Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
1326614
- A device for launching and hoisting lifeboats, pick-up boats,
etc.
The invention relates to a device for launching and hoisting
lifeboats, pick-up boats, etc., and for catching people and
objects floa-ting in the sea. Said device comprises two 'booms
from which hawsers extend to two elongated buoyancy means
which are connected at a mutual distance, and are connected
with said hawsers via spreader yokes, from which ropes extend '
10 to the 'buoyancy means, /and bottom members spanning across
the space between said buoyancy means \and extending in the
water when the buoyancy members are afloat, said ropes passing
through guides on the buoyancy means ~and acting as guides
ko the buoyancy members when the latter are afloat on the sea,
15 said ropes being connected with the respective, adjacent
bottom members~
From N0-PS 140 530, and N0-PS 141 929 a device is known for
launching and hoisting lifeboats, pick-up boats, etc,
20 comprising two booms from which hawsers extend to two elongat-
ed 'buoyancy means connected at a mutual distance, which
buoyancy means are connected with said hawsers via spreader
yokes from which ropes extend to the buoyancy means. The
space between buoyancy means is spanned by bottom members which
25~ are in the water when the buoyancy means are afloat on the sea.
The utilized booms are deslgned as separate units as known '~
from conventional davit arrangements. For stabilizing the dock '''
formed by said floating means at sea a comparatively complicat-
ed~and expensive arrangement with hydraulic arms projecting
` 30 down into the water from carrier means placed alongside the
vessel are us-d.
Moreover, it is known to use a weight immersed in water to
stabilize a vertically hanging rope, and it is also known that
3s~such a weight may be designed as a bottom member spanning
a catching dock.
I _ With ~his known technology for a starting point, according to
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1 32661 4
_ the invention, a device as mentioned above is proposed, which
is characterized by the fact that said two booms are assembl-
ed into a fork-shaped swing crane-boom unit, that the booms
are telescopic, and that hawsers extend from the stationary
boom sections to a spreader yoke for one of the buoyancy
means, whereas hawsers extend from the movable boom sections
to a spreader yoke for the second buoyancy means.
With the concept of the invention the davit-arrangement is, -
thus, abandoned and, in stead, the advantages of a swing crane
are utilized. With said two booms designed as members of a
swing crane it will be possible to hoist the dock formed by
the buoyancy means from the water and swing it, by the aid
of the swing crane, a distance inward on deck, e.g. the
relatively protected working deck on a supply ship. Such a
possibility of hoisting and placing the dock with its content
is very important in connection with hoisting hyperbaric
lifeboats, because necessary equipment and aid can then
arrive more quickly.
.
Each spreader yoke is connected wlth one and the same buoyancy
means. Each spreader yoke is connected with both arms or booms
of the two-armed swing crane. Due to the fact that the booms
are telescopic the buoyancy means placed outermost in relation
to the swing crane may be adjusted as regards its position in
relation to the other buoyancy means by retraction/extension
; of the telescopic outer boom sections. This permits an
especially advantageous relative adjustment of the buoyancy
means, so that the dock formed by said buoyancy means can
, . . .
be provided with a larger inlet opening by placing the
buoyancy means in a mutually divergent position. This is
achived by extending one telescopic boom more than the other.
At the same time, the entire dock can be turned by swinging
the swing crane, into a position with the inlet opening of -
the dock facing away from the ship's slde or from the side of
I the installation where the device is arranged. In this manner,
e.g. a life boat can be directed into the dock at an angle -
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7 3266 1 4
_ with the ship's side. Experience has shown that the greatest
hazard during rescue operations occurs when the object to be
rescued gets too close to the ship's side. Then the hazard
of destroying the object is imminent. This problem of distance
may be overcome due to the fact that the device can be guided
as mentioned by the aid of the crane. If the dock formed by
the buoyancy means is, e.g. turned 30 in relation to the
ship's side open waters will be achieved for relatively safe
running-in/catching in the dock. This possibility combined
with the possibility of enlarging the inlet of the dock will
provide for a very safe device.
In an advantageous embodiment of the device said boom assembly
comprises a rigid fork stem being turnable about a horizontal
lS axis in the ring mount and with both fork members being
telescopic~ This means that only the outer portion of the
swing crane is fork shaped or two-armed. The advantage of this
embodiment i6 that there is a monolithic Eork stem which is
turned, and raised, and lowered, in stead of two booms project-
ing from the ring mount.
The fork members are, advantageously, placed at an obtuseangle with the fork stem. In the normal position of utilization
of the fork stem the fork members can then,advantageously,
25 extend horizontally outwards, i.e. substantially in parallel
with the water surface. In this manner the free length of said
two outer hawsers is reduced.
In order to stabilize the device, i.e. the dock formed by
the buoyancy means, a control line may extend to a suitable
winch from each end area of the buoyancy means closest to the
crane. By the aid of said control lines the dock may be
controlled and kept in a stable position during hoisting/
launching operationsj or when the crane is turned around to
~put~the dock on deck. In order to protect the object to be
t:aken up or launched each spreader yoke is,
advantageously~designed a5 a rigid body cemented in a fender
_ material.
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- A three-armed ropefork may, advantageously extend from each
hawser to the associated spreader yoke. Such a design would
provide for the necessary stable suspension of the spreader
yokes and associated buoyancy means.
The elongated buoyancy means may, advantageously be composed
of a plurality of floats connected in sequence. The spreader
yokes will ensure the required stability, at the same time
as the dock will have the desired flexibility in the water.
The dock may be open at one or both ends, as desired. One -
dock end may be closed by the aid of floats of the same kind
as those used in the elongated buoyancy means. -~
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The bottom mernbers, as mentioned, connect said ropes under
the buoyancy means and act as spreader means. An especially
suitable embodiment of the bottom members, which has inventive
value per se, comprises bottom members designed as straps with
attached spring steel members of ~he same length, and with -~
these units cemented in a resilient protecting material. Such
a bottom member will be rigid enough to provide the desired
spreading effect; at the same time it will in case of rise and
fall, at least to a cer~ain degree, adapt to the shape of the
object in the dock and provide good support for said object.
~25
Between bottom members a net may be stretched in an advantage~
ous and known manner; this being of special importance when
relatively small objects, eOg. persons, are to be rescued
from the sea.
30~
The~swing crane is advantageously provided with a contact
face agianst which the dock may be brought to rest. For this
the~mentioned~control lines may advantageously be utilized.
35 ;The invention is disclosed in more detail below~with reference ~`
to the drawing, where
~ - ~ Figure l ~s a ~view of a device according to the invention,
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13~6614
_ as seen along the ship's side,
Figure 2 is a plan view of the two-armed swing crane shown in
Figure l,
Figure 3 shows the device according -to Figure l, as seen in
the direction of the ship's side and in a smaller
scale,
Figure 4 shows a plan view of the device according to Figure3,
Figure 5 shows the device according to the invention with the
hawsers heaved in, so that the shown pickup boat is
ready for heaving in, --
Figure 6 shows the same situation as Figure 5, as seen in the
direction of the shipis side,
Figure 7 shows the pickup boat shown in Figures 5 and 6 in a
hoisted up state, ready for swinging in over the
16 ship's deck,
Figure 8 is a view like Figure 4, but with the dock comprised
of buoyancy means in a state with an expanded inlet, -
Figure 9 shows the hawser and rope arrangement with associated ~ -
bottom members in a plan view,
~O Figure lO is an end view of the arrangement shown in Figure 9,
Fig1lre ll i~ a diagrammatical view of one half of a bottom
member, :
Figure 12 is a sectional view of the bottom member, along
sectional line XII-XII in Figure ll, shown in a larger
i 25 scale, and
:- Figure 13 is a vie, partly in section, of a spreader yoke.
Figure l shows a crane support 3 arranged on deck l of a
vessel 2. Swingably mounted on crane support 3 is a unit 4
comprising a crane tower 5, a cabin 6 for the crane operator,
and a~ring mount 7. This unit 4 is mounted by the aid of ring
:; mount 7 to b0 rotatable in a manner known per se about a
vertical axis on crane support 3.
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35~A fork shaped boom unit 8 is mounted in tower 5 so as to be
; tiltable about a horizontal axis 9 and can be tilted up and - -
down about mounting axis 9 by the aid of a hydraulic cylinder
_lO. The fork shaped design of boom unit 8 will appear from
132661~
_ Figure 2 showing the swing crane from above. Boom unit 8,
thus, comprises a rigid fork stem 11 and a fork projecting
from said stem at an obtuse angle and comprising two tele-
scopic boom sections or fork members 12 and 13. Each fork
member is built with a stationary section 14, and 15,
respectably, and a teleskopic or extendable boom section 16,
and 17, respectively. The swing crane is provided with,
totally, four hawsers from winches 18. Hawsers 19, 20/ 21,
22 extend over vertical pulleys 23, 24, 25, and 26, resp.,
and from there down to dock 27.
Said dock 27 comprises two elongated buoyancy means 28, 29.
Each buoyancy means is connected with a spreader yoke 30, 31,
resp. by the aid of ropes 40 extending from the associated
spreader yoke down through vertical rope guides 41, 42 on the
buoyancy means, and further down to associated bottom means
43. As shown in Figure 9, ropes 40 extend upwards ko spreader
yoke 30, and 31, resp. and are connected with the spreader
yoke in a manner not shown. From the spreader yoke ropes 40
are gathered by three-armed ropeforks 44, 45, shown in Figure
9, from which the respective hawsers 19-22 extend. ~
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It will appear, especially from Figure 9, that each buoyancy
means is comprised of a plurality of floats 46 connected in
sequence. Connection is achieved by simple lugs which are
connected by vertical bolts 47.
