US3943644A — Mining dredge having endless bucket conveyor and …

Claim 1

Independent Claim 243 words

A device for mining the ocean floor or the bottom of some other body of water for ore nodules, mineral soaps and ore sludge by extracting these deposits and conveying them upwardly to a ship or some other suitable carrier, the device comprising in combination: a drive unit adapted for mounting on board the ship; a receiving unit arranged for placement on the ocean floor; a guide train assembly extending between the drive unit and the receiving unit; an endless conveying train extending along the guide train assembly between the drive unit and the receiving unit and having descending and ascending conveying strands with conveying receptacles attached thereto; a drive drum on the drive unit and a reversing drum on the receiving unit guiding the upper and lower end portions of the conveying train; and means defined by the guide train assembly for guiding the descending and ascending strands of the conveying train therealong, so as to prevent interference between the strands; and wherein: the combined comveying train and guide train assembly is flexible, the conveying train and the guide train assembly having flexible, tension-transmitting conveying strands and guide strands, respectively; the guide strands of the guide train assembly, form a tensile link between the ship and the receiving unit, thereby determining the path of the conveying train between the receiving unit and the drive unit; and the receiving unit includes means for extracting deposits from the ocean floor into the conveying receptacles.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 243 words

A device for mining the ocean floor or the bottom of some other body of water for ore nodules, mineral soaps and ore sludge by extracting these deposits and conveying them upwardly to a ship or some other suitable carrier, the device comprising in combination: a drive unit adapted for mounting on board the ship; a receiving unit arranged for placement on the ocean floor; a guide train assembly extending between the drive unit and the receiving unit; an endless conveying train extending along the guide train assembly between the drive unit and the receiving unit and having descending and ascending conveying strands with conveying receptacles attached thereto; a drive drum on the drive unit and a reversing drum on the receiving unit guiding the upper and lower end portions of the conveying train; and means defined by the guide train assembly for guiding the descending and ascending strands of the conveying train therealong, so as to prevent interference between the strands; and wherein: the combined comveying train and guide train assembly is flexible, the conveying train and the guide train assembly having flexible, tension-transmitting conveying strands and guide strands, respectively; the guide strands of the guide train assembly, form a tensile link between the ship and the receiving unit, thereby determining the path of the conveying train between the receiving unit and the drive unit; and the receiving unit includes means for extracting deposits from the ocean floor into the conveying receptacles.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 35 words

An underwater mining device as defined in claim 1, wherein: the guide strands and the conveying strands are multi-filament rope-like members, of a synthetic plastic material selected from the group consisting of polypropylene and polyamide.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 24 words

An underwater mining device as defined in claim 2, wherein the strands include, among their plastic filaments, reinforcing filaments of highly resistant fibrous material.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 37 words

An underwater mining device as defined in claim 1, further comprising a floating body which includes a tensile connection to the receiving unit, the tensile connection, when pulled, being capable of lifting and repositioning the receiving unit.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 41 words

An underwater mining device as defined in claim 4, wherein: the floating body is a buoy; the tensile connection is a cable; and the device further comprises a boat for controlling the position of the buoy in relation to the ship.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 53 words

An underwater mining device as defined in claim 1, wherein the conveying train includes an endless conveyor loop formed of two groups of parallel strands, with one or more strands in each group, the loop including means for transversely interconnecting the parallel strands and means for attaching the conveying receptacles to the strands.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 54 words

An underwater mining device as defined in claim 6, wherein: the conveying receptacles are elongated buckets; the two groups of strands are spaced apart a distance, and the buckets are attached centrally between the strand groups; and the receptacle attaching means includes a series of bucket attachments fastened to the strands at regular intervals.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 46 words

An underwater mining device as defined in claim 7, wherein each bucket attachment includes means for pivotably connecting the bucket to the strands, by defining a transverse pivot axis around which the bucket is pivotable within a limited angle of freedom relative to the conveyor loop.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 42 words

