Patent US3810081A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3810081A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Submerged chain angle measurement
Assignee: Global Marine Inc
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Filing: 1972-11-15
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Granted: 1974-05-07
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Expires: 1992-11-15
Abstract
Abstract The tension in an anchor chain connected to a floating vessel is measured by a chain angle sensing device coupled to the chain below the surface of the water. The chain angle sensing device is submerged at a depth where the sensed chain angle is substantially identical to the chain angle of inclination existing immediately outboard of its point of support on the vessel, but where wave action energy levels have a substantially negligible effect on the rate of change in the sensed chain angle measurement. In one form of the invention, the chain angle sensing device is an acoustic angle indicator for generating a coded acoustical signal representing the chain angle of inclination. A transponder on board the vessel receives the acoustical signal and decodes it to generate an output representing the instantaneous chain angle measurement. In an alternate form of the invention, a sonic reflector engaged with the chain reflects a train of sonic pulses generated by a sonic transponder onboard the vessel. The transponder receives the sonic pulses from the reflector, and generates a signal representing the measured distance between the transponder and the reflector. Triangulation techniques are used in conjunction with the sonar detected distance measurement to generate a signal representing chain angle. Chain tension information is obtained using sensed chain angle information in conjunction with a graphic diagram in which tension is a function of chain angle, or chain tension can be obtained from an onboard computer programmed to generate chain tension information as a function of chain angle.
Inventors
- 👤 P Rininger
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 10:38
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01S; G01S15/00; G01S15/02; G01S15/06; G01S15/42; B; B63; B63B; B63B21/00; B63B21/22; G01S15/88
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
221 words
In a method ascertaining the tension in a mooring chain extending from a point of support on a vessel in a body of water to an anchor disposed below the surface of the water at a measurable vertical distance from the point of support, the chain having a known submerged weight per unit of length, the improvement comprising: a. sensing the angle of inclination between the chain and a horizontal reference plane by means of angle sensing means releasably engaged with the chain below the surface of the water at a location on the chain where the angle of inclination sensed from the chain is substantially equivalent to that existing at the point of support, but sufficiently far below the water surface that wave action has a substantially negligible adverse effect on the angle sensing mechanism and the sensed chain angle for providing a substantially accurate indication of the actual tension existing in the chain when an indication of the sensed angle of inclination is combined with indications of said vertical distance and said weight per unit length in a predetermined functional relationship to determine the actual tension present in the chain; b. converting the sensed angle of inclination to an output representative of said angle; c. converting said output to an indication representative of the tension present in the chain.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
221 words
In a method ascertaining the tension in a mooring chain extending from a point of support on a vessel in a body of water to an anchor disposed below the surface of the water at a measurable vertical distance from the point of support, the chain having a known submerged weight per unit of length, the improvement comprising: a. sensing the angle of inclination between the chain and a horizontal reference plane by means of angle sensing means releasably engaged with the chain below the surface of the water at a location on the chain where the angle of inclination sensed from the chain is substantially equivalent to that existing at the point of support, but sufficiently far below the water surface that wave action has a substantially negligible adverse effect on the angle sensing mechanism and the sensed chain angle for providing a substantially accurate indication of the actual tension existing in the chain when an indication of the sensed angle of inclination is combined with indications of said vertical distance and said weight per unit length in a predetermined functional relationship to determine the actual tension present in the chain; b. converting the sensed angle of inclination to an output representative of said angle; c. converting said output to an indication representative of the tension present in the chain.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method according to claim 1 including modulating said output in accordance with a predetermined functional relationshp by additional signals representative of said vertical distance and said weight per unit length, and applying the modulated signAl to means for visually displaying the value thereof in terms of the tension continuously present in the chain.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method according to claim 1 including converting the sensed angle of inclination to an acoustical signal, and thereafter converting the acoustical signal to said output.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
55 words
The method according to claim 3 in which the sensed angle of inclination is converted to a coded acoustical signal which is representative of the sensed chain angle, and including transmitting the coded acoustical signal through the water to an acoustical receiver on the vessel, and decoding the received acoustical signal to generate said output.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method according to claim 1 in which the angle sensing means comprises an active angle sensing device coupled with an acoustic transducer for generating an acousutical signal representative of the sensed angle of inclination.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
