GB2573625A - Scraping apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

Apparatus 10 for cleaning an article 45 to remove life forms without the need for chemicals or hand tools. The apparatus includes a plurality of supports 11 connected together so as to be pivotable in at least one plane, at least some of the supports being provided with at least one protruding scraper (12, Fig 1b). The Apparatus further includes means for loosely attaching the apparatus to the article to be cleaned, so as to permit relative movement between the apparatus and the article, under wind and/or wave action. The connection between the supports being such as to allow the apparatus to form a cradle which conforms approximately to the shape of at least part of the article to be cleaned, so as to bring the scrapers into contact therewith.

Description

SCRAPING APPARATUS

Technical Field

The present invention relates to scraping apparatus for cleaning the hull of a boat to remove the natural accumulation of algae, weed, barnacles and other lifeforms (referred to in this specification as “lifeforms”) which tends to attach to the boat below the waterline in use. In addition, the apparatus of the present invention may also be used to remove a buildup of lifeforms from a variety of different components including, but not limited to: mussel floats, pontoons, buoys, salmon farming equipment including netting, jetties, pier supports and a range of other structures and equipment which in use come into contact with water.

Background Art

In normal usage, the buildup of lifeforms on the hull of the boat below the waterline can significantly increase the frictional resistance encountered by the boat moving through the water, and thus increase the fuel consumption.

For stationary floating articles such as mussel floats, pontoons and buoys, a buildup of lifeforms can damage the surface of the article and in extreme cases can increase the weight of the article so much that it rides too low in the water. For stationary nonfloating articles such as pier supports and jetties a buildup of lifeforms can cause significant damage to the material from which the article is made.

It is possible to clean off lifeforms with treatment by a range of chemicals, but anything which effectively kills the lifeforms is toxic to the environment, and increasingly these treatment chemicals are banned or greatly restricted in use. For example, some marinas provide that treatment chemicals may be used only in a fully enclosed “wet dock” arrangement; this is suitable only for a relatively small boats and is complicated and expensive to use.

Smaller boats can be cleaned by hauling them out of the water and scraping the lifeforms off using hand tools such as paint scrapers.

Larger boats are expensive to haul out of the water and often are cleaned by divers who use hand tools such as scrapers to clean the hull. Articles such as mussel floats, pontoons, jetties and pier supports have to be cleaned by divers using hand tools. This is a difficult, unpleasant, and sometimes dangerous job.

Disclosure of Invention

An object of the present invention is the provision of apparatus which can be used to clean accumulations of lifeforms from articles which in use come into contact with water (fresh water or sea water), without having to isolate the article from the water or use hand tools.

The present invention provides apparatus for scraping lifeforms from articles, said apparatus including:

• a plurality of supports connected together so as to be pivotable in at least one plane;

• at least some of the supports being provided with at least one protruding scraper;

• means for loosely attaching the apparatus to the article to be cleaned, so as to permit relative movement between the apparatus and the article under wind and/or wave action;

• the connection between the supports being such as to allow the apparatus to form a cradle which conforms approximately to the shape of at least part of the article to be cleaned, so as to bring the scrapers into contact therewith.

As used herein, the term ‘article’ includes (but is not limited to) boats and other water craft, plus mussel floats, pontoons, buoys, netting, jetties and pier supports.

In preferred embodiments of the invention, the scrapers may be lengths of flexible rubber sheet, or brushes, or screw flight sections.

In one embodiment of the invention, each support comprises an elongated plank, one face of which is provided with one or more grooves having a scraper mounted in the or each groove. Preferably, each scraper is removably securable in the corresponding groove.

Preferably the blanks are arranged in a series of spaced rows, with adjacent rows of planks connected together by a plurality of spaced flexible connections.

In one embodiment, the planks in each row are pivotably secured together end to end by finger joint connections. In another embodiment, the planks in each row are pivotably secured together by the spaced flexible connections which are arranged to pass through apertures provided adjacent the ends of the planks.

In a second embodiment of the invention, each support provides integrally formed projecting surfaces which form scrapers.

In a third embodiment of the invention, each support comprises a section of screw flight, with the flight of the screw flight providing the scraper.

Essentially, the apparatus of the present invention provides a cradle into which a boat in the water may be placed, and scrapers mounted on the surface of the cradle in contact with the boat are moved over the surface of the hull by the natural movements of the boat caused by waves and wind, to clean the corresponding portions of the hull free of lifeforms.

