Kenneth James Welch

US Patent:

55557287, Sep 17, 1996

Filed:

Feb 3, 1995

Appl. No.:

8/383420

Inventors:

Kenneth W. Welch - Houston TX

Assignee:

Welch, Welch and Swanson - Houston TX

International Classification:

F03B 1700

US Classification:

60496

Abstract:

An apparatus and method are provided that comprise the use of a water-filled vessel having two vertical sections and two horizontal sections that connect the respective upper and lower ends of the vertical sections. A sprocket is mounted for rotation with a horizontal output shaft in one of the horizontal sections, and an idler pulley is mounted for rotation in the other horizontal section. An endless drive chain carrying a plurality of gas receptacles, or buckets encircles the sprocket and the idler pulley within the vessel. A gas inlet is positioned at the bottom of the vessel such that a portion of the gas entering the vessel enters the open ends of the downwardly facing buckets and forces part of the water out of the buckets. The hydrostatic pressure of the water exerts an upward buoyant force on the gas in the bucket moving the bucket upwardly. The hydrostatic pressure of the water decreases as the bucket moves upward causing a corresponding reduction in the pressure of the gas until, at the surface, the gas will have decreased in pressure by the hydrostatic pressure of the water at the inlet of the gas into the vessel.

US Patent:

57274967, Mar 17, 1998

Filed:

May 3, 1996

Appl. No.:

8/642751

Inventors:

Kenneth W. Welch - Houston TX

Assignee:

Global Oceanic Designs Ltd. - Houston TX

International Classification:

B63B 313

US Classification:

114312

Abstract:

A transport vessel hull is provided for withstanding great pressure differential between the environments inside and outside the hull, and includes an enclosed hexahedral housing having a substantially diamond-shaped cross section with a long diagonal oriented horizontally and a short diagonal oriented vertically. A support structure is contained within the housing for bearing the loads resulting from the pressure differential across the hull, and includes a plurality of vertical frame members connected at the upper and lower ends thereof to the housing on either respective side of the short diagonal to form a plurality of high strength-to-weight ratio trusses.