US3032000A

US3032000A - Embedment anchor

Info

Publication number: US3032000A
Application number: US42137A
Authority: US
Inventors: Alfred M Feiler
Original assignee: Pneumo Dynamics Corp
Current assignee: Pneumo Dynamics Corp
Priority date: 1960-07-11
Filing date: 1960-07-11
Publication date: 1962-05-01
Anticipated expiration: 1979-05-01
Also published as: BE602702A; GB904180A; DE1234560B; ES267367A1; NL265482A; SE307308B; NL113907C

Description

May 1, 1962 A. M. FEILER EMBEDMENT ANCHOR Filed y 11, 1960 INVENTOR.

ALFRED M. FEILER ATTORNEY 3,032,000 EMBEDMENT ANCHOR Alfred M. Feiler, Palisades, Calif-Z, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Pneumo Dynamics Corporation, Clevelaud, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Filed July 11, 1960, Ser. No. 42,137 20 Claims. (Cl. 114-206) This invention relates to anchors and more particularly to a new and improved embedment anchor in which an explosive charge is used to drive the anchor into the ocean bottom or the like so that the anchor has a high holding power.

It is an important object of this invention to provide a new and improved lightweight embedment anchor.

It is another important object of this invention to provide an embedment anchor having means to stabilize the anchor during its lowering into the water and to provide a large reaction force during the embedment anchor operation.

It is another important object of this invention to provide an improved ignition system for an embedment anchor which insures that the anchor will not be detonated until a minimum water depth is reached.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a lightweight embedment anchor which incorporates a conical rearward section to provide stability during the lowering of the anchor to the ocean bottom and also to provide improved reaction characteristics during the embedment operation.

Further objects and advantages will appear from the following description and drawings wherein FIGURE 1 is a side elevation partially in longitudinal section illustrating the preferred structure of an embedment anchor incorporating this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a front view of the anchor illustrating the arming device which prevents the anchor from becoming armed until it has reached a pre-determined water depth.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary side elevation in longitudinal section illustrating the positionof the ignition mechanism when the propellant charge is fired, and

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary view partially in longitudinal section taken along a plane perpendicular to the plane of FIGURE 3.

An embedment anchor according to this invention includes a propulsion means operable to embed the anchor in the bottom of a body of water and has the advantage of providing large anchoring forces with a relatively lightweight structure. The anchor is provided with safety means to insure that the propellant charge used to embed the anchor is not ignited before the anchor is lowered to a predetermined depth in the water. It also has a United States Patent firing mechanism which is insensitive to water pressure so that it will only ignite the propellant charge upon engagement of the anchor with the ocean bottom.

Referring to FIGURE 1 the embedment anchor includes an anchoring assembly 10 and a reaction assembly 11. The anchor assembly includes a tubular body 12 with a fuse body 13 threaded into one end thereof. A cartridge assembly 14 is formed with a flange 16 clamped against a shoulder 17 on the body 12 by a firing pin guide 18 and the fuse body 1%. The propellant charge 19 is [located in the cartridge 14 and is held in place by a series of diaphragm members 21.

A nose member 212 is mounted on the forward end of the fuse body 13 and operates to release a firing pin 23 upon engagement with the floor of the body of water such as the ocean or a lake. A latch tube 24 is mounted on the nose member 22 by a cross pin 26 and extends into a central bore 27 formed in the-fuse body 13. A

3,032,000 Patented May 1, 1962 latch block 28 is located within the latch tube 24 and is axially fixed relative to the fuse body by cross pins 29 illustrated in FIGURE 4. The latch tube 24 is formed with opposed elongated slots 31 through which the cross pins 29'project; therefore, the latch block is axially fixed in the fuse body 13 and the latch tube is axially movable through a limited distance determined by the length of the slots 31. A spring 32 extends between the latch block 28 and a shoulder 33 on the latch tube 24 and biases the nose member toward an extended position shown in FIGURE 1. o

