Towing Anchor With Sliding Wing Plates for High Bearing Capacity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional towing anchors have limited bearing capacity due to their small dimensions, which restricts their application in large structures, and increasing their size complicates transportation and installation.
Innovation Solution
A towing anchor design that extends a wing plate, increasing its force-bearing area while maintaining ease of transportation and installation, featuring a main anchor plate with L-shaped baffles, sliding wing plates, and a pulley system for tensioning and connection to a towing vessel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the dimension of the towing anchor is increased to improve bearing capacity, then the bearing capacity is improved, but the installation resistance increases and transportation becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the wing plates movable rather than fixed. The wing plates can be extended outward from the main anchor plate during operation to increase bearing capacity, and retracted during transportation to reduce resistance and facilitate handling. This dynamic configuration allows the anchor to adapt its dimensions according to operational requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the anchor into a main anchor plate and separate movable wing plates. This segmentation allows the wing plates to be independently extended or retracted, enabling the anchor to increase its effective bearing area when needed while maintaining a compact form during transportation and installation.
2Strength
If the dimension of the towing anchor is increased to improve bearing capacity, then the bearing capacity is improved, but the difficulty of transportation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The wing plates are designed to be dynamically extendable and retractable. During transportation, the wing plates are retracted to minimize the overall dimension of the anchor, making it easier to handle and transport. When deployed, the wing plates extend to provide the necessary bearing capacity for large structures.
3Area of stationary object
If the wing plate is extended to increase force bearing area, then the bearing capacity is increased, but the installation resistance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The wing plates are designed to extend dynamically after the anchor is installed on the seabed. During the installation phase, the wing plates remain retracted to minimize installation resistance. Once the anchor is properly positioned and secured, the wing plates are extended to increase the force bearing area for operational loads.
Solution Approach 2:
The anchor is first installed with the wing plates in a retracted state to avoid increasing installation resistance. After the anchor is securely positioned on the seabed, the wing plates are then extended to provide the increased bearing capacity needed for operational purposes.
4Strength
If the towing anchor is designed with larger dimension to meet bearing capacity requirements, then the bearing capacity is improved, but the complexity of the structure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The anchor structure is segmented into a main anchor plate and separate wing plates that can be extended or retracted. This segmentation allows the structure to achieve large bearing area when needed while maintaining a compact, simple form during transportation and installation, effectively reducing overall structural complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The extended wing plate design significantly enhances the anchor's bearing capacity during operation without increasing installation resistance and allows for space-saving retraction during transportation.
Implementation Method 1
In the limit cable-receiving groove, a first fixed pulley is provided correspondingly to an inner edge of each of the two wing plates, and a second fixed pulley is provided correspondingly to an outer edge of each of the two wing plates
Implementation Method 2
one end of a tensioning steel cable penetrates into a gap between the wing plate and the main anchor plate and is fixed to the inner edge of the wing plate, and the other end of the tensioning steel cable sequentially surrounds the third, second, and first fixed pulleys
Data Source
AI summary
A towing anchor capable of extending wing plate and an installation method therefor are provided. The towing anchor includes a main anchor plate and two wing plates which can slide outwards relative to the main anchor plate and will not be detached from the main anchor plate. The main anchor plate is anchored with a mooring steel cable connected to a towing vessel. The main anchor plate is further provided with a limit cable-receiving groove, in which first, second and third fixed pulleys are respectively provided correspondingly to each of the two wing plates. One end of a tensioning steel cable is fixed to an inner edge of the wing plate, and the other end of the tensioning steel cable sequentially surrounds the third, second, and first fixed pulleys and then passes through an opening formed at middle position of the groove to be connected to the towing vessel.