HRP20000874A2 - Girder structure for car deck plating of car carrier - Google Patents

Description

Background of the invention

Field of invention

The subject invention relates to a load-bearing structure for the formwork of a car deck of a car carrier.

Description of the state of the art related to the subject invention

Car carriers have layers of car decks and carry a number of motor vehicles on each car deck. Some car carriers carry up to approximately ten thousand vehicles in total, and therefore their car decks are exposed to heavy loads.

The formwork of car decks is composed of steel plates fixed to longitudinal beams (carriers) and to transverse beams placed in the cargo space of the ship. In the cross-section of the load-bearing structure, the longitudinal beams and transverse beams are supported by the side structural elements that carry the ship's side plating (such as longitudinal beams and frames), as well as by columns placed in the cargo space.

Figure 6 schematically shows, in section, an example of a load-bearing structure for the formwork of car decks with two columns. In this example, the formwork of car decks 2 has longitudinal beams (which extend in the direction perpendicular to the picture plane) and transverse beams (supports) 4, both of which are connected to the side structural elements 5 and columns l directly (rigid structural connection).

In any case, the execution of a larger number of columns l represents a limitation in the traffic of cars on decks 2, thereby reducing the capacity of vehicles on the deck.

For this reason, a construction with only one column l in the center of the cross section is proposed, as shown in Figure 7.1, in this case the longitudinal beams and cross beams 4 of the car deck formwork 2 are connected to the side structural elements 5 and to the column 1 directly. This means that both the longitudinal beams and the transverse beams 4 are in a rigid structural connection with the lateral structural elements 5 and with the column 1.

At the same time, the formwork of the 2 car decks and the transverse beams of the 4 car supports should absorb the stresses that occur when the hull of the ship is exposed to angular deformations in the shape of its cross section between waves. In addition, the overhangs of the formwork 2 of the car decks and the cross beams 4 under load must be suppressed in order to ensure a sufficient free height H for the lower floors.

Taking into account all of the above, the proposed construction of the beams is as shown in Fig. 8. In this load-bearing structure, a rigid connection of the longitudinal beams with the columns 1 was performed. In addition, the transverse supports 4 above the water level, which is greater in the case of angular deformations of the ship's hull, structurally do not directly connect the columns 1 and the side structural elements 5 (elastic structural compound).

Figure 9 shows, in a floor plan, an example of the arrangement of beams around a column with an elastic structural connection. In the schematic, the direction to the front of the fuselage is shown above. In this example, additional longitudinal beams 6 are placed on both sides of the column 1, over the transverse beams 4a in the plane of the column position and the transverse beams 4b that extend on both sides of the column 1. The transverse beams 4a in the plane of the column position are connected to the additional longitudinal beams 6, not directly to pillar 1.

However, according to this construction, the connection points A between the transverse beams 4a in the plane of the column position and the additional longitudinal beams 6 were exposed to local concentrations of high stress, inevitably causing large deflections. This led to the need to install at least two pillars l as shown in Fig. 8.

It should be noted that the reference marks J and G in Figures 6-9 represent an elastic structural joint and a rigid structural joint, respectively.

Summary of the invention

In view of all the above, the aim of the present invention is to provide a load-bearing structure for the formwork of the car deck of a car transport ship (car carrier) for use in the transport of motor vehicles, where the car carrier has a column placed in the ship's hull, and in particular a load-bearing structure for the formwork of the car deck, where local stress concentrations that occur due to the elastic construction of the transverse beams are avoided, in order to achieve an overall reasonable load distribution in order to overcome angular deformations, and to safely achieve a free height for the lower floors.

The above-mentioned objective of the present invention was achieved by making a load-bearing structure for the formwork of the car deck of a car transport ship (car carrier) for use in the transport of motor vehicles, where the car carrier has a column placed in the ship's hull, and the load-bearing structure includes: an additional longitudinal beam characteristic for the corresponding side placed over an additional transverse beam characteristic for the corresponding side on the lateral structural element that carries the lateral structural elements, whereby the transverse beam is connected to the additional longitudinal beam characteristic for the corresponding side so that the transverse beam is in an elastic structural connection with the lateral structural element; additional longitudinal beams characteristic of the respective column on both sides of the column placed in the cargo space, at least over the transverse beams in the plane of the position of the column and the transverse beams passing on both sides of the column, whereby the transverse beams in the plane of the column are connected to the specified additional longitudinal beams characteristic of corresponding column so that the transverse beams are in the plane of the position of the column in an elastic structural connection with the column; and additional transverse elements characteristic of the corresponding column placed between the main longitudinal beam passing through the plane of the column and additional longitudinal beams characteristic of the corresponding column.

Here, in order to achieve a certain effect, additional transverse elements characteristic of the corresponding column can be placed on either side of the column in the longitudinal direction of the ship's hull.

