NL2010288C2

NL2010288C2 - Mooring device.

Info

Publication number: NL2010288C2
Application number: NL2010288A
Authority: NL
Inventors: Pieter Bas Veenstra
Original assignee: Bos & Kalis Baggermaatsch
Priority date: 2013-02-12
Filing date: 2013-02-12
Publication date: 2014-08-13

Description

Mooring device BACKGROUND

The invention relates to a mooring device to moor a first vessel alongside a second vessel or quay.

Traditionally, a vessel is moored by bringing over mooring cables to the vessel, wherein the mooring cables are received by human operators and connected to the vessel. This is a dangerous operation per se, and in particular at dredging operations, dredged soil materials are present at the side-deck, which makes the side-deck very slippery.

A known mooring device comprises a boom with electronic magnets or vacuum pads at the end that engage the hull of the vessel to be moored. In these known devices the forces that are necessary to keep the vessel moored are fully transferred via the boom, whereby the boom needs to be dimensioned accordingly. Moreover, the magnets and vacuum pads need to be powered continuously, thus there is a risk of immediate failure of the mooring device at a short power loss .

It is an object of the present invention to provide an alternative mooring device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides a mooring device to moor a first vessel alongside a second vessel or quay, wherein the mooring device comprises a base frame on said second vessel or quay, a winch with a mooring cable that is connected with the base frame, an end section with a first fixation part that is connected with the opposite end of the mooring cable, a manipulator arm that is at one side connected with the base frame and at the opposite side is connected with an engagement device of the mooring device to engage the mooring cable, and a second fixation part on the first vessel for fixating cooperation with the first fixation part, wherein the mooring cable preferably extends freely from the manipulator arm between the base frame and the engagement device.

The manipulator arm brings the first fixation part and the second fixation part in fixating cooperation, wherein the mooring cable is paid out while bringing the first fixation part towards the second fixation part with the manipulator arm. Thereafter the winch will be powered only when maneuvers are necessary. The manipulator arm only carries the end section and the mooring cable that is paid out, whereby the manipulator arm can have a light construction.

In an embodiment the winch comprises a drum drive with a constant cable tension control, wherein the constant cable tension control keeps the section of the mooring cable between the winch and the engagement device under constant bias at paying out of the mooring cable. The mooring cable is thereby ready to transfer the mooring forces after the fixation parts have been brought together.

In an embodiment thereof the mooring cable extends substantially straight between the base frame and the engagement device.

In an embodiment the base frame comprises a cable guide where the mooring cable passes through or along, wherein the mooring cable extends freely from the manipulator arm between the cable guide and the engagement device .

In an embodiment the engagement device comprises a bushing where the mooring cable slidably passes through, and a hook with a slot to receive and hold the bushing. The bushing forms a defined part to engage the mooring cable with the hook.

In an embodiment the cable guide comprises a first abutment and the mooring cable comprises a second abutment, wherein the first abutment and the second abutment confine the bushing at its opposite sides in the fully hauled in position of the mooring cable.

In an embodiment thereof the bushing projects freely from the first abutment in said fully hauled in position of the mooring cable, wherein the hook engages the bushing by rotation of the manipulator arm in its retracted position. The manipulator arm can thereby easily pick up the mooring cable with the engagement device.

In an embodiment the first fixation part comprises a projecting end abutment part at the end section, and wherein the second fixation part comprises a catcher for the end abutment part. The catcher facilitates that the mooring connection can be established with the manipulator arm in a quick and effective way.

In an embodiment thereof the end abutment part is a rigid body that is connected with the mooring cable, wherein the rigid body has a thickness that is larger than the thickness of the mooring cable.

In a practical embodiment the end abutment part is a metal ball, which can be seen from a large distance when operating the manipulator arm.

In an embodiment the catcher is configured to receive and enclose the end abutment part, wherein the end abutment part comes in fixating abutment with the catcher by pulling on the mooring cable. The pulling can be executed by the manipulator arm or by hauling in the mooring cable by powering the winch.

In an embodiment the catcher comprises abutment faces that together define a slot for passing through the end section, wherein the end abutment part abuts the abutment faces. In this manner a form closed connection is obtained between the catcher and the end section.

In an embodiment thereof the abutment faces together define a chamber for accommodation of the end abutment part.

In an embodiment the end section hangs downward from the engagement device with the first fixation part at the lower side thereof. The first fixation is thereby clearly visible from the second vessel, whereby manipulator arm can be controlled at the first vessel with oversight.

In an embodiment the first fixation part hangs at a fixed distance from the engagement device.

In an embodiment the end section comprises an end cable that is connected in series with the mooring cable, wherein the first fixation part is located at the opposite free end of the end cable. The end cable can have a thicker diameter or being optimized with respect to the mooring cable to withstand scraping contact with the second fixation part or the surrounding parts of the first vessel.

In an embodiment the mooring device comprises two winches on the base frame, each with a mooring cable and a first fixation part, and two second fixation parts on the first vessel, wherein the second fixation parts are located at a distance from each other to diverge the mooring cables from the base frame to the second fixation parts in a triangular configuration. Due to the triangular configuration the first vessel can be moved along the second vessel by paying out and hauling in the individual winches.

In an embodiment the manipulator arm comprises a series of rigid sections that are mutually hingeably connected.

In an embodiment the mooring device comprises a remote control for controlling the manipulator arm and the winch of the mooring device. The mooring device can for example be controlled remotely from the cabin of the human operator of the second vessel.

The various aspects and features described and shown in the specification can be applied, individually, wherever possible. These individual aspects, in particular the aspects and features described in the attached dependent claims, can be made subject of divisional patent applications .

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be elucidated on the basis of an exemplary embodiment shown in the attached drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a side view of a dredging vessel with two mooring devices according to the invention;

Figure 2 shows a schematic top view of the dredging vessel according to figure 1, and a dumping barge that is moored along one side of the dredging vessel by means of the mooring devices;

Figures 3A-3D detailed side views one of the two mooring devices according to figure 1 with the subsequent steps at mooring the barge along the side of the dredging vessel, and

Figures 4A-4C are a top view and further details of the mooring device according to figure 3A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Figure 1 shows a side view of a dredging vessel 1 according to the invention. The dredging vessel 1 comprises an elongated floating hull 2 having at the bow one spud arrangement 3 and near the stern on each side one spud arrangement 4, 5 to temporary anchor the dredging vessel 1 on the bottom 100 of a river or sea 101 to be dredged in a manner known per se. At the stern the hull 2 comprises a lower turntable support 10 for a backhoe dredger 20. Against the straight sides 7 of the hull 2 multiple flexible pads 11 are provided to absorb impacts against the sides of the hull 2. The dredging vessel 1 comprises a main cabin 6 to control the vessel 1 and the backhoe dredger 20 comprises its own cabin 21 for the human operator of the backhoe dredger 20.

Figure 2 shows the dredging vessel 1 schematically in top view, together with a dumping vessel or dumping barge 30 along one side 7. The dumping barge 30 comprises an elongated hull 31 having a hopper 32 to receive the dredged soil materials, and two straight sides 34 of which one is in abutment with the side pads 11 of the dredging vessel 1. At the stern the dumping barge 30 comprises a recess 33 to receive the bow of a tug 38 that maneuvers the dumping barge 30, as the dumping barge 30 itself is not provided with propulsion.

In operation, the dumping barge 30 is one of more of identical dumping barges 30 that are in series brought alongside the dredging vessel 1 to be filled with dredged soil by means of the backhoe dredger 20. The dumping barges 30 are temporary moored by two mooring devices 40 according to the invention, of which one is shown in more detail in figures 3A-3D and figures 4A-4C.

