ANCHOR SYSTEM OF OR FOR MARINE VESSELS AND ANCHORS FOR SUCH

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to an anchor system of or for a marine vessel such as but not exclusively for, large yachts and motor boats such as super yachts and motor yachts.

BACKGROUND

Marine vessels and in particular luxury vessels such as super yachts are designed with significant aesthetic appeal. Clean lines, smooth surfaces and aesthetic curvature are often considerations taken into account in designing a marine vessel such as a yacht and in particular in super yachts.

There are certain components on marine vessels that are very utilitarian and are as such not often of an aesthetic or appealing visual appearance. Anchors are an example of this.

Anchors are often suspended from the front or bow region of a marine vessel where it may be stowed by being registered in a housing or firmly held against the hull of a marine vessel such as on a bar roller or registered in a hawse pipe.

The anchor is attached to the distal end of a chain either directly or indirectly by way of a rode and shackle. The chain is attached to the shank of the anchor and allows for the anchor to be deployed from the marine vessel to ground on the surface of the body of water that the marine vessel is floating on, below, and allows for the anchor to be retrieved from the surface and back to its stowed condition.

Anchors suspended from the front of a marine vessel disrupt the aesthetic shape of the hull of the vessel and as such some marine vessels are now incorporating submarine anchor systems. An example of a submarine anchor system is shown in WO2012143897.

The anchor system of WO2012143897 allows an anchor to be stowed in/to the hull below the waterline of the hull of the vessel. The anchor is to be retrieved to the hull through an opening of the hull below the waterline. The retrieval system is incorporated inside the hull and allows for the anchor to remain unseen above the waterline from outside the vessel. The anchor system of WO2012143897 includes a wet box inside the hull of the marine vessel that includes a mechanisms for retrieving and deploying an anchor to and from the hull of the marine vessel. The wet box has an opening through which the anchor chain can pass and parts of the anchor are also able to pass. The components inside the wet box, as a result of being below the waterline and the wet box having an opening presented below the waterline, is submerged in water. The wet box may extend to above the waterline so as to provide a second opening for the chain to pass through to pass over a windlass or other anchor retrieval winch or the like. The windlass will sit above the waterline free from direct contact with the body of water in which the vessel floats. The wet box can be quite substantial in size depending on the size of the anchor involved. The components inside the wet box can remain undesirably wet even when the anchor is located inside or to the wet box in its retrieved condition.

Openings through the wet box other than where the anchor and chain is retrieved through to the hull, can cause water to leak into the hull and may cause the vessel to sink. Even if such openings are able to be capped or otherwise sealed, the integrity of such sealing may not always be adequate or require regular servicing and/or surveying. However such openings in wet boxes do exist and are there to facilitate servicing of component parts of the anchor deployment and retrieval mechanism inside the wet box

Often anchor retrieval systems include a hose or jet that is able to clean the chain of any debris such as mud or flotsam that may be engaged or become engaged to the anchor chain when in its deployed condition. Such debris can be messy and can potentially cause damage to the retrieval system, especially if the debris is substantial in size.

The position of such wash down or hose down features of anchor retrieval systems may still cause for the washed off debris to contact or remain in or on or against the hull of the vessel. This is undesirable as it still requires additional cleaning.

It may therefore be an object of the present invention to provide an anchor system of or for marine vessels that will at least address the abovementioned disadvantages and/or will at least provide the public with a useful choice. It may therefore also be an object of the present invention to provide an anchor for use with an anchor system that will at least address the abovementioned disadvantages and/or will at least provide the public with a useful choice

In this specification, where reference has been made to external sources of information, including patent specifications and other documents, this is generally for the purpose of providing a context for discussing the features of the present invention. Unless stated otherwise, reference to such sources of information is not to be construed, in any jurisdiction, as an admission that such sources of information are prior art or form part of the common general knowledge in the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In a first aspect the present invention may be said to broadly be a A marine vessel comprising: a. an anchor, b. hull comprising an anchor well that has a mouth opening at the surface of the hull below the waterline of the hull and from which the anchor can be deployed and be retrieved to a stowed condition inside the hull, wherein the anchor comprises a fluke that is of a shape and configuration to seat at and thereby seal the mouth opening of anchor well when in the stowed condition.

In a second aspect the present invention may be said to be a marine vessel comprising a hull presenting an anchor well that has a mouth opening at the surface of the hull below the waterline of the hull and from which an anchor can be deployed and be retrieved to a stowed condition, wherein the anchor comprises a fluke that is of a shape and configuration so that it seals the anchor well at the mouth opening when in the stowed condition..

In a further aspect the present invention may be said to be a marine vessel comprising: a. an anchor, b. hull comprising an anchor well that has a mouth opening at the surface of the hull below the waterline of the hull and from which the anchor can be deployed and be retrieved to a stowed condition, wherein the anchor comprises a fluke that is of a shape and configuration to seat at the mouth opening of anchor well when in the stowed condition..

In a further aspect the present invention may be said to be a marine vessel to float and travel on a body of water and comprising: a. a hull with an opening below its waterline via which an anchor chain secured anchor comprising a fluke and a shank extending from the fluke is able to be deployed from the hull and retrieved to the hull, b. a wet box in said hull that is adapted and configured to contain water of said body of water entering via said opening within said hull; c. a cradle in said wet box, to receive and secure said anchor in said hull when retrieved to the hull, supported in a pivotal manner relative to said hull.

In a further aspect the present invention may be said to be a submarine anchor deployment and retrieval system for a marine vessel comprising a hull with an opening below its waterline via which an anchor chain secured anchor comprising a fluke and a shank extending from the fluke is able to deploy and retrieve, the system comprising, enclosed in a wet box in said hull that is adapted and configured to contain water entering via said opening within said hull, a cradle to receive and secure said anchor in said hull when retrieved to the hull, supported (preferably by bearings in a pivotal manner) relative to said hull.

