U.S. patent number 3,797,445 [Application Number 05/107,396] was granted by the patent office on 1974-03-19 for transporter for use in water.
This patent grant is currently assigned to The State of Israel. Invention is credited to Harry Zeimer.
United States Patent |
3,797,445 |
Zeimer |
March 19, 1974 |
TRANSPORTER FOR USE IN WATER
Abstract
This invention relates to a submersible transport apparatus
comprising a flexible hollow generally toroidal envelope having
inner and outer surfaces, said inner surface being extrovertible
toward said outer surface at the leading end of the apparatus and
said outer surface being simultaneously introvertible toward said
inner surface at the trailing end of the apparatus, and transport
means for displacing said envelope axially through a fluid medium,
said transport means including a plurality of guide elements with
endless surfaces engageable and movable with the walls of said
envelope for guiding said walls in the direction of travel of the
envelope in said fluid medium and for imparting to the envelope a
traction, which together with the frictional forces acting on the
envelope as a result of movement through the fluid medium causes
said envelope to develop a combined sliding and rolling motion with
respect to the external fluid medium.
Inventors: |
Zeimer; Harry (Jerusalem,
IL) |
Assignee: |
The State of Israel (Jerusalem,
IL)
|
Family
ID: |
22316441 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/107,396 |
Filed: |
January 18, 1971 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
|
738746 |
May 8, 1968 |
|
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
114/312; 114/74T;
114/67R; 305/121 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B63G
8/42 (20130101); Y02T 70/121 (20130101); Y02T
70/10 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B63G
8/00 (20060101); B63G 8/42 (20060101); B60f
003/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;115/1,19,20 ;280/DIG.7
;114/235,74T ;305/18,34 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Halvosa; George E. A.
Assistant Examiner: Kazenske; Edward R.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Ross; Karl F. Dubno; Herbert
Parent Case Text
This is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 738,746,
filed May 8, 1968 and now abandon.
Claims
I claim:
1. A submersible transport apparatus comprising a flexible hollow
generally toroidal envelope having inner and outer surfaces, said
inner surface being extrovertible toward said outer surface at the
leading end of the apparatus and said outer surface being
simultaneously introvertible toward said inner surface at the
trailing end of the apparatus, and transport means for displacing
said envelope axially through a fluid medium, said transport means
including a plurality of guide elements with endless surfaces
engageable and movable with the walls of said envelope at angularly
spaced locations about the axis of the envelope for guiding said
walls in the direction of travel of the envelope in said fluid
medium and for imparting to the envelope a traction, which together
with the frictional forces acting on the envelope as a result of
movement through the fluid medium causes said envelope to develope
a combined sliding and rolling motion with respect to the external
fluid medium, and a substantially cylindrical, hollow and rigid
container formed with an axial passage, said envelope surrounding
said container and passing through said passage.
2. The apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein said transport means
includes means for driving at least one of said elements for
eversion of said surfaces.
3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said envelope is
formed of a mesh of longitudinal and transverse fibres impregnated
with an elastic fluid-tight substance.
Description
This invention relates to a transporter for use in water.
It has been proposed to transport bulk goods such as, for example,
fuel oil, liquid chemicals or the like, by water in flexible
containers formed of suitable plastic materials and designed to be
towed. With such an arrangement, however, the movement of the
container through the water encounters the full viscous resistance
to motion of the water itself and this of necessity is reflected in
increased costs of transportation and wear and tear of the
container.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved
water transporter in which the disadvantages referred to above are
substantially reduced.
According to the present invention, there is provided a submersible
transport apparatus comprising a flexible hollow generally toroidal
envelope having inner and outer surfaces, said inner surface being
extrovertible toward said outer surface at the leading end of the
apparatus and said outer surface being simultaneously introvertible
toward said inner surface at the trailing end of the apparatus, and
transport means for displacing said envelope axially through a
fluid medium, said transport means including a plurality of guide
elements with endless surfaces engageable and movable with the
walls of said envelope at angularly spaced locations about the axis
of the envelope for guiding said walls in the direction of travel
of the envelope in said fluid medium and for imparting to the
envelope a traction, which together with the frictional forces
acting on the envelope as a result of movement through the fluid
medium causes said envelope to develop a combined sliding and
rolling motion with respect to the external fluid medium.
