Shipboard container for survival equipment

• US 5,102,360 A
• Filed: 06/27/1990
• Issued: 04/07/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert G. Eycleshimer
• Original Assignee: Robert G. Eycleshimer
• Inventors: Eycleshimer, Robert G.
• Primary Examiner(s): BASINGER, SHERMAN D
• Application Number:
  US07/544,612
• Time in Patent Office: 650 Days
• Field of Search: 441/32, 441/80, 441/84, 441/85, 114/190, 114/219, 206/803, 206/822
• US Class Current: 441/80
• CPC Class Codes: B63C 9/02 Lifeboats, life-rafts or the like, specially adapted for life-saving floatable furniture B63C9/30; boats in general B63B; inflatable vessels B63B7/00; equipment for handling lifeboats or the like B63B23/00; rafts B63B35/58
• CPC Class Codes: B63C 9/21 Boats, rafts, buoys or the like, characterised by signalling means, e.g. lights, reflectors B63C9/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B63C 9/22 Devices for holding or launching life-buoys, inflatable life-rafts, or other floatable life-saving equipment equipment for handling life-boats or the like B63B23/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 206/803 Emergency, e.g. flare, first aid, survival pack
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 206/822 Special shape

Abstract

A shipboard container for storing survival equipment at an above-deck location on seagoing vessel is provided, the container being of an elongated tube shape having an end cap at either end thereof, at least one of which is detachable or removable to allow access to the interior storage area of the container, the tube also having one or more flat panels to assist in stable storage against flat surfaces. The container is provided with a polypropylene rope tether secured to the detachable end cap, the tether being used to secure the container to the deck by wrapping the tether around the container and a handrail or other deck hardware, whereby the container may be readily and rapidly unleashed and taken overboard during an emergency situation. Reflective material and identifying indicia are also provided on an exterior surface of the container.

Claims

1. A survival equipment storage container comprising:

an elongated hollow tube made of a corrosion resistant material, said tube having a body section and a first and a second end cap at opposite ends of said body section,

said end caps being sealed to said body section in a water-tight manner when said container is assembled, at least one of said first and second end caps being detachable from said body section to provide an access opening of sufficient size to permit a user'"'"'s hand to enter an interior of said tube;

wherein said body section and said first and second end caps define a storage volume in said interior of said tube; and

wherein an outer peripheral surface of said body section has at least a first substantially flat panel extending along a predetermined portion of the length of said body section;

said container having tether means attached thereto for securing said container to mounting means disposed at an above-deck location on a vessel, and

wherein at least one of said first or second end caps has an annular recess disposed adjacent said body section.

2. A container as recited in claim 1 wherein said first end cap is formed integral with said body section, and said second end cap is detachable from a proximal end of said body section.

3. A container as recited in claim 2 wherein said second end cap has thread means disposed on an interior surface thereof for engaging complementary thread engaging means disposed at said proximal end of said body section.

4. A container as recited in claim 3 wherein said second end cap is sealed to said body section by a length of waterproof tape adhered to said second end cap and to said body section, and extending around a circumference of said second end cap and said body section.

5. A container as recited in claim 2 wherein said tether means comprises a rope, a first end of said rope being attached to one of said first or said second end caps.

6. A container as recited in claim 5 wherein said rope is attached to said second end cap.

7. A container as recited in claim 6 wherein said rope has a closed loop at said first end, and said closed loop is secured to said second end cap through a pad eye disposed on said second end cap.

8. A container as recited in claim 7 wherein said rope has a closed loop at a second, free end of said rope of a size sufficient to receive therethrough a person'"'"'s hand.

9. A container as recited in claim 6 wherein said rope has a closed loop at a second, free end of said rope of a size sufficient to receive therethrough a person'"'"'s hand.

10. A container as recited in claim 1 wherein said tether means comprises a rope, a first end of said rope being attached to one of said first or said second end caps.

11. A container as recited in claim 10 wherein said rope has a closed loop at said first end, and said closed loop is secured to said first or said second end cap through a pad eye disposed on said first or said second end cap.

12. A container as recited in claim 10 wherein said rope has a closed loop at a second, free end of said rope of a size sufficient to receive therethrough a person'"'"'s hand.

14. A container as recited in claim 1 further comprising a plurality of pieces of reflective material disposed at predetermined positions on said container.

15. A container as recited in claim 14 wherein at least one of said plurality of pieces of reflective material extends completely around an outer peripheral surface of said container at a predetermined position along a longitudinal axis of said container.

16. A container as recited in claim 15 wherein each of said first and said second end caps has one of said plurality of pieces of reflective material disposed thereon.

17. A container as recited in claim 1 wherein at least a second substantially flat panel extends along said predetermined portion of the length of said body section, said second flat panel being disposed in a plane perpendicular to a plane in which said first substantially flat panel is disposed.

