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US 5,111,763 AGranted
Steering unit for barges
OwnerRonald C. Moerbeinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A steering unit (10) for a barge tow (12). The steering unit (10) has a hull (16) which includes a pair of spaced longitudinally extending portions (50, 52) and defining a cavity or tunnel (54) therebetween. A propeller (48) and rudder (36) are mounted within the cavity (54). Rear flaring side portions (74) define the cavity (54) adjacent the rudder (36) and the rudder (36) is movable between contact positions against opposed side portions (74) for exerting a maximum side thrust.
Claims12
A barge steering unit adapted to be attached to the front end of a string of connected barges pushed by a boat for steering the string of barges along a waterway;
- said barge steering unit comprising:
- an elongate water buoyant body of a generally rectangular shape in plan and having a hull with a bow and a stern, said hull formed of a pair of longitudinally extending side portions spaced from each other to define a longitudinally extending cavity therebetween for the flow of water therethrough from said bow to said stern, said cavity defined by a pair of generally vertically extending spaced side surfaces connected at their upper edges by a generally horizontal planar surface to define the upper portion of the cavity and the bottom of the hull;
- each of said side portions of said hull having a forward included planar surface and an intermediate planar surface, said forward surface extending downwardly from adjacent said bow to said intermediate surface for at least one third of the length of said unit to reduce drag;
- a propeller mounted in said cavity for contact with the water flowing through the cavity to propel said barge steering unit;
- said pair of spaced side surfaces defining surface portions diverging outwardly from adjacent said propeller to said stern of the barge steering unit;
- power means for rotating said propeller to propel said steering unit;
- a rudder means mounted in said cavity rearwardly of said propeller for pivotal movement for guiding the movement of said steering unit, said rudder is of a height substantially the depth of the cavity;
- said rudder mounted for pivotal movement between a position engaging one of said diverging rear side surface portions and a position engaging the other of said diverging rear side surface portions, said rudder when positioned against a selected side portion of the cavity substantially blocking the flow of water along such selected side portion for directing the thrust along a desired direction;
- and
- means for pivoting said rudder to a desired angle relative to the flow of water through the cavity for steering said unit and the string of barges connected thereto along the waterway.
7 more elements
A barge steering unit adapted for attachment to the front end of a string of barges for steering the barges along a waterway;
- said barge steering unit comprising:
- an elongated water buoyant body of a generally rectangular shape in plan and having a hull with a bow, a stern and a deck, said hull formed of a pair of longitudinally extending side portions spaced from each other to define a longitudinally extending cavity therebetween for the flow of water therethrough between said bow and said stern, said cavity having an intermediate reduced width portion and an outwardly flared portion extending from said intermediate reduced width portion to said stern;
- each of said side portions of said hull having a forward inclined planar surface and an intermediate planar surface, said forward surface extending downwardly from adjacent said bow to said intermediate surface for at least one third of the length of said unit to reduce drag;
- first stanchion means mounted on said stern of said steering unit for contacting the front end of the string of barges;
- a propeller mounted in said cavity adjacent said intermediate reduced width portion for contact with the water flowing through the cavity;
- a rudder pivotally mounted in the flaring portion of said cavity for contact with water flowing through said cavity for guiding the movement of the unit along the waterway;
- power means for rotating said propeller to propel said steering unit;
- and
- means for pivoting said rudder to a desired angle relative to the flow of water through the cavity for steering said unit and the string of barges connected thereto along the waterway.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.