Submersible oil boom

Claim 2

A SUBMERSIBLE BARRIER SECTION COMPRISING A VERTICAL DAM OF SOLID RUBBERLIKE MATERIAL RESILIENTLY DEFORMABLE IN ALL DIRECTIONS, SELECTIVELY FLOTATABLE AND SINKABLE ELEMENTS EXTENDING LATERALLY FROM OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID DAM BELOW THE TOP THEREOF EACH SAID ELEMENT HAVING AN OUTER SHELL OF RUBBERLIKE MATERIAL RESILIENTLY EXPANDABLE AND COMPRESSIBLE GAS-FILLED FLOTATION MEANS WITHIN SAID OUTER SHELL TO FLOAT SAID BARRIER SECTION WHEN EXPANDED SAID OUTER SHELL BEING CHARGEABLE WITH WATER UNDER PRESSURE TO COMPRESS SAID GAS FILLED FLOTATION MEANS TO SINK SAID BARRIER SECTION.

Claim 3

A barrier section as claimed in claim 1 wherein said gas-filled flotation means is a sealed, gas-filled, deformable flotation element.

Claim 4

A barrier section as claimed in claim 1 wherein said gas-filled flotation means is a plastic closed-cell foam material.

Claim 5

A barrier section as claimed in claim 1, further including operating means for compressing said gas-filled flotation means to sink said barrier section.

Claim 6

A barrier section as claim in claim 4, wherein said operating means includes air connection means on said shell.

Claim 7

A barrier section as claimed in claim 4, wherein said operating means includes a hollow collapsible operating tube within said outer shell said hollow operating tube being selectively filled with water under pressure to collapse said gas-filled flotation means to sink said barrier section.

Claim 8

A submersible barrier section comprising a vertical dam selectively flotatable and sinkable elements extending laterally from opposite sides of said dam below the top thereof, said elements extending continuously along the length of said section to provide strength and continuity for said dam, each said element having an outer shell, a resiliently deformable and collapsible inner hollow operating tube within said outer shell and means for maintaining said tube in collapsed configuration and said barrier section in flotatable condition said hollow inner operating tube being selectively filled with water or air under pressure to expand said tube, changing said elements, when filled with water, to sinkable condition to sink said barrier section and, when filled with air, to float said barrier section said means upon release of fluid pressure in said tube operating to collapse said tube selectively to float said barrier section.

Claim 9

A submersible barrier section comprising a vertical dam selectively flotatable and sinkable elements extending laterally from opposite sides of said dam below the top thereof, said elements extending continuously along the length of said section to provide strength and continuity for said dam, each said element having an outer shell, a resiliently deformable and collapsible inner hollow operating tube within said outer shell and means for maintaining said tube in collapsed configuration and said barrier section in flotatable condition said hollow inner operating tube being selectively filled with water or air under pressure to expand said tube, changing said elements, when filled with water, to sinkable condition to sink said barrier section and, when filled with air, to float said barrier section said means upon release of fluid pressure in said tube operating to collapse said tube selectively to float said barrier section.

Claim 10

A barrier section as claimed in claim 7 wherein said means is compressible and resiliently elastic closed cell foam material.

Claim 11

A barrier section as claimed in claim 7 wherein said means is a compressible and resiliently elastic flotation element.

Claim 12

A barrier section as claimed in claim 7, further including connection means for connecting each of said hollow operating tubes with those of an adjacent said section to provide a fluid tight joint therebetween.

Claim 13

A submersible barrier section comprising a vertical dam, and selectively flotatable and sinkable elements extending laterally from opposite sides of dam below the top thereof, and extending continuously along the length of said section to provide strength and continuity for said dam, each said element having an outer shell a resiliently deformable and collapsible inner hollow operating tube within said outer shell and resiliently compressible elastic closed cell foam material within said outer shell normally maintaining said operating tube in collapsed condition and said elements in flotatable condition said inner hollow tube being selectively filled with water or air under pressure to compress said elastic foam material, changing said elements, when filled with water, to sinkable condition to sink said barrier section and, when filled with air, to float said barrier section said elastic foam material upon release of pressure of fluid in said tube expanding to collapse said tube, to float said barrier section.

Claim 14

A submersible barrier section comprising a vertical dam, and selectively flotatable and sinkable elements extending laterally from opposite sides of dam below the top thereof, and extending continuously along the length of said section to provide strength and continuity for said dam, each said element having an outer shell a resiliently deformable and collapsible inner hollow operating tube within said outer shell and resiliently compressible elastic closed cell foam material within said outer shell normally maintaining said operating tube in collapsed condition and said elements in flotatable condition said inner hollow tube being selectively filled with water or air under pressure to compress said elastic foam material, changing said elements, when filled with water, to sinkable condition to sink said barrier section and, when filled with air, to float said barrier section said elastic foam material upon release of pressure of fluid in said tube expanding to collapse said tube, to float said barrier section.

