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US 2008/0173224 A1Published application
Air-propelled vessel with articulating member
OwnerRonald J. Thibodauxinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A wide, flat-bottom, buoyant, amphibious hull with a powered articulating member mounted on the deck. The hull is propelled by at least one engine-driven propeller rotating above the hull. The hull has a shallow draft and distributes its weight over a large area. These features cooperatively provide a vehicle capable of installing or servicing power transmission poles, towers, or other structures located in environmentally sensitive wetlands, swamps, marshes, shallow water, or terrain which is not efficiently accessible by other means.
Claims7
A vessel comprising:
- a. a hull having a low draft;
- b. a drive motor mounted to said hull;
- c. a propeller affixed to said drive motor;
- d. at least one rudder positioned aft of said propeller for steering said hull;
- e. an articulating boom having a first end, a second end and at least one joint between said first and second ends, wherein each such at least one joint is pivotal about a horizontal axis intersecting said joint, and wherein said first end of said articulating boom is pivotally mounted to said hull and is rotatable about vertical and horizontal axes intersecting said first end;
- f. means for selectively moving said boom about said vertical and horizontal axes intersecting said first end of said articulating boom;
- and
- g. means for selectively extending and retracting said articulating boom.
5 more elements
A vessel comprising:
- a. a hull having a low draft and an upper surface;
- b. at least one drive motor mounted to said hull;
- c. a propeller affixed to said drive motor;
- d. at least one rudder positioned aft of said propeller for steering said hull;
- e. an articulating boom, pivotally attached to the upper surface of said hull, comprising:
- i. a first rigid member having a base and a distal end, wherein said base of said first rigid member rotates about vertical and horizontal axes intersecting said base;
- and
- ii. a second rigid member having a base and a distal end, wherein the base of said second member is pivotally attached to the distal end of said first rigid member, and said second rigid member pivots about a horizontal pivot axis between said first and second rigid members
- f. means for selectively moving said boom about said vertical and horizontal axes intersecting said base of said first rigid member;
- and
- g. means for selectively extending and retracting said articulating boom.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.