231 words
In a system for use in measuring the tension in a mooring chain extending from a point of support on a vessel in a body of water to a submerged anchor located a measurable vertical distance from the chain point of support, the chain having a known submerged weight per unit length, the apparatus comprising: a. angle sensing means releasably engaged with the chain at a location below the surface of the water for sensing the angle of inclination between the chain and a horizontal reference plane, said location being at a point on the chain where the angle of inclination sensed from the chain is substantially equivalent to that existing at the point of support, but sufficiently far below the water surface that wave action has a substantially negligible adverse effect on the angle sensing mechanism and the sensed chain angle for providing a substantially accurate indication of the actual tension existing in the chain when an indication of the sensed angle of inclination is combined with indications of said vertical distance and said weight per unit length in a predetermined functional relationship to determine the actual tension present in the chain; and b. means for converting the sensed angle of inclination to an output signal representative of the value of said angle, whereby said output signal can be converted into an indication of the tension present in the chain.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
231 words
In a system for use in measuring the tension in a mooring chain extending from a point of support on a vessel in a body of water to a submerged anchor located a measurable vertical distance from the chain point of support, the chain having a known submerged weight per unit length, the apparatus comprising: a. angle sensing means releasably engaged with the chain at a location below the surface of the water for sensing the angle of inclination between the chain and a horizontal reference plane, said location being at a point on the chain where the angle of inclination sensed from the chain is substantially equivalent to that existing at the point of support, but sufficiently far below the water surface that wave action has a substantially negligible adverse effect on the angle sensing mechanism and the sensed chain angle for providing a substantially accurate indication of the actual tension existing in the chain when an indication of the sensed angle of inclination is combined with indications of said vertical distance and said weight per unit length in a predetermined functional relationship to determine the actual tension present in the chain; and b. means for converting the sensed angle of inclination to an output signal representative of the value of said angle, whereby said output signal can be converted into an indication of the tension present in the chain.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
58 words
Apparatus according to claim 6 including means for modulating the output signal in accordance with a predetermined functional relationship by additional signals representative of said vertical distance and said weight per unit length, and means for applying the modulated signal to means for visually displaying the value thereof in terms of the tension continuously present in the chain.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
Apparatus according to claim 6 including means for converting the sensed angle of inclination to an acoustical signal, and means for converting the acoustical signal to said output signal.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
55 words
Apparatus according to claim 8 including means for converting the sensed angle of inclination to a coded acoustical signal representative of the sensed chain angle, and means for transmitting the coded acoustical signal through water to an acoustical receiver on the vessel, and means for decoding the received acoustical signal to generate said output signal.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
32 words
Apparatus according to claim 6 in which the angle sensing means comprises an active angle sensing device coupled with an acoustic transducer for generating an acoustical signal representative of the sensed angle.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
235 words
In a method for ascertaining the tension in each of a plurality of mooring chains extending from separate points of support on a vessel in a body of water to corresponding anchors disposed below the surface of the water at a measurable vertical distance from the respective points of support of the mooring chains, each chain having a known submerged weight per unit of length, the improvement comprising: a. sensing the angle of inclination between each chain and a horizontal reference plane by means of separate angle sensing means releasably engaged with The chains at a location below the surface of the water where the angle of inclination sensed from each chain will provide a substantially accurate indication of the actual tension existing in the chain when an indication of the sensed angle of inclination is combined with indications of said vertical distance and said weight per unit length in a predetermined functional relationship to determine the actual tension present in a chain; b. converting the angle of inclination sensed by each angle sensing means to separate acoustical signals indicative of each sensed angle of inclination; c. transmitting each acoustical signal to transducer means on the vessel for receiving the signals and converting them to corresponding output signals indicative of the angle of inclination of each mooring chain; and d. converting each output signal to an indication representative of the tension present in each chain.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
235 words
