US3645225A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Rough-water towing system
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1969-09-17
•
Granted: 1972-02-29
•
Expires: 1989-09-17
Abstract
Abstract A pusher towboat normally propels a load carrying vessel by pushing contact at the centerline of the stern of the vessel with a towboat-mounted shock absorbing pusher knee. A pair of tensioned rapidly detachable tiller lines interconnecting the vessel and the stern of the towboat lash the vessel and towboat together with a force substantially greater than the astern power of the towboat and stores energy in the pusher knee to rapidly separate towboat and vessel upon detachment of the tiller lines. A connected, but normally nonoperational, pull-towline enables pull-tow control of the vessel upon tiller line detachment. The points of connection of the tiller lines to the vessel, the point of pushing contact between towboat and vessel, and the points of connection of the tiller lines to the stern of the towboat lie in substantially the same horizontal plane. Relative length of the two tiller lines is adjustable under load but at equal tension, so that towboat thrust is available for steering the load carrying vessel by a variation in longitudinal alignment of the towboat with respect to the vessel.
Inventors
- 👤 Thomas T Lunde
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 08:44
CPC Classifications
B; B63; B63B; B63B35/00; B63B35/66; B63B35/70; B63B21/00; B63B21/56; B63B2021/563
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
92 words
A method for rough-water towing of a load carrying vessel by a towboat comprising propelling said vessel by pushing contact with said towboat at the stern centerline of said vessel; detachably lashing said towboat and vessel together; and tensioning the lashing with a force sufficient to prevent separation of said vessel and towboat and concomitantly developing by said force potential energy including a rearwardly directed major component substantially instantaneously variable as a function of the tension in said lashing for quickly pushing said vessel and towboat apart upon detachment of said lashing.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
92 words
A method for rough-water towing of a load carrying vessel by a towboat comprising propelling said vessel by pushing contact with said towboat at the stern centerline of said vessel; detachably lashing said towboat and vessel together; and tensioning the lashing with a force sufficient to prevent separation of said vessel and towboat and concomitantly developing by said force potential energy including a rearwardly directed major component substantially instantaneously variable as a function of the tension in said lashing for quickly pushing said vessel and towboat apart upon detachment of said lashing.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method according to claim 1 including the step of resiliently lashing said towboat and vessel together to accommodate differential rolling or pitching between vessel and towboat.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
131 words
A method of switching from push to pull towing of a load carrying vessel by a towboat comprising normally maintaining slack tow means interconnected between the bow of said vessel and said towboat; normally propelling said vessel by pushing contact with said towboat at the stern centerline of said vessel; detachably lashing said towboat and vessel together with a force sufficient to prevent separation of said vessel and towboat; developing by said force potential energy for quickly pushing said vessel and towboat apart upon detachment of said lashing; quickly unlashing said towboat and vessel thereby releasing said potential energy to push said vessel and towboat apart while simultaneously reversing said towboat; maneuvering said towboat forwardly of said vessel; and then tensioning said tow means for pulling said vessel with said towboat.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
131 words
A method of switching from push to pull towing of a load carrying vessel by a towboat comprising normally maintaining slack tow means interconnected between the bow of said vessel and said towboat; normally propelling said vessel by pushing contact with said towboat at the stern centerline of said vessel; detachably lashing said towboat and vessel together with a force sufficient to prevent separation of said vessel and towboat; developing by said force potential energy for quickly pushing said vessel and towboat apart upon detachment of said lashing; quickly unlashing said towboat and vessel thereby releasing said potential energy to push said vessel and towboat apart while simultaneously reversing said towboat; maneuvering said towboat forwardly of said vessel; and then tensioning said tow means for pulling said vessel with said towboat.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
138 words
A system for rough-water towing of a load carrying vessel with a towboat comprising pusher means on said towboat normally in pushing contact with said vessel at its stern; a pair of resilient tension means, one connecting the stern of said towboat with the port side of the stern of said vessel and the other connecting the stern of said towboat with the starboard side of the stern of said vessel; means for tensioning said tension means; means for quickly detaching each of said tension means from said towboat; and means associated with said pusher means for storing energy including a rearwardly directed major component substantially instantaneously variable as a function of the tension in said tension means tending to separate said towboat and vessel for pushing said towboat and vessel apart upon detachment of said tension means.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
138 words
A system for rough-water towing of a load carrying vessel with a towboat comprising pusher means on said towboat normally in pushing contact with said vessel at its stern; a pair of resilient tension means, one connecting the stern of said towboat with the port side of the stern of said vessel and the other connecting the stern of said towboat with the starboard side of the stern of said vessel; means for tensioning said tension means; means for quickly detaching each of said tension means from said towboat; and means associated with said pusher means for storing energy including a rearwardly directed major component substantially instantaneously variable as a function of the tension in said tension means tending to separate said towboat and vessel for pushing said towboat and vessel apart upon detachment of said tension means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
