EP0745728B1 - Lock gate - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to door boats whose function is to ensure the watertight closing of entrances to dry docks overlooking the sea, for allow the dry docking of ships.

For the most part, a door boat is made up an outer shell and an internal framework stiffening the whole and dividing it into compartments most of which are ballasts. Along its bottom and on its sides, the envelope has a surface support with gasket, intended to come apply against the masonry of the basin entrance to seal. A ballast is generally provided in the funds, and a pumping and emptying system allows selectively fill or empty the various ballasts.

The form, there mass, the stability, the arrangement of ballasts and their volumes are determined so as to that the door boat is likely to float freely with variable drafts, that to rest on the bottom and close off the entry of a pelvis, with negative buoyancy (preponderance safe casting). When the pool is empty, the the door-boat is kept in place by the only water pressure, sea side.

Door ships have always been made of riveted steel sheets, or welded for more recent. Their shapes and dimensions are deduced different buoyancy conditions. So did they as a rule a lower stomach compared to a narrower upper part in view to lighten the whole and obtain stability characteristics acceptable.

The major drawback of these door boats is that being constantly subjected to alternating immersion-emersion, they are the object a strong marine corrosion which makes it necessary, both inside and exterior, maintenance and surface treatment operations regular and expensive.

The invention was carried out with the aim of overcoming this drawback by offering door-boats having the advantage of being insensitive to marine corrosion.

Another object which the invention proposes to resolve is to design a new door-boat architecture which, while satisfying all the technical requirements, in particular of mechanical resistance, either of simple shape and construction and of reduced width, and therefore of lower cost.

• la première partie étant une enveloppe ayant une forme générale de parallélépipède rectangle ou de prisme droit à parois longitudinales trapézoïdales, cette enveloppe étant constituée d'au moins deux caissons réalisés en matériau composite, la majorité des caissons étant des compartiments-ballasts, ces caissons étant réunis entre eux par collage et sur les parois latérales desquels est réalisée une stratification en composite verre-résine,
• la seconde partie étant un cadre venant border ladite enveloppe le long de son fond et de ses côtés latéraux, en un matériau aux masse volumique et caractéristiques mécaniques appropriées pour, d'une part, exercer une fonction de lest au niveau de partie inférieure de l'enveloppe et, d'autre part, constituer un appui rigide destiné à venir s'appliquer contre la maçonnerie de l'entrée du bassin.

The subject of the invention is a door boat used to close off the entrance to a refit basin, characterized in that it comprises two separate parts assembled to one another by fixing means:

• the first part being an envelope having a general shape of a rectangular parallelepiped or a straight prism with trapezoidal longitudinal walls, this envelope consisting of at least two boxes made of composite material, the majority of boxes being ballast compartments, these boxes being joined together by gluing and on the side walls of which a glass-resin composite stratification is carried out,
• the second part being a frame bordering said envelope along its bottom and its lateral sides, in a material with density and mechanical characteristics suitable for, on the one hand, exercising a ballast function at the level of the lower part of the 'envelope and, on the other hand, constitute a rigid support intended to be applied against the masonry of the entrance to the basin.

This two-part architecture allows the envelope and the frame independently of each other to assemble them only afterwards. It also allows a form envelope simplified to the extreme which greatly facilitates the composite material construction, only the frame being subjected to formal constraints to constitute support against masonry of the entrance to the basin to which the boat carries is intended.

The frame is provided in concrete, at least as far as its lower part for ballast function.

The frame has a profile substantially the same width as the envelope at the junction therewith and covers entirely the envelope along the bottom and on the two lateral sides, by bringing its mechanical properties, and in particular its rigidity, to all.

la Fig. 1 est une coupe verticale longitudinale d'une forme de réalisation particulière non revendiquée d'un bateau-porte dont l'enveloppe comprend des compartiments définis par des plates-formes horizontales ainsi que des cloisons verticales,

la Fig. 2 est une demi-coupe horizontale selon la ligne II-II de la Fig. 1,

la Fig. 3 est une coupe verticale transversale selon la ligne III-III de la Fig. 1,

la Fig. 4 est une vue en coupe horizontale du détail A de la Fig. 2,

la Fig. 5 est une vue en perspective d'une forme de réalisation particulière de l'enveloppe d'un bateau-porte selon l'invention,

les Figs. 6a à 6c illustrent schématiquement la fabrication de l'enveloppe de la Fig. 5, et

la Fig. 7 illustre le montage de bulges rapportés de part et d'autre de l'enveloppe.