In addition, in addition to additional transverse elements characteristic of the corresponding column placed between additional longitudinal beams characteristic of the corresponding column, additional longitudinal elements characteristic of the corresponding column can be placed between the column and additional transverse elements characteristic of the corresponding column instead of the main longitudinal beam passing through the plane of the position of the column .

In this case, other additional longitudinal elements characteristic of the corresponding column can also be placed between the additional transverse elements characteristic of the corresponding column and the transverse beams extending on both sides of the column.

When the additional longitudinal elements characteristic of the respective column are placed between the column and the transverse beams extending on both sides of the column instead of the main longitudinal beam passing through the plane of the position of the column, the additional transverse elements characteristic of the corresponding column may be omitted, depending on the design.

In accordance with the present invention, the loads acting on the transverse beams are accepted by the elastic structural joints with the lateral structural elements as well as the columns. Therefore, even if the ship's hull is subjected to angular deformations between waves, the overall load distribution prevents local stress concentrations on the hull itself.

In addition, in the present invention, the aforementioned discoveries were made on elastic structural joints around the column. Therefore, local stress concentrations around the column are avoided and free height for the lower floors can be achieved with certainty.

Accordingly, even in the case that there is only one column in the supporting structure (in the transverse direction), the supporting structure of the present invention is fully applicable in practice while improving the functionality of the car carrier. It is obvious, however, that the subject invention is also applicable to load-bearing structures with two or more columns in the center of the cargo area. In such cases, it becomes possible to place transverse beams wider or to design a ship with a higher rated load.

The nature, principle and applicability of the subject invention will become clearer from the following detailed description which should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Brief description of the drawing

On the attached drawings:

Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a ship's hull showing a car carrier concept to which an embodiment of the present invention is applied;

Figure 2 is a partial floor plan showing the arrangement of beams near the side elements of the support structure;

Figure 3 is a partial floor plan showing the arrangement of beams near the column;

Figures 4(A) and 4(B) are partial floor plans showing other embodiments;

Figures 5(A) - 5(C) are partial floor plans showing further embodiments;

Figure 6 is a cross-section of a ship's hull showing the concept of a conventional two-mast car carrier;

Fig. 7 is a cross-section of a ship's hull showing the concept of a conventional single-mast car carrier;

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing the concept of a conventional two-post car carrier having cross-beams with an elastic connection; and

Fig. 9 is a partial floor plan showing the arrangement of beams including conventional cross beams in a resiliently connected column structure.

Detailed description of recommended performances

In the following text, a description of the performance according to Figures 1-5 (C) will be given.

Please note that the same parts as conventional types will be marked with reference numbers that have the same last (lower) two digits, and their detailed description will be omitted.

Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a ship's hull showing the concept of a car carrier to which an embodiment of the present invention is applied. Figure 2 is a partial floor plan for the same purpose, showing the arrangement of the supports along the side structural elements. Figure 3 is a partial floor plan showing the arrangement of the beams around the column. Figures 4(A) and 4(B) are partial floor plans showing other designs around the pole. Figures 5(A)-5(B) are partial floor plans showing further designs around the column. In each of the floor plans, the front part of the fuselage is shown upwards.

Referring again to FIG. 1, it conceptually shows the cross-section of the car carrier to which the embodiment of the present invention is applied. In the load-bearing structure for the car deck formwork 102, in this embodiment, only one column 101 is placed in the middle of the ship's hull (in the transverse direction). At the same time, the transverse beams 104 of the formwork 102 of car decks are structurally elastically connected to the column 101 as well as to the side structural element 105 (the structural element that carries (supports) the formwork of the car transport ship, such as the longitudinal beam and the frame).

First, as shown in Fig. 2, additional longitudinal beams 107 characteristic for the corresponding side are placed opposite the lateral structural element 105. Between the lateral structural element 105 and the additional longitudinal beams 107, additional transverse beams 110 characteristic for the corresponding side are placed (displaced in relation to the transverse beams 104). The transverse beams 104 are connected to the additionally placed longitudinal beams 107, not directly to the lateral structural element 105. This means that the transverse beams 104 are in an elastic structural connection with the lateral structural element 105.

In this embodiment, the transverse beams 104 and the additional transverse beams 110 are placed alternately (not in the same cross-section), whereby an alternating arrangement is not necessarily required, but they can be connected in the same places (in the same cross-section).

According to Fig. 3, one pillar 101 is placed in the transverse direction of the cargo space. On both sides of that column 101, additional longitudinal beams 106 characteristic of the respective column are placed over cross beams 104 at the column location and cross beams 104b extending on both sides of the column. Both transverse beams 104a located in the plane of the column are connected to the additional longitudinal beams 106, not to the column 101. This means that the transverse beams 104a in the plane of the column are in an elastic connection with the column 101. Additional transverse elements 108 (4 in total on this diagrams) are placed between the main longitudinal beam 103 passing through the position of the column and the additional longitudinal beams 106, on the front and back sides of the connection points A between the transverse beams 104a in the plane of the column and the additional longitudinal beams 106.

Transverse beams 104a in the plane of the mast, transverse beams 104b extending on both sides of the mast, additional longitudinal beams 106, additional transverse elements 108 and the like, are placed symmetrically both in the longitudinal and transverse directions of the ship's hull. Pillar 101 is placed in the center.

Figures 4(A) and 4(B) show a modified example of the supporting beam structure shown in FIG. 3.

Figure 4(A) shows an example in which the post is placed offset from the center of the cross beams 104b (which extend from both sides of the post). Even in this example, the transverse beams 104a in the plane of the column are connected to the additional longitudinal beams 106, not directly to the column 101 (elastic construction connection).

Then, additional transverse elements 108 are placed on either side of the pillar in the longitudinal direction of the cargo area (rear side in the diagram). It may be noted that the additional transverse elements 108 may be arranged in a greater number of sets on either side of the column 101 (see dashed lines); the same applies to the example from Fig. 3.

To the NE. 4(B), cross beams 104a in the plane of the column, cross beams 104b extending from both sides of the column 101, additional longitudinal beams 106, additional cross members 108, etc., can be arranged as in FIG. 3, or symmetrically in the longitudinal and transverse directions of the ship's hull. In any case, the column 101 is moved forward from the center of these elements.

There, the load-bearing structure of the beams should be applied to the ship for the transport of cars. Therefore, any of the modified examples shown in FIG. 4(A) and 4(B) is particularly effective when the post cannot be placed in the center of the space between the longitudinal beams and the transverse beams due to the usable dimensions of the car deck panels, the layout on the deck and other reasons.

As previously described, when the construction is adopted with additional transverse elements 108 placed between additional longitudinal beams 106, the transverse beams 104a in the plane of the column can be made in an elastic structural connection with the column 104, and the additional transverse elements 108 can carry part of the loads acting on connection points A. This enables an elastic construction that is not burdened by local stress concentration.

Since the elastic construction is also applied to the sides, the loads acting on the transverse beams 104a, 104b and others are accepted by the side structural elements 105 via the elastic construction. This prevents the problem of elastic structural joints around the column causing local stress concentrations on the sides.

Figures 5(A)-5(C) show some other designs of beam construction around the column.

In the versions with Fig. 5(A)-5(C), the main longitudinal beam 103 which extends in the plane of the column position in the cargo area (see Figs. 3 to 4(B)) is omitted.

On Fig. 5(A), additional cross members 112 are placed over additional longitudinal beams 106. In addition, instead of a main longitudinal beam 103 extending through the plane of the column position, additional longitudinal members 109 (characteristic of the corresponding column) are placed between the column 101 and the additional of transverse elements 112. Fig. 5(B) shows the construction of FIG. 5(A), further equipped with additional longitudinal members 114 (characteristic of a corresponding second column) positioned over additional cross members 112 and cross beams 104b (extending either side of the column).

In any of the embodiments shown in FIG. 5(A) and 5(B), additional longitudinal beams 106 which are placed on both sides of the mast 101 pass longitudinally through the ship's hull, as a substitute for the main longitudinal beam 103 which passes through the plane of the mast. In other words, there are two (main) longitudinal beams at a certain distance in the transverse direction of the cargo space, in which case the longitudinal beams are also in an elastic structural connection with the column.

Therefore, such a construction in which the main longitudinal beam 103 passing through the plane of the column position is deliberately dropped, if adopted, can realize a certain elastic structure around the column (enabling to some degree especially lateral deformations or displacements of additional longitudinal beams 106). In this way, stress concentrations at connection points A are reduced to a certain extent. As a result, it becomes possible to omit even additional transverse elements 112, depending on the size of the ship's hull and the spacing of the transverse beams.

Sl. 5(C) provides one such example. In this example, the transverse beams 104a in the plane of the position of the column are placed in an elastic connection, whereby not a single additional transverse element is performed. The additional longitudinal elements 120 characteristic of the corresponding column are not placed between the column 101 and the additional transverse elements, but are placed between the column and the transverse beams 104b (which extend on both sides of the column).

As described before, additional transverse elements and additional longitudinal elements can be placed in different configurations depending on the case or needs.