Preferably the fluke of the anchor is of a closed surface configuration to provide a full closure of the mouth opening when the anchor is in the stowed condition.

Preferably the fluke of the anchor is of a closed surface configuration having a continuous periphery within which there are no through holes through the fluke..

Preferably the fluke of the anchor is of a closed surface configuration having a continuous periphery within which there are no permanent through holes through the fluke.. Preferably the peripheral region of the fluke is where the anchor seats at the mouth opening..

Preferably at least one of the peripheral region and inward of the peripheral region of the fluke at where the anchor seats at the mouth opening..

Preferably the upper side of the fluke at its periphery seats with the mouth opening..

Preferably the upper side of the fluke at its peripheral region presents a sealing surface which is able to seal at the mouth opening to the anchor well.

Preferably the mouth opening is of a shape complimentary to the peripheral shape of the fluke..

Preferably the anchor well at the mouth opening comprises a seat..

Preferably the anchor well at the mouth opening comprises a seat for the peripheral region of the fluke to seat at.

Preferably the seat comprises a flange.

Preferably the seat comprises a gasket.

Preferably the flange presents the gasket for the periphery of the fluke to seat against.

Preferably the flange presents the gasket for the peripheral region of the fluke to press onto..

Preferably the flange is of metal and the gasket is of a compliant material..

Preferably the flange is of the same profile as the peripheral region of the fluke.

Preferably the flange is entirely of the same profile as the entire peripheral region of the fluke..

Preferably the hull and the peripheral region of the fluke are, when the anchor is in the stowed condition, flush with each other.

Preferably the hull and the peripheral region of the fluke are, when the anchor is in the stowed condition, in a nested configuration with each other.

Preferably the underside of the fluke at its periphery is co-planar the hull adjacent, when the anchor is in the stowed condition. Preferably the underside of the fluke provides a continuity of the hull when the anchor is in the stowed condition..

Preferably the fluke is continuous and closed inside of its periphery..

Preferably the upper side of the fluke is not parallel the underside of the fluke..

Preferably the underside of the fluke is of a different profile to the upper side of the fluke preferably the underside of the fluke being profiled to be complimentary to the hull form adjacent the mouth opening and the upper side of the fluke being profiled to function for ground hold..

Preferably the underside of the fluke at least in part is not parallel to the upper side of the fluke..

Preferably the underside of the fluke comprises of a first plate or sheet of metal and the underside comprises of a second plate or sheet of metal..

Preferably the first plate or sheet of metal is not parallel the second plate or sheet of metal..

Preferably a gap exists between the first plate or sheet metal and the second plate or sheet metal..

Preferably the fluke is continuous and closed inside of its peripheral region, save for at least one opening via which water can pass through the fluke..

Preferably the fluke is continuous and closed inside of its peripheral region, save for at least one closable opening via which water can pass through the fluke.

Preferably the fluke includes at least one closable opening via which water can pass through the fluke..

Preferably the fluke when in its stowed condition includes or defines with the seat, at least one opening via which water can pass through the fluke..

Preferably the opening is of a venturi configuration or provides a venturi effect when water flows over the outside of the fluke when the anchor is in the stowed condition..

Preferably the opening is of a venturi configuration that assists in the drawing of water from the anchor well.. Preferably the fluke can define with the anchor well at the mouth opening, at least one opening of a venturi configuration to establish a venturi effect when water flows over the outside of the fluke to draw water out of the anchor well.

Preferably the anchor is suspended by an anchor chain from the hull when deployed, the anchor chain passing through the mouth opening and into the anchor well.

Preferably the chain is stowed inside the hull..

Preferably the anchor can be deployed from the anchor well using a chain from which the anchor is suspended.

Preferably the chain deploys and retrieves using a windlass located inside the anchor well or hull.

Preferably the fluke is the only visible component of the anchor from outside the hull when the anchor is in the stowed condition..

Preferably the gasket is formed to a shape complimentary to the peripheral region of the fluke by using a settable material that is allowed to set from its non-set phase, when the fluke is seated so that the settable material is able to become formed to the shape of the peripheral region of the fluke by the fluke.

Preferably the fluke, when in the stowed condition is below the waterline of the marine vessel..

Preferably the fluke, when in the stowed condition is entirely below the waterline of the marine vessel..

Preferably the mouth opening is completely below the waterline of the marine vessel..

Preferably the mouth opening is symmetric about the centreline of the marine vessel.. in a further aspect the present invention may be said to be an anchor well for the hull of a marine vessel to present a mouth opening of the anchor well at the surface of the hull below the waterline of the hull and from which an anchor can be deployed and be retrieved to a stowed condition, the anchor having a fluke that is of a shape and configuration so that it seals the anchor well at the mouth opening when in the stowed condition. In a further aspect the present invention may be said to be an anchor well for the hull of a marine vessel the anchor well comprising a mouth opening to be located at the surface of the hull below the waterline of the hull and from which an anchor can be deployed and be retrieved to a stowed condition, the anchor having a fluke that is of a shape and configuration to seat at the mouth opening of the anchor well when in the stowed condition.

Preferably the anchor well is incorporated with a hull of a marine vessel and the mouth opening is presented below the waterline of the marine vessel.

Preferably the mouth opening is presented at the outside surface of the hull..

In a further aspect the present invention may be said to be a method of creating a seal between the fluke of an anchor and a seat about an opening in a hull of a marine vessel of or leading to an anchor well inside the hull where the anchor can be stowed, the seat being of a shape substantially complimentary to the shape of the peripheral region of the fluke, the method comprising applying a gasket of a shape memory material or settable material or mouldable material to the seat or the peripheral region of the fluke, seating the fluke with the seat with the gasket for a duration to cause the gasket to form to a shape defined by the fluke and seat.

