FR2864047A1 - Protection device for tank e.g. ocean tanker, has driving unit to drive frame towards lower wall of tank so that watertight foldable bag is deployed, and cover to seal frame when frame stops against wall - Google Patents

Abstract

The device has an assembly comprising a frame (7) and a cover (8), and a watertight foldable bag attached to the frame. The bag has a base (37) to be fixed in a horizontal upper wall (4) of a tank (1) containing a liquid (L). A driving unit drives the frame towards a lower horizontal wall (3) of the tank so that the bag is deployed. The cover seals the frame when the frame stops against the wall (3).

Description

The present invention relates to a protection device for

  be placed inside a tank containing a liquid.

  When transporting a liquid, it is usually contained in a rigid tank. In the event of an accident resulting in a tear in the wall of the tank, it is necessary to avoid as much as possible that the liquid does not spill out of it into the surrounding environment, and all the more so since this liquid is dangerous or polluting. The damaged tank must be repaired, or at least plugged, and the pumped liquid to another container, when these operations are possible.

  Depending on the conditions of the accident and the liquid transported, the repair or clogging of the tank will be a feasible operation more or less quickly and in conditions of safety and reliability more or less satisfactory. While waiting for a clogging or a pumping of the liquid to another container, it is necessary to prevent as much as possible the flow of the liquid out of the tank, since a breach, even of small size, may be necessary. the origin of a significant pollution of the surrounding environment.

  More particularly, in the case of wrecked tankers, the clogging of the tank to stop oil leaks is often difficult, particularly because of the depth of the wreck, the sea currents and the aggressiveness of the tank. sea water on materials. One of the simplest solutions to implement is the well-known double hull tanker system. Thus, when the outer shell is accidentally disemboweled, the presence of a second shell makes it possible to maintain an ultimate separation between the oil and the external environment. Such a double hull however does not provide absolute protection against large or repeated shocks. Indeed, the inner shell being rigid and forming an integral part of the ship structure, it also undergoes significant stresses that may eventually fracture, the liquid can therefore escape the tank.

  The purpose of the present invention is to remedy the drawbacks mentioned above, and for this purpose consists of a protective device intended to be placed inside a vessel containing a liquid, characterized in that it comprises, on the one hand , an assembly comprising a perforated reinforcement and a cover, a sealed folding bag being attached to said frame and having a bottom intended to be fixed in a wall of the tank, and secondly, drive means for towing the tank. together towards an opposite wall, the cover being intended to be placed in contact with the armature in order to seal it tightly when the latter has completed its course.

  Thus, when the device according to the invention is activated, the assembly formed by the openwork frame and its cover is driven in translation along the tank, which causes the deployment of the bag whose bottom is fixed in a wall of tank.

  As the progress of the assembly, the liquid passes through the openwork frame, then bypasses the lid to finally penetrate inside the bag. When the openwork frame has completed its course, abutting against the wall opposite to the wall attachment in which is fixed the bottom of the bag, closing the lid is then engaged. In this way, the liquid is isolated from the outside environment, enclosed in the bag, very shortly after the accident or even slightly before it appears inevitable.

  In addition, it is important to note that the device being towed through the tank, it can be fixed in any wall, and is therefore not dependent on the grounding position.

  Advantageously, the device comprises guiding means connecting the armature to the lid. These guide means are intended to ensure the correct positioning of the cover on the frame to obtain optimal closure.

  Preferably, the guide means comprise at least one bar fixed to the frame, along which the lid can slide when it is closed.

  Also preferably, the guide means comprise articulated arms relative to one another in order to form at least one pantograph.

  Advantageously, the traction of the assembly is performed against elastic means disposed between the cover and the armature. In this way, accidental closure of the cover before the frame has completed its course is avoided.

  Preferably, these elastic means comprise at least one retractable spring arm pivotable about each of its two attachment points respectively located on the frame and the cover.

  Advantageously, the drive means comprise at least one cable attached to the cover. In this way, the traction exerted by the cable makes it possible, when the armature has completed its course, to automatically bring the cover onto the armature. According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, the drive means are attached to the frame, and a jack is provided to take the cover in contact with the frame.

