Underwater accumulator for pressurized gas
OwnerFumio Ootsuinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An accumulator for storing pressurized air underwater comprises a reservoir anchored to the bottom of the sea or suspended underwater, and a pair of inlet and outlet passages for respectively supplying and discharging pressurized air into and out of the reservoir. The reservoir has an opening or openings through which water is flowable into and out of the reservoir. The anchored reservoir has a winch for winding or unwinding a chain connected to a weight, the winch being energizable when the water head at the reservoir changes so as to maintain pressurized air in the reservoir under constant pressure. The reservoir which is suspended has a plurality of floats that are inflatable or rigid with holes and are movable up and down as the water level in the reservoir varies so as to stabilize the air pressure in the reservoir.
Claims9
An apparatus for accumulating pressurized gas underwater comprising:
- a reservoir adapted to be placed underwater for storing pressurized gas, said reservoir having an opening through which water can flow into and out of the reservoir;
- an inlet passage and an outlet passage communicating with said reservoir for respectively supplying and discharging the pressurized gas to and from said reservoir;
- means cooperable with said reservoir for anchoring the reservoir underwater, comprising a winch mounted on said reservoir, a sprocket driven by said winch, a chain extending around said sprocket for being driven thereby upon actuation of said winch, a weight connected to said chain, means on said reservoir for operating said winch in response to variations in the water head at said reservoir;
- a housing adapted to be anchored underwater and a sleeve mounted in said housing, said reservoir being movably supported in said sleeve;
- and
- a plurality of rollers rotatably mounted on said reservoir, said rollers being in rolling engagement with said sleeve.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.