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 transom 17, 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.
Claims17
1-17. (canceled)
An unmanned lifeboat, comprising:
- onboard casualty accommodation,
- a propulsion unit and steering gear,
- navigation apparatus,
- 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 and steering gear, the navigation apparatus and the communication apparatus for:
- activating the propulsion unit and 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
- a portion of a gunwale or transom of the hull via which a casualty can haul him/herself or be hauled aboard without on-board crew assistance,
- wherein:
- the on-board casualty accommodation is closed,
- the casualty boarding portion of the gunwale or transom is lower than elsewhere, and
- there is a powered conveyor ramp at the low portion.
A lifeboat according to claim 27, comprising:
- means for detecting the casualty on the surface of the sea for the controller to con the lifeboat to the casualty during the slow approach,
- wind and/or sea-state detection means, the controller being adapted to hold the lifeboat head to wind and/or sea-state with a casualty in the lee of the life boat and to manoeuvre the low portion of the lifeboat towards the casualty and
- means for transmitting wind and/or sea-state data and casualty images to the remote station for conning signal transmission to the control means for manoeuvring towards the casualty.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.