and emerges from the halves of the casing 1. As shown in Figure 2, the housing 4 is released by breaking of the straps 3. The housing is in two halves of which one is weighted to as not to float. As the weighted half of the housing sinks the beacon itself, which is shown at 7, deploys on the surface. The beacon is tethered to the liferaft by a lanyard 8.
Figure 3 shows the beacon floating with the aerial extended. In this position it is capable of automatically transmitting. In the event of abandoning a vessel still afloat the arrangement would deploy the beacon in a similar manner. The mounting straps would be released manually and the casing and beacon assembly would be thrown overboard.
Claims (7)
1 . A marine radio distress beacon in combination with an automatic self-inflating life-raft, the liferaft having a casing and retaining straps encircling the casing, the retaining straps being breakable by force resulting from self-inflation of the life-raft, the distress beacon being mounted on the casing so as to be retained by at least one of the said retaining straps so as to be released on breakage of the straps.
2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the retaining strap which retains the beacon is one of a number of straps normally provided for retaining the casing.
3. The combination of claim 1 wherein the retaining strap which retains the beacon is a dedicated strap specially provided for the purpose and additional to retaining straps normally provided for retaining the casing.
4. The combination of any of the preceding claims wherein means are provided to release the beacon manually from the casing.
5. The combination of any of the preceding claims wherein the beacon comprises a water-tight two-part housing and the said beacon retaining strap serves to hold the two parts of the housing together so that when the strap is broken not only is the housing released from the life-raft casing but also the two parts of the housing come apart to release the beacon.
6. The combination of claim 5 wherein one part of the housing is weighted so that it will not float, whereas the beacon within the housing floats.
7. A marine radio distress beacon in combination Xith an automatic self-inflating life-raft substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
GB8825450A GB2211794B (en) | 1987-10-30 | 1988-10-31 | Float-free arrangement for marine radio distress beacons |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
GB878725512A GB8725512D0 (en) | 1987-10-30 | 1987-10-30 | Float-free arrangement for marine radio distress beacons |
GB8825450A GB2211794B (en) | 1987-10-30 | 1988-10-31 | Float-free arrangement for marine radio distress beacons |
Publications (3)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
GB8825450D0 GB8825450D0 (en) | 1988-11-30 |
GB2211794A true GB2211794A (en) | 1989-07-12 |
GB2211794B GB2211794B (en) | 1992-04-08 |
Family
ID=26292973
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
GB8825450A Expired - Fee Related GB2211794B (en) | 1987-10-30 | 1988-10-31 | Float-free arrangement for marine radio distress beacons |
Country Status (1)
Country | Link |
---|---|
GB (1) | GB2211794B (en) |
Cited By (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
GB2237778A (en) * | 1990-03-24 | 1991-05-15 | Barry Fredrick Willia Pearmain | Rescue apparatus |
-
1988
- 1988-10-31 GB GB8825450A patent/GB2211794B/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
Cited By (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
GB2237778A (en) * | 1990-03-24 | 1991-05-15 | Barry Fredrick Willia Pearmain | Rescue apparatus |
GB2237778B (en) * | 1990-03-24 | 1994-11-23 | Barry Fredrick Willia Pearmain | Rescue apparatus |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
GB8825450D0 (en) | 1988-11-30 |
GB2211794B (en) | 1992-04-08 |
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Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
732E | Amendments to the register in respect of changes of name or changes affecting rights (sect. 32/1977) | ||
PCNP | Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee |
Effective date: 19941031 |