Ships – Building – Freighters
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-12
2001-12-18
Sotelo, Jesus D. (Department: 3617)
Ships
Building
Freighters
C114S256000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06330865
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention relates to a novel structure for a flexible barge to transport large volumes of liquids from one marine location to another.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
It has long been known to provide flexible floating barge structures for the purpose of transportation of liquids from one location to another. A variety of structures has been suggested in the prior art. In particular, the applicant is aware of the following United States Patents from a search conducted in the facilities of the United States Patents and Trademarks Office:
2,391,926
3,018,748
3,502,046
2,968,272
3,056,373
3,779,196
2,979,008
3,067,712
3,952,679
2,997,973
3,150,627
4,227,477
2,998,793
3,167,103
4,373,462
3,001,501
3,282,361
4,421,050
The devices described in this prior art are of generally complex structure and of limited capacity. Such barges that have been reduced to practice are tubular in cross-section and have a high ratio of length-to-width, typically greater than about 20:1. One of the fundamental problems with which barges are required to deal is wave motion in a marine environment which, in many instances, demands the use of high strength, heavy and expensive materials of construction.
In the parent and grand-parent applications, the Examiner also has cited the following additional prior art:
U.S. Pat. No. 3,797,445; and
French Patent No. 1,269,808
In particular the Examiner has relied on French patent No. 1,269,808 to SOMAF.
SOMAF discloses a rectangular pillow tank and relates to a technique for tipping the pillow tank on its side by the use of a weight and float arrangement. The tank is flexible and comprises of an envelope of rubber, resistant to the material to be transported. The tank is formed from a single sheet of material, folded on itself and joined on three sides. The tank is filled with liquid hydrocarbon, which causes the tank to float on water with its horizontal and transverse edges lying in a plane.
The pillow shape that the tank assumes when filled with hydrocarbon liquid has continuously curved upper and lower surfaces. As will be seen from the description of the invention below, the structure of the flexible barge provided by the present invention contrasts markedly with this structure, in that the structure of the present invention has substantially planar and parallel upper and lower surfaces, that is the upper and lower surfaces lie in planes that are parallel one to another, in contrast to the continuously curved surface in the prior art.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a novel barge structure which permits large volumes of liquid of density less than sea water to be transported in a marine environment from one location to another and which readily accommodates wave motion without the necessity for high strength and heavy materials.
In the present invention, a flexible barge structure for transportation of a liquid of density less than sea water, preferably fresh water in a marine environment comprises a unicellular hollow flexible bag having a generally planar configuration. The bag is not filled to capacity in use but rather is filled to less than about 75 percent, preferably less than 50%, of its capacity with the liquid. The bag is structured such that, when filled to a proportion of its capacity and floating in sea water, the barge has substantially flat or planar upper and lower surfaces and a length-to-depth ratio of from about 2:1 to about 50:1, a width-to-depth ratio of from about 2:1 to about 20:1 and a length-to-width ratio of from about 1:1 to about 20:1.
By providing a shallow and relatively wide structure, waves in the marine environment cause no problems, enabling the bag to be constructed of lesser strength materials relative to the size of the barge than have traditionally been used. This arrangement permits very large bags to be constructed out of conventional fabrics of reasonable cost.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2391926 (1946-01-01), Scott
patent: 2968272 (1961-01-01), Berglund
patent: 2969036 (1961-01-01), Brown
patent: 2979008 (1961-04-01), Whipple
patent: 2997973 (1961-08-01), Hawthorne et al.
patent: 2998793 (1961-09-01), Hawthorne et al.
patent: 3001501 (1961-09-01), Hawthorne et al.
patent: 3018748 (1962-01-01), Denis et al.
patent: 3056373 (1962-10-01), Hawthorne et al.
patent: 3067712 (1962-12-01), Doerpinghaus
patent: 3779196 (1973-12-01), Knaus et al.
patent: 3797445 (1974-03-01), Zeimer
patent: 3952679 (1976-04-01), Grihange
patent: 4227477 (1980-10-01), Preus
patent: 4373462 (1983-02-01), Fish
patent: 4421050 (1983-12-01), Weinert
patent: 1269808 (1961-07-01), None
Dalton Holdings Limited
Sim & McBurney
Sotelo Jesus D.
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