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Submarine with underwater exhaust discharge during snorkeling mode

Patent Number: 8109224
Publication Date: 2012-02-07
Inventors: Abdel-Maksoud, Moustafa; Hartig, Rainer; Jungnitz, Stefan; Horn, Hannes Schulze

A submarine or surface watercraft is equipped with at least one, preferably supercharged charging diesel engine, which serves to charge the vessel's batteries and which is operated in a controlled and regulated manner during submarine snorkeling mode or during the normal operation of surface watercraft. In at least one embodiment, the exhaust gases produced during the operation of the charging diesel engine are mixed with a flow of water, which is drawn from the water surrounding the vessel ...

Apparatus and method for operating autonomous underwater vehicles

Patent Number: 8109223
Publication Date: 2012-02-07
Inventor: Jamieson, James Andrew

A method and apparatus of operating an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) may include receiving an AUV in a receptacle of a submersible station. The AUV and the submersible station may be launched to an underwater location. The AUV may engage with the submersible station before, after or during a mission, and may return to the same or a different submersible station after part, or all, of the mission has been ...

Apparatus for fixing floating bodies

Patent Number: 8109222
Publication Date: 2012-02-07
Inventor: Fuhrmann, Michael

An apparatus is described for fixing floating bodies (1), in particular boats, to a landing body (2) with at least two holding booms (5) which are fixed to respective moorrings (4) by fittings (3) functioning as coupling elements, in each case at one end on the floating body (1) and at the other end on the landing body (2). In order to create advantageous conditions, it is proposed that at least one of the holding booms (5) be fixed, ...

Single drive catamaran hull

Patent Number: 8109221
Publication Date: 2012-02-07
Inventors: Pugh, David J.; Graf, Lawrence J

The catamaran hull includes a pair of substantially parallel separate hulls, connected by an intermediate hull portion, wherein only one of the separate hulls includes a propulsion assembly. Each hull is asymmetric, but differently configured, such that the off-center thrust created by the propulsion assembly in the one hull is substantially offset by the turning force created by the difference in the two asymmetric hull ...

Tethered tow body, communications apparatus and system

Patent Number: 8104420
Publication Date: 2012-01-31
Inventors: Wiggins, James; Owen, Peter; Allensworth, Walter; Kieffer, Kevin; Zeglin, Conrad

The problem of providing a submerged vehicle with above-the-surface communications to a nearby vessel, shore platform, or satellite while traveling at operating speed is solved by an efficiently deployable tethered tow body having a hydrodynamic and buoyant hull body and incorporating a lift-generating wing that provides hydrodynamic lift to efficiently lift the tow body containing antennas and other communications devices to the surface. The tow body allows for stable operation during ...

Device for automatically attaching and detaching a towed sonar transmitter to and from an active-sonar tow line

Patent Number: 8104419
Publication Date: 2012-01-31
Inventors: Goudeau, Jean-Philippe; Coupeaud, Christophe

The present invention relates to the handling, the attaching to a drag line and the putting to sea of a submersible craft, dragged by a surface vessel. The invention includes a system for automatically attaching and handling submersible craft towed by a tow line, comprising an automatic attaching device for carrying out the mechanical attaching of the submersible craft to the drag line and the linking of the submersible craft to the structure conveying the signals and the energy in this ...

Boat anchoring system

Patent Number: 8104418
Publication Date: 2012-01-31
Inventor: Thompson, Larry C.

An anchoring system for a boat includes a pair of anchor fixtures, each having a base and a tube carried by and extending across the base. A first of the anchor fixtures is mountable proximate the peripheral edge of the vessel with the tube oriented to extend in a generally horizontal direction. The other, second anchor fixture is mounted exteriorly to the transom of other surface of the hull such that the longitudinal axis of the tube extends generally vertically. The first anchor fixture ...

Soft yoke

Patent Number: 8104417
Publication Date: 2012-01-31
Inventors: Shivers, III, Robert Magee; Bennett, Jr., William T.; Trent, David

A device for dynamically positioning a ship, assisting in offload of a processed hydrocarbon fluid, and assisting in return of hydrocarbon vapors is disclosed herein. The device can be a soft yoke that is pivotable and collapsible with at least two telescoping mooring arms having a boom and jib in a nested arrangement to safely hold floating stations to transport vessels. The boom and the jib can form a gangway to move personal and ...

Floating natural gas processing station

Patent Number: 8104416
Publication Date: 2012-01-31
Inventors: Shivers, III, Robert Magee; Bennett, Jr., William T.; Trent, David

A floating natural gas processing station for receiving dry gas and forming liquefied natural gas for offloading is disclosed herein. The station can use a station heat exchanger, a natural gas liquefaction train, and an offloading device having a primary quick connect/disconnect device, a secondary emergency disconnect device, and a tertiary emergency disconnect device to allow quick connect/disconnect or emergency disconnect of the floating natural gas processing station from a transport ...

Sailboat substantially free of heeling moments

Patent Number: 8104415
Publication Date: 2012-01-31
Inventor: Higginson, John Matthew

A sailboat includes a sail assembly with opposing upper and lower ends, a leading edge and a trailing edge. The sail assembly is normally offset from the hull and oriented for generation of a propelling force substantially free of heeling moments. A support structure supports the sail assembly for rotation about an axis inclined relative to vertical and substantially parallel to the leading edge. The support structure includes an upper rotary joint mounting the upper end of the sail ...

High performance planing hull provided with a trim tab system

Patent Number: 8100079
Publication Date: 2012-01-24
Inventor: Buzzi, Fabio

A high performance planing hull, designed in particular for boats with drives of fixed or non-steerable type. The hull comprises an additional volume, which is integrated in the immersed part of the stern of the hull. The additional volume extends substantially in longitudinal direction and is symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal plane of symmetry of the ...

Steerable hydrofoil

Patent Number: 8100078
Publication Date: 2012-01-24
Inventors: Storteig, Eskild; Tønnessen, Rune

The present invention provides a steerable hydrofoil. The apparatus includes at least one steerable hydrofoil panel, at least one body part coupled to the at least one steerable hydrofoil panel to allow the at least one steerable hydrofoil panel to rotate about an axis, and at least one actuator for rotating the at least one steerable hydrofoil panel by a selected angle about the ...

Mooring system

Patent Number: 8100077
Publication Date: 2012-01-24
Inventors: Collee, Michael; Yemm, Richard; Shaw, Martin; Maycock, Edward

A mooring system and/or a rigid harness (2) for a floating aquatic structure (1) includes first and second ends, and the first end is pivotably attachable to the structure (1) such that in use the harness (2) may pivot about a single pivot axis (23) through a range of angles relative to, and including, the vertical. The harness (2) further includes one or more mechanical and/or umbilical connections (28,30,32) adjacent the second end ...

Liquefied natural gas processing and transport system

Patent Number: 8100076
Publication Date: 2012-01-24
Inventors: Shivers, III, Robert Magee; Bennett, Jr., William T.; Trent, David

A station and transport system for receiving, storing, and transporting liquefied natural gas is disclosed herein. The system can include a transport vessel, a floating liquefied natural gas processing station with a heat exchanger for receiving the dry gas from a pretreatment source and forming liquefied natural gas using a natural gas liquefaction train, a primary quick connect/disconnect device, a secondary emergency disconnect device, and a tertiary emergency disconnect device mounted ...

Rudder control assembly of a boat

Patent Number: 8100075
Publication Date: 2012-01-24
Inventor: Wang, Nien Fu

A rudder control assembly used in a boat comprises a control unit having a left control plate and a right control plate; a control unit having a left connecting unit and a right connecting unit; a front end of the control unit being connected to the left control plate and the right control plate; a rudder unit installed at a tail end of the boat; the rudder unit including a right shaft; a rudder body; a left extension plate, a right extension plate, a driving plate and a rudder; The right ...

WET buoyancy engine

Patent Number: 8100074
Publication Date: 2012-01-24
Inventors: Cameron, Colin G.; Smith, Jeffrey H.

Technologies such as stealth buoys and underwater gliders need to modify their own buoyancy in order to operate. Strategies such as pumping fluid are typically used to change the device's net volume. This in turn requires a mechanically sophisticated apparatus, increasing the cost of the vehicle while diminishing its reliability. The concept of a buoyancy engine that exploits the enormous volume and pressure changes accompanying the reversible electrochemical interconversion of water to ...

Coupling and decoupling method and device for in-boom furling boom sails

Patent Number: 8100073
Publication Date: 2012-01-24
Inventors: Waldhauser, Kurt; Waldhauser, Volker

The invention relates to a method for automatically coupling and decoupling the luff of a battened mainsail and stackable luff holders as the connecting link between the sail luff and mast guiding slides, thereby allowing the now free sail luff to be reefed up by means of an in-boom furling boom and allowing the battened mainsail to be hoisted and reefed by means of mast guiding ...