The present invention also provides a method for using the above apparatus.

Brief Description of Drawings

By way of example only, preferred embodiments of the present invention are described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side view of a first embodiment of apparatus in accordance with the present invention, in position around a boat having a relatively wide and shallow hull shape;

Figure 1 a is a section along the line A - A of Figure 1;

Figure 1b is a view of part of figure 1A, on a larger scale;

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic side view of the apparatus of Figure 1 in position around a boat having a deeper hull with a more pronounced keel;

Figure 2a is a section along the line B - B of Figure 2;

Figures 3a, b and c are sections through supports, showing three different types of scraper;

Figure 4 is a side view of part of the apparatus on a larger scale;

Figure 5 is a side view of an alternative arrangement of the apparatus, on a larger scale;

Figure 6 is a side view of a second embodiment of the invention;

Figure 7 is a side view showing an alternative arrangement of the embodiment of figure 6;

Figures 8a and b are diagrams illustrating a method of engaging a boat with the apparatus;

Figure 9 is a side view of a third embodiment of the invention;

Figure 10 is a side view of the embodiment of Figure 9 in use;

Figure 11 is a side view of an alternative method of engaging a boat with the apparatus;

Figure 12 is an end view of a mussel float;

Figure 13 is a partial side view of the float of Figure 12;

Figure 14 is an end view of the float of Figure 12, in combination with the apparatus of the present invention; and

Figure 15 is a side view of part of the apparatus of the present invention.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

Referring to Figures 1-5, in a first embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus consists of a cradle 10 into which all or part of the hull of the boat can be placed. Preferably, the cradle 10 is of a sufficient size that it receives the whole of the hull of the boat to be cleaned, and the invention will be described with particular reference to this arrangement. However, it will be appreciated that it would be possible to use the apparatus of the present invention to clean only part of a boat hull or to clean the hull in sections or to clean any of a wide range of articles, as discussed above.

The cradle 10 provides a series of spaced supports 11 each of which has one or more scrapers 12 projecting from the face 13 of the support which in use lies adjacent the hull of the boat to be cleaned.

Each support 11 essentially is an elongated flat plank, rectangular in cross-section, with one face 13 formed with grooves or keyhole shaped apertures along the whole length of the plank, to receive a corresponding scraper 12.

In a horizontal plane, supports 11 are hinged together end to end such that the overall apparatus preferably has a length equal to or slightly greater than the length of the boat hull on which it is to be used.

In a vertical plane, supports 11 are secured together by a flexible rope or cable 15 which effectively acts as a hinge between adjacent supports. The supports 11 may be mounted on the cable 15 with their edges touching or may be mounted spaced apart on the cable 15.

Each of the cables 15 is sufficiently long to extend down one side of the hull of the boat to be cleaned, around the underside of the hull, and up the opposite side; each end of each cable is secured to a float 17 with a length 18 of the cable extending beyond the float.

Figure 4 shows a side view of part of three adjacent supports 11 each of which provides a set of three grooves 14 to receive scrapers 12. It will be appreciated that each support 11 may be provided with any number of grooves to receive scrapers, depending upon the width of the support 11:- typically, each support 11 would provide 3 to 4 grooves, but it would be possible for a support 11 to have only a single groove.

Each end of each support 11 is formed with spaced fingers 22 so that adjacent planks can be finger jointed together as shown in Figure 4. The overlapping portions of the fingers 22 are formed with through holes 23 through which a cable 15 (shown in broken lines) is passed to secure the supports together. It will be appreciated that the use of a flexible connection like a cable, and the use of a plurality of separate supports 11 flexibly joined together, gives a construction which can flex so as to conform, at least approximately, to the shape of a boat hull.

The length of each of the supports 11 may of course be varied to suit particular applications:- a short support (e.g. half a metre) gives an apparatus with excellent flexibility, but involves the use of a very large number of joints and cables. A longer support (typically one metre) probably would be an acceptable compromise between flexibility and avoiding an excessive number of joints/cables. It will be appreciated that the length of the support selected will depend upon the intended application of the apparatus e.g. the average length of the boat hull with which it is to be used.

