US3802367A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Light-weight, wreck-resistant, water-traversing vehicle
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1972-10-13
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Granted: 1974-04-09
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Expires: 1992-10-13
Abstract
Abstract A boat, adapted for travel over water, comprising floats, and walls that comprise curved, joined-together rows of parallelaxes, thin-metal, cylindrical or corrugated cans, fastened by bonding material and optional screws between strips of mesh or pipe strap, and optionally sheathed in V-shaped strips or masses of foam plastic or other insulation, between the cans and vehicle skin means. Four such rows, extending longitudinally of the vehicle, may be end-joined at four corners by overlapping ends of the mesh or pipe strap in each of a plurality of elongated loops, forming the framework of the upright walls. These are surmounted by a top that may be substantially flat or airfoil-shaped, comprising curved can-rows that may extend longitudinally of the vehicle, oppositely curved in opposite halves of the top. The sidewall rows are fixed at the bottom of the vehicle''s sidewalls to curved deck rows that are similar to the roof rows. And to the deck of these rows (comprising a sheet of tough rubber, other plastic or plywood over the deck cans) a lower, vehicle-driving and main-float part is strongly attached along a central portion of the vehicle. This part preferably comprises upright pairs of curved, parallel-axes, fore-and-aft-arranged can rows, each pair joined at their lower ends by a straight, transversely extending row. Within this inclined, narrowly-flat-bottomed part, which provides headroom for walking along most of the boat''s length, ladders and motive means for driving the rear propeller are mounted. Vertical rows of parallel-axes, shock-absorbing, buffer cans preferably extend below the main deck, forming rolllimiting, outrigger floats. The boat is preferably somewhat stabilized by balloons at its top; and if the balloons are large enough (with airfoil-shaped top and with or without small wings jutting thru the sidewalls) the vehicle may be a flying boat. The balloons are preferably in fore-and-aft-extending rows, with a gap in at least one row for a hatchway from the top.
Inventors
- 👤 A Moore
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-22 19:28
CPC Classifications
B; B63; B63B; B63B3/00; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S52/00; Y10S52/09
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
197 words
A vehicle, adapted to traverse water, comprising: body structure including: body-sidewall can-rows, comprising cans having sidewalls and having substantially parallel longitudinal can axes extending transversely to the length of the row; means fastening the cans of each row together, said means including at least one elongated strip of mesh, having a flange on each side of said can row and flanking the sidewalls of said cans, said flanges extending toward a central crosssectional plane of the cans, and means fastening said strip to the cans; means fastening the said rows together in sidewall framework on each side of the vehicle; forward and rearward end-wall frameworks, comprising tubular members; means fastening said end-wall tubular members to said sidewall rows; top framework, comprising tubular members; means fastening said top framework to upper portions of said sidewall rows; deck framework, comprising tubular members; means fastening said deck framework to portions of said sidewall rows; skin means, sheathing the said sidewall rows and frameworks; and gaseous material within each of said cans and tubular members; and an elongated float below said body structure, comprising: floatwall framework having tubular members arranged in side-by-side relation; and waterproof skin means on said float-wall framework.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
197 words
A vehicle, adapted to traverse water, comprising: body structure including: body-sidewall can-rows, comprising cans having sidewalls and having substantially parallel longitudinal can axes extending transversely to the length of the row; means fastening the cans of each row together, said means including at least one elongated strip of mesh, having a flange on each side of said can row and flanking the sidewalls of said cans, said flanges extending toward a central crosssectional plane of the cans, and means fastening said strip to the cans; means fastening the said rows together in sidewall framework on each side of the vehicle; forward and rearward end-wall frameworks, comprising tubular members; means fastening said end-wall tubular members to said sidewall rows; top framework, comprising tubular members; means fastening said top framework to upper portions of said sidewall rows; deck framework, comprising tubular members; means fastening said deck framework to portions of said sidewall rows; skin means, sheathing the said sidewall rows and frameworks; and gaseous material within each of said cans and tubular members; and an elongated float below said body structure, comprising: floatwall framework having tubular members arranged in side-by-side relation; and waterproof skin means on said float-wall framework.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
141 words
A vehicle as set forth in claim 1, in which said frameworks comprise a plurality of four-part can-row structures, each of which includes: four end-joined rows of said parallel-axes cans; a pair of apertured strips of row-strengtH-providing material on opposite can-ends of each row, bonding material between said strips and can-ends; and means fastening together each adjacent pair of row ends in a strength-providing corner of the vehicle, comprising extended end portions of a said pair of the apertured strips which jut beyond cans to which the strips are fastened and straddle a row-end can and its associated, overlapped end portions of an adjacent pair of apertured strips, and further comprising a screw, passing thru apertures of each of said extended end portions and said associated end portions and into said end can, at each can-end side of said four-part structure.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
A vehicle as set forth in claim 2, in which said rows of parallel-axes cans and associated apertured strips are outwardly curved, in a direction from the interior of the vehicle.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
41 words