An underwater mining device as defined in claim 6, wherein the transverse strand connecting means includes a series of transverse connectors, forming cross-links between all the strands of the conveyor loop, the connectors being arranged at regular intervals along the conveyor loop.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 56 words

An underwater mining device as defined in claim 9, wherein: each transverse connector includes: a rigid spoke rod extending centrally through each conveying strand; clamping caps arranged on the spoke rod and engaging each strand from both sides; and means for clampingly positioning the clamping caps and the strands confined between them in the transverse direction.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 87 words

An underwater mining device as defined in claim 10, wherein: the two groups of conveying strands which define a conveyor loop are spaced apart a distance equal to several times the diameter of a strand, and each group includes at least two strands; the clamping caps of the transverse connectors include each a plurality of laterally extending pointed prongs penetrating laterally into a strand, when clamped thereagainst; and the clamping cap positioning means include spacing means between the strands of each group and between the strand groups.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 57 words

An underwater mining device as defined in claim 10, wherein the drive drum of the drive unit includes on its periphery a series of annular guide grooves for receiving therein the flexible conveying strands of the conveyor loop, and further, means for positively entraining the conveyor loop, by engaging the rigid spoke rods of its transverse connectors.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 56 words

An underwater mining device as defined in claim 9, wherein: the conveying receptacles are elongated buckets; the two groups of strands are spaced apart a distance, and the buckets are attached centrally between the strand groups; and the receptacle attaching means includes a series of bucket attachments defined by at least some of the transverse connectors.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 59 words

An underwater mining device as defined in claim 13, wherein: two successive transverse connectors define upper and lower bucket attachments, in the sense of bucket orientation on the ascending conveying strand; and the lower bucket attachment includes an intermediate attachment link for the accommodation of elongation of the conveying strand portions located between the upper and lower bucket attachments.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 65 words

An underwater mining device as defined in claim 1, wherein the guide train assembly includes at least four guide strands and a number of guide units disposed at intervals along the length of the strands between the drive unit and the receiving unit and means for attaching the guide strands to the guide units, each guide unit including means for separately guiding the conveying strands.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 77 words

An underwater mining device as defined in claim 15, wherein: each guide unit includes a guide cage surrounding the ascending and descending strands of the conveying train, and means for clampingly attaching the guide strands to said cage; the conveying strand guide means includes at least one guide roller disposed transversely in each guide cage between the ascending and descending strands so as to guide the latter, and means for retaining said strands against the guide rollers.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 42 words

An underwater mining device as defined in claim 16, wherein: the conveying train includes at least two transversely spaced, parallel ascending and descending conveying strands forming an endless conveyor loop; and the guide rollers have annular guide grooves for the multiple strands.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 128 words

An underwater mining device as defined in claim 17, wherein: each guide cage includes two lateral brackets, spaced apart a distance to accommodate the conveying strands therebetween, and several spacer rods extending between the brackets; the guide strand attaching means are clamping shoes arranged on said brackets; the guide rollers are journalled on the spacer rods; and the conveying strand retaining means includes at least two pairs of retaining rollers for the ascending and descending strands, each pair of retaining rollers being oriented parallel to and spaced from the guide rollers so as to accommodate the conveying strands therebetween, and mounted in a cantilever-type attachment on opposite bracket faces, the length of the retaining rollers being such that a central axial gap is defined between each roller pair.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 79 words

An underwater mining device as defined in claim 18, wherein: the conveying receptacles are buckets attached at regular intervals to the conveying strands; and each bucket includes a bucket attachment connected to the parallel strands, the bucket attachment being T-shaped in profile, having an upstanding central ridge adapted to freely pass through the axial gap between the retaining rollers, and a flange portion attached to the conveying strands adapted to pass between the guide rollers and the retaining rollers.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 89 words

