GB2463976A - An anchor locked in response to tidal flow - Google Patents
An anchor locked in response to tidal flow Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2463976A GB2463976A GB0916229A GB0916229A GB2463976A GB 2463976 A GB2463976 A GB 2463976A GB 0916229 A GB0916229 A GB 0916229A GB 0916229 A GB0916229 A GB 0916229A GB 2463976 A GB2463976 A GB 2463976A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- tidal
- plug
- parts
- response
- socket
- 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.)
- Withdrawn
Links
- 230000013011 mating Effects 0.000 abstract 1
- 238000011084 recovery Methods 0.000 abstract 1
- 238000012423 maintenance Methods 0.000 description 3
- 238000004873 anchoring Methods 0.000 description 2
- 239000012530 fluid Substances 0.000 description 2
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 230000003247 decreasing effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
- B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING
- B63B21/00—Tying-up; Shifting, towing, or pushing equipment; Anchoring
- B63B21/24—Anchors
- B63B21/26—Anchors securing to bed
Landscapes
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Ocean & Marine Engineering (AREA)
- Earth Drilling (AREA)
- Other Liquid Machine Or Engine Such As Wave Power Use (AREA)
Abstract
An anchor for use with gear in a tideway is formed from two mating parts 1 and 2, one part 2 permanently fixed to the seabed and the other part 1 removable when required. The two parts are positively locked together during periods of tidal flow and unlocked during the tidal change period. This allows the parts to be separated at the tidal null points to allow the recovery of devices attached to the other part. The two parts may also be sealed together when locked together. A locking means may be actuated by movement of a component 7 in the tidal stream, by means of a timer, or in response to a remote signal.
Description
Title of the invention: Tideway anchor
Background of the invention
The lateral force of tidal flow on objects positioned on the sea bed is considerable, especially if it is equipment for extracting energy from the tide. The following improvement is particularly designed for use with my tidal energy invention, disclosed in W02007086037, but of course has other applications also. It uses a plug and socket type of anchoring, as can be found in the disclosure ofEPOO456l3 (Al).
The latter disclosure is for semi-permanent anchoring, but for use with equipment for tidal energy, it is necessary for the plug to which the equipment is attached to be able to be withdrawn at fairly frequent intervals from its socket for maintenance of the equipment.
Brief summary of the invention
If friction alone is relied upon to keep both components of the anchor together when the tidal force is acting to separate them, the socket in the sea bed needs to be deep.
This depth can be greatly decreased if plug and socket are positively locked together when the tide is flowing. This of course has to be combined with absolutely reliable means of unlocking them during the tidal null period, so that the plug and whatever is attached to it can be removed for maintenance purposes at that time. This invention achieves both these objectives through a locking mechanism which is actuated by reversal in the direction of the tidal flow.
Description of the drawing
The Figure is a section of an embodiment of the invention.
Detailed description of the invention
In the Figure, 1 is a plug to which whatever is desired to be anchored in the tidal * *.I stream is attached, and 2 is a socket in the sea bed into which plug 1 fits. 7 is a shaft * .. . . which pivots on axle 8, j ournalled in trunnion 9 attached to the top of plug 1, so that it S can move in an arc about its axis in the plane of the tidal stream and under the force of the stream. Such a shaft, for example could be the drive shaft shown in my tidal S.....
turbine invention or an extension of it. 10 is a master hydraulic cylinder, whose piston rod is attached to and movable by the lower end of shaft 7. Master cylinder 10 is connected by hoses 11, 11 to a pair of slave cylinders, 12, 12, which are rigidly fixed to the inside wall of plug 1. 13, 13 are rollers on the end of the piston rods of slave *..: cylinders 12, 12; and 14, 14 are a pair of locking bars which are shaped to slide into :. and out of slots 15, 15, cut in the walls of plug 1 and also into and out of slots 16, 16, cut in the walls of socket 2. 17, 17 are angled slots in locking bars 14 within which rollers 13, 13 can move to cause lateral movement of these bars. The upper surfaces of bars 14, 14 are chamfered, so that when they encounter rollers 18, 18, attached to the upper surfaces of slots 15, 15, they cause plug 1 to be forced downwards within socket 2, compressing flexible seal 19 between them at the lower end of plug 1. This is to enable a water pump (not shown) within plug 1, to force water efficiently through orifice 20 in plug 1, tube 21 and conduit 22 to where its kinetic energy can be used, when the tide is running. Plug 1 can of course incorporate an electrical generator instead of a pump, in which case seal 19 may not be needed.