  Advantageously, the cover has at least one lateral locking finger, and the armature comprises at least one corresponding lateral bore in which the locking finger can be introduced when the cover closes the armature. It should be understood that an obvious variant embodiment of the invention is to place the locking finger on the armature and the corresponding bore on the lid. Of course, other self-locking systems to secure the whole can be considered.

  Advantageously, the frame comprises lateral rollers intended to cooperate with guide rails fixed inside the tank. The presence of rollers makes it possible to avoid any bracing of the armature and the lid during their training.

  The invention will be better understood with the aid of the detailed description which is set out below with reference to the appended drawings in which: FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4 are schematic views of different stages of deployment of a device according to the invention disposed inside a tank.

  Figure 1 is a schematic view of a device according to the invention in its initial position.

  Figure 2 is a schematic view of the device shown in Figure 1 being deployed.

  Figure 3 is a schematic view of the device shown in Figure 1 at the end of deployment, and before closing the lid.

  Figure 4 is a schematic view of the device shown in Figure 1 in fm deployment after closing the lid.

  Figure 5 is a top view of the frame of a device according to the invention. Figure 6 is a sectional view of a device according to the invention in its initial position.

  FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the armature and the cover of the device represented in FIG.

  Figure 8 is a partial sectional view of the device according to the invention in final position.

  Figure 9 is a sectional view corresponding to Figure 6 when the lid is closed.

  A parallelepipedal vessel 1, as represented in FIGS. 1 to 4, comprises vertical side walls 2, a horizontal bottom wall 3 constituting the bottom of the vessel 1, and a horizontal upper wall 4 closing the top of the vessel. These walls 2, 3, 4 delimit an interior volume intended to contain a liquid L. This tank 1 contains, on the one hand, a device 5 according to the invention, fixed in the upper wall 4, and on the other hand, guide rails 6 fixed along the vertical side walls 2.

  A device 5 according to the invention, as shown in detail in Figures 5 to 9, comprises, on the one hand, an assembly comprising a perforated frame 7 and a cover 8, and on the other hand, a sealed folding bag.

  The openwork frame 7 is made from a bowl of square section comprising a flange 9, four side walls 10, and a bottom. Each wall 10 has a vertical outer face 11, an inner face 12 in which are formed two lateral bores 13, and an upper face 14. In addition, the inner faces 12 are inclined so as to converge towards each other in the direction of the background.

  Moreover, the bottom of this bowl is almost completely hollowed out, so as to form an opening 15, while maintaining, at each wall 10, two distinct zones of materials constituting bearing surfaces 16.

  A hollow cylinder 17 is placed in the center of the square bowl, and four holding bars 18 support it. For this, each retaining bar 18 is fixed, on the one hand, in a wall 10, perpendicular thereto and close to the bottom of the bowl, and on the other hand, in the cylinder 17. In addition, cylinder 17 has a height such that it does not protrude from the bowl and has, in the upper part, fastening eyelets 19 oriented along the diagonals of the frame 7.

  A seal 20 is fixed on the upper faces 14, and rollers 21, able to cooperate with the guide rails 6, are fixed in the flange 9.

  The lid 8 has a square shape complementary to the passage section delimited by the bottom and the walls 10 of the bowl. More specifically, this cover 8 has, on the one hand, lateral faces 22, complementary to the inner faces 12 of the walls 10, and on the other hand, a border 23 intended to come into contact with the upper faces 14 of the walls 10. By Moreover, each lateral face 22 has two lateral orifices formed in the thickness of the cover 8, and in each of which is housed a retractable locking pin 24 mounted on a spring 25. The lateral orifices are made in such a way that the fingers of 24 are each adapted to cooperate with a corresponding bore 13 of the frame 7. The cover 8 also comprises, in each corner, a fixing eyelet 26.

  The edge 23 comprises, in each corner, a bore 27 traversed by a guide bar 28 fixed in the upper part of a wall 10 perpendicular to the plane of the frame 7. Each guide bar 28 is provided with a head 29 having a diameter greater than the diameter of the corresponding bore 27. Furthermore, the cover 8 is connected to the frame 7 by means, on the one hand, of pantographs 30 each fixed on a pair of bearing surfaces 16 of the bottom of the bowl, and on the other hand, of retractable arms 31 spring. Each retractable arm 31 has a first end, attached to an attachment eyelet 19 of the armature 7, and a second end attached to a fastening eyelet 26 of the cover 8. The attachment of the retractable arm 31 is carried out so that it can pivot around each of said eyelets 19, 26 when the cover 8 is close to the frame 7.

  Recesses 32, 33, 34 are formed in the thickness of the cover 8 so as to accommodate respectively the hollow cylinder 17, the pantographs 30, and the retractable arms 31 when the cover 8 closes the opening 15. In addition, the cover comprises, on a face situated opposite the armature 7, hooking studs 35, each having a hollow annular surface 36.

  The sealed folding bag of the device 5 according to the invention comprises, on the one hand, a rigid bottom 37 having dimensions substantially equal to those of the frame 7, 10 and on the other hand, a flexible side wall 38.

  This bottom 37 is intended to be attached to the tank 1, and is able to hold the device in a folded position, as shown in FIG. 6, by holding the cover 8 by means of fastening systems present on its directed face. towards the inside of the bag. These attachment systems are intended to cooperate with the attachment studs 35 of the cover 8.

  Each fastening system comprises a vertical circular bore 39, and two horizontal lateral openings opening into the circular bore 39, opposite one another. Inside each orifice is housed a ball 40 mounted on a spring 41 and being able to penetrate partially inside said circular bore 39. The size of the balls 40 is chosen so that they can cooperate with the annular surface. hollow 36, and the stiffness of the springs 41 is chosen high enough to keep the balls 40 strongly pressed against the hollow annular surface 36. This avoids any accidental detachment of the cover 8.

  The flexible, foldable and impervious side wall 38 is fixed on the one hand on the periphery of the bottom 37, thus forming the bag of the device 5 according to the invention, and on the other hand on the rim 9 of the frame 7.

  This wall is then folded accordionally and the cover 8 is suspended under the bottom 37 by means of the hooking pegs 35 and fastening systems, as shown in FIG. 5. Indeed, by penetrating into a circular bore 39, each hooking bolt 35 pushes the balls 40 inside their orifices.

  When the annular surface 36 faces these balls 40, they then automatically return, under the effect of their springs 41, inside the bore 39, thus holding the cover 8 and the frame 7 to which it is connected.

  The device 5 is then fixed inside the tank 1, in the upper wall 4 through the bottom 37. The armature 7, under the effect of gravity and the retractable arms 31, is kept away from the 8, and is retained by the heads 29 of the guide bars 28 abutting against the edge 23 of the cover 8.

  Finally, the device 5 comprises drive means comprising a cable 42 passing inside the hollow cylinder 17 and attached, on the one hand, to the center of the cover 8, and on the other hand, to a motorized winder 43 placed at the bottom of the tank 1 at the base of the hollow cylinder 17. It should be understood that the reel can be placed at another location, the cable 42 being always directed towards the bottom of the tank perpendicular to the frame and then reoriented to the reel 43 by means, for example, pulleys . An alternative embodiment consists in placing the winder 43 on the cover 8, the cable 42 then being attached to the bottom of the tank 1.

  Initially, the device is in the folded position, as shown in Figures 1 and 6. In this position, the flexible walls 38 are folded accordion and the cover 8 is hooked to the bottom 37 as explained above.

  When the damage is imminent or already caused, the winder 43 is actuated. First, the cable 42 becomes taut and then begins to pull on the cover 8 to which it is hooked. The cover being retained by the bottom 37 by means of the attachment studs 35, the tension in the cable 42 increases until it is sufficient for the hooking bolts 35 force the balls 40 recessed against their springs 41. The hooking pegs 35 are thus released from their fastening systems and consequently allows the recessing of the cover 8.

