Shipside oil barrier seal

Claim 2

A pier mounted shipside oil barrier seal structure floating on the water surface for use with a ship having a side surface, the water level moving vertically with respect to said ship and said pier and said ship moving horizontally with respect to said pier said structure comprising a floating shipside oil seal member vertically extended above and below the water level and having at its free end adjacent the ship side surface at least one flexible elastic rubber-like vertically extended sealing element for contacting the ship side surface and pier mounting means mounting said oil seal on said pier for vertical and horizontal movement relatively thereto said mounting means including a pair of transversely spaced support means slideably supporting said oil seal member at spaced positions therealong for transverse movement relatively to said ship side surface said support means being mounted for vertical movement on said pier for free vertical movement of said floating oil seal member with the water level as it changes with respect to said pier and oil seal operating spring means connected between said oil seal member and said support means for urging said oil seal element into contact with said ships side.

Claim 3

An oil barrier seal structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein said support means includes support members surrounding said oil seal member providing a thRough channel for slideably supporting said oil seal member.

Claim 4

An oil barrier seal structure as claim in claim 2 further including a clamp member surrounding and mounted on said oil seal member, said spring means being tension spring means connected between said clamp member and the one of said support members adjacent the free end of said oil seal member.

Claim 5

An oil barrier seal structure as claimed in claim 3, further including support member guide means including a non-rigid flexible strand member adapted to be mounted at its upper end on said pier and having a weight at its lower end and a pair of vertically spaced strand guide means on each of said support members mounting said support members for vertical sliding movement along said strand member for non rigid support and limited horizontal movement of said oil seal member relatively to said pier.

Claim 6

A pier mounted shipside oil barrier seal structure floating on the water surface for use with a ship having a side surface, the water level moving vertically with respect to said ship and said pier, and said ship and seal structure moving horizontally with respect to said pier said structure comprising a floating shipside oil seal member vertically extended above and below the water level comprising a vertical dam constructed of solid material resiliently deformable in all directions, and floats extending laterally from opposite sides of said dam below the top thereof, said floats extending continuously along the length of said section the free end of said oil seal member adjacent the shipside surface having at least one flexible elastic rubber-like vertically extended sealing element for contacting the ship side surface and pier mounting means mounting said oil seal member on said pier for vertical and horizontal movement relatively thereto said mounting means including a pair of transversely spaced support members surrounding said oil seal member providing a through channel for slideably supporting said oil seal member at spaced positions therealong for transverse movement relatively to said ship side surface support member guide means mounting said support members for vertical movement on said pier for free vertical movement of said floating oil seal member with the water level as it changes with respect to said pier said support member guide means including a non-rigid flexible strand member adapted to be mounted at its upper end on said pier and having a weight at its lower end and a pair of vertically spaced strand guide means on each of said support members mounting said support members for vertical sliding movement along said strand member for non rigid support and limited horizontal movement of said oil seal member relatively to said pier a clamp member surrounding and mounted on said oil seal member at a location adjacent one of said support members and tension spring means connected between said clamp member and the one of said support members adjacent the free end of said oil seal member for urging said sealing element into contact with said ships side surface.

Claim 7

A pier mounted shipside oil barrier seal structure floating on the water surface for use with a ship having a side surface, the water level moving vertically with respect to said ship and said pier, and said ship and seal structure moving horizontally with respect to said pier said structure comprising a floating shipside oil seal member vertically extended above and below the water level comprising a vertical dam constructed of solid material resiliently deformable in all directions, and floats extending laterally from opposite sides of said dam below the top thereof, said floats extending continuously along the length of said section the free end of said oil seal member adjacent the shipside surface having at least one flexible elastic rubber-like vertically extended sealing element for contacting the ship side surface and pier mounting means mounting said oil seal member on said pier for vertical and horizontal movement relatively thereto said mounting means including a pair of transversely spaced support members surrounding said oil seal member providing a through channel for slideably supporting said oil seal member at spaced positions therealong for transverse movement relatively to said ship side surface support member guide means mounting said support members for vertical movement on said pier for free vertical movement of said floating oil seal member with the water level as it changes with respect to said pier said support member guide means including a non-rigid flexible strand member adapted to be mounted at its upper end on said pier and having a weight at its lower end and a pair of vertically spaced strand guide means on each of said support members mounting said support members for vertical sliding movement along said strand member for non rigid support and limited horizontal movement of said oil seal member relatively to said pier a clamp member surrounding and mounted on said oil seal member at a location adjacent one of said support members and tension spring means connected between said clamp member and the one of said support members adjacent the free end of said oil seal member for urging said sealing element into contact with said ships side surface.

Claim 8

An oil barrier seal structure as claimed in claim 5 further including stop means mounted on said oil seal member between the one of said support members adjacent said free end and said free end to limit the maximum travel of said oil seal member relatively to said support members.

