Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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This invention relates to a novel cargo carrying articulated ship
~ystem, particularly adapted for use in ice infested waters.
There is a basic inconsistency in the power requirements of
icebreaking cargo ships. In order to operate in an icebreaking mode,
such ships must have a relatively large engine power. On the other
hand, to operate in the open water navigation mode, the engines need
not be as powerful. Thus the icebreaking cargo ships have traditionally
had a much larger engine power than economically feasible for open
water navigation. Moreover, on most routes, the distance where ice
has to be broken is shorter than the distance in open water navigation.
Thus, it would be economically feasible to split the power requirements
to an optimum economical level by the use of an auxiliary pulling or
pushing auxiliary unit.
In the Soviet Arctic and in the Baltic regions, icebreakers
occasionally tow ships in ice. However, this is not generally feasible
since the stern notch of the icebreaker and the bow of the towed ship -
are not matched and this often leads to damage to the bow of the towed
ship. Moreover, there is no control on the relative rotation of the
ships.
It is also well known that barges are of ten pushed by tugs in
open water.
Canadian Patent No. 202,168 issued July 27, 1920 to P.A.J.M.
Couston provides a navigable unit comprising an unpowered vessel
pushed by a powered tug. The bow of the tug being so shaped to the ;~
stern of the unpowered vessel that the two units consistute a single
vessel of normal outline.
Canadian Patent 853,963 issued October 20, 1970 to Ohch et al
discloses a push-barge having a pusher-vessel, and exemplifies the
manner in which barges are propelled, as an alternative to the usual
tug pulling arrangement.
Canadian Patents 958,287 and 958,288 issued November 26, 1974 to
Aktien-Gesellschaft "Weser" provide arrangements for connecting two
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marine vessels so that tugs can push barges.
Canadian Patent 962,533 issued February 11, 1975 to W.F.J. Freitag
provides a Universal coupling device for complex barges to a towing vessel.
Canadian Patent 973,434 issued August 26, 1975 to R.A. Bludworth
provides an ocean going push towing combination for pushing barges.
It would, therefore, be desirable and it is an object of one broad
aspect of this invention to provide a carbo-carrying articulated ship sys-
tem having icebreaking capabilities in which the power requirements for
icebreaking mode operation and for open sea navigation m~de operation are
different .
An object of another aspect of this invention is to provide a
cargo-carrying articulated ship system having icebreaking capabilities
based on a powered icebreaking vessel in conjunction with an auxilliary
powered locomotive vessel having icebreaking capabilities.
An object of yet another aspect of this invention is to provide
such a system in which the area of contact between the powered cargo
icebreaking unit and the powered locomotive unit is matched.
An object of a further aspect of this invention is the provision
of such a system whereby there is positive control for articulating the
powered cargo carrying unit in relation to the powered locomotive unit.
Accordingly, by one broad aspect of this invention, a cargo -
carrying articulated ship system havin~!icebreaking capabilities is pro-
vided comprising in combination, a powered cargo-carrying vessel having an
icebreaking hull form, a bow and a stern; a powered locomotive vessel
having an icebreaking hull form, a bow and a stern; and means comprising
winches secured to the locomotive vessel with lines therefrom tied to
the cargo-carrying vessel for connecting the powered cargo-carrying ves-
sel and the powered locomotive vessel at concave and convex respective
bow and stern oonfigurations~Such means being operable by interrelated
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winding-in and paying-out of such lines by operation of s~;ch winches to con-
trol the lateral movement of the cargo-carrying vessel relative to the looo-
motive vessel, the cargo-carrying v~ssel control means being operable inde-
pendent of the ccntrol mcans for the locomotive vessel so that the cargo-
carrying vessel is m~neuverable in lateral directions ir.dependent of the
direction of movement of the locomotive vessel.
By one variant, the stern of t~e cargo-carrying vessel is secured
to the bow of the loco~,otive vessel, thereby to have the looumotive vessel
assist the propulsion of the cargo-carrying vessel by pushing.
By another variant, the bow of the cargo-carrying vessel is se-
cured to the stern of the locomotive vessel, thereby to have the locomotive
vessel assist the propulsion of the cargo-carrying vessel by pulling.
By yet another variant, a dampening material, preferably rubber,
wood or nylon is disposed between the cargo-carrying vessel and the loco-
motive vessel.
