Patent · US Expired

Articulated floating barrier

US4033137A · kind A · utility

33Cited by
7References
5Claims
0Family size

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJul 12, 1973
Grant dateJul 5, 1977
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 12, 1993

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02A20/204
  • WIPO fieldCivil engineering
  • WIPO sectorOther fields

Abstract

A barrier for containing oil spills or other debris on the surface of a body of water includes buoyant sections connected by a sliding seal for allowing sliding relative vertical motion and limited relative angular movement between the sections to accommodate extreme and abrupt variations in water surface level and turbulence resulting from wave action. The seal connection is made up of a vertical inner slide member, either integral with or attached to one end of one section, and a mating outer member integral with or attached to the opposite end of a similar section, the outer member having an undercut, open-ended slot for engaging the slide member with sufficient clearance to permit relative vertical sliding movement between the members while at the same time providing an effective seal between the sections. The inner slide member is preferably in the form of a cylindrical rod, and the opening of the mating slot in the outer member is preferably wide enough to permit limited relative angular movement between the two sections in the horizontal plane so that the connection serves as a combination sliding seal and hinge.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.