38 words
The system of claim 4, the points of connection of said resilient tension means to said vessel and to said towboat and the contact of said pusher Means with said vessel being in substantially the same horizontal plane.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
35 words
The system of claim 4, said towboat and vessel being relatively rotatable about a longitudinal axis through the point of said pushing contact, said resilient tension means being lengthened and shortened to accommodate such rotation.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
73 words
The system of claim 4, said pusher means comprising a reciprocable plunger and means resiliently urging said plunger in a forward direction; said pair of tension means comprising a pair of tiller lines and a pair of resilient means connected in series with each tiller line, respectively, for extending and retracting the effective line length; and means for separately tensioning each tension means as to take up or pay out each tiller line.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
36 words
The system of claim 4, said pusher means comprising a reciprocable plunger, means resiliently urging said plunger in a forward direction, and a contact shoe mounted for universal movement on the forward end of said plunger.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
39 words
The system of claim 4, said pusher means comprising a contact shoe, said shoe having a pair of laterally spaced and parallel contact surfaces engageable with complementary spaced and parallel contacts mounted on the stern end of said vessel.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
95 words
The system of claim 4, said pusher means comprising a reciprocable plunger, means resiliently urging said plunger in a forward direction, and a contact shoe mounted to the forward end of said plunger, said shoe having an extension projecting in a forward direction and a pair of laterally spaced and parallel contacts disposed on opposite sides of said extension; whereby said extension is adapted to be engaged with a recess provided on the stern end of said vessel to maintain said laterally spaced and parallel contacts in engagement with complementary contacts mounted on said vessel.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
100 words
The system of claim 4, said means for quickly detaching said tension means comprising a tiller line and a slip fitting secured to one end of said tiller line, a rotatable drum mounted at the stern end of said tug for taking up and paying out said tiller line, a retainer mounted to said drum and engageable with said slip fitting for selectively anchoring said tiller line to the drum or allowing said slip fitting to fall away from the drum when said tiller line is fully unwound from the drum, and power means for rotating and latching said drum.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
39 words
The system of claim 4, and further comprising means for selectively securing one end of each tension means at a predetermined elevation to said load carrying vessel to direct the force of said tension means in substantially horizontal planes.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
57 words
The system of claim 4, and further comprising hydraulic controls including a pair of fluid operated cylinders releasably connectable with said pair of tension means, respectively, each of said cylinders having a throw sufficient to lengthen or shorten the associated tension means to create an angularity between the centerlines of said vessel and said towboat for steering.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
151 words
A system for rough-water towing of a load carrying vessel with a towboat comprising pusher means on said towboat normally in pushing contact with said vessel at its stern; a pair of resilient tension means, one connecting the stern of said towboat with the port side of the stern of said vessel and the other connecting the stern of said towboat with the starboard side of the stern of said vessel; means for tensioning said tension means; and means for quickly detaching each of said tension means from said towboat comprising a first fitting secured to one end of said tension means, a clamshell fitting having pivoted jaws for engaging said first fitting, power means for reciprocally moving said clamshell fitting, and a splitter disposed in the path of movement for said clamshell fitting and adapted to be engaged by said fitting for separating said jaws to release said first fitting.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
151 words
A system for rough-water towing of a load carrying vessel with a towboat comprising pusher means on said towboat normally in pushing contact with said vessel at its stern; a pair of resilient tension means, one connecting the stern of said towboat with the port side of the stern of said vessel and the other connecting the stern of said towboat with the starboard side of the stern of said vessel; means for tensioning said tension means; and means for quickly detaching each of said tension means from said towboat comprising a first fitting secured to one end of said tension means, a clamshell fitting having pivoted jaws for engaging said first fitting, power means for reciprocally moving said clamshell fitting, and a splitter disposed in the path of movement for said clamshell fitting and adapted to be engaged by said fitting for separating said jaws to release said first fitting.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3353512A
Cited
US3461829A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-02-28 | 1975-08-30 | 1976-02-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-02-28 | 1979-08-30 | 1980-02-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-02-28 | 1983-08-30 | 1984-02-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |