US3675348A — Scraper bucket apparatus for deep sea mining syst…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 188 words

Scraper bucket apparatus for use with a deep sea mining vehicle adapted to travel an ocean bed at a speed Sv for scraping ore nodules said apparatus comprising, in combination: a vertically flexible, long, foldable track having a longitudinal axis ''''c'''' and with a first end adapted for rotatably mounting on said vehicle, an endless chain adapted to circulate along said track with means for driving said chain at a speed Sc proportional to said speed Sv, a series of scraper buckets attached along points of said chain adapted to ride said track and scrape nodules from said bed and deposit them near said first end of said track, said buckets having an input axis ''''b'''' which, when said buckets are scraping nodules, are skewed forward of said track axis ''''c'''' in the direction of said vehicle''s motion, and a driven tail sheave tractor carrying a second end of said track adapted to travel parallel to said vehicle, whereby said scraper bucket apparatus is adapted for scraping ore nodules along an angle theta which said track may make with the negative of the velocity vector of said vehicle.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 188 words

Scraper bucket apparatus for use with a deep sea mining vehicle adapted to travel an ocean bed at a speed Sv for scraping ore nodules said apparatus comprising, in combination: a vertically flexible, long, foldable track having a longitudinal axis ''''c'''' and with a first end adapted for rotatably mounting on said vehicle, an endless chain adapted to circulate along said track with means for driving said chain at a speed Sc proportional to said speed Sv, a series of scraper buckets attached along points of said chain adapted to ride said track and scrape nodules from said bed and deposit them near said first end of said track, said buckets having an input axis ''''b'''' which, when said buckets are scraping nodules, are skewed forward of said track axis ''''c'''' in the direction of said vehicle''s motion, and a driven tail sheave tractor carrying a second end of said track adapted to travel parallel to said vehicle, whereby said scraper bucket apparatus is adapted for scraping ore nodules along an angle theta which said track may make with the negative of the velocity vector of said vehicle.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 27 words

Scraper bucket apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said track has a double hinged joint allowing said track to fold approximately 180* along its length.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 19 words

Scraper bucket apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said track is at least 25 meters in length.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 57 words

Scraper bucket apparatus as set out in claim 3 wherein said forward skewness of said input axis ''''b'''' of said buckets when scraping nodules is by an angle phi relative to said track axis ''''c'''', where phi is substantially according to the relation, phi theta - tan 1 (Sc sin theta )/(Sv + Sc cos theta ).

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 31 words

Scraper bucket apparatus as set out in claim 4 wherein said angle theta is essentially 90* and said angle phi substantially according to the relationship phi 90* - tan 1 (Sc/Sv).

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 62 words

Scraper bucket apparatus as set forth in claim 5 further comprising, a speed control system adapted to vary the speed of said tail sheave tractor, and a limit switch for coupling between said vehicle and said track for measuring said angle theta and cooperating with said speed control system to maintain variations in said angle theta between specified maximum and minimum limits.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 45 words

Scraper bucket apparatus as set forth in claim 6 further comprising a steering control system for steering said tail sheave tractor, and a transducer in said track for measuring the tension in said track cooperating with said steering control to maintain said tension essentially constant.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 81 words

Scraper bucket apparatus as set out in claim 7 wherein said double hinged joint comprises an intermediate section of upper and lower pairs of rails adapted to align with corresponding pairs of upper and lower rails of said track when said track is outstretched, and with the ends of said lower rails of said intermediate section connected by hinges with said lower rails of said track, and said intermediate section has a hook adapted to engage and disengage said endless chain.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 108 words

Scraper bucket apparatus as set forth in claim 8 wherein each of said scraper buckets comprises, a box with a closed back carrying a bottom cutting block, closed sides and an open bottom and an open front and has a member across its top holding wheels for riding said track and means for fastening said member to said chain, first and second ski-like runners mounted on said sides slightly displaced from the bottom of said sides, said second runner flush with the bottom of said back, the height of said first runner exceeding the height of said second runner by the thickness of said layer to be scraped.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 125 words

A scraper bucket for use with scraper bucket apparatus foR scraping a layer of loose ore sediment from the ocean floor and having a track and a circulating endless chain, said bucket comprising; a box with a closed back carrying a bottom cutting block, closed sides and an open bottom and an open front and having a member across its top holding wheels for riding said track and means for fastening said member to said chain, first and second ski-like runners mounted on said sides slightly displaced from the bottom of said sides, said second runner flush with the bottom of said back, the height of said first runner exceeding the height of said second runner by the thickness of said layer to be scraped.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 125 words

A scraper bucket for use with scraper bucket apparatus foR scraping a layer of loose ore sediment from the ocean floor and having a track and a circulating endless chain, said bucket comprising; a box with a closed back carrying a bottom cutting block, closed sides and an open bottom and an open front and having a member across its top holding wheels for riding said track and means for fastening said member to said chain, first and second ski-like runners mounted on said sides slightly displaced from the bottom of said sides, said second runner flush with the bottom of said back, the height of said first runner exceeding the height of said second runner by the thickness of said layer to be scraped.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1975-07-11	1976-01-10	1976-07-11	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1979-07-11	1980-01-10	1980-07-11	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1983-07-11	1984-01-10	1984-07-11	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Scraper bucket apparatus for deep sea mining systems

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