Oil spill protector
An apparatus for limiting and containing liquid spills from leaking vessels that navigate the water ways is described, comprising: (a) a protective sheeting that is thin, flexible and waterproof which covers the vessel from side to side and underneath the vessel, and spans from the bow to the stern of the vessel, for keeping the leaking contents of the vessel from leaking into the surrounding waters; (b) a means for storing the protective sheeting when the protective sheeting is no longer needed, whereby the means for storing is attached to one side of the vessel and spans the full width of the protective sheeting from the bow to the stern of the vessel, and the means for storing is powered; (c) cables attached to the edge of the protective sheeting, at different points, for the purpose of enabling the protective sheeting to be deployed, and to assist in the support of the protective sheeting when the protective sheeting is deployed; (d) a means for pulling the protective sheeting from storage, for deployment from one side of the vessel to the other side of the vessel; (e) a stem sealing unit for sealing the protective sheeting to the stern of the vessel completely around the hull of the vessel for the prevention of the leakage of unwanted liquid into surrounding waters, whereby the stern sealing unit is attached to the hull of the vessel, near the stern and just before the propulsion screw of the vessel, and spanning down the hull and underneath the hull and up the other side of the hull of the vessel, whereby upon deployment of the protective sheeting one of the cables is used to guide the end of the protective sheeting, to be sealed, into the stern sealing unit; and (f) a bow scaling unit for sealing the protective sheeting which covers the bow of the vessel, whereby the bow sealing unit fits over the front edge of the protective sheeting from the top to the bottom, thereby preventing the leakage of unwanted liquid into the surrounding waters.
- Assignee:
- IMS; EDB-93-095875
- Patent Number(s):
- US 5216973; A
- Application Number:
- PPN: US 7-881168
- OSTI ID:
- 6228026
- Resource Relation:
- Patent File Date: 11 May 1992
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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