Did You Know...
...that the inventor of the electric motor was a blacksmith named Thomas Davenport? Described as "a brilliantly unsuccessful inventor", Davenport invented the first rotary electric motor. In 1836 he headed out -- on foot -- from his Vermont home to file a patent application at the Patent Office in Washington, D.C. By the time he got there, he had squandered away his money and couldn't afford the $30 filing fee so he turned around and went home. When he later mailed in his application with money he'd raised, the Patent office was destroyed in a fire. He did finally get credit for his invention on Feb. 5, 1837.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8100078 | Steerable hydrofoil The present invention provides a steerable hydrofoil. The apparatus includes at least one steerable hydrofoil panel, at least one body part coupled to the at least one steerable hydrofoil panel to allow the at least one steerable hydrofoil panel to rotate about an a... | 01/24/2012 |
| 7658161 | System for depth control of a marine deflector A system for adjusting a deflector in a seismic survey comprises a generally upright deflector body and at least one bridle connected to a seismic cable. The bridle includes an upper segment secured to an upper connection point on the deflector body, and a lower seg... | 02/09/2010 |
| 7426896 | Prone operator position personal watercraft Personal watercraft systems are described. The personal watercraft systems include a housing for supporting a water jet engine system. The housing has a pickle fork shaped hull for operation enjoyment. A pair of sponsons is removably attachable to the housing to fac... | 09/23/2008 |
| 7423929 | Method for laterally steering streamer cables A device and a method for laterally steering a streamer cable towed underwater behind a seismic survey vessel. The device includes a cable-steering assembly rotatably attached to a streamer cable. The assembly includes a body to which one or more wings are mounted. ... | 09/09/2008 |
| 7404370 | Steerable diverter for towed seismic streamer arrays A paravane for a marine seismic survey system includes a float and at least one diverter operatively coupled to the float. The diverter is configured to redirect flow of water past the paravane with respect to a direction of motion of the paravane through water. The... | 07/29/2008 |
| 7367153 | Collapsible planar board The planar board disclosed features a convexo-concave board characteristic that allows the boards to channel the water creating a water rail for smoother more controlled performance. The planar board also features one removable cross member end that allows for colla... | 05/06/2008 |
| 7350475 | Launch and recovery system A method and apparatus for launching and recovering an object by a host vessel while the host vessel is in motion. The recovery system utilizes a tethered capture system for connecting with the object and then directing the object to the host vessel where it is secu... | 04/01/2008 |
| 7314015 | Express docking system and method of use An express docking system and its method of use, wherein the system comprises: an engaging rod assembly comprising an engaging rod subassembly attachable to a boating vessel, wherein the engaging rod subassembly comprises an engaging rod in communication with a main... | 01/01/2008 |
| 7299763 | Hull with propulsion tunnel and leading edge interceptor A boat hull has at least one ventilating propulsion tunnel formed therein open to the water forward of the hull's transom and adapted to contain a propeller of the propulsion system. The tunnel has a leading edge forward of the transom and an interceptor plate proje... | 11/27/2007 |
| 7293520 | Control system for positioning of a marine seismic streamers A method of controlling a streamer positioning device (18) configured to be attached to a marine seismic streamer (12) and towed by seismic survey vessel (10) and having a wing and a wing motor for changing the orientation of the wing. The metho... | 11/13/2007 |
| 7293522 | Roller assembly for floating dock A roller assembly facilitates travel of a watercraft hull on a floating dock having a longitudinal, keel-receiving valley with a pair of flanking ridges supporting opposite sides of the hull during docking and launching of the craft. Pockets in the ridges contain wh... | 11/13/2007 |
| 7222579 | Control system for positioning of marine seismic streamers A method of controlling a streamer positioning device (18) configured to be attached to a marine seismic streamer (12) and towed by seismic survey vessel (10) and having a wing and a wing motor for changing the orientation of the wing. The metho... | 05/29/2007 |
