BUOY AND BUOY ASSEMBLY

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a buoy and to a floating barrier which is made from a plurality of the buoys.

A demand exists for a floating barrier which is deployable in a water course along a barrier line. The nature of the floating barrier must be such as to prevent or deter unauthorised access across the barrier line.

The barrier is typically made from a plurality of buoys which are connected to one another. Each buoy is preferably made from an expanded plastics material which is of a relatively low cost and which is resistant to being immersed in water. Through the use of appropriate moulds the material can be formed to a suitable shape.

Each buoy is mounted to be rotatable freely about an axis so that it is difficult for a person to climb over the buoy. However it is open for an intruder to attack a buoy using a cutting tool or device. Portions of the plastic can then be removed thereby to form a path through or across the buoy. In this way the deterrent effect of the barrier can be negated.

An object of the present invention is to address, at least to some extent, the aforementioned situation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides a buoy which comprises a buoyant body and a reinforcing structure in or on the body.

By way of a non-limiting example the buoyant body may include a material such as an expanded plastics material, or the body may be made from any other material which has a relative density (specific gravity) less than 1.

In a different approach the body has a shell, for example of a plastics material, aluminium or any other appropriate material. One or more pockets of air or of any suitable material may be enclosed in the body to enhance its buoyancy.

The shell preferably serves as a mould. Thus the shell is preformed, made available and the reinforcing structure is located within an interior of the shell whereafter the plastics material is positioned inside the shell so that the reinforcing material is embedded in the plastics material once it has set.

The reinforcing structure may be of any suitable material. An important aspect in this respect is that a primary reason for its inclusion is to enable the buoy to have an enhanced resistance to attack. If the body is made from or includes a buoyant material then the reinforcing structure may be embedded therein. This material may be relatively soft and easy to penetrate or cut. In contrast the reinforcing structure should be resistant to cutting, grinding, sawing or any other technique which could otherwise, possibly easily, penetrate the buoyant material.

By way of example the reinforcing structure should include metal components which are resistant to an attack in which a grinder or a saw is used. Resistance to a grinding attack is increased if an ultrahard steel is included in the reinforcing structure. A similar comment applies if an attack is made using a reciprocating saw.

If the buoy is made from or includes a material which could possibly be ignited, intentionally or inadvertently, then the buoyant material may include a flame-retardant or be non-flammable.

A benefit arises if the reinforcing structure is made from mesh or has a mesh-like configuration or includes a number of overlapping strands or rods or wires which are embedded in the buoyant material. The reinforcing structure is then obscured and a perpetrator does not easily know which region of the body of the buoy should be attacked with an implement. There is a tendency for a mesh-like reinforcing structure to grip or cut or directly contact the arms of a perpetrator attempting to cut through the body of the buoy. A positive aspect is that the buoyant material, when it expands, grips and adheres to the reinforcing structure. This results in a “laminated” type effect—a situation which should be contrasted with that which prevails when a buoy is preformed and, thereafter, metallic strips or other reinforcing elements are attached to the buoy. Normally this is done with the aid of suitable fasteners. Typically this type of reinforcement would be external, comprise rings or straps which surround the body of the buoy.

It does however fall within the scope of the invention for rods or other reinforcing members, preferably of elongate form, to be pushed into the body of the buoy once it has set, to provide a degree of resistance to attack. The drawback to this approach though is that it can be difficult to push the reinforcing members into the body of the buoy. Also the reinforcing members do not adhere to the plastics material which forms the body.

It is desirable therefore that the plastics material should bond to the reinforcing structure thereby to form a complex arrangement in which it is not possible to remove the plastics material without addressing the effect of the reinforcing structure and vice versa.

The use of a metallic reinforcing structure has much to commend it. However if an attack is made using an implement such as a reciprocating saw or a chainsaw then it has been found that the incorporation into the buoyant material of non-metallic components can be highly beneficial in retarding an attack. Thus the buoyant material may include embedded in it reinforcing structure in the form of twine, fibrous material, cotton waste or other material which is formed from threads or which has a thread-like nature. If an implement such as a chainsaw or a reciprocating saw is used in an attack on a fibrous or net-like material, of a non-metallic type, such as cotton waste, twine or the like, then there is a tendency for the teeth on the saw to grip the fibre, as opposed to cutting the fibre, and in a short time the operation of the saw will be jammed.

Thus items such as toughened twine, ropes, plastic mesh, fibres and the like can be included in the buoyant material at a low cost and can be highly effective in resisting attack. Not only do these materials have the possibility of becoming attached to the blade of a saw which is used in an attack but the buoyant material which, by way of example, may be a foam material, is bonded thereto. Thus material which is severed or cut from the body of the buoy might be contained in that the material is still held in situ by means of a bonding action with the net, twine or the like which is embedded in the material. This increases the difficulty of making a path through or over the body of the buoy. It is moreover time-consuming to displace material to a sufficient extent to allow the body to be penetrated.

Metallic components used in the reinforcing structure, embedded in the buoyant material, should be protected against corrosion and rust effects. The buoyant material, typically comprising a plastics material, does offer a degree of protection in this regard. However it is preferred to enhance the resistance of metallic components to degradation by using a zinc-coated metal.

The body may be of any suitable shape determined by the manufacturing process which is used to make the buoy. Thus a mould may be used in which the body is formed and the body may thereafter be detached from the mould. However as indicated hereinbefore in one embodiment the buoy has a shell and the buoyant material and the reinforcing structure are located inside an interior of the shell. Thus the shell acts as a mould. Clearly each buoy has a separate shell which is bonded integrally to the plastics material used to provide buoyancy.

The reinforcing structure may extend continuously or, as indicated, it may comprise a plurality of elements which are spaced apart from one another thereby to extend circumferentially around the axis.

Preferably the body is circular cylindrical. To impede or prevent an intruder from climbing over the buoy, when in water, the body may have a substantial diameter. Without being limiting the diameter may be of the order of 1.5 meters. The length of the cylinder may vary according to requirement. If the length is substantial, e.g. of the order of 2 meters, then it may be difficult during manufacture and installation to handle the buoy because of its size and its weight. If the buoy has a shorter length, say of 0.5 meter, then handling is facilitated. The ratio of diameter to axial length R is thus preferably such that: 0.75<R<3. Preferably R=2. This has been found through experiment and manufacturing processes to give a cost effective balance between diameter and lengths with preferred imperial measurements of diameter=5 feet, and length=2 foot six inches.

The reinforcing structure is intended to prevent or hinder an attack on the body of the buoy which allows a sufficient quantity of the material to be removed so that a pathway through or over the buoy is formed or facilitated. Without being limiting the reinforcing structure may include at least one layer of material which is positioned in a region of from 10 to 30 cm from an outer surface of the body. The position of the structure is not externally discernible.

The reinforcing structure may comprise a single element or a plurality of elements at different locations inside the body of the buoy.

If the body is circular cylindrical the reinforcing structure may extend around a central axis of the body i.e. the reinforcing structure may extend circumferentially, in one or more layers, around the axis.

In one embodiment the reinforcing structure includes a mesh material made from galvanised metal. The size of the mesh apertures should be such that a plurality of the mesh apertures must be penetrated to permit passage of an intruder through or over the buoy. Use may be made of welded mesh, chain link mesh, or any other mesh arrangement. As noted it is also possible to make use of non-metallic mesh material or material of a fibrous or threadlike nature.

If the body includes a buoyant material then chopped strands of fibre threads, glass fibre or the like may be embedded in the material.

In respect of an attack made using a saw a relatively thick layer of a fibrous or net-like material, which may be of a non-metallic nature, may be included in addition to a metallic mesh reinforcement.

The reinforcing structure may extend along a convoluted path around the axis. The reinforcing structure may have a zig-zag shape in cross section and include a plurality of peaks with intervening troughs.

The buoy, at opposing ends of the body, may include supporting members. In one embodiment the reinforcing structure is secured to and extends between the supporting members. The supporting members may be metallic and may be spaced apart or may include a plurality of apertures to facilitate binding of the supporting members to the buoyant material as may be appropriate. In one form of construction the supporting members are spoke-like and include a plurality of arms radiating from a position at which an axis of rotation is located.

In one form of the invention the buoy comprises a body of circular cylindrical form which includes spaced apart first and second reinforcing and supporting members each of which is centred on an axis, a reinforcing structure which is positioned between and which is secured to the first and second supporting members and buoyant material within which at least a part of the reinforcing structure is embedded.

The body may comprise a shell of circular cylindrical form within which the buoyant material and the reinforcing structure are located.

In addition to the reinforcing structure, reinforcing materials which may be metallic or non-metallic, may be embedded in a body of the buoyant material. Thus the body may include, embedded in it, fibrous material, chopped strands, toughened plastic mesh or the like.

Metallic components in the reinforcing structure may be hardened to resist cutting or grinding attacks.

The body may include a flame-retardant.

The invention further extends to a floating or waterborne barrier which includes a plurality of buoys, each buoy being of the aforementioned kind, wherein the buoys are positioned successively end-to-end along a barrier line and wherein adjacent buoys are secured together.

In one embodiment each buoy is independently freely rotatable about an axle line.

In one form of the invention the buoyant body is mounted to a shaft or beam positioned on an axis of the body. The shafts of adjacent buoys may be connected to one another. Each body may be fixed to its respective shaft so that the body is only rotatable together with the shaft.