In a further aspect the present invention may be said to be a method of creating a seal between the fluke of an anchor and a seat about an opening in a hull of a marine vessel of or leading to an anchor well inside the hull where the anchor can be stowed, the seat being of a shape approximately complimentary to the shape of the periphery of the fluke, the method comprising applying a gasket of a shape memory material or settable material or mouldable material to the seat or the periphery of the fluke, seating the fluke with the seat with the gasket for a duration to cause the gasket to form to a shape defined by the fluke and seat and with which the periphery of the fluke can thereafter repeatably seal after the formed gasket is located to the seat.. In a further aspect the present invention may be said to be a method of creating a seal between the fluke of an anchor and a seat about an opening in a hull of a marine vessel of or leading to an anchor well inside the hull where the anchor can be stowed, the seat being of a shape approximately complimentary to the shape of the periphery of the fluke, the method comprising applying a gasket of a shape memory material or settable material or mouldable material or formable material to the seat, seating the fluke with the seat with the gasket to cause the gasket to form to a shape complimentary the shape of the periphery of the fluke..

Preferably the gasket is applied to the seat in a manner to couple or bond or adhere or mechanically connect to said seat..

Preferably the fluke is seated with the gasket for forming the gasket in a manner to be able to release from the gasket after the duration..

Preferably a release means is provided intermediate the fluke and the gasket during the forming of the shape of the gasket..

Preferably the seating of the fluke with the gasket to cause the gasket to form to a shape complimentary the shape of the peripheral shape of the fluke, is for a duration to then cause the gasket to assume and remain in said complimentary shape..

In a further aspect the present invention may be said to be a marine vessel comprising an anchor well with an opening at the hull of the marine vessel below the waterline of the hull, the opening peripherally bounded by a seat at where the fluke of an anchor can seat when the anchor is in a stowed condition being inside the anchor well save for the fluke that extends across the opening to seal the opening.

In a further aspect the present invention may be said to be a marine vessel comprising an anchor well with an opening at the hull below the waterline of the hull, the opening peripherally bounded by a seat at where the peripheral region of the fluke of an anchor can seat to thereat seal with the seat and close the opening when the anchor is in a condition stowed inside the well..

Preferably the seat includes a gasket to locate against the peripheral region of the fluke when the anchor is in the stowed condition..

Preferably the gasket is of a mouldable or settable or formable or shape memory material.. Preferably the fluke of the anchor has an opening to allow for a venturi flow of water to be established when water flows over the underside of the fluke to thereby remove water on the upper side of the fluke..

Preferably the fluke of the anchor has an opening through it, to allow for a venturi flow to be established when water flows over the outside of the fluke to thereby draw water on the inside of the fluke through the fluke.

In a further aspect the present invention may be said to be a marine vessel anchor with a fluke that includes an opening that can establish a venturi effect when water flows over the underside of the fluke to draw water at the opening on the upper side of the fluke through the opening.

In a further aspect the present invention may be said to be a marine vessel anchor with a fluke that includes an opening configured to establish a venturi effect to when water flows over the underside of the fluke to draw water at the opening on the upper side of the fluke through the opening..

In a further aspect the present invention may be said to be a marine vessel anchor as herein described for use with a marine vessel as herein described- in a further aspect the present invention may be said to be a marine vessel comprising a hull having an opening below the waterline leading to an anchor well at where an anchor is able to be held in a stowed condition and able to be deployed there from through the opening for use to anchor the marine vessel to the floor of the body of water it is floating on, the anchor well able to flood with water from said body of water yet able have said water drain therefrom by virtue of the fluke of the anchor, when in its stowed condition, sealing the opening and at least one outlet to said anchor well selected from at least one of (i) a venturi outlet operative at the fluke and/or anchor well and (ii) a ducted outlet fluidly connected to the anchor well and reliant on a pump to draw water from the well to return well located water to the body of water.

In a further aspect the present invention may be said to be a marine vessel comprising a hull with a submarine anchor deploy and retrieval mechanism that includes an anchor well with an opening below the waterline the opening able to seat the fluke of the anchor when the anchor is in its retrieved condition.

Preferably the anchor well is able to be drained of water that may enter from outside the hull..

Preferably the anchor well is substantially sealed by said fluke when the anchor is in its retrieved condition..

Preferably the anchor well is able to be drained of water that may enter the well from outside the hull by utilising at least one of a pump and a venturi..

Preferably a pump is operable to remove water in said well and return well located water to the body of water outside the hull..

Preferably the anchor is secured to the end of an anchor chain that passes through the opening as the anchor is retrieved towards the hull to its stored condition and as the anchor is deployed from its stored condition..

In a further aspect the present invention may be said to be a marine vessel as herein before described wherein the sealant/gasket locates against the side of the fluke..

Preferably the side of the fluke comprises a side wall..

Preferably the sidewall spaces the upper surface defining part of the fluke thereat from the lower surface defining part of the fluke..

Preferably the upper surface defining part is an upper plate or sheet and the lower surface defining part is a lower plate or sheet.. in further aspect the present invention may be said to be an anchor to seat at an opening of an anchor well as herein before described and/or for a vessel with an anchor well as herein before described the anchor comprising a fluke that has a periphery shaped to be complimentary the opening so as to be able to seal the opening when seated at the opening..

Preferably wherein the fluke comprises an upper plate or sheet defining the upper surface of the fluke and a lower plate of sheet defining the lower surface of the fluke, the upper plate or sheet separated from the lower plate of sheet in a manner to define a different surface profile of lower surface of the fluke to the upper surface of the fluke.. Preferably at least at part of the periphery of the fluke the fluke includes a side wall extending between the upper and lower surfaces of the fluke..

Preferably the fluke at the sidewall comprises an upper plate or sheet spaced apart from a lower plate or sheet..

Preferably the upper surface of the fluke and the lower surface of the fluke are separated by a void and configured so that the upper surface and the lower surface are not parallel each other..

