Abstract: Ship or similar floating installation, equipped with a working deck, a lower intermediate deck and below this a bottom below water level. The intermediate deck is provided with spaces for the assembly of apparatus, which can be lowered through an opening. On the bottom and next to the opening the ship is provided with a dock with gates at the side of the opening and accessible from the intermediate deck, which gates can be opened and when closed allow the dock to be pumped dry.

Abstract: An ice disaggregation system comprising a multiplicity of aligned and successively longer sledging teeth outwardly extending from a rotatable drum. The drum rotation allows the successively longer teeth to sequentially cut and chip deepening grooves in various forms of particulate matter such as ice or coal engaged by the system. A second form of slugging tooth, outwardly extending from the drum, is provided in generally central alignment between paired rows of sledging teeth. The slugging tooth is positioned to subsequently engage the isolated, ridged sections of ice between successive grooves therein, and for striking said ridges with sufficient force to impart shear fracture thereto. The drum is provided with a plurality of sledging and slugging teeth in staggered groups comprising a spiral configuration along the drum.

Abstract: A vehicle including a rigid body is provided and includes a bottom structure defining a plurality, elongated and horizontally downwardly projecting bottom surface members which in turn define downwardly opening channels therebetween. The bottom structure further includes a plurality of elongated horizontal flexible inflatable members disposed and extending along between pairs of adjacent bottom surface members in the aforementioned channels. The body includes structure operative to apply fluid under pressure to the inflatable members to inflate the latter and the inflatable members, when inflated, include portions projecting downwardly below the bottom surface members.

Abstract: A construction vehicle has a rear bumper assembly mounted on a frame thereof. The bumper assembly comprises a horizontally disposed bottom plate and a plurality of upstanding plates which define a closed compartment having a counterweight disposed therein. The counterweight is attached to the bottom plate by a spacer which extends through the center of gravity of the counterweight and by a pair of bolts attached to opposite ends of the spacer. The counterweight is assembled by attaching a lifting eye to the spacer, lowering and simultaneously centering the counterweight in the compartment, replacing the lifting eye with one of the above-mentioned bolts and attaching the other bolt to the spacer.

Abstract: This disclosure pertains to a pivotable control mechanism affecting the angular position of a centerboard as a function of the position of the boom of the mainsail. A pivot arm extending radially outwardly from the pivot axis of an extended pivotable centerboard is fastened flexibly and adjustably to the mainsail boom at a point aft of the mainmast. The trailing edge of the centerboard is pivoted outboard in a direction opposite to the trailing edge of the boom, providing thereby automatic compensation for the wind on the sail by allowing a variable pressure to be created on the centerboard therefor.

Abstract: A barge-carrying ship having a crane at the end of the vessel for lifting barges from the water surface, a plurality of openings at the end of the vessel through which the barges are carried aboard the ship, and rails laid in the fore-and-aft direction on the upper deck and along the inner walls of the both sides of the hull for the transportation of the lifted barges to the points where they may be stowed. Barge trucks are provided equipped with low-lift hydraulic jacks for raising and lowering the loads thereon. The barge trucks are distributed at the rate of at least one such truck per track of one or a pair of the rails. Supports protrude inwardly from the inner walls of the both sides of the ship for supporting the barges. The ship has no deck in the hold space except for a middle deck over engine rooms. A second crane is mounted substantially amidships.

Abstract: An anchor raising device and method of raising an anchor in which the device has a tubular body that is readily opened and closed so it may be applied quickly and easily to an anchor line when it is necessary to raise the anchor on the anchor line and is able to be readily removed from the anchor line once the anchor is raised and its purpose has been accomplished.

Abstract: This application discloses a device universally adaptable for use in flushing outboard and inboard/outboard marine engines; this being possible due to the unique design of the strap and the shape of the cups allowing for the device to attach flush against the motor shaft housing on motors having shaft housings of different dimensions and contours, something not accomplished by any previously known means.

Abstract: A mooring system for a drill ship has an annular cell mounted in the bottom of the hull concentrically around the moon pool. A plurality of annular cable drums are rotatable within the cell, the drums and the cell being rotatable about a common vertical axis. Anchor cables wound on the respective drums are directed by sheaves through the bottom of the cell through an opening in the bottom of the hull to anchors on the ocean floor for anchoring the vessel over a drill site. The drums are individually driven to adjust the associated cable, while the entire cell together with the drums is rotated within the hull to change the heading of the vessel relative to the anchors.

Abstract: A ring buoy or a life raft that unfurls in water upon being launched. There may be first, second and third ring buoy portions, each having an annular shape of substantially the same inner and outer circumference. The first portion may have a shell containing lightweight material enabling flotation and an extended tube of smoke-generating material, all disposed so that this first portion is weighted to float generally vertically with a smoke-issuing orifice at the top and out of water. The second portion may also have a shell containing lightweight material enabling flotation and may have a flashing light signal, a radar beacon signal, and batteries, all so located that the second portion is weighted to float vertically with the batteries at the bottom and the signals at the top. The third portion may be a normally flat but inflatable tube having an inlet connected to suitable inflating means.