Fabric sail

Patent Number: 8100072
Publication Date: 2012-01-24
Inventors: Baglin, Paul Stuart; Wilkinson, Keith

The present invention relates to a fabric sail (1) which maintains a minimal surface. An elastic boundary is attached to the edges of an elastic membrane, and the edges (4) are shaped so that the membrane of the sail maintains a minimal surface configuration despite being deformed by the boundary. The sail therefore distributes strain across the sail surface and is thus free of wrinkles and creases. Points on the elastic membrane itself can be displaced but still form a ...

Collapsible catamaran

Patent Number: 8096258
Publication Date: 2012-01-17
Inventor: Bierma, Jochum

A collapsible catamaran is described, comprising two hulls (1) and a frame (4) which connects the two hulls (1) in a detachable manner and carries plug-in noses (3) which engage in plug-in receptacles (2) of the hulls (1). In order to provide advantageous plug-in connections it is proposed that the plug-in noses (3) each comprise a guide tube (17) with at least one rubber-elastic clamping ring (18) which encloses the guide tube ...

Emergency encapsulated lift system

Patent Number: 8096257
Publication Date: 2012-01-17
Inventor: Schmitt, Darrin John

A buoyancy lift system having an inflatable bladder with a tether stowed inside a canister secured to a vessel. A sealing member is slidably received within canister and secures to the inflatable bladder. Pressurized gas forces the sealing member and bladder outwardly of the canister. A stop prevents the sealing member from escaping the canister such that the sealing member creates a seal between itself and the canister at an outboard end of the canister. Pressurized gas is forced through a ...

Passively-actuated lanyard clamp

Patent Number: 8096256
Publication Date: 2012-01-17
Inventor: Mackie, Kevin J.

A passively-actuated lanyard clamp is disclosed that provides an improved ability to deploy a terminal weight or anchor in a body of water without some of the disadvantages for doing so in the prior art. An embodiment of the present invention comprises a mechanically-bistable latch for clamping a lanyard, wherein the latch is passively-actuated by a force that develops as a result of the terminal weight reaching the bottom of the body of ...

Ship with stern equipped with a device for deflecting a flow of water

Patent Number: 8096255
Publication Date: 2012-01-17
Inventors: Morand, Loïc; Chardin, Gervais; Collin, Jean-Pierre

The device comprises a plurality of deflector members (1) having a submerged lower face (2), called first face, generally fitting into the extension of the hull bottom (FC) of the ship, toward the rear thereof, while forming an angle (α) in relation to a general plane (Δ) tangent to this bottom (FC), characterized by the fact that these deflector members (1) are articulated to the hull and are juxtaposed side by side, over all, or practically all, the width of the ...

Unmanned vehicle launch and recovery system

Patent Number: 8096254
Publication Date: 2012-01-17
Inventors: Bauer, Eric; Krueger, Kelly; Ferrell, Paul; Arthur, James; Davis, Ryan

In one preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a system for launching and recovering one or more unmanned, underwater vehicles. The system includes a surface vessel having a generally low waterline for transporting, launching and recovering the unmanned vehicles. The system provides the ability to transport, launch and recover unmanned vehicles from either the port or starboard sides of the surface vessel, utilizing an A-frame hoist assembly which can be moved laterally in a ...

Cable fairing attachment

Patent Number: 8096253
Publication Date: 2012-01-17
Inventor: Ruffa, Anthony A.

Systems and methods for automatically applying fairings to a cable as the cable is deployed from a winch are provided. Each fairing has two halves, with each half having a recess, or groove, to accommodate the cable. Like halves are connected together and the two halves are stored on separate spools. Counter-rotating wheels adjacent to and on opposite sides of the cable serve to feed the fairing halves from the spools to the cable as the cable is deployed. As the fairing halves approach the ...

Ship hull structure and a method of operating the ship

Patent Number: 8096252
Publication Date: 2012-01-17
Inventor: Huang, Bill Wen-Chang

A ship hull structure includes a main hull and a movable rearbody having an engine and a propeller. The movable rearbody is located at a lower side of a stern of the main hull, connected with an aft of the main hull to form an integral unit by a hinge linking device allowing the rearbody to pivot up and down. By a block, a crane or a winch and through a chain or a hanging wire, a pivoting angle of the movable rearbody with respect to the main hull can be adjusted and controlled. A bottom of ...