In a further aspect the present invention may be said to be a a marine vessel comprising a hull with a submarine anchor deploy and retrieval mechanism that includes an anchor well with an opening below the waterline via which anchor secured chain can pass to deploy and retrieve the anchor from and to the well and a waterjet outlet located below the waterline to direct high pressure water via the outlet onto the anchor chain as the anchor chain is being retrieved to aid in removing chain carried objects from the chain.

Preferably the objects are such as mud, sand, flotsam, jetsam, marine objects, seaweed, sea grass..

Preferably the waterjet is powered by a pump or gas pressure..

Preferably the waterjet outlet is in fluid connection with a water displacement device such a pump or gas pressure or piston.

Preferably a plurality of waterjet outlets are positioned to direct a plurality of jets onto the chain.

Preferably the waterjet from the waterjet outlet(s) passes onto the chain via water the chain is submerged in.

Preferably a secondary waterjet is provided above the waterline to project water via air and onto the chain as it is being retrieved and above the waterline.

In a further aspect the present invention may be said to be a submarine waterjet system to direct a high pressure waterjet onto an anchor chain of a marine vessel below the waterline to aid in cleaning the chain as it is retrieved onto the marine vessel from having been deployed with an associated anchor for the purposes of anchoring the marine vessel..

Preferably the waterjet is operative submersed in water.. Preferably the cradle is supported in a pivotal manner by said hull, directly or indirectly, by an axle or axles inside said wet box.

Preferably the axle or axles do not extend through said wet box.

Preferably the axle or axles in said wet box are wholly contained inside said wet box.

Preferably the axle or axles are supported for rotation by bearings wholly contained inside said wet box.

Preferably the wet box has no openings provided for inserting or removing the axle(s) into or out of the wet box at or below the waterline, other than at the opening of the hull.

Preferably the wet box has no openings provided for inserting or removing the bearings into or out of the wet box at or below the waterline, other than at the opening of the hull.

Preferably the wet box has no openings provided for inserting or removing the bearings and/or axle(s) into or out of the wet box other than at the opening of the hull. Preferably the wet box has no openings (whether closed, capped, plugged or otherwise sealed or not) provided for inserting or removing the axle(s) into or out of the wet box at or below the waterline, other than at the opening of the hull..

Preferably the wet box has no open or openable openings at or below the waterline other than at the opening of the hull.

Preferably the cradle can pivot between (a) a lower retrieving/deploying position at where the anchor is (ii) received by the cradle to the hull during anchor retrieval from its deployed condition and (ii) deployed from the cradle from hull during anchor deployment and (b) a raised storage position at there the anchor is received by said cradle and retrieved to said hull.

Preferably in the raised anchor storage position the anchor is secured to said hull by said cradle..

Preferably the cradle is able to pivot about a horizontal axis.. Preferably the cradle supports rollers to guide the movement of the anchor chain during deploying and retrieving of the anchor from and to the cradle.

Preferably the rollers guide the movement of the anchor chain during deploying and retrieving of the anchor and guide the shank to and from the storage position of the anchor..

Preferably the rollers guide the shank from a substantially vertical orientation when suspended below' the hull by the chain to a more horizontal orientation when the anchor is in its storage position..

Preferably the rollers rotate about a respective axis, each parallel the axis of the axle or axles..

Preferably there are at least two rollers spaced apart from each other..

Preferably there are at least 3 rollers..

Preferably the cradle has a first end and a second end..

Preferably the cradle is pivotally supported at its first end to said frame..

Preferably the cradle at its second distal end presents a roller over which the chain can pass and be guided by during the deploying and retrieving of the anchor..

Preferably said roller is a second distal end roller and is the first point of contact by the anchor of the cradle as the anchor retrieves into said hull..

Preferably the cradle at its first distal end presents a roller over which the chain can pass and be guided by during the deploying and retrieving of the anchor..

Preferably said roller is a first distal end roller and is the last point of contact by the anchor of the cradle as the anchor retrieves into said hull..

Preferably the first distal end roller is offset (preferably vertically) from the axle or axles..

Preferably the opening of the hull is sufficiently large to allow the cradle to pass therethrough.

Preferably a frame is secured relative with the hull and inside said wet box, by which said cradle is pivotally supported.

Preferably the frame includes a passage and opening (herein after "frame opening") to allow the cradle to pass through the opening of the hull and the frame opening onto the passage to allow the axle or axles to register with their respective bearings inside the wet box such as during assembly of the cradle inside the wet box.

Preferably the frame includes a passage and frame opening to allow the cradle to pass out of the passage and through the opening of the hull and the frame opening during disassembly of the cradle from the frame..

Preferably said frame includes a passage and frame opening to allow the cradle to pass through the opening of the hull and the frame opening onto the passage to allow' the axle or axles to register with their respective bearings and/or frame and/or wet box inside the wet box during assembly of the system..

Preferably said bearings and/or axle(s) are able to be serviced via said opening of the hull..

Preferably said bearings and respective axles are able to separate (preferably to allow the cradle to be removed from the frame)..

Preferably the bearings are open or openable laterally to allow a said axle to load and unload from the bearing in a direction perpendicular to the elongate axis (rotational axis) of the bearing..

Preferably the bearings are open or openable laterally to allow a said axle to load and unload from the bearing in a direction perpendicular to the elongate axis (rotational axis) of the bearing.

Preferably the cradle can move in and out of the wet box via the opening for assembly and maintenance purposes and the bearings can register with their respective axles during assembly or re-assembly..

Preferably the cradle is supported by bearings for rotation directly by the frame..

Preferably the frame is secure to at least one of the hull and the wet box to be fixed relative the hull..

Preferably frame includes two sides one on each side of the cradle, a bearing to rotationally support said cradle provided on each respective side of the frame..

Preferably the frame is secured to the hull below the waterline..

Preferably the frame defines the periphery to the mouth opening of the hull.. Preferably the cradle can move in a direction parallel the centerline of the hull, in and out of the wet box via the opening for assembly and maintenance purposes and the bearings can register with their respective axles during assembly or re-assembly..

