Method and apparatus for effecting rescue of persons or animals caught in open hydraulic channels
OwnerDavid P. Maxsoninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus for facilitating recovery of objects from a hydraulic channel containing a flowing fluid, the apparatus comprising: a porous planar surface for disposition within the hydraulic channel, the porous planar surface being elevated in the direction of flow in the hydraulic channel at an angle to a plane extending normal to the force of gravity such that the horizontal component of the angle of elevation is greater than the vertical component thereof; wherein the porous planar surface is configured to permit the fluid flowing in the hydraulic channel to flow through the porous planar surface without materially obstructing the flow of the fluid in the hydraulic channel.
Claims20
Apparatus for facilitating recovery of objects from a hydraulic channel containing a flowing fluid, said apparatus comprising:
- a porous planar surface for disposition within the hydraulic channel, said porous planar surface being elevated in the direction of flow in the hydraulic channel at an angle to a plane extending normal to the force of gravity such that the horizontal component of said angle of elevation is greater than the vertical component thereof;
- wherein said porous planar surface is configured to permit the fluid flowing in the hydraulic channel to flow through said porous planar surface without materially obstructing the flow of the fluid in the hydraulic channel.
Apparatus for facilitating recovery of objects from a hydraulic channel containing a flowing fluid, said apparatus comprising;
- a first porous planar surface for disposition within the hydraulic channel;
- and
- a second porous planar surface for disposition within the hydraulic channel;
- wherein the first porous planar surface and the second porous planar surface are each configured to permit the fluid flowing in the hydraulic channel to flow through said first porous planar surface and said second porous planar surface without obstructing the flow of the fluid in the hydraulic channel;
- and
- wherein at least one of said first porous planar surface and said second porous planar surface are elevated in the direction of flow at an angle relative to a plane extending normal to the force of gravity such that the horizontal component of said angle of elevation of said at least one of said first porous planar surface and said angle of elevation of said second porous planar surface are greater than the vertical dimension of said angle of elevation of said at least one of said first porous planar surface and said angle of elevation of said second porous planar surface, respectively.
A method for recovering objects from a hydraulic channel containing a flowing fluid, said method comprising:
- providing apparatus comprising:
- a porous planar surface for disposition within the hydraulic channel, said porous planar surface being tilted relative to a plane extending normal to the force of gravity such that the horizontal dimension of said angle of elevation of said porous planar surface relative to the direction of flow in the hydraulic channel is greater than the vertical dimension of said angle of elevation of said porous planar surface;
- wherein said porous planar surface is configured to permit the fluid flowing in the hydraulic channel to flow through said porous planar surface without materially obstructing the flow of the fluid in the hydraulic channel;
- disposing said apparatus in the hydraulic channel such that an upstream end of said porous planar surface is situated below a center of buoyancy of an object carried by the flowing fluid, and such that a downstream end of said porous planar surface is situated proximate the surface of the flowing fluid in the hydraulic channel;
- wherein said angle of elevation of said porous planar surface is less than 10 degrees above said plane extending normal to the force of gravity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.