Page 167 



CONTROL AND SIGNAL BUILDING 



2824 



(A) SPECIFICATIONS FOR ONE-BARREL BUOY 



The one-barrel buoy, illustrated in figure 45, consists 

 of a 55-gallon oil or gasoline barrel secured in a frame of 2- 

 by 4-inch lumber, cross braced with 1- by 4-inch lumber. 

 Either finished or rough lumber may be used; the former 

 is more easily handled and painted but the latter is 

 stronger by reason of its greater cross section. A nonre- 

 turnable barrel is secured in the frame by two cross braces, 

 grooved to fit over the chimes of the barrel, and a half-inch 

 bolt between the vertical frames at the top and bottom of 

 the barrel as shown in the figure. If the heavier returnable 

 barrel is used, the cross braces fitting over the chimes may 

 be dispensed with, but the I-bar hoops of the rolling tracks 

 must be cut out on opposite sides so that the vertical frame 

 will fit flush against the barrel. The recesses thus formed 

 will serve to hold the barrel securely in the frame without 

 further bracing. 



The lower end of the buoy is fitted with suitable fix- 

 tures to which a counterweight may be attached. An iron 

 washer plate is placed on each side of the vertical frame and 

 an iron counterweight plate between the frame members, 

 all of which are held together by two half-inch through 

 bolts. Three holes are drilled in the counterweight plate 

 to take the two half-inch bolts and a three-quarter inch 

 shackle which is used to attach the counterweight to the 

 buoy. A railroad car coupler weighing 180 to 200 pounds 

 is generally used for the counterweight, but any iron mass 

 or cast concrete shape of small bulk and equivalent 

 weight in water may be substituted. 



A mast, at the top of which are nailed crossed banners 

 3 feet square, is incorporated in the superstructure of the 

 buoy, surmounted by a flagstaff from which flutter flags of 

 various numbers and colors which serve to identify the 

 buoy. The banners and flagstaff are nailed to the mast 

 with small nails so that they may be easily removed. A 

 small piece of signal cloth, on which the name of the buoy 

 station is painted, is tacked on each side of the super- 

 structure. 



A three-quarter inch eyebolt is bolted to one of the 

 vertical frames at a position about 1 foot below the bottom 

 of the barrel, and to which the anchor cable is attached. 

 The exact position of the eyebolt is chosen so that the buoy 

 will maintain as vertical a position as possible in the pre- 

 vailing wind and current. To prevent the buoy structure 

 from canting, the eyebolt should be placed higher for use 

 where strong winds prevail than for areas where only 

 strong currents prevail. 



A rope sling is fitted on the opposite side of the buoy 

 from the eyebolt, by which it is lowered into the water in 

 anchoring and hoisted from the water in weighing. This 

 rope sling is made of 3-inch Manila rope secured to the 

 vertical frame just below and just above the barrel by 

 means of double half hitches and lashings. After the buoy 

 has been in the water a short time, the salt will stiffen the 

 rope so it will stand out from the frame in a position to be 

 engaged by a hook or grapnel. Being on the opposite 



ti 



SCALE IN FEET 



Figure 45.— One-barrel survey buoy 