Preferably the anchor when retrieved to the hull is held stationary relative to said hull.

In a further aspect the present invention may be said to be a submarine anchor deployment and retrieval system for a marine vessel comprising a hull with an opening below' its waterline via which an anchor chain secured anchor comprising a fluke and a shank extending from the fluke is able to deploy and retrieve, the system comprising, enclosed in a wet box in said hull that is adapted and configured to contain water entering via said opening within said hull; a. a frame secured to said hull, and b. a cradle to secure said anchor in said hull when in its retrieved condition, pivotally supported by said frame by a bearing supported axle or axles.

In a further aspect the present invention may be said to be a method of removing the cradle the hull of a marine vessel as herein described comprising releasing the bearing supported cradle and removing the cradle and the axle(s) via the opening from said hull.

Preferably the axle(s) and the respective bearings remove from the hull with the cradle.

Preferably the bearings and/or axles are able to be secured inside said wet box via said opening..

In a further aspect the present invention may be said to be a method of assembling the cradle of a submarine anchor deployment and retrieval system or the marine vessel as herein described into the wet box comprising passing the cradle and at least one of said axle(s) and bearing(s) via the opening of said hull to register to said hull in a manner to allow said pivotal manner to be established..

In a further aspect the present invention may be said to be a method of assembling the cradle of a submarine anchor deployment and retrieval system or the marine vessel as herein described into the wet box comprising passing the cradle and said axle(s) and bearing(s) via the opening of said hull to register to said hull (preferably to secure to said frame)..

Preferably the axle(s) is/are secured to said frame after having passed through said opening..

Preferably the axle(s) and bearing(s) are secured to said frame after having passed through said opening..

Preferably the axles do not pass through said wet box other than via said opening..

In a further aspect the present invention may be said to be a marine vessel comprising a hull and a submarine anchor deployment and retrieval system as herein described- in a further aspect the present invention may be said to be an anchor chain wash system of or for a marine vessel to wash the anchor chain as the anchor is retrieved to the marine vessel from below the surface of the water, the chain wash system comprising a waterjet outlet to project water onto the chain, the waterjet outlet being below the surface of the water.

Other aspects of the invention may become apparent from the following description which is given by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

As used herein the term "and/or" means "and" or "or", or both.

As used herein "(s)" following a noun means the plural and/or singular forms of the noun.

The term "comprising" as used in this specification [and claims] means "consisting at least in part of". When interpreting statements in this specification [and claims] which include that term, the features, prefaced by that term in each statement, all need to be present but other features can also be present. Related terms such as "comprise" and "comprised" are to be interpreted in the same manner.

The entire disclosures of all applications, patents and publications, cited above and below, if any, are hereby incorporated by reference. This invention may also be said broadly to consist in the parts, elements and features referred to or indicated in the specification of the application, individually or collectively, and any or all combinations of any two or more of said parts, elements or features, and where specific integers are mentioned herein which have known equivalents in the art to which this invention relates, such known equivalents are deemed to be incorporated herein as if individually set forth.)

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred forms of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which

Figure 1 is a side view of a yacht showing an example of the location of the submarine anchor retrieval and deployment system,

Figure 1a shows a view of figure 1 with the anchor deployed from the hull,

Figure 2 is a close up view of the hull of Figure 1 and shown in hidden detail parts of the submarine anchor retrieval and deployment system,

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view through the hull at the submarine anchor retrieval and deployment system showing part of the anchor well of the submarine anchor system, namely the support frame,

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the support frame,

Figure 5 is a perspective view of an anchor for use in the system,

Figure 6 is an exploded view of the support frame, cradle, anchor and other components that will hereinafter be described,

Figure 6A shows an exploded view of parts of the submarine anchor retrieval and deployment system

Figure 7 shows the support frame and cradle connected together for use,

Figure 8 is a side view of the support frame and the cradle engaged to the hull of a marine vessel,

Figure 8A shows figure 8 but with the anchor secured,

Figure 9 shows an anchor located in a fully retrieved condition with the support frame and cradle with a partial cutaway of the support frame to show the secondary water jet,

Figure 10 is a plan view of an anchor, Figure 11 is a view through section AA of Figure 10, and

Figure 12 is a cross sectional view at the trailing end of the fluke of an anchor seated at the frame of the anchor well.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference to Figure 1 there is shown a marine vessel 1. The marine vessel 1 may be a super yacht, ship, boat, launch, motor launch as examples. The marine vessel 1 may include a hull 2 that is of a size and shape to be able to float on and travel through a body of water 3 such as the ocean or a lake or river. The hull 2 will have a designed waterline WL that may coincide or be approximate to the actual waterline of the body of water 3 on the hull of the vessel when the vessel is in the body of water. The marine vessel

1 may include a submarine anchor system 4. The submarine anchor system 4 may comprise of an anchor 5, an anchor well 6, and anchor chain 7. With reference to Figure 2, the submarine anchor system 4 may have an anchor well 6 that is presented inside the hull

2 and presents a mouth opening 8 through the hull 2 and below the waterline WL of the hull. The anchor well 6 may include or be defined, at least in part by a wet box 9. The wet box 9 preferably provides an enclosure to capture water from the body of water 3 that may enter into the anchor well 6 through the opening 8 and prevents that water from spilling into the other parts of the hull 2. The wet box 9 is hence preferably substantially watertight save for the mouth opening 8, below the waterline. A chain opening 10 may be provided above the water line for the anchor chain 7 that is attached to the shank 11 of the anchor 5 at its distal end.

In a preferred form the chain opening 10 is located above the waterline of the hull 2 of the vessel 1 so that when water is in the anchor well 6 the level of water in the anchor well 6 and hence in the wet box 9 remains below the chain opening 10 thereby preventing water from pouring out of the chain opening 10 and into other parts of the hull 2. The wet box 9 is preferably sealed, welded, incorporated or adhered or otherwise secured in a sealed manner to the hull 2 about the opening 8.

