BUOY AND BUOY ASSEMBLY

Abstract

A barrier comprising a plurality of elongate shafts which are positioned end-to-end, a respective connection between each pair of adjacent shafts to allow for limited pivotal movement of one shaft relative to an adjacent shaft, a plurality of axially spaced buoys rotatably mounted to the shafts, wherein each buoy comprises at least two buoyant sections which are secured together, a plurality of deterrent discs on the shafts wherein at least one disc is respectively positioned between each adjacent pair of buoys, and wherein each said connection between adjacent shafts is respectively flanked by two spaced apart discs which inhibit access to the connection.

Claims

1. A buoy comprising a body which is formed from at least two buoyant sections and a fastening arrangement which secures the sections together, and wherein a passage extends through the body.

2. A buoy according to claim 1 wherein the body has a first end which is hemispherical or which is tapered and a second end which is hemispherical or tapered and a section between the first end and the second end which comprises a spherical section or a cylindrical section.

3. A buoy according to claim 1 wherein each section has an outer surface and an inner surface and is formed with a respective channel on the inner surface, and wherein the sections, when secured together by means of the fastening arrangement, have the respective inner surfaces in contact with each other and the channels form the passage.

4. A buoy according to claim 1 wherein the passage has a first end and a second end and, at each end, the passage terminates in a respective recess, the buoy including a shaft which is located in the passage, a first retention member which is fixed to the shaft and which is positioned inside the recess at one end of the passage and a second retention member which is fixed to the shaft and which is positioned inside the recess at an opposing end of the passage, the retention members being configured to restrict movement of the buoy in an axial direction relative to the shaft.

5. A buoy according to claim 1 wherein the fastening arrangement comprises a plurality of elongate fastening straps which are engaged with respective grooves in the outer surfaces of the buoyant sections and which are actuated with an over-centre action to urge the sections together.

6. A buoy assembly which comprises at least two buoys, each buoy being according to claim 1, and a shaft which extends through the passages in the buoys, and retention members which are fixed to the shaft and which are positioned to retain the buoys rotatably engaged with the shaft in respective positions on the shaft and which restrict axial movement of the buoys relative to the shaft.

7. A buoy assembly according to claim 6 which includes an anchor component for tethering the buoy assembly, when it is in water, to an anchor which is on a submerged surface.

8. A combination of at least two adjacent buoy assemblies, wherein each buoy assembly is according to claim 6, wherein an end of the shaft in one buoy assembly is secured to an end of the shaft in the other buoy assembly such that one shaft is pivotally movable to a limited extent relative to the other shaft.

9. A combination according to claim 6 which includes at least one respective disc fixed to the shafts between each adjacent pair of buoys, and wherein the ends of the shafts, which are joined together, are positioned between two spaced apart discs which hinder access to the joined ends.

10. A buoy assembly according to claim 6 which includes a net suspended in water below the buoys to act as an anti-dive component.

11. A barrier comprising a plurality of elongate shafts which are positioned end-to-end, a respective connection between each pair of adjacent shafts to allow for limited pivotal movement of one shaft relative to an adjacent shaft, a plurality of axially spaced buoys rotatably mounted to the shafts, wherein each buoy comprises at least two buoyant sections which are secured together, a plurality of deterrent discs on the shafts wherein at least one disc is respectively positioned between each adjacent pair of buoys, and wherein each said connection between adjacent shafts is respectively flanked by two spaced apart discs which inhibit access to the connection.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0039] The disclosure is further described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0040] FIG. 1 is a side view of a buoy assembly according to one embodiment,

[0041] FIG. 2 shows in section, at an angle displaced by 90 from the FIG. 1 drawing, the buoy assembly,

[0042] FIG. 3 is an exploded view of a buoy which comprises two hemispherical sections,

[0043] FIG. 4 shows an assembled buoy in cross section,

[0044] FIG. 5 is a side view of two shafts one of which is included in the buoy assembly of FIGS. 1 and 2,

[0045] FIG. 6 shows on an enlarged scale a portion, marked 6, of the shafts in FIG. 5 illustrating a joint or connection between the shafts,

[0046] FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of the joint in FIG. 6 in the direction of an arrow 7 showing a connector for an anti-dive barrier,

[0047] FIGS. 8 shows a variation of the shaft and disc assembly in FIG. 5, and

[0048] FIGS. 9A, 9B and 9C are various views of buoys which can be used in place of the spherical buoys shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0049] FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings is a view from one side of a barrier assembly 10 according to one embodiment. The barrier assembly includes a central shaft 12 (FIG. 2) and three buoys 14, 16 and 18 respectively.

