Field of the Invention

The present invention concerns a fastening device for an anchoring element and resilient unit, included in an anchoring system, in accordance with the claims.

Background of the Invention

In several different situations and circumstances, there exists a need to anchor objects that float on the surface of an ocean, lake or other body of water to a secure structure (abutment, anchored structure) or similar under the surface of the water. Such situations occur for example when floating jetties and similar structures need to be anchored. Several different types of anchoring systems with included components have been created that allow the anchoring of floating jetties and similar structures.

One problem associated with anchoring floating jetties and the like to objects that are for example located on a seafloor, a lakebed or similar is that water levels, that is to say the level of the surface of the water in relation to the bottom varies. This variation is caused, among other things by tidal cycles (tidewater), differences in wind direction and wind strength and obviously even by waves. Several devices that allow flexibility (adjustability) in the anchoring system's length have been created in order to compensate for differences in water level and the affect that this has on the anchoring elements. Another problem with known anchoring devices is caused by slack that occurs in attached lines (rope, chains) and the like, which may cause boats, boat propellers and similar to get caught in the slack.

Several different problems arise when using anchoring systems to anchor jetties and similar to the ocean floor (lake bottom) and also anchors and the like to the bottom. One of these problems is that existing anchoring systems include parts, of for example steel, which corrode in conjunction with extended periods of contact with water. Because known anchoring systems usually spend all or most of their working life-span under water, the material included in components, especially if they are placed in water with high levels of salinity, are exposed to different types of corrosion. Different qualities of stainless steel, such as so called acid-proof steel, minimize the occurrence of corrosion problems, but even these materials will corrode eventually if they are placed in ocean water with relatively high salinity levels. Problems with corrosion mean that the parts of the anchoring system will corrode to such an extent that they will fail to function properly or breakdown completely.

Corrosion problems in components included in fastening devices which are included in anchoring systems may be of different types. The most common type of corrosion in fastening devices that include screw joints, is crevice corrosion. Crevice corrosion occurs between two adjacent surfaces where it is possible for water to penetrate in between and thereafter become deficient in oxygen thereby allowing a local corrosion to form. Crevice corrosion thereby occurs between nut and bolt in the screw joints of fastening devices. Because of the occurrence of crevice corrosion in screw joints, there thus exists a need for an improved fastening device that to a lesser extent than earlier designs includes screw joints.

One way to lessen the problems with corrosion is to choose a material that corrodes to a lesser extent than steel. Titanium is one such conceivable material. The problem with replacing steel with titanium is that titanium has a much higher price than steel, which in turn means that the product will be more expansive. In order to reduce material costs, it is therefore of interest to reduce the amount of material in the anchoring system without jeopardizing the function of the design.

There are even other problems than material problems with fastening devices in anchoring systems that include screw joints. Firstly, the use of screw joints usually means that several working operations must be accomplished when they are utilized. According to known techniques (methods), each bolt in the screw joint is first lubricated with grease after which the nuts are applied to the bolts and after that the nuts are screwed tight with a predetermined amount of tightening torque. This method results in messy (unclean, grimy) conditions for the person performing the work and even results in grease (lubricant) contaminating the surrounding waters. Secondly, screw joints may cause worker health problems when repetitive working operations in conjunction with tightening, put strain on the person doing the tightening by way of for example wrenches, which during a longer period of time may result in a heightened risk of the worker developing work related strain injuries.

Description of the Related Art

Fastening devices for anchoring elements, included in anchoring systems, for example for floating jetties and other floating structures, have long been known to exist in several different variants with different designs and shapes. For example, the company Seaflex that is applying for this patent application markets such a design which is shown schematically in Fig. 1. Even if this design readily accomplishes its purpose, it still however has several flaws. For example, it is made of steel and includes several screw joints. This results in a heightened risk of corrosion such as crevice corrosion in the screw joints. Further, the design will result in excessive material costs if titanium is substituted for the steel. Besides pure material problems, the design even exhibits a number of other flaws. For example, in particular situations the design exhibits unfavorable bending qualities in some of its parts. Furthermore, in order for the design to achieve a satisfactory function, only an even number of rubber cables may be connected to the device. In W095180038 is described a variant of an anchoring system for ships that includes an attachment element with a male part that connects to a female part, which is placed on a ship in an appropriate position. The design differs to a great extent from the design in accordance with the present patent application.

US4082054 shows and describes an anchoring device for boats. This design includes a ball that is attached to a line (rope). The attachment part is connected to a guiding unit that consists of a part that is secured on several legs. This part is designed so that it has a groovelike part where the ball is attached. In a second embodiment, the guiding unit includes a base frame that has several grooves (indentations) where the indented part may be attached. The design differs to a great extent from the design in accordance with the present patent application.