If the apparatus is being used to clean an article which is rounded in shape, such as a boat, then the apparatus needs to be able to flex in both horizontal and vertical planes to form a cradle around at least part of the article being cleaned, as described below. However, if the apparatus is being used to clean e.g. a rectangular article (such as a jetty) then it may be unnecessary for the apparatus to be able to flex in a horizontal plane, but only in a vertical plane. For this type of construction, a vertically arranged stack of spaced supports, each having the same length as the article to be cleaned, is suitable.

Figure 5 shows an alternative arrangement to that of Figure 4 in which the ends of the supports 11 are simply squared off and provided with through holes through which the cables 15 pass. In the arrangement shown in Figure 5, the supports 11 are alternated so that one does not lie directly above or below the other, to avoid binding of the long edges of the supports against each other. The use of washers 24 between the overlapping edges of the planks is shown, but may not be needed. However, it would also be possible to arrange the supports 11 continuously if required.

Figures 3 a-c show three possible arrangements for securing the scrapers 12 in each of the supports 11.

Figure 3a shows the simplest arrangement in which the face 13 of the support 11 is formed with three straight parallel grooves 25 each of which extends down the length of the support 11 and a series of spaced through holes 26 each of which extends through the thickness of the support 11, perpendicular to the lengths of the grooves 25.

Each of the grooves 25 receives a scraper 12 in the form of a length of robust, UV resistant abrasion resistant material such as flexible rubber belting. One edge of the belting is slotted into the corresponding groove 25, leaving a major portion of the width of the belting protruding from the support 11 and free to flex as shown in ghosts lines in Figure 3a.

Each of the scrapers 12 has a spaced series of holes corresponding to the holes 26, and the scrapers are secured in position by passing fasteners 27 (e.g. pins or screws or similar fasteners) through the holes 26 and through each of the holes in the scrapers.

The variant shown in Figure 3b is basically the same as the embodiment of Figure 3a, except that each groove 29 is formed with an enlarged socket 30 at its closed end and each scraper similarly is formed with an enlarged bulbous portion along one edge, which is slotted into the corresponding socket 30, to anchor the scrapers 12 more securely to the support 11. The scrapers also are secured by fasteners 27 (e.g. pins or screws or similar fasteners) as described with reference to Figure 3a.

Figure 3c shows a further variant in which the scrapers 12 are in the form of brushes formed with a bulbous portion at one end which slots into a socket 30 formed at the inner end of each groove 29, as described with reference to figure 3b. Each set of brushes may be anchored in the corresponding slot by securing fasteners (not shown) or by other suitable securing means e.g. an adhesive.

If the scrapers 12 become worn, they can be removed from the supports and replaced, simply by removing the fasteners, withdrawing the worn scrapers, inserting fresh scrapers and then replacing the fasteners.

Figure 6 shows a further variant of the apparatus of the present invention, in which the supports 11 and scrapers 12 are replaced by an array of spaced scraper units 35, which may be individually mounted on a network of flexible cables 36, 37 (as shown in figure 6) or pivotably secured to each other using any suitable type of hinge arrangement, as shown diagrammatically in figure 7, with sets of interlinked scraper units 35 mounted on flexible cables 36a, 37a in the same general manner as described with reference to figures 1-5.

Each of the scraper units 35 comprises a heavy duty impact resistant mounting 39 at least the outer edges 40 of which are formed from a flexible material capable of acting as a scraper. Alternatively, or in addition, the edges 40 may be fitted with removable scrapers e.g. as described with reference to figures 3.

Each scraper unit is formed with apertured brackets 42, 43 on its upper and lower edges and on its sides respectively, to allow the scraper to be pivotally secured to adjacent scraper units and/or to supporting cables.

The scraper units 35 are assembled on supporting cables to form a cradle as described with reference to figures 1-5.

The above described apparatus is used by forming it into a cradle which surrounds a boat hull below the waterline, and loosely securing the apparatus to the boat so that there is relative movement between the apparatus and the boat due to wind and wave motion. This relative movement rubs the scrapers 12 over the boat hull below the waterline, and removes lifeforms simply by virtue of that relative movement, without any need for hand tools or power driven equipment, and without any risk of environmental pollution, since the only things released into the water are the scraped off lifeforms.

The manner in which the apparatus is shaped into a cradle depends upon the shape of the exterior of the boat. For example, for boats with a very pronounced keel, as shown in Figure 2, it may be necessary to use weights 21 to partially preform the apparatus so that the boat can be inserted into the cradle without the keel structure snagging on the apparatus.

Another possibility is the arrangement shown in Figure 11:- in this arrangement, the apparatus is made in two sections 10a, 10b, connected together by a cable 52, which is weighted by a weight 21. This allows the two sections of the apparatus to float adjacent, but spaced apart from, each other until the boat is in position over the apparatus. The cable 52 is then pulled in the direction of arrow B to draw the two sections 10a, 10b, together (as indicated by arrows X in Figure 11) until the sections contact the keel 53. The apparatus is than secured to the boat as described below with reference to Figures 8a and b.

For boats with a more rounded shape and a less pronounced keel, the method illustrated in Figures 8a and b can be used. In this method, the apparatus has an additional row of floats 51 secured along the edge of the apparatus which will lie adjacent the stern of the boat when the apparatus is in position. The floats 51 ensure that the apparatus floats close to the surface of the water as shown in Figure 8a.

With the apparatus in this position, a boat 45 to be cleaned is propelled over the apparatus, to a position in which the boat lies more or less symmetrically in the centre of the apparatus, with the bows of the boat at the front of the apparatus and the stern of the boat at the rear of the apparatus.

The boat and the apparatus are then loosely secured together by drawing each of the cable ends 18 up the side of the boat to approximately the position shown in Figures 1 and 2 and securing the cable ends 18 to suitable securing points 20 along the sides of the boat. The apparatus does not have to be secured tightly to the boat, because there needs to be relative movement between the apparatus on the boat, as the boat moves relative to the water due to wave and wind action, for the scrapers 12 to rub against the exterior of the hull and abrade off the lifeforms.

Figures 1a and 2a show a cable end 18 at each end of each cable 15, with each cable end 18 secured to a securing point 20 along the side of the boat. This may well be necessary for larger boats, or boats which have a relatively complex shape of hull cross-section. However, it is envisaged that for a majority of boats, only the cable ends 18a and 18b (i.e. the cable ends at the bows and at the stern) will need to be secured to the boat.

As shown in Figures 1a and 2a the flexible joints between the supports 11 (or between the scraper units 35) allow the apparatus to approximately follow the outline of the hull of the boat, and also allow the apparatus to follow the shape of the bows and stern of the boat. If the apparatus is to be consistently used with boats of a particular profile, than the number and length of the supports 11 (or number of scraper units 35) may be adjusted as necessary to give the apparatus the desired shape, as shown in figure 2.

Once the apparatus is secured in position, the contact between the scrapers 12 and the outer surface of the hull, as the boat moves relative to the apparatus, very effectively cleans a major portion of the lifeforms from the hull. For larger boats, the hull may of course be cleaned in sections if the apparatus is not sufficiently large to clean the entire hull.

Once cleaning has been completed, the apparatus is released from the boat. Apart from periodically replacing worn out scrapers, the apparatus may be reused indefinitely. Usually, the apparatus would be secured to the boat’s mooring.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, weights 21 may be attached to some of the cables 15 to assist the apparatus in adopting the correct shape.

Figures 9 and 10 show a further variant of the present apparatus, in which the supports 11 are replaced by sections of screw flight 47. Each section of screw flight 47 is arranged to rotate independently of each adjacent section and is connected to the adjacent sections by a spacer 48 and a connection of any suitable type which permits free rotation. The supporting cables 15 also extend through the spacers 48.

Each section of screw flight 47 consists of a central shaft 49 (which preferably is a hollow sealed construction for flotation) with the screw flight 50 formed around the exterior of the shaft. The screw flight is formed of a tough, abrasion resistant material capable of acting as a scraper as it rotates against the surface of the hull.

As shown in figure 9, each section of screw flight will rotate independently as water flows in the direction of arrow A. As the sections of screw flight rotate, the screw flight 50 surfaces act as scrapers to clean lifeforms from the hull.

As shown in figure 10, the apparatus is secured around the exterior of the boat hull 45 as described with reference to figures 1 and 2. It is envisaged that the apparatus of figures 9 and 10 will work best when the boat is in motion, so that there is appreciable water flow past the hull. However, it is possible that the apparatus will work satisfactorily when the boat stationary.

The apparatus of the present invention provides effective cleaning of a boat hull without risk of environmental pollution and without requiring the use of hand tools or any power source other than wind and wave action. A further advantage is that boats are cleaned in the water, avoiding the lengthy and inconvenient process of hauling the boats out of the water.

