Abstract: A device for retrieving ocean bottom seismic cable as the cable is pulled up from the bottom and hauled aboard a vessel. The cable is first led over a front wheel located on an arm which is pivotally mounted for movement about an axis. The cable is then passed under a second wheel before it is brought aboard the vessel, optionally via one or more additional wheels. A damper is provided between a fixed point on the arm, spaced apart from the axis and a fixed point on the vessel, so that the front wheel is raised in response to lower tension in the cable and is lowered in response to an increase in tension in the cable, thereby counteracting any variations in the tension of the cable.

Abstract: A device for storing ocean bottom seismic cable (1) on board a vessel, which comprises a rack (11) positioned so that the cable (1) can be hung up thereon, moreover, a device for deploying cable stored on the aforementioned device is described, where as an extension to the rack (11) there may be provided an element (18) for guiding the cable (1) astern from the rack and releasing the cable (1) behind the vessel, and also a regulator (19) for controlling the deployment speed of the cable.

Abstract: A block for handling an elongate body such as a monitoring cable, comprising a plurality of wheels (5) having parallel axles (11) which, in an operational position, are arranged approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the block, wherein the axles (11) of the wheels (5) are mounted on arms (6) which are pivotally mounted in a shaft (4) which runs parallel to the longitudinal direction of the block.