Patent US3783622A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3783622A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and system for the containment and salvage of chemicals and oils at sea
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1971-09-16
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Granted: 1974-01-08
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Expires: 1991-09-16
Abstract
Abstract A rigid barrier unit for use in assembling an enclosure around a surface area of a body of water is provided with adjustable buoyancy and ballasting chambers so that a nearly neutral buoyancy condition can be established with substantially all of the mass of the unit below the turbulence level of a body of water in which the barrier unit is placed. A method of deployment of such units involves a floatation of the units in horizontal attitudes to the area to be enclosed, followed by a ballasting of the units into vertical attitudes so as to extend around an oil or chemical spill area.
Inventors
- 👤 C Gambel
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 17:09
CPC Classifications
E; E02; E02B; E02B15/00; E02B15/04; E02B15/08; E02B15/0814; Y; Y02; Y02A; Y02A20/00; Y02A20/20; Y02A20/204
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
272 words
A floatable barrier system for use in a large body of water such as a lake, ocean or the like, comprising: a plurality of rigid buoyant barrier structures operable to be disposed in an operative pOsition in said body of water wherein each extends generally vertically by virtue of a total of a plurality of separate buoyancy forces thereof acting above the center of gravity thereof; a first buoyancy means disposed at an upper portion of each of said barrier structures when in said operative position for supplying a first buoyancy force necessary to be exerted on said barrier structures to maintain the same in said operative position; a second buoyancy means disposed beneath each said first buoyancy means at a submerged position below the turbulance level of said body of water when said barrier structures are in said operative vertical position for supplying a second substantial buoyancy force necessary to be exerted on said barrier structures to maintain the same in said operative position and for applying said second buoyancy force on said barrier structures at a position below the turbulance level of said body of water; each of said plurality of barrier structures having exposed barrier portions extending above the surface of said body of water when said barrier structures are in said operative position for reducing substantial wave action on a side of said barrier structures opposite the direction of movement of said wave action; and linking means interconnecting said plurality of barrier structures for allowing relative articulated movement of said barrier structures with respect to one another caused by wave action while substantially maintaining the barrier effect thereof.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
272 words
A floatable barrier system for use in a large body of water such as a lake, ocean or the like, comprising: a plurality of rigid buoyant barrier structures operable to be disposed in an operative pOsition in said body of water wherein each extends generally vertically by virtue of a total of a plurality of separate buoyancy forces thereof acting above the center of gravity thereof; a first buoyancy means disposed at an upper portion of each of said barrier structures when in said operative position for supplying a first buoyancy force necessary to be exerted on said barrier structures to maintain the same in said operative position; a second buoyancy means disposed beneath each said first buoyancy means at a submerged position below the turbulance level of said body of water when said barrier structures are in said operative vertical position for supplying a second substantial buoyancy force necessary to be exerted on said barrier structures to maintain the same in said operative position and for applying said second buoyancy force on said barrier structures at a position below the turbulance level of said body of water; each of said plurality of barrier structures having exposed barrier portions extending above the surface of said body of water when said barrier structures are in said operative position for reducing substantial wave action on a side of said barrier structures opposite the direction of movement of said wave action; and linking means interconnecting said plurality of barrier structures for allowing relative articulated movement of said barrier structures with respect to one another caused by wave action while substantially maintaining the barrier effect thereof.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
The barrier system of claim 1 wherein said first and second buoyancy means each comprises an air-tight chamber that includes controls for being flooded or blown so as to provide for ballasting and buoyancy controls for each said barrier structure.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
57 words
The barrier system of claim 2 wherein said series of chambers are positioned between the waterline of the barrier unit and its lowermost edge, when in its vertical orientation, so as to provide for substantial ballasting of the barrier unit at a level below the turbulence level of the body of water in which it is placed.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
41 words
The barrier system of claim 1 wherein said linking means comprises hinge sections carried at end portions of each of said barrier structures for linking engagement with hinge sections carried at the ends of adjacent barrier structures arranged in end-to-end relationship.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
54 words
The barrier system of claim 4 wherein said hinge sections are mounted on each said barrier structure so as to pivot relative to the barrier structure about horizontal axes which are perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the barrier unit, thereby providing for a flexing of a series of such barrier structures linked together.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
The barrier system of claim 4 wherein hinge sections of adjoining barrier structures link together to pivot about a common vertical axis.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
The barrier system of claim 4 and including means which can be interconnected between adjacent linked barrier structures to control the relative angular disposition of the adjacent barrier structures about said common vertical axis.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
81 words
The barrier system of claim 1 and further including: ballast means disposed at the lower portion of each of said plurality of rigid barrier structures below said center of gravity when in said substantially vertical position for providing a buoyancy force which in association with said first and second buoyancy means will maintain each said barrier structure in a floating horizontal position, and which can be flooded with water to permit each said barrier structure to assume said substantially vertical position.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
34 words
The barrier system of claim 1 wherein said plurality of barrier structures are linked by said linking means so as to form a generally circular enclosure to contain an oil spill within said system.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
159 words
A method for providing a stable buoyant barrier system in a large body of water, comprising the steps of: applying a total of a plurality of separate buoyancy forces to each of a pluraliTy of rigid barrier structures above the center of gravity of each thereof, so as to maintain said barrier structures in a neutral buoyancy position; applying a first buoyancy force to an upper portion of each of said plurality of barrier structures by means of a first buoyancy means; applying a second buoyancy force beneath said first buoyancy force to each of said barrier structures at a position close to and below the turbulance level of said body of water by means of a second submerged buoyancy means separate from said first buoyancy means; and linking together said plurality of rigid barrier structures so as to allow articulated movement thereof with respect to one another caused by wave action while substantially maintaining the barrier effect thereof.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
159 words
A method for providing a stable buoyant barrier system in a large body of water, comprising the steps of: applying a total of a plurality of separate buoyancy forces to each of a pluraliTy of rigid barrier structures above the center of gravity of each thereof, so as to maintain said barrier structures in a neutral buoyancy position; applying a first buoyancy force to an upper portion of each of said plurality of barrier structures by means of a first buoyancy means; applying a second buoyancy force beneath said first buoyancy force to each of said barrier structures at a position close to and below the turbulance level of said body of water by means of a second submerged buoyancy means separate from said first buoyancy means; and linking together said plurality of rigid barrier structures so as to allow articulated movement thereof with respect to one another caused by wave action while substantially maintaining the barrier effect thereof.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 10 and including the step of forming an enclosure with said barrier structures to contain an oil spill within said system.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 10 and including a step of discharging said barrier structures from a floating vessel for being placed in said large body of water.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 11 and including a further step of drawing said vertically oriented barrier structures together at their tops to form a frusto-conical enclosure around said area.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 11 and including a further step of drawing said vertically oriented barrier structures together at their bottoms to form an inverted frusto-conical enclosure around said area.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-01-07 | 1977-07-09 | 1978-01-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-01-07 | 1981-07-09 | 1982-01-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-01-07 | 1985-07-09 | 1986-01-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |