Floating boom having rotatable float elements

Claim 2

In a floating boom having an elongated sheet-like partition, and a plurality of float means mounted to said partition at periodic intervals over the length thereof and formed to support said partition in a substantially vertical orientation, each said float means including at least one float element disposed on one side of said partition, the improvement comprising: each said float element being mounted to the remainder of said float means and said float means being formed to permit angular displacement of said float element with respect to said float means to and from a deployed position and a relatively rotated stored position about a substantially horizontal axis extending in said deployed position substantially perpendicularly to said partition and passing substantially through the center of buoyancy of said float element to permit rotation thereof under dynamic fluid forces, said float element being further formed as a plate-like member oriented in a horizontal plane in said deployed position to provide a reduction of the overall bulk of said boom when said float element is in said stored position.

Claim 3

A floating boom as defined in claim 1, wherein, said float means is formed to provide means for mounting said float element thereto in a manner causing the combination of buoyancy and gravity forces to bias said float element to said deployed position.

Claim 4

A floating boom as defined in claim 2, wherein, said partition is formed as a flexible member, said float means are mounted to said partition for flexure of said partition about a substantially vertical axis permitting the combination of rotation of said float element to said stored position and relative angular displacement of said float means about said vertical axis and flexure of said partition to effect a substantial reduction in the overall bulk of said boom for storage.

Claim 5

A floating boom as defined in claim 1 wherein, said float means includes a frame relatively permanently mounted to said partition and having arms extending from each side of said partition, and said float elements are formed as plate-like members and are rotatably mounted to said arms for orientation of said plate-like members in a substantially horizontal plane in said deployed position and rotation to a substantially vertical plane in said stored position.

Claim 6

In a floating boom having an elongated partition, and a plurality of float means mounted to said partition at periodic intervals over the length thereof, each said float means including a frame and a float element mounted to said frame and disposed on one side of said partition, the improvement comprising: each said float element being mounted to said frame and said frame being formed to provide means permitting rotational movement about a substantially horizontal axis extending substantially perpendicular to said partition and passing substantially through the center of buoyanacy of said float element to permit rotation thereof under dynamic fluid forces, and said float element being formed as a plate-like member oriented in a horizontal plane having a substantial horizontally extending area adapted for immersion in a body of water to provide substantial buoyancy for a small depth of immersion of said plate-like member.

Claim 7

In a floating boom having an elongated partition, and a plurality of float means mounted to said partition at periodic intervals over the length thereof, each said float means including a frame and a float element mounted to said frame and disposed on one side of said partition, the improvement comprising: each said float element being mounted to said frame and said frame being formed to provide means permitting rotational movement about a substantially horizontal axis extending substantially perpendicular to said partition and passing substantially through the center of buoyanacy of said float element to permit rotation thereof under dynamic fluid forces, and said float element being formed as a plate-like member oriented in a horizontal plane having a substantial horizontally extending area adapted for immersion in a body of water to provide substantial buoyancy for a small depth of immersion of said plate-like member.

Claim 8

A floating booM as defined in claim 5 wherein, said float elements have a reserve buoyancy in excess of about 5 times the required buoyancy to float said boom.

Claim 9

In a floating boom having an elongated sheet-like partition at periodic intervals over the length thereof, each said float means including a vertically extending frame having at least one arm extending outwardly from one side of said partition and a float element mounted to said arm and disposed on said side of said partition, the improvement comprising: said partition being formed for flexure thereof about a vertical axis proximate said frame, said frame being mounted to said partition for selective angular displacement of said frame about a vertical axis and resultant twisting of said partition proximate said frame until said arm is displaced from a position extending outwardly of said partition to a position proximate said partition over the length of said arm; and said float element being mounted to said arm and said arm being formed to provide means for selective rotation of said float element with respect to said arm to and from a stored position and to and from a deployed position angularly displaced from said stored position, said float element being formed with a center of gravity and a center of buoyancy relatively positioned to automatically bias said float element to said deployed position upon positioning said boom in a body of water, said float element being further formed to provide a reduction of the overall bulk of said boom when said float element is in said stored position.

Claim 10

In a floating boom having an elongated sheet-like partition at periodic intervals over the length thereof, each said float means including a vertically extending frame having at least one arm extending outwardly from one side of said partition and a float element mounted to said arm and disposed on said side of said partition, the improvement comprising: said partition being formed for flexure thereof about a vertical axis proximate said frame, said frame being mounted to said partition for selective angular displacement of said frame about a vertical axis and resultant twisting of said partition proximate said frame until said arm is displaced from a position extending outwardly of said partition to a position proximate said partition over the length of said arm; and said float element being mounted to said arm and said arm being formed to provide means for selective rotation of said float element with respect to said arm to and from a stored position and to and from a deployed position angularly displaced from said stored position, said float element being formed with a center of gravity and a center of buoyancy relatively positioned to automatically bias said float element to said deployed position upon positioning said boom in a body of water, said float element being further formed to provide a reduction of the overall bulk of said boom when said float element is in said stored position.

Claim 11

A floating boom as defined in claim 7 wherein, said float element is formed as a plate-like member and said arm is formed to provide means for rotation of said float element about said arm on an axis causing said plate-like member to be substantially horizontally oriented when said boom is deployed in a body of water.

Claim 12

A floating boom as defined in claim 8 wherein, said float elements are formed with longitudinally extending side edges having upwardly beveled surfaces, and said float elements are mounted to said arms at about the midpoint of the thickness of said float elements and at about the midpoint of the length of said float elements.

Claim 13

In a floating boom having an elongated sheet-like partition and a plurality of float means mounted to said partition at periodic intervals over the length thereof for support of said partition in a substantially vertical orientation, said float means each including at least one float element extending outwardly of said partition from one side thereof, the improvement comprising: said float means being formed for and mounted to said partition of angular displacement of said float means about a substantially vertically oriented axis, said float element being mounted to the remainder of said float means and said float means being formed for angular displacement of said float element with respect to said float means about a second axis inclined with respect to and intersecting with said vertically oriented axis, said float element being formed with an asymmetrical configuration, and said float element being selectively movable between a deployed position extending outwardly of said partition and a stored position proximate said partition by a combination of angular displacement of said float means about said vertiically oriented axis and angular displacement of said float element about said second axis until said asymmetrical configuration of said float element is oriented in a position effecting a substantial reduction in the overall bulk of said boom.

Claim 14

In a floating boom having an elongated sheet-like partition and a plurality of float means mounted to said partition at periodic intervals over the length thereof for support of said partition in a substantially vertical orientation, said float means each including at least one float element extending outwardly of said partition from one side thereof, the improvement comprising: said float means being formed for and mounted to said partition of angular displacement of said float means about a substantially vertically oriented axis, said float element being mounted to the remainder of said float means and said float means being formed for angular displacement of said float element with respect to said float means about a second axis inclined with respect to and intersecting with said vertically oriented axis, said float element being formed with an asymmetrical configuration, and said float element being selectively movable between a deployed position extending outwardly of said partition and a stored position proximate said partition by a combination of angular displacement of said float means about said vertiically oriented axis and angular displacement of said float element about said second axis until said asymmetrical configuration of said float element is oriented in a position effecting a substantial reduction in the overall bulk of said boom.