Ships – Building – Insubmergible vessels
Reexamination Certificate
2001-02-12
2001-12-11
Sotélo, Jesus D. (Department: 3617)
Ships
Building
Insubmergible vessels
C114S360000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06327988
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to a watercraft, e.g. a passenger vessel, a ferry, a hazardous-substance freighter or the like, with a deck and with a buoyancy chamber in the deck, it being the case that, in a first operating state, the buoyancy chamber contains air.
Such watercraft are known from the general prior art, and are vessels, preferably relatively large vessels, with at least one deck and at least one buoyancy chamber in the deck. During normal operation, a first operating state, of such vessels, the buoyancy chambers have been calculated, and filled with ambient air, in accordance with a necessary buoyancy volume. Rather than being restricted to their buoyancy function, the buoyancy chambers usually have very diverse functions. Every separated-off cavity on the ship can be used as a buoyancy chamber, be this a cabin, a bunker, a stowage room or some other kind of chamber. Buoyancy chambers which also have other functions thus also contain, in addition to the ambient air, features which serve for performing these other functions.
In an emergency situation, a second operating state, as arises, for example, in the event of underwater contact, there is threat of water penetrating by leakage. If this is the case, the penetrating water in the corresponding buoyancy chambers displaces the ambient air. This produces losses of buoyancy, which may result in the vessel completely sinking.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is thus to provide a watercraft of the generic type mentioned in the introduction in which, when losses of buoyancy occur, the buoyancy can be stabilized immediately.
The object is achieved in that, in a second operating state, the buoyancy chamber is filled with a foam which has a high cell volume with closed cells and a dimensionally stable state of aggregation.
The term “buoyancy chamber” is used hereinbelow, and in the claims, to mean the chambers of a watercraft which, in a second operating state, serve as a stable buoyancy chamber.
The term “cell volume” is used hereinbelow, and in the claims, to mean a large air-absorbing capacity either by virtue of a very large number of small cells or by virtue of a very small number of large cells.
The filling of one or more buoyancy chambers with a dimensionally stable foam with high cell volume if, in an emergency situation, water threatens to penetrate into buoyancy chambers means that the corresponding buoyancy chambers cannot be flooded by water and, on account of the buoyancy volume maintained by the foam, maintain the buoyancy function of the respective buoyancy chamber.
If the buoyancy chambers are multipurpose chambers, e.g. a cabin, it is additionally ensured that the objects in the chamber are enclosed by the foam and are thus protected against damage or loss.
It is advantageous for the buoyancy chamber to comprise a discharge arrangement which, during transition from the first operating state to the second operating state, discharges the foam in an unstable state of aggregation. This simplifies the filling of the respective buoyancy chamber to a considerable extent. It is possible to spray or inject into the buoyancy chamber, for example, foams in a liquid state of aggregation which solidify in the ambient air and reach the stable state of aggregation in a short period of time.
A further advantage is that there is provided a control arrangement which controls the discharge arrangement. Control of the discharge arrangement of each buoyancy chamber makes it possible to select quite specifically discharge arrangements for discharging foam in general and for discharging a metered quantity of foam in particular. This makes it possible to stabilize the buoyancy at different locations of a vessel.
It is advantageous for it to be possible for the control arrangement to be triggered manually in dependence on the detection of a loss of buoyancy. As a result, it is also possible for passenger cabins to be set in a second operating state as buoyancy chambers. Manual triggering makes it possible for the passenger cabin to be inspected carefully, and for it to be ensured that there is no-one still left in the cabin, prior to the triggering operation.
A further advantage is that the control arrangement selects the deck with the buoyancy chamber in dependence on the locality of the loss of buoyancy. This makes it possible for the buoyancy to be stabilized specifically in a deck-specific and loss-dependent manner.
A further advantage is that the control arrangement selects the buoyancy chamber on the deck in dependence on the locality of the loss of buoyancy. This also makes it possible for the buoyancy to be stabilized, in addition, specifically in a chamber-specific and loss-dependent manner.
It is advantageous for there to be provided a number of decks with a number of chambers on which respectively selected chambers are predetermined as the buoyancy chamber in each case. This makes it possible to control the buoyancy very precisely over the entire watercraft.
It is advantageous for each buoyancy chamber to be selected from a group comprising outlying cabins, lounges, bunkers, forechambers, aftchambers, stowage rooms and forepeak and steering gear. Utilization of all the functional chambers as buoyancy chambers makes it possible to ensure optimum buoyancy in the event of an emergency.
A further advantage, is that, in its dimensionally stable state of aggregation, the foam is pressure-resistant. This ensures that the buoyancy chamber remains as such even in the case of elevated external pressure.
It is advantageous for the foam to be a plastic foam which contains a foam stabilizer. The prior art discloses numerous plastic foams which, on account of the foam stabilizers, have the required features, high cell volume, pressure resistance and dimensional stability, with the result that it is easy to make a suitable selection.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1293918 (1919-02-01), Priolo
patent: 1335278 (1920-03-01), Donnelly
patent: 3019754 (1962-02-01), Welshausen
patent: 3028828 (1962-04-01), Girolame et al.
patent: 33 35 501 A (1985-04-01), None
patent: 2 476 588 A (1981-08-01), None
patent: 2 511 645 A (1983-02-01), None
patent: 2 120 177 A (1983-11-01), None
French Publication No. FR 2 476 588 A, published Aug. 28, 1981.
French Publication No. FR 2 511 645 A, published Feb. 25, 1983.
German Publication No. DE 33 35 501 A, published Apr. 18, 1985.
United Kingdom Publication No. GB 2 120 177 A, published Nov. 30, 1983.
Lahive & Cockfield LLP
Sotelo Jesus D.
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