Method for performing overhead work using air-propelled vessel with articulating member
a technology of articulating member and overhead work, which is applied in the direction of marine propulsion, special-purpose vessels, vessel construction, etc., can solve the problems of inaccessibility of standard boats to towers situated in shallow lakes or marshy environments, equipment situated at or near the top of such towers requires servicing or repair, and achieves fast and agile, easy glide, and increase efficiency
Inactive Publication Date: 2009-07-16
THIBODAUX RONALD J
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Problems solved by technology
Frequently, equipment situated at or near the top of such towers requires servicing or repair.
However, towers situated in lakes or marshy environments cannot be accessed by trucks or other wheeled vehicles.
Although boats can be used in some circumstances, towers situated in shallow lakes or marshy environments are often inaccessible to standard boats because the water depth is too shallow to accommodate the draft of such boat, or because plant growth inhibits or prevents the use of conventional propellers.
Such swamp buggies are generally slow, awkward and inefficient to operate.
Further, the tracks of swamp buggies often severely damage environmentally sensitive areas including, without limitation, water bottoms, oyster reefs and the like.
Moreover, swamp buggies must often take circuitous routes when traveling to a work site depending upon the terrain at issue, thereby increasing overall inefficiency and damage to the environment.
Method used
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[0023]FIG. 1 depicts a side view of vessel 1 of the present invention, including air boat 10 and hydraulically operated articulating member 20. Articulating member 20 has a collapsed position depicted in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. When air boat 10 is underway, articulating member 20 is typically maintained in said collapsed position as depicted in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2.
[0024]Air boat 10 comprises a hull 100 having a relatively flat keel 180, an aft deck 105 and a bow deck 195. Aft deck 105 and bow deck 195 are best seen in FIG. 2. Air boat 10 is powered by at least one engine 140, which in the preferred embodiment, is mounted on aft deck 105 by engine frame 145 and rotates propeller 120. In the preferred embodiment, propeller 120 is an aircraft-type propeller. Said at least one engine 140 and propeller 120 produce forward thrust by moving air rearward in a generally similar manner that an aircraft engine and an aircraft propeller produce thrust to move an airplane. Engine 140 and propeller 120 ...
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A method of using 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 performing overhead work, such as 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.
Description
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 11 / 655,719, filed Jan. 19, 2007, currently pending.STATEMENTS AS TO RIGHTS TO INVENTIONS MADE UNDER FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT[0002]NoneBACKGROUND OF INVENTION[0003]1. Field of Invention[0004]The present invention relates to a method for performing overhead work using a vessel having an articulating member. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for using an amphibious air-propelled vessel equipped with at least one powered articulating member. More particularly still, the present invention relates to a method for using an air boat equipped with at least one powered articulating member.[0005]2. Description of Related Art[0006]Towers, such as radio transmission towers and / or electrical power transmission towers, are frequently located in shallow lakes or bays, or in low-lying, swampy or marshy wetland areas. Depending on the particular locat...
Claims
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IPC IPC(8): B63H7/02B63B1/34
CPCB63B27/06B63B35/00B63H7/02B63B35/44B66F11/044Y02T70/121B60F3/0007B66C23/605Y02T70/10
Inventor THIBODAUX, RONALD J.
Owner THIBODAUX RONALD J