Abstract:
A floating oil containment boom is comprised of boom sections connected end to end. Each boom section is of a tubular member or pipe section. The pipe or tubular member is buoyant, either closed at its ends and/or filled with foam or other buoyant material. Plates extend above and below the tubular member or pipe section for each section of boom. A specially configured connecter joins each boom section to the other, the connecter extending above and below the pipe or tubular member. An elastomeric block forms an interface between connectors on each boom section while simultaneously sealing the area between boom sections to flow of oil.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/360,813, filed Jul. 1, 2010, incorporated herein by reference, is hereby claimed. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not applicable 
     REFERENCE TO A “MICROFICHE APPENDIX” 
     Not applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to containment booms for containing or blocking floating oil. Even more particularly, the present invention relates to a floating oil containment boom that is comprised of sections of tubular members or pipes, each having a lower plate section or keel and an upper plate section or seawall that blocks oil flow and wherein a specially configured joint allows for sea state induced movement of the boom sections while also sealing the area in between two such pipe or tubular members. 
     2. General Background of the Invention 
     Drilling for oil or natural gas in deep water has generated spill problems that require the deployment of floating booms to contain or block the flow of oil wherein delicate ecosystems or beaches must be protected. Patents have issued for floating booms that are designed to contain floating oil. Examples are U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,096,700; 4,155,664; and 4,507,017. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides an improved oil containment boom that is constructed of a plurality of hollow pipe or tubing sections connected end to end with a specially configured sealing connector. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a further understanding of the nature, objects, and advantages of the present invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description, read in conjunction with the following drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote like elements and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is an elevation view of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a partial top view of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is an end view of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is an end detail perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective connection detail view of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 7-8  are sectional elevation views of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention; 
         FIG. 9  is an partial top view of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention; 
         FIG. 10  is an partial top view of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention; 
         FIG. 11  is a partial elevation view of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 12A-12G  and  13 A- 13 E show various alternate connection arrangements for joining one boom section to another boom section; 
         FIG. 14  is a partial perspective view of the alternate embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention; 
         FIG. 15  is a partial perspective view of the alternate embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention; 
         FIG. 16  is a fragmentary perspective view of the alternate embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention; 
         FIG. 17  is an end view of the alternate embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention; 
         FIG. 18  is a plan view illustrating installation of the apparatus of the present invention along a beach; 
         FIG. 19  is a plan view illustrating the method of the present invention, and using the apparatus of the present invention for containing an oil spill; and 
         FIG. 20  is a plan view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention illustrating the protection of an interior marsh area. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIGS. 1-20  show a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention designated generally by the numeral  10 . Oil containment boom  10  is designed to float on a water surface  11  and restrict or contain oil that might otherwise travel beyond the boom  10  and into a fragile environment such as a beach, marsh, shoreline, inlet, bay, or the like. 
     Boom  10  is comprised of many boom sections such as sections  29 ,  30 ,  31  (see  FIG. 9 ). Each boom section  29  or  30  or  31  is connected to another boom section with a specially configured joint or connection as seen for example in  FIGS. 9-11 . The joint or connection enables one boom section  30  to move relative to another boom section  29  or  31  such as when wave action or wind exists. 
     Each boom section  29 ,  30 ,  31  includes a tubular member or pipe  12  having a pipe wall  13  surrounding an interior  14 . Wall  13  has inner surface  15  and outer surface  16 . An upper plate or wall  17  is connected (e.g. welded) at connection  18  to pipe  12  outer wall surface  16 . A lower plate or wall  19  is connected (e.g. welded) at connection  20  to pipe  12  outer wall surface  16  (see  FIGS. 7-8 ). 
     Diagonal braces, beams or supports  21 ,  22  can be provided, spanning from pipe or tubular member  12  to each of the walls  17 ,  19  as seen in  FIGS. 1 ,  3  and  7 - 8 . Each brace or beam  21 ,  22  can be a flanged beam or other structural member. Upper brace or beam  21  is connected (e.g. welded) to pipe  12  and to upper plate or wall  17  at weld  23  at upper end  25  of wall or plate  17 . Similarly, lower brace or beam  22  is connected (e.g. welded) to pipe  12  and to lower plate or wall  19  at weld  24  at lower end  26  of wall or plate  19  (see  FIGS. 7-8 ). 
     Each pipe or tubular member  12  has an end plate  27  connected (e.g. welded) thereto for forming a watertight closed chamber with pipe  12 . Each end plate  27  has flanged beam  28  which has a dual function (see  FIG. 10 ). The beam  28  reinforces the plate  27  against bending or other failure. The beam  28  is also a location for connection of an elastomeric member  32  which allows some flexing while providing a water fluid seal that prevents the passage of oil or water. Flanged beams  28  can be provided with spaced apart openings  33 . Similarly spaced openings are provided in elastomeric member  32 . In this fashion, bolted connections  34  can be used to join flanged beams  28  of two adjacent boom sections  29 ,  30 , or  31  to an elastomeric member  32  for both a structural connection and a fluid tight seal (see  FIG. 10-11 ). 