By a variation of these three variants, (a) a central winch is
provided on the locomotive vessel with a line secured at a bight to a cen-
tral bollard on the OE go-carrying v~ssel; (b) a starboard winch is provided
on the locomotive vessel with a line secured at a bight to a starboard
bollard on the cargo-carrying vessel; and (c) a port winch is provided on
the locomotive vessel with a line secured at a bight to a port bollard on
the cargc-carrying vessel.
In the acc~anying drawings,
Figure 1 is a side elevational view of one emkodiment of a self-
propelled cargo-carryir.g vessel~icebreaking locomotive articulated combina-
tion according tL~ one aspect of this invention;
Figure 2 is a top plan view of the en~odiment of Figure l;
Figure 3 is an enlarged top plan view of the interconnection be-
tween the cargo-carrying vessel and icebreaking looomotive as shown in Fig-
ures 1 and 2;
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Figure 4 is a side elevational view of a second en~xxiiment of aOE go-carrying vessel/icebreaking locomotive articulated combination accord-
ing to a second aspect of this invention;
Figure 5 is a top plan view of the e~kodi~ent of Figure 4; and
Figure 6 is an enlarged top plan view of the interconnection be-
tween the OE go- OE rying vessel and the icebre~king locomotive as shown in
Figures 4 and 5.
Turning firstly to Figures 1 and 2, it is seen that the combina-
tion includes a self-propelled cargocarrying vessel 10 and an icebreaking
locomotive 11 secured together at the stern 12 of the ship 10 and the bow 13
of the icebreaking locom~tive 11. The stern 12 and the bow 13 are matched so
that they fit one another while allowing some vertical movement between the
ships, as well as to permit relative rotation as jwill be described herein-
after with reference to Figure 3. It is also seen that damçening material
14, e.g. wDod, rubber or nylon, is disFosed between stern 12 and bow 13 to
minimize and even avoid damage. It is possible, however, to do away with
such dampening material and to have direct metal to metal contact.
As seen in Figure 3, the stern 12 and bow 13 are interconnected
by a plurality of lines originating on the pushing icebreaking locomotive
11. A central winch 15 is provided with controlled line 16 which is se-
cured to bollard 17 on OE go-c æ rying vessel 12 at bight 16a. A starbo æ d
winch 18 is provided with line 19 which is secured to st æ bo æ d boll æ d 20
on cargo-carrying vessel 12 at bight l9a. Finally, a port winch 21 is pro-
vided with line 22 which is secured to port boll æ d 23 on c æ go- OE rying
vessel 12 at bight 22a.
Suitable interrelated winding-in and paying-out of lines 19 and -
22 enable steering of and relative rotation between cargo-c æ rying vessel
10 and icebreaking locomDtive 11.
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~ s seen in Figures 4 and 5, the combination includes an icebreak-
ing locomotive 111, and a self-propelling OE go- OE rying vessel 110 se-
cured together at the stern 112 of the icebreaking locomotive 111 and the
bow 113 of the barge 110. The stern 112 and the bow 113 are matched so
that they fit one another while allowing some vertical movement between the
ships, as well as to permit relative rotation as w711 be described here-
inafter with reference to Figure 6. As in the e~bodiment of Figures 1 -
3, a dampening material 114, e.g. of rubber, wood or nylon, may be disposed
between stern 112 and bow 113.
As seen in figure 6, the stern 112 and bow 113 are interconnected
by a plurality of lines originating on the pulling icebreaking loccmDtive
111. A central winch 115 is provided with line 116 which is secured to
bollard 117 on OE go-carrying vessel 112 at bight 116a. A starboard
winch 118 is provided with line 119 which is secured to starboard bollard
120 on OE go-carrying vessel 112 at bight ll9a. ~inally, a port winch 121
is provided with line 122 which is secured to port bollard 123 on OE go-
OE rying vessel 112 at bight 122a.
Suitable interrelated winding-in and paying-out of lines 119 and
122 enable steering and relative rotation between icebreaking locomotive
111 and OE go-carrying vessel 110.
As an example, the icebreaking locomotive 11, 111 can have an
engine power of 150,000 s.h.p. and a displacement of 45,000 tons. The
OE go-carrying vessel 10 can have an engine power of 50,000 s.h.p. and a
displacement of 150,000 tons. The self-propelled OE go-carrying vessel 110
could have a displacement of 30,000 tons with, e.g., 12,000 s.h.p. engine
power.
In summary, a novel cargO- OE rying vessel/icebreaking locomotive
articulated system has been provided. The OE go-carrying vessel would, in
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general, be pushed if it were larger than ~he icehre~king loo~m~tive, or
would be pulled if it were smaller than the icebreaking locom~tive.
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