US3834174A — Cryogenic transportation method and apparatus the…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 129 words

A method for the transportation of cargoes at least a portion of which is a fluid congealable by lowering its temperature comprising the steps of: providing a vehicle to transport said cargoes, said vehicle having cargo space which is in structural association as an integral part with the body structure of said vehicle. providing refrigerating means for said vehicle in thermal relationship with cargo in said cargo spaces such that at least a portion of said cargo can be congealed into a coherent mass having structural integrity; admitting cargo into said cargo space; and operating said refrigerating means to congeal at least a portion of said cargo by the extraction of heat therefrom whereby said congealed cargo serves as a structural member to reinforce said structure of said vehicle.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 129 words

A method for the transportation of cargoes at least a portion of which is a fluid congealable by lowering its temperature comprising the steps of: providing a vehicle to transport said cargoes, said vehicle having cargo space which is in structural association as an integral part with the body structure of said vehicle. providing refrigerating means for said vehicle in thermal relationship with cargo in said cargo spaces such that at least a portion of said cargo can be congealed into a coherent mass having structural integrity; admitting cargo into said cargo space; and operating said refrigerating means to congeal at least a portion of said cargo by the extraction of heat therefrom whereby said congealed cargo serves as a structural member to reinforce said structure of said vehicle.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 59 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the cargo also contributes to the buoyancy of the vehicle and wherein said cargo comprises substances whose density can be varied by a variation in their temperature whereby the operation of the refrigerating means to extract heat from said cargo is controlled selectively such that the buoyancy of said vehicle is regulated thereby.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 77 words

The method of claim 1 wherein a heat transfer substance is interposed between the cargo and the refrigerating means, said substance having a lower freezing point and specific gravity than said cargo and being relatively insoluble therein, and wherein said refrigerating means is operated at a temperature below the freezing point of said cargo and above the freezing point of said substance whereby the extraction of heat from said cargo is through the medium of said substance.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 92 words

A vehicle for the cryogenic transportation of cargoes at least a portion of which is a fluid congealable by lowering its temperature comprising: a shell having cargo space; cargo in said cargo space; refrigerating means in a thermal relationship with said cargo space such that the operation of said refrigerating means extracts heat from said cargo to thereby congeal at least a portion thereof into a coherent mass having structural integrity; and reinforcing means for imparting structural strength to said shell, said reinforcing means consisting of said structural mass of congealed cargo.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 92 words

A vehicle for the cryogenic transportation of cargoes at least a portion of which is a fluid congealable by lowering its temperature comprising: a shell having cargo space; cargo in said cargo space; refrigerating means in a thermal relationship with said cargo space such that the operation of said refrigerating means extracts heat from said cargo to thereby congeal at least a portion thereof into a coherent mass having structural integrity; and reinforcing means for imparting structural strength to said shell, said reinforcing means consisting of said structural mass of congealed cargo.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 69 words

The vessel of claim 4 wherein scantlings of the shell of the vehicle are selected such as to accommodate the static and dynamic loads on said vehicle only when the cargo space therein is in the substantially empty condition and wherein the structural mass of congealed cargo strengthens the shell to thereby accommodate the static and dynamic loads on said vehicle when in other than the substantially empty condition.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 49 words

The vehicle of claim 4 wherein said vehicle is a ship in which the strength members of the structural parts of the hull thereof comprise transverse and longitudinal framing, shellplating, decks, longitudinal and transverse bulkheads, and the congealed cargo, and wherein said congealed cargo is the principal strength member.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 119 words

The vehicle of claim 4 wherein at least one valve means is provided to control the flow of cargo into and out of the hold, said valve means comprising a standpipe having a cargo opening thereinto communicating with cargo pumping means and an elongated cargo slot through the wall thereof opening into the cargo space, an inflatable valve member positioned in operative association with said standpipe slot, inflation means for selectively inflating and deflating said valve member, said valve member when inflated serving to close said slot when the cargo level in said space is higher than the level in said standpipe, and said valve member when deflated serving to open said slot to permit the passage of cargo.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 57 words

The vehicle of claim 4 wherein at least a section of the refrigerating means is movably supported over the cargo To form a refrigerating tank top and wherein during the congealing operation unfrozen cargo is admitted on top of the previously admitted cargo as it congeals to thereby produce a build-up in the mass of congealed cargo.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 32 words

The vehicle of claim 8 wherein the refrigerating tank top extends over cargo in the cargo space to form a physical separator dividing said space into a plurality of physically defined spaces.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 103 words

The vehicle of claim 8 wherein a heat transfer substance is interposed between the refrigerating tank top and the cargo such that said tank top is maintained in a thermal relationship with said cargo but out of physical contact therewith, said substance having a lower freezing point and specific gravity than said cargo and being relatively insoluble therein, and wherein the refrigerating means is operated at a temperature below the freezing point of said cargo and above the freezing point of said substance whereby the extraction of heat from said cargo by said refrigerating tank top is through the medium of said substance.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 74 words

The vehicle of claim 8 wherein the shell has a first cargo space and wherein the refrigerating tank top extending over cargo comprises the bottom portion of a flexible, open-ended, pouch-like envelope the edges of the open end of which are secured to the upper walls of said first cargo space such that the interior of said envelope when extended forms a second cargo space which is physically isolated from said first cargo space.

Claim 14

Independent Claim 133 words

A method for the marine transportation of cargoes at least a portion of which is a fluid congealable by lowering its temperature comprising the steps of: providing a ship having cargo space; providing refrigerating means for said ship in thermal relationship with cargo in said cargo space such that at least a portion of said cargo can be congealed; admitting cargo into said cargo space, said fluid portion of said cargo comprising material whose density also can be varied by a variation in its temperature; and operating said refrigerating means to congeal said fluid portion of said cargo by the extraction of heat therefrom, the operation of said refrigerating means being controlled selectively to regulate the density of said cargo fluid portion such that the buoyancy also of said ship is regulated thereby.

Claim 15

Independent Claim 133 words

A method for the marine transportation of cargoes at least a portion of which is a fluid congealable by lowering its temperature comprising the steps of: providing a ship having cargo space; providing refrigerating means for said ship in thermal relationship with cargo in said cargo space such that at least a portion of said cargo can be congealed; admitting cargo into said cargo space, said fluid portion of said cargo comprising material whose density also can be varied by a variation in its temperature; and operating said refrigerating means to congeal said fluid portion of said cargo by the extraction of heat therefrom, the operation of said refrigerating means being controlled selectively to regulate the density of said cargo fluid portion such that the buoyancy also of said ship is regulated thereby.

Claim 16

Independent Claim 137 words

A method for congealing material forming at least a portion of the contents of a vessel comprising the steps of: providing refrigerating means for said vessel in thermal relationship with the contents thereof such that at least a portion of said contents can be congealed, at least a section of said refrigerating means being movably supported over the contents of said vessel; admitting uncongealed material into said vessel; operating said refrigerating means to congeal at least a portion of said material by the extraction of heat therefrom; continuing to admit uncongealed material into said vessel on top of the previously admitted material as it congeals; and raising said refrigerating section as said admitted material congeals to accommodate the admission of uncongealed material whereby a buildup of congealed material from the floor of said vessel upward is produced.

Claim 17

Independent Claim 137 words

A method for congealing material forming at least a portion of the contents of a vessel comprising the steps of: providing refrigerating means for said vessel in thermal relationship with the contents thereof such that at least a portion of said contents can be congealed, at least a section of said refrigerating means being movably supported over the contents of said vessel; admitting uncongealed material into said vessel; operating said refrigerating means to congeal at least a portion of said material by the extraction of heat therefrom; continuing to admit uncongealed material into said vessel on top of the previously admitted material as it congeals; and raising said refrigerating section as said admitted material congeals to accommodate the admission of uncongealed material whereby a buildup of congealed material from the floor of said vessel upward is produced.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 84 words

The method of claim 13 wherein a heat transfer substance is interposed between the material being congealed and the movable section of the refrigerating means, said substance having a lower freezing point and specific gravity than said material and being relatively insoluble therein, and wherein said refrigerating means is operated at a temperature below the freezing point of said material and above the freezing point of said substance whereby the extraction of heat to congeal said material is through the medium of said substance.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 22 words

The method of claim 13 wherein the movable refrigerating section is floatingly supported on the uncongealed material being admitted into the vessel.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 33 words

The method of claim 13 wherein the congealed material is melted for unloading from the vesSel by circulating a relatively high temperature fluid at least through the movable section of the refrigerating means.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1977-09-09	1978-03-11	1978-09-10	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1981-09-09	1982-03-11	1982-09-10	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1985-09-09	1986-03-11	1986-09-10	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Cryogenic transportation method and apparatus therefor

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