An elongate floating barrier may be formed from a plurality of the buoys which are connected together in a way wherein the buoys cannot rotate about the respective shafts. However, adjacent shafts can be connected together so that a buoy and its shaft can rotate at least to a limited extent relative to an adjacent buoy and its shaft.

In another approach each buoy is independently and freely rotatable about the shaft.

In a preferred embodiment the buoy comprises a body which is freely rotatable about an axis and which includes a buoyant material located for example in a shell to which the buoyant material adheres and a reinforcing structure embedded in the buoyant material.

The invention also provides a method of forming a buoy for use in a waterborne barrier, the method comprising: providing a reinforcing structure configured to resist attack, positioning the reinforcing structure within an interior of a mould such that the reinforcing structure is spaced inwardly from an opposing surface of the mould, and introducing an expansible buoyant material into the interior of the mould so that at least a portion of the reinforcing structure is embedded in the buoyant material when it sets to form a buoyant body.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is further described by way of examples with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates from one side a buoy according to the invention,

FIGS. 2 and 3 are respectively a perspective view and an end view of a reinforcing structure to be included in a buoy according to the invention,

FIGS. 4 and 5 are similar to FIGS. 2 and 3 of a different form of a reinforcing structure,

FIGS. 6 and 7 are perspective and end views respectively of a buoy according to the invention which includes a reinforcing structure of the type shown in FIGS. 4 and 5,

FIGS. 8, 9 and 10 illustrate yet another form of a reinforcing structure to be included in a buoy according to the invention,

FIG. 11 shows in cross section a buoy which includes a structure of the kind shown in FIGS. 8 to 10,

FIGS. 12 and 13 show further variations of the invention, and

FIG. 14 illustrates a waterborne barrier made from a plurality of buoys, each of which is according to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings is a side view of a buoy 10 according to the invention.

The buoy 10 includes a circular cylindrical body 12 with a length 14 and a diameter 16. The dimensions 14 and 16 are chosen so that, in use, the buoy is of a size which can be managed, but so that it is sufficiently large, when in water to present a barrier of significant size to an intruder attempting to traverse the barrier.

The body 12 is centred on an axis line 18. The nature of the construction is such that, when the buoy is in water, the body 12 is freely rotatable about the axis line if force is applied to one side of the body.

The body is made from a buoyant plastics material 22 e.g. of an expanded plastics material, using a suitable mould. The mould may be a preformed component made from a suitable plastics material and configured to act as a shell for the expanded plastics material. Thus each buoy includes a shell which acts as a one-time mould and which has an inner surface which is bonded to the expanded plastics material when it sets. Embedded in the material 22 is a reinforcing structure 24.

FIGS. 2 and 3 are a perspective view and an end view respectively of one form 24A of the reinforcing structure.

The reinforcing structure 24A includes spaced apart supporting reinforcing members 30 and 32 respectively. Each supporting member includes a plurality of spokes 34 radiating from a tubular beam 36 at a centre 38 which defines the axis line 18. The spokes terminate at a circumferential support 40. Mesh reinforcing structure 42 is fixed to and extends between the supporting members. The reinforcing structure is made from a galvanised mesh material which is shaped to follow a zig-zag path of circumferential form extending around the tubular centre 38. The structure thus has alternating peaks and troughs.

FIGS. 4 and 5 are views, similar to those in FIGS. 2 and 3, of a different form 24B of the reinforcing structure. Use is again made of spoke-like supporting members 48 and 50 which are mounted to a tubular beam 52 at a centre 54 which is coincident with the axis line 18. The members terminate in circumferential supports 56 and 58 respectively. Elongate tubular mesh components 60, of square cross section, are positioned between and secured to the supports 56 and 58. The mesh components lie on a circumference which extends around the tubular centre 54.

The function of the reinforcing structure 24 is to make it difficult for an intruder to cut through the buoyant material 22 in which the structure is embedded. The reinforcing structure can therefore take on any suitable shape or form. For example the reinforcing structure can be formed in two or three layers which extend around the axis of rotation 18. Also the mesh density of the reinforcing structure can be varied.

Mesh material can be cut with a reciprocating saw. However to combat this it is possible to include in the mesh structure hardened steel inserts 66 at strategic locations shown for example in FIG. 3. It is difficult to cut hardened steel with a reciprocating saw particularly if an attack of that kind were to be made by a person in water in which the buoy is floating.

FIGS. 6 and 7 are respectively a perspective view and an end view of a buoy 70 which includes a reinforcing structure 24B of the kind shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

The structure 24B is positioned inside a suitable mould and the buoyant material 22 is introduced into the mould. The material 22 expands and fills the mould. Preferably the mould comprises a shell made from a plastics material which acts as a one-time mould in that the material 22, when it fills the shell becomes bonded to an inner surface thereof. The reinforcing structure 24B is thereby embedded in the plastics material. Preferably all of the metallic components are embedded in the plastics material—in this way the metallic components are protected to a substantial extent from the corrosion effects of the water in which the buoy is used.

The plastic material 22 on a circumferential outer side of the buoy preferably has a thickness of from 10 to 30 cm.

FIGS. 8, 9, and 10 are views, similar to those shown in FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 5, illustrating a further form 24C of the reinforcing structure according to the invention. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the reinforcing structure 24C comprising a generally cylindrical mesh structure 88 which surrounds a tubular central beam 84. The beam 84 is positioned along a central axis 86 that corresponds to the axis of rotation 18 of the buoy.

At each axial end of the cylindrical mesh 88, supporting members in the form of cross-pieces 80A, 80B, 80C, 80D and 82A, 82B, 82C, 82D are fixed to the tubular beam 84 by a suitable welding or fastening technique, as illustrated in FIG. 10. These cross-pieces serve to support and retain the ends of the cylindrical mesh 88 in position, thereby enhancing the overall rigidity and structural integrity of the reinforcing structure 24C.

In one embodiment, shown notionally in FIG. 10, the cross-pieces 80A, 80B, 80C, 80D and 82A, 82B, 82C, 82D extend radially outward beyond an internal diameter of the cylindrical mesh 88. This extension assists in the accurate positioning of the reinforcing structure 24C within a mould 26 during manufacture by engaging the inner surface of the mould shell or providing reference points that restrict movement of the reinforcing structure within the mould. By preventing unwanted shifting or misalignment, the extended cross-pieces ensure that the reinforcing structure remains correctly located during the introduction, expansion, and curing of the buoyant material which bonds to an inner surface of the mould shell.

In use, the entire reinforcing structure 24C is fully embedded within the buoyant plastics body. The cylindrical mesh is held securely in place by the supporting cross-pieces and the central tubular beam, which collectively provide reinforcement, load distribution, and enhanced structural strength along the length of the buoy. This configuration is designed to resist cutting, crushing, and other forms of tampering, making the buoy particularly suitable for deployment in floating security barriers where durability and tamper resistance are of particular importance.

FIG. 11 is a side view partly sectioned of a buoy 90 which includes the cylindrical mesh structure 24C shown in FIG. 8, embedded in a buoyant material 92 which typically is made from a plastic foam material. A central tubular beam 94 has opposed ends which are located in recesses 96 on sides of the buoy which are designed to accommodate portions of tamper-proof couplings, not shown, which are used to connect adjacent buoys together. The structure in that regard is one in which at least portions of the couplings are positioned in the recesses and ends thereof are difficult to access. This is an attack resistant feature.

FIG. 12 is a sectional end view of a buoy 100 which includes buoyant material 102 such as a foamed plastics material in which is embedded a reinforcing structure 104 of any suitable kind e.g. welded mesh or wire mesh in combination with non-metallic components such as cotton waste or plastic netting or twine or rope. The structure has a square shape and fits neatly into a shell 108 which is filled with the material 102 which is introduced in foam form and then allowed to set inside the shell and bond to the inner surface thereof.

The shell 108 may be of a plastics material or of a non-plastics material, for example aluminium. In each case appropriate construction techniques are used to ensure that the resulting buoys are buoyant, reinforced as may be appropriate, and will not sink in water if the shell is punctured.

FIG. 13 depicts the use of several circular discs 110A, 110B . . . 110N, each of mesh, spaced apart on a beam 94 and embedded in buoyant material 102. Apart therefrom the material 102 may include embedded in it non-metallic attack resistant components such as cotton waste, toughened twine, rope, chopped strand or the like.

The discs can extend from the beam. The discs can be replaced or supplemented by annular structures which preferably are positioned primarily near to an outer surface of the body of the buoy.

Reinforcing material of the aforementioned kinds can be used in combination according to the degree of resistance to attack required.

A plurality of the buoys 70 are interconnected as shown in FIG. 14 to form a waterborne barrier 74. The buoys are positioned on an elongate barrier line 76 in a body of water (not shown). An axle may be formed on the axis line 18 by means of the tubular beams 52. Alternatively, an elongate flexible cable can be used for the axle. A requirement in this respect is that each buoy, when mounted to the axle, should be freely rotatable about the axle. That feature presents a substantial deterrent to a person endeavouring to climb over the buoy. However, according to requirement each buoy may be fixed to its axle so that rotation about the axle is not possible. It is possible though to have an arrangement wherein a buoy and its axle are rotatable together relative to an adjacent buoy and its axis.

An intruder attempting to attack a buoy and remove a sufficient quantity of the plastic buoyant material to allow for passage, is faced with a considerable difficulty in that the reinforcing structure comprises a significant barrier which must be overcome, in the difficult conditions prevailing when the barrier is floating. Unwanted passage is thereby impeded.