     Piling or anchors  35  can be placed on opposing sides of the boom  10  as seen in  FIG. 9 . The boom  10  of the present invention can be used to contain oil or an oil spill or chemical spill. When fitted with a hose or flowline  36 , the boom  10  can also assist in recovery of oil as indicated by arrows  38 ,  39  in  FIG. 8 . For coastal restoration, hose or flowline  37  can be used to pump sand behind boom  10  for filling areas in between low lying land and the boom  10  wherein the boom  10  confines or contains this fill material to a selected locale (see arrow  39  in  FIG. 8 ). 
       FIGS. 12A-12G  and  13 A- 13 E show other possible connections for joining one boom section  30  to another section  29  or  31 . In  FIGS. 12A and 12B , beam shaped connectors  40 ,  41  are shown. These beam shaped connectors  40 ,  41  can be connected to each other with bolted connections  42 . Each of the beam shaped connectors  40 ,  41  can be attached to an end plate  27  or to an upper plate or lower plate  17 ,  19  with an appropriate connection such as welding. In  FIGS. 12C and 12D , plates  43 ,  44  can be connected (for example, welded) to an end plate  27  the plates  43 ,  44  can be connected using a pivotal connection or pivot  45 . Instead of the two plates  43 ,  44  of  FIGS. 12C and 12D , three plates  46 ,  47 ,  48  could be employed. A pivot or pivotal connection such as the pivotal connection  45  of  FIG. 12D  could also be used to connect the plates  46 ,  47  and  48 . The plate  46  would be welded to an end plate  27  of one boom section such as  30 , and the plates  47 ,  48  would be welded to an end plate  27  of another boom section such as  31 . 
       FIGS. 12F and 12G  show interlocking offset portions  49 ,  50  which could be joined using a pinned connection  51 .  FIGS. 13A-13B  show another connection which employs a tapered projection  53  on one pipe or tubular member of one boom such as  30  and a socket  52  on the pipe or tubular section  12  of another boom section. The projecting member  53  could be of a pliable material such as a polymeric material. 
       FIGS. 13C-13D  show another arrangement wherein a post or vertical cylindrically shaped member  54  joins horizontal plates  55  and  56  with horizontal plate  57 . The plate  57  is attached to an end plate  27 . The plates  55 ,  56  are attached to the plate  27  of a boom section such as  31  as shown in  FIG. 13B . The connection of each plate  55 ,  56 ,  57  to post  54  could be a pivotal connection. 
     In  FIG. 13E , channel beams  58 ,  59  are provided. One channel beam  58  is attached to an end plate  27  of a pipe or tubular member  12  of a boom section such as  31 . The other channel beam  59  is connected to an end plate  27  of a pipe or tubular member  12  of a boom section  30 . 
       FIGS. 14-17  show an alternate embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention designated generally by the numeral  60 . In  FIGS. 14-17  floating containment boom provides a central tubular or cylindrically shaped section  61 , upper portion  62  and lower portion  63 . The central tubular or cylindrical section  61  can be integrally formed with the upper section  62  and the lower section  63 , such as being constructed of a polymeric material. Imbedded within the central tubular or cylindrical section  61  are connection portions or eyelets  64 . 
     A shield or seal member  65  can be adhered to the combination of central tubular or cylindrical section  61 , upper portion  62 , and lower portion  63  using an adhesive material (or other connection such as a bolted connection or the like). The shield or seal member  65  would thus cover any gap  70  in between two connected boom sections such as sections  85  and  86  in  FIG. 15 . The shield or seal member  65  has an upper section  66 , lower section  67  and middle section  68  (see  FIG. 15 ). The middle section can provide a concave portion  69  for conforming generally to the shape of the central tubular or cylindrical section  61  as shown in  FIG. 14 . 
     An alternate arrangement of  FIG. 17  stacks or staggers two floating containment booms  60 , as shown in  FIG. 17 , wherein the floating containment booms  60  are staggered so that one boom section  60  covers the gap  70  between two connected boom sections such as  85  and  86 . The connecting portions or eyelets  64  can be joined using any suitable link or linkage, such as shackles as an example. 
       FIGS. 18-20  are examples of installations using the floating containment boom  10  or  60  of the present invention. In  FIG. 18 , a body of water such as gulf or lake  72  has a beach area  71  to be protected. The numeral  73  in  FIG. 18  represents incoming wave action. The booms  60  shown in  FIG. 18  could alternatively have been the booms  10  of  FIGS. 1-13 . In  FIG. 18 , piling  35  or other anchors could be used to anchor the booms  10  or  60  in a selected position. 
       FIG. 19  is an example of using the booms  10 ,  60  for oil containment. In  FIG. 19 , there is shown an oil spill  74 . Multiple containment booms  10  or  60  can be connected end to end to form an overall boom  87  with its end  88  connected to a tug  75  and its other end  89  connected to a tug  75 . The tugs  75  would then move in a direction generally parallel to each other pulling the boom  87  toward the spill  74  and in a direction that is opposite to tide or wind direction  76 . 
       FIG. 20  is an example of using the booms  10  or  60  to protect an inland marsh  77 . Such an inland marsh  77  often has a canal  78  that could allow invasion by an oil spill  74 . In  FIG. 20 , multiple booms  10  or  60  are connected together end to end as shown to block access to canal  78 . The booms  10  or  60  could be anchored using piling  35  or other anchors. In  FIG. 20 , a sand or slurry pump  79  could be used to transfer sand or other slurried material through flow line  84  to an area behind the booms  10 ,  60  for building a land mass that would prevent invasion of an oil spill. An oil recovery pump  80  could be used to pump oil through flow line  83  from a position of collection in front of the booms  10  or  60 , namely that oil which is part of a spill  74  and which is driven by a wind or tide in the direction of arrow  90 . Arrow  81  in  FIG. 20  illustrates the transfer of oil from a position in front of the boom sections  10 ,  60  to an oil recovery pump  80  via flow line  83 . Such recovered oil could be pumped to a storage tank, barge, vessel or the like. Arrow  82  in  FIG. 20  illustrates a transfer of sand or other slurried material to a position behind the booms  10  or  60  via flow line  84 . 
     The following is a list of parts and materials suitable for use in the present invention. 
     
