Cargo vessel flexibly sizable in accordance with its cargo
Garcia Apr. 22, 1975 CARGO VESSEL FLEXIBLY SIZABLE IN ACCORDANCE WITH ITS CARGO [76] Inventor: Emilio C. Garcia, 1718 Lakeshore Dr., New Orleans, La. 70122 22 Filed: Jan. 21, 1974 21 Appl. No.: 435,053  
 Primary Eraminer-Trygve Ml. Blix Assistant Iiraminer-Stuart M. Goldstein Attorney, Agent, or Firm--James B. Lake, Jr.  
 [5 7] ABSTRACT A cargo vessel comprising transverse bow, cargo and stem watertight segments having opposing faces provided with releasable connections, preferably loosely interengaging L and C flanges. Inflatable cushions are positioned uninflated between opposing surfaces of the interengaging C and L flanges and expanded to stress and rigidify said connections to form in longitu dinal sequence a cargo vessel with as many transverse cargo segments necessary for the cargo included between bow and stern segments. Prestressing to the de gree for rigidity to exceed sea operating stresses plus a factor of safety is necessary. The interengaging C and L flanges comprise interlocking male and female parts alternately arranged on adjoining segment faces. Segments comprising the vessel are releasable by deflating cushions between segment to be released and the adjoining segments and moving the segment to be released relatively transversely to the remainder of the vessel.  
 6 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures CARGO VESSEL FLEXTBLY SHZABLE EN ACCORDANCE WITH HTS CARGO The invention relates generally to marine vessels and more particularly to a transversely segmented cargo vessel of releasably joined segments for increasing and decreasing the number of cargo segments in accordance with the amount of cargo to be carried.  
  The present invention is an improvement of my prior invention for Apparatus For and Method of Carrying Marine Cargo filed 20 Jan. I972. Ser. No. 222.423. now US. Pat. No. 3.796176 for which a notice of al lowance was received 23 Oct. 1973 and final fee paid about 16 Dec. 1973.  
  In said prior invention cargo lighters were incorporated into a fixed hull structure by floating them in place and fixing them to said structure.  
  lt is an object of the invention to provide a cargo vessel that is flexibly sized to the amount of cargo carried.  
  Another object of the invention is to provide cargo vessels in which the cargo carrying portion are transverse hull segments with the dual use of cargo space and for lighterage.  
  Another object of the invention is to provide cargo carriers that require dock space only for the cargo to be discharged there.  
  Other objects and a fuller understanding of the invem tion may be had by referring to the following specifica tion. claims and drawings. in which:  
  FIG. 1 is a three dimensional view of a cargo vessel of the invention showing a cargo segment partially displaced.  
  FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view along section lines 2-2 of a preferred specie of interengaging means of the invention,  
  FlG. 3 is a side view of a spring specie of the prestressing means of the invention.  
  FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a screw operated specie of the prestressing means of the invention.  
  FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a camming specie of the pre-stressing means of the invention.  
  FIG. 6 is a side view of a off center lever specie of said pre-stressing means FIG. 7 is a three dimensional view of an inflatable specie of said pro-stressing means. uninflated. and  
  FIG. 8 is similar to FIG. 7 showing the inflatable means inflated.  
  Referring to FIG. 1, the invention comprises bow segment l0, stern segment 12 and a plurality of cargo segments 14, one of which is shown half out of its operating positions. All the segments are respectively trimmable for floating stability. Stern segment 12 houses propulsion means (not shown) and control means (also not shown). and may also provide crew quarters. Bow segment houses the vessels running and mooring gear (not shown) and may also include crew quarters.  
  Referring to FIG. 2. each of the cargo segments [4 is provided with upper and lower L&#39;flanges of male configuration 19 and 18 at one of its transverse faces and of female C-configuration 20 and 22 at the other transverse face. The upper and lower L- and C-flanges of both configurations are parallel. The male L and female C-flanges of adjoining segments are adapted to loosely interlock in relative transverse movement for interconnecting in longitudinal sequence. The connections are made rigid preferably by inserting deflated. hollow pillow-shaped plastic containers or cushions (see FIGS. 7 and 8) 24 between opposing faces of each loosely interlocked C- and L-flanges. Plastic containers 24 are then hydraulically inflated to a pressure sufficient to maintain rigidity in the connections against relative movement and separation of sea operating forces expected to be encountered plus a factor of safety.  
  The bow and stem segments are also provided with L- and Cflanges. one of male and the other of female configuration. The order of configuration is not important as long as it is consistent for all segments. Thus all bow facing L-flanges can be of male configuration. and all stern facing C-flanges can be of female configuration. or vice versa. to provide interengaging parts at all adjoining interfaces of segments. Of course air may be used to inflate plastic containers 24, but air will make a softer more compressible and less rigid connection and thus is not preferred.  
  Two segments may be separated by deflating plastic containers 24 between their respective C- and L- flanges and pushing or pulling the segments transversely apart. Thus a vessel may be made up or separated into its component segments of any number of cargo segments plus a bow and stem segments as the amount of cargo and its distribution dictates.  
  Plastic containers or cushions 24 suitable for the above described application may be obtained from KLEBER. 6 Ave. Klcber. B..P. 9-l6. Paris. France. under the trade name Cousin M lOO. Comparative curves showing pre-stressing forces resulting from relative minor inflation forces are available from this source also.  
  Pre-stressing may be accomplished by other means than inflatable plastic containers. Thus it may be accomplished by spiral springs as illustrated in FIG. 3. by jacks. screw operated as shown in FIG. 4. by camming as shown in HO. 5. and by off-center levers as shown in FIG. 6.  
 What is claimed is:  
 1. A flexibly sized cargo vessel comprising:  
 a. transverse bow. stern and cargo segments. said segments being independent. watertight and having abutting interfaces;  
 b. male and female flanges defined respectively on said abutting interfaces at the tops and bottoms thereof and adapted to loosely interlock and make non-rigid connections between said transverse segments in aligned cargo vessel configuration of a bow. a stern and intermediate cargo segments commensurate with available cargo; and  
 c. inflatably expandable cushions mounted uninflated between said loosely interlocking flanges and adapted to expand to pressures prestressing said loosely interlocking flanges into making said nonrigid connections bctween said transverse segments rigid against any relative motion therebetween.  
 2. A flexibly sized cargo vessel as described in claim 1 wherein said loosely interlocking male and female flanges are respectively L-shaped and C-shaped. and are engageable and separable by relative transverse movement therebetween.  
  3. A flexibly sized cargo vessel as described in claim 1 wherein said transverse bow and stem segments each have an interface. the interface of one segment defining male flanges and the interface of the other segment defining female flanges.  
  4. A flexibly sized cargo vessel as described in claim I wherein each of said transverse cargo segments has abutting transverse segments;  
 c. slidably interlocking said male L-shaped flanges with female C-shaped flanges by relatively moving their associated transverse segments transversely into sequential alignment for cargo vessel configuration:  
 d. inserting deflated unexpanded cushions between said interlocking flanges of each said abutting interface: and  
 e. inflatably expanding said cushions to pressure said loosely interlocking flanges to rigidly connect said transverse segments against any movement therebetween due to seagoing operations.