A preferred form of an anchor 5 is shown in Figure 5. The anchor 5 of Figure 5 may be a plough anchor and may include a shank 11 having a distal end 12 at where a shackle 13 is able to secure the chain 7 to the anchor 5. The shackle 13 may incorporate a swivel or swivel mechanism or be attached to a swivel mechanism.

The anchor 5 includes a fluke 14 that is secured at the other distal end 15 of the shank 11 either in a rigid or in a pivotable manner.

The fluke 14 of the anchor 5 shown in Figure 5 is preferably substantially plough shaped. It has a leading end 16 and a trailing end 17. When the anchor 5 is deployed and is in the process of engaging with the floor of the body of water 3 in which the vessel 1 is floating, the leading end 16 will drag the fluke 14 as a leading part of the fluke 14 over the ground and will bite/plough itself into the ground to ground the anchor 5 and hence anchor the vessel 1. Inside the wet box 9 the anchor well 6 may include components which will hereinafter be described for the purposes of deploying and retrieving the anchor 5 in a desirable manner.

The wet box 9 may be made of a metal or composite material and is of a wall thickness/wall strength sufficient to ensure water from the body of water cannot compromise the function of the wet box. The wet box may be fabricated from sheet metal for example.

Within the anchor well 6 may be a series of rollers 18a, 18b, 18c that are positioned or positionable for the purposes of guiding the anchor chain 7 and/or shank 11 during deployment and retrieval. The roller 18c may guide the chain 7 between it and a windlass 19 provided for controlling the movement of the chain 7 and for applying a force to the chain 7 for lifting the anchor 5 from its deployed condition to its retrieved condition. More detail will hereinafter be described about the rollers.

In the stowed condition (retrieved/retracted) the anchor 5 preferably substantially seals the opening 8. In a preferred form the fluke 14 of the anchor 5 seats and seals the opening 8 of the anchor well 6. This prevents a substantial reduction or elimination of ingress of water from the body of water 3 into the anchor well 6 and into the wet box 9 of the anchor well 6. The seal is preferably complete of may still allow some ingress of water into the wet box but at a much abated rate than if the anchor was not seated. Such a rate may be less than the rate at for the means to drain the wet box (herein after described) can provide for. The anchor well at the mouth opening is of a periphery shape that is substantially commensurate the shape of the periphery of the fluke. It preferably presents a seat 27 at where the peripheral region of the fluke can become seated. The peripheral region of the fluke is at and slightly inward to the peripheral edge of the fluke. As seen in figure 10 the peripheral region R is partly illustrated. It may be effectively a notional band about the fluke.

The shape of the fluke is of a closed surface configuration. Effectively it has a continuous periphery and within the periphery there are not openings (or if there are, there openings are able to be closed. The shape of the fluke is hence such as to be able to act as a plug or cap seal for the opening.

With an ability to substantially seal the ingress of water into the wet box 9 of the anchor well 6, when the anchor 5 is in the stored condition substantially sealing the opening 8, water that is in the wet box 9 such as that which may be present from prior to the opening 8 being sealed, is able to be drained or displaced from the wet box 9. Water may exist in the wet box 9 to for example the waterline level of the hull 2. Water within the wet box 9 may not just come directly through the opening 8 of the wet box 9 but may also enter into the wet box 9 by virtue of a chain wash system that will hereinafter be described. As such, water may remain after the anchor 5 has sealed the opening 8.

A pump such as a bilge pump 20 may be used to remove a substantial amount of the water in the wet box 9. There may be ducting with an inlet opening 21 at for example a lower part of the wet box 9 leading to the pump. In this way the pump 20 can displace water from the wet box 9 to an outlet 22 to displace the water overboard.

The pump 20 may be automatically activated once the opening 8 is sealed by the anchor 5 and water is detected at least in the base or lower regions of the wet box 9. The pump 20 may automatically turn off once the level of water is reduced to a desired or predetermined threshold.

In addition or alternatively a passive mode of removing such water from the wet box 9 may be provided by way of a venturi such as venturi 23a and 23b. The venturi 23a as seen in Figure 2 is located through the hull 2 within the wet box 9 adjacent the opening 8. A water flow in the direction F over the hull 2 can cause a venturi effect to be established drawing water from the wet box 9 through the venturi opening of the venturi 23a and into the body of water 3. The venturi 23a may be self-closing or self-sealing or may be operatively moved between an in use condition as shown in 23a and a sealed condition closing the venturi opening to the hull 2. A duck bill valve or bladder or one-way seal may be utilised also for such purposes of sealing the venturi at appropriate times to prevent or reduce the ingress of water through the venturi opening back into the wet box 9.

In an alternative form the venturi may be a venturi 23b that may be located in or through the fluke 14 of the anchor 5. As can be seen in Figure 6 and 11 where at least one venturi opening at 23b is provided through the anchor 5. This may also be passively selfsealing or operatively moved to a closed condition when appropriate.

Within the wet box 9 of the anchor well 6 may be a cradle 25. Preferably there is also a support frame 24. The frame 24 and the cradle 25 are provided to allow for the controlled release and retrieval of the anchor 5 and for securely holding the anchor 5 relative to the hull 2 of the vessel 1 when in its stored condition. The frame 24 as seen in Figure 3 is secured to the hull 2 of the marine vessel 1 with for example fasteners 310. The frame preferably includes a flange 26 through which a plurality of fasteners 310 can pass for securing the frame to the hull 2. The flange 26 preferably extends about the opening of the frame 24 which may define or is complimentary to the opening 8 of the anchor well 6. A seat 27 such as a seat of the frame 24 as seen in Figure 12 is preferably provided by the frame. The seat 27 is/has a surface or surfaces with which the fluke 14 of the anchor can seat. Preferably the anchor at its periphery or peripheral region is able to seat with the seat. When seated, the anchor creates a seal to prevent the ingress of water into the wet box 9 when the anchor 5 is in its stowed condition. The seat 27 may also or in part be defined by the hull, wet box or anchor well 6.

In a preferred form a seat or seats are provided to provide a seat 27 for the fluke 14 of the anchor 5 so that preferably the entire periphery or peripheral region of the anchor 5 is able to seat at a seat or seats and thereby create a seal to prevent the ingress of water into the wet box 9 when the anchor 5 is in its stowed condition. In a preferred form seating of the fluke 14 of the anchor 5 occurs at its peripheral edge or edges or slightly inwardly thereof (at a peripheral region of the fluke). It will be appreciated that other parts of the fluke 14 may provide for an ability to seat with the seat 27 and thereby create a seal to reduce or prevent the ingress of water into the wet box 9 when the anchor 5 is in its stowed condition. There may be an array of seats to each create a line of defence against the ingress of water into the wet box.

In the preferred form it is an upwardly facing surface 28 of the fluke 14 that presents an ability to seat with the seat 27 such as that provided by the frame 24. The upwardly facing surface 28 of the fluke 14 may be curved and/or otherwise contoured to match the shape of the hull 2 and/or seat 27. The fluke 14 may also present a downwardly facing surface 32, which may be of a different shape to upwardly facing surface 28. Upwardly facing surface 28 and downwardly facing surface 32 are preferably distinct plates that may at least in part not be parallel, and are separated by a void and joined at the periphery by a side edge 29 of the fluke 14. In addition it may be the side edge 29 of the fluke 14 that helps to seal the opening of the wet box 9 when the anchor 5 is in its stowed condition. In a preferred form a mouldable or settable or flexible seal 30 (hereinafter seal) may be provided at the seat 27 to help with the sealing. The seal 30 may be of a rubber material or of a shape memory material or of a settable material. A seal 31 may also be provided for sealing against the side edge 29 of at least part of the fluke 14 of the anchor 5. The seal 30/31 is preferably in use, retained by the anchor well 6 such as at the seat 27 of the frame 24. The seal 30/31 is preferably adhered or mechanically fastened or keyed or otherwise secured in place. It preferably does not travel with the fluke 14 of the anchor 5. It is the surface or surfaces of the fluke 14 of the anchor 5 that will come in and out of contact of the seal 30/31 when stored and deployed.

In order to ensure that a good seal is established between the anchor 5 and the seat 27, the seal 30/31 may be formed to match the shape and surfaces including surface irregularities etc, of the seat 27 and the anchor fluke 14. This may be achieved by utilising a settable material or a shape memory material as the seal 30/31 or part thereof. In a preformed condition the seal material may be interposed between the anchor 5 and the seat 27, the anchor 5 held in its storage condition for a sufficient duration to allow for the seal material to set and/or assume its modified shape whereupon the anchor 5 can then be removed after having functioned as a mould for shaping the seal material to a complimentary shape of the surface of the anchor 5 with which it has had contact. In this way the anchor 5 when it is retrieved to its stored condition in a repeated manner will register accurately with the seal 30/31 for repeated sealing of the opening 8. In the preferred form the seal 30/31 extends at the entire perimeter of the fluke 14 when the fluke 14 is in its stored condition.

The frame preferably pivotally supports the cradle 25 about a pivotal axis XX which has been designed to help guide the motion of the anchor into and out of the wet box 9 in a safe and repeatable manner. The cradle 25 can move (eg rock) between a lowered condition and a raised condition. In the raised condition as shown Figure 8A with the anchor in its fully stored condition, the opening 8 is sealed by the anchor. In a lowered condition (not shown) but rotated anti-clockwise in the drawing reference frame about the axis XX, the cradle 25 drops the anchor 5 slightly and positions the shank 11 and fluke 14 in a condition for better deployment. In a lowered condition (not shown) the opening 8 may no longer be sealed be the fluke 14. In reverse in retrieving the anchor 5 the cradle 25 may be in the downwardly rotated position for picking up the shank 11 and fluke 14 as it starts to enter into and through the opening 8 whereupon just prior to the anchor 5 being fully retrieved, the cradle 25 rotates clockwise to its raised condition. The cradle presents a series of rollers such as rollers 18a, 18b, 18d. When the anchor is being retrieved back to the hull, the second distal end roller 18d is first to contact the anchor at the end of its shank. The anchor at this point in its motion is suspended and the shank may be substantially vertical or at a slight angle to the vertical. As the shank is lifted further by the chain it starts to tilt and become aligned to the second roller 18a as it progresses to the proximal (second distal) end roller 18b of the cradle. The rollers of the cradle preferably have an axis of rotation parallel to axis XX. The force on the anchor from the chain as it is close to being in its stored condition during retrieval (when the shank is on the rollers as seen in figure 8A) can cause the cradle to rock up from its lower retrieving/deploying position to be more raised to a raised anchor storage position at where the anchor is secured to the hull by the cradle.

The position of the axis XX and the axes of the rollers (offset from axis XX) and that the anchor is caught by the roller 18d when it is retrieved onto the cradle as seen in figure 8A helps with the rocking of the cradle upwardly. Likewise when the anchor is deployed this happens in reverse.

In a preferred form, the opening of the hull is sufficiently large to allow the cradle to pass therethrough. This is desirable so that the cradle can be assembled to the frame through the hull opening and not through any opening of the wet box. The cradle may also be removed via the hull opening such as for replacement and/or maintenance of the cradle. A removed cradle from the wet box also provides better access to other component parts in the wet box for their replacement and/or repair or maintenance. The system is hence such as to allow the cradle to be assembled as part of it and dis- assembled through the opening 8 of the hull. And preferably not via any other opening of the wet box. In a preferred form the components of the system to mount/secure the cradle inside the wet box (preferably in a manner to be able to rock as herein before described) do not pass through the wet defined enclosure other than the opening 8. Other component inside the wet box may likewise pass through the opening 8 for repair for example.

