GB858461A - Improvements in or relating to buoys - Google Patents

Abstract

858,461. Buoys. GAS ACCUMULATOR CO. (UNITED KINGDOM) Ltd. Dec. 30, 1958 [Feb. 6, 1958], No. 3903/58. Class 68(1). A buoy comprises a rigid structure which carries the mooring-ring, or the visual, audible or radio signal means, the structure being secured to a number of float units and the whole being ballasted as required. The float units may be of plastic, preferably reinforced with glass fibres, and may be filled with foamed plastic, or may consist of foamed plastic with a water - excluding coating. They may be made of rubber which is sufficiently rigid, or is reinforced to impart rigidity, or they may be made of non-errodible metal, e.g., stainless steel. They may be made as tubes, of segmental section if they are to be accommodated around a circular rigid structure, plastic end closures of the tubes being attached by adhesives. In Fig. I, the cylindrical rigid structure 1 is surrounded by segmental-sectioned floats 2 which are accommodated between top and bottom structures 3, 4 consisting of radial arms 3<SP>c</SP>, 3<SP>d</SP>, 4<SP>c</SP>. The arms 3<SP>c</SP>, 3<SP>d</SP> extend from a ring 3<SP>a</SP> which abuts against a collar 1<SP>a</SP> on the structure 1 to transmit the buoyancy of the floats to the structure 1 and ballast and equipment carried thereby. The bottom arms 4<SP>c</SP>, of triangulated form, are secured to a ring 4<SP>a</SP> encircling the structure I and to an outer ring 4<SP>b</SP> built up of peripheral sections bolted together. The arms 4<SP>c</SP> are secured by bolts 5, 7<SP>a</SP> to the upper structure 3, the bolts 7<SP>a</SP> serving also to secure to the open bottom of the cylinder 1 a closure 7 which serves as a keel and is recessed at 1<SP>c</SP> to position gas cylinders placed within the cylinder 1. Mooring eyes are provided on the bottom structure 4 and a fender 11 encircles the top of the floats 2. A cover 1<SP>d</SP> closes the cylinder 1, and the signal means 9, 10 is supported from the arms 3d by struts 8. Lifting-eyes 3f are provided on the arms 3d. In a modification, the structure 1 is of hexagonal section and is partitioned to present triangular chambers for the reception of gas cylinders or batteries. A keel is carried at a low position on rods extending downwardly from the structure 1, this keel arrangement permitting the signal means to be higher than in the previous arrangement. In a further modification, the structure 1 is of elongated rectangular section, the floats being arranged along the long side of the rectangle. The floats may be arranged in superposed rows.