These characteristics and advantages of the invention, as well as others, will appear more clearly in the following description, given in relation to the appended drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of a particular unclaimed embodiment of a door-boat whose envelope comprises compartments defined by horizontal platforms as well as vertical partitions,

Fig. 2 is a horizontal half-section along line II-II of FIG. 1

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section along line III-III of FIG. 1

Fig. 4 is a view in horizontal section of the detail A of FIG. 2

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a particular embodiment of the envelope of a door boat according to the invention,

Figs. 6a to 6c schematically illustrate the manufacture of the envelope of FIG. 5, and

Fig. 7 illustrates the assembly of bulbs attached on either side of the envelope.

Seen from the front, the door boat shown in the drawings has a general trapezoidal shape which corresponds to that of the rebate in masonry of the entrance to the basin for which it is intended. This is there of a usual shape due to the fact that the side walls of the refit basins are most often stepped, and that the rebate then follows their slope line.

According to the invention, this trapezoidal shape of the door boat is made at the outer periphery of a frame 2 which borders the actual body of the boat along its bottom and two lateral sides. Internally, the frame has two sides vertical planes 21 on each side of a horizontal base face 20 also planar, so as to receive as a body the boat an envelope 1 in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped. In variant, envelope 1 can be prismatic, with longitudinal walls 13 in isosceles trapezoid shape, to avoid widening the sides of the frame up.

The envelope 1 is made entirely of material composite, advantageously of the fiberglass-resin type (CVR). Its bottom walls 10, top 11, side 12 and longitudinal 13 define an interior volume divided into compartments 17 by a set of platforms horizontal 14 and vertical partitions 15. The compartments are mostly ballasts, the others housing organs such that pumps 18, Fig. 1, used for the operation of the door boat.

The platforms 14 and partitions 15 constitute other share a frame whose function is to contribute to rigidity of the casing 1. Cross stiffeners 16 are reported on platforms 14 and internally on base 10 and top walls of the casing 1.

It should however be noted that the invention does not protect this type of door-boat embodiment using such a envelope, namely of the type having a compartmentalisation carried out at using horizontal platforms 14 and vertical partitions 15. This example of embodiment therefore only presents a informative, further enabling better understanding of the claimed invention.

The use of composite material to achieve envelope 1 results in a significant overall weight gain compared to steel construction. In addition, the walls consisting of a superposition of folds, it is easy to modulate the number of folds and therefore thickness and mass surface, between the different walls, and even between several zones of the same wall, according to their position in the envelope which requires more resistance in its part lower than in its upper part. Thus, the walls 10 to 13 of the enclosure, the platforms 14 and the partitions 15 can they be less and less thick from bottom to top. Envelope 1 will therefore be lightened in its upper part where she is the least solicited, but also where the mass is penalizing for stability.

Fig. 3 shows in thin lines the boxes 30 of simple form which can be brought back on either side of the envelope 1 in certain cases, especially when the draft constraints are severe.

Frame 2 which must perform a ballast function at the bottom of envelope 1 and which, on the other hand, must constitute a support rigid and non-deformable device to ensure the watertight closure against the entrance rebate pelvis, is in a satisfactory embodiment provided in concrete, reinforced for example by rods in fiberglass, which brings its ease benefits of implementation and insensitivity to corrosion marine like composite materials.

Frame 2 has a symmetrical cross section through relative to a median axis normal to the side corresponding to the internal face 20 or 21. From this face internal 20 or 21, the profile body has a constant width, substantially equal to that of the envelope 1 over a certain distance d, FIG. 3. Then the width decreases until the birth of a peripheral wing 22 which constitutes the closing support and sealing the frame. The support face of wing 22 is provided with an elastomer seal 23.

The distance d is constant along the part horizontal base 2a of frame 2, where it is in particular depending on the mass of ballast desired. Through against, it increases linearly from bottom to top on the length of the uprights 2b of the frame, due to the flared trapezoid shape of the peripheral support 22. To reduce the mass of the upper frame, one can nevertheless foresee an evolutionary profile of uprights 2b, tending for example to the shape shown schematically by the dashed lines 24 in FIG. 2. In variant or in addition, it can be incorporated into the concrete of the upper part of the uprights one component load of low density. It would be also possible to use different materials for the realization of the base 2a on the one hand, and amounts 2b on the other hand.

