A buoy for mooring a waterborne vessel

Abstract

 A buoy (10) for mooring a waterborne vessel is described, comprising a floating body (11) and a pin (12) which axially passes through said body, in which the above-water upper end of the pin supports a mooring element (13) which is able to rotate with respect to the pin.

Description

Field of the invention

[0001] The invention concerns an improvement of a buoy for mooring a waterborne vessel.

Prior art

[0002] A mooring buoy according to the prior art essentially comprises a floating, e.g. spherical shaped body, with an axial passing-through metal pin. At the lower end of the pin there is a loop for the anchoring chain of the buoy to the sea bed, while at the upper end of the pin there are suitable means for mooring a boat. The pin is rotatable relative to the floating body, and is axially locked.

[0003] With reference to the attached Fig. 5, for example, a prior-art buoy essentially comprises the float 1 where the pin 2 is rotatable, ending with an upper loop or ring 3 for a mooring rope, and a lower ring 4 on the immersed side for anchoring the buoy itself to a chain 5. The pin 2 is axially locked by upper and lower washers 6 and 7, respectively.

[0004] The degree of freedom of rotation of the pin and the upper ring relative to the float is necessary to prevent the boat from twisting the chain and/or kinking the mooring rope, that is in essential terms, to free the buoy from movements of the boat induced for example by waves.

[0005] This embodiment has some drawbacks. Although the pin is originally mounted to be freely rotatable with respect to the float, the mainly axial traction of the chain, which is relevant and easily exceeds 100 kg, tends to prevent the rotation. In the prior-art example of Fig. 5, the traction of the chain 5 is discharged on the upper washer 6, and the friction between the washer and the underlying floating body 1 actually prevents the rotation of the pin.

[0006] Another problem is that the rotary coupling between the pin and the floating body, at the lower end i.e. at the washer 7, is immersed and then subject to growth of incrustation, algae, etc... (fouling). The fouling further hinders the free rotation of the pin. A further drawback is that the coupling between the pin, generally made of metal and often made of stainless steel, and the floating body, usually made of plastic, is not very precise.

[0007] It has been found that this type of buoy, especially after a certain operation time in sea water or lake water, loses the feature of the free rotation of the axial pin. Consequently, the movements of the boat, for example caused by waves, wind and currents, tend to kink the mooring rope around the buoy itself and consequently the free portion of rope is shortened, bringing the boat closer to the buoy. The buoy, and in particular the ring 3, can hit and damage the hull. The buoy and the anchoring chain are also more stressed and wear out more rapidly. This drawback is especially felt if the boat is moored for a long time.

Summary of the invention

[0008] The purpose of the invention is to overcome the problems of the prior art that are listed above.

[0009] The purpose is accomplished with a buoy comprising a floating body and a pin which axially passes through said body, in which the above-water upper end of said pin supports mooring means, characterized in that said mooring means comprise a mooring element rotatably associated with said pin.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment, said mooring element is substantially made with a sleeve coaxially slotted over the pin, which bears a plate equipped with at least one hole or a set of holes for fastening a mooring rope. The plate can advantageously be welded to said sleeve.

[0011] Preferably the coupling between said sleeve and said pin is made through a bushing coaxially fixed into the sleeve itself. Said bushing, according to preferred aspects of the invention, is made of brass or nylon.

[0012] The advantage of the invention is that the rotary coupling is provided between the said mooring element and the pin, rather than between the pin and the floating body of the buoy. The coupling is precise, especially thanks to the use of the brass or nylon bushing, and is free to rotate with low friction; it is also totally in the above-water zone, and therefore not subject to incrustation and less exposed to the attack of water.

[0013] Moreover, the traction of the anchoring rope or chain does no longer hinder the free rotation of the mooring point, as happens in the prior art.

[0014] According to a further preferred aspect of the invention, a disc is also mounted at the upper end of the pin, the disc comprising one or more holes for fastening a mooring rope in the absence of the boat. In this way the rope is quickly available to carry out mooring operations. Said disc can also be rotatable with respect to the pin and the underlying floating body. Preferably said disc is made of Teflon® or nylon.

[0015] Said disc, according to a further aspect of the invention, has a diameter which is greater than the distance between the axis of the pin and the distal end of the mooring element, so as to act as a protection, as shall become clearer hereafter.

[0016] The advantages of the invention, as easily understood, are a safer mooring over time thanks to the improved rotary coupling between the float and the mooring point. The advantages shall become clearer with the help of the following description, referring to a preferred and not limiting embodiment.

Description of the figures

[0017] 

Fig. 1 shows a.buoy according to the invention.

Fig. 2 shows the upper detail of the buoy of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section view according to the plane III-III of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a partial view from above of the buoy.

Description of a preferred embodiment

[0018] With reference to Figs. 1-4, a boat mooring buoy 10 comprises a floating body 11 with an axial passing-through pin 12, preferably made of stainless or zinc-coated steel, firmly connected to the body 11. The pin 12 is indicated in Fig. 1 by broken lines. The pin 12, for example, can be substantially forced into an axial hole of the body 11.

[0019] The floating body 11 is of conventional type, and does not need modifications to realize the invention. The invention can therefore be made using the same floating body of a known buoy.

[0020] The above-water upper end of said pin 12 supports suitable mooring means, which in the example are represented by a mooring element indicated as a whole by 13. The lower end of the pin, which is immersed in use, has means for anchoring the buoy to the sea bed, which in the example consists of a ring 14.

[0021] Said mooring element 13, in greater detail (Fig. 2), is formed by a cylindrical or substantially cylindrical sleeve 15, to which a plate 16 is welded, said plate having at least one hole 17 for a mooring rope. The preferred material is stainless steel or zinc-coated steel.

[0022] The sleeve part 15 is hollow and coaxially slotted over the pin 12, with interposition of a bushing 18 preferably made of brass, nylon or another antifriction material. The bushing 18 is forced into the hole of said sleeve 15 and is visible in the section of Fig. 3. The coupling between the bushing 18 and the pin 12 is freely rotatable.

[0023] The mooring element 13, as can be seen in Fig. 2, is distanced from the top of the floating body 11 through two upper and lower flat washers 19a and 19b, respectively, and a further spacer bushing 20. There is a second spacer bushing 21 and another two flat washers 22 to distance the mooring element 13 from a disc 30 preferably made of nylon, fastened to the top of the buoy. The spacer bushing 21 is machined to cover the nut 23 located under it (Fig. 2).

[0024] The disc 30 acts as a protection, having a diameter which is greater than the distance between the axis of the pin and the end of the mooring element 13, namely of the respective plate 16. In other words, the edge of the disc 30 is further away from the axis of the pin than the end of the mooring element, as shown by quote "d" of Fig. 2.

[0025] Consequently, the metal plate 16 is in any case protected from hitting the hull of a boat moored at the buoy.

[0026] The disc 30 also comprises a set of holes 31 (Fig. 4) to fasten a mooring rope when not used. Normally, a mooring rope is fastened to one of the holes 17, for example, with a shackle, and the opposite end is fastened to one of the holes 31 to be within reach and immediately available during mooring operations.

[0027] In use, the buoy is anchored to the sea bed with a chain or equivalent means fastened to the ring 14, and the holes 17 are used for mooring. The element 13 being able to rotate on the pin 12 prevents the mooring rope from kinking. It should also be noted that the traction of the anchoring chain is substantially discharged on the lower washer 19b, and not on the rotation surface between the bushing 18 and the pin 12. Hence, there are no friction forces such as to oppose the free rotation of the mooring element 13.

[0028] It is clear that the invention can undergo variants and contingent modifications, all being covered by the scope of protection of the attached claims.

Claims

1. A buoy (10) for mooring a waterborne vessel, comprising a floating body (11) and a pin (12) which axially passes through said body, wherein the above-water upper end of said pin supports mooring means, characterized in that said mooring means comprise a mooring element (13) rotatably associated with said pin.

2. Buoy according to claim 1, wherein said mooring element (13) comprises a coaxial sleeve (15) rotatable on said pin, which carries a plate (16) equipped with at least one hole (17) for fastening a mooring rope.

3. Buoy according to claim 2, wherein said sleeve (15) of the mooring element (13) is able to rotate on the pin (12) through a bushing (18) coaxially fixed into the hole of said sleeve (15).

4. Buoy according to claim 3, wherein said mooring element (13) is made from stainless steel or zinc-coated steel, and said bushing (18) is made from brass or nylon.

5. Buoy according to any one of the previous claims, characterized in that it also comprises a disc fixed to the upper end of the pin (12), on the part above water, said disc (30) having a diameter greater than the distance between the pin axis and the end of the mooring element, so as to be able to act as protection.

6. Buoy according to claim 5, wherein the disc (30) comprises at least one hole (31) for fastening a mooring rope, when said rope is not used.

Drawing