EP0670262B1 - Raft, particularly a liferaft and its construction method - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a raft, but in particular a life raft, with a circumferential, inflatable buoyancy body located at the raft edge and consisting of two or more hoses arranged one above the other, the wall parts of the hoses arranged one above the other on the raft or the corresponding wall parts located inside the raft of these hoses merge into one another in one piece, and the inner and outer wall parts are connected to one another between hoses lying one above the other. The invention further relates to a method for producing these rafts.

Rafts of this type are particularly safe because their buoyancy body has two or more tubes. In addition, with two or more hoses arranged one above the other, it is possible to form comparatively high, narrow side walls.

In a known raft of this type (JP-A-56 146489, Patent Abstracts of Japan, vol. 6 no. 29 (M-113) [907], February 20, 1987), the buoyancy bodies are formed by two webs of the same width, which are connected together along their outer edges and in the middle between them. As a result, the buoyancy bodies have connection points at the top and bottom, which is disadvantageous, however, since these areas in particular are stronger due to external influences be burdened and should also often serve to attach additional facilities of the raft.

It is also known to produce two hoses lying one above the other from a single web (FR-A-2 443 332, BE-A-534 599), the edges of which are connected to one another either between the two hoses or at the bottom of the buoyancy body.

The invention is essentially based on the object of designing the buoyancy bodies for rafts mentioned at the outset in such a way that their manufacture can be carried out more easily and that, moreover, the connection points of the webs are arranged at the most protected location on the buoyancy bodies.

To achieve this object, according to the invention, the wall parts are formed by two webs of different widths, and both wall parts are connected to one another laterally on the buoyancy body, preferably on the inside thereof.

The individual hoses are not assembled for themselves, that is, they are assembled, rather one starts from two webs of different widths, for example made of rubberized fabric, which are placed one on top of the other, the web of greater width preferably being arranged at the bottom and folded so that recessed edge areas form. The webs are then connected to one another at their edges and at a distance therefrom, which can be done by gluing, welding, sewing or the like, also in connection with flap-like cover strips. These webs can have a great length, for example a length that is several times greater than the circumference of the buoyancy body, so that longitudinal sections corresponding to the circumference of the rafts can be separated from the webs.

The longitudinal sections are formed into an endless structure by adhesive strips or the like and, for example, with the other parts. united the raft floor. If air is introduced between the above-mentioned webs, tube-like cavities are created and thus the desired narrow, high, buoyancy bodies consisting of tubes lying one above the other.

Preferably rafts are created that are angular, e.g. are square. In order to be able to produce the associated buoyancy bodies, the corners are formed in a simple manner by folding the aforementioned double webs.

• Fig. 1 ein Rettungsfloß im seitlichen Schnitt, und zwar in schematischer Darstellung,
• Fig. 2 einen senkrechten Teilschnitt durch einen Randbereich des Floßes gemäß Fig. 1 in vergrößerter Darstellung,
• Fig. 3 einen Eckbereich des Floßes gemäß Fig. 1 im Grundriß,
• Fig. 4 einen Schnitt durch ein Zwischenprodukt, aus dem ein Auftriebskörper erstellt werden kann und
• Fig. 5 das Zwischenprodukt gemäß Fig. 3 im Grundriß

Further details of the invention will be explained with reference to the drawing, in which an embodiment is shown. Show it:

• 1 is a life raft in side section, in a schematic representation,
• 2 is a partial vertical section through an edge region of the raft according to FIG. 1 in an enlarged view,
• 3 shows a corner area of the raft according to FIG. 1 in plan view,
• Fig. 4 shows a section through an intermediate product from which a buoyancy body can be created and
• Fig. 5 shows the intermediate product of FIG. 3 in plan

In a known manner, all the walls of the life raft according to the drawing consist of a flexible, Tear-resistant, abrasion-resistant fabric or the like, which is rubberized or treated accordingly with plastic.

The main components of the raft are the peripheral buoyant body 1, the bottom 2 and a mostly still existing roof part 3, which forms the side wall and forms the side wall and additional devices.

The buoyancy body consists of two hoses 4, 5 arranged exactly vertically one above the other, each forming a buoyancy chamber 6, 7; the valves and fittings required for them (e.g. safety and filling valves) are not shown, they can be of any design.

