Ship's Course Patents (Class 116/19)
  • Patent number: 5012757
    Abstract: Automatic horn warning signal apparatus for use on boats is compact, unitary, self-contained, lightweight, drycell-battery-energized, is manually selectably actuated for automatically sounding any of nine predetermined patterns of warning horn signal sequences applicable to specified, recognized navigational procedures for marine craft. A small motor operates through a first speed-reducing, torque-increasing transmission for rotating a main cam shaft containing nine lobed cams each having a different configuration corresponding to the desired warning signal pattern to be sounded. A control lever is engageable with any of the nine cams for selecting the desired automatically sounded horn signal sequence. A second speed-reducing, torque-increasing transmission rotates a latching cam shaft at one-tenth the rate of the main cam shaft for operating a latch for enabling a pivot bar to serve as fulcrum for the control lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 7, 1991
    Inventor: James E. Williams
  • Patent number: 3965234
    Abstract: A method of making a seamless, hollow, spherical fishing buoy of thermoset resin, preferably cross-linkable polyolefin, by rotationally molding the same without vent holes or openings in the buoy. A 3-plane, rigid, corner cube radar reflector is mounted inside the spherical buoy, and is oriented to provide maximum return of a radar signal from anywhere on or above the horizon. The reflector is centered within the mold cavity by six spring-loaded standoffs, which are attached to the corners of the reflector. The standoffs are molded of the same resin as the buoy, but are only partially cross-linked. During molding cycle, the cross-linkable resin molding powder melts and spreads uniformly over the inside surface of the mold, at the same time cross-linking. The ends of the partially cross-linked standoffs in contact with the hot mold melt and become part of the plastic shell, and also continue cross-linking with the latter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1973
    Date of Patent: June 22, 1976
    Inventor: Noel W. Lane, Jr.