A pair of opposed finger lock elements 34 are pivotally mounted on the latch block 28 at 36 and are formed with locking projections 37 proportioned to engage a shoulder 38 on the firing pin =23 and secure the firing pin in the cocked position shown in FIGURE 1. The inner end of the latch tube 24 engages the finger lock elements and prevents radial movement thereof to release the firing pin 23 when the latch tube is in the forward or extended position shown in FIGURE 1. Elongated slots 39 are formed in the latch tube 24 to receive each of the finger lock elements 34. However, the slots 39 do not extend to the inner end of the latch tube so that the finger lock elements are retained in their locked position until the latch tube moves inward under the influence of engagement with the ocean bottom. A compression spring 41 extends between the shoulder 38 and the latch block 28 and urges the firing pin into engagement with the locking projections 37 and provides the force to drive the firing pin against the cartridge 14 when the firing mecha-- nism is operated. V

A propeller wheel or ring 42 is threaded onto the fuse body 13 and is movable between the locked position of FIGURE 1 and the released position of FIGURES 3 and 4. The propeller wheel 42 when in the locked position engages the rearward end of the nose member 22 and prevents accidental firing of the propellant charge. To maintain the propeller wheel in the forward or locked position during the shipboard handling of the anchor a guard ring'43 is mountedon the fuse body 13 which seats against a shoulder 44. The guard ring 43 is 21 segmented two piece cup-shaped stamping held in place by a spring clip 46. When the anchor is to be operated the spring clip 46 is removed and the guard ring falls away. The anchor is then lowered into the water causing the propeller wheel 24 to rotate due to movement of the anchor through the water. This threads the propeller wheel 42 back along the fuse body 13 until it engages the shoulder44. The fins 45 prevent rotation of the anchor. At this time the device is armed so that it can be fired by engagement with the ocean bottom. The length of the thread connecting the propeller wheel 42 with the fuse body 13 is arranged so that a pre-determined depth will be reached before the anchor can be fired. This prevents the operator from being injured by a premature ignition of the propellant charge. Preferably, the propeller wheel 42 is formed of a light material which will shear off or bend back along the fuse body 13 during the embedment operation of the anchor reducing the resistance to embedment. Y

The reaction assembly 11 includes a plunger 47 which extends'into the tubular body 12 and is provided with a sealed head portion 48 adjacent to the propellant charge 19. Mounted on the outer or rearward end of the plunger 47 is a conical reaction member 49. The plunger 47 is connected to the reaction member 49 by a cross pin 51 which also secures the reaction assembly to the tubular body 12. When the propellant charge 19 is ignited it produces sufficient force to shear the cross pin 51 at the planes between the reaction member 49 and the tubular body permitting separation of the anchor assembly from the reaction assembly 11. The forward face of the reaction member 49 engages a shoulder 52 on the plunger 47 to absorb the thrust of the propellant charge so the portion of the cross pin 51 connecting the plunger 47 and the reaction member 49* does not shear. The cross pin 51 also connects a cable fitting 53 to which a cable 54 is connected for lowering the anchor into the water. The cable 54 is also connected by a slack cable illustrated schematically by the dotted line 56 to a cable mounting projection 57 intermediate the ends of the tubular body 12. The slack cable is long enough to permit the anchor assembly 10 to separate from the reaction assembly and embed itself in the bottom and is normally loosely looped and wired to the tubular body 12 by a light wire which breaks during the embedment operation. After embedment the anchoring force is transmitted through the slack cable 56 directly to the cable 54.

The use of a conical reaction member greatly improves the performance of the anchor because it provides stability as the anchor is being lowered into the water and improves the reaction characteristics of the reaction assembly when the propellant charge is fired. Not only does the conical reaction member resist backward movement of the reaction assembly due to its area but in addition it entraps a considerable mass of Water within the cone which serves as a reaction mass. Therefore reaction assembly provides a substantially stable reference platform against which the propellant charge reacts. This insures that the propellant charge will be elfective in driving the anchor assembly forward into the bottom of the ocean and insures that the propellant energy will not be dissipated by moving the reaction as sembly upward through the water. The sealed piston head 48 should be adjacent to the forward end of the anchor assembly initially so that the propellant charge will be confined during a considerable separating movement and thus be more effective in projecting the anchor assembly. In addition the use of the shearing cross pin 51 insures that the combustion of the propellant charge will be well progressed and a relatively high pressure achieved before the anchor starts to separate from the reaction assembly.

In actual practice anchors incorporating this invention have been found to provide anchoring forces many times as great as the anchor weight thus making the anchor particularly suitable for permanent moorings or for emergency use where positive anchorage is essential.

