Anti-fouling apparatus for marine applications

• US 6,185,988 B1
• Filed: 04/14/2000
• Issued: 02/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Caitlin Enterprises Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Jr., John Francis Baxter
• Inventors: Baxter, John Francis Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Hezron
• Assistant Examiner(s): CYGAN, MICHAEL T
• Application Number:
  US09/549,939
• Time in Patent Office: 305 Days
• Field of Search: 73/530.1, 73/645.6, 732/91, 738/630.1, 738/638.1, 738/638.2, 738/638.5, 738/665, 731/702.9, 210/747, 210/91, 210/104, 210/148, 210/241, 210/244, 210/246
• US Class Current: 73/53.01
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/1886 using probes, e.g. submersible probes, buoys

Abstract

An apparatus for monitoring water quality parameters is protected from the deleterious effects of its environment when water quality is not being monitored. In a preferred embodiment, a sensor is mounted to a leading end of an elongate worm gear that is mounted in a housing that is positioned above the water level of the body of water under study. An output shaft of a reversible motor engages the worm gear so that the worm gear and sensor are displaced in a first direction when the output shaft rotates in a first direction and are displaced in a second, opposite direction, when the output shaft rotates in a second direction. A hingedly mounted door closes an open end of the housing and is biased to a closed position when a bias member is in repose. When the worm gear is extended, it pushes the door open and the door closes under its bias when the worm gear is retracted. When the worm gear is fully retracted, the sensor is protected by the housing. In this way, the sensor is subjected to the effects of the environment only during brief periods of actual immersion in the water when data is collected. This substantially lowers the cost of maintaining the sensor in good working order relative to the cost of maintaining a sensor that is continuously immersed. The apparatus may be mounted to a piling, a buoy, or any other structure that enables mounting of the apparatus in a predetermined spatial relation to the water line.

Claims

1. An apparatus for monitoring water quality, comprising:

a sensor means having a first, retracted position disposed above a water level of a body of water to be monitored;

said sensor means having a second, extended position where it is disposed in immersed relation to said body of water;

retraction and extension means for selectively extending and retracting said sensor means;

said sensor means capable of being extended and immersed in said body of water only during a predetermined amount of time required to make a measurement of a preselected water quality parameter;

said sensor means capable of being retracted and out of contact with said body of water when no measurement is being made;

a housing means for said sensor means, said sensor means being disposed wholly within said housing means when said sensor means is in said first, retracted position and said sensor means being disposed wholly outside said housing means when said sensor means is in its second, extended position;

a door means for opening and closing said housing means, said door means being open when said sensor means is in said second, extended position and said door means being closed when said sensor means is in said first, retracted position;

a bias means for maintaining said door means in a normally closed position when said sensor means is in said first, retracted position; and

at least one elongate member positioned in leading relation to said sensor means wherein said at least one elongate member abuts and pushes open said door means thereby preventing said sensor means from contacting said door means when said sensor means is extended from said first to said second position;

whereby said sensor means undergoes the deleterious effects of said body of water to a lesser extent than sensor means that are in continuous contact with said body of water.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said retraction and extension means includes an elongate worm gear that is meshingly engaged by an output shaft of a preselected motor means, wherein said sensor means is mounted on a leading end of said worm gear, wherein rotation of said output shaft in a first direction displaces said worm gear into said first, retracted position and wherein rotation of said output shaft in a second direction, opposite to said first direction, displaces said worm gear into said second, extended position.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a control means for controlling operation of said motor means, and an antenna means for receiving signals from a remote location for activating and deactivating said motor means, said antenna means also forming part of a transmission means for reporting data gathered by said sensor means to a preselected remote site for collecting said data.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a timer means for activating and deactivating said motor means at predetermined times, and a transmission means for transmitting data gathered by said sensor means to a preselected remote site for collecting data.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said apparatus is mounted in a vertical plane.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said apparatus is mounted to a piling that is disposed in upstanding relation relative to a sea bed.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said apparatus is mounted at a predetermined angle relative to a vertical plane.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said apparatus is mounted to a buoy having a base that surrounds a predetermined area of water, and wherein mounting said apparatus at said predetermined angle positions said sensor means outside of said surrounded area.

9. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said apparatus is mounted to a buoy having a base that surrounds a predetermined area of water, and wherein mounting said apparatus in said vertical plane positions said sensor means inside of said surrounded area.

10. An apparatus for monitoring water quality, comprising:

a sensor means having a first, retracted position disposed above a water level of a body of water to be monitored;

said sensor means having a second, extended position where it is disposed in immersed relation to said body of water;

said sensor means being capable of being extended and immersed in said body of water only during a predetermined amount of time required to make a measurement of a preselected water quality parameter;

said sensor means being capable of being retracted and out of contact with said body of water when no measurement is being made;

a first housing means for said sensor means, said sensor means being disposed wholly within said first housing means when said sensor means is in said first, retracted position and said sensor means being disposed wholly outside said first housing means when said sensor means is in its second, extended position;

said first housing means having a first end positioned in remote relation to said body of water and a second end positioned in a spaced apart relation to said body of water that is closer thereto than said first end;

a door means for opening and closing said first housing means, said door means being open when said sensor means is in said second, extended position and said door means being closed when said sensor means is in said first, retracted position;

said door means being hingedly mounted to said second end of said first housing means;

a bias means for maintaining said door means in a normally closed position when said sensor means is in said first, retracted position;

a worm gear rotatably mounted within said first housing means;

said worm gear having a leading end and a trailing end, said leading end being disposed within said first housing means when said sensor means is in its first, retracted position and said leading end being disposed outside said first housing means when said sensor means is in its second, extended position;

said door means being in an open position and being held open by said worm gear when said sensor means is in its extended, immersed position;

said sensor means being mounted on said leading end of said worm gear;

a reversible motor means having an output shaft disposed in meshing engagement to said worm gear so that rotation of said worm gear in a first direction effects retraction of said sensor means into said housing and so that rotation of said worm gear in a second direction effects extension of said sensor means out of said first housing means and into immersed relation to said body of water;

a second housing means for housing said reversible motor means;

said second housing means being mounted to said first housing means;

whereby when said sensor means is in its retracted position, said door is closed and said sensor is protectively housed within said first housing means, out of said immersed relation to said body of water;

whereby said sensor means is not subjected to the debilitating effects of said body of water when said sensor means is in said first, retracted position.