GB1277364A - Improvements in marine hose with floats - Google Patents

Abstract

1277364 Buoyant pipes UNIROYAL Inc 13 Feb 1970 [6 March 1969] 7053/70 Heading F2P A marine hose, e.g. for conveying oil between a ship and shore installations has one or more floats 11, lla to keep the hose buoyant. The float is fitted free of axial movement about the hose and is of split construction, the split portions being secured by clamping means, e.g. stainless steel clamps 15. The assembled float comprises a circular inner groove to accommodate a shoulder 12 affixed to the exterior of the hose, e.g. by bonding. The radial depths of the shoulder and the coacting groove in the float may be so chosen as to provide a non-rotatable fitting of the float over the hose or one which allows rotation of the float on the hose. The shoulder 12 may be of rectangular or other cross-section and may be of natural or synthetic rubber, or other elastomeric compound and may contain reinforcements of textile material or glass fibres or metallic wire. The shoulder may alternatively be composed of multiple layers of thin sheets or strips. The float may be in more than two segments and there may be small gaps between opposed faces of the segments. Each float segment may initially be noncircularly curved so that the segments are fitted by deformation. Preferably, the float is made of a synthetic resin or a rubbery polymer in foam form, e.g. microcellular chemically blown closed cell polyurethane foam, or foams of P.V.C., polyolefins, natural or synthetic rubber latex or an admixture of foam and microspheres of glass. Each float-segment is provided with a marineproof and oil resisting shell, e.g. of polyethylene, neoprene, polypropylene, polyurethane, P.V.C., or epoxy resin. The shells may be reinforced with glass fibres or textile filaments and may be formed by rotational moulding. A shell thickness of 3/16 to 1/2 inch is recommended for most applications. In an alternative form of construction a hollow polymer shell constitutes the float (Fig. 5, not shown). Fig. 6 illustrates a float with bell-mouthed entry and exit ends 13g for the hose so as to facilitate the hose bending. In a hose construction wherein the end regions of the hose being more reinforced than the middle region for strength are less flexible, floats 11 having different inner surface configurations may be used at the said regions.