  Once released, the assembly formed by the frame 7 and the cover 8 is pulled by the cable 42 through the liquid L to the bottom wall 3 of the vessel 1 as shown in FIG. 2. The frame 7 precedes the cover 8 and is kept apart by, on the one hand, the pressure forces exerted by the liquid on the lid, which are greater than those exerted on the armature, and secondly, on the retractable arms 31 spring opposing the tensile forces and more particularly the stresses resulting from the abrupt recess of the cover 8. The bottom 37 being fixed on the upper wall 4 of the vessel 1, the translation of the armature 7 causes the deployment of the side walls 38. Au as the deployment unfolds, the liquid passes through the opening 15 and then bypasses the cover 8 to finally penetrate inside the bag.

  As shown in Figure 3, when the armature 7 has reached the bottom wall 3 of the tank 1, it can not advance and the bag then contains almost all the liquid. The cover 8 is always kept away from the frame 7 by the retractable arms 31. When the forces exerted by the cable 42 on. the cover 8 are greater than the resistance of the arms 31, they are forced to retract and the cover 8 can then approach the frame 7. The retractable arms 31 follow the movement of the cover 8 by pivoting around the eyelets of 19, 26, and pass through a maximum contraction position beyond which they tend to facilitate the closing of the cover 8, as shown in Figure 8. Thus, the retractable arms 31 allow the cover 8 to adopt alternately than one of its two stable positions, the open position or the closed position.

  As it progresses, the cover 8 slides along the guide bars 28 and the pantographs 30 fold back. This ensures that the cover 8 is correctly positioned and perfectly covers the opening 15.

  When the latter is sufficiently close to the armature 7, the side walls 10, whose inner faces 14 converge, force the locking fingers 24 to retract into their orifices inside the lid 8. The latter progresses even further. each locking pin 24 is opposite a corresponding bore 13 and into which it automatically enters under the effect of its spring 25. Once the locking fingers 24 are engaged, the reel 43 can be stopped. .

  It is interesting to note that, since the cable 42 is attached to the cover 8, the closing phase is engaged as soon as the armature 7 can no longer move forward. Therefore, if due to an obstacle such as a torn wall projecting inside the vessel 1, the armature 7 is immobilized before reaching the bottom wall, this will still cause the closing the lid 8.

  Although the invention has been described in connection with particular embodiments, it is obvious that it is not limited thereto and that it comprises all the technical equivalents of the means described and their combinations if they are within the scope of the invention.

Claims (10)

  1. Protective device intended to be placed inside a vessel containing a liquid (L), characterized in that it comprises, on the one hand, an assembly comprising a perforated reinforcement (7) and a cover ( 8), a sealed folding bag being attached to said frame and having a bottom (37) to be fixed in a wall of the tank (4), and secondly, driving means (42, 43) allowing pulling the assembly towards an opposite wall (3), the cover being intended to be placed in contact with the armature in order to seal it tightly when the latter has completed its travel.   2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises guide means (28, 30) connecting the armature (7) to the lid (8).   3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the guide means comprise at least one bar (28) fixed on the frame (7), along which can slide the lid (8) during its closure.   4. Device according to any one of claims 2 or 3, characterized in that the guide means comprise articulated arms relative to each other to form at least one pantograph (30).   5. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the setting in traction of the assembly is carried out against elastic means (31) arranged between the cover (8) and the armature (7).   6. Device according to claim 5, the elastic means comprise at least one retractable arm (31) with spring pivotable about each of its two attachment points (19, 26) respectively located on the frame (7) and the lid (8).   7. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the drive means comprise at least one cable (42) attached to the cover (8).   8. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the drive means are attached to the frame (7), and in that a jack is provided to take the cover (8) to contact of the frame.   9. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the cover (8) has at least one locking finger (24) lateral, and in that the armature (7) comprises at least one bore (13) corresponding side in which the locking pin can be inserted when the cover closes the frame.   10. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the armature (7) comprises rollers (21) side intended to cooperate with guide rails (6) fixed inside the tank (1).