GB2354992A

GB2354992A - Lifting submerged weights

Info

Publication number: GB2354992A
Application number: GB9923665A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Phillip Anthony Cross
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-10-07
Filing date: 1999-10-07
Publication date: 2001-04-11
Also published as: GB9923665D0

Abstract

The present invention provides a lifting device (10) that, in use, assists with lifting a weight from a body of water, the lifting device (10) being connectable to a float at 12 or including a float and including guide means (14) that, in use, acts to guide a line (15) attached to the weight through the lifting device (10); and wherein the lifting device (10) further includes means (13) that can inhibit bi-directional movement of the line (15) being drawn through the lifting device (10). Preferably, the guides are bent hooks orientated 180 deg. apart and the inhibiting device a clam cleat.

Description

2354992 A LIFTING DEVICE The present invention relates to a lifting

device. More particularly, the present invention relates to a lifting device which, in use, assists with the lifting of a weight from the bottom of a body of water.

Once located, divers will usually mark the location of a dive site, for example, a shipwreck, with a buoy connected to a weight via a length of rope. Such marking is done by throwing the weight over the side of the vessel at a suitable location above the dive site. Once in position, the divers can also use the rope to guide them to the dive site.

As will be appreciated by anyone utilising such buoys to mark a dive site, the removal of the weight from the water can prove to be an extremely strenuous task, especially if the boat or water borne vessel, upon which the divers are located, is not equipped with a windlass.

With a view to assisting with the removal of a weight from the bottom of a body of water, European Patent Application No. 0137886 provides a lifting device that includes a float provided with a central aperture running therethrough. In use, the rope that is attached to the weight is fed through the aperture and connected to the stern of a boat. As the boat pulls away from the dive site, the resulting water flow causes the float to remain in position such that the rope is drawn through the aperture and the weight is raised from the bottom of the body of water.

A problem associated with the lifting device of the type outlined above, is that when the boat returns to the lifting device to recover same, together with the weight, there is a tendency for the rope, which connects the weight to the stem of the boat, to become slack. As a result thereof, the weight may start to descend back down to the bottom of the body of water.

2 According to the present invention there is provided a lifting device as specified by claim 1 - It is believed that a lifting device in accordance with the present invention overcomes the problems outlined above. In particular, as the lifting device of the present invention is provided with means that can inhibit bidirectional movement of the line, which connects the weight to the water borne vessel, the weight will not descend back down to the bottom of the body of water, that is, even if the line becomes slack.

In a preferred embodiment, a lifting device in accordance with the present invention comprises a plate member providing a surface area that, in use, increases the drag of the lifting device when located within the body of water. This has the advantage in that the lifting device will be held in place by the flow of water as the water borne vessel moves away from the lifting device and hence, the distance the water borne vessel will need to travel away from the lifting device to lift the weight from the bottom of the body of water is decreased.

Preferably, the guide means include a plurality of inverted hook members. Further preferably, each alternate hook member is rotated through 180". This has the advantage in that the rope or line attached to the weight to be lifted can be easily fed through the guide members. Moreover, this has the advantage in that the lifting device can be coupled or attached to the rope subsequent to connecting the line to the stern of the water borne vessel. Further preferably, the hook members on either side of the means that can inhibit bi-directional movement of the line are sized so that, in use, the line is retained within the means that can inhibit biOirectional movement of the line. This has the advantage in that this dispenses with the need of having to provide the means that can inhibit bi-directional movement of the line with a separate closure member and hence, reduces the number of moving parts on the lifting device which need to be maintained.

3 Preferably, the lifting device is attachable to a float. This has the advantage in that the size of the buoy to be attached to the lifting device can be selected depending on the mass of the weight to be lifted from the bottom of the body of water.

Further preferably, the lifting device is provided with a handle to which the float is attachable. This has the advantage in that the lifting device can be easily lifted, for example, from the body of water. Additionally, and as the handle also acts as an attachment member to which the float may be attached, this dispenses with the need of having to provide a separate attachment member and hence, provides a more compact lifting device.

One non-limiting embodiment of a lifting device in accordance with the present invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is perspective view of a lifting device in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is a side elevation of the lifting device of Figure 1; Figure 3 is an end elevation of the lifting device of Figure 1; and Figure 4 is a plan view of the lifting device of Figure 1.

As illustrated, a lifting device 10 in accordance with the present invention includes a substantially rectangular plate member 11 upon which is mounted an attachment member 12, a plurality of guide members 14 and a cleat 13. It is to be understood that the plate member 11 may be substantially square, circular or triangular. Preferably, the plate member 11 is shaped such that same provides a surface area that increases the drag of the lifting device 10 when placed in the water and being acted upon by the flow of water, caused as a result of the rope 15 being drawn through the lifting device 10 by a boat or water borne vessel (not illustrated).

