Abstract:
A method for applying to an outside surface of a liquid container an anti-leak, self-healing, layered barrier structure intended to inhibit liquid leakage from that container due to an impacting and piercing projectile. The method includes the steps of (a) spray applying to the mentioned container surface a first barrier layer formed of a high-elastomeric material, (b) thereafter, spray applying to the first barrier layer a second, composite-material barrier layer including a body formed of substantially the same high-elastomeric material used in the first barrier layer, and a distribution in that body of a plurality of liquid-imbiber bead elements designed to react with dimensional swelling and related liquid absorption when contacted by any leakage fluid coming from the mentioned container, and (c) thereafter, spray-applying to the second barrier layer a third barrier layer formed of substantially the same high-elastomeric material used in the mentioned first barrier layer, and in the body of the second, composite barrier layer.
Abstract:
An anti-puncture-wound, self-sealing coating structure applicable to the outside surface of a liquid-container wall having a puncture-flowering propensity. The coating structure, in operative condition relative to such a wall, includes (a) an inner, puncture-response layer disposed immediately adjacent the outside surface of the wall, formed of a flower-indifferent material possessing a thickness which is greater than the expected depth of a puncture flower produced in the wall, and (b) an outer, puncture-response layer operatively associated with the inner layer, disposed upwardly adjacent the inner layer, formed, at least in part, of a high-elastomeric material possessing a self-sealing characteristic which reacts in a self-sealing manner to any puncture-produced exposure of the outer layer material to liquid leaking from the container.
Abstract:
A head-pressure-variant, self-healing, anti-liquid-leak coating for the outside of an upright wall in a liquid container. This coating possesses a thickness which varies from smaller toward larger advancing downwardly along a coated container wall. Preferred embodiments of the coating include: (a) one whose overall thickness varies in a linear way; (b) another whose thickness varies in a staged/stepped manner; and (c) a third whose thickness varies in a smooth, non-linear way. In all embodiments, the coating includes plural layers having interlayer-thickness relationships which are the same throughout the coating.
Abstract:
A plural-panel, plural-layer armoring system including (a) an outer layer of elongate, side-by-side adjacent, laterally-interlocking, hardened-material armor panels having long axes substantially paralleling one another, and (b) a contacting, but not bonded-to, inner layer of elongate, side-by-side adjacent, closed-cell foam panels having long axes substantially paralleling one another and disposed at angles relative to the long axes of the armor panels.
Abstract:
A method for establishing a sprayable stream of composite material for spray-applying to a target surface to create thereon a defined composite-material coating designed for defeating a liquid leak from a puncture wound created in the wall of a container holding liquid of a particular character, where the target surface is on a side of that wall. The method includes (a) initiating a pair of respective sub-flows of two, precursor elastomeric materials intended for later blending to create a formed, elastomeric body, (b) at a point downstream from such initiating, introducing a flow of plural, liquid-imbiber beads which are reactive to the mentioned, particular-character liquid, (c) in a user-chooseable manner upstream from where such later blending takes place, merging the flow of beads with at least one of the two sub-flows of elastomeric materials, (d) following such merging, blending the two sub-flows, and (e) thereafter spray-applying the merged and blended flows/sub-flows to a target surface thus to create the desired, defined composite-material coating.
Abstract:
A combined-function protective coating for a fuel-containing structure including a self-sealing underlayer structure applied directly to such a fuel-containing structure, and an outer, chemical-agent and biological-agent resistant (CARC) overcoating material applied to the outside of the underlayer structure.
Abstract:
A differential-thickness, self-sealing, anti-leak, all-over coating for the outside surface of a fuel container formed of HDPE plastic material and characterized with differentiated high and low puncture-threat regions. The coating includes, for the high-threat regions, a plural-layer portion possessing (a) an inner, high-elastomeric layer bonded substantially directly to the overlying portion of the container wall's outer surface, (b) an intermediate, high-elastomeric layer including a population of embedded, liquid-fuel imbiber beads formed over the inner layer, and (c) an outer, high-elastomeric layer formed over the intermediate layer, and for the low-threat regions, a single-layer portion bonded substantially directly to the overlying portion of the container wall's outer surface, and having a single, high-elastomeric layer which joins in a bridging manner, and in a differential-thickness transition region, to each of the plural-layer portion's layers to form collaboratively therewith a fully enveloping, elastomeric, shrink-wrap jacket around the container.
Abstract:
A plural-panel, plural-layer armoring system including (a) an outer layer of elongate, side-by-side adjacent, laterally-interlocking, hardened-material armor panels having long axes substantially paralleling one another, and (b) a contacting, but not bonded-to, inner layer of elongate, side-by-side adjacent, closed-cell foam panels having long axes substantially paralleling one another and disposed at angles relative to the long axes of the armor panels.
Abstract:
Spray-formed, anti-burst, leak-self-sealing coating structure applicable to the outside surface of a fuel container, and an associated application methodology. In an operative condition relative to such a surface, the coating structure includes (a) a solid, continuous-phase body of fuel-reactive, high-elastomeric material in the form of an expanse having an inner side applied to such a surface, and a spaced, outer side, (b) a field of distributed, fuel-reactive, fuel-imbiber beads embedded in and throughout the expanse of said body, generally spaced from, and centrally between, the body's inner and outer sides, but exposed to neither such side, and (c) an anti-burst fabric web having meshes formed by elongate, stretch-resistant fibers extending generally centrally within and throughout bead field. Meshes in the fabric web, and beads in the bead field, are relatively sized appropriately to permit the ready mesh-through-passage of beads during spray-formation of the coating structure.
Abstract:
A method, and a self-sealing, layer-effect, stealth-reaction liner, for sealing against fuel leakage from the wound-punctured wall of an FT synthetic liquid fuel container. The liner includes (a) an elastomeric body defined by spaced, opposite faces, formed of a material which is non-reactive to FT fuel, and (b) nominally shrouded in a region within the liner body, inwardly of the faces, a distribution of liquid-imbiber beads which react to contact with FT fuel to initiate liquid-imbibing and material-swelling actions. The method includes (a) preparing, for installation in such a container, a liner with a non-fuel-reactive, substantially continuous-material elastomeric body having opposite faces, and (b) within that body, a non-facially exposed, normally body-shrouded, central distribution of fuel-reactive liquid-imbiber beads.