An underwater mining device as defined in claim 18, wherein: the conveying receptacles are buckets attached at regular intervals to the conveying strands; the conveying strands include a series of transverse connectors with rigid spoke rods extending through all the strands of the conveyor loop; and each bucket includes a bucket attachment engaging two successive transverse connectors, the bucket attachment being shaped to freely pass through the axial gap between the retaining rollers, and the transverse connector being shaped to pass between the guide rollers and the retaining rollers.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 63 words

An underwater mining device as defined in claim 15, wherein: the conveying train includes several conveyor loops with independently movable ascending and descending conveying strands and conveying receptacles attached to each conveyor loop; and at least some of the guide units of the guide train assembly include means for guiding, within one rigidly connected structure, all the strands of the several conveyor loops.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 36 words

An underwater mining device as defined in claim 21, wherein: the drive unit includes separate drive drums and drive means for each conveyor loop; and the receiving unit includes separate reversing drums for each conveyor loop.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 27 words

An underwater mining device as defined in claim 21, wherein: several similar drive units are arranged for mounting on board the same ship, in a staggered formation.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 96 words

An underwater mining device as defined in claim 1, wherein: the receiving unit further includes: a generally rigid, substantially horizontal supporting frame; means defined by the supporting frame for engaging the ocean floor on at least three spaced-apart points so as to define a supporting plane against the ocean floor, the deposit extracting means being located beteween the floor engaging means; a substantially horizontally oriented journal support for the reversing drum connected to the supporting frame and arranged so that the periphery of the drum reaches near the level of the deposits on the ocean floor.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 31 words

An underwater mining device as defined in claim 24, wherein the supporting frame extends a distance behind the reversing drum axis and carries thereon a ballast for stabilizing the receiving unit.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 165 words

An underwater mining device as defined in claim 24, wherein: the receiving unit is primarily designed for the extraction of ore nodule deposits during movement along the ocean floor, to which end the mining device further includes means for advancing the receiving unit along the ocean floor; and the extracting means of the receiving unit includes: scraping means arranged on the forward portion of the supporting frame for scraping ore nodule deposits from the ocean floor, as the receiving unit advances; a collecting ramp arranged centrally behind the scraping means so as to receive and collect the scraped-up deposits therefrom; and a scooping trough arranged behind the collecting ramp and located underneath the reversing drum; and wherein the conveying receptacles are conveyor buckets, moving around the reversing drum in a guided path from above and behind the latter, down and underneath it, and forward through the scooping trough, where they scoop up the extracted deposits, and from where the filled buckets ascend to the ship.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 46 words

An underwater mining device as defined in claim 26, wherein the scraping means includes a plurality of parallel, forwardly extending scraping fingers, the fingers being laterally spaced apart in the manner of a comb and independently movable upwardly in response to obstacles on the ocean floor.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 63 words

An underwater mining device as defined in claim 27, wherein: the scraping fingers are pivotably supported on a common horizontal pivot axis arranged near their rear end; and the scraping means further includes an abutment for defining the lowest position of the scraping fingers as a slightly downwardly slanting orientation in the forward direction, and means for biasing the fingers against this abutment.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 42 words

An underwater mining device as defined in claim 26, wherein: the receiving unit further includes: means for sensing the quantity of scraped up deposits moving over the collecting ramp into the scraping trough; and means for transmitting the information to the ship.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 64 words

An underwater mining device as defined in claim 29, wherein: the sensing means includes a pivotable sensing gate suspended on a horizontal pivot axis above the extracting means in the manner of a pendulum so as to be swung rearwardly by the scraped-up deposits passing underneath; and the information transmitting means includes an angular motion transducer connected via an electric cable to the ship.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 65 words

An underwater mining device as defined in claim 24, wherein: the supporting plane defined by the ocean floor engaging means includes two laterally spaced skids under the forward portion of the supporting frame and one central skid under the rear portion of the supporting frame; and the journal support for the reversing drum is located closer to the front skid than to the rear skid.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 71 words