Referring to Figures 12-15 of the drawings, a mussel float 100 is of known type and is roughly sausage shaped, having a circular cross-section but elongated in side view. Each end of the float is formed with a handle 101 which provides a loop 102 through which a securing rope 103 can be threaded.

The securing rope 103 usually is secured to buoys or anchors, to hold the float 100 in position.

Referring to Figures 14 and 15, apparatus 104 in accordance with the present invention is secured around the float as shown in Figure 14, with a rope 105 passing through the apparatus at each end (only one end is visible) and tied at each end to the securing rope 103.

The apparatus 104 is formed from a series of supports 11, as described above. However, instead of connecting a series of supports 11 end to end as described above, for a small piece of equipment such as a mussel float, it is necessary only to use a single support 11, which has a length slightly longer than the length of the float. As shown in Figure 14, four supports 11 are spaced apart along the length of the rope 105 by threading the rope 105 through the holes 23 on each support 11 and passing the rope 105 through a length of flexible pipe 107 so that the lengths of pipe act as spacers between the supports 11. The opposite ends of each of the supports (not visible) are mounted on a second rope, using spacers in the same manner.

Each of the supports 11 may be formed as described with reference to Figures 1-4, and each support carries a series of spaced scrapers 12, also as described with reference to Figures 1-4. The only difference is that rather than each of the scrapers 12 being substantially rectangular in side view, each of the scrapers is formed with an upstand 12a at each end, to approximately match the curve of each end of the float.

The ropes securing the apparatus to the float allow the apparatus to curve around the shape of the float and maximise the contact between each of the scrapers and the surface of the float.

As described above, the scrapers 12 may be made of any of a range of suitable materials and other configurations of supports and scrapers, as described with reference to Figures 5-11, may be substituted for the supports and scrapers described 5 above.

It will be appreciated that, with minor adaptations, the above described apparatus can be used to remove a buildup of lifeforms from any of a wide range of structures and equipment which come into contact with seawater in use. In addition, the apparatus of io the present invention can be used to remove a buildup of freshwater lifeforms from structures and equipment which are used in freshwater, providing that there is a sufficient wave/wind movement of the water to produce relative movement between the apparatus and the structure or equipment to be cleaned.

Claims (14)

1. Apparatus for scraping lifeforms from articles, said apparatus including:

• a plurality of supports connected together so as to be pivotable in at least one plane;

• at least some of the supports being provided with at least one protruding scraper;

• means for loosely attaching the apparatus to the article to be cleaned, so as to permit relative movement between the apparatus and the article, under wind and/or wave action;

• the connection between the supports being such as to allow the apparatus to form a cradle which conforms approximately to the shape of at least part of the article to be cleaned, so as to bring the scrapers into contact therewith.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the supports is provided with one or more protruding scrapers.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein each support is in the form of an elongated plank, one face of which is provided with one or more grooves, with a scraper in the or each groove.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein each scraper is removably securable in the corresponding groove.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3 or claim 4, wherein the planks are arranged in a series of spaced rows, adjacent rows of planks being connected together by a plurality of spaced flexible connections.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the planks in each said row are pivotally secured together end to end by finger joint connections.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the planks in each said row are pivotably secured together by said spaced flexible connections, arranged to pass through apertures provided adjacent the ends of the planks.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein each scraper is selected from the group consisting of: a length of flexible rubber sheet; a brush; a screw flight section.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein each support provides integrally formed projecting surfaces which form scrapers.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein each support also includes one or more replaceable scrapers.

11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein each support consists of a section of screw flight, with the flight of the screw flight providing the scraper, adjacent sections of screw flight being connected together so that they can rotate independently of each other.

12. The apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the apparatus is partially preformed into a preselected shape by means of weights suspended from, or incorporated into, the apparatus.

13. The apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the apparatus is formed in two or more separate sections which can be drawn together around an article to be cleaned.

14. A method of scraping lifeforms from articles, including the following steps:

• providing apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1-13;

• arranging the apparatus so that the scrapers on the apparatus contact at least part of the surface of the article;

• loosely attaching the apparatus to the article to be cleaned, such that there is in use relative movement between the apparatus in the article due to wind and/or wave action;

• leaving the apparatus secured to the article until a sufficient quantity of lifeforms are removed from the surface of the article;

• disconnecting the apparatus from the article.