In accordance with the present invention, the load-bearing structure of the beams for the formwork of the car deck of the car carrier is equipped with transverse beams that are in an elastic structural connection with the column as well as with the elements that support the side formwork of the car carrier. This enables elastic compensation of angular deformations of the ship's hull. When the transverse beams are placed in an elastic structural connection, especially with the column, local stress concentrations can easily occur around the column. In any case, in the subject invention, such concentrations are avoided by the construction, in which additional transverse elements (characteristic of the corresponding column) are placed and/or the main longitudinal beam that passes through the plane of the position of the column with additional longitudinal elements is replaced. This enables a reasonable distribution of the load throughout the hull, sufficient durability in relation to the angular deformations of the hull (even in the case of a structure with only one column), and a reduction in the deflection of the transverse beams. In addition, the free height for the lower floors can be reliably ensured.

Although the description has given the embodiments that are now considered recommended according to this invention, it should be understood that their various modifications can be made, and it is intended that the appended claims cover all such modifications that are in the spirit and scope of the subject invention.

Claims (5)

1. The load-bearing structure of the beams for the formwork of the car deck of the car transport ship (car carrier) for use in the transport of motor vehicles, whereby the said car carrier has a column placed in its cargo space and the load-bearing structure is indicated by the fact that it includes: - an additional longitudinal beam characteristic of the corresponding side placed over the additional transverse beam characteristic of the corresponding side on the side structural element that carries the side paneling of the car carrier, whereby the transverse beam is connected to the specified additional longitudinal beam characteristic of the corresponding side so that the specified transverse beam in an elastic structural connection with the specified lateral structural element; - additional longitudinal beams characteristic of the respective column on both sides of the specified column placed in the specified cargo space, at least over the transverse beams in the plane of the column position and the transverse beams that pass on both sides of the specified column, whereby the said transverse beams in the plane of the column are connected to the specified additional longitudinal beams characteristic for the corresponding column, so that the said transverse beams are in the plane of the column in an elastic structural connection with the said column; - additional transverse elements characteristic of the respective column placed between the main longitudinal beam passing through the plane of the position of the column and the specified additional longitudinal beams characteristic of the corresponding column. 2. Load-bearing construction of beams for formwork of the car deck of the car carrier in accordance with Patent Claim 1, characterized by the fact that the said transverse elements characteristic of the corresponding column are placed on either side of the said column in the longitudinal direction of the ship's hull. 3. The load-bearing structure of the beams for the formwork of the car deck of the car carrier for use in the transport of motor vehicles, wherein the said car carrier has a column placed in its cargo area and the load-bearing structure is indicated by the fact that it includes: - an additional longitudinal beam characteristic of the corresponding side placed over an additional transverse beam characteristic of the corresponding side on the side structural element that carries the side paneling of the car carrier, wherein the transverse beam is connected to the specified additional longitudinal beam characteristic of the corresponding side so that it is - transverse beam in an elastic structural connection with the specified lateral structural element; - additional longitudinal beams characteristic of the respective column on both sides of the specified column placed in the specified cargo space, at least over the transverse beams in the plane of the column position and the transverse beams that pass on both sides of the specified column, whereby the said transverse beams in the plane of the column are connected to the specified additional longitudinal beams characteristic for the corresponding column, so that the said transverse beams are in the plane of the column in an elastic structural connection with the said column; - additional transverse elements characteristic for the corresponding column placed over the specified additional longitudinal beams characteristic for the corresponding column; and - additional longitudinal elements characteristic of the corresponding column placed between the specified column and the specified additional transverse elements characteristic of the corresponding column, instead of the main longitudinal beam passing through the plane of the column position. 4. The load-bearing structure of the beams for the formwork of the car deck of the car carrier is in accordance with Patent Claim 3, characterized by the fact that it further includes additional longitudinal elements characteristic of the second corresponding column, placed between said additional transverse elements characteristic of the corresponding column and said transverse beams which extend on both sides of the mentioned column. 5. The load-bearing structure of the beams for the formwork of the car deck of the car carrier for use in the transport of motor vehicles, wherein the said car carrier has a column installed in its cargo area and the load-bearing structure is indicated by the fact that it includes: - an additional longitudinal beam characteristic of the corresponding side placed over the additional transverse beam characteristic of the corresponding side on the side structural element that carries the side paneling of the car carrier, whereby the transverse beam is connected to the specified additional longitudinal beam characteristic of the corresponding side so that the specified transverse beam in an elastic structural connection with the specified lateral structural element; - additional longitudinal beams characteristic of the respective column on both sides of the specified column placed in the specified cargo space, at least over the transverse beams in the plane of the position of the column and the transverse beams that - they pass on both sides of the said column, where the said transverse beams in the plane of the column are connected to the said additional longitudinal beams characteristic of the corresponding column so that the said transverse beams in the plane of the column are in an elastic structural connection with the said column; - additional longitudinal elements characteristic of the corresponding column placed between the specified column and the specified transverse beams that extend on both sides of the specified column, instead of the main longitudinal beam that passes through the plane of the column position.