       
         
               
             
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 PARTS LIST 
               
             
          
           
               
                 Part  
                   
               
               
                 Number 
                 Description 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 10 
                 floating oil containment boom 
               
               
                 11 
                 water surface 
               
               
                 12 
                 pipe/tubular member 
               
               
                 13 
                 wall 
               
               
                 14 
                 interior 
               
               
                 15 
                 inner surface 
               
               
                 16 
                 outer surface 
               
               
                 17 
                 upper plate/wall 
               
               
                 18 
                 connection/weld 
               
               
                 19 
                 lower plate/wall 
               
               
                 20 
                 connection/weld 
               
               
                 21 
                 bracing/diagonal support 
               
               
                 22 
                 bracing/diagonal support 
               
               
                 23 
                 connection/weld 
               
               
                 24 
                 connection/weld 
               
               
                 25 
                 upper end 
               
               
                 26 
                 lower end 
               
               
                 27 
                 end plate 
               
               
                 28 
                 flanged beam 
               
               
                 29 
                 boom section 
               
               
                 30 
                 boom section 
               
               
                 31 
                 boom section 
               
               
                 32 
                 elastomeric member 
               
               
                 33 
                 opening 
               
               
                 34 
                 bolted connection 
               
               
                 35 
                 piling/anchor 
               
               
                 36 
                 oil suction hose/flowline 
               
               
                 37 
                 sand discharge hose/flowline 
               
               
                 38 
                 arrow 
               
               
                 39 
                 arrow 
               
               
                 40 
                 beam shaped connector 
               
               
                 41 
                 beam shaped connector 
               
               
                 42 
                 bolted connection 
               
               
                 43 
                 plate 
               
               
                 44 
                 plate 
               
               
                 45 
                 pivotal connection 
               
               
                 46 
                 plate 
               
               
                 47 
                 plate 
               
               
                 48 
                 plate 
               
               
                 49 
                 interlocking offset portion 
               
               
                 50 
                 interlocking offset portion 
               
               
                 51 
                 pinned connection 
               
               
                 52 
                 socket 
               
               
                 53 
                 tapered projection 
               
               
                 54 
                 post 
               
               
                 55 
                 horizontal plate 
               
               
                 56 
                 horizontal plate 
               
               
                 57 
                 horizontal plate 
               
               
                 58 
                 channel beam 
               
               
                 59 
                 channel beam 
               
               
                 60 
                 floating containment boom 
               
               
                 61 
                 central tubular/cylindrical section 
               
               
                 62 
                 upper portion 
               
               
                 63 
                 lower portion 
               
               
                 64 
                 connector/eyelet 
               
               
                 65 
                 shield/seal member 
               
               
                 66 
                 upper section 
               
               
                 67 
                 lower section 
               
               
                 68 
                 middle section 
               
               
                 69 
                 concave portion 
               
               
                 70 
                 gap 
               
               
                 71 
                 beach 
               
               
                 72 
                 body of water/gulf/lake 
               
               
                 73 
                 wave action 
               
               
                 74 
                 oil spill 
               
               
                 75 
                 tug 
               
               
                 76 
                 arrow, tide or wind direction 
               
               
                 77 
                 interior marsh 
               
               
                 78 
                 canal 
               
               
                 79 
                 sand slurry pump 
               
               
                 80 
                 oil recovery pump 
               
               
                 81 
                 arrow 
               
               
                 82 
                 arrow 
               
               
                 83 
                 flow line 
               
               
                 84 
                 flow line 
               
               
                 85 
                 boom section 
               
               
                 86 
                 boom section 
               
               
                 87 
                 boom 
               
               
                 88 
                 end 
               
               
                 89 
                 end 
               
               
                 90 
                 arrow 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     All measurements disclosed herein are at standard temperature and pressure, at sea level on Earth, unless indicated otherwise. All materials used or intended to be used in a human being are biocompatible, unless indicated otherwise. 
     The foregoing embodiments are presented by way of example only; the scope of the present invention is to be limited only by the following claims.