VESSEL WITH REMOVABLE SECTIONS

• US 3,841,254 A
• Filed: 01/22/1973
• Issued: 10/15/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Andrew George Spyrou, Gerasimos Nicolaou Dragonas
• Original Assignee: Andrew George Spyrou, Gerasimos Nicolaou Dragonas
• Inventors: Dragonas, Gerasimos Nicolaou, Spyrou, Andrew George
• Primary Examiner(s): Blix, Trygve M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Basinger, Sherman D.
• Application Number:
  US05/325,354
• Time in Patent Office: 631 Days
• Field of Search: 114/77,72,65R,56,43.5,235R
• US Class Current: 114/77.00R
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 25/006 for floating containers, barges or other floating cargo for transporting marine vessels B63B35/40
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 3/08 with detachably-connected sub-units

Abstract

A vessel comprises a skeleton part carrying propulsion and steering means and comprising a bow section and a stern section connected by a spine and a plurality of container portions engageable with the skeleton part intermediate the bow and stern sections and laterally of the spine, the container portions when engaged with the skeleton part defining therewith the exterior shape of the vessel hull.

Claims

1. A vessel comprising:

a. a skeleton part carrying propulsion and steering means, comprising a bow section and a stern section connected by a spine and defining a plurality of recesses between the bow and stern sections and said spine, each said recess being open at its top and bottom and laterally of said vessel;

b. a plurality of individually floatable container portions;

c. means for releasably engaging said container portions in said recesses intermediate said bow and stern sections and laterally of said spine, said means comprising downwardly extending stationary tongue means on said skeleton part and upwardly opening cavity means on said container portions, said tongue means being engageable in said cavity means by relative vertical movement of said skeleton part and said container portions; and

d. means for controlling the buoyancy of said skeleton part; and

wherein said container poRtions, when engaged with said skeleton part, define therewith the exterior hull surface of the vessel.

2. A vessel according to claim 1 including an intermediate section extending laterally from said spine intermediate said bow and stern sections and defining therewith berths for said container portions defined on three sides by said skeleton part, said releasable engaging means being positioned to couple a said container portion to said skeleton part on the three sides of a said berth.

3. A vessel comprising:

a. a skeleton part carrying propulsion and steering means and defining a plurality of recesses each of which is open at its top and bottom and laterally of the vessel;

b. a plurality of individually floatable container portions; and

c. means for releasably engaging said container portions in said recess defined by said skeleton part;

said container portions when engaged with said skeleton part defining therewith the exterior hull shape of the vessel.

4. A vessel according to claim 3 wherein said skeleton part comprises a bow section and a stern section connected by a spine, said container portions being releasably engageable with the skeleton part between the bow and stern sections and laterally of the spine.

5. A vessel according to claim 4 including an intermediate section extending laterally from said spine intermediate said bow and stern sections and defining therewith berths for said container portions defined on three sides by said skeleton part, said releasable engaging means being positioned to couple a said container portion to said skeleton part on the three sides of a said berth.

6. A vessel according to claim 3 wherein said releasable engaging means comprise stationary tongue means and cavity means on said skeleton part and each said container portion.

7. A vessel according to claim 6 wherein said tongue and cavity means are interengageable by relative vertical movement.

8. A vessel according to claim 7 wherein said tongue and cavity means are wedge-shaped in the vertical direction to facilitate interengagement.

9. A vessel according to claim 8 wherein each said tongue means extends downwardly from a lug mounted on said skeleton part and each said cavity means opens upwardly into a recess in a said container portion in which said lug is positioned when said releasable engaging means are engaged.

10. A vessel according to claim 3 wherein said skeleton part is provided with means operable to control the buoyancy thereof.