The outer wall parts 8 of the hoses 4, 5 and the inner wall parts 9 of the two hoses 4, 5 are made in one piece. In the constriction 10 between the two hoses 4, 5, the webs 110, 120 forming the hoses 4, 5 are therefore not passed through, but returned, the connection between the two webs 110, 120 being made by strips 13, 14 which are adhesive are connected to the webs 110, 120.

To produce the buoyancy body 1, the two webs 110 and 120 according to FIG. 4 are placed one on top of the other with the interposition of the stiffeners 13 and 14, which, however, are still angular in the flat state of the webs and on the surfaces facing the webs 110, 120 with the webs 110, 120 can enter into a bond, but otherwise stretch when the tubes 4, 5 are inflated in place. It is understood that the strips 13, 14 are also made be made of a flexible material, for example, can be made of a rubberized fabric.

It is now important that the webs 110, 120 have different widths. They are placed one above the other in the manufacture of the buoyancy bodies, the web 110 of greater width, which is best to be arranged at the bottom, being folded in such a way that rebounded edge regions 19 form. After the strips 13, 14 have been introduced, the web 120, which is smaller in width, is placed in such a way that the edges thereof overlap those of the edge parts 19. At this point, the two web edges are firmly connected to one another by gluing or the like. The connection point formed by overlapping is designated by 20. The web widths are chosen here so that the connection point 20 faces the interior of the raft, in which case the connection points 20 each lie approximately halfway up the hoses 4, 5. However, it is also possible to move the connection points 20 further down in order to be able to attach them in a more protected manner. In addition, the connection points 20 can optionally also be arranged on the outside of the raft, the overlap expediently being enlarged in order to achieve external protection for the raft as a result of the duplication.

The structure according to FIG. 4 is produced in long lengths as a web and, according to FIG. 5, is divided into individual length sections which are designated by L and which correspond to the circumference of the raft or its buoyancy body with respect to their length extension.

If necessary. the webs 110, 120 can still be sewn together at their connection points 20. In addition, the webs are connected in the usual way by gluing or the like in such a way that an endless, annular body is formed.

According to FIG. 3, the manufacture of the buoyancy bodies 1 can be further improved and simplified by kinking the hoses 4, 5 in the corner areas; the resulting crease at 17 can be accepted because it practically does not interfere.

It should be mentioned that the buoyancy chambers 6, 7 form cells which are not connected to one another in the usual way.

Claims (10)

1. Raft, esp. a liferaft, having a circumferential, inflatable float (1), which is situated at the edge of the raft and comprises two or more tubes (4, 5) disposed above one another, wherein the wall members (8), which lie externally on the raft, of the tubes (4, 5), which are disposed above one another, or respectively the corresponding wall members (9), which are situated internally on the raft, of these tubes (4, 5) extend integrally into one another, and the internally and externally situated wall members (8, 9) are interconnected between tubes (4, 5) which are disposed above one another, characterised in that the wall members (8, 9) are formed from two webs (110, 120) of different widths, and both wall members (8, 9) are interconnected laterally on the float (1), preferably on its internal surface.
2. Raft according to claim 1, characterised in that the wall members (8, 9) have an overlap point (20) as the connection point.
3. Raft according to claim 1, characterised in that the floats (1) have angular portions in the corners.
4. Raft according to claim 1, characterised in that strips (13, 14) between the wall members (8, 9) are provided between tubes (4, 5) which are disposed above one another or respectively at the constriction points (10) of the float (1) at the return points of the wall members (8, 9), said strips holding the two wall members (8, 9) together.
5. Raft according to claim 1, characterised in that the strips (13, 14) are provided above and below the return point.
6. Method of producing rafts according to claim 1, characterised in that, in order to produce the floats (1), the web (110) of greater width is folded over inwardly on both sides, the two webs (110, 120) are placed flat one above the other, and said webs are interconnected at their edges which face one another and at the locations intended for the constriction points of the float (1) in such a manner that floats (1) with tubes (4, 5) disposed above one another can be produced by inflation.
7. Method according to claim 6, characterised in that webs (110, 120) are manufactured in long lengths, and web portions are severed therefrom, the length of said portions corresponding to the circumference of the floats (1).
8. Method according to claim 6, characterised in that the webs (110, 120) are connected by interposing angled, adhesive strips (13, 14) between the webs (110, 120), which are spread flat.
9. Method according to claim 6, characterised in that the edges of the webs (110, 120) are joined by overlapping.
10. Method according to claim 6, characterised in that rectilinearly extending, interconnected webs (110, 120) are bent to form corners in the float (1).

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