GB2271971A - Prefabricated cabins for ships; Air cushion load-handling devices. - Google Patents

Abstract

A cabin consisting of plates, preferably for ships, wherein a plurality of such cabins are built up on the planar floor, is characterised in that each cabin (1) is prefabricated as a complete unit with furniture and the internal installations (water, power); and in that for transport on the floor during fitting out of the ship at least one flat cushion (2) which can be inflated by means of compressed air and has outlet openings (3) for the compressed air facing towards the planar floor is laid beneath the cabin unit. <IMAGE>

Description

2271971 Cabin Consisting of Plates, Preferably for Ships The equipping of,

for example, ships, off-shore platforms, living quarters etc. with cabins for the passengers and the personnel (also with office rooms) is mainly effected in such a way that a construction consisting of beams and supports is manufactured "on site" in the ship's hull or ship's superstructure to which the cabin walls, plates or the like are secured and the furnishings including the internal installation are then installed.

Apart from the fact that this support construction has the disadvantage that it gets in the way of subsequent changes in the room division, this method of equipping ships with cabins is complicated, takes a lot of time and is thus very cost-intensive; in addition to this comes the fact that it is necessary to work in narrow passages which signifies a permanent difficulty. This method of building in cabins is not made substantially more rational and more favourable costwise. when securing means for the cabin walls are attached in advance to the support construction.

Attempts to prefabricate cabins outside of the object in a well-equipped workshop and to then bring the finished cabins as spatial bodies to the object and only to install them there fails because suitable transport means are lacking in order to place finished cabins with the required care precisely at the location of installation. For this it would be necessary to finally displace the cabins which however fails because of their considerable weight and larger friction on the deck. This was also the reason why one could not imagine providing premanufactured cabins with the means in advance, since this would indeed have increased the weight of the cabins. The desire to nevertheless bring cabins ready for occupation to the object and to then only install them there at favourable cost had therefore to remain unfulfilled.

Accordingly the invention is based on the object of finding a way which makes it possible to prefabricate cabins together with furniture and internal installation in a capable workshop and to then reliably place them in position on the deck so that they can be installed in the shortest possible time.

The solution of this object consists, in accordance with claim 1 of the set of claims, with a plurality of cabins consisting of plates provided alongside one another on the deck essentially in that each (prefabricated) cabin was preferably prefabricated as a complete cabin unit with the cabin furniture and the internal installation (water, power supply) and in that each cam was preferably prefabricated as a complete cabin unit with the cabin furniture and the internal installation (water, power), and in that for transport on the floor at least one flat cushion which can be inflated by means of compressed air and has outlet openings for the compressed air facing towards the planar floor is laid beneath the cabin unit at the outside over the floor area.

The action of the cushion is such that the air supplied under pressure to the interior of the cushion inflates the cushion and flows out through openings towards the deck surface; however it there forms a continuous cushion in the manner of an air film so long as the air pressure is sufficiently high. In this way the cabins are lifted from their support on the deck and the friction between the cabin and the deck surface is thereby reduced to a minimum since the cabins now almost float on the air film. This makes it possible to achieve a situation in which the heaviest cabins with their internal furnishings can be effortlessly displaced by hand with high precision to the correct position; if the air supply is interrupted then the cabin sinks immovably onto the deck surface and can then be immediately screwed tight or otherwise fixed without delay.

In an advantageous development of each cabin with an air cushion provision is made that for easy handling the cushion, having a connection stub with a closure member can be connected to a (close) source of compressed air and that the outlet openings for the air out of the cushion are areally distributed so that the air cushion or the air film acts uniformly over the entire floor area of the cabin.

It is particularly advantageous when the inflatable cushion has a low frame in its central region which projects downwardly towards the ship's deck. With this additional design of the cushion it is ensured that the area with which the inflated cushion still lightly contacts the subsurface despite its floating movement is reduced, which further acts to reduce friction. A self-sealing occurs relative to the floor which in addition causes extremely low dust formation.

The foot part of the cabin can be so designed that the cushion finds a place in the non-inflated state in the space between the limbs of that frame-like foot part and remains there permanently when the cabin is installed.

Because the cushion is able to also lift heavy loads the cabins of the invention can be unhesitatingly equipped from the outset with all the desired furnishing elements including the wet cell with installation.

This therefore results in a situation in which a cabin which has been built up in accordance with the teaching of claim 1 can be brought precisely in the shortest time to the location of installation and can at once be installed, without even having to think about a clever mounting means. With this system narrow passageways are also no longer a hinderance for rapid working onboard.

