GB2053810A - Means for connecting oil booms to each other - Google Patents

Abstract

Connecting means for connecting oil booms (1, 1') to each other, each of which booms comprises a float hose portion (2), a fin portion (3) and a skirt portion (4). The connecting means comprises a nipple (10) inserted into the float hose portion, a pair of clamp members (11) for holding the nipple therebetween, each clamp member having an abutment part (11a) and a projection ridge (11b), a plate member (15) extending between the adjoining projection ridges of the opposite clamp members, and a rip member (16) projecting from the abutment part of the clamp member along the oil boom. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Means for connecting oil booms to each other This invention relates to means for connecting oil booms to each other, more particularly for connecting oil booms to be developed on the water surface for preventing drift oil from dispersing beyond a limited area.

Heretofore, oil booms of various types have been used in order to prevent the dispersing of drift oil floating on the water surface. In this case, a plurality of oil booms of suitable length are connected to each other to form an oil boom line surrounding the drift oil.

For example there may be used an integrally molded oil boom which is manufactured by uniting a float hose member with a fin member and a skirt member and reinforcing these members with a plain weave fabric, although such oil booms have various disadvantages as described in our co-pending Application No. 34743/78.

Further, when a plurality of the above-mentioned oil booms are connected to each other by means of suitable connecting means to form an oil boom line, the diameter of the float hose member is generally narrowed at a connecting position (i.e. both ends of the oil boom) to enhance the air tightness of the connected parts. This is because, if it is intended to float the oil boom by inflating the float hose member with air, the load per unit area of the float hose member becomes Z D2P wherein P is the inflation pressure and D is the diameter of the float hose member.However, when the oil booms each having such a narrowed hose diameter at both ends thereof are connected to each other, the rigidity increases at the connected parts on one hand and decreases at the positions near the connected parts on the other hand, so that buckling is apt to occur at the positions near the connected parts.

The present invention provides connecting means for connecting oil booms to each other, each of which booms comprises a float hose portion, a fin portion and a skirt portion, the connecting means comprising a nipple to be inserted into an end of the float hose portion, a pair of clamp members for holding the nipple therebetween from the outside of the oil boom, each clamp member having an abutment part and a projection ridge, a plate member extending from the projection ridge of a clamp member to an adjoining projection ridge of an opposite clamp member, and a rip member projecting from at least one end of the abutment part of a clamp member along the oil boom in the longitudinal direction thereof.

In a preferred embodiment of the above connecting means, the nipple is located nearthe lower part of the float hose portion.

The invention will be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figures 1 to 3 and 6 are perspective views of various embodiments of means according to the invention for connecting oil booms; and Figures 4 and 5 are illustrations showing the inflated state of an oil boom using means according to the invention for connecting the oil booms.

Figure 1 shows integrally molded oil booms 1, 1' as shown in Figure 1 of our co-pending Application No. 34743/78, each of which comprises a float hose portion 2 located at a substantially central position in the widthwise direction of the boom and extending along the longitudinal direction of the boom, a fin portion 3 extending vertically upwards from the upper part of the float hose portion 2 and a skirt portion 4 extending vertically downwards from the lower part of the float hose portion 2. Further, dead weights 5 for improving the floating stability of the oil boom are attached to the lower end of the skirt portion 4 by means of bolts 12 at suitable intervals along the longitudinal direction.

A connecting means for these oil booms 1, 1' comprises for each adjoining end of the respective oil booms a flanged nipple 10, a pair of clamp members 11 each having an abutment part 1 lea and a projection ridge 1 1b, a plate member 15 extending between adjoining projection ridges 11b of opposite clamp members 11 located on the respective oil booms 1, 1', and a rip member 16 projecting from each abutment part 1 lea along the oil boom as shown in Figure 1. In orderto connect the oil boom 1 to the oil boom 1', each flanged nipple 10 is first inserted into the respective float hose portion at each adjoining end of the opposite oil booms 1, 1'.In this case, the nipple 10, which is coated at its one end with a flexible rubbery material (irrespective of vulcanized and unvulcanized states), may be directly inserted into the float hose portion at the location of use or may be previously bonded to the inside of the float hose portion in the vulcanization step of the oil boom.

The end portion of the oil boom 1 including the nipple 10 is held between the pair of clamp members 11, each composed of for example a fiber glass reinforced plastic (FRP) or a metallic material and having the abutment part 1 lea provided at the central position with a substantially semicircular recess, along the widthwise direction from either side of the boom, and then fixed by means of bolts 12, whereby air-tightness is completely achieved between the nipple 10 and the float hose portion 2.

The nipple 10 of the oil boom 1 is fixed to an adjoining nipple 10 of the opposite oil boom 1' by means of bolts 12. In this case, the airtightness can befurtherimprovedobyinserting a packing 13 between the adjoining flanges of the respective nipples 10.

Further, in order to mitigate the strain applied to the flanged nipples 10, it is preferred to provide a suitable number of auxiliary plates 14, each composed for example of FRP or a metallic material, between adjoining abutment parts 1 lea of opposite clamp members 11 on the respective oil booms 1, 1' and then to fix the auxiliary plates 14 and the respective abutment parts 1 1a by means of bolts 12.

The projection ridge 11b extends in each clamp member 11 from the surface of the abutment part 1 lea along the longitudinal direction. The plate members 15 having a length corresponding to the height of the oil boom and composed for example of FRP or a metallic material each extend between adjoining projection ridges 1 1b of opposite clamp members 11 and are fixed thereto by means of bolts 12. In the embodiment of Figure 1, two plate members 15 are arranged on either side of the oil booms. Since a plate member 15 serves not only to prevent the dispersing of the drift oil but also to enhance the rigidity in the widthwise direction of the connected part, it is not necessary to provide a plate member 15 on either side of the oil boom under certain circumstances.In the latter case, it is conve nientto arrange a plate member 15 only on the side of the oil boom facing the drift oil having regard to the cleaning operation of the oil boom.

Each rip member 16 is composed of for example FRP or a metallic material is attached to the skirt portion 4 in the vicinity of the boundary between the clamp member 11 and the float hose portion 2 of the respective oil boom and projects from the abutment part 1 la of the clamp member 11 along the oil boom, whereby the rigidity of the float hose portion 2 in the boundary is enhanced. In the embodiment of Figure 1, the rip member 16 is attached to the skirt portion 4 at the lower end of the abutment part 1 la. Alternatively, rip members 16 may be attached to the skirt portion 4 and the fin portion 3 as shown in Figure 2, or the rip member 16 may be united with the abutment part 1 la of the clamp member 11 as shown in Figure 3.

When using the connectig means of the above construction, even if the oil boom is exposed to a strong side wave, the strain does not concentrate on the flanged nipple 10 owing to the high rigidity of the connected part and the airtightness is sufficiently maintained. Further, the rigidity in the boundary between the float hose portion 2 and each clamp member 11 is increased by the rip member 16, so that buckling of the float hose portion 2 at that boundary can be prevented.

Moreover, the position of the nipple 10 inserted into the float hose portion 2 is not critical. However, when the nipple 10 is nearly located atthe center of the float hose portion 2, the shape of the oil boom 1 changes from that illustrated in dot-dash lines into that illustrated solid lines as shown in Figure 4 after the air inflation of the hose portion 2. If sea water penetrates into the float hose portion 2, even when a water draining means is provided at a suitable position along the oil boom line, sea water is apt to remain in the float hose portion 2 beneath the nipple 10, which causes corrosion of the nipple and an abnormal sinking of the oil boom. Therefore, the nipple 10 is preferably located near the lower part of the float hose portion 2.In this case, even if sea water penetrates into the float hose portion 2, the movement of sea water at the connected part becomes free as seen from Figure 5, so that it is possible to completely discharge sea water from the float hose portion through the water draining means provided at along the oil boom line, whereby corrosion of the nipple 10 and abnormal sinking of the oil boom can be prevented.

Figure 6 shows another embodiment of the connecting means according to the invention. In this case, the flanged nipple 10 is located nearthe lower part of the float hose portion 2 and the projecting ridge 116 is only provided near the flanged nipple 10 on the clamp member 11. Further, the rip member 16 is located as near to the flanged nipple as possible in order to enhance the rigidity of the float hose portion 2 near the flanged nipple 10 and to prevent buckling of the float hose portion 2.

The means according to the invention for connecting oil booms to each other is applicable to any type of oil boom usually used as well as the integrally molded oil boom as described above. Further, the above connecting means according to the invention is preferably adaptable for a so-called "selectively immersible oil boom" defining a limited area on the water surface. In the latter case, the floating-sinking operation of the oil boom is smoothly conducted because the airtightness of the connected part is sufficiently maintained and damage due to buckling is obviated and also abnormal sinking is not caused.

Therefore, the invention makes it possible to provide an oil boom line having excellent functional characteristics and durability by using the above connecting means.

Claims (5)

1. Connecting means for connecting oil booms to each other, each of which booms comprises a float hose portion, a fin portion and a skirt portion, the connecting means comprising a nipple to be inserted into an end of the float hose portion, a pair of clamp members for holding the nipple therebetween from the outside of the oil boom, each clamp member having an abutment part and a projection ridge, a plate member extending from the projection ridge of a clamp member to an adjoining projection ridge of an opposite clamp member, and a rip member projecting from at least one end of the abutment part of a clamp member along the oil boom in the longitudinal direction thereof.

2. Connecting means as claimed in Claim 1, further comprising at least one auxiliary plate member extending between the adjoining abutment parts of the said opposite clamp members.

3. Connecting means as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the rip member is united with the abutment part of the clamp member.

4. Connecting means as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the nipple is located near the lower part of the float hose portion.

5. Connecting means according to Claim 1, for connecting oil booms to each other, substantially as herein described with reference to, and as shown in, Figure 1, Figure 2, Figure 3 or Figure 6 of the accompanying drawings.