GB1284616A - Improvements in or relating to transfer arrangements - Google Patents

Abstract

1284616 Transhipping at sea; taking up slack in flexible elements GENERAL ELECTRIC CO Ltd 19 April 1971 [24 Feb 1970] 8785/70 Headings B8B and B8E An arrangement for supporting a plurality of spaced regions of a flexible fluid transfer hose B extending between two relatively movable ships 1 and 2 comprises a cable system S, T for supporting hose carrying trolleys, a rail C on the supply ship 1 for storing the trolleys, an auxiliary rail K and a bridging rail L facilitating transference of the trolleys from the rail C on to the cable system S, T once rigged between the ships, and means for moving the trolleys along the rails and cable system. The latter comprises a cable T extending from one drum of a winch 3 on the supply ship 1, around a pulley U on the receiving ship 2 and connected to a traveller O rollable along the lower run of the cable T, the cable S being connected to the other side of the traveller and being wound on a second drum of the winch 3, the said drums being driven to transfer the traveller between ships. A third cable W extends between the ships to sense relative movement therebetween and generate control signals for the winches of the other two cables to maintain constant tension therein. Prior to connecting the hose between the ships, any auxiliary equipment is transferred to the receiving ship by means of the traveller O. Internal chain drive mechanisms are provided in the rails C-K to move the trolleys therealong and on to the cable system, the second leading trolley T5 being automatically latched to the travellers O whereby the leading trolley T6 is pushed via a probe N thereon and the trolleys T3, T4 are pulled on to the cables as the traveller is driven between the ships. The trolleys T3, T4 incorporate geared sheaves engaging the cables S, T, the gearing being different for each trolley whereby they move along the cables at rates to cause spacing therebetween, the trolleys T1 and T2 remaining on the rails C and K respectively. A probe E on the hose 13 is received in a receiver cone F on the receiving ship 2 and discharge of fluid from a standpipe A on the supply ship is carried out. For unrigging the system, the trolley T5 is driven towards the receiving ship 2 until it engages and automatically latches on to the probe N on the trolley T6, reverse movement of the trolley T5 thereafter causing the trolley T6 to be pulled along the cables back into its stored position on the rail C. A plurality of transfer systems as described can be arranged in parallel, pairs of systems being supported one at each side of a common framework.