Abstract: An inflatable boat includes a buoyant body having a pair of elongated lateral portions which are arcuately raised at both the bow region and the stern region thereof, a stern bulkhead connected to the lateral portions and extending between them, and a bottom which is water-tightly connected to the lateral portions and to the stern bulkhead and defines a compartment therewith. The lateral portions are constituted by inflatable tubular elements which are interconnected at the bow region of the inflatable boat by a rigid connecting element. The stern regions of the tubular elements extend beyond the stern bulkhead and arcuately converge toward one another in the rearward direction, being spaced from one another by a distance which at least corresponds to the maximum diameter of the tubular elements. A support element is mounted on the stern regions, and a rudder is mounted on the support element with freedom of movement relative thereto.

Abstract: A hydrofoil vessel in which the hydrofoils comprise pairs of rotary members which are inclined in a downwardly inboard direction from opposite sides of the hull or body portion of the vessel. The rotary members have foil-shaped peripheral portions extending into the water at an acute angle with respect to the water surface and are movable both axially and angularly to achieve optimum lift consistent with the vessel's speed.

Abstract: An inflatable aquatic device is disclosed comprising in combination plural aquatic members each having a plurality of flexible gas chambers for containing a gas and providing buoyancy. Each of the plural aquatic members includes a rigid frame having a plate region and a plurality of supports extending relative to the plate region. A system is provided for securing the rigid frame to the flexible gas chambers establishing plural substantially rigid aquatic members. Connectors interconnect the plural aquatic members to allow only limited relative movement therebetween. The invention may include a fabric material adapted to encompass the flexible gas chamber means having a plurality of fabric apertures for receiving the plurality of supports extending from the plate regions. The supports may include plural telescoping tubing members extending from the plate region to enable the pneumatic device to be stored in a relatively small area.

Abstract: A guard rail device for attachment to a large wheel diameter vehicle. The guard rail device is attached in each side of the vehicle and comprises:A horizontal guard rail extending from about the rear of the front wheels to about the front of the rear wheels of the vehicle and extends substantially within the plane of the rear and front wheels of the vehicle. The guard rail device is positioned at such a height that when the vehicle is traveling across a road surface the guard rail does not touch the road surface. The guard rail device further has height adjustable attachment members for attaching the guard rail to the vehicle. When the vehicle is traveling across the road surface and an object collides into the side of the vehicle the guard rail prevents the object from falling under the large diameter rear wheels of the vehicle.

Abstract: The coupler height of a railway car is adjustable by means of a shim disposed between the coupler carrier and the wear plate and inserted through an opening provided at one side of the striking casting. An enlarged central portion of the shim extends toward the draft bar yoke of the coupler to avoid any reduction of bearing surface between the coupler carrier and the wear plate. A portion of the shim also lies within the side opening, which opening is defined by an enlarged outwardly extending portion of the striking casting having holes therein in axial alignment with a hole in the shim portion for the reception of a fastener to retain the shim in place. The aligned holes are offset from the longitudinal centerline of the shim so as to effect a misalignment of the holes upon incorrect insertion of the shim.

Abstract: A rigid bottom foldable on a central transverse hinge has a removable tubular skeleton frame at each end supporting the skin. A pneumatic tubular member carried by the bottom sections serves to expand and tightly support the skin in use, thereby retaining the frame in assembled relation to the bottom.

Abstract: A twin fluke marine anchor chock for securing a marine anchor to the deck or hull of a vessel whenever the anchor is not in use. The anchor is removeably locked to the chock by the interaction of an anchor body (crown or stock) securing connector disposed at one end of the chock and a shank down-lock which secures the shank to the chock. The chock may include a shank actuated, resilient fluke locking means. An anchor may be quickly secured or released from the chock by manual rotation of the shank.

Abstract: A boat is provided having front and rear ends, a bottom and upwardly projecting sides extending upwardly to an elevation spaced above the static water line of the boat. A depending central strut (fixed or upwardly retractable) projects downwardly from the bottom and a pair of elongated downwardly convergent opposite side flexible foils including leading and trailing longitudinal edges facing in front and rear directions, respectively, of the boat are provided and have their lower ends anchored to the lower end portion of the strut. The upper end portions of the foils are anchored relative to upper portions of the corresponding sides of the boat above the static water line thereof outwardly of the boat sides and the foils are free of support from the boat intermediate the upper and lower ends of the foils.

Abstract: In the mainsail roll-furling system disclosed herein, the mainsail is roller-furled inside a tubular compartment in the mast itself, the sail being drawn out through an aft-facing slot in the mast. A swivel is utilized between the halyard and the luff of the mainsail and a guide is provided on the halyard side of the swivel which both positively prevents rotation of the halyard during furling of the sail and positions the upper end of the sail luff essentially in the middle of the sail storage compartment.

Abstract: An anchor incorporating an arrangement for releasing the anchor when it becomes snagged on large rocks or other objects. One embodiment includes a blocking element which is positioned in the elongated anchor body to prevent the anchor arms from moving out of a radially extending position to a position in which they extend longitudinally of the body. The blocking element is spring biased into its blocking position and has a sleeve thereon which is also spring biased to a position wherein the sleeve holds the anchor arms away from the blocking element. A sharp jerk on the anchor line causes the blocking element to move in the elongated anchor body out of blocking position releasing the anchor. Another embodiment includes a blocking element similarly positioned in an elongated anchor body. A striker element is mounted on the anchor body and connected to the anchor line and is spring biased to a position spaced from the blocking element.