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US3698341A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Ice-breaking hammer attachment for ships
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1970-03-04
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Granted: 1972-10-17
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Expires: 1990-03-04
Abstract
Abstract A sea-ice breaker for ships, including a ship-borne high capacity source of compressed air and a submersible free-floating vertical ram assembly for pivotal attachment to the bow of a ship, the ram consisting of three chambers: an uppermost spheroidal chamber reinforced for splitting the ice from beneath by impact and having connection to the high-pressure air supply for throwing the ice aside after splitting by exhausting fluid against it under high pressure; a middle chamber connected through a header with a downwardly disposed array of parallel pipes and having connection to the high pressure air supply for driving the ram upward against the ice by rapid downward expulsion of seawater from the pipes; and a bell-like lower chamber open at the bottom to serve as an air-spring, and having connection to the high pressure air supply for adjusting the nominal buoyancy of the ram assembly and for supplying extra driving force to the ram when required.
Inventors
- 👤 Jacob C Wagner
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 23:05
CPC Classifications
B; B63; B63B; B63B35/00; B63B35/08
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
82 words
An ice breaker system for ships, comprising: vertically elongated ram means for impacting ice from beneath, the vertically elongated ram means comprising plural rigid compartments; means for oscillating the ram means including pipe means extending downward from connection with a said compartment, said pipe means being vented at an upper portion thereof for receiving ambient seawater and the like into the interior of the ram means cyclically and having means associated therewith for ejecting said received seawater downward through the pipe means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
82 words
An ice breaker system for ships, comprising: vertically elongated ram means for impacting ice from beneath, the vertically elongated ram means comprising plural rigid compartments; means for oscillating the ram means including pipe means extending downward from connection with a said compartment, said pipe means being vented at an upper portion thereof for receiving ambient seawater and the like into the interior of the ram means cyclically and having means associated therewith for ejecting said received seawater downward through the pipe means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
83 words
An ice breaker system for ships as recited in claim 1, wherein the means for oscillating includes a compressed air system for carriage aboard a said ship and wherein the means for movable attachment includes An arm attached at one end to the ram means and adapted at the other end for pivotal attachment to a said ship and means for passage of compressed air from said ship to a compartment in the ram means for ejecting seawater downward from said pipe means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
136 words
An ice breaker system for ships comprising: ram means, having plural rigid compartments, for impacting the ice from beneath; means for oscillating the ram means including: pipe means extending downward from connection with a said rigid compartment; a compressed air system for carriage aboard a said ship, means for passage of compressed air from a said ship to one of said rigid compartments in the ram means for ejecting fluid from said pipe means; one of said plural compartments including a connection to said air passage means; a valve and orifice for expelling air upward from the ram means; and means for movable attachment of the ram means to a said ship including an arm attached at one end to the ram means and adapted at the other end for pivotal attachment to a said ship.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
136 words
An ice breaker system for ships comprising: ram means, having plural rigid compartments, for impacting the ice from beneath; means for oscillating the ram means including: pipe means extending downward from connection with a said rigid compartment; a compressed air system for carriage aboard a said ship, means for passage of compressed air from a said ship to one of said rigid compartments in the ram means for ejecting fluid from said pipe means; one of said plural compartments including a connection to said air passage means; a valve and orifice for expelling air upward from the ram means; and means for movable attachment of the ram means to a said ship including an arm attached at one end to the ram means and adapted at the other end for pivotal attachment to a said ship.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
51 words
An ice breaker system for ships as recited in claim 3 wherein the plural compartments are in vertical relation and include an upper compartment, a middle compartment and a lower compartment, with the lower compartment being open at the bottom and the pipe means extending downward therethrough from the middle compartment.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
34 words
An ice breaker system for ships as recited in claim 4, wherein the lower compartment has a valve connection with the compressed air passage means for thereby trimming the displacement of said ram means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
An ice breaker system for ships as recited in claim 5, wherein the compressed air passage means includes valved connection with said middle compartment.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
An ice breaker system for ships as recited in claim 6, wherein the upper compartment comprises a spheroidal chamber, with the upper wall of the chamber forming an impact structure for ice breaking by said system.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
31 words
An ice breaker system for ships as recited in claim 7, and an impact sensor on the ram means for controlling the valve for expelling air upward from the ram means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
39 words
An ice breaker attachment as recited in claim 8, wherein the ram means is pivotally adapted for storage, beneath a said ship parallel therewith, whereupon said ejection of fluid from the pipe means gives forward impulse to said ship.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
36 words
An ice breaker system as recited in claim 7, and a compartment for storage of compressed air positioned intermediate the upper and middle compartments and having valved passage for air to said upper and middle compartments.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
34 words
An ice breaker system as recited in claim 7, and a hemi-spherical member open at one side, the hemispherical member attached to the lower end of the pipe means with said open side downward.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
170 words
An ice breaker system for ships comprising: ram means having plural rigid compartments for impacting ice from beneath; means for oscillating the ram means including: pipe means extending downward from connection with a said rigid compartment, a compressed air system for carriage aboard a said ship, means for passage of compressed air from a said ship to one of said rigid compartments in the ram means for ejecting fluid from said pipe means; means for movable attachment of the ram means to a said ship including an arm attached at one end to the ram means and adapted at the other end for pivotal attachment to a said ship; said ram means additionally comprising a unitary, laterally extended double ram means, each of said double ram means being independently actuable by the means for oscillating the ram means, and cradle means for limiting the travel of a ram means and stabilizing it against a said ship, whereby said oscillation of the ram means provides for oscillation of a said ship.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
170 words
An ice breaker system for ships comprising: ram means having plural rigid compartments for impacting ice from beneath; means for oscillating the ram means including: pipe means extending downward from connection with a said rigid compartment, a compressed air system for carriage aboard a said ship, means for passage of compressed air from a said ship to one of said rigid compartments in the ram means for ejecting fluid from said pipe means; means for movable attachment of the ram means to a said ship including an arm attached at one end to the ram means and adapted at the other end for pivotal attachment to a said ship; said ram means additionally comprising a unitary, laterally extended double ram means, each of said double ram means being independently actuable by the means for oscillating the ram means, and cradle means for limiting the travel of a ram means and stabilizing it against a said ship, whereby said oscillation of the ram means provides for oscillation of a said ship.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
29 words
An ice breaker system for ships as recited in claim 12, wherein the laterally extended double ram means comprises two independent ram assemblies fixedly spaced apart by strut means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-10-17 | 1976-04-17 | 1976-10-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-10-17 | 1980-04-17 | 1980-10-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-10-17 | 1984-04-17 | 1984-10-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |