Patent US3740956A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3740956A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Portable retaining structure
Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Co
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Filing: 1970-11-12
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Granted: 1973-06-26
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Expires: 1990-11-12
Abstract
Abstract A portable marine structure for use as an artificial island and retaining support for fill material includes a tank member having a base member and a wall member sealed to the base member and capable of being flooded with water and sunk in a body of water with flood water to be replaced by select fill material, that may or may not be frozen to resist ice forces against the retaining structure. The floatable structure also includes an outer shell having an outer wall member spaced from and surrounding the tank wall member and a truss system connecting the tank wall member to the outer wall member. The outer shell is open at top and bottom. The artificial island structure is created by floating the marine structure to a desired water location, sinking the structure by flooding the tank with water and then anchoring the structure by filling the outer shell with fill material. When the structure is to be salvaged, it is floated by removing the fill material from the outer shell and removing water from the tank member.
Inventors
- 👤 A Guy
- 👤 D Galloway
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 18:17
CPC Classifications
B; B63; B63B; B63B35/00; B63B35/08; B63B35/086; E; E02; E02B; E02B17/00; E02B17/02; E02B17/028; E02D; E02D23/00; E02D23/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
98 words
A marine barge structure capable of providing a thin retaining wall for fill material comprising: a floatable tank capable of being flooded and sunk in a body of water and having a base member and a wall member sealed to said base member; and an outer shell connected to said tank comprising a tHin outer wall member spaced from and surrounding said tank wall member and truss work means connecting said tank wall member to said outer wall member; the space between said outer wall member and said tank wall member being open at the top and bottom.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
98 words
A marine barge structure capable of providing a thin retaining wall for fill material comprising: a floatable tank capable of being flooded and sunk in a body of water and having a base member and a wall member sealed to said base member; and an outer shell connected to said tank comprising a tHin outer wall member spaced from and surrounding said tank wall member and truss work means connecting said tank wall member to said outer wall member; the space between said outer wall member and said tank wall member being open at the top and bottom.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
A structure as recited in claim 1 including said tank having dimensions sufficient to provide adequate buoyancy to float said structure.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
A structure as recited in claim 1 including piping extending through said base member for flooding said tank to cause sinking of said structure.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
A structure as recited in claim 1 including refrigeration means arranged in said outer shell for freezing fill material when said fill material is located in said outer shell.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
A structure as recited in claim 4, in which said tank is of cylindrical shape.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
102 words
A method for creating a portable retaining structure comprising: a floatable tank capable of being flooded and sunk in a body of water and having a base member and a wall member, and an outer shell connected to said tank comprising a substantially vertical outer thin wall member spaced from and surrounding said tank wall member and connected to said tank wall member by framework comprising the steps of: positioning said structure in a body of water; flooding said tank to sink said structure to water bottom; and adding fill material to said outer shell to anchor said structure on water bottom.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
102 words
A method for creating a portable retaining structure comprising: a floatable tank capable of being flooded and sunk in a body of water and having a base member and a wall member, and an outer shell connected to said tank comprising a substantially vertical outer thin wall member spaced from and surrounding said tank wall member and connected to said tank wall member by framework comprising the steps of: positioning said structure in a body of water; flooding said tank to sink said structure to water bottom; and adding fill material to said outer shell to anchor said structure on water bottom.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method as recited in claim 6, including the step of towing said structure to said position in said body of water to provide adequate structural strength to reduce ice crushing forces in arctic waters.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method as recited in claim 7 including freezing at least a portion of said full material after said structure has been sunk to water bottom.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as recited in claim 8 including displacing said liquid in the tank with fill material after said tank has been flooded and sunk to water bottom.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
141 words
A method for creating a portable retaining structure and artificial island and removing same using a structure which comprises a floatable tank capable of being flooded and sunk in a body of water having a base member and a wall member and an outer shell connected to said tank comprising a substantially vertical outer thin wall member spaced from and surrounding said tank wall member and connected to said tank wall member by truss work, the space between said outer wall member and said tank wall member being open at the top and bottom comprising the steps of: flooding said tank to sink said structure to water bottom; adding fill material to said outer shell to anchor said structure on water bottom; removing said water from said tank to buoy said structure; and removing said fill material from said outer shell.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
141 words
A method for creating a portable retaining structure and artificial island and removing same using a structure which comprises a floatable tank capable of being flooded and sunk in a body of water having a base member and a wall member and an outer shell connected to said tank comprising a substantially vertical outer thin wall member spaced from and surrounding said tank wall member and connected to said tank wall member by truss work, the space between said outer wall member and said tank wall member being open at the top and bottom comprising the steps of: flooding said tank to sink said structure to water bottom; adding fill material to said outer shell to anchor said structure on water bottom; removing said water from said tank to buoy said structure; and removing said fill material from said outer shell.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
122 words
A marine barge structure capable of providing a thin retaining wall for fill material comprising: a buoyant floatable tank capable of being flooded and sunk in a body of water and having a base member and a wall member sealed to said base member; an outer shell connected to said tank comprising a thin outer wall member spaced from and surrounding said tank wall member and truss work means connecting said tank wall member to said outer wall member; the space between said outer wall member and said tank wall member being open at the top and bottom thereof; additional buoyancy means located in said outer shell; and said tank buoyancy and said additional buoyancy means being adequate to float said structure.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
122 words
A marine barge structure capable of providing a thin retaining wall for fill material comprising: a buoyant floatable tank capable of being flooded and sunk in a body of water and having a base member and a wall member sealed to said base member; an outer shell connected to said tank comprising a thin outer wall member spaced from and surrounding said tank wall member and truss work means connecting said tank wall member to said outer wall member; the space between said outer wall member and said tank wall member being open at the top and bottom thereof; additional buoyancy means located in said outer shell; and said tank buoyancy and said additional buoyancy means being adequate to float said structure.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
124 words
A marine barge structure capable of providing a thin retaining wall for fill material comprising: a buoyant floatable tank capable of being flooded and sunk in a body of water and having a base member and a wall member sealed to said base member; an outer shell connected to said tank comprising a thin outer wall member spaced from and surrounding said tank wall member and truss work means connecting said tank wall member to said outer wall member; the space betweeN said outer wall member and said tank wall member being open at the top and bottom thereof; fill material located in said outer shell; and refrigeration means arranged in said outer shell for freezing at least a portion of said fill material.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
124 words
A marine barge structure capable of providing a thin retaining wall for fill material comprising: a buoyant floatable tank capable of being flooded and sunk in a body of water and having a base member and a wall member sealed to said base member; an outer shell connected to said tank comprising a thin outer wall member spaced from and surrounding said tank wall member and truss work means connecting said tank wall member to said outer wall member; the space betweeN said outer wall member and said tank wall member being open at the top and bottom thereof; fill material located in said outer shell; and refrigeration means arranged in said outer shell for freezing at least a portion of said fill material.
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) | 1976-06-25 | 1976-12-25 | 1977-06-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-06-25 | 1980-12-25 | 1981-06-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-06-25 | 1984-12-25 | 1985-06-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |