Systems and methods for blocking a surge of water
AssigneeThe Texas A&M University System
InventorJohn Albert Sweetman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A surge gate for blocking a surge of water includes a sleeve disposed below a waterline of the water, wherein the sleeve has an open upper end and a closed lower end, and a piston slidably disposed in the sleeve, wherein the piston is configured to rise vertically within the sleeve along a vertical axis between a first position with an upper end of the piston positioned below the waterline, and a second position with the upper end of the piston positioned above the waterline.
Claims20
A surge gate for blocking a surge of water, the surge gate comprising:
- a sleeve disposed below a waterline of the water, wherein the sleeve has an open upper end and a closed lower end;
- and
- a piston slidably disposed in the sleeve, wherein the piston is configured to rise vertically within the sleeve along a vertical axis between a first position with an upper end of the piston positioned below the waterline, and a second position with the upper end of the piston positioned above the waterline.
A surge gate for blocking a surge of water, the surge gate comprising:
- a sleeve disposed below a waterline of the water, wherein the sleeve has an open upper end and a closed lower end;
- and
- a piston slidably disposed in the sleeve, wherein the piston comprises a first position with an upper end of the piston positioned below the water surface, and a second position with the upper end of the piston positioned above the water surface;
- wherein the piston has a first buoyancy when in the first position and a second buoyancy when in the second position, and wherein the second buoyancy is greater than the first buoyancy.
A method for blocking a surge of water, comprising:
- (a) injecting air into a cavity of a piston of a surge gate;
- and
- (b) flowing water out of the inner cavity of the piston as the air is injected into the inner cavity whereby the piston rises vertically within a sleeve of the surge gate along a vertical axis between a first position with an upper end of the piston positioned below a waterline of the water, and a second position with the upper end of the piston positioned above the waterline.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.