An underwater mining device as defined in claim 24, wherein: the receiving unit further includes a pressure-resistant peripheral skirt enclosing its supporting frame with a peripheral gap therearound; the peripheral skirt is attached to the supporting frame at a distance above the plane of support against the ocean floor; and the outline of the peripheral skirt includes a pointed forward portion for the deflection of obstacles or of the receiving unit.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 55 words

An underwater mining device as defined in claim 32, wherein: the peripheral skirt includes, at least on its front and lateral portions, several pressure sensors responding, when pressure contact with obstacles on the ocean floor is made; and the pressure sensors include indicators on board ship to which they are connected via an electric cable.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 136 words

An underwater mining device as defined in claim 24, wherein: the receiving unit is primarily designed for the extraction of mineral soap deposits during movement along the ocean floor, to which end the mining device further includes means for advancing the receiving unit along the ocean floor; the ocean floor engaging means is constituted by several longitudinally extending, generally vertically oriented, narrow runner profiles defining a supporting plane against the ocean floor which lies a distance under the mineral soap deposits on the ocean floor; the conveying receptacles are conveyor buckets moving around the reversing drum; and the journal support for the reversing drum is so arranged that the buckets, when they move through the lowermost arc portion on the reversing drum, reach approximately as deep into the deposits on the ocean floor as the runners.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 116 words

An underwater mining device as defined in claim 34, wherein: the extracting means of the receiving unit includes a longitudinal scraping trough defined between two of said runners which are spaced apart a distance somewhat larger than the diameter of the conveyor buckets and arranged on opposite sides of their path; and the receiving unit further includes a guide drum for the ascending conveying strands arranged on the forward portion of its supporting frame and engaging the conveying strands so that the latter and their attached buckets, before ascending to the ship, move substantially horizontally through the scraping trough in their path between the reversing drum and the guide drum, thereby scraping and scooping up deposits.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 53 words

An underwater mining device as defined in claim 34, wherein: the conveying buckets attached to the conveying train include pivotably openable lids; the bucket lids and the receiving unit define means for maintaining said lids open, independently of the influence of gravity, when the buckets reach into the deposits on the ocean floor.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 115 words

An underwater mining device as defined in claim 24, wherein: the receiving unit is primarily designed for the extraction of ore sludge deposits, to which end the supporting frame and its ocean floor engaging means define a vertically open grid structure, thus permitting the receiving unit to sink into the deposits to a depth at which the lower periphery of the reversing drum is at least very close to the deposits; the grid structure includes a downwardly open scooping trough underneath the reversing drum serving as the extracting means; and the conveying receptacles are conveyor buckets moving around the reversing drum and into the scooping trough, thereby scooping up deposited sludge from the ocean floor.

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 65 words

An underwater mining device as defined in claim 1, further comprising: a drive unit support frame mountable on board the ship in a cantilever fashion, so as to permit positioning of the drive unit in an overhanging arrangement on the ship; and means for receiving the extracted deposits, as they are discharged from the conveying receptacles, and for transferring them away from the receiving unit.

Claim 40

Dependent Claim 44 words

An underwater mining device as defined in claim 38, wherein: the deposits receiving and transferring means includes a receiving chute mounted underneath the point at which the conveying receptacles discharge their contents, and a transfer conveyor receiving the discharged deposits from the receiving chute.

Claim 41

Dependent Claim 41 words

An underwater mining device as defined in claim 38, wherein: the drive unit support frame and the drive unit with its drive drum and driving means form an integral assembly which is readily removable from the ship as a mounting unit.

Claim 42

Dependent Claim 34 words

An underwater mining device as defined in claim 1, wherein the conveying strands of the conveying train and the guide strands of the guide train assembly have approximately the same elongation characteristics under operation.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1979-03-16	1979-09-15	1980-03-16	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1983-03-16	1983-09-15	1984-03-16	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1987-03-16	1987-09-15	1988-03-16	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Mining dredge having endless bucket conveyor and flexible guide train

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