Claim 15

A submersible barrier section comprising a vertical dam at least 1/4 inch constructed of solid material having Shore A scale durometer hardness between 60 and 90 and resiliently deformable in all directions, and selectively floatatable and sinkable elements extending laterally from opposite sides of said dam below the top thereof, said elements being D-shaped in cross-section providing curved outer edges and of overall width between one-fourth and two-thirds the height of said dam, said elements extending continuously along the length of said section to provide strength and continuity for said dam, each said element having an outer shell resiliently deformable in all directions, said shell being selectively chargeable with water or air to sink or float said barrier section said barrier section providing resiliently stretchable upper and lower dam edges, and at least one vertical stiffening rib of resiliently deformable plastic material, said rib extending externally of and transverse to said dam, said entire barrier section being resiliently deformable in all directions, and being free from cables, lines and chains.

Claim 16

A submersible barrier section comprising a vertical dam at least 1/4 inch constructed of solid material having Shore A scale durometer hardness between 60 and 90 and resiliently deformable in all directions, and selectively floatatable and sinkable elements extending laterally from opposite sides of said dam below the top thereof, said elements being D-shaped in cross-section providing curved outer edges and of overall width between one-fourth and two-thirds the height of said dam, said elements extending continuously along the length of said section to provide strength and continuity for said dam, each said element having an outer shell resiliently deformable in all directions, said shell being selectively chargeable with water or air to sink or float said barrier section said barrier section providing resiliently stretchable upper and lower dam edges, and at least one vertical stiffening rib of resiliently deformable plastic material, said rib extending externally of and transverse to said dam, said entire barrier section being resiliently deformable in all directions, and being free from cables, lines and chains.

Claim 17

A barrier section as claimed in claim 12, wherein each said element further has resiliently expandable and compressible gas-filled flotation means within said outer shell to float said barrier section when expanded and operating means for compressing said gas-filled flotation means to sink said barrier section.

Claim 18

A barrier section as claimed in claim 13, wherein said operating means includes a resiliently deformable inner hollow operating tube within said outer shell said hollow inner tube being selectively filled with water or air under pressure to expand said tube, changing said elements, when filled with water, to sinkable condition to sink said barrier section and, when filled with air, to float said barrier section said operating means upon release of fluid pressure in said operating tube operating to collapse said tube selectively to float said barrier section.

Claim 19

A submersible barrier section comprising a vertical dam at least 1/4 inch thick constructed of solid material having Shore A scale durometer hardness between 60 and 90 and resiliently deformable in all directions, and selectively flotatable and sinkable elements extending laterally from opposite sides of said dam below the top thereof, said elements being D-shaped in cross-section providing curved outer edges and of overall width between one-fourth and two-thirds the height of said dam, said elements extending continuously along the length of said section to provide strength and continuity for said dam, each said element having an outer shell resiliently deformable in all directions, a resiliently deformable inner hollow operating tube within said outer shell and resiliently compressible elastic foam material within said outer shell maintaining said tube in collapsed condition and said barrier section in flotatable condition said inner hollow tube being selectively filled with water or air under pressure to compress said elastic foam material, changing said elements, when filled with water, to sinkable condition to sink said barrier section and, when filled with air, to float said barrier section said elastic foam material upon release of fluid pressure in said tube expanding to collapse said tube, selectively to float said barrier section said barrier section providing resiliently stretchable upper and lower dam edges, and at least one vertical stiffening rib of resiliently deformable plastic material, said rib extending externally of and transverse to said dam, said entire barrier section being resiliently deformable in all directions, and being free from cables, lines and chains.

Claim 20

A submersible barrier section comprising a vertical dam at least 1/4 inch thick constructed of solid material having Shore A scale durometer hardness between 60 and 90 and resiliently deformable in all directions, and selectively flotatable and sinkable elements extending laterally from opposite sides of said dam below the top thereof, said elements being D-shaped in cross-section providing curved outer edges and of overall width between one-fourth and two-thirds the height of said dam, said elements extending continuously along the length of said section to provide strength and continuity for said dam, each said element having an outer shell resiliently deformable in all directions, a resiliently deformable inner hollow operating tube within said outer shell and resiliently compressible elastic foam material within said outer shell maintaining said tube in collapsed condition and said barrier section in flotatable condition said inner hollow tube being selectively filled with water or air under pressure to compress said elastic foam material, changing said elements, when filled with water, to sinkable condition to sink said barrier section and, when filled with air, to float said barrier section said elastic foam material upon release of fluid pressure in said tube expanding to collapse said tube, selectively to float said barrier section said barrier section providing resiliently stretchable upper and lower dam edges, and at least one vertical stiffening rib of resiliently deformable plastic material, said rib extending externally of and transverse to said dam, said entire barrier section being resiliently deformable in all directions, and being free from cables, lines and chains.

Claim 21

A barrier section as claimed in claim 15 wherein at least one end of said section is constructed and arranged for connection to an adjacent said section, being formed with spaced projections each having a vertical opening for receiving a hinge pin, projections of adjacent sections being staggered for close-fitting interlocking to provide a hinged connection, said projections being of plastic material and having connection means for connecting each of said inner hollow operating tubes with those of an adjacent said section to provide a fluid tight joint therebetween.