In a preferred embodiment, the said flexible torus is arranged to
surround a rigid cylindrical container having sealed ends and being
formed with a coaxial bore through which pass the inner walls of
the flexible torus, said rigid container being provided with
radially directed pulleys on either end to guide, in operation, the
extroversion of the torus with respect to the container.
Preferably said torus is provided with a harness which is
connectable to an appropriate towing mechanism.
The harness may comprise looped cables arranged to pass over the
torus and through the axial passage thereof.
Means may be provided for driving said pulleys.
The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with
reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIGS. 1a to 1e respectively illustrate the requisite steps in the
construction of a torus to be used as a transporter in accordance
with the present invention,
FIGS. 2 and 2b are, respectively, longitudinal sectional and plan
views of the inlet of the torus of FIGS. 1a to 1e.
FIG. 3 illustrates schematically a side elevation of a first form
of bulk goods transporter in the form of a torus shown in FIGS. 1a
and 1e and in accordance with the invention,
FIG. 4 is a schematic longitudinal partially sectioned elevation of
a second form of bulk goods transporter in accordance with the
invention,
FIG. 5 is a partially sectioned view of the transporter shown in
FIG. 4 taken along the line V--V,
FIG. 6 is a perspective view (partially broken away) of a further
form of transporter in accordance with the present invention,
FIG. 7 is a perspective view (partially broken away) of a further
form of transporter in accordance with the present invention,
FIG. 8 is a cross sectional elevation of the transporter shown in
FIG. 7 taken along the line VIII--VIII,
FIG. 9 is an end view of the transporter shown in FIG. 7,
FIG. 10 is a cross sectional view of a portion of the transporter
shown in FIG. 9, and
FIG. 11 is an exploded view while FIGS. 12 and 13 are sections
illustrating another embodiment of the invention.
Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, there is shown
schematically a method of constructing a torus, the principle of
the construction being adapted for making a transporter in
accordance with the present invention. As seen in FIG. 1a the torus
is formed of two thin-walled flexible tubes 1 and 2 which are
inserted one inside the other and which are substantially of equal
length and diameter. The tubes are so arranged that one end of the
outer tube 1 projects slightly beyond the corresponding end of the
inner tube 2. The two tubes 1 and 2 are wholly bonded to each other
except for a region which includes an inlet valve 3 and which will
be described below. In this way the structure now forms essentially
a double-walled tube with single layer ends. These two ends of the
double-walled tube are now turned over on themselves and are bonded
to each other so that the whole structure now constitutes an empty
toroidal envelope, a portion of which is shown in FIG. 1b. Water or
other fluid is injected into this envelope through the inlet valve
3 so as to deform the flexible walls of a torus 4 so formed, (see
FIGS. 1c and 1d) the torus 4 having inner walls which will herein
be referred to as a "core" 5.
In order to illustrate the mode of movement of the torus reference
is made to FIG. 1e where the torus 4 is considered as having been
inserted in a conduit 6 and a suitable pressure difference is
established on either side of the torus 4 which would, in fact,
occur in the case of a transporter towed through water, the motion
of the torus 4, as indicated by arrows, takes place, this motion
being substantially along the circumference of the tubes and
arising out of the continuous extroversion of the core 5 so as to
form the external walls, the latter having, at any particular
instant, substantially zero speed with respect to the conduit 6.
The motion of the torus 4 in the conduit 6 therefore takes place
with substantially reduced frictional resistance.
A displacement of the inner surface so as to be transformed into an
outer surface is referred to in this specification and claims as
"extroversion."
FIGS. 2a and 2b show the construction of the inlet valve 3 through
which a fluid may be injected into the hollow interior of the torus
4. As can be seen, two apertures 3a and 3b are formed respectively
in the two tubes 1 and 2, these apertures 3a and 3b being spaced
from each other and being connected by a channel 3c, which channel
3c is left free when the two tubes 1 and 2 are bonded together.
Fluid can then be injected into the torus 4 through the outer
aperture 3a, the channel 3c and the lower aperture 3b. When the
toroidal envelope has been filled with the fluid the pressure
generated therein closes the channel 3c thereby ensuring that the
fluid in the torus 4 is trapped therein.
It will be appreciated that as a result of the extroversion of the
core 5, the latter will advance in a given direction whilst the
external surface of the torus 4 has at all times substantially zero
speed relative to the surrounding medium. In effect therefore the
torus as a whole can be made to advance but by virtue of the fact
that the advance takes place as a result of the extroversion of the
moving core the advance is subject to substantially reduced
(theoretically eliminated) frictional resistance by the surrounding
medium. This particular property can be utilized when it is desired
to place the torus in contact with a surrounding medium such as,
for example, a surrounding viscous medium thereby reducing to a
minimum the frictional resistance to movement.
Referring now to FIG. 3, the transporter is an elongated flexible
torus 11 similar to the torus 4 of FIGS. 1a to 1e, the inner walls
thereof defining a longitudinal passageway 12. The transporter is
provided with inlet and outlet ducts and valves (not shown) through
which flowable cargo may be introduced into and withdrawn from the
interior of the transporter.
The transporter is provided with a harness 13 comprising a rigid
frame 14 on which are mounted sets of radially directed pulleys 15.
Harnessing loops 16 respectively pass over the pulleys 15 and
through the longitudinal passage-way 12 of the torus 11 and around
the transporter. The harness 13 is coupled via a towing cable 17 to
a suitable towing means, for example, a tugboat (not shown).
The transporter and the harness 13 are so constructed and are
formed of such materials that when the hollow interior of the
transporter is filled with the flowable material which it is to
transport the overall specific density of the assembly is near that
of the water through which it is to be transported and in
consequence the assembly is entirely or substantially
submerged.
When the assembly as described above is subjected to towing, then
as long as the speed of towing is below a certain minimum value,
the whole assembly will be pulled along against the full viscous
resistance of the water in which the assembly is submerged. When,
however, the speed of towing exceeds this minimum value then the
viscous resistance will become sufficiently great for extroversion
of the toroidal transporter to take place and in consequence the
rate of movement of the external surface of the transporter with
respect to the surrounding water will be reduced.
It will be realized that the extroversion of the transporter takes
place against the resistance to deformation of the flexible walls
of the transporter and against the inner hydrodynamic resistance of
the liquid in the transporter. When the resistance to deformation
of the flexible walls of the transporter is exceeded by the
external viscous resistance, then the hydrodynamic resistance of
the fluid in the transporter can only limit the rate of
extroversion of the transporter, but cannot prevent extroversion
from taking place. This is in view of the face that this form of
resistance is only created as a result of the extroversion and
increases as the rate of extroversion increases.
As the speed of towing increases to a level at which extroversion
takes place, an equilibrium will be set up between these inner
resistances to extroversion and the outer viscous forces active on
the external surface of the transporter which lead to extroversion.
Under such conditions of equilibrium the speed of movement of the
transporter as a whole can be considered as consisting of two
essential components, namely:
a. the velocity of the transporter as a whole with respect to the
outer walls thereof, and b) the velocity of the outer walls of the
transporter with respect to the surrounding water. It will be
readily realized that it is only the latter component which causes
the extroversion of the transporter.
It will be furthermore realized that whilst these internal
resistances tend to limit the extroversion of the body they cannot
prevent it altogether and, as long as extroversion takes place at
all, the resulting overall reduction in the viscous resistance to
movement of the transporter leads to considerable economies in
transportation costs.
FIGS. 4 and 5 show a modified form of bulk goods transporter which
effectively consist of an inner rigid (i.e., non-extrovertible)
cylindrical container 21 whose ends are sealed and which is formed
with a coaxial bore 22, the container 21 therefore effectively
constituting a hollow sealed torus. The rigid cylindrical container
21 is completely enveloped by a hollow flexible-walled torus 23
whose inner walls 24 extend through the bore 22. Radially directed
sets of pulleys 25 are mounted on radial brackets 26 formed
integrally with each end of the rigid container 21 so as to guide
the movement of the external flexible torus 23. The space 27
between the external flexible torus 23 and the inner rigid
container 21 is completely filled with fluid, e.g., water or air.
