Abstract: An apparatus for transporting water is described. The apparatus includes a large number of identical units that contain fresh water, for example, and which float on the sea. The units are alternately controlled to rise and fall with a first tide and to remain at low tide during the next tide. This motion, along with valves to allow fresh water to flow in one direction only, provide a water transport system that operates using tidal power.

Abstract: The invention provides a salvage rail which connects to an object such as a sunken ship, a sinking ship, a seaworthy ship that wants to have protection so that it will not sink, or countless other objects that are in water. Rolled-up bags, or bladders, which can be inflated, are configured on the rail. The rail is easy to handle, even with rolled bags included.

Abstract: Sloped-for-rain urban sidewalks are horrible for wheelchair users because of the constant veering-off threat caused by gravity. Anybody who tries to self-propel a wheelchair on a city sidewalk for the first time is in for a rude awakening—the user must use one hand to steer by retarding one wheel, and that makes propelling inefficient, difficult and frustrating, to say nothing of the dangerous veering-off threat. Applicant's solution is to provide joining means to couple and uncouple the drive wheels. The joining means, when coupled, causes the two drive wheels to rotate in unison preventing the wheelchair from veering-off so that it travels straight when traversing a sloped surface, and when uncoupled allowing the two drive wheels to rotate at different speeds to allow turning. Joining means comprises: slip-clutch, gear configuration or the like, and may be automatic or user controlled.

Abstract: A method and vessel for removing or installing an offshore jacket structure in a body of water, the vessel having a generally planar main buoyancy section having the outline of a delta with an extension at the apex and auxiliary buoyancy sections extending transversely of the main buoyancy section at the ends of the base of the delta. The bottom parts of the auxiliary buoyancy sections have a rounded outer surface and contain heavy fixed ballast. The vessel may be rotated as it is brought close to the jacket structure with the auxiliary sections straddling the jacket structure. The vessel is rotated towards the jacket structure while its rounded bottom portion rolls on the seabed. Once the jacket structure is connected securely to the vessel, the vessel is rotated back to the initial position de-ballasting the auxiliary sections before it is brought to the surface.

Abstract: The watercraft dry storage assembly includes two generally cylindrical bladders that are inflated to lift a boat from the water and hold the hull in a raised position. Each bladder is made from a scrim encased in a flexible plastic. The scrim is substantially non-stretchable. Air fills the bladders until each inch of bladder material is tensioned in a direction parallel to a long axis of the bladder by a force of at least 5 pounds and in a transverse direction by a force of at least 10 pounds. A plurality of straps encircle each bladder. Rings on the ends of each strap are connected by coupler assemblies to secure both bladders together. The straps are attached to the bladders in selected positions along the length of the bladders.

Abstract: A module for a boat lift that combines features of both pontoon type and modular type constructions. Each module includes upper and lower pontoons, and can be connected in-line to form one side of a lift, and in parallel to form opposed sides of a lift. A typical lift includes four modules connected with two on each side.

Abstract: The watercraft dry storage assembly includes a cylindrical port bladder and a cylindrical starboard bladder. Both bladders are made from sheet material with a substantially non-stretchable polyester or nylon scrim encased in a poly vinyl chloride plastic, a urethane plastic or a mixture of poly-vinyl chloride and urethane. The bladders are attached to each other. A blower system blows air into the bladders to lift a boat hull out of the water. The blower system also sucks air out of the bladders to lower the boat into the water. A guide system indicates the location of the bladders under the water and guides the bladders as they are inflated. One or more envelopes with open tops are attached to the bladders if required and receive rudders, keels and propellers as they are raised by the bladders. After the open tops are raised above the water, water in the envelopes are pumped out by a pump.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a floatable vessel lift comprising: at least two pontoon chambers, where each of the at least two pontoon chambers includes a top housing and a base. The pontoon's top housing has an arcuate longitudinal surface and the base side is substantially flat. Support members horizontally join the at least two pontoon chambers to support a vessel during the lifting process. A user varies the submersion of the vessel lift during use by using a single air infusion device that introduces an air flow into the at least two pontoon chambers simultaneously.

Abstract: A boatlift including two floatation chambers operably engaged to a boat hull engaging means by a lifting means connected therebetween. The lifting means is adapted to raise and lower the boat hull engaging means with respect to the floatation chambers, which, in turn, is adapted to buoyantly support both the boat hull engaging means and the lifting means. The boat lift may be either connectable to a stationary object such as a dock, pier or seawall, or may be adapted to be trailerable by land vehicle.

Abstract: A boat lift and leveler are provided in which the boat lift consists of a cradle supported by at least two pontoons laterally disposed beneath and fixed to the cradle. A leveler for the lift includes a pair of pneumatic duct systems. One of the systems connects to air vents on the starboard side pontoons and the other system connects to air vents on the port side pontoons. Each system includes an intake path, an exhaust path and a valve in each path. The intake path is connected to a source of air under pressure and the exhaust path extends to the atmosphere. An enclosure fixed to the lift lists to starboard or port with the lift. A V-shaped track rests in the enclosure. The track has a starboard arm which rotates below horizontal at a predetermined degree of starboard list of the enclosure and a port arm which rotates below horizontal at a predetermined degree of port list of the enclosure.