4 A first side of the plate member 11 is provided with an inverted Ushaped attachment member 12 to which a buoy (not illustrated) may be attached. Such attachment may be effected by connecting one side of a length of rope to the buoy and the other side of the length of rope to the attachment member 12. In a preferred embodiment, and as illustrated, such attachment member 12 is large enough to act as a handle thereby enabling the lifting device to be easily lifted, for example, from the body of water. It will be appreciated that as the lifting device 10 can be attached to any shape and size of buoy, same has more utility than known lifting devices, since the size of the buoy can be selected depending on the mass of the weight to be lifted from the bottom of the body of water. For example, in the event that the mass of the weight to be lifted from the bottom of the body of water is large, then a larger buoy with a greater flotation power can be connected to the lifting device 10.

A second side of the plate member 11 is provided with a cleat 13 and a plurality of guide members 14. As illustrated, the guide members 14 preferably comprise a plurality of inverted hook members 14. In a preferred embodiment, each alternate hook member 14 is rotated through 180'. This has the advantage in that the rope attached to the weight to be lifted can be easily fed through the guide members 14. Moreover, this has the advantage in that the lifting device 10 can be coupled to, or decoupled from, the rope 15 even when the rope 15 connected to the stern of the water borne vessel. Additionally, and in order to prevent the rope 15 from coming out of the top of the cleat 15, it is preferable that the height of the hook members 14, on either side of the cleat 13, are low enough to retain the rope within the cleat 13. In the illustrated embodiment, such hook members 14 are roughly the same height as the cleat 13.

As illustrated, the cleat 13, known in the art as a clam cleat, includes a pair of opposing, rotatably mounted jaws 13A and 13B. As illustrated in Figure 1, the jaws 13A and 13B will open as the rope 15 is drawn in a first direction X. In the event that the rope 15 attempts to move in the opposite direction, the jaws 13A and 13B will close, thereby inhibiting bi-directional movement of the rope 15. In an unillustrated embodiment, the cleat 13 is further provided with a closure member in the form of a plate that is pivotally mounted to the top of one of the jaws 13A or 13B. In use, such closure member can pivot from a first position where it rests on top of both jaws 13A and 13B such that the rope 15 is prevented from coming out of the jaws 13A and 13B of the cleat 13, to a second position, where the rope 15 can be removed from the jaws 13A and 13B of the cleat 13.

In use, and in order to lift a weight using the lifting device 10 in accordance with the present invention, the length of rope 15 attached to the weight to be lifted is fed through the guide members 14 and cleat 13 in direction X and attached to the stern of a water borne vessel (not illustrated).

A buoy (not illustrated) is then attached to the attachment member 12 and the lifting device 10 is placed in the water.

The water borne vessel is then manoeuvred away from the lifting device 10. By doing so, the rope 15, attached between the water borne vessel and weight, will be drawn through the cleat 13 and guide 14 members in direction X, thereby raising the weight from the bottom of the body of water.

Once the weight reaches the surface of the body of water, the buoy will be partially submerged, that is, due to the pulling action of the water borne vessel thereon and additionally, will start to move at substantially the same speed as the water borne vessel. Such partial submergence and movement of the buoy acts to notify persons on the water borne vessel that the weight is fully lifted. On doing so, all that is required on the part of such persons is to return to the buoy and to lift the lifting device 10 of the present invention, together with the weight, out of the water. It will be appreciated that the cleat 13 can inhibit bi- directional movement of the rope 15 through the lifting device 6 10, such that if the rope 15 becomes slack, the weight will not sink back down to the bottom of the body of water.

Although the present invention has been described by way of example to an apparatus for lifting a weight from the bottom of a body of water, it is to be understood that same can also be used to lift an anchor or any other heavy object from the bottom of a body of water. - 7

Claims

I A lifting device that, in use, assists with lifting a weight from a body of water, the lifting device being connectable to a float or including a float, and the lifting device including:

guide means that, in use, acts to guide a line attached to the weight through the lifting device; and wherein the lifting device further includes means that inhibits bi-directional movement of the line being drawn through the lifting device.
2. The lifting device of claim 1, wherein the means that can inhibit bidirectional movement of the line being drawn through the lifting device is a cleat.
3. The lifting device of claim 2, wherein the cleat is a clam cleat.
4. The lifting device of claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the lifting device includes a plate member upon which the guide means and means which can inhibit bidirectional movement of the line are mounted.
5. The lifting device of claim 4, wherein the plate member is substantially rectangular or substantially triangular or substantially square or substantially circular.
6. The lifting device of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the guide means include a plurality of inverted hook members.
7. The lifting device of claim 6, wherein each alternate hook member is rotated through 180.
8 8. The lifting device of claim 6 or 7, wherein the hook members on either side of the means that can inhibit bi-directional movement of the line are sized so that, in use, the line is retained within the means that can inhibit bidirectional movement of the line.
9. The lifting device of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the guide means include at least one arc shaped member through which the line may be fed.
10. The lifting device of claim 9, wherein the arc shaped members on either side of the means that can inhibit bi-directional movement of the line are sized so that, in use, the line is retained within the means that can inhibit bi-directional movement of the line.
11. The lifting device of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the lifting device includes a handle to which the float is attachable.
12. The lifting device of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the means that can inhibit bi-directional movement of the line further includes a closure member which, in use, acts to retain the line within the means that can inhibit bi-directional movement of the line.
13. A lifting device that, in use, assists with lifting a weight from a body of water substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.