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US 2003/0154895 A1Published application
Road towed ferry
OwnerGary K. Robbinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
This invention is a road towed ferry with a hull system with a central hull and multiple outboard hulls having adjustable positions relative to the central hull. A first outboard hull position corresponds with a road tow configuration wherein the ferry may be towed over a road by a tow vehicle; the second position corresponds with a ferry configuration adapted to ferry the tow vehicle over water. The ferry in the tow configuration has a width, height, length, weight conforming with certain public road regulations without requiring special permits. In the ferry configuration the ferry is adapted to ferry heavy loads over water, such as in one configuration up to at least 16 tons, or in another configuration up to at least 19 tons.
Claims118
A road towed ferry, comprising:
- a central hull;
- a plurality of outboard hulls that are adjustable relative to said central hull between a road tow configuration and a ferry configuration;
- and
- wherein in the road tow configuration the ferry is adapted to be towed on a road by a tow vehicle;
- and
- wherein in the ferry configuration the ferry is adapted to ferry a load of up to at least about 16 tons over water.
3 more elements
A road towed ferry, comprising:
- an adjustable hull system that is adjustable between a tow configuration and a ferry configuration;
- wherein in the tow configuration, the ferry has a width of no more than about 102 inches, a length of no more than about 48 feet;
- a height of no more than about 14 feet;
- and a total weight of about thirty four thousand pounds or less;
- and
- wherein in the ferry configuration the ferry is adapted to ferry over water a load of up to at least about 16 tons.
3 more elements
A road towed ferry, comprising:
- a hull system that is adjustable between a road tow configuration and a ferry configuration;
- wherein in the road tow configuration the ferry has a width of no more than about 123 inches, a height of no more than about 9 feet, a length of no more than about 55.4 feet, and a total weight of no more than about 38,061 pounds;
- and
- wherein in the ferry configuration the ferry is adapted to ferry over water a load of up to at least about 16 tons.
1 more element
A road towed ferry comprising:
- a hull system that is adjustable between a road tow configuration and a ferry configuration;
- a wheel assembly coupled to said hull system;
- wherein said wheel assembly is substantially non retractable;
- wherein in the road tow configuration the ferry is adapted to be towed on a road by a tow vehicle;
- and
- wherein in the ferry configuration the ferry is adapted to ferry a load of up to at least about 16 tons over water.
3 more elements
A road towed ferry, comprising:
- an adjustable hull system that is adjustable between a road tow configuration and a ferry configuration;
- a wheel assembly coupled to said hull system;
- at least one motor coupled to said wheel assembly;
- wherein in the road tow configuration the ferry is adapted to be towed on a road by a tow vehicle;
- and
- wherein in the ferry configuration the ferry is adapted to ferry a load over water.
3 more elements
A road towed ferry comprising:
- a hull system that is adjustable between a road tow configuration that is adapted to be towed on a road by a tow vehicle and a ferry configuration that is adapted to ferry a load over water;
- and
- a ballast system that is adapted to change the center of gravity of said ferry longitudinally and laterally in the ferry configuration.
A road towed ferry, comprising:
- a central hull;
- a plurality of outboard hulls that are adjustable relative to said central hull between first and second respective positions corresponding between a road tow configuration and a ferry configuration for the ferry, respectively;
- a hydraulic ballast system that is adapted to change the center of gravity of said ferry longitudinally and laterally in the ferry configuration;
- wherein in the road tow configuration the ferry is adapted to be towed on a road by a tow vehicle;
- and
- wherein in the ferry configuration the ferry is adapted to ferry the tow vehicle over water.
3 more elements
A road towed ferry comprising:
- a hull system that is adjustable between a road tow configuration and a ferry configuration;
- a plurality of adjustable gunwales coupled to said hull system;
- wherein in the road tow configuration the ferry is adapted to be towed over a road by a tow vehicle;
- and
- wherein in the ferry configuration the ferry is adapted to ferry a load over water.
2 more elements
A watercraft, comprising:
- a hull system with a central hull and an outboard hull that is adjustable relative to the central hull between first and second positions;
- a hull lock system cooperating with the central hull and outboard hull and comprising a protrusion and a cooperating receiver;
- wherein one of the protrusion and receiver is located on the central hull;
- wherein the other of the protrusion and receiver is located on the outboard hull;
- and
- wherein the protrusion and receiver are adapted to be engaged in the first position and to be disengaged in the second position.
3 more elements
A road towed ferry system, comprising:
- an armored vehicle having a weight of at least about 16 tons;
- and
- a ferry that cooperates with the armored vehicle and is adjustable between a road-tow configuration and a ferry configuration;
- wherein in the road tow configuration the ferry is adapted to be towed over a road by the armored vehicle;
- and
- wherein in the ferry configuration the ferry is adapted to ferry the armored vehicle over water.
3 more elements
A road towed ferry, comprising:
- a hull system with a central hull and a plurality of outboard hulls that are each adjustable between first and second respective positions that correspond with road tow and ferry configurations for the ferry;
- a wheel system coupled to the central hull;
- a kedging winch coupled to the central hull;
- a ballast system coupled to the hull system and adapted to adjust the center of gravity of the ferry in the ferry configuration;
- a gunwale system that cooperates with the hull system and includes a plurality of gunwales that each has an adjustable position between the road tow and ferry configurations;
- and
- a propulsion system cooperating with the hull system;
- wherein in the road tow configuration the ferry is adapted to be towed over a road by a tow vehicle;
- and
- wherein in the ferry configuration the ferry is adapted to ferry a load of up to at least about 16 tons over water.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.