Tideway anchor

Abstract

An anchor for use in a tideway, in which one of a pair of mating components is fixed to the sea bed and the other is held in contact with it by means actuated by reciprocal movement in the plane of the tide of a member which offers resistance to the flow. This allows the components to be separated at the tidal null points. The components may also be sealed together by the reciprocal movement.

1 . An anchor for gear in a tideway of the type which consists of a pair of mating components, one of which is fixed to the sea bed, the other being removable and adapted for whatever is to be anchored to be attached to it, characterised by means for locking both components positively together during the period of tidal flow and unlocking them during the tidal change period. 
     
     
         2 . An anchor as in  claim 1 , in which the locking means also seals both components together 
     
     
         3 . An anchor as in  claim 1  or  2 , in which the locking means is actuated by reciprocating movement of a component in the tidal stream, caused by the reversal of that stream. 
     
     
         4 . An anchor as in  claim 1  or  2 , in which the locking means is actuated by timer control of a source of power incorporated in one of the anchor components. 
     
     
         5 . An anchor as in  claim 1  or  2 , in which the locking means is actuated by a remote signal to a source of power incorporated in one of the anchor components.