US3602177A - Apparatus for raising submerged vessels - Google Patents

Apparatus for raising submerged vessels Download PDF

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Publication number
US3602177A
US3602177A US812156A US3602177DA US3602177A US 3602177 A US3602177 A US 3602177A US 812156 A US812156 A US 812156A US 3602177D A US3602177D A US 3602177DA US 3602177 A US3602177 A US 3602177A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
conduit
air
vessel
water
elements
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US812156A
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English (en)
Inventor
Jim D Helbig
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
EQUITY BUILDERS Ltd
Cyclo Manufacturing Co
Original Assignee
Cyclo Manufacturing Co
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Cyclo Manufacturing Co filed Critical Cyclo Manufacturing Co
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3602177A publication Critical patent/US3602177A/en
Assigned to EQUITY BUILDERS, LTD., reassignment EQUITY BUILDERS, LTD., ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST. Assignors: HELBIG, JIM D.
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
    • B63C—LAUNCHING, HAULING-OUT, OR DRY-DOCKING OF VESSELS; LIFE-SAVING IN WATER; EQUIPMENT FOR DWELLING OR WORKING UNDER WATER; MEANS FOR SALVAGING OR SEARCHING FOR UNDERWATER OBJECTS
    • B63C7/00—Salvaging of disabled, stranded, or sunken vessels; Salvaging of vessel parts or furnishings, e.g. of safes; Salvaging of other underwater objects
    • B63C7/06—Salvaging of disabled, stranded, or sunken vessels; Salvaging of vessel parts or furnishings, e.g. of safes; Salvaging of other underwater objects in which lifting action is generated in or adjacent to vessels or objects
    • B63C7/12—Salvaging of disabled, stranded, or sunken vessels; Salvaging of vessel parts or furnishings, e.g. of safes; Salvaging of other underwater objects in which lifting action is generated in or adjacent to vessels or objects by bringing air or floating bodies or material into vessels or objects
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
    • B63C—LAUNCHING, HAULING-OUT, OR DRY-DOCKING OF VESSELS; LIFE-SAVING IN WATER; EQUIPMENT FOR DWELLING OR WORKING UNDER WATER; MEANS FOR SALVAGING OR SEARCHING FOR UNDERWATER OBJECTS
    • B63C7/00—Salvaging of disabled, stranded, or sunken vessels; Salvaging of vessel parts or furnishings, e.g. of safes; Salvaging of other underwater objects
    • B63C7/06—Salvaging of disabled, stranded, or sunken vessels; Salvaging of vessel parts or furnishings, e.g. of safes; Salvaging of other underwater objects in which lifting action is generated in or adjacent to vessels or objects
    • B63C7/12—Salvaging of disabled, stranded, or sunken vessels; Salvaging of vessel parts or furnishings, e.g. of safes; Salvaging of other underwater objects in which lifting action is generated in or adjacent to vessels or objects by bringing air or floating bodies or material into vessels or objects
    • B63C2007/125—Salvaging of disabled, stranded, or sunken vessels; Salvaging of vessel parts or furnishings, e.g. of safes; Salvaging of other underwater objects in which lifting action is generated in or adjacent to vessels or objects by bringing air or floating bodies or material into vessels or objects using buoyant masses, e.g. foams, or a large plurality of small buoyant objects

Definitions

  • the apparatus comprises a pressurized air conduit through which the elements pass into a water conduit or a water filled lower portion of the air conduit communicating with the submerged vessel, including means for preventing accumulation of the elements during their passage through the conduits, and means for preventing passage of free unconfined pressurized air into the vessel.
  • This invention relates to apparatus for raising-sunken vessels, and more particularly to mechanism for. conveying buoyant elements from a walled pressure chamber to the submerged vessel that is to be raised;
  • surized air being maintained at pressures approximately equal to the pressure of water at the depth of thesubmerged vessel.
  • the main object of this invention is to prevent passage of unconfined pressurized air into the submerged vessel, and to provide means for conveying the'buoyant elements from the pressurized chamber through an air and water conduit into the vessel without hindrance due to floating of the buoyant elements when they pass through the conduit and encounter water in the lower end of the conduit.
  • FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view, partly in elevation, of apparatus for raising submerged vessels embodying my. invention.
  • FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view, partly in elevation, of a modification of the invention as shown in FIG. 1.
  • FIG. 3 shows another modification of the apparatus.
  • a pressurized air chamber 10 receives a supply of apertured buoyant elements through its closed valved top form a hopper.
  • a submerged vessel is indicated bythe numeral 12 and a plurality of buoyant elements by 13.
  • a pressurized air conduit 15 communicates with the pressure chamber 10 at its upper end and extends downwardly. through water to a level near that of the submerged vessel. Near its lower end, theconduit 15 has mounted thereon a pair of vertically spaced apart pulleys 16 on which a belt 17 is trained so that a portion of the belt located inside of the conduit 15 travels downwardly adjacent the inner surface of the conduit in contact with the passing elements 13a
  • the pulleys are rotated by a motor (not shown) which may be carried by surface craft or mounted on the conduit by any suitable means.
  • conduit 15 Near its lower end the conduit 15 is provided with air vents 18 open end through which. water is injected into the coupling by an eductor 23.
  • the water jet passing from the eductor 23 into the coupling 20 and conduit 21 may be forced by a jet pump (not shown) or other suitable means carried by a surface craft.
  • a weight 22 attached to the coupling holds the conduits 15 and 21 in predetermined positions for conveying thebuoyant elements 13 into the vessel 12.
  • the buoyant elements 13 fall by gravity from the pressurized chamber 10 into the pressurized air conduit 15 and are prevented from floating when they reach the water containing coupling 20 and conduit 21 by the positive driving of the belt 17 which prevents accumulation of the elements 1 3 at or near the water level in-the coupling 20.
  • Pressurized air in the conduit-15 is-prevented from passing into the vessel '12 by the presence of the water in the coupling 20 and by the air vents 18 through which the air escapes. While in the conduit 21, the buoyant elements move in response to the water jet 23 to the submerged vessel.
  • the vessel 12 will be filled with sufficient volume of the buoyant elements to raise the vessel by the sustained lifting power of the confined pressurized air in the elements 13, and temporary, unreliable false lifting by unconfined pressurized airis avoided.
  • the buoyant elements 13 may vary in size, but the conveyor belt 17 is flexible and adjusts itself to contact spheres of different sizes. If small spheres pass the belt 17 without actual contact therewith, they are kept in movement and prevented from floating and accumulating at water level by the spheres which are in positive driving contact with the belt 17.
  • the modification shown in FIG. 2 comprises parts heretofore described, including the pressurized air chamber 10, slide valve 11, submerged vessel 12, and buoyant elements 13.
  • the pressurized air conduit 25 terminates in an end portion 26 which is inserted into the vessel 12. Water will fill the end portion 26 to the level permitted by the air pressure in the conduit 25.
  • Positive means for moving the elements 13 in the conduit 25 may be pulleys 27 and belt 28 such as the parts 16 and 17 heretofore described, or any mechanical device such as a pivotally movable finger (not shown) for contacting the. buoyant elements 13 to keep them moving through the conduit 25-26 and prevent accumulation due to flotation of the elements when they encounter water beneath the pressurized air in the conduit. Due to the upturned form of the terminal portion 26 of the conduit, the mechanical means for moving the elements 13 are located as shown in FIG. 2.
  • FIG. 3 shows a modification in which the air conduit 30 extends directly down into the vessel 12. It may be provided with air vents 31 to permit limited escape of pressurized air.
  • Mechanical means such as the pulleys 32 and belt 33, or other suitable mechanism (not shown) impart motion to the elements Y13 and prevent accumulation in the conduit 30 at the water level therein which is determined by'the air pressure in the conduit.
  • Apparatus for raising submerged vessels comprising a. a plurality of apertured buoyant elements subjected to pressurized air to make their internal pressures approximately equal to the pressures to which they are subjected when in a submerged vessel,
  • conduit c. mechanical means in the conduit comprising a driven belt which travels downwardly in the conduit contacting and submerging the buoyant elements in the water in the lower end of the conduit in a continuous operation moving the elements directly from the pressurized air portion of the conduit to the water filled portion of the conduit and toward the vessel while they are submerged and preventing accumulation of elements in the conduit before discharge into the vessel.
  • Apparatus for raising submerged vessels comprising a. a walled pressurized chamber,
  • a water conduit having an opening therein communicating with a water supply and connected to the air conduit for receiving buoyant elements from the air conduit and conveying them to a submerged vessel
  • an eductor for injecting a water stream into the water conduit for moving buoyant elements through the conduit into the submerged vessel, and I f. air vents in the air conduit permitting escape of air from the air conduit.
  • Apparatus for raising submerged vessels comprising a. a walled pressurized chamber,
  • a water conduit connected to the air conduit for receiving buoyant elements from the air conduit and conveying them to a submerged vessel

