Title: Marine anchor buoys

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Claims: 1. A buoy for supporting a varying length of cable connectable with an anchor, comprising a buoyancy chamber for containing a flotation medium to float the buoy, means for replacing at least a portion of said buoyancy medium with a heavier medium thereby permitting the buoy to float at a predetermined desired height above the surface of a body of water regardless of the length of cable being supported, the varying length of the cable being supported by the buoy being dependent upon the predetermined height, cable guiding means mounted on said buoyancy chamber for permitting movement of said cable relative to said buoyancy chamber and at least one roller assembly mounted on said cable guiding means, said roller assembly mounted on said cable guiding means, said roller assembly including a plurality of freely rotatable rollers defining an opening for passage of the cable therethrough in a substantially friction free manner.

2. The buoy of claim 1 wherein the cable guiding means includes an elongated tubular member and a second roller assembly with the roller assemblies mounted on opposite ends of said tubular member.

3. The buoy of claim 2 wherein the buoyancy chamber is centered on said tubular member and wherein said opening for passage of said cable is axially aligned with said tubular member.

4. The buoy of claim 1 including a stabilizer fin mounted externally of the buoy chamber thereby preventing rotation of the buoy when afloat with consequent twisting and possible breakage of the cable.

5. The buoy of claim 1 wherein the buoyancy chamber is divided into upper, middle and lower compartments by upper and lower transverse diaphragms and additionally includes a flotation medium escape valve and an inlet valve for said heavier medium with said valves mounted on said chamber and opening into said chamber below the lower diaphragm thereby permitting removal or addition of the flotation medium or the heavier medium to achieve the desired level of flotation.

6. The buoy of claim 5 wherein the flotation medium is air and the heavier medium is water.

Other info:

Inventors: Toups, Earl Lee (Mobile, AL, US)

Application Number: 680505
Filing Date: 1976-04-26
Publication_date: 1977-06-14
Assignee: Lee Marine, Inc. (Kaplan, LA)
Primary Class(es): 441/29
Other Classes:
US Patent Ref:

2716959	Sep, 1955	Bett, Jr. et al.	9/8.
3001371	Sep, 1961	Gilmor, Jr. et al.	9/8.
3276049	Oct, 1966	Stixrud	9/8.
3512493	May, 1970	Hallanger	9/8.
3660855	May, 1972	Inman	9/8.
3732588	May, 1973	Mitchell	9/8.
3860983	Jan, 1975	Furth et al.	114/16.

Other Refs:
Primary Examiner: Blix, Trygve M.
Assistant Examiner: Goldstein, Stuart M.
Attorney: Mason, Fenwick & Lawrence