Patent ID: 7631445
Filing Date: 2009-12-15
Classification: E02F

Abstract:
1. For use in conjunction with an underwater dredging apparatus having a power shovel with a power house, a bucket and at least two manipulator arms each having a known length and extending between the bucket and the power house which position the bucket, a system for determining the underwater depth of the bucket comprising: a data processor, a depth sensor attached to one manipulator arm, said sensor providing an output signal representative of the depth of the sensor to said data processor, an angle sensor attached to each manipulator arm, said angle sensors providing an output signal representative of the angle of each manipulator arm, said data processor programmed to calculate the depth of the bucket as a function of said depth sensor, the lengths of said manipulator arms and said angle sensor outputs and without the need of an input from any sensor external to the dredging apparatus, and a video display operatively connected to said data processor which displays the depth of the bucket.