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Ocean & Marine Engineering (AREA)
  • Jet Pumps And Other Pumps (AREA)
  • Cleaning Or Clearing Of The Surface Of Open Water (AREA)
US812156A 1969-04-01 1969-04-01 Apparatus for raising submerged vessels Expired - Lifetime US3602177A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US81215669A 1969-04-01 1969-04-01

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3602177A true US3602177A (en) 1971-08-31

Family

ID=25208690

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US812156A Expired - Lifetime US3602177A (en) 1969-04-01 1969-04-01 Apparatus for raising submerged vessels

Country Status (7)

Country Link
US (1) US3602177A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
AU (1) AU1298270A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
DE (1) DE2014423A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
ES (1) ES377887A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
FR (1) FR2037994A5 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
GB (1) GB1264942A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
NL (1) NL7004529A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2861049A1 (fr) * 2003-10-21 2005-04-22 Georges Kach Procede et dispositif de sauvetage d'un navire accidente et de renflouage d'une epave immergee
US20070289519A1 (en) * 2006-06-15 2007-12-20 Patrick Joseph Collins Method and apparatus
US20080141917A1 (en) * 2006-12-19 2008-06-19 Van Derryt Steven P Emergency buoyancy system

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
NL170173C (nl) 1978-08-23 1982-10-01 Mining And Transport Engineeri Inrichting voor het van een waterbodem opzuigen van vaste stoffen.
AU3691997A (en) * 1996-08-01 1998-03-06 Hansen Conrad Smedie Og Maskinvaerksted Rescue equipment with suction bell and injector canon for inflatable balls centered in connection with the drilling bolt

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US630542A (en) * 1898-11-08 1899-08-08 Marshall Jones Apparatus for raising sunken vessels.
US2857873A (en) * 1957-06-07 1958-10-28 Norpul Corp Rotary valve salvage apparatus
US3303808A (en) * 1965-10-18 1967-02-14 Jim D Helbig Apparatus for raising submerged vessels

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US630542A (en) * 1898-11-08 1899-08-08 Marshall Jones Apparatus for raising sunken vessels.
US2857873A (en) * 1957-06-07 1958-10-28 Norpul Corp Rotary valve salvage apparatus
US3303808A (en) * 1965-10-18 1967-02-14 Jim D Helbig Apparatus for raising submerged vessels

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2861049A1 (fr) * 2003-10-21 2005-04-22 Georges Kach Procede et dispositif de sauvetage d'un navire accidente et de renflouage d'une epave immergee
WO2005039970A1 (fr) * 2003-10-21 2005-05-06 Georges Kach Dispositif et procede de sauvetage d'un navire accidente et/ou de renflouage d'une epave immergee
US20070289519A1 (en) * 2006-06-15 2007-12-20 Patrick Joseph Collins Method and apparatus
US7500439B2 (en) * 2006-06-15 2009-03-10 Ythan Environmental Services Ltd. Method and apparatus
US20080141917A1 (en) * 2006-12-19 2008-06-19 Van Derryt Steven P Emergency buoyancy system
US7412939B2 (en) 2006-12-19 2008-08-19 Lockheed Martin Corporation Emergency buoyancy system

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
FR2037994A5 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1970-12-31
DE2014423A1 (de) 1970-10-08
AU1298270A (en) 1971-09-30
ES377887A1 (es) 1972-06-01
NL7004529A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1970-10-05
GB1264942A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1972-02-23

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Date Code Title Description
AS Assignment

Owner name: EQUITY BUILDERS, LTD.,

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST.;ASSIGNOR:HELBIG, JIM D.;REEL/FRAME:003951/0214

Effective date: 19820209