The dock is alosed at one end by the aid of two floats 46 in
the shown embodiments, which appears most clearly from Figures
;4 and 8. The structure of bottom members 43 in the embodiment
lS rather speclal and ls shown in detail in Figures 11 and 12.
As~shown in Figure 11 the bottom member in this case consists
; of a polyester strap 48 with a spring steel member 49 secured
to it at equal intervals. Securing is achieved by the aid of
clamp means 50, and the assembly is cemented in a suitable
; ~ material, in the shown case PVC, designated 51. In case of
_ ~heaving bottom member 43 will be able to adapt to the
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_ shape of the rescued object and, together with the buoyancy
means, provide good support for said object. This is, e.g.
illustrated in Figures 5 and 7 (compare with Figure 1). The
mode of operation of the device will now be disclosed in more
de~ail with reference to Figures 1-7. In Figure 1 dock 27 is
shown to be placed in the water. Spreader yokes 30 and 31 are
placed far down adjacent buoyancy means 28,29, and the ropes
40 extending from said spreader yokes extend down into the
water with the associated bottom means 43. In the shown
10 embodiment bottom means 43 in Figure 1 will be approximately -
2.5 m below the bottom of the shown pickup vessel 52 which
has entered dock 27 formed by the buoyancy means. Said depth
of approximately 2.5 m provides for safe clearing for use of
the pickup vessel screw. The situation as shown in Figure 1
is also found in Figure 3 showing the dock and pickup vessel
in a view ~owards ship 2. Figure 4 shows the same situation
as Figures 1 and 2, in a plan view.
From inner buoyancy means 28 a control line 53, 54, resp.
20 extends to a so called tugger-winch 55, 56 provided on the
swingable crane unit 4. Said control lines 53,54 serve to
prevent toss during launching/hoisting, or when the swing
crane is turned about to land the rescued object 52 on-deck 1;
and they may be used to pull dock 27 towards a resting surface
.
25 60 on the swing crane.
Additionally, in Figure 4 a line 57 is shown extending for-
wards to an auxiliary boom 58 extended from ship 2. Line 57 ^-
contributes to stabllize the dock in the water. ~-
30~
In Figures 5 and 6 the device;is shown after hawsers 19-22
have been hauled in by the aid of winches 18. As shown, bottom
members 43 are now hoisted up closely beneath the bottom of -
~Pickup vessel 52. Continued hauling in of the hawsers will
cause pickup vessel 52 to be lifted~from the water, as shown
n Figure 7. From Figure 7 it will appear how dock 27 with
pickup vessel 52 is pulled into contact with the swingable
~ crane unit 4. The crane may now be turned to bring dock 27
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with pickup vessel 52 to a central posi-tion on deck 1, where
the dock with the pickup vessel may be put down. When a
hyperbaric lifeboat is rescued it is now possible to supply
pressured air, oxygen, water, electric power, etc by simple
connections, so that divers under pressure will also be safe
in case of an evacuation.
As shown in Figures 3 and 6 a net 59 is stretched between
bottom members 43.
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In Flgure 8 lt is shown how the telescoping booms, and the --
swingable crane design may be utilized in an advantageous
manner. Crane unit 4 with fork stem 11, and associated fork -
members 12, 13 is somewhat displaced from the position shown
in Figure 4, at the same time as fork member 13 has been
telescopically extended causing the outer buoyancy means 29 -
to diverge outwards relative to the inner buoyancy means 28
in stead of being positioned in parallel with said means 28.
In this manner dock 27 is provided with a wider inlet opening -~
60 for pickup vessel 52. As soon as pickup vessel 52-has been
moved into dock 27 hoisting operations may begin, if desired,
with previous or simultaneous parallel positioning of the
buoyancy means by retraction of the telescopic fork member 13. -
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As shown in Figure 13, spreader yokes (30,31) are designed as
rigid members, e.g. a steel rod 61 being cemented in a
suitable fender material 62. Ropes 40 pass freely through
half links 63 secured to the spreader yoke, as shown. Due to
the fact that ropes 40 are continuous, and are only secured to
spreader yoke~31 for the spreading effect, the main weight
will be absorbed by the ropes, permitting reduced dimensions
of the spreader yoke.
c ~ The new device may, advantageously, be winterized.
I All~ ~winches 18, and hawser drums, and pulleys
may, thus, advantageously be mounted inside the crane, and
hawsers 19-22 may extend inside the crane booms 12,13. By
supplying hot air, either directly -from the engine room of
the~ship, or by having a hot air blower (not shown) placed
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_ inside the crane proper, the device will be operationally
independent of the ambient temperature. --
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