18. A container as recited in claim 17 wherein said predetermined portion of the length of said body section comprises an intermediate body section which is octagonal in cross-section, wherein eight flat panels extend along said predetermined portion of said body section length.

19. A container as recited in claim 18 wherein said intermediate body section extends over more than one-half of the entire length of the assembled container.

24. A container as recited in claim 1 wherein said tube is made of a substantially rigid polyethylene material.

25. A container as recited in claim 24 wherein an exterior surface of said tube is corona treated.

26. A container as recited in claim 25 wherein said tube contains identifying indicia on an exterior surface thereof.

27. A container as recited in claim 26 wherein said exterior surface further has reflective material adhered thereto.

28. A container as recited in claim 24 wherein said tube is of a size and construction to be buoyant in salt water while holding survival equipment weighing up to about six times a weight of the empty tube.

29. A container as recited in claim 28 wherein said tube is on the order of about 40 inches in length and said tether means is about 15 feet in length.

30. A container as defined in claim 1 further comprising a plurality of items stored in said interior thereof which are adapted to aid in survival at sea.

13. A container for storing equipment on a water-going vessel for survival at sea comprising:

an elongated hollow tube made of a corrosion resistant material, said tube having a body section and a first and a second end cap at opposite ends of said body section,

said end caps being sealed to said body section in a water-tight manner when said container is assembled, at least one of said first and second end caps being detachable from said body section to provide access to an interior of said tube;

wherein said body section and said first and second end caps define a storage volume in said interior of said tube; and

wherein an outer peripheral surface of said body section has at least a first substantially flat panel extending along a predetermined portion of the length of said body section; and

said container having tether means attached thereto for securing said container to mounting means disposed at an above-deck location on said vessel;

wherein said tether means comprises a rope, a first end of said rope being attached to one of said first or said second end caps; and

wherein said first end cap comprises an annular recess disposed between said body section and a flared knob at an outer end of said first end cap adjacent to said annular recess.

20. A container for storing equipment on a water-going vessel for survival at sea comprising:

an elongated hollow tube made of a corrosion resistant material, said tube having a body section and a first and a second end cap at opposite ends of said body section,

said end caps being sealed to said body section in a water-tight manner when said container is assembled, at least one of said first and second end caps being detachable from said body section to provide access to an interior of said tube;

wherein said body section and said first and second end caps define a storage volume in said interior of said tube; and

wherein an outer peripheral surface of said body section has at lest a first substantially flat panel extending along a predetermined portion of the length of said body section; and

said container having tether means attached thereto for securing said container to mounting means disposed at an above-deck location on said vessel;

wherein at least a second substantially flat panel extends along said predetermined portion of the length of said body section, said second flat panel being disposed in a plane perpendicular to a plane in which said first substantially flat panel is disposed; and

wherein said predetermined portion of the length of said body section comprises an intermediate body section which is octagonal in cross-section, wherein eight flat panels extend along said predetermined portion of said body section length; and

wherein at least a first one of said flat panels has at least one protrusion extending outwardly therefrom and at least a second one of said flat panels has at least one recess corresponding in geometry to said at least one protrusion, said at least one recess being adapted to receive therein a protrusion from an adjacent container.

21. A container as recited in claim 20 wherein said at least a first one of said flat panels and a flat panel diametrically opposed to said at least a first one of said flat panels each have at least one of said protrusions extending therefrom.

22. A container as recited in claim 21 wherein said at least a second one of said flat panels and a flat panel diametrically opposed to said at least a second one of said flat panels each have at least one of said recesses therein.

23. A container as recited in claim 22 wherein said flat panels having protrusions thereon and said flat panels having recesses therein are disposed at 90°

orientations to one another about a longitudinal axis of said container.

31. A container for storing survival equipment on a water going vessel comprising:

an elongated hollow tube made of a corrosion-resistant material and having a body section which is octagonal in cross-section over a majority of a length of said body section, a first end cap formed integrally with said body section and disposed at a first end thereof, said first end cap having a flared knob at an outer end and an annular recess disposed between said knob and said body section, and a second detachable end cap adapted to be secured and sealed to an end of said body section opposite said first end cap; and

said second end cap having tether means for securing said container to said vessel at an above-deck location, said tether means comprising a polypropylene rope secured at a first end to said second end cap, and having a loop at a second free end of said rope, said loop being of a size sufficient to allow a person'"'"'s hand to be inserted therethrough, wherein said tether means is adapted to be wrapped around said container and around a predetermined securing means on said vessel to removably secure said container in place at said above-deck location on said vessel.

32. A survival equipment storage container comprising:

an elongated hollow tube made of a corrosion resistant material, said tube having a body section and a first and a second end cap at opposite ends of said body section, said body section and said first and second end caps defining a storage volume in an interior of said tube;

means for providing access to said interior of said tube;

said tube having an annular recess disposed between said body section and at least one of said first and second end caps; and

tether means attached to said container for engaging said at least one annular recess in a wrap around manner.