US4114553 describes an anchoring device for boats. This design includes a tube-shaped part that has grooves in its upper and lower portions for connecting a rope or similar when anchoring a boat. A ball may also be attached to the rope by the ball being connected to the tube-shaped part's groove. The design differs to a great extent from the design in accordance with the present patent application.

Brief Description of the Drawings

In the following detailed description of the present invention, reference and references to the following figures will occur. Each figure is briefly described in the following figure list. The design shown in the figures is an exemplifying embodiment of the invention in accordance with the present patent application. The exemplifying embodiment is not limiting for the scope of protection of the present patent application. Note that the figures are schematic and details may thus be omitted in these.

Fig. 1 A and IB show a first embodiment of the design in accordance with the present patent application. Fig. 2 shows an exploded view drawing of the present design. Fig. 3 shows a device for limiting the extraction length. Fig. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of the included frame.

Fig. 5A and 5B shows a clamping sleeve in accordance with one exemplifying embodiment.

Detailed Description of the Invention With reference to the figures, a fastening device 1 in accordance with the present invention is shown. The fastening device 1 is for example intended to be used as a fastening device for anchoring elements included in different types of anchoring systems.

In one exemplifying embodiment, the present fastening device is used in a resilient unit 2 (one half of a resilient unit is shown in Fig. 1), intended to prevent slack in anchoring elements (such as lines, rope, chains, wire or the like), included in the anchoring system with which floating jetties and similar structures may be anchored. The fastening device 1 is preferably used in pairs, with at least one first fastening device 1 and at least one second fastening device 1, with a number of intermediate elastic elements 3. One of the fastening devices is intended to be connected with at least one anchoring element to at least one structure or at least one device placed for example on the bottom of a body of water and that the second fastening device 1 is intended to be connected with at least one anchoring element to at least one floating jetty or similar. The elastic elements 3 may for example consist of elongated elastic rope or the like. The number of elastic elements 3 may vary within the scope of the present patent application. In one and the same fastening device 1, the number of connected elastic elements (preferably elongated elastic elements) 3 may be varied by varying the number of elastic elements 3 that are connected between the first and the second unit. In the

exemplifying embodiment, the number of elastic elements may thus be varied from two and upward. The resilient unit 2 includes at least one device 4 with which the maximum extension length of the elastic element 3 may be limited. This may be accomplished by several different designs. A principal design is shown in Fig. 3. This function is preferably accomplished by for example a design 5 consisting of at least one first ring (loop) 6 and at least one second ring (loop) 7 in accordance with the schematic figure. One of the rings (loops) 6 runs through the other ring (loop) 7. One of the loop's 6 ends is connected to the first fastening device 1 and the other loop's 7 ends are connected to the second fastening device 1.

The resilient unit 2 further includes at least one elastic element 8 which guides the positions for the loops 6 and 7. The elastic element 8 is connected between the first fastening device 1 and the second fastening device 1. The loops 6 and 7, at or near their ends, are equipped with end fittings (not shown in the figures) or similar which are placed on the inner side of the loop. The end fittings prevent the radius of the loop becoming dangerously small for the material of each respective loop. In alternative embodiments, these may be of another for the purpose suitable embodiment, as for example one of the embodiments described in

US60/902,283.

The present fastening device 1 includes at least one first attachment device 9 in which at least one first type of anchoring element is intended to be connected (attached). The fastening device 1 further includes at least one second attachment device 10 in which at least one second type of anchoring element is intended to be connected (attached). The first attachment device 9 and the second attachment device 10 are intended to be connected together and mutually locked with at least one locking device 11.

In the preferred embodiment of the present patent application, the fastening device 1 is used for attaching several elastic elongated elements 3 in designs that are already part of an earlier known anchoring system that is marketed by the company called Seaflex. The second attachment device is intended to be used to connect to at least one anchoring element 12 that is connected to at least one object (not shown in the figures), structure or similar by which anchoring occurs. In the exemplifying embodiment, the anchoring element 12 consists of a band, band loop 13 or similar which is directly connected to the object or indirectly via some different type of anchoring element to the structure. Band loops are preferably used when anchoring to objects on the bottom of the body of water.

The first fastening device 1 is intended to attach at least one first type of anchoring element. The anchoring elements consist preferably of elongated elastic elements 3. The elongated elements 3 may be of different types. The elastic elongated element 3 consists preferably of a rubber cable or another for the purpose suitable design. The elongated elements 3 may further consist of other for the purpose suitable elongated elastic objects.

The first attachment device includes a frame 14 (main plate, block or similar). The frame 14 is, in the exemplifying embodiment bowl-shaped with a round or essentially round cross- section. The frame 14 may however, in other embodiments, be of another for the purpose suitable shape.

The frame 14 in the exemplifying embodiment includes a first part 15, consisting preferably of a level or essentially level part that essentially stretches in a radial direction from the frame's axial center line 16. The first part 15 transitions after a length in the radial direction, that may vary within the scope of the present patent application, via at least one radial-shaped part 17 in a second part 18 which stretches a length in a perpendicular or an essentially more axial direction than in a radial direction from the first part. After a length the second part 18 transitions into a third part 19 which stretches perpendicular or essentially stretches more in the radial direction than in the axial direction from the second part 18. The second part 18 transitions preferably into the third part 19 via at least one radial-shaped part 20. The third part 19 may be a flange-like edge such as is shown in the figures. In alternative embodiments the frame 14 may be of another for the purpose suitable shape than the shape exemplified in the figures. The frame 14 in its first part 15 (that in the exemplifying embodiment consists of an essentially level part) includes at least one, and preferably several, holes and/or through holes. In the exemplifying embodiment, the frame 14 includes at least one hole 20 in the frame's axial center and at least one second hole 21 and at least one third hole 22. The second hole 21 and the third hole 22 are intended as through holes for the passage of "By Pass". The first part 18 includes at least one fourth hole 23 and at least one fifth hole 24. The fourth hole 23 and the fifth hole 24 in the exemplifying embodiment consist of one first essentially rectangular aperture and one second essentially rectangular aperture. The frame 14 further preferably includes several attachment elements 25 for at least one and preferably several elongated elastic elements 3. The attachment elements 25 are preferably placed with an even

distribution. In the exemplifying embodiment, the attachment elements 25 consists of holes 26. The holes 26, in the exemplifying embodiment, are placed besides/at the transition between the first part 15 and the second part 18. To each respective hole 26, at least one elongated element 3 is intended to be attached. In the exemplifying embodiment, the design includes one attachment element 25, preferably such as hole 26, per each elongated element 3 included in the anchoring system. Depending upon the number of elongated elements 3 in the anchoring system one or more holes 26 may however remain unused during connection (attachment) of the elongated elements 3 to the fastening device.

In the exemplifying embodiment, each respective hole 26 (attachment element 25) consists of an essentially T-shaped aperture. Each respective hole may however have another for the purpose suitable shape. The T-shaped holes 26 stretch from the second part 18 via the radial- shaped part 17 to the first part 15. The T-shaped hole 26 consists of an aperture that stretches along a part of the frame's 14 girth and a part that initially stretches along the second part's axial direction after which it follows the radial-shaped part and further a length along the first part. In alternative embodiments, the T-shaped holes may be of another for the purpose suitable shape.

The elongated elements 3 are intended to be attached to the one end 27 of an attachment element 28 that in its other end 29 includes at least one connecting part 30 with a T-shaped cross-section. The connecting element 28 may for example consist of a variant of a clamping sleeve which includes a sleeve 31, that transitions into a T-shaped connecting part 32. The T- shaped connecting part 32 may in alternative embodiments have another for the purpose suitable form that is adapted according to the shape of the hole 26. The T-shaped connecting part 32 is formed by an axle with a first length 33 with a relative lesser diameter and a second length 51 with a relative greater diameter. The T-shaped connecting part 30 is intended to be inserted into a slot (hole) 26 with a shape by which the connecting part may be inserted and held firm. For example, the connecting part may have a T-shape with slightly lesser dimensions than the hole 26. The design allows for the clamping sleeve's T-shaped connecting part 30 to be inserted into the T-shaped hole 26 from the side and inward in a radial direction. After the connecting part 30 has been inserted in the radial direction into the frame 14, the connecting part 30 is locked to the frame 14. This locking preferably occurs by the connecting part 30 (after it has been inserted into hole 26) being inserted in the frame's 14 axial direction against the inside of the first part 15 after which a locking ring (positioning ring) 34 or the like is put on the T-shaped connecting part's first length (with a relative smaller diameter [the axle's working part]) in the intermediate space between the frame 14 and the edge of the connecting part's 30 sleeve 31. When the locking ring 34 has been inserted into its position, the locking ring 34 will essentially prevent the clamping sleeve's connecting part 30 from passing out through the hole 26.