Claim 9

A pier mounted shipside oil barrier seal structure floating on the water surface for use between a generally fixed connection point floating on the water surface and a ship having a side surface, the water level moving vertically with respect to said ship and said pier, and said ship and seal structure moving horizontally with respect to said pier and said fixed connection point said structure comprising a floating shipside oil seal member vertically extended above and below the water level said member having at one end an Extended relatively rigid portion and at the other end an extended readily bendably collapsible portion, said portions being sealably connected to one another said rigid portion comprising a vertical dam constructed of solid material and floats extending laterally from opposite sides of said dam below the top thereof, said floats extending continuously along the length of said section to provide rigidity for said rigid portion and said bendably collapsible portion comprising a vertical dam constructed of readily and easily bendably collapsible solid material resiliently deformable in all directions and a plurality of individual floats extending laterally from opposite sides of said dam below the top thereof, said individual floats being longitudinally spaced a substantial distance from one another providing unsupported dam portions therebetween said unsupported dam portions between said floats being free to bend for longitudinal folding collapse of said bendably collapsible portion the free end of said rigid portion adjacent the shipside surface having at least one flexible elastic rubber-like vertically extended sealing element for contacting the shipside surface and pier mounting means mounting said rigid portion on said pier for vertical and horizontal movement relatively thereto said mounting means including a pair of transversely spaced support means slideably supporting said rigid portion at spaced positions therealong for transverse movement relatively to said shipside said support means being mounted for vertical movement on said pier for free vertical movement of said floating oil seal member with the water level as it changes with respect to said pier and oil seal operating spring means connected between said oil seal member and said support means for urging said sealing element into contact with said shipsside the free end of said bendably collapsible portion being connectible to said fixed connection point said bendably collapsible portion bendably collapsing with horizontal movement of said shipside and said rigid portion toward said fixed connection point.

Claim 10

A pier mounted shipside oil barrier seal structure floating on the water surface for use between a generally fixed connection point floating on the water surface and a ship having a side surface, the water level moving vertically with respect to said ship and said pier, and said ship and seal structure moving horizontally with respect to said pier and said fixed connection point said structure comprising a floating shipside oil seal member vertically extended above and below the water level said member having at one end an Extended relatively rigid portion and at the other end an extended readily bendably collapsible portion, said portions being sealably connected to one another said rigid portion comprising a vertical dam constructed of solid material and floats extending laterally from opposite sides of said dam below the top thereof, said floats extending continuously along the length of said section to provide rigidity for said rigid portion and said bendably collapsible portion comprising a vertical dam constructed of readily and easily bendably collapsible solid material resiliently deformable in all directions and a plurality of individual floats extending laterally from opposite sides of said dam below the top thereof, said individual floats being longitudinally spaced a substantial distance from one another providing unsupported dam portions therebetween said unsupported dam portions between said floats being free to bend for longitudinal folding collapse of said bendably collapsible portion the free end of said rigid portion adjacent the shipside surface having at least one flexible elastic rubber-like vertically extended sealing element for contacting the shipside surface and pier mounting means mounting said rigid portion on said pier for vertical and horizontal movement relatively thereto said mounting means including a pair of transversely spaced support means slideably supporting said rigid portion at spaced positions therealong for transverse movement relatively to said shipside said support means being mounted for vertical movement on said pier for free vertical movement of said floating oil seal member with the water level as it changes with respect to said pier and oil seal operating spring means connected between said oil seal member and said support means for urging said sealing element into contact with said shipsside the free end of said bendably collapsible portion being connectible to said fixed connection point said bendably collapsible portion bendably collapsing with horizontal movement of said shipside and said rigid portion toward said fixed connection point.

Claim 11

An oil barrier seal structure as claimed in claim 7 wherein said vertical dam is of substantially the same vertical dimension in said portions and the average longitudinal flotation of said floats is the same in said portions.

Claim 12

An oil barrier seal structure as claimed in claim 7 wherein said support means includes support members surrounding said rigid portion providing a through channel for slidably supporting said rigid portion.

Claim 13

An oil barrier seal structure as claimed in claim 9 further including a clamp member surrounding and mounted on said rigid portion at a location adjacent one of said support members, said spring means being tension spring means connected between said clamp member and the one of said support members adjacent the free end of said rigid portion.

Claim 14

An oil barrier seal structure as claimed in claim 9 further including stop means mounted on said rigid portion between the one of said support members adjacent said free end and said free end to limit the maximum travel of said rigid portion relatively to said support members.

Claim 15

An oil barrier seal structure as claimed in claim 9, further including support member guide means including a non-rigid flexible strand member adapted to be mounted at its upper end on said pier and having a weight at its lower end and a pair of vertically spaced strand guide means on each of said support members mounting said support members for vertical sliding movement along said strand member for non rigid support and limited horizontal movement of said rigid portion relatively to said pier.

Claim 16

A pier mounted shipside oil barrier seal structure floating on the water surface for use between a generally fixed connection point floating on the water surface and a ship having a side surface, the wAter level moving vertically with respect to said ship and said pier, and said ship and seal structure moving horizontally with respect to said pier and said fixed connection point said structure comprising a floating shipside oil seal member vertically extended above and below the water level said member having at one end an extended relatively rigid portion and at the other end an extended readily bendably collapsible portion, said portions being sealably connected to one another said rigid portion comprising a vertical dam at least one-fourth inch thick constructed of readily bendably collapsible solid material resiliently deformable in all directions, and floats extending laterally from opposite sides of said dam below the top thereof, said floats extending continuously along the length of said section to provide rigidity for said rigid portion and said bendably collapsible portion comprising a vertical dam at least one-fourth inch thick constructed of readily bendably collapsible solid material resiliently deformable in all directions and a plurality of floats extending laterally from opposite sides of said dam below the top thereof, said floats being longitudinally spaced a substantial distance from one another providing unsupported dam portions therebetween said dam portions between said floats being free to bend for longitudinal folding collapse of said bendably collapsible portion said vertical dam being of substantially the same vertical dimension and the average longitudinal flotation of said floats being substantially the same in said portions the free end of said rigid portion adjacent the shipside surface having at least one flexible elastic rubber-like vertically extended sealing element for contacting the shipside surface pier mounting means mounting said rigid portion on said pier for vertical and horizontal movement relatively thereto said mounting means including a pair of transversely spaced support members surrounding said rigid portion providing a through channel for slideably supporting said rigid portion at spaced positions therealong for transverse movement relatively to said shipside surface support member guide means mounting said support members for vertical movement on said pier for free vertical movement of said floating oil seal member with the water level as it changes with respect to said pier said support member guide means including a non-rigid flexible strand member adapted to be mounted at its upper end on said pier and having a weight at its lower end and a pair of vertically spaced strand guide means on each of said support members mounting said support members for vertical sliding movement along said strand member for non-rigid support and limited horizontal movement of said seal structure relatively to said pier, a clamp member surrounding and mounted on said rigid portion at a location between said support members, and tension spring means connected between said clamp member and the one of said support members adjacent the free end of said rigid portion for urging said sealing element into contact with said shipsside surface and stop means mounted on said rigid portion between the one of said support members adjacent said free end and said free end to limit the maximum travel of said rigid portion relatively to said support members the free end of said bendably collapsible portion being connectible to said connecting point said bendably collapsible portion bendably collapsing with horizontal movement of said ship side and said rigid portion toward said fixed connection point.

Claim 17

A pier mounted shipside oil barrier seal structure floating on the water surface for use between a generally fixed connection point floating on the water surface and a ship having a side surface, the wAter level moving vertically with respect to said ship and said pier, and said ship and seal structure moving horizontally with respect to said pier and said fixed connection point said structure comprising a floating shipside oil seal member vertically extended above and below the water level said member having at one end an extended relatively rigid portion and at the other end an extended readily bendably collapsible portion, said portions being sealably connected to one another said rigid portion comprising a vertical dam at least one-fourth inch thick constructed of readily bendably collapsible solid material resiliently deformable in all directions, and floats extending laterally from opposite sides of said dam below the top thereof, said floats extending continuously along the length of said section to provide rigidity for said rigid portion and said bendably collapsible portion comprising a vertical dam at least one-fourth inch thick constructed of readily bendably collapsible solid material resiliently deformable in all directions and a plurality of floats extending laterally from opposite sides of said dam below the top thereof, said floats being longitudinally spaced a substantial distance from one another providing unsupported dam portions therebetween said dam portions between said floats being free to bend for longitudinal folding collapse of said bendably collapsible portion said vertical dam being of substantially the same vertical dimension and the average longitudinal flotation of said floats being substantially the same in said portions the free end of said rigid portion adjacent the shipside surface having at least one flexible elastic rubber-like vertically extended sealing element for contacting the shipside surface pier mounting means mounting said rigid portion on said pier for vertical and horizontal movement relatively thereto said mounting means including a pair of transversely spaced support members surrounding said rigid portion providing a through channel for slideably supporting said rigid portion at spaced positions therealong for transverse movement relatively to said shipside surface support member guide means mounting said support members for vertical movement on said pier for free vertical movement of said floating oil seal member with the water level as it changes with respect to said pier said support member guide means including a non-rigid flexible strand member adapted to be mounted at its upper end on said pier and having a weight at its lower end and a pair of vertically spaced strand guide means on each of said support members mounting said support members for vertical sliding movement along said strand member for non-rigid support and limited horizontal movement of said seal structure relatively to said pier, a clamp member surrounding and mounted on said rigid portion at a location between said support members, and tension spring means connected between said clamp member and the one of said support members adjacent the free end of said rigid portion for urging said sealing element into contact with said shipsside surface and stop means mounted on said rigid portion between the one of said support members adjacent said free end and said free end to limit the maximum travel of said rigid portion relatively to said support members the free end of said bendably collapsible portion being connectible to said connecting point said bendably collapsible portion bendably collapsing with horizontal movement of said ship side and said rigid portion toward said fixed connection point.

Claim 18

An oil barrier seal structure as claimed in claim 13, wherein a said strand member and a pair of said strand guide means are provided on each of opposite sides of said support members.