[0050] FIG. 2 shows the barrier assembly of FIG. 1 from one side and in cross section but displaced at 90 relative to the FIG. 1 illustration.

[0051] The shaft 12 has a first end 22 and an opposing second end 24. A connecting member 26 in the form of a clevis projects from the first end 22 and a connecting member 28 in the form of a flange projects from the second end 24.

[0052] The buoys 14, 16 and 18 are identical to one another. For this reason it is only the construction of the buoy 14 which is described. The assembly 10 has three buoys. This is not limiting as the number of buoys per assembly can be increased or reduced.

[0053] Referring to FIG. 3 the buoy 14 is made from two hemispherical sections 46 which are identical to each other. The sections are moulded in a suitable process e.g. using roto-moulding techniques, from a buoyant or cellular material which due to entrapped air has a density less than 1.

[0054] Each section has a hemispherical outer surface 48 and a flat inner surface 50 which is formed with a centrally positioned diametrically extending channel 52 which in cross section is semi-circular. At opposing ends the channel terminates in respective enlarged mouths 54 and 56 which are also semi-circular in shape. When the sections are engaged with each other, the mouths form recesses 60, on opposed sides of the channels at the junction of the outer surface and the inner surface-see FIG. 4.

[0055] Optionally, reinforcing members 62 e.g. of shaped discs are embedded in the body of each section adjacent the channel. This helps to form flat surfaces 64A and 64B between the members, and facing the channelfeatures which facilitate buoy assembly and ensure that each buoy can rotate freely about its axis, in use.

[0056] A base 54A of the recess at the mouth 54 is spaced from a base 56A of the recess at the mouth 56 by a distance 66, which is the length of a passage 66A formed by the two channels 52.

[0057] The outer surface 48 of each section is formed with four parallel grooves 68, 70, 72 and 74 which, viewed from one side, are arcuate.

[0058] FIG. 5 is a side view of the shaft 12 which abuts a similar shaft 12A. FIG. 6 shows a connection joint 76 between the shafts 12 and 12A on an enlarged scale.

[0059] Each shaft 12, 12A has a respective number of retention members 90A to 90F, in the form of respective small discs fixed to it.

[0060] The spacings between the members 90A and 90B, between the members 90C and 90D, and between the members 90E and 90F, are indicated by the reference numeral 94 and are identical to one another. The dimension 94 is slightly greater than the dimension 66 shown in FIG. 4.

[0061] Substantially identical circular discs 100A, 100B of metal or of a hard plastics material are respectively mounted to each of the shafts 12, 12A between the members 90B and 90C, and 90D and 90E. Each disc could be fixed in position or it could be mounted so that it is pivotal to a small extent, or is rotatable, relative to the shaft 12. The discs have diameters which approximate the diameters of the buoys.

[0062] FIG. 6 illustrates opposing ends of the shafts 12 and 12A. The flange 28 of the shaft 12 is positioned in the clevis 26 of the shaft 12A. A headed pin 104 is passed through registering holes in the clevis and the flange and is then locked in position by means of an adhesive or by welding in situ to ensure a tamper-proof connection. The joint 76 between the shafts is such that relative pivotal movement between the shafts is possible to a limited extent.

[0063] The pin 104 is flanked by a disc 110 on the shaft 12 and by a smaller disc 112 fixed to the clevis 26 thereby to restrict access to the joint 76 between the shafts.

[0064] FIG. 7 is a perspective view on an enlarged scale of the joint between the shafts. The smaller disc 112 is not visible. A downwardly extending fastener 120 projects from the joint 76. This fastener provides a support for an anchor, not shown, to anchor the buoy assembly to ground in a body of water or for the attachment of an anti-dive structure, e.g. a net positioned below the buoy assembly, to prevent an intruder from swimming through water below the buoys.

[0065] The buoy assembly 10 in FIG. 1 requires six hemispherical sections 46 each of the kind shown in FIG. 3. These sections are assembled in pairs with the channels 52 aligned so that the shaft 12 can lie in the elongate passage 66A which is formed by the longitudinally aligned channels. The dimension 66 is slightly less than the dimension 94 and each pair of buoy sections thus fits closely between a pair of adjacent retention members 90. Straps 140 of roughly circular shape but of different diametrical dimensions are then fitted into the grooves 68 to 74 respectively and wrapped circumferentially around the buoy sections in order to secure each pair of buoy sections together with the inner surfaces 50 of the sections opposing and in contact with each other.