A vehicle as set forth in claim 1, in which: each of said tubular members of said deck framework is a row of parallel-axes cans; and the deck of said vehicle further comprises a layer of solid material on said framework.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
41 words
A vehicle as set forth in claim 1, in which: each of said tubular members of said top framework is a row of parallel-axes cans; and a portion of said skin means is fixed to can ends of said top rows.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
64 words
A vehicle as set forth in claim 1, in which: each of said tubular members of said deck framework is a can-row, comprising parallel-axes cans having parallel axes extending across the length of said row and a pair of said apertured strips fastened to each can-end of said last-named can-row; and the deck further comprises a layer of solid material on said deck framework.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
71 words
A vehicle as set forth in claim 1, further comprising: a hatch mounted at an opening in said skin means and top framework; and shock-absorbing means comprising rows of buffer cans, having in each of said last-named rows substantially parallel axes that extend across the length of the row, foam plastic in said buffer cans, means fastening said buffer cans together, and skin means sheathing outer surfaces of said buffer cans.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
A vehicle as set forth in claim 1, in which said can-rows comprise: cans of the used type, having holes in can ends; and closure means sealing the said holes.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
A vehicle as set forth in claim 8, in which said closure means comprises adhesive tape.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
45 words
A vehicle as set forth in claim 1, in which each tubular member of said forward and rearward end-wall frameworks comprises: a plurality of end-joined cans; and means fastening said end-joined cans together in an outwardly curved end-wall row, comprising bonding material between can ends.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
A vehicle as set forth in claim 10, in which each adjacent pair of said end-joined cans are of different cross-sectional areas.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
149 words
A vehicle as set forth in claim 1, in which said sidewall and end-wall frameworks comprise a plurality of four-part can-row structures, each of which includes: four end-joined rows of parallel-axes cans; at least one strip of mesh on can-ends of each row; bonding material between said strips and can-ends; and means fastening together each adjacent pair of row ends in a strength-providing corner portion of the vehicle, comprising: an end portion of one of said strips which is in contact with and fastened to an end of the adjacent, row-terminating can of its row; an end portion of the other of said strips at said corner portion which juts well beyond the adjacent, end can of its row and extends over said row-terminating can and overlaps said first-named strip-end portion; and means extending thru said last-named strip, fastening it to said first-named strip and to said row-terminating can.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
138 words
A vehicle as set forth in claim 12, in which: said mesh comprises metal; each of said can-row structures further includes a second strip of metallic mesh, forming with said first-named strip an opposite pair of said strips, one of which is located on one can-end side of its associated row, and the other being located on the other can-end side of the row; each of said strips comprises a pair of integral, bent can-flanking flanges, terminating opposite a can at each of said corner portions; the said strip-end portions are in substantially planar condition, and closely overlie said row-terminating can; and said means fastening together each adjacent pair of row ends comprises a screw, passing thru apertures of the overlapped pair of said strip-end portions and into the said row-terminating can at each of said corner portions.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
52 words
A vehicle as set forth in claim 1, in which: each of the said tubular members of said float comprises: a row of cans, having parallel axes that extend across the length of the row; at least one elongated strip of row-strength-providing material; and means fastening said strip to the said cans.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
43 words
A vehicle as set forth in claim 14, further comprising lighter-than-air balloon means, connected to an upper part of said body structure, having a center of aerostatic lift approximately located in the vehicle''s central plane, aiding in stabilizing the vehicle against rolling motion.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
30 words
A vehicle as set forth in claim 14, further comprising outrigger floats, one at each side portion of the vehicle, each of said floats comprising tubular members and float-skin means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
81 words
A vehicle as set forth in claim 1, in which said mesh comprises metal, and each of said sidewall can-rows further includes: a second strip of metallic mesh, comprising flanges that flank can sidewalls and forming with said first-named strip a pair of such strips, one of which is located on one can-end side of said row, and the other being located on the other can-end side of the row; and bonding material between each of said strips and row-arranged cans.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
118 words
A vehicle as set forth in claim 17, in which: each of said end-wall tubular members of each of said end-wall frameworks is a row of parallel-axes cans, at substantially the same level as a pair of said body-sidewall can-rows and has an opposite end-wall row of parallel-axes cans; each set of four can rows at substantially the same level being joined at four corners; each of said corners comprising: extended end portions of a pair of the apertured strips which jut beyond the cans of a can-row, and overlap and hold between them a can and its can-end-engaging portions of apertured strips; and means fastening said extended portions to said can-end-engaging portions and to adjacent can ends.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
14 words
A vehicle as set forth in claim 18, in which said mesh comprises metal.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-04-08 | 1977-10-08 | 1978-04-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-04-08 | 1981-10-08 | 1982-04-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-04-08 | 1985-10-08 | 1986-04-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |