GB2040234A

GB2040234A - Floating apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2040234A
Application number: GB8000704A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: NEDERHORST BOUWMIJ
Current assignee: NEDERHORST BOUWMIJ
Priority date: 1979-01-16
Filing date: 1980-01-09
Publication date: 1980-08-28
Also published as: FR2446763A1; SE7910690L; NO800072L; JPS55114684A; DE3001194A1; NL7900321A; DK19080A

Abstract

Floating apparatus like a ship or pontoon, a floating factory or the like, comprises a deck 2 having a working deck 3, supported by a hydraulic system 4 with a system of communicating vessels 5. During movements of the apparatus 1 caused by the wash of waves, the working deck 3 is automatically returned to the horizontal position 1. The working deck 3 is centrally anchored at 6 to the apparatus 1 for universal pivoting motion. The working deck 3 is attached to a number of pistons 7 connected to a closed container 8 of the hydraulic system 4. The apparatus 1 is provided with a stop 14 co-operating with the edge of the working deck 3 and limiting a further movement of the working deck 3 with respect to the apparatus 1 just before the maximum stroke of the pistons 7 is reached. In this manner, the workability range of the apparatus is greatly increased because the supported deck portion is kept in a substantially horizontal position by the hydraulic system in spite of the movement of the apparatus caused by the wash of waves. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Floating apparatus The invention relates to a floating apparatus like a ship or pontoon, a floating factory or the like, comprising a deck.

Since some years several operations like chemical distillation processes, pile driving, drilling and the like, are carried out on a floating apparatus in open water, specifically at sea. With the known apparatus such operations can only take place during a slight wash of the waves, because only a small inclination our a small rotary movement of the deck is admissable so that the work has to be stopped from a certain maximum deck rotation. Of course, it is desired to make the workability limit as high as possible, whereby the number of workable days per year with respect to the total number of calendar days orworking days per year is optimum, as this determines for the greater part the exploitation costs of such an apparatus.

The invention aims to provide an apparatus of the above mentioned type having very favourable properties with respect to the workability limit.

According to the invention the apparatus is characterized in that at least a portion of the deck is supported by a hydraulic system comprising a system of communicating vessels, said deck portion being anchored to the apparatus for universal pivoting motion.

In this manner the workability range of the apparatus is greatly increased because the supported deck portion is kept in a substantially horizontal position by the hydraulic system in spite of the movement of the apparatus caused by the wash of the waves.

Preferably said deck portion is centrally anchored.

According to a favourable embodiment of the invention said deck portion is attached to a number of pistons forming part of the system of communicating vessels.

In this case, the hydraulic system may comprise a closed container to which a number of tubes is connected, the ends of said tubes extending upwardly anc! forming cylinders for said pistons.

Alternatively, the hydraulic system may be made as a piping system, of which all pipes are connected to each other, wherein the ends of the pipes extend upwardly and form the cylinders for the pistons.

According to the invention, the hydraulic system may comprise a control system for controlling the liquid displacement through the hydraulic system.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which an embodiment is shown by way of example.

Figure 1 schematically shows a sectional view of an embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention.

Figure 2 shows a top view of the hydraulic system of the apparatus according to Figure 1.

Figure 3 shows a top view of an alternative embodiment of the hydraulic system.

Figure 4 shows a sectional view corresponding to Figure 1 in which the apparatus is shown at the maximum inclination, wherein said deck portion is still just horizontal.

Figure 1 schematically shows a sectional view of an apparatus 1 floating on the water. The apparatus 1 has a deck 2 comprising a deck portion, hereinafter referred to as working deck 3, supported by a hydraulic system 4 with a system of communicating vessels 5 such that the working deck 3, during movements of the apparatus 1 caused by the wash of the waves, automatically returns to the horizontal position. The working deck 3 is centrally anchored at 6 to the apparatus 1 for universal pivoting motion.

Referring to Figure 2, the working deck 3 is attached to a number of pistons 7. The required number of pistons 7 is determined by the admissible pressure below the pistons 7, the technically realizable section of the piston area and the weight of the working deck 3 and the equipment positioned thereon. According to the embodiment shown in the drawings, the working deck 3 rests on sixteen pistons 7.

The shown hydraulic system 4 comprises a closed container 8, to which a number of tubes 9 corresponding to the number of pistons 7 is connected.

The ends of the tubes 9 extend upwardly and form cylinders 10 for the pistons 7. By application of the hydraulic system 4 in which a pressurized liquid is included, it is possible to support a relatively great weight with a small quantity of liquid. Thereby, only a comparatively small space is needed for the hydraulic system.

As an alternative for the hydraulic system shown in Figure 2, the hydraulic system 11 shown in Figure 3 may be applied. This system 11 is made as a piping system of which all pipes 12 are connected to each other by means of a manifold member 13. The ends of the pipes 12 extending upwardly form the cylinders 10 in this case.

If desired, the hydraulic system 4 or 11 may include a control system having for example a number of pumps, with which control system the liquid displacement can be controlled. Thereby, the speed at which the movements of the apparatust1 are compensated by the working deck 3, can be improved.

The maximum inclination of the apparatus 1 wherein the working deck 3 is still horizontal, is determined by the dimensions of the working deck 3 and the possible stroke of the pistons 7. The apparatus 1 is provided with a stop 14 co-operating with the edge of the working deck 3 and limiting a further movement of the working deck 3 with respect to the apparatus 1 just before the maximum stroke of the pistons 7 is reached. In this case, a resilient member (not shown) provides a shock reducing effect. A further rotation of the apparatus 1 will then be followed by the working deck 3.When, for example, the workability limit for the operations carried out on the working deck 3 is reached at a deck rotation of 3, and a maximum inclination also of 3, can be compensated, which values can be realized in practice, the workability range is greatly increased.

Although the pistons 7 are shown in the drawings at substantially the same mutual distances, this is, of course, not necessary. When, for example, the weight distribution on the working deck 3 is not uniform, this non-uniform load can be compensated by a suitable distribution of the pistons 7 along the periphery of the working deck 3 or by providing pistons 7 with mutually different sectional areas.

It is possible to provide a blocking means to fasten the working deck 3 so that during displacement of the apparatus to a different working location for example, the working deck 3 makes no unnecessary relative movements.

The invention is not restricted to the embodiments described which may be varied in a number of ways within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. Floating apparatus like a ship or pontoon, a floating factory or the like, comprising a deck, characterized in that at least a portion of the deck is supported by a hydraulic system comprising a system of communicating vessels, said deck portion being anchored to the apparatus for universal pivoting motion.

2. Floating apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said deck portion is centrally anchored.

3. Floating apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said deck portion is attached to a number of pistons forming part of the system of communicating vessels.

4. Floating apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that the hydraulic system comprises a closed container to which a number of tubes is connected, the ends of said tubes extending upwardly and forming cylinders for said pistons.

5. Floating apparatus according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the hydraulic system is made as a piping system, of which all pipes are connected to each other, wherein the ends of the pipes extend upwardly and form the cylinders for the pistons.

6. Floating apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the movement of said deck portion with respect to the apparatus is limited by a stop attached to the apparatus.

7. Floating apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the hydraulic system comprises a control system for controlling the liquid displacement through the hydraulic system.

8. Floating apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.