For practical purposes, frame 2 is constructed in several stages, or in several separate elements, by example the basic part 2a and the uprights 2b which will then be assembled with envelope 1. A mode fixing between the bottom and end walls of the envelope 1 on the one hand, and the frame on the other hand, appears in detail in FIG. 4: metal rods threaded 3 are anchored in the concrete of the frame, evenly spaced in two peripheral rows on the faces 20, 21 of its inner periphery. The rods 3 are passed through holes in the walls 10 and 12 of the envelope, then receive tightening bolts. Reference 4 designates dishes of clamping, which side frame are embedded in the concrete to be flush with the surfaces 20, 21 in contact with the envelope walls.

In a prototype realization built according to the architecture shown in the drawings and described above, which has proven satisfactory with regard to in particular stability characteristics, envelope 1 with a length of about 15 meters had a width of only 1.6 meters for a height of 7.5 meters, the width / height ratio therefore being of the order of 0.2.

Figs. 5 to 7 illustrate a different embodiment envelope 1 which has the advantage of being an implementation simpler. Rather than achieving internal compartmentalization in envelope 1, we see it as a set of boxes that are going to be assembled and on which a stratification in glass-resin composite constitutes the side walls or planking. This is the mode of realization which aims to protect the claimed invention.

Thus, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the envelope 1 comprises eight parallelepipedic boxes elongated 51 to 58, made of composite material, which are Bunk. In practice, we first bond the two first lower boxes 51, 52, then we cover the side walls of a first layer of glass-resin composite 61, Fig. 6a. Then, we add to this set a third box 53, Fig. 6b, and a second layer 62 is produced which goes completely cover the first layer 61 plus the side wall of the third box 53. FIG. 6c shows that we continue to proceed until the upper box 58 is put in place, so that the side wall or lined with the envelope 1 has a number of folds which will decrease upwards.

Fig. 7 illustrates the mounting of one of the bulges 70 reported on either side of the envelope 1 shown in the Fig. 5. Each bulb 70 is made up of two boxes 70a, 70b, which are bonded together beforehand. Next that it has been put in place and glued to the envelope 1, the bulb 70 is covered on the outside with a layer of glass-resin composite 71 which is extended peripherally on the wall side of the envelope 1.

Claims (5)

1. Floating gate used to close the entrance of a dry dock, characterised in that it comprises two distinct parts which are assembled to one another by securing means:

   the first part being an envelope (1) with the general shape of a rectangular parallelepiped or straight prism with trapezoidal longitudinal walls (13), this envelope (1) consisting of at least two caissons (51,52) which are made of composite material, the majority of the caissons being ballast compartments, these caissons (51,52) being connected to one another by adhesive bonding, and on the lateral walls of which a glass-resin layering is provided; and

   the second part being a frame (2) which borders the said envelope (1) along its base (10) and its lateral sides (12), made of a material with a density and mechanical characteristics which are appropriate firstly for applying a ballasting function at the level of the lower part of the envelope, and secondly for constituting a rigid support which is designed to be applied against the masonry of the entrance of the dock.
2. Floating gate according to claim 1, characterised in that the frame (2) comprises concrete at least in its lower part, and in that the securing of the envelope (1) to the frame is carried out by bolting onto threaded rods (3) which are anchored in the concrete.
3. Floating gate according to claim 1. or claim 2, characterised in that the caissons (51 to 58) have an elongate parallelepipedic shape and are superimposed on one another.
4. Floating gate according to claim 1 or claim 3, characterised in that the layering on the lateral walls of the caissons (51 to 58) is provided as the caissons are assembled from the base upwards, the first layer (61) covering the lateral walls of the first two caissons (51,52), the second layer (62) covering the first layer (61) and the lateral wall of the third caisson (53), and so on as far as the final caisson (58).
5. Floating gate according to claim 1 or claim 4, characterised in that bulges (70) are added on both sides of the envelope (1), each bulge being firstly glued to the envelope (1), then covered on the exterior by a layer of glass-resin compound (71) which is extended peripherally on the lateral wall of the envelope (1).

Images