Lift bag system and method for anchor testing and/or removal

Abstract

A method that includes introducing fluid into a lift bag system to increase buoyancy of the lift bag system within a body of water to cause testing of an anchor and/or removal of the anchor from a substrate within a body of water. The lift bag system includes a lift bag body that includes a lift bag top end and one or more sidewalls that define a lift bag cavity configured to hold a volume of fluid. Introducing fluid into the lift bag system increases buoyancy of the lift bag body within the body of water to cause testing of the anchor and/or removal of the anchor from the substrate within the body of water. The lift bag system also includes a compression tube that extends between a compression tube top end and a compression tube bottom end, an attachment point, and a plurality of bridles.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of testing and/or removal of an anchor in a substrate within a body of water and with an anchor line coupled to and extending from the anchor, the method comprising:
 positioning the anchor line into a lift bag system, the lift bag system comprising:
 a lift bag body that includes a lift bag top end and lift bag bottom end and one or more sidewalls that define a disc-shaped lift bag cavity with the lift bag body having generally planar top and bottom faces that are parallel to each other, the lift bag body configured to hold a volume of air within the lift bag cavity, 
 an elongated linear cylindrical compression tube that extends between a compression tube top end and a compression tube bottom end along an axis that is perpendicular to the generally planar top and bottom faces of the lift bag body and the compression tube defining a compression tube cavity, the compression tube extending through a central location of the lift bag body with the compression tube top end extending through the lift bag top end and with the compression tube bottom end extending through the lift bag bottom end, wherein the positioning the anchor line into the lift bag system comprises positioning the anchor line within the compression tube cavity with the anchor line being able to freely move within the compression tube cavity, 
 an anchor line attachment point disposed at or proximate to the compression tube top end and disposed above or proximate to the lift bag top end, and 
 a plurality of bridles coupled to the compression tube bottom end of the compression tube at respective bottom bridle ends and that extend to respective top bridle ends that are coupled to respective locations at the lift bag top end and/or one or more sidewalls of the lift bag body, the bridles configured to allow the compression tube to be purely or substantially under compression via the bridles when the lift bag system is exposed to force or load via the anchor and/or buoyancy of the lift bag body, and 
 a fluid line configured to introduce air into the lift bag cavity to add volume and/or mass of air into the lift bag cavity via a fluid line port disposed at the lift bag top end; 
   fixing the lift bag system at a position along the anchor line at the anchor line attachment point such that the lift bag system is securely coupled to the anchor line at only the anchor line attachment point with the anchor line configured to freely move within the compression tube cavity below the attachment point and freely move above the attachment point; and   introducing air into the lift bag cavity via the fluid line and fluid line port to increase buoyancy of the lift bag body within the body of water, the buoyancy of the lift bag body generating a load or force on the anchor via the anchor line to cause testing of the anchor and/or removal of the anchor from the substrate within the body of water.   
     
     
         2 . The method of testing and/or removal of  claim 1 , wherein the lift bag system further comprises an electronic lift bag device disposed at the anchor line attachment point and configured for operation while the electronic lift bag device is submerged in the body of water, the electronic lift bag device including:
 a depth sensor configured to sense the depth of the lift bag system within the body of water,   a load cell configured to sense a load or force being generated on the anchor via the anchor line,   a GPS system configured to identify a location of the lift bag system within the body of water, and   a computing system comprising one or more processors and a memory that stores instructions, that when executed by the one or more processors, cause the lift bag system to perform at least a portion of the method of  claim 1  based at least in part on data from the depth sensor, load cell and/or GPS system.   
     
     
         3 . The method of testing and/or removal of  claim 1 , wherein the secure coupling to the anchor line at the anchor line attachment point, the compression tube, the plurality of bridles and the anchor line are configured to support a load or force of at least 1 metric ton. 
     
     
         4 . The method of testing and/or removal of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the lift bag body has a maximum radius of at least 5 feet,   wherein the lift bag body has a depth or thickness of at least 5 feet,   wherein the elongated linear cylindrical compression tube has a length of at least 8 feet and a diameter of at least 6 inches.   
     
     
         5 . A method of testing and/or removal of an anchor in a substrate within a body of water and with an anchor line coupled to and extending from the anchor, the method comprising:
 fixing a lift bag system at a position along the anchor line, the lift bag system comprising:
 a lift bag body that includes a lift bag top end and one or more sidewalls that define a lift bag cavity with the lift bag body having a top face plane, the lift bag body configured to hold a volume of fluid within the lift bag cavity, 
 a compression tube that extends between a compression tube top end and a compression tube bottom end along an axis and defines a compression tube cavity, with the compression tube bottom end extending below the lift bag body, 
 an anchor line attachment point disposed at or proximate to the compression tube top end and disposed proximate to or above a top plane of the lift bag top end, wherein the fixing the lift bag system at the position along the anchor line includes fixing the anchor line at the anchor line attachment point such that the lift bag system is securely coupled to the anchor line at the anchor line attachment point, 
 a plurality of bridles coupled to the compression tube bottom end of the compression tube at respective bottom bridle ends and that extend to respective top bridle ends that are coupled to respective locations at the lift bag top end and/or one or more sidewalls of the lift bag body, and 
 a fluid line configured to introduce fluid into the lift bag cavity to add volume and/or mass of fluid into the lift bag cavity via a fluid line port; and 
   introducing fluid into the lift bag cavity via the fluid line and fluid line port to increase buoyancy of the lift bag body within the body of water, the buoyancy of the lift bag body generating a load or force on the anchor via the anchor line to cause testing of the anchor and/or removal of the anchor from the substrate within the body of water.   
     
     
         6 . The method of testing and/or removal of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 positioning the anchor line into a lift bag system, wherein positioning the anchor line into the lift bag system comprises positioning the anchor line within the compression tube cavity.   
     
     
         7 . The method of testing and/or removal of  claim 5 , wherein the lift bag body further comprises a lift bag bottom end and wherein the compression tube extends through the lift bag bottom end. 
     
     
         8 . The method of testing and/or removal of  claim 5 , wherein the lift bag body defines a disc-shaped lift bag cavity. 
     
     
         9 . The method of testing and/or removal of  claim 5 , wherein the compression tube is an elongated linear cylindrical tube that defines the compression tube cavity. 
     
     
         10 . The method of testing and/or removal of  claim 5 , wherein fixing the lift bag system at the position along the anchor line includes fixing the anchor line at the anchor line attachment point such that the lift bag system is securely coupled to the anchor line at only the anchor line attachment point without the lift bag system being securely coupled to the anchor line at another position along the anchor line. 
     
     
         11 . The method of testing and/or removal of  claim 5 , wherein the bridles are configured to allow the compression tube to be under compression via the bridles when the lift bag system is exposed to force or load via the anchor and/or buoyancy of the lift bag body. 
     
     
         12 . A method of testing and/or removal of an anchor in a substrate within a body of water, the method comprising:
 introducing fluid into a lift bag system to increase buoyancy of the lift bag system within the body of water, the buoyancy of the lift bag system causing testing of the anchor and/or removal of the anchor from the substrate within the body of water, the lift bag system comprising:
 a lift bag body that includes a lift bag top end and one or more sidewalls that define a lift bag cavity, the lift bag body configured to hold a volume of fluid within the lift bag cavity, wherein the introducing fluid into the lift bag system comprises introducing fluid into the lift bag cavity to increase buoyancy of the lift bag body within the body of water to cause testing of the anchor and/or removal of the anchor from the substrate within the body of water, 
 a compression tube that extends between a compression tube top end and a compression tube bottom end, 
 an attachment point, and 
 a plurality of bridles. 
   
     
     
         13 . The method of testing and/or removal of  claim 12 , further comprising fixing the lift bag system at a position along an anchor line, wherein fixing the lift bag system at the position along the anchor line includes fixing the anchor line at the attachment point such that the lift bag system is securely coupled to the anchor line at the attachment point. 
     
     
         14 . The method of testing and/or removal of  claim 12 , wherein introducing fluid into the lift bag system to increase buoyancy of the lift bag system within the body of water generates a load or force on the anchor to cause the testing of the anchor and/or removal of the anchor from the substrate within the body of water. 
     
     
         15 . The method of testing and/or removal of  claim 12 , wherein the lift bag body has a top face plane that is parallel to a main axis of the compression tube. 
     
     
         16 . The method of testing and/or removal of  claim 12 , wherein introducing fluid into the lift bag system is via a fluid line. 
     
     
         17 . The method of testing and/or removal of  claim 12 , wherein the compression tube extends through a central location of the lift bag body. 
     
     
         18 . The method of testing and/or removal of  claim 12 , wherein compression tube bottom end extends below the lift bag body. 
     
     
         19 . The method of testing and/or removal of  claim 12 , wherein the attachment point is disposed at or proximate to the compression tube top end and disposed above or proximate to the lift bag top end. 
     
     
         20 . The method of testing and/or removal of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of bridles are coupled to the compression tube bottom end of the compression tube at respective bottom bridle ends and that extend to respective top bridle ends that are coupled to respective locations at the lift bag body.