In a method for ascertaining the tension in each of a plurality of mooring chains extending from separate points of support on a vessel in a body of water to corresponding anchors disposed below the surface of the water at a measurable vertical distance from the respective points of support of the mooring chains, each chain having a known submerged weight per unit of length, the improvement comprising: a. sensing the angle of inclination between each chain and a horizontal reference plane by means of separate angle sensing means releasably engaged with The chains at a location below the surface of the water where the angle of inclination sensed from each chain will provide a substantially accurate indication of the actual tension existing in the chain when an indication of the sensed angle of inclination is combined with indications of said vertical distance and said weight per unit length in a predetermined functional relationship to determine the actual tension present in a chain; b. converting the angle of inclination sensed by each angle sensing means to separate acoustical signals indicative of each sensed angle of inclination; c. transmitting each acoustical signal to transducer means on the vessel for receiving the signals and converting them to corresponding output signals indicative of the angle of inclination of each mooring chain; and d. converting each output signal to an indication representative of the tension present in each chain.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method according to claim 11 including modulating each output signal by respective sets of signals indicative of said vertical distance and said weight per unit length, and applying each modulated signal to means for visually displaying the value thereof in terms of the tension present in the particular chain of interest.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method according to claim 11 in which the acoustical signals are transmitted to respective transducer means on the vessel for receiving the acoustical signals generated by sensing means, and including converting the acoustical signals to corresponding output signals each of which is indicative of the angle of inclination of a respective mooring chain.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
184 words
In a method for ascertaining the tension in a mooring chain extending from a point of support on a vessel in a body of water to an anchor disposed below the surface of the water at a measurable vertical distance from the point of support, the chain having a known submerged weight per unit of length, the improvement comprising: a. sensing the angle of inclination between the chain and a horizontal reference plane by means of a passive sonar reflector releasably engaged with the chain at a location below the surface of the water where the angle of inclination sensed from the chain will provide a substantially accurate indication of the actual tension existing in the chain when an indication of the sensed angle of inclination is combined with indications of said vertical distance and said weight per unit length in a predetermined functional relationship to determine the actual tension present in the chain; b. converting the sensed angle of inclination to an output representative of said angle; and c. converting said output to an indication representative of the tension present in the chain.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
184 words
In a method for ascertaining the tension in a mooring chain extending from a point of support on a vessel in a body of water to an anchor disposed below the surface of the water at a measurable vertical distance from the point of support, the chain having a known submerged weight per unit of length, the improvement comprising: a. sensing the angle of inclination between the chain and a horizontal reference plane by means of a passive sonar reflector releasably engaged with the chain at a location below the surface of the water where the angle of inclination sensed from the chain will provide a substantially accurate indication of the actual tension existing in the chain when an indication of the sensed angle of inclination is combined with indications of said vertical distance and said weight per unit length in a predetermined functional relationship to determine the actual tension present in the chain; b. converting the sensed angle of inclination to an output representative of said angle; and c. converting said output to an indication representative of the tension present in the chain.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
119 words
The method according to claim 14 including transmitting a train of sonic pulses between a sonic tranponder onboard the vessel and the sonic reflector to generate a first output representative of the distance between the transponder and the reflector, measuring the distance between the chain point of support and the sonic reflector and generating a second output representative of said distance, measuring the distance between the transponder and the chain point of support and generating a third output representative of said distance, and modulating the first, second, and third outputs in accordance with a predetermined functional relationship to generate an output signal representative of the angular inclination of the mooring chain at the sonic reflector point of attachment thereto.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
237 words
In a system for use in measuring the tension in a plurality of mooring chains extending from separate points of support on a vessel in a body of water to respective submerged anchors located a measurable vertical distance from corresponding chain points of support, each chain having a known submerged weight per unit length, the apparatus comprising: a. separate angle sensing means releasably secured to each chain at a location below the surface of the water for sensing the angle of inclination between each chain and a horizontal reference plane, said location being at a point on each chain where the angle of inclination sensed from the chain will provide a substantially accurate indication of the actual tension existing in the chain when an indication of the sensed angle of inclination is combined with indications of said vertical distance and said weight per unit of length in a predetermined functional relationship to determine the actual tension present in the chain; b. means for converting the angle of inclination sensed by each angle sensing means to separate acoustical signals indicative of each sensed angle of inclination; c. means for transmitting each acoustical signal to transducer means on the vessel for receiving the signals and converting them to corresponding outputs indicative of the angle of inclination of each mooring chain; and d. means for converting each output signal to an indication representative of the tension present in each chain.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
237 words
In a system for use in measuring the tension in a plurality of mooring chains extending from separate points of support on a vessel in a body of water to respective submerged anchors located a measurable vertical distance from corresponding chain points of support, each chain having a known submerged weight per unit length, the apparatus comprising: a. separate angle sensing means releasably secured to each chain at a location below the surface of the water for sensing the angle of inclination between each chain and a horizontal reference plane, said location being at a point on each chain where the angle of inclination sensed from the chain will provide a substantially accurate indication of the actual tension existing in the chain when an indication of the sensed angle of inclination is combined with indications of said vertical distance and said weight per unit of length in a predetermined functional relationship to determine the actual tension present in the chain; b. means for converting the angle of inclination sensed by each angle sensing means to separate acoustical signals indicative of each sensed angle of inclination; c. means for transmitting each acoustical signal to transducer means on the vessel for receiving the signals and converting them to corresponding outputs indicative of the angle of inclination of each mooring chain; and d. means for converting each output signal to an indication representative of the tension present in each chain.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
62 words
Apparatus according to claim 16 including means for modulating each output signal by respective sets of signals indicative of said vertical distance and said weight per unit length corresponding to the particular chain of interest, and means for applying each modulated signal to means for visually displaying the value thereof in terms of the tension present in the particular chain of interest.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus according to claim 17 including tranducer means on the vessel for receiving the several acoustical signals and converting them to corresponding outputs indicative of the angle of inclination of each mooring chain.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
196 words
In a system for use in measuring the tension in a mooring chain extending from the point of support on a vessel in a body of water to a submerged anchor located a measurable vertical distance from the chain point of support, the chain having a known submerged weight per unit length, the apparatus comprising: a. a passive sonic reflector releasably engaged with the chain at a location below the surface of the water for sensing the angle of inclination between the chain and a horizontal reference plane, said location being at a point on the chain where the angle of inclination sensed from the chain will provide a substantially accurate indication of the actual tension existing in the chain when an indication of the sensed angle of inclination is combined with indications of said vertical distance and said weight per unit of length in a predetermined function relationship to determine the actual tension present in the chain; and b. means for converting the sensed angle of inclination to an output signal representative of the value of said angle, whereby said output signal can be converted into an indication of the tension present in the chain.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
196 words
In a system for use in measuring the tension in a mooring chain extending from the point of support on a vessel in a body of water to a submerged anchor located a measurable vertical distance from the chain point of support, the chain having a known submerged weight per unit length, the apparatus comprising: a. a passive sonic reflector releasably engaged with the chain at a location below the surface of the water for sensing the angle of inclination between the chain and a horizontal reference plane, said location being at a point on the chain where the angle of inclination sensed from the chain will provide a substantially accurate indication of the actual tension existing in the chain when an indication of the sensed angle of inclination is combined with indications of said vertical distance and said weight per unit of length in a predetermined function relationship to determine the actual tension present in the chain; and b. means for converting the sensed angle of inclination to an output signal representative of the value of said angle, whereby said output signal can be converted into an indication of the tension present in the chain.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
118 words
Apparatus according to claim 19 including means for transmitting a train of sonic pulses between a sonic transponder on the ship and the sonic reflector to generate a first output representative of the distance between the transponder and the reflector, means for generating a second output representative of the distance between the chain point of support and the sonic reflector, means for generating a third output representative of the distance between the transponder and the chain point of support, and means for modulating the first, second, and third outputs in accordance with the predetermined functional relationship to generate an output signal representative of the angular inclination of the mooring chain at the sonar reflector point of attachment thereto.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3614721A
Cited
US3722268A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-05-06 | 1977-11-05 | 1978-05-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-05-06 | 1981-11-05 | 1982-05-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-05-06 | 1985-11-05 | 1986-05-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |