GB2251408A

GB2251408A - Inflatable anti-pollution boom

Info

Publication number: GB2251408A
Application number: GB9100051A
Authority: GB
Inventors: James William Cassaday
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1991-01-03
Filing date: 1991-01-03
Publication date: 1992-07-08
Also published as: GB9100051D0

Abstract

An inflatable anti-pollution boom has a main body formed from a flexible airtight material 1. It incorporates a similar but smaller diameter inner tube 2 that is made strong enough to hold water, which is threaded through the main body. When brought into use the inner tube 2 is filled with water, to provide an underwater barrier or skirt, before the main body of the boom 1 is inflated. The ends of the boom are so formed as to allow either anchoring to fixed points by "soft eyes" or connecting to another boom of similar construction using annular rings. When not in use the main body of the boom 1 with the inner tube 2 already threaded through can be rolled up to facilitate storage and transportation. <IMAGE>

Description

INFLATABLE ANTI-POLLUTION BOOM.

This invention relates to a waterborne inflatable boom that is designed to restrict the movement of surface pollutants.

Anti-pollution booms are usually in short supply when needed because they are bulky in form and this makes both storage and transportation difficult. Conventional anti-pollution booms are also expensive to manufacture. Such drawbacks are compounded by the fact that they are used so infrequently. When needed in an emergency they usually have to be transported from strategic storage depots to the area at risk,thereby incurring delays.

Because of this there is a need for an inexpensive form of boom that packs away compactly enough to be held at many coastal and inland water locations. There they would be ready to be used in advance of the more usual form of boom ,as a first defence against the spread of pollution.

According to the invention,the main body of the boom is formed from a flexible airtight material,heavy gauge polythene is a good example,that is itself inflated by air. A separate inner tube formed from a watertight material,heavy gauge polythene would again be suitable,is filled with water to ballast the boom and form an underwater barrier or skirt.

The boom may be of indeterminate length,it depends upon the need and the strength of the materials used in construction,and the ends are so formed as to attach either to an anchoring point or to another boom.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which......

Figure 1 illustrates the main body of the boom 1 and the inner tube 2 in position.

Figure 2 illustrates a cross section of the boom when inflated, ballasted and afloat. The depth of the underwater barrier or skirt will vary according to the diameter of the inner tube.

Again 1 is the main body of the boom and 2 is the inner tube.

Figure 3 illustrates the method of forming the ends of the boom to secure it to anchoring points. The main body of the boom 1 and its inner tube 2 are brought together,twisted tightly,then turned back to form a "soft" eye 3 before being seized together with binding cord 4. The "soft" eye is fitted with a protective sleeve 5 when being formed.

Figure 4 illustrates the method of securing the end of the boom where it is to be joined to a similar boom.The annular ring or coupling 6 allows the main bodies 1 of the connecting booms to overlap. They are then seized together using binding rings or straps 7. The inner tubes are similarly joined using an annular ring or coupling 8 of an appropriate diameter.The passage of air during inflation, and water during ballasting, is therefore unimpeded between booms.

This combination of air filled main body and water filled inner tube means that prior to use the two components lie flat with the inner tube already threaded through the main body.In this manner the boom can be rolled up to make storage and transportation easier.

When being made ready for use the boom is unrolled and stretched out upon the surface of the water, with one end already sealed by the methods shown in figures 3 and 4. Ballasting and inflation take place through the remaining open end before sealing in a like manner.

If two booms are joined together they will be ballasted and inflated simultaneously.

Claims

1. A flexible air filled boom that incorporates a water filled inner tube which is also flexible.When the boom is floating the inner tube sinks part of the main body of the boom below surface level to form an underwater barrier or skirt.

2. A flexible boom as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the ends can either be fixed to the anchoring points by the "soft" eyes at the ends,or be joined to booms of similar construction using annular rings or couplings.

3. A flexible boom as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the inner tube can be threaded through the main body of the boom before use,the whole being rolled up for ease of storage and transportation.

4. A flexible boom substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawing.