Lifeboat
AssigneeZelim Limited
InventorSamuel Mayall
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An unmanned lifeboat 1 has a hull 2 with a transom opening 3, a fo'c'sle 4 closed by a rounded top deck 5, providing accommodation 6 for survivors. The aft deck as such is generally U-shaped with a cut-out 16 open at the transom17, which is vestigial with two small port and starboard parts. Within the cut-out is a boarding assistance ramp 18. This is level with the aft deck at its forward end and slopes down to the transom. It extends aft of this by a few of feet—say about 1 m—to enable survivors to swim and crawl onto it. For guidance to reach the vicinity of the survivors, the lifeboat is equipped with a communication apparatus including a receiver 32 for receiving survivor location data. In addition, the navigation apparatus with which the lifeboat is equipped includes a GPS system 33 of its own, a compass 34.
Claims16
An unmanned lifeboat, comprising:
- a self-righting hull with a transom opening;
- a closed onboard casualty accommodation,
- a propulsion unit and a steering gear,
- a navigation apparatus,
- a communication apparatus having a standby mode and adapted to receive an activation signal and a casualty's position and
- a controller operatively connected to the propulsion unit, the steering gear, the navigation apparatus and the communication apparatus, the controller being for:
- activating the propulsion unit and the steering gear in response to receipt of the activation signal by the communication apparatus and
- conning the lifeboat in co-operation with the navigation apparatus towards the casualty position without on-board crew control and
- an aft deck, wherein the aft deck is generally U-shaped comprising a cut-out forming the transom opening to provide a portion of the transom of the hull which is lower than the rest of a gunwale or transom of the hull via which the casualty can haul him/herself or be hauled aboard without on-board crew assistance,
- wherein:
- there is a powered conveyor ramp at the portion of the transom of the hull via which the casualty can haul him/herself or be hauled aboard without on-board crew assistance within the cut-out of the aft deck, wherein the ramp is level with the aft deck at its forward end and slopes down to the transom and arranged to haul the casualty through the transom opening.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.