Abstract: An apparatus for employing and retrieving a seaborne vehicle having a frable surface includes a muzzle and a cylindrically shaped cocoon. The muzzle is clamped to the vehicle and then pulled by a rope into the cocoon. Bladders within the cocoon are inflated with pressurized air to retain the vehicle. The vehicle can then be safely retrieved by hoisting the cocoon out of the ocean. Vehicle deployment is achieved by placing the vehicle in the cocoon, pressurizing the bladders with air, lowering the cocoon and attendant vehicle into the ocean, exhausting the air from the bladders, and then towing the cocoon so that water passing through apertures in the bow of the cocoon push the vehicle into the open ocean.

Abstract: 'An apparatus is disclosed for temporarily reducing the effective draft of a loaded cargo vessel in a waterway and assisting the propulsion and steering of the vessel while in a draft reduced condition. The apparatus permits a standard ocean-going cargo vessel to be loaded to a most efficient overall draft depth, and then to be temporarily buoyed to a shallower draft for the purposes of clearing restricted channels, sandbars, ocean entrances and the like. In a prefered embodiment the apparatus is two rigid, self-propelled semi-submersible pontoons having an inner cantilever lifting plate for engaging the lower hull section of the vessel to be supported. The pontoons are interconnected by a support cable system under controllable tension. The pontoons in operation are submerged to an operating depth and moved, using internal propulsion equipment, so as to pass underneath and straddle the hull of the desired cargo vessel.

Abstract: A device, a method, and a system for reducing the draft of large vessels to allow the successful navigation of shallow waterways which could not otherwise be traversed due to the depth of the draft of the vessel. The implementation of this system will eliminate unnecessary dredging and facilitate full utilization of the ships' cargo capacity. The system is comprised of several buoyancy modules, control tender vessels, base point grids, appropriate computers, air compressors, and all other necessary equipment. Each buoyancy module of the system consist of two inflatable/deflatable pneumatic lift cells contained by sleeves positioned one at each end, with a base webbing connecting the two ends and forming the middle supportive portion of each module. The base webbing is positioned beneath the vessel oriented so as to position one pneumatic lift cell on each side of the vessel.

Abstract: A pontoon assembly for floating bridges includes four pivotally interconnected articulable floats providing a pontoon assembly having a folded and an unfolded position. Each of the floats is generally rectangularly shaped. In the unfolded position the pontoon assembly has an inner two floats and an outer two floats and the outer two floats are lengthwise connected to an outer edge of the inner two floats. The inner two floats each have an upper surface which provides a vehicular roadway. A rectangular recess is disposed in each of the outer two floats and the recess has a size sufficient to permit a ramp part to be removably positioned in there. The ramp parts have a height corresponding to the depth of the recess in order to provide a flush upper surface with the upper surface of the associated outer float. Each of the ramp parts includes lugs to permit connection with an inner float to thereby provide a closed rampway.

Abstract: In order to make possible a "self-docking" of a floating dock, the dock is divided into a middle pontoon and two end pontoons, which are interconnectable in alternative positions in the vertical direction, so either the middle pontoon, or the end pontoons may be lifted out of the water. The pontoons are held together by bolts, which are accessible from cofferdam-like spaces, formed when two pontoons are fitted together, and which may be maintained watertight. Male and female coupling members are furthermore provided to secure the pontoons in their two operative positions. During a disconnecting and connecting operation the pontoons are guided by rigid link arms, chains or the like.

Abstract: A method of launching a large object such as a ship, barge or floatable offshore structure from a dock to water at a lower level than the dock surface by pushing the object over the dock edge, supporting the portion of the object extending past the dock edge on open bottom launch cans and continuing the procedure until the object is fully supported above the water only by the launch cans. By ballasting the launch cans the object is lowered into the water where it floats.

Abstract: A power cell for lifting masses by inflation of the cell by a gaseous or liquid medium, the cell being hollow and, in the pressure-free state, substantially a single plane. The cell includes two parallel polygonal surfaces, preferably squares, invariant in shape, interconnected by wall segments which vary in shape as the cell is inflated, the side wall segments forming partial cylindrical surfaces. The side wall segments and the polygonal surfaces are joined by transition wall surfaces to form a closed body. Various embodiments of the transition wall surfaces forming corner segments, are disclosed, wherein, in the pressure-free state of the cell, the extensions of the peripheries of adjoining side wall segments may intersect substantially rectilinearly, in a convex arc, in a concave arc, or in an obtuse angle.

Abstract: A pair of generally cylindrical inflatable bodies are provided for transverse disposition beneath the bow and stern bottom portions of a boat equipped with a transom drain opening and internal flotation. Straps are attached to the ends of the inflatable bodies and extend upwardly along the corresponding sides of the boat and across the upper surfaces thereof and are joined together in order to strap the inflatable bodies in position beneath the bow and stern bottom portions of the boat. The bodies may be inflated after being secured in position in order to buoy the boat to an elevated position above its normal floating position and the transom drain opening may be thereafter opened to allow any rain water or wave spray entering the boat to automatically drain therefrom through the transom drain opening.