In operation of the invention, at the tidal null point there is no lateral force on shaft 7, so that it takes up a vertical position. When the tide flows, it will bring whatever is attached to the part of shaft 7 that is above axle 8 (such as a tidal turbine) downstream with it, in the plane of the tidal stream. If necessary, this movement will also rotate plug I inside socket 2 so as to align slots 15 and 16 with each other. When the part of shaft 7 that is above axle 8 moves in the plane of the tidal stream and under its pressure, the part of the shaft below axle 8 will move the piston in master hydraulic cylinder 10 so as to force fluid through hoses 11 into slave cylinders 12. The pressure from this forces the piston rods in slave cylinders 12 downwards. Because rollers 13 on the end of these rods run in slots 17, and because the slave cylinders cannot move, downwards movement of rollers 13 forces bars 14 laterally into slots 16 in the wall of socket 2. Bars 14 cannot move from there as long as the tide is running, so that plug 1 and socket 2 are positively locked together throughout this period. This makes it quite impossible for the vertical component of the tidal force on anything being held by the anchor, to pull plug 1 out of socket 2 up to the limit of the constructional strength of their various parts.
At the tidal null point, because of a degree of buoyancy in the tidal turbine or whatever is attached to shaft 7, this shaft will return to the vertical position. This reverses the movement of hydraulic fluid, moving the piston rod of each slave cylinder upwards and causing the resulting movement of rollers 13 to withdraw bars 14 from slots 16 in socket 2. At this time, plug 1, with any equipment attached to it, can be freely withdrawn from socket 2 and removed for maintenance. Re-starting of the tidal flow in the reverse direction will then repeat the locking cycle.
There are several other ways of putting the invention into effect within the scope of the invention. Reciprocal movement under pressure from the tidal flow could act upon the locking mechanism through directly connecting rods or cables. The locking *** system could be operated from a power source, such as an electrical battery, * incorporated in plug 1, and actuated by a timer, because future tidal movements can be predicted with complete accuracy, or by a remote signal. S* Ss
I I..
I SI**
I
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Applications Claiming Priority (3)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
GB0816987A GB2463644A (en) | 2008-09-17 | 2008-09-17 | Anchor with tidal flow enhanced engagement means |
GB0908543A GB0908543D0 (en) | 2009-05-19 | 2009-05-19 | Sea-bed anchoring system |
GB0909551A GB0909551D0 (en) | 2009-06-03 | 2009-06-03 | Tideway anchor improvement |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
GB0916229D0 GB0916229D0 (en) | 2009-10-28 |
GB2463976A true GB2463976A (en) | 2010-04-07 |
Family
ID=41278661
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
GB0916229A Withdrawn GB2463976A (en) | 2008-09-17 | 2009-09-16 | An anchor locked in response to tidal flow |
Country Status (1)
Country | Link |
---|---|
GB (1) | GB2463976A (en) |
Cited By (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
NL2017696A (en) * | 2015-11-01 | 2017-05-19 | Volker Staal En Funderingen B V | Mooring buoy with easily exchangeable swivel; and method for placing or repairing a mooring buoy anchor. |
Citations (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
EP0045613A1 (en) * | 1980-07-28 | 1982-02-10 | Conoco Phillips Company | Tension leg platform mooring tether connector |
-
2009
- 2009-09-16 GB GB0916229A patent/GB2463976A/en not_active Withdrawn
Patent Citations (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
EP0045613A1 (en) * | 1980-07-28 | 1982-02-10 | Conoco Phillips Company | Tension leg platform mooring tether connector |
Cited By (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
NL2017696A (en) * | 2015-11-01 | 2017-05-19 | Volker Staal En Funderingen B V | Mooring buoy with easily exchangeable swivel; and method for placing or repairing a mooring buoy anchor. |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
GB0916229D0 (en) | 2009-10-28 |
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Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
WAP | Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1) |