Access to the inner rigid container 21 in which, for example, bulk
goods are to be carried is via inlet ports (not shown) formed in
the external flexible torus 23 and water-tight portholes (not
shown) which permit access to the rigid container 21. The entire
assembly shown in FIG. 4 may be provided with a harness of the kind
shown in FIG. 3, the entire assembly being of specific density near
that of water so that the assembly is entirely or substantially
submerged. When the assembly is towed, the outer flexible torus 23
extroverts in a similar manner to the torus described with
reference to FIGS. 1 to 3 of the drawings, i.e., an inner surface
of this outer torus is transformed into an outer surface.
In view of the fact that the outer flexible torus extroverts when
it is propelled at a minimum speed, economies in transport costs
are obtained in a similar manner to those obtained with the
construction shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings.
The flexible walled transporter can be made of any suitable
flexible water-tight material of appropriate strength. Suitable
material for this purpose can, for example, be coated fabrics, such
as nylon or steel wire fabrics coated with an elastomer such as
neoprene or latex. Thus the transporter shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 and
the subsequent drawings still to be described are formed of a mesh
of crossed nylon or steel wires which are impregnated with neoprene
or latex.
FIG. 6 shows a transporter formed of such a flexible material in
perspective view with parts broken away to show clearly how an
external flexible torus 31 surrounds a rigid cylindrical container
32, the central portion 33 of the torus 31 passing through a
central bore 34 of the container 32. The transporter is provided
with a harness 35 consisting of a frame 36, pulleys 37 mounted
thereon and loops 38 which respectively pass around the pulleys and
over and through the torus, the harness being finally provided with
a towing cable 39.
In the construction shown in FIG. 6 the space 40 between the torus
31 and the rigid container is intended to be filled with a liquid,
such as, for example, water.
In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 7 to 10 of the drawings the space
between the torus and rigid body is intended to be filled with air
or other gases. Under these circumstances it is necessary to
balance the external hydrostatic and hydrodynamic pressure by an
appropriate internal pressure pattern, otherwise dry frictional
resistance would be created between the outer torus and the inner
rigid body or hull. For this purpose, as shown in the figures, a
hollow cylindrical hull 43 is provided with a system of
longitudinally extending integrally formed peripheral ribs 44 and
circumferential end ribs 45. By means of these ribs and a closed
pumping system (not shown) it is possible to maintain partially
separated air pressure areas and thereby to compensate for the
differing hydrostatic pressure effects.
In order to facilitate access to the hull interior a section
thereof must remain exposed and in this can be formed a port hole.
Such an exposed section 46 is shown in FIGS. 7 and 10. The flexible
envelope which surrounds this exposed section, in order to maintain
a tight seal is arranged to have its edges pass appropriate sliding
joints 46a and then to come together again. In this way a suitable
seal is always maintained. The sliding joint may be formed by a rib
on the hull slidingly engaged by a turned under edge of the
flexible envelope as shown in FIG. 10.
In general such sliding seals can be provided whenever any portion
of the hull is to be exposed for any purpose such as, for example,
when a propeller is to be attached thereto.
FIGS. 7 and 9 show clearly how the flexible envelope formed of a
mesh as previously described is bunched together so as to enter the
central bore of the rigid body hull.
FIGS. 11 to 13 show modifications of the present invention wherein
the transporter is formed of a series of like unit containers 51.
Each container 51 consists of a substantially cylindrical box
through the lower portion of which extends a slot 52. The unit
containers 51 are filled on a container hull 53 which comprises a
pair of end noses 54 rigidly coupled together by a flat rib 55, the
container 51 being accommodated between the noses 54, the rib 55
being inserted into the aligned slots 52. A central axial bore
extends through each nose 54 and is aligned with the hollow inner
portion of the rib 55. A flexible envelope passes through the
aligned bores and hollow rib 55 and either completely surrounds the
loaded containers 51 as in FIG. 12 or, as in FIG. 13, partially
surrounds them, being coupled thereto by sliding guides, the
portions between the flexible envelopes and the containers being
filled by a suitable fluid and the transporter either being towed
or being provided with self-propelling means.
In all cases the transporters in accordance with the present
invention can either be towed or can be provided with
self-propelling means. In the latter case steering of the
transporter can, for example, be effected by inducing controlled
assymetrical wave motion in the flexible container by varying the
pressure in the filling fluid.
* * * * *