' Although a preferred embodiment of this invention is illustrated, it will be realized that various modifications of the structural details may be made without departing from the mode of operation and the essence of the invention. Therefore, except insofar as they are claimed in the appended claims, structural details may be varied widely without modifying the mode of operation. Accordingly, the appended claims and not the aforesaid detailed description are determinative of the scope of the invention.

I'claim:

1. An embedment anchor comprising a tubular anchor assembly, a reaction assembly formed with a plunger extending into said tubular anchor assembly and an open conical portion at the rearward end thereof the apex of which faces toward said anchor assembly, an explosive charge between said anchor assembly and plunger operable to separate said anchor assembly and reaction assembly by driving said anchor assembly away from said reaction assembly and means igniting said charge upon engagement of the anchor assembly with a solid material.

2. An embedment anchor for anchoring to a body of material at the bottom of a body of water comprising a tubular anchor assembly, a reaction assembly formed with a plunger extending into said tubular anchor assembly and an open conical portion at the rearward end thereof the apex of which is adjacent to the said anchor assembly, an explosive charge in said anchor assembly operable to separate said anchor assembly and reaction assembly by exerting a separating force between said plunger and said anchor assembly, means rotatably and longitudinally movably mounted on the anchor assembly and the means rotating and moving longitudinally on the anchor assembly as the anchor descends through the water to prevent detonation of the explosive charge until the anchor reaches a predetermined depth in the water and means igniting said charge upon engagement ofthe anchor assembly with the body of material at the bottom or" the body of water.

3. An embedment anchor for anchoring to a body of material at the bottom of a body of water comprising a tubular anchor assembly having external threads thereon, a reaction assembly formed with a plunger extending into said tubular anchor assembly and an open conical portion at the rearward end thereof the apex of which is adjacent to the said anchor assembly, an explosive charge in said anchor assembly operable to separate said anchor assembly and reaction assembly by exerting a separating force between said plunger and said anchor assembly, a propeller wheel having internal threads in engagement with the external threads on the anchor assembly and the propeller wheel rotating and moving longitudinally of the anchor assembly on the external threads of the anchor assembly as the anchor descends through the water to prevent detonation of the explosive charge until the anchor reaches a predetermined depth in the water and means igniting said charge upon engagement of the anchor assembly with the body of material at the bottom of the body of water.

4. An embedment anchor comprising a tubular anchor assembly, a reaction assembly formed with a plunger extending into said tubular anchor assembly and an open conical portion at the rearward end thereof the apex of which is adjacent to the said anchor assembly, an explosive charge in said anchor assembly operable to separate said anchor assembly and reaction assembly by driving said plunger out of said anchor assembly, means igniting said charge upon engagement of the anchor assembly with a solid material, and cable means connected to said reaction assembly on the axis of said conical portion for lowering the anchor into the water, said cable means including a portion of slack cable connecting said anchor assembly and reaction assembly.

5. An embedment anchor comprising a tubular anchor assembly, a reaction assembly formed with a plunger extending into said tubular anchor assembly and an open conical portion at the rearward end thereof the apex of which is adjacent to the said anchor assembly, a shear element connecting said anchor assembly and reaction assembly, an explosive charge between said anchor assembly and reaction assembly operable to shear said shear element and to separate said anchor assembly and reaction assembly by driving said anchor assembly away from said plunger, means igniting said charge upon engagement of the anchor assembly with a solid material, and cable means connected to said reaction assembly on the axis of said conical portion for lowering the anchor into the water, said cable means including a portion of slack cable connected to said anchor assembly intermediate its ends.

6. An embedment anchor comprising an anchor assembly, a reaction assembly, an explosive charge between said assemblies operable to separate said reaction assembly from said anchor assembly and embed it in the earth, an anchor cable connected to said react-ion assembly for lowering said embedment anchor into the water, and a slack length of cable connected at one end to said anchor assembly at a point intermediate its ends and connected at its other end to said anchor cable, said reaction assembly including an open conical rearward end operating to entrap liquid during the separation of said anchor r assembly from said reaction assembly and provide stability during the lowering of the anchor into the water.

7. An embedment anchor comprising a tubular anchor assembly, a reaction assembly formed with a plunger extending into said tubular anchor assembly and a reaction portion at the rearward end thereof, an explosive charge in said anchor assembly operable to separate said anchor assembly and reaction assembly by driving said anchor assembly away from said reaction assembly, and means igniting said charge upon engagement of the anchor assembly with a solid material, said means including a propeller rotatable under the influence of motion of the anchor through water connected to prevent ignition of said charge until said propeller rotates through a pre-determined number of revolutions.

8. An embedment anchor comprising a tubular anchor assembly, a reaction assembly formed with a plunger extending into said tubular anchor assembly and an open conical portion at the rearward end thereof the apex of which is adjacent to the said anchor assembly, an explosive charge in said anchor assembly operable to separate said anchor assembly and reaction assembly by driving said plunger out of said anchor assembly, a nose element connected to move to an operated position under the influence of engagement with a solid material, and operable to ignite said charge upon movement to said position, a propeller threaded to said anchor assembly rotatable under the influence of movement of said anchor through water operable to prevent movement of said nose element to said position until said propeller rotates a predetermined number of revolutions, and cable means connected to said reaction assembly on the axis of said conical portion for lowering the anchor into the water, said cable means including a portion of slack cable connecting said anchor assembly and reaction assembly.

9. An embedment anchor for anchoring to a body of material at the bottom of a body of water comprising, an anchor body adapted to anchor within said body of material, a reaction member mated with said anchor body and said anchor body being movable relatively to said reaction member in a direction away from said re action member, propulsion means to provide force acting on the anchor body and the reaction member to propel the anchor body away from said reaction member, and said reaction member including an enlarged reaction portion extending laterally beyond the anchor body to generate a mass reaction of water behind the reaction member opposing the force of the propulsion means on the reaction member for propulsion of the anchor body away from the reaction member and into said body of material.

10. An embedment anchor for anchoring to a body of material at the bottom of a body of water comprising, an anchor body adapted to anchor'within said body of material, a reaction member mated with said anchor body and said anchor body being movable relatively to said reaction member in a direction away from said reaction member, ignitible propulsion means to provide force upon ignition acting on the anchor body and the reaction member to propel the anchor body away from said reaction member, said reaction member including an enlarged reaction portion extending laterally beyond the anchor body to generate a mass reaction of water behind the reaction member opposing the force of the propulsion means on the reaction member for propulsion of the anchor body away from the reaction member and into said body of material, and means to ignite the propulsion means upon contact of the embedment anchor with the body of material at the bottom of the body of water.

11. An embedment anchor for anchoring to a body of material at the bottom of a body of water comprising, an anchor body adapted to anchor within said body of material, a reaction member mated with said anchor 6 7 body and said anchor body being movable relatively to said reaction member in a direction away from said reaction member, propulsion means to provide force acting on the anchor body and the reaction member to propel the anchor body away from said reaction member, and said reaction member including an enlarged reaction portion to generate a mass reaction of water behind the reaction member opposing the force of the propulsion means on the reaction member for propulsion of the anchor body away from the reaction member and into said body of material.

12. An embedment anchor for anchoring to a body of material comprising, an anchor body adapted to anchor within said body of material, a reaction member mated with said anchor body and said anchor body being movable relatively to said reaction member in a directionaway from said reaction member, propulsion means to provide force acting on the anchor body and the reaction member to propel the anchor body away from said reaction member, said reaction member including an enlarged reaction portion to generate a mass reaction opposing the force of the propulsion means on the reaction member for propulsion of the anchor body away from the reaction member and into said body of material, and means securing said anchor body to said reaction member adapted to be broken by the force of said propulsion means to release the anchor body from the reaction member.

13. An embedment anchor for anchoring to a body of material comprising, an anchor body adapted to anchor within said body of material, a reaction member mated with said anchor body and said anchor body being movable relatively to, said reaction member in a direction away from said reaction member, a closed chamber formed by the anchor body and the reaction member and disposed between the anchor body and the reaction member, propulsion means in said chamber adapted to act between the anchor body and the reaction member to provide force acting on the anchor body and the reaction member to propel the anchor body away from said reaction member, and said reaction member including an enlarged reaction portion to generate a mass reaction opposing the force of the propulsion means on the reaction member for propulsion of the anchor body away from the reaction member and into said body of material.

