초록 ▼

A floating pontoon structure with adjustable draft includes a lower section with an enclosed hollow hull and a lower deck connected thereto, a supporting framework extending upwardly from the lower deck, an upper deck connected to the supporting framework in parallel spaced apart relation to the low

A floating pontoon structure with adjustable draft includes a lower section with an enclosed hollow hull and a lower deck connected thereto, a supporting framework extending upwardly from the lower deck, an upper deck connected to the supporting framework in parallel spaced apart relation to the lower deck, a ballast tank disposed in the hollow hull of the lower section, a valved passageway between the ballast tank and the exterior of the hull for filling and emptying the ballast tank, and one or more flotation tanks disposed between the lower deck and the upper deck to provide positive buoyancy when the ballast tank is filled. A method of connecting a plurality of pontoon structures to form a larger composite structure and a method of adjusting the draft of the larger composite structure are also provided.

대표청구항 ▼

[ I claim:] [1.] A pontoon structure adapted to float on the surface of a body of water, comprisinga lower section having a hull with a bottom and sidewalls connected to said bottom and extending upwardly therefrom, and a lower deck connected to said sidewalls so as to fully close said hull around a

[ I claim:] [1.] A pontoon structure adapted to float on the surface of a body of water, comprisinga lower section having a hull with a bottom and sidewalls connected to said bottom and extending upwardly therefrom, and a lower deck connected to said sidewalls so as to fully close said hull around a hollow interior thereof;an upper section having an upper deck disposed above and generally parallel to said lower deck and separated therefrom, and a structural framework interconnected between said lower deck of said lower section and said upper deck such that the space between said lower deck and said upper deck is substantially open;a hollow ballast tank disposed in said hollow interior of said lower section;filling means for selectively filling said ballast tank with water drawn from the body of water upon which said pontoon is floating so as to cause said lower section to sink in the body of water upon which said pontoon is floating and increase the draft of said pontoon in said water; andemptying means for selectively emptying water from said ballast tank so as to cause said lower section to rise in the body of water upon which said pontoon is floating and decrease the draft of said pontoon in said water.