GB2114531A - Fluid loaders - Google Patents

Abstract

A fluid loader having at least the inboard part (10) of a pipe coupling (9) located in its fluid flow line at or near to the outer end thereof and a panel 16 and ratchet operable by a ram 18 to displace the said coupling part (10) a substantial distance away from an associated outboard coupling part (11) in the uncoupling direction when the coupling (9) is disconnected in an emergency. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Fluid loaders This invention relates to fluid loaders, that is apparatus for use in transferring fluids between two relatively movable containers, usually between a ship's tank and a storage tank on shore but also in some circumstances between two containers on shore. The position of one end, hereinafter called the outer end, of the fluid flow line through such a loader has to be universally positionable within a predetermined "envelope" of movement so as to be connectible to a terminal whose location relative to the loader is not predetermined, and which indeed in the case of a ship tends to change continuously throughout a fluid transfer operation.

It is desirable to provide a quickly disconnectible pipe coupling in the fluid flow line reasonably close to the outer end of the latter, to enable the fluid loader to be quickly disconnected from the movable container, e.g. a ship, in an emergency and to be withdrawn to a relatively safe position, e.g. a so-called "parked" position. If thins withdrawal movement of the fluid loader is generally in the axial direction of the quickly disconnectible coupling, i.e.

the uncoupling direction, so that such movement assists in separating the respective coupling parts, no particular probiems arise. Problems can occur however if the said withdrawal movement of the loader is trrransverse to the uncoupling direction of the coupling, for example where the parking movement of the outer end of the loader is a generally upward one and the coupling has its axis generally horizontal, as may be the case if the coupling is located immediately inboard of the outer end of the fluid flow line, because such withdrawal movement can then lead to the disconnected coupling parts fouling one another.A similar problem can arise even if the loader does not incorporate both parts of a quickly releasable coupling in its fluid line but still, as of course it must, has one coupling part at the outer end thereof for connection to another coupling part, on a ship for example, as again fouling can occur between such coupling parts if they are moved transversely to one another whilst still being closely adjacent subsequent to disconnection. It is the main object of the present invention to provide a solution to this problem.

Thus according to the present invention there is provided a fluid loader having at least the inboard part of a pipe coupling located in its fluid flow line at or near to the outer end thereof and means operable to displace the said coupling part a substantial distance away from an associated outboard coupling part in the uncoupling direction when the coupling is disconnected in an emergency.

Such an arrangement enables the loader to be withdrawn to a relatively safe position without any danger of mutual fouling of the coupling parts, even though such movement be transverse to the uncoupling movement of the coupling.

Preferably the loader has both the inboard and outboard parts of a quickly disconnectible coupling, i.e. a complete coupling, in its fluid flow line near to the said outer end thereof.

The said movement of the inboard coupling part away from the outboard part may be effected by any convenient fashion. In a preferred embodiment of the invention such movement is achieved by suitable rotation of a swivel coupling in the fluid flow line inboard of the coupling, such swivel coupling having its rotational axis perpendicular to the direction of uncoupling. A preferred mechanism for rotating such a coupling in an emergency comprises a hydraulic cylinder operating between the respective sides of the coupling and carrying a pawl engageable with a ratchet on one of such sides.

The quickly disconnectible coupling itself, when wholly provided in the fluid loader of the invention may be of any suitable kind but is preferably of the type which operates automatically to seal both sides of the coupling immediately prior to disconnection, thus avoiding spillage, such as the double ball valve system manufactured by MIB SpA of Padua, Italy.

An enbodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side elevation view of the fluid loader according to the invention; Figures 2 and 3 are side and front elevations respectively of the outer end region of the fluid flow line of the loader of Figure 1.

Figures 4 and 5 are side elevations of the displacing mechanism for the inboard part of the coupling; Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view showing further details of the mechanism of Figures 3 and 4; and Figure 7 is a side elevation showing the positions of the coupling parts after emergency disconnection.

