Mooring devices

Claim 2

A mooring device including a float, a sinker, a cable connecting said float to said sinker, means for paying out said cable between said float and said sinker, means for regulating payout of cable by said paying out means in response to the ambient pressure at said float so as to tend to maintain said float at a predetermined depth below the surface during the mooring process, locking means for locking said paying out means, sensing means for sensing when said payout ceases, and operating means responsive to said sensing means for operating said locking means to inhibit further payout of the cable.

Claim 3

A device according to claim 1 in which said paying out means comprises a rotatable drum carried by said float and on which said cable is initially wound, and said sensing means includes means to sense when said drum ceases to rotate.

Claim 4

A device according to claim 1 in which said operating means includes timing means to retard operation of said locking means for a predetermined time after said sensing means has sensed that payout of the cable has ceased.

Claim 5

A mooring device including a float, a sinker, a cable connecting said float to said sinker, means including a rotatable drum carried by said float and on which said cable is initially wound for paying out said cable between said float and said sinker, means for regulating payout of cable by said paying out means in response to the ambient pressure at said float so as to tend to maintain said float at a predetermined depth below the surface during the mooring process, locking means for locking said paying out means, sensing means including a hydraulic pump operated by rotation of said drum for sensing when said payout ceases, and operating means responsive to the cessation of operation of said hydraulic pump for operating said locking means to inhibit further pay out of the cable.

Claim 6

A mooring device including a float, a sinker, a cable connecting said float to said sinker, means including a rotatable drum carried by said float and on which said cable is initially wound for paying out said cable between said float and said sinker, means for regulating payout of cable by said paying out means in response to the ambient pressure at said float so as to tend to maintain said float at a predetermined depth below the surface during the mooring process, locking means for locking said paying out means, sensing means including a hydraulic pump operated by rotation of said drum for sensing when said payout ceases, and operating means responsive to the cessation of operation of said hydraulic pump for operating said locking means to inhibit further pay out of the cable.

Claim 7

A mooring device including a float, a sinker, a cable connecting said float to said sinker, means including a rotatable drum carried by said float and on which said cable is initially wound for paying out said cable between said float and said sinker, a brake acting on said drum, spring means including a pneumatic reservoir containing a compressible fluid for applying said brake, and ambient pressure dependent release means acting in opposition to said spring means to release said brake means thereby to regulate payout of cable so as To tend to maintain said float at a predetermined depth below the surface during the mooring process, locking means for locking said paying out means, sensing means for sensing when said payout ceases, and operating means responsive to said sensing means for operating said locking means to inhibit further payout of the cable.

Claim 8

A mooring device including a float, a sinker, a cable connecting said float to said sinker, means including a rotatable drum carried by said float and on which said cable is initially wound for paying out said cable between said float and said sinker, a brake acting on said drum, spring means including a pneumatic reservoir containing a compressible fluid for applying said brake, and ambient pressure dependent release means acting in opposition to said spring means to release said brake means thereby to regulate payout of cable so as To tend to maintain said float at a predetermined depth below the surface during the mooring process, locking means for locking said paying out means, sensing means for sensing when said payout ceases, and operating means responsive to said sensing means for operating said locking means to inhibit further payout of the cable.

Claim 9

A device according to claim 4 in which said operating means includes timing means to retard operation of said locking means for a predetermined time after operation of the said pump ceases, said timing means including a dashpot into which fluid is forced by the operation of said pump, said dashpot being arranged to allow operation of the locking means when the fluid in the dashpot falls below a predetermined level.

Claim 10

A device according to claim 1 in which said regulating means includes a brake acting on said drum, spring means for applying said brake, and pressure dependent release means acting in opposition to said spring means.

Claim 11

A device according to claim 5 including means for adjusting the pressure of said compressible fluid in said reservoir to determine the depth of mooring of said float beneath the surface.

Claim 12

A device according to claim 5 in which said pressure dependent means comprises a piston forming one wall of said reservoir, and exposed on its outer side to ambient pressure.

Claim 13

A device according to claim 5 in which said brake is a friction band brake controlled at the taut end thereof by said spring means.