| 7178475 | High maneuverability towcraft A maneuverable towcraft consisting of a partial hull structure to which is removably attached at least three downward-projecting fins. A first ventral fin of sufficient size and draft is located along the craft's centerline, toward the front of the craft. A second a... | 02/20/2007 |
| 7167412 | Apparatus for steering a marine seismic streamer via controlled bending A marine seismic streamer steering device comprises at least two hinged sections pivotally coupled to each other and connected between two adjacent sections of the seismic streamer, and a bend control unit that controls bending of the hinged sections relative to the... | 01/23/2007 |
| 7096811 | Autonomous swimming cargo containers The present invention provides an apparatus, method and system for delivery of commercial cargo containers shore side without container terminals. The present invention utilizes containers made autonomous by coupling a container with a detachable propulsion system, ... | 08/29/2006 |
| 7092315 | Device for laterally steering streamer cables A device and a method for laterally steering a streamer cable towed underwater behind a seismic survey vessel. The device includes a cable-steering assembly rotatably attached to a streamer cable. The assembly includes a body to which one or more wings are mounted. ... | 08/15/2006 |
| 7083173 | Dual density foam core sports board A sports board with an expanded foam core that has a density adapted so the core will receive a solid sheet skin laminated directly thereto without an adhesive layer. The sports board includes a bottom solid sheet skin laminated directly to a bottom surface of the e... | 08/01/2006 |
| 7080607 | Seismic data acquisiton equipment control system A method of controlling a streamer positioning device configured to be attached to a marine seismic streamer and towed by a seismic survey vessel and having a wing and a wing motor for changing the orientation of the wing. The method includes the steps of: obtaining... | 07/25/2006 |
| 6932017 | Control system for positioning of marine seismic streamers A method of controlling a streamer positioning device (18) configured to be attached to a marine seismic streamer (12) and towed by seismic survey vessel (10) and having a wing and a wing motor for changing the orientation of the wing. The metho... | 08/23/2005 |
| 6910436 | Propulsion steered towboat A conventional style of towboat has been used on U.S. waterways for decades, with steering control reliant on a triad of rudders for each screw, resulting in up to a dozen rudders installed. This propulsion steered towboat relies on an enhanced method of steering wi... | 06/28/2005 |
| 6883453 | Unmanned watercraft retrieval system An underwater retrieval body connected at its forward bow end by a towing line to a retrieval ship, has attachment facilities at its opposite aft end for attachment thereof during underwater propulsion with an unmanned watercraft by engaging its projecting hook or r... | 04/26/2005 |
| 6678589 | Boat positioning and anchoring system An anchorless boat positioning system for establishing and maintaining a boat at a selected geographic location without the use of a conventional anchor. In one embodiment, a steerable thruster is used whose thrust and steering direction are determined an... | 01/13/2004 |
| 6655311 | Marine seismic diverter with vortex generators The present invention provides methods, systems and apparatus for steering one or more cables towed through water by a vessel. In general, a diverter attached to the one or more cables may comprise a float, a vane extending from a bottom surface of the fl... | 12/02/2003 |
| 6488445 | Method and device for oil spill response operation A method and a device for performing the methods, for response to a spill on water whereby one end of an oil boom is towed from the shore of a watercourse with flowing water, at an angle to the water current, to a suitable position in the watercourse, usi... | 12/03/2002 |
| 6354235 | Convoy of towed ocean going cargo vessels and method for shipping across an ocean A ship convoy is provided that is towed by an ocean tug, and includes a series of specially made ocean going, modular, self propelling cargo ships, for transoceanic voyages. The tug also controls the cargo ships remotely. Each cargo ship is a medium tonna... | 03/12/2002 |
| 6267070 | System for towing equipment at sea A system for towing equipment at sea comprises a main vessel adapted to tow the equipment in a given direction of movement. At least one active deflector is disposed behind and on each side of the main vessel for pulling at least part of the towed equipme... | 07/31/2001 |