In the exemplifying embodiment, the fastening device 1 includes a reinforcement plate 35 that attaches to the frame's 14 first part 15 (the underside). The reinforcement plate 35 has preferably a round shape. The reinforcement plate 35 includes preferably a corresponding number of holes (slots) and through holes and also a corresponding mutual placement of holes, such as is found in the frame's 14 first part 15. Thus, the exemplifying embodiment of the reinforcement plate includes at least one hole in the reinforcement plate's 35 axial center and at least one second hole and one third hole intended as through holes for "By Pass". The reinforcement plate 35 further includes at least one fourth hole and at least one fifth hole. The fourth hole and the fifth hole, in the exemplifying embodiment consist of an essentially first rectangular aperture and a second essentially rectangular aperture.

In the exemplifying embodiment, the reinforcement plate 35 may also include notches 36. The notches 36 are intended, during mounting (assembly) of the reinforcement plate 35 to the frame 14, to provide space for locking rings and when appropriate even the edge of the sleeve.

The present design also includes an insert plate. It includes a bracket support 37. The bracket support may have a U-shape. In alternative embodiments it is conceivable that the bracket support 37 has another for the purpose suitable shape and/or design. The bracket support 37 includes a first piece 38 and a second piece 39 and an intermediate section 40 between the first piece 38 and the second piece 39. The bracket support's 37 first piece 38 and second piece 39 are intended to be inserted into the reinforcement plate's 35 and frame's 14 rectangular notches. The bracket support 37 includes preferably a corresponding number of holes (slots) and through holes with the same corresponding mutual placement of holes that the reinforcement plate 35 and frame 14 include in their first part 15.

During assembly (interconnection) the frame 14, the reinforcement plate 35 and the bracket support 37 are locked, temporarily or permanently, with at least one locking device 41. In the exemplifying embodiment, the locking device 41 includes at least one first locking element 42 and at least one second locking element 43, whose form are alike to puzzle pieces which may connect together and be unconnected. The locking device consists of earlier known designs and is therefore not described in more detail in this patent application. In the exemplifying embodiment, the fastening device further includes a grip plate 44 which, after the procedure of the bracket support's 37 first piece 38 and second piece 39 being inserted through the rectangular apertures in the frame and the reinforcement plate, is attached to the bracket support's 37 first piece 38 and second piece 39. The grip plate 44 includes protruding segments 45 which are intended to be inserted into holes 46 or grooves

(indentations) in the bracket support's 37 first piece 38 and second piece 39. The number of segments 45 and holes 46 as well as the spacing between the segments and holes coincide with the bracket support and grip plate.

A tool (not shown in the figures) is used during the assembly, with which the first piece 38 and second piece 39 are parted, after which the grip plate 43 is inserted between the first piece 38 and second piece 39. The design also includes a contact part 47 which includes at least one bent contact surface 48 for the anchoring element, such as for example the band. The bent contact surface 48 may be radial shaped, partially elliptical in shape or consist of a curved surface of another for the purpose suitable shape. The contact surface is attached (mounted) either to the grip plate 44 or the bracket support 37 with one or more suitable for the purpose fastener 50 or fasteners 50. The ends of the contact surface 47 are intended to connect to the bracket support's 37 first piece 38 and second piece 39. The contact surface 47 is intended to be used to attach the band to the fastening device. After the protruding segments 45 have been inserted into their corresponding hole 46 and groove (indentation), the first piece and second piece are returned to their mutual position to the point where the grip plate 44 is locked to the bracket support 37.

The design further includes at least one plate, flange (not shown in the figures) or the like which is intended to be attached to the inside of the frame 14 against the inside of the frame's first part 15. The flange is preferably ring-shaped with a greater outer diameter and a lesser inner diameter. The outer diameter is smaller than the inner diameter of the frame's 14 first part 15. The inner diameter, the holes diameter, is greater than the maximal width (diameter) of the locking device.

A unique feature of the present invention is that the material in it essentially consists of titanium. Titanium has the advantage of it being highly resistant to corrosion. Titanium also has the advantage of it being strong in relation to its weight (the density of titanium is about 4.54 kg/dm3). In alternative embodiments it is however conceivable that another type of material suitable for the purpose be used. In the detailed description of the present invention, design details may have been omitted which are apparent to persons skilled in the art in the field of the method and device. Such obvious design details are included to the extent necessary so that a proper and full performance (function) is achieved for the present fastening device. Even if certain preferred embodiments have been described and shown in detail, variations and modifications of the method and device may become apparent for specialists in the field of the invention. All such modifications and variations are regarded as falling within the scope of the following claims.

Advantages of the Invention Several advantages are achieved with the present invention. The most obvious is that an improved fastening device for anchoring elements included in anchoring systems is achieved. Another advantage of the present invention is that the earlier disadvantage of crevice corrosion in the screw joints is essentially eliminated, which is a great advantage for applications that are essentially during their entire life-span located under water.