Buoyant electrical cable

Claim 2

An improved high amperage buoyant cable comprising in combination: casing means for providing a wear resistant structure having an enclosed passageway therein; electrical conductor means located within said enclosed passageway and coextensive therewith for conducting electrical currents therein; loom means having a hollow preform with a plurality of arcuate indentations therein for supporting said electrical conductor means in contact with said caSing means; conduit means located within the aforesaid casing means and supported by one of the arcuate indentations in said loom means for supplying gas under pressure to the enclosed passageway within said casing means; fitting means attached to said conduit means and extending through said casing means for providing a passage for said gas to the exterior of said casing means; and a plurality of inflatable flotation means attached to said casing means in such a manner as to serially extend therealong for buoyantly supporting said casing means and the electrical conductor and loom means encased thereby.

Claim 3

A buoyant cable according to claim 1 in which said casing means further includes: upper casing means for enclosing said conductors and supporting said flotation means; lower casing means shaped to fittingly cooperate with said upper casing means, so as to support and enclose the aforesaid conductor means; and hinge means attached to one side of said upper and lower casing means, so as to hold them in hingedly cooperating relationship for providing readily obtainable access to the interior of said casing means and the conductors and looms carried thereby.

Claim 4

A buoyant cable according to claim 2 additionally comprising fastener means attached to said upper and lower casing means for securing said hingedly joined upper and lower casing means together to provide enclosing support for said electrical conductor means.

Claim 5

A buoyant cable according to claim 1 wherein the aforesaid flotation means further comprises: pressure relief exhaust valve means at one end of each aforesaid flotation unit for exhausting the inflating gas therefrom; and inlet valve means at the opposite end of each aforesaid flotation unit from said exhaust valve means for admitting inflation gas therethrough.

Claim 6

A buoyant cable according to claim 4 wherein said inlet valve means is attached to the aforesaid fitting means for admitting gas from said conduit means.

Claim 7

A buoyant cable according to claim 5 in which said inlet valve means is a submergence actuated valve for admitting gas therethrough when said flotation unit is submerged in a liquid.

Claim 8

A buoyant cable according to claim 6 in which said submergence actuated valve comprises: valve seat means located on the lower wall of said flotation unit so as to extend therethrough, and attached to aforesaid fitting means for conducting gas therethrough to inflate said flotation unit; plug means attached to said upper wall of said flotation unit and positioned for fitting within said valve seat when said flotation unit is deflated for stopping the flow of gas therethrough; and float means attached to said upper wall of said flotation unit, so as to be effectively attached to said plug means for lifting said plug means from said valve seat means when said flotation means is submerged in a liquid.

Claim 9

A buoyant cable for conducting high amperage electrical currents therethrough while floating on the surface of a liquid comprising in combination: upper casing means comprising a broad, flat, inverted U-shaped member and having outwardly extending flange means along one edge thereof for providing enclosure and structural support of said cable; lower casing means comprising a broad, flat, U-shaped member complementarily shaped to said upper casing means and having an outwardly extending flange means on one edge thereof in mating relation with said flange on said upper casing means for cooperating with said upper casing means in providing enclosure and structural support for said cable; fastener means passing through said flange means for securing said upper and lower casing means together; hinge means connected to said upper and lower casing means on the edges thereof opposite said flanges for hingedly joining said casing means, so as to permit hinged relative movement therebetween when said fastener means are removed; insulated electrical means within said Upper and lower casing means for conducting electrical currents therethrough; loom means within said casing means formed to receive said insulated electrical conductor means and for supporting said insulated electrical conductor means in a predetermined relationship in contact with said casing means; conduit means enclosed within said upper and lower casing means and supported by said loom means for supplying gas therethrough; a plurality of fitting means spaced along said upper casing means and extending therethrough and communicating with said conduit means for providing spaced passageways for gas flow from said conduit means through said casing means; a plurality of serially spaced inflatable flotation units attached to said upper spacing means for buoyant support thereof; inlet valve means disposed in the bitter end of said inflatable flotation units and connected to said fitting means for inflation of said flotation units, said valve means being submergence actuated to cause inflation of said flotation units upon submergence thereof within a liquid; and pressure release exhaust valve means in the distal ends of each flotation unit for exhausting the inflating gas therein when said buoyant cable is retrieved.

Claim 10

A buoyant cable for conducting high amperage electrical currents therethrough while floating on the surface of a liquid comprising in combination: upper casing means comprising a broad, flat, inverted U-shaped member and having outwardly extending flange means along one edge thereof for providing enclosure and structural support of said cable; lower casing means comprising a broad, flat, U-shaped member complementarily shaped to said upper casing means and having an outwardly extending flange means on one edge thereof in mating relation with said flange on said upper casing means for cooperating with said upper casing means in providing enclosure and structural support for said cable; fastener means passing through said flange means for securing said upper and lower casing means together; hinge means connected to said upper and lower casing means on the edges thereof opposite said flanges for hingedly joining said casing means, so as to permit hinged relative movement therebetween when said fastener means are removed; insulated electrical means within said Upper and lower casing means for conducting electrical currents therethrough; loom means within said casing means formed to receive said insulated electrical conductor means and for supporting said insulated electrical conductor means in a predetermined relationship in contact with said casing means; conduit means enclosed within said upper and lower casing means and supported by said loom means for supplying gas therethrough; a plurality of fitting means spaced along said upper casing means and extending therethrough and communicating with said conduit means for providing spaced passageways for gas flow from said conduit means through said casing means; a plurality of serially spaced inflatable flotation units attached to said upper spacing means for buoyant support thereof; inlet valve means disposed in the bitter end of said inflatable flotation units and connected to said fitting means for inflation of said flotation units, said valve means being submergence actuated to cause inflation of said flotation units upon submergence thereof within a liquid; and pressure release exhaust valve means in the distal ends of each flotation unit for exhausting the inflating gas therein when said buoyant cable is retrieved.