An embodiment of the cabin of the invention will be explained in the following with reference to two drawings. There are shown:

Fig. 1 the ground plan of a cabin with a wet cell with furniture, Fig. 2 a perspective view - from below - of a cushion in the floor region of the cabin.

Ship's cabins, in particular for passengers, are known to be well equipped chambers. They are almost small flats with furniture and other furnishing articles which serve for comfort; the wet cell is also not missing. In Fig. 1 there is shown the ground plan of such a cabin 1 with cupboards, table, sofa and double-bed and also with the wet cell. Fig. 2 illustrates the core of the invention, namely an 1 inflatable air cushion 2 which lies in the floor area of the cabin 1 towards the ship's deck. It covers, in the illustrated preferred case, the predominant part of the ground area of the cabin. It is manufactured from a resilient material, such as elastomer. From its basic construction it is a classical flat cushion the areal top and lower sides of which are connected together along the edges. This connection can also arise by manufacturing the cushion body in one piece. Because the cushion 2 is inflatable, and indeed by means of air, it has a connection stub 4 for a line to a source of compressed air (not shown) A closure member (not illustrated) is provided in the stub or in the line. The underside of the cushion lies during the envisaged transport of the cabin on the deck and this side of the cushion 2 is provided with openings 3 for the emergence of the compressed air; these openings are distributed regularly over the cushion surface. since the air escapes through them again on inflation of the cushion an air cushion is formed, as already explained, between the lower side of the cushion and the floor of the deck when care is taken to ensure that the quantity of air supplied is adequately large; this is the case when an accumulation of air arises. This accumulation of air has the consequence that the cabin 1 lifts on inflation of the cushion 2 and is floatingly supported on the air film which arises. The cabin no longer rests, as would otherwise be the case, with a considerable frictional on the floor but rather it floats with a minimum of friction relative to the substrate. This small amount of friction makes it possible for each of the cabins 1 to be displaced by hand with the exertion of only a little force, even if they are particularly heavy. In this way it is ensured that a cabin with a complete inner furnishing can be effortlessly push with precision to the point of installation and can be placed there.

The handling of the cabin I is additionally facilitated when an intentional free space for the emergent air is provided in the central region of the side of the cushion with the outlet openings 3 between the cushion and the ship's deck; this free space is formed by a low outwardly projecting frame 5, for example as a one-piece part with the cushion wall. This frame reduces the contact area of the cushion 2 with the floor of the deck, which is in any event hardly notable and thus additionally reduces the not entirely avoidable ground friction.

A further advantage is, that the cushion does not execute any pump movements during the transport of the cabin 1.

The cushion 2 is customarily pushed as an independent part beneath the cabin unit to be installed using a flat conveyor and is removed again after the placement of the cabin. The cushion can however also be used in such a way that it is an integrated part of the cabin 1. It is then firmly connected with a frame-like stiffened foot part of the cabin 1. This has the advantage, that the cushion, when it has satisfied its function as a transport means, remains in the foot part of the cabin in the same way as a floor of the cabin unit. If a firmly joined floor is not required in special cases then the cushion which has been set out of action can take on the role of a floor. If however the customary floor is provided in the cabin unit the cushion is simply left in the space between the limbs of the frame-like foot part 6 after the air has escaped from it since it has place in the resulting space without causing disturbance.

Claims (6)

Patent Claims

1. Cabin consisting of plates, preferably for ships, wherein a plurality of such cabins are built up on the planar floor, characterised in that each cabin (1) was preferably prefabricated as a complete cabin unit with the cabin furniture and the internal installation (water, power) and in that for transport on the floor at least one flat cushion (2) which can be inflated by means of compressed air and has outlet openings (3) for the compressed air facing towards the planar floor is laid beneath the cabin unit at the outside over the floor area.

2. Cabin in accordance with claim 1, characterised in that the cushion (2) having a connection stub (4) with a closure member is connected to a source of compressed air and the outlet openings (3) for the compressed air are areally distributed on the cushion.

3. Cabin in accordance with claim 2, characterised in that the inflatable cushion (2) is provided in its middle region with a low frame (5) which projects towards the floor and which is preferably formed in one piece with the cushion.

4. Cabin in accordance with the claims 1-3, characterised in that the inflatable cushion (2) is an integrated part of the cabin floor.

5. Cabin in accordance with the claims 1-4, characterised in that with a firmly jointed cabin floor the cushion (2) has place in the non-inflated state in the space between the limbs of the frame-like foot part (6).

6. A cabin as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.