John T. Hepburn, Limited

Colin Rich

Derek Foster

A mooring device is secured to a sea-going vessel to handle anchor line of the type having an upper length of wire rope in series with a lower length of chain cable. The mooring device comprises a traction winch for handling the wire rope and a windlass for handling the chain cable. The windlass includes a chain wheel so positioned beneath the winch when the mooring device is located in its operative position that the anchor line can be hauled by the winch substantially vertically between flanges of the chain wheel. In operation the wire rope can be hauled up or paid out without actively engaging the chain wheel, the flanges merely serving as a guide to ensure that the anchor line is properly located for chain handling functions. When a portion of anchor line at the junction between the wire rope and chain cable is drawn above the chain wheel, a chain holder can be engaged to take up the tension in the chain cable, and a hydraulic anchor line retractor is then activated to draw the anchor line portion generally horizontally from its vertical position to a retracted position in which links of chain are draped over link-gripping whelps of the chain wheel. The chain hanger can then withdraw, after the windlass is activated to haul the chain cable upwardly. A conventional static and dynamic brake system is provided to regulate the paying out of anchor line during a substantially reverse process.

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Brampton, Canada

Colin Rich