[0066] Respective ends of each strap carry over-centre connectors 140A and 140B respectively. When these connectors are mated and then actuated the buoy sections are urged tightly together with the inner surfaces 50 thereof opposing and in firm contact with each other. The over-centre connectors, once actuated, are welded or glued together to prevent unauthorised release thereof.

[0067] Each pair of buoy sections, when brought together in the manner described, makes up a spherical buoy.

[0068] In each buoy the respective retention members 90A to 90F are snugly located in the recesses 60 at opposing ends of the passages 66A. This process produces a buoy assembly of the kind shown in FIG. 1. Abutting ends of shafts of adjacent buoy assemblies are fixed to one another, as described, to produce an elongate floating barrier.

[0069] The process can be continued in this way, within reason, to create an elongate barrier of a desired length formed from a plurality of barrier assemblies wherein each assembly includes three buoys (in this embodiment). The pivotal type connection which is established in the manner which has been described allows for a degree of pivotal movement of some buoys relative to adjacent buoys.

[0070] When adjacent shafts are secured together as has been described hereinbefore, the joint between the shafts is preferably pivotal, to some extent, to allow for water movement which may act to displace one buoy assembly relative to an adjacent buoy assembly.

[0071] The use of rigid shafts in the barrier assemblies is exemplary and not limiting, for suitably constructed flexible cables could be used instead of the rigid shafts.

[0072] A barrier which comprises barrier assemblies which are connected to one another is installed in a body of water 178 e.g. in a harbour, in a river or the like, at a required location. To maintain the barrier in position cables or chains 180, notionally shown in FIG. 1, are fixed to the anchor fasteners 120 (FIG. 7) and are attached to anchors 182 which rest on a submerged ground surface 184. Netting 190 or cables or other barriers can be attached to the buoys e.g. by using fasteners which are engaged with the discs 100 or to the anchor fasteners to hang downwardly in the water 178 thereby to form an impediment (an anti-dive barrier) to any person trying to swim below the barrier.

[0073] FIG. 1 illustrates a single anchor installation. The number of anchors used depends on the water conditions and other factors. Typically one anchor would be used for every twenty buoys. This figure is exemplary and non-limiting. The number of anchors depends on installation conditions, water flow rates and the like.

[0074] As each buoy is rotatable about the shaft to which it is attached it is difficult for a person to breach the barrier by trying to climb over the buoys. The construction of the barrier assembly is such that only short portions of the shafts between adjacent buoys are visible. The connection of one shaft to another is achieved by means of a joint in which components of the joint are welded or adhesively fixed together. It is therefore difficult to tamper with the shaft. Also, as is shown in FIG. 2, the retention members 90 are set deep inside each of the recesses 60 and cannot readily be accessed. The members 90 prevent the buoys from moving in axial directions along the shafts.

[0075] The outer surfaces of the buoys are smooth, and do not provide a foothold nor a handhold. However, if required spikes can be attached to the outer surfaces e.g. by making use of the straps.

[0076] The discs between adjacent buoys can have deterrent members fixed to them e.g. by means of bolts. Alternatively the edges of the discs could be serrated. It is preferred though for the edges to be smooth.

[0077] FIG. 8 shows in perspective discs 100X which are perforated and which include spiked peripheries 100Y. The perforations reduce weight and the spiked peripheries act as deterrents.

[0078] The disclosure has been described thus far with reference to the use of spherical buoys. In another embodiment the spherical buoys are replaced by substantially cylindrical buoys 210 each of the kind shown from one side in FIG. 9A. Each buoy 210 has a first hemispherical end 212, a second hemispherical end 214 and, between the ends, an elongate substantially cylindrical body portion 216.

[0079] The buoy 210 is formed from two identical sections 218-one section is shown in FIG. 9B (which also shows the buoy 210 in cross section). The internal construction is substantially similar to what is shown in FIG. 4 and for that reason similar features bear similar reference numerals and are not further described herein.

[0080] The curved ends of the buoys provide a see-through feature which is highly useful when adjacent buoys are fixed close to each other on a shaft. A deterrent disc of the kind described herein is used between adjacent buoys to hinder access through a gap between adjacent buoys.

[0081] The construction shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B can be varied as shown in FIG. 9C in that ends of the substantially cylindrical buoys could be tapered (222) as opposed to being curved or hemispherical, again to provide a see-through capability. A bigger gap between adjacent buoys may be created by the use of this technique, and additional discs between adjacent buoys may then be called for to impede passage by an intruder through the enlarged gap. If required the spherical buoys may similarly be reconfigured-refer for example to FIG. 4 wherein dotted lines 230 indicate tapered surfaces which replace the curved end surfaces of the buoys.