Referring first to Figure 1, the fluid loader comprises a standpost 1 rigidly mounted on a ground surface, e.g. a jetty, a jib 2, a drop-arm 3 terminating in a universal joint or so-called "triple" comprising three mutually perpendicular swivel couplings 4, 5 and 6, and a terminal coupling 7 for connection to another terminal, e.g. a flange 8 on a ship (see Figure 2). The apparatus so far described is of a conventional nature.

Referring now to Figures 2 to 7, a quickly disconnectible coupling 9 is located in the fluid flow line between the swivel coupling 6 and the terminal coupling 7, so as to have its axis horizontal when the coupling 7 is connected to a ship's flange 8 as shown. The coupling 9 is of a commercially available type already mentioned and comprises an inboard part 10 and an outboard part 11 interconnected by a quickly releasable three-part collar 12 actuated by a hydraulic cylinder 13, whose manner of operation need not be described further.

Mechanism for displacing the inboard part 10 of the coupling 9 a substantial distance away from the outbpard coupling part 11 upon disconnection ofthe coupling, as shown in Figure 7, is illustrated in Figures 4 to 6 and acts by rotation of the outboard part of the swivel coupling 4 in the clockwise direction as seen in Figures 2 and 7. Referring now particularly to Figures 4 to 6, a ratchet ring 14 is provided on the outboard part 15 of swivel coupling 4, engageable by a pawl 16 pivotally mounted between a pair of rings 17 themselves loosely mounted on the part 15 so as not to interfere with normal rotation of the coupling. A hydraulic cylinder 18 is connected at one end to the pawl 16 and at its other end to the bottom end of the drop-arm 3 via a connecting plate 19 and strut 20.A compression spring 21 acting between the plate 19 and the rings 17 biases the latter to a position, limited by a stop 22, in which the pawl is held out of engagement with the ratchet.

Upon rotation in an emergency, the ball valves on the respective sides of the quickly releasable coupling 9 are first closed to prevent leakage and cylinder 13 is then actuated to unlock collar 12 which drops away, thus freeing the two coupling parts 10 from each other. Cylinder 18 is then immediately actuated to cause pawl 16 to engage ratchet 14 and thus rotate the outboard part 15 of swivel coupling 4 to displace coupling part 10 a substantial distance away from coupling part 12 in the uncoupling direction. Coupling part 10 may now be moved transversely, i.e. in this case upwardly, relative to coupling part 12 without any danger of mutual fouling, as the loader is withdrawn to its parked position. All of these steps can of course be automated to occur in a correctly timed sequence when circumstances requiring an emergency disconnection occur.

Claims (8)

1. Afluid loader having at least the inboard part of a pipe coupling located in its fluid flow line at or near to the outer end thereof and means operable to displace the said coupling part a substantial distance away from an associated outboard coupling part in the uncoupling direction when the coupling is disconnected in an emergency.

2. Afluid loader as claimed in claim 1,wherein said loader has both the inboard and outboard parts of a quickly disconnectible coupling in its fluid flow line near to the said outer end thereof.

3. Afluidloaderasclaimedinclaim 1 or2, having a swivel coupling in its said flow line inboard of said inboard coupling part, the rotational axis of said swivel coupling being perpendicular to the said uncoupling direction, and said displacing means comprising means for rotating said swivel coupling.

4. A fluid loader as calimed in claim 3, wherein said means for rotating said swivel coupling comprises a hydraulic cylinder operating between the respective sides of the swivel coupling and carrying a pawl engageable with a ratchet on one of such sides.

5. Afluid loader as claimed in claim 4, including spring means operative to hold the said pawl out of engagement with the ratchet in normal circumstances.

6. A fluid loader as claimed in claim 5, wherein the said ratchet is circular and the said pawl is pivotally mounted between a pair of rings rotatable on the said one side of the swivel coupling, one on each side of the ratchet.

7. Afluid loader as claimed in any of the preceding claims, including means for automatically operating the said displacing means consequent upon disconnection of the said pipe coupling in an emergency.

8. Afluid loader substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.