Patent US3793974A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3793974A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Marine transport
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1971-10-07
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Granted: 1974-02-26
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Expires: 1991-10-07
Abstract
Abstract An integrated marine transport system for joint or separate commercial and military uses in which a plurality of cargo containers, each sized to define the entire cargo carrying space of a vessel, are each separably mated with cooperatively configured vessels provided for moving the containers from port to port. The system also includes dock facilities configured to mate with the cargo containers and to receive and to discharge the containers directly from and to the vessels. The system also includes in-port vessels for transferring the containers from the port-to-port vessels to the docks. Also described is a novel docking arrangement useful in conjunction with the vessels and the cargo containers to provide port and cargo handling facilities in undeveloped areas.
Inventors
- 👤 J Bylo
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 19:17
CPC Classifications
B; B63; B63B; B63B3/00; B63B3/02; B63B3/08; B63B25/00; B63B25/002; B63B25/004; B63B35/00; B63B35/40
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
329 words
A marine transport system comprising a plurality of modular cargo hold units of standardized lower configuration and dimension, each of the hold units having longitudinal and end sides, at least some of the hold units being buoyant when loaded, said some hold units having the interior thereof subdivided longitudinally into a plurality of hold spaces and vertically by a plurality of decks, said some hold units having hatches provided through the top thereof to the hold spaces and cargohandling equipment of substantially conventional arrangement adjacent the hatches operable for working cargo into and out of essentially the entire internal volume of the unit through the hatches, at least those hold units with hatches having closable side access means laterally there into in association with a plurality of the decks thereof and openable for working cargo into and out of the internal volume of the unit therethrough, a self-propelled vessel for moving cargo hold units between a plurality of ports served by the system and configured to interchangeably mate with the hold units for supporting the same and for securing a hold unit supported thereby from shifting relative thereto, and dock means in at least one port served by the system for supporting a hold unit independently of the vessel for working of cargo in the unit through the access means, the vessel including ballasting means operable for altering the draft of the vessel between a shallow draft state wherein the vessel is operable for supporting a hold unit and for moving the same between ports in the system and a deep draft state wherein the hold unit, where the hold unit is one of said some hoLd units, is floatable free of the vessel at a dock for the working of cargo to and from the hold unit through the top hatches thereof by use of said cargo-handling equipment, the ballasting means also being operable to implement transfer of a hold unit between the vessel and said dock means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
329 words
A marine transport system comprising a plurality of modular cargo hold units of standardized lower configuration and dimension, each of the hold units having longitudinal and end sides, at least some of the hold units being buoyant when loaded, said some hold units having the interior thereof subdivided longitudinally into a plurality of hold spaces and vertically by a plurality of decks, said some hold units having hatches provided through the top thereof to the hold spaces and cargohandling equipment of substantially conventional arrangement adjacent the hatches operable for working cargo into and out of essentially the entire internal volume of the unit through the hatches, at least those hold units with hatches having closable side access means laterally there into in association with a plurality of the decks thereof and openable for working cargo into and out of the internal volume of the unit therethrough, a self-propelled vessel for moving cargo hold units between a plurality of ports served by the system and configured to interchangeably mate with the hold units for supporting the same and for securing a hold unit supported thereby from shifting relative thereto, and dock means in at least one port served by the system for supporting a hold unit independently of the vessel for working of cargo in the unit through the access means, the vessel including ballasting means operable for altering the draft of the vessel between a shallow draft state wherein the vessel is operable for supporting a hold unit and for moving the same between ports in the system and a deep draft state wherein the hold unit, where the hold unit is one of said some hoLd units, is floatable free of the vessel at a dock for the working of cargo to and from the hold unit through the top hatches thereof by use of said cargo-handling equipment, the ballasting means also being operable to implement transfer of a hold unit between the vessel and said dock means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
A marine transport system according to claim 1 wherein each hold unit is sized relative to the vessel when loaded and mated with the vessel to consume a substantial fraction of the load-carrying capacity of the vessel.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
A marine transport system according to claim 1 including at least one cargo hold unit having only closable access means laterally thereinto.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
A marine transport system according to claim 1 wherein the access means are provided at an end of at least some of the hold units.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
A marine transport system according to claim 1 wherein the dock means includes means for adjusting the position thereat of a received cargo hold unit.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
161 words
A marine transport system comprising, in combination, a plurality of elongate multi-deck modular cargo hold units of standardized lower configuration and dimension, a self-propelled vessel for moving cargo hold units between ports served by the system and configured to interchangeably mate with the hold units for supporting the same and for securing a hold unit supported thereby from shifting relative thereto, dock means in each port served by the system for supporting a cargo hold unit independently of the vessel, means cooperating between the vessel and the dock means for buoyantly transferring a hold unit to and from the dock means, and means operable for adjusting the positional relation of a cargo hold unit relative to the dock means in the absence of a supportive vessel and including variable buoyancy means, means defined by the dock means for guiding the variable buoyancy means vertically, and retractable means carried by the variable buoyancy means for engaging and supporting a cargo hold unit.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
161 words
A marine transport system comprising, in combination, a plurality of elongate multi-deck modular cargo hold units of standardized lower configuration and dimension, a self-propelled vessel for moving cargo hold units between ports served by the system and configured to interchangeably mate with the hold units for supporting the same and for securing a hold unit supported thereby from shifting relative thereto, dock means in each port served by the system for supporting a cargo hold unit independently of the vessel, means cooperating between the vessel and the dock means for buoyantly transferring a hold unit to and from the dock means, and means operable for adjusting the positional relation of a cargo hold unit relative to the dock means in the absence of a supportive vessel and including variable buoyancy means, means defined by the dock means for guiding the variable buoyancy means vertically, and retractable means carried by the variable buoyancy means for engaging and supporting a cargo hold unit.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
44 words
A system according to claim 6 wherein the dock means defines a slip for receiving a vessel, the variable buoyancy means extends longitudinally along opposite sides of the slip, and the retractable means are mounted for movement laterally of the length of the slip.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
74 words
A system according to claim 7 including an access deck supported by the variable buoyancy means guide means and disposed along at least one side of the slip for supporting cargo working personnel and equipment, the variable buoyancy means being configured and arranged for adjusting the draft thereof while supporting a cargo hold unit an amount at least equal to the spacing between the uppermost and the lowermost of the cargo hold unit decks.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
37 words
A system according to claim 7 including means supported by the guide means releasably engageable with a cargo hold unit for supporting a hold unit engaged thereby relative to the dock means independently of the retractable means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
28 words
A system according to claim 9 wherein the releasably engageable means are arranged for disengagement from a cargo hold unit only upon removal of essentially all load therefrom.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
A system according to claim 7 wherein the variable buoyancy means comprises an elongate ballastable pontoon disposed adjacent to and parallel to each side of the slip.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
27 words
A system according to claim 11 including ballasting means operable for ballasting each pontoon independently of the other for independent variation of the buoyancy of each pontoon.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
31 words
A system according to claim 12 wherein the pontoons and the ballasting means are cooperatively arranged for adjusting the trim and heel characteristics of each pontoon independently of the other pontoon.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
31 words
A system according to claim 11 wherein each pontoon is essentially identical in external configuration and dimension to that portion of the vessel which is mateable with a cargo hold unit.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
29 words
A system according to claim 14 wherein each pontoon has a length essentially equal to the length of a cargo hold unit and has a U-shaped transverse cross-sectional configuration.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
107 words
A system according to claim 6 wherein the said vessel is a transit vessel operable essentially only for moving cargo hold units between ports served by the system, and including, in each port served by the system, second dock means in each port independent of the first dock means for receiving a cargo hold unit from the transit vessel, for transferring a cargo hold unit to the transit vessel, and for supporting a cargo hold unit independently of the transit vessel, and a transfer vessel in each port served by the system for moving cargo hold units between the first and second dock means of the port.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
52 words
A system according to claim 16 wherein each transfer vessel is configured and arranged for cooperation with the cargo hold units and the first and second dock means for supporting a single cargo hold unit and for receiving from and discharging to the first and second dock means a cargo hold unit.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
28 words
A system according to claim 17 wherein each transfer vessel includes a buoyant hull and means for raising and lowering a cargo hold unit relative to the hull.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
26 words
A system according to claim 17 wherein the transfer vessel includes means for buoyantly raising and lowering a cargo hold unit relative to the hull thereof.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
93 words
A system according to claim 19 wherein the hull of the transfer vessel defines two longitudinal ballast tank spaces along the opposite sides thereof and means for filling and emptying said tanks of water ballast, float means disposed in each tank, the float means in each tank having buoyancy when essentially fully submerged at least equal to one-half the weight of a loaded cargo hold unit, and means carried by the float means for movement therewith relative to the hull extending through the hull for engaging a cargo hold unit in supporting relation.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
79 words
A system according to claim 20 wherein the transfer vessel and the first dock means in each port are cooperatively arranged so that the float means of the transfer vessel are elevatable relative to the vessel hull while supporting a loaded cargo hold unit a distance at least adequate to enable insertion of the retractable means between the hull and the hold unit for transfer of the weight of the hold unit from the vessel to the retractable means.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
80 words
A system according to claim 20 wherein the float means comprises an elongate float member in each ballast tank and aligned with the length of the tank, the means carried by the float means comprises a plurality of vertical pillars supported on each float member at spaced locations therealong and extending through the vessel hull above the float member, and means releasably engageable between the pillars and the hull for securing the pillars from movement vertically relative to the hull.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
187 words
A marine transport system comprising, in combination, a plurality of elongate multi-deck modular cargo hold units of standardized lower configuration and dimension, a self-propelled vessel for moving cargo hold units between ports served by the system and configured to interchangeably mate with the hold units for supporting the same and for securing a hold unit supported thereby from shifting relative thereto, each cargo hold unit defining a depending rib disposed centrally of the width thereof and extending longitudinally thereof, the vessel defining a longitudinal well extending forwardly of the hull thereof from a transom stern for a distance at least equal to the length of a cargo hold unit, the well having a bottom surface configured to mate with the hold unit rib, and a closable gate in the vessel transom in alignment with the portion of the well surface mateable with a hold unit rib, dock means in each port served by the system for supporting a cargo hold unit independently of the vessel, and means cooperating between the vessel and the dock means for buoyantly transferring a hold unit to and from the dock means.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
187 words
A marine transport system comprising, in combination, a plurality of elongate multi-deck modular cargo hold units of standardized lower configuration and dimension, a self-propelled vessel for moving cargo hold units between ports served by the system and configured to interchangeably mate with the hold units for supporting the same and for securing a hold unit supported thereby from shifting relative thereto, each cargo hold unit defining a depending rib disposed centrally of the width thereof and extending longitudinally thereof, the vessel defining a longitudinal well extending forwardly of the hull thereof from a transom stern for a distance at least equal to the length of a cargo hold unit, the well having a bottom surface configured to mate with the hold unit rib, and a closable gate in the vessel transom in alignment with the portion of the well surface mateable with a hold unit rib, dock means in each port served by the system for supporting a cargo hold unit independently of the vessel, and means cooperating between the vessel and the dock means for buoyantly transferring a hold unit to and from the dock means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-02-25 | 1977-08-27 | 1978-02-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-02-25 | 1981-08-27 | 1982-02-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-02-25 | 1985-08-27 | 1986-02-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |