CABLE MANAGEMENT FOR MARINE BARRIERS AND GATE SYSTEMS

摘要

A marine gate has a buoyant variable length barrier and a cable management system employing two cables or lines. An opening line extends through the barrier to move the barrier from an expanded position (gate is closed) to a retracted position (gate is open) via a winch. A closing line moves the barrier from the retracted position to the expanded position using a winch. A weight is attached to the closing line for moving a submerged portion of the line to the seafloor when the barrier gate is retracted and the closing line is payed out by operation of its winch. The weighted line allows a portion or the entire cable system to be under tension at all times. The resulting cable geometry allows vessel operators confidence in knowing the cable location in the water depths at the gate, whether the gate is fully or partially opened.

主权项

1. A marine gate comprising:
a buoyant, variable length barrier gate; wherein when the barrier gate is floating in a body of water, the barrier gate is movable from a fully expanded position where the barrier gate extends from a substantially stationary first attachment point to a substantially stationary second attachment point remote from the first attachment point, to a retracted position where the barrier gate extends from the first attachment point to a location between the first and second attachment points; and wherein the first attachment point is attached to a first end of the barrier gate;the marine gate further comprising:
an opening winch disposed at the first attachment point, the opening winch having an opening line attached proximal to a second end of the barrier gate opposite the first end of the barrier gate, for moving the barrier gate from the fully expanded position to the retracted position by operation of the opening winch; a closing winch disposed at the second attachment point, the closing winch having a closing line attached proximal to the second end of the barrier gate, for moving the barrier gate from the retracted position to the fully expanded position by operation of the closing winch; and a weight attached to the closing line for moving a submerged portion of the closing line to the bottom of the body of water when the barrier gate is in the retracted position and the closing line is payed out by operation of the closing winch.