In preferred form the axle or bearing of the system to mount/secure the cradle inside the wet-box (preferably in a manner to be able to rock as herein before described) do not pass through the wet defined enclosure other than the opening 8.

In a preferred form the wet box has no openings (whether capped, plugged or otherwise sealed), that are aligned with the axis XX of the cradle. The axis XX is preferably below the waterline of the hull of the vessel. This means that it can be under water when the wet box is flooded with water from the body of water that the hull floats in. In some configurations the axis XX may be above the waterline of the hull.

In a preferred form the wet box has no openings into the wet box (whether capped, plugged or otherwise sealed), below the waterline of the vessel other than said opening 8.

In a preferred form the wet box has no openings (whether capped, plugged or otherwise sealed), below the waterline of the vessel sufficient to allow the axle or bearings of the cradle mount to pass through, other than said opening 8.

As seen in figure 6 and 6A bearings 210A and 210B and an axle 211 are shown as an example of how the cradle can be mounted inside the wet box (eg to the frame) in a pivotable manner. In a preferred from there are two bearings 210A and 210B in the form of bearing plates with through or blind holes 206 in them as seen in figure 6 and 6A. The plates are preferably supported by the frame. In the example shown the plates are supported at a slot 208 of the frame 24. The slot 208 allows for its respective plate to slide in and out of it in direction Y as seen in figure 6A. This allow the plate to be removed from the slot yet be secured at the slot to the frame by fasters 210 for example. This allows for the bearings to be replaced and/or maintained and for convenient removal of the cradle from the frame through the opening and/or passage of the frame. The slot may be defined by a hanger 209 that may comprise of a fabricated or cast metal component. The hanger may come in other forms and/or receive the plates from a vertical direction rather than direction Y. The axle 211 is able to locate at the holes 206 of the plates 210A/B in a manner to create a bearing relationship between the cradle and frame. In this way the axle can be removed with the cradle through the hull opening. The axle does not need to be removed from the cradle when the cradle is in situ such as through the wet box for maintenance purposes. The axle can be removed from the wet box via the opening 8 and with the cradle (and vis versa). Once the cradle/axle are removed from the wet box, the axle may be removed and replaced/repaired. The axle is not removed from the wet box by displacing in the direction XX. It preferably moves laterally to direction XX to move from its use position. There are hence no openings through the wet box aligned with axis XX.

A locking mechanism 35 may be provided for mechanically locking the anchor 5 such as at the trailing end 17 of the fluke 14 to prevent any accidental or unintentional release of the anchor 5 from its stored condition. A damper 200 may be provided between the frame and the cradle to help reduce forces and noise and impact damage of the system when the cradle and frame reach the end limits of their relative rotations.

The venturi may also be established by the anchor and the frame or hull at the opening. For example the trailing end of the anchor may be of a shape or be positioned relative to the opening when in or near its stored condition to create an opening or openings into the well that are configured to allow a venturi effect to be established. For example the cradle may be allowed or caused to be rocked down slightly to create an opening between the cradle located anchor and the hull or frame at the trailing edge of the fluke. The configuration so established at the trailing edge can allow for a venturi effect to be established that is sufficient to cause a draining of water from the well. The cradle can then be rocked up to establish a sealed opening 8 when the well has at least in part been drained. A submarine waterjet outlet 60 may be incorporated in the system of the present invention. The waterjet outlet 60 is able to direct a waterjet 61 onto the anchor chain 7 and anchor 5 as it is being retrieved to its stored condition. The waterjet outlet 60 may be fluidly connected to a waterjet pump 64 via a hose 62 which may draw water by an inlet 63 such as from the body of water 3 or from an alternative source of water. The waterjet outlet 60 is activated when the anchor 5 is being retrieved, under water. This requires for a high water pressure to be provided to ensure that a waterjet 61 is able to be passed through the water surrounding the anchor chain 7 with sufficient force to dislodge debris, seaweed, seagrass, flotsam or jetsam or other debris or contaminants that are undesirable to be brought into the hull of the vessel. A provision of the waterjet outlet 60 below the water line and at or adjacent the opening 8 of the wet box 9 will facilitate in the removal of such debris from the anchor chain 7 and/or anchor 5 and cause for such removed debris to fall straight back down below the hull of the marine craft. This reduces the prospect that such debris will remain inside the hull such as inside the wet box 9 or pass through the chain opening 10. The waterjet 61 may not completely dislodge such debris in some instances but the chain 7 passing over the rollers 18d, 18a and 18b may help to dislodge such debris that may then fall down into the wet box 9 and/or out through the opening 8. A plurality of waterjet outlets 60 may be provided to be able to attack the chain 7 from multiple directions.

A secondary waterjet unit 70 may be provided that may be located above the waterline and/or also below the waterline. The secondary jet unit 70 may have a plurality of outlets 71a, 71 b, 71c and more able to receive water via the conduit 72 from a pressurised water source that may be pressurised by a pump (not shown). The secondary water unit 70 may be in a collar form to locate about the anchor chain 7 as it passes therethrough between its stored and deployed condition.

The cradle is shown drawn with the axis XX of the cradle forward more and the end of the shank attached to the fluke is aft more compare do the other end of the shank, when the anchor is in its stored position. In some instances the system may be rotated by 180 degrees. The anchor is preferably a plough anchor but may instead be a danforth or SQR or Bruce of similar

Where in the foregoing description reference has been made to elements or integers having known equivalents, then such equivalents are included as if they were individually set forth.

Although the invention has been described by way of example and with reference to particular embodiments, it is to be understood that modifications and/or improvements may be made without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. In addition, where features or aspects of the invention are described in terms of

Markush groups, those skilled in the art will recognise that the invention is also thereby described in terms of any individual member or subgroup of members of the Markush group.