14. An embedment anchor for anchoring to a body of material comprising, an anchor body adapted to anchor within said body of material, a reaction member mated with said anchor body and said anchor body being movable relatively to said reaction member in a direction away from said reaction member, propulsion means to provide force acting on the anchor body and the reaction member to propel the anchor body away from said reaction member, and said reaction member including an enlarged reaction portion to generate a mass reaction opposing the force of the propulsion means on the reaction member for propulsion of the anchor body away from the reaction member and into said body of material.

15. An embedment anchor for anchoring to a body of material comprising, an anchor body adapted to anchor within said body of material, a reaction member mated with said anchor body and said anchor body being movable relatively to said reaction member in a direction away from said reaction member, propulsion means to provide force acting on the anchor body and the reaction member to propel the anchor body away from said reac tion member, and said reaction member including an enlarged reaction portion extending laterally beyond the anchor body to generate a mass reaction opposing the force of the propulsion means on the reaction member for propulsion of the anchor body away from the reaction member and into said body of material.

7 16. An embedment anchor for anchoring to a body of material comprising, an anchor body adapted to anchor within said body of material, a reaction member mated with said anchor body and said anchor body being movable relatively to said reaction member in a direction away from said reaction member, propulsion means to provide force acting on the anchor body and the reaction member to propel the anchor body away from said reaction member, and said reaction member including an enlarged reaction portion extending laterally beyond the anchor body and having a recessed configuration facing in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of the anchor body to generate a mass reaction opposing the force of the propulsion means on the reaction member for propulsion of the anchor body away from the reaction member and into said body of material.

17. An embedment anchor for anchoring to a body of material comprising, an anchor body adapted to anchor within said body of material, a reaction member mated with said anchor body and said anchor body being movable relatively to said reaction member in a direction away from said reaction member, propulsion means to provide force acting on the anchor body and the reaction member to propel the anchor body away from said reaction member, and said reaction member including an enlarged reaction portion extending laterally beyond the anchor body comprising a wall extending in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of the anchor body to form the enlarged reaction portion with a recessed configuration to generate a mass reaction opposing the force of the propulsion means on the reaction member for propulsion of the anchor body away from the reaction member and into said body of material.

18. An embedment anchor for anchoring to a body of material comprising, an anchor body adapted to anchor within said body of material, a reaction member mated with said anchor body and said anchor body being movable relatively to said reaction member in a direction away from said reaction member, propulsion means to provide force acting on the anchor body and the reaction member to propel the anchor body away from said reaction member, and said reaction member including an enlarged reaction portion extending laterally beyond the anchor body and having a conical configuration opening in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of the anchor body to generate a mass reaction opposing the force of the propulsion means on the reaction member for propulsion of the anchor body away from the reaction member and into said body of material.

19. An embedment anchor for anchoring to a body of material comprising, a tubular anchor body adapted to anchor within said body of material, a reaction member having a plunger adapted to be received in said tubular anchor body and said anchor body being movable relatively to said reaction member in a direction away from said reaction member, a chamber formed between the tubular anchor body and the plunger, propulsion means in said chamber to provide force acting between the tubular anchor body and the plunger to propel the anchor body away from said reaction member, and said reaction member including an enlarged reaction portion extending laterally beyond the anchor body to generate a mass reaction opposing the force of the propulsion means on the reaction member for propulsion of the anchor body away from the reaction member and into said body of material.

20. An embedment anchor for anchoring to a body of material comprising, an anchor body adapted to anchor within said body of material, a reaction member mated with said anchor body and said anchor body being movable relatively to said reaction member in a direction away from said reaction member, propulsion means to provide force acting on the anchor body and the reaction member to propel the anchor body away from said reaction member, said reaction member including an enlarged reaction portion extending laterally beyond the anchor body to generate a mass reaction opposing the force of the propulsion means on the reaction member for propulsion of the anchor body away from the reaction member and into said body of material, and a shear pin securing the anchor body to the reaction member adapted to be sheared by the force of the propulsion means to release the anchor body from the reaction member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 856,791 Mingus June 11, 1907 870,639 Nielsen Nov. 12, 1907 1,957,285 Oehrnichen May 1, 1934 2,409,205 Graumann Oct. 15, 1946 2,993,461 Feiler July 25, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 226,931 Germany Oct. 11, 1910