Abstract: A sea chest cover for providing access to the sea chest of a ship. The sea chest cover includes both a cover element and a liner element received within the interior of the sea chest and is fabricated essentially entirely of one or more viscoelastic materials, preferably either polyethylene or polyurethane. Materials can be also made of copolymers, which may be laminated, and compression molded or portions may be blow molded. Fabrication of the sea chest cover from a viscoelastic material reduces or eliminates corrosion and erosion problems. It also minimizes marine organism and ice build-up. The result is a reduction in the expense of associated with maintaining such covers. The sea chest cover can also include an additive to reduce bacteria and algae growth and be irradiated with gamma rays for increased strength.

Abstract: A trash rack for filtering large volumes of intake water generally of the type available to power-generating facilities. The trash rack includes reinforcing rods fabricated of non-metallic materials in a pultrusion fabrication process. The pultruded reinforcing rods are substantially lighter than prior steel reinforcing rods. The pultruded rods are flexible enough to give under impact and high-loading without fracture or permanent distortion, yet are strong enough to withstand the type of loading commonly experienced by such large-volume trash racks.

Abstract: A sea chest cover for providing access to the sea chest of a ship. The sea chest cover is fabricated essentially entirely of one or more viscoelastic materials, preferably either polyethylene or polyurethane. Fabrication of the sea chest cover from a viscoelastic material reduces or eliminates corrosion and erosion problems. It also minimizes marine organism and ice build-up. The result is a reduction in the expense associated with maintaining such covers. The fabrication of the sea chest cover essentially entirely of viscoelastic materials minimizes the weight of such components, thereby making handling and maintenance easier. The sea chest cover is either pre-formed to a shape conforming with the shape of the ship's hull in the area where the sea chest is located, or it is sufficiently flexible to be placed into such conformance. The sea chest cover of the present invention may be formed as a unitary piece or as a plurality of removably connectable parts.

Abstract: This invention relates to an improvement in an apparatus for directing the flow of water from the penstock to the vanes of a hydraulic turbine, generally referred to as a wicket gate, and a method for making the improved wicket gate. The improved wicket gate comprises a rotatable planar body made either of a high-strength plastic material or metal, onto which a viscoelastic material is affixed. The improvement lies in the application of the viscoelastic material to the rotatable planar body in such a way that the viscoelastic material becomes an integral component of the rotatable planar body. This improvement extends the maintenance life cycle by reducing marine growth, erosion and pitting caused by cavitation.

Abstract: A cleaning apparatus for cleaning under water structures that comprises a cylindrical brush having a plurality of bristles that extend radially outward, a sealed electric motor for axially rotating the cylindrical brush and a winch and cables to raise and lower the cylindrical brush as it cleans the under water structure. A substantially rectangular trough is displaced below the cleaning apparatus to collect debris that is removed from the underwater structure as the structure is being cleaned.

Abstract: Injection-molded intake-water filtering apparatus designed for use with electric power generating stations and the like, comprising a rectangular elastomeric grid in which the number and spacing of the longitudinal elements are both adjustable. The lateral spacing between the longitudinal elements is established by cylindrical sleeves through which pass transverse rods which bind together the longitudinal elements to form the grid. The elastomeric material used is of a hardness, strength, and elasticity necessary to resist the large forces to which the trash rake is exposed and sufficiently smooth that ice-nucleating centers and marine-growth anchors are effectively absent on the surface of the finished grid.