Patent Grant
7654211
Not applicable
Not applicable
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the deep water transfer of a first, smaller marine or amphibious vessel to a second, larger vessel that is a surface effect or air cushion vessel that travels upon a pressurized volume of air, wherein transfer includes depressurizing of the air cushion under the second vessel so that its cargo deck is lowered to an elevation that is at or near the water surface. Such transfer can optionally include a combination of ballasting and a lowering of pressure (or depressurization) of the volume of air under the second vessel.
The present invention also relates to an improved air cushion vehicle having a multiple lane loading ramp and deck arrangement with air propulsors that move between inner and outer positions for enabling transfer to a larger vessel (inboard propulsion position) and increased propulsion efficiency (outboard propulsion position).
2. General Background of the Invention
In the prior art, transfer of a smaller vessel to and from a larger vessel (or a first vessel to a second vessel) has typically been achieved by ballasting with water. Usually, a larger marine vessel is ballasted until a cargo deck of the larger marine vessel is at an elevation sufficiently low in the water to enable the smaller marine vessel to float on the water surface while traveling to the cargo deck of the larger vessel.
In general, air cushion vehicles or “ACV's” (also known as surface effect ships or hovercraft) are known. Examples of such ACV's are disclosed in the US Patents listed in the following table. The following table also lists some patents that involve transfer of item(s) to or from a surface effect vessel.
Incorporated herein by reference are the foregoing and U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,767,367; 4,984,754; 6,293,216; and 6,439,148. These incorporated by reference patents relate generally to air cushion vehicles, surface effect ships or hovercraft.
The present invention includes a vessel transfer system which utilizes a larger vessel, that is a surface effect vessel with a hull and a cargo deck, having a pressurized volume of air under its hull. The larger vessel cargo deck is lowered relative to a water surface in order to receive a smaller vessel. Lowering is achieved by depressurizing or lowering the pressure of the volume of pressurized air under the hull. The present invention further relates to the use of movable propulsors on an air cushion vehicle or ACV to permit efficient operation under way in an outer position, while minimizing the envelope dimensions for stowage in a well deck, providing clearance from bridges, docks etc. in an inner position. In the outer position, the propellers operate in more uniform inflow conditions, resulting in improved performance and lower noise levels. In addition, the craft can be arranged to use a full width stem ramp resulting in time saved during cargo loading and unloading, and the propellers will be less likely to ingest green water in high sea states.
The present invention relates to the use of an air cushion to vary the cargo deck height of a large ship for the purpose of loading and unloading a smaller craft or crafts from the sea, cargo from another ship or cargo from a dock. In all cases, the pressure in the cushion is varied to adjust the elevation of the cargo deck to facilitate cargo transfer. Cushion pressure may be used either alone, or in combination with ballast to achieve the desired cargo deck elevation. Relative to ballast however, pressure variation is much faster, and could be used dynamically to compensate for wave induced motions in addition to the adjustment of steady state deck height.
The present invention provides a method of transferring a first, smaller marine or amphibious vessel to and from a second, larger vessel in a deep water marine environment. The terminology “deep water” as used herein means that neither vessel is supported upon land or a sea bottom during the transfer. The subject first smaller and second larger vessels and their component parts can be constructed from any high strength, light weight material, including but not limited to, high strength steel, aluminum, titanium, composites, or the like.
The invention can be scaled to a wide range of sizes. The range of pressures most likely to be used are 50-250 lb./sq.ft. (24.41 to 122.06 gf/cm2), or ⅓psi (23.41 gf/cm2) to 2 psi (140.61 gf/cm2) and typically less than 5.0 psi (351.53 gf/cm2).
Overall length of the larger vessel could range, for example, from around 500 to 1000 feet (152.40 to 304.80 meters), and overall length of the smaller air cushion vehicle would probably be, for example, about 50 to 150 feet (15.24 to 45.72 meters).
The present invention provides a method of transporting a first marine vessel upon a second marine vessel in a deep water environment, wherein neither vessel is supported by land or a seabed.
The method of the present invention includes providing a first marine vessel and a second vessel that is a surface effect vessel. The second vessel (surface effect vessel) provides a hull with a bow and a stem. The hull has a cargo deck and an under deck volume that can be pressurized with air so that the hull is primarily supported with a pressurized volume of air when it is propelled along the water surface. The first and second vessels are transported to a selected locale in the deep water marine environment.
After reaching the selected locale, the pressure of the volume of air under the hull of the second marine vessel is lowered, so that the hull and cargo deck of the second marine vessel are lowered in elevation relative to the surrounding water surface. Thereafter, the first vessel is transferred to the surrounding water surface of the deep water marine environment from the lowered cargo deck of the second marine vessel.
For recovery, the second marine vessel assumes a lowered position with its under hull volume of air depressurized. The first vessel then travels on the water surface from the surrounding water surface to the cargo deck of the second vessel. At this time of transfer, the lowered cargo deck of the second vessel can be partially submerged. The lowered cargo deck can be at least in part at the level of the water surface. The second vessel can then transfer the first vessel (now on board) to a selected destination once the volume of air under the hull of the second vessel is pressurized. This procedure can be reversed to off load the first, smaller vessel.
The present invention also provides an air cushion vehicle (e.g. the first, smaller vessel) having a hull with a hull periphery, bow, stem, port side, starboard side and deck.
An air based propulsion system is provided for propelling the hull by thrusting into the surrounding air mass.
The air propulsion system includes one or more air propellers that move in reference to the hull between first and second positions, one position placing the air propeller at least in part outboard of the hull periphery.
Hydraulic rams or linear motors are possible mechanisms for pivoting the air propellers between first and second positions.
The air propellers engage the air during use.
One of the air propeller positions places the air propeller within the periphery of the hull.
There are preferably two air propellers, one placed on the port side of the hull, the other placed on the starboard side of the hull.
The port side air propeller preferably moves between an outer position wherein it is at least partially outboard of the hull periphery on the port side of the hull to an inner position within the hull periphery next to the port side of the hull. Similarly, the starboard side air propeller moves between an outer position wherein it is at least partially outboard of the hull periphery on the starboard side of the hull to a position within the hull periphery and next to the starboard side of the hull.
Each air propeller thus moves to a position outside the hull periphery for maximum thrust to a position inside the hull periphery for use in loading onto the deck of another vessel or other use wherein a narrowed width is of value. The air propellers are preferably positioned at the stern of the vessel.
For a further understanding of the nature, objects, and advantages of the present invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description, read in conjunction with the attached drawings which are identified as follows:
The method of the present invention involves the use of a first, typically smaller marine vessel 11 that is to be transferred to or from the cargo deck 18 of a second, typically larger marine vessel 12. The second vessel 12 will receive the first marine vessel 11 and transport it to a selected locale. The first, smaller vessel 11 can then be off loaded. Such a transfer enables the two vessels 11, 12 to travel with the first vessel 11 resting upon a cargo deck 18 of the second vessel 12.
The first vessel 11 can be any vessel that floats and can include for example a hovercraft, an amphibious vessel or any floating vessel that is able to travel upon a surrounding water surface 30 of a surrounding deep water marine environment 29. As part of the method of the present invention, the first, smaller vessel 11 travels from water surface 30 to the upper surface 19 of cargo deck 18 of second marine vessel 12.
In
The second marine vessel 12 is preferably an air cushion vehicle, hovercraft or surface effect vessel. Vessel 12 can be the type that has two spaced apart rigid hulls (e.g. catamaran) and that provides sealing members or skirts forward and aft. The second marine vessel 12 provides a hull 13 that can be a single hull or a pair of spaced apart hull members providing a catamaran type hull. Hull 13 has a bow 14 and a stem 15, a port side 16 and a starboard side 17.
In such a catamaran rigid hulled vessel 12, a pressurized volume of air 28 (see
Hull 13 provides a cargo deck 18 having an upper surface 19 that is receptive of first, smaller vessel 11 according to the method of the present invention. The cargo deck 18 can provide an inclined section 20 that is next to or that communicates with the water surface 30. Inclined section 20 or surface 19 can be positioned near or below water surface 30 when a transfer (see
In
Hull 13 can provide a superstructure 24. Hull 13 can be propelled using propellers 25 or jets as examples. In the embodiment shown in
Gate 31 is an optional feature that is shown in
In
In order to transfer the vessel 11 to the cargo deck 18 of the vessel 12, the vessel 12 simply lowers the pressure of the pressurized volume of air that is contained under its hull 13. For a hovercraft or surface effect ship such as the vessel 12, this is accomplished by deactivating the powered fans that create the pressurized cushion of air upon which the vessel 12 travels. When a pressure lowering occurs, the vessel 12 is lowered in the water from a higher position shown in
In
A stem ramp 47 is positioned at stern 43, in between propulsors 48. Ramp 47 is preferably of a width that enables full width loading of three lanes of vehicles 50 when the propulsors 48 are in the outboard position of
The hull 41 provides a deck area 49 for containing vehicles 50. As shown in
In
In
As can be seen in
The propulsors 48 in the position of
In
In
The following is a list of suitable parts and materials for the various elements of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
All measurements disclosed herein are at standard temperature and pressure, at sea level on earth, unless indicated otherwise.
The forgoing embodiments are presented by way of example only; the scope of the present invention is to be limited only by the following claims.
Priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/748,449, filed 7 Dec. 2005, incorporated herein by reference, is hereby claimed. Priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/756,951, filed 5 Jan. 2006, incorporated herein by reference, is hereby claimed.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1410874 | Bell et al. | Mar 1922 | A |
| 1976046 | Tietjens | Oct 1934 | A |
| 2948250 | Peterson | Aug 1960 | A |
| 2987281 | Schurr et al. | Jun 1961 | A |
| 3065723 | Tulin | Nov 1962 | A |
| 3077173 | Lang | Feb 1963 | A |
| 3141436 | Cathers et al. | Jul 1964 | A |
| 3362499 | Tripp | Jan 1968 | A |
| 3403652 | Hardy | Oct 1968 | A |
| 3458007 | Todd | Jul 1969 | A |
| 3502168 | Jones | Mar 1970 | A |
| 3621932 | Tattersall et al. | Nov 1971 | A |
| 3817479 | Crowley | Jun 1974 | A |
| 3893538 | Thompson et al. | Jul 1975 | A |
| 3987865 | Krupp | Oct 1976 | A |
| 4175636 | Broughton | Nov 1979 | A |
| 4279322 | Wheeler et al. | Jul 1981 | A |
| 4469334 | Le Comte | Sep 1984 | A |
| 4489667 | Moore et al. | Dec 1984 | A |
| 4506618 | Chaplin | Mar 1985 | A |
| 4543901 | Stringer | Oct 1985 | A |
| 4646866 | Bertrand et al. | Mar 1987 | A |
| 4708077 | Balquet et al. | Nov 1987 | A |
| 4739719 | Burg | Apr 1988 | A |
| 4767367 | Stringer | Aug 1988 | A |
| 4932839 | Pitchford | Jun 1990 | A |
| 4984754 | Yarrington | Jan 1991 | A |
| 5522470 | Stiegler et al. | Jun 1996 | A |
| 5651327 | Whitener | Jul 1997 | A |
| 5708230 | Woodall et al. | Jan 1998 | A |
| 5722341 | Tornqvist | Mar 1998 | A |
| 5746146 | Bixel, Jr. | May 1998 | A |
| 5860383 | Whitener | Jan 1999 | A |
| 5934215 | Burg | Aug 1999 | A |
| 6293216 | Barsumian | Sep 2001 | B1 |
| 6402576 | Klug | Jun 2002 | B1 |
| 6439148 | Lang | Aug 2002 | B1 |
| 6487981 | Burg | Dec 2002 | B1 |
| 6526903 | Robinson et al. | Mar 2003 | B2 |
| 6609472 | Burg | Aug 2003 | B2 |
| 7000546 | Bender et al. | Feb 2006 | B1 |
| 7013826 | Maloney et al. | Mar 2006 | B2 |
| 20020164231 | Lucas et al. | Nov 2002 | A1 |
| 20030000440 | Burg | Jan 2003 | A1 |
| 20040112268 | Maloney et al. | Jun 2004 | A1 |
| 20050211150 | Maloney et al. | Sep 2005 | A1 |
| 20050236200 | DuBose | Oct 2005 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 2362035 | Mar 1978 | FR |
| 1109562 | Apr 1968 | GB |
| 1191945 | May 1970 | GB |
| 1215372 | Dec 1970 | GB |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20070151499 A1 | Jul 2007 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60748449 | Dec 2005 | US | |
| 60756951 | Jan 2006 | US |