| 6182594 | Towable innertube accessory with rudder An innertube accessory that facilitates towing an innertube by a boat. The accessory includes a shell for receiving any size innertube and attaching it. The accessory is suitable for being towed by the boat, by a track and trolley mechanism that adapts to... | 02/06/2001 |
| 6079346 | Tugboat having azimuthal propelling units There is described a tugboat (1) having three azimuthal propelling units (10, 20, 30), two (10, 20) of which are juxtaposed below the stern (7), symmetrically relative to the main plane of symmetry (2), while the third azimuthal propelling unit (30) is di... | 06/27/2000 |
| 5881665 | Towable recreational watercraft having effective and convenient steering system A towable watercraft is provided with a tow bar which extends over a front portion of a hull of the watercraft, and downwardly along the outside of the hull front portion to an elevation where a tow line can be secured to an end portion of the tow bar. A ... | 03/16/1999 |
| 5579710 | Boat docking method and apparatus A method and apparatus for docking a motorboat including providing boat docking apparatus with a length of cable, having a weight affixed to one end, and cable retrieving apparatus, having a second end of the cable adhering thereto. The boat is moved to w... | 12/03/1996 |
| 5386792 | Hook assembly for broken tow line retrieval and emergency marine towing A controllable hook assembly for retrieving a barge's towing bridle or broken tow cable while maintaining a safe standoff distance between the drifting vessel and the recovery vessel. It may also be used for emergency towing of a vessel adrift or otherwis... | 02/07/1995 |
| 5247898 | Water-ski board A ski board is arranged to include a polymeric skin envelope housing a foam core, to include a rear wall having a plurality of parallel troughs orthogonally intersecting the rear wall canted upwardly towards the top wall to receive the leg portions of an ... | 09/28/1993 |
| 5241920 | Hook assembly for broken tow line retrieval and emergency marine towing A controllable hook assembly and method for retrieving a barge's towing bridle or broken tow cable while maintaining a safe standoff distance between the drifting vessel and the recovery vessel. It may also be used for emergency towing of a vessel adrift ... | 09/07/1993 |
| 5235928 | Towed submergible, collapsible, steerable tank A towable tank for holding a liquid is collapsible, submergible, and steele. A bladder for holding a liquid is disposed in a housing having openings formed therein. Horizontally mounted diving planes on the housing cause the tank to submerge when under t... | 08/17/1993 |
| 5188313 | Glider aircraft tow control system The towed glider flight control system of the invention has a towing frame interconnecting and pivotally connected at each end to the towed glider and the towing aircraft. Sensors measuring the angular relationships between the towing frame and the towed ... | 02/23/1993 |
| 5150661 | Retractable steering device for cargo barges that increases maneuverability by providing a pivot point or points when altering course A retractable steering device for liquid/bulk cargo carrying barges includes a rectangular barge hull having a generally flat bottom and an upper deck and generally vertical port and starboard sidewalls. A cargo hold is contained at the central portion of... | 09/29/1992 |
| 5111763 | Steering unit for barges 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 wi... | 05/12/1992 |
| 5057044 | Recreational water sled and towing method A recreational water sled and method for carrying a rider while being towed behind a boat includes a sled member and a downwardly-extending rudder, with a vertical steering pole extending approximately to chest height for a standing rider, and with a thre... | 10/15/1991 |
| 4949663 | Electro-magnetic coupling for tow boat and barge An electro-magnetic coupling apparatus for use with a tug and barge tow includes a bumper frame which is pivotally carried by the tub. The bumper frame includes a bearing surface that is positioned to bear against the barge so that a load transfer between... | 08/21/1990 |
| 4944239 | Flap rudder and steering system An automatic steering control system between a towing marine vehicle and a towed marine vehicle comprising a main rudder and an active flap rudder extension on the towed vehicle controlled for independent oscillation by an active flap actuator that impart... | 07/31/1990 |
