E.i. Dupont De Nemours and Company

Diversified Technologies, Inc.

Edward Merrick Hogan

Marcel P Gaudreau

Axel Sigmar

John Rayford Fowler

Christopher C Cunningham

A remotely-operated unmanned vehicle attached to the hull of a marine vessel by electromagnets surveys the hull for damage. The vehicle attached to the hull is electronically controlled from a remote location. An imaging system on the vehicle provides an operator with images of the vessel's hull and the surrounding environment. Once damage has been found and assessed, the vehicle applies a patch over the damaged opening in the hull to prevent cargo outflow and water inflow. The patch, which resists puncturing and tearing, is constructed from one or more sheets of flexible material having dimensions appropriate to cover most openings.

Sealing openings in hulls of vessels

Apparatus and method for assessing damage and patching openings in hulls

A fabric in a tubular shape is provided suitable for slipping over an expansible member which can be filled with fluid to thereby expand the expansible member and the tubular shape of the fabric, the fabric being expansible by at least 200% and having a uni-directional recovery force to provide the force to dispense the fluid from the expansible member, the fabric being made of elastomer yarn providing the recovery force and yarn in engagement with the elastomer yarn to maintain the fabric position of the elastomer yarn so as to prevent blow out of the expansible member between the yarn of the fabric during expansion of the expansible member.

Expansible fabric for fluid dispensing application

A fluid dispensing container of the volume-expansible bag type is provided wherein the force for dispensing fluid is provided by the contracting force of an expansible fabric having elastomer yarn in the direction of contraction disposed about the volume-expansible bag.

Growing community of inventors

Landenberg, PA, United States of America

Edward Merrick Hogan