The mooring device 40 is shown in its entirety in figures 3A-3D. The mooring device 40 comprises a base frame 41 that is fixed on the deck at the side-deck 9 of the hull 2. On the base frame 41 two parallel mooring winches 42a, 42b are provided. Around the drum of each mooring winch 42a, 42b a steel mooring cable 43a, 43b is wound, having an end loop 44a, 44b at the free end. The mooring winches 42a, 42b are each provided with an electric or hydraulic drum drive with a constant cable tension controller to keep the mooring cables 43a, 43b under a substantially constant bias when the controller is activated. At the opposite side a steel abutment plate 66 extends from the base frame 41, having a hole or a set of surrounding rollers for each mooring cable 43a, 43b to guide the mooring cables 43a, 43b horizontally and parallel with each other over the base frame 41. This is best shown in figures 3B and 4A. The mooring cables 43a, 43b each pass through a bushing 67a, 67b that can loosely slide along the mooring cables 43a, 43b.

As best shown in figures 4A-4C, the bushings 67a, 67b each comprise a tube 69 and two wider end flanges 68. The mooring winches 42a, 42b can apply a pretension force on the mooring cables 43a, 43b whereby the end loops 44a, 44b abut the closest flange 68 of the bushings 67a, 67b to keep the opposite flange 68 thereof in abutment with the abutment plate 66. In this position the bushings 67a, 67b project horizontally from the abutment plate 66. As best shown in figure 4C, the end loops 44a, 44b of the mooring cables 43a, 43b are connected to the end loop 47a, 47b of a steel end cable 46a, 46b by means of a shackle 45a, 45b. The diameter of the end cable 46a, 46b is larger than the diameter of the mooring cables 43a, 43b. At the opposite side the end cable 46a, 46b is connected with a steel end ball or headache ball 50a, 50b.

As best shown in figure 3C the mooring device 40 comprises a crane body 61 that can rotate around a vertical axis A by means of an hydraulic motor that is not shown. The crane body 61 carries a manipulator arm comprising a boom 62 and a jib 63. The boom is hingably connected to the crane body 61 and can swing in direction B around a horizontal axis by means of a first hydraulic cylinder 81. At the opposite side the jib 63 can swing with respect to the boom 62 in direction C by means of a second hydraulic cylinder 82. The hydraulics of the mooring device 40 is remotely controlled from the main cabin 6 or from the cabin 21 of the backhoe dredger 21. The free end of the jib 63 carries a hook 70 that is shown in front view in figure 4B.

The hook 70 comprises a flat base plate 71 having at the lower half two slots 72a, 72b in a symmetrical manner. The base plate 71 hangs vertically downwards from the free end of the jib 63, wherein the slots 72a, 72b slope downwards to the centre of the base plate 71. The width of the slots 72a, 72b allows the tube 69 of the bushings 67a, 67b to be entered in direction D, wherein the flanges 68 ensure that the tube 69 remains confined in its axial direction. In the fully retracted position of the boom 62 and the jib 63, the hook 70 is positioned in front of the abutment plate 66 and between the two bushings 67a, 67b projecting from the abutment plate 66, wherein the tubes 69 of the bushings 67a, 67b are both located outside and right in front of the slots 72a, 72b. This is shown in figures 3A and 4B.

As shown in figures 4A and 4C, the dumping barge 30 is at its side-deck 35 provided with multiple steel catchers 90 of which only one is shown in detail. The catchers 90 comprise two vertical side walls 91 and a front wall 95 that together form a hollow box with a confinement chamber 92. The front wall 95 curves backwards and ends up with two wings that together define a slot with a converging slot section 93 that merges into a straight slot section 94. The straight slot section 94 extends downwards into the lower vertical part of the front wall 95.

The mooring of the dumping barge 30 along the dredging vessel 1 by means of the mooring devices 40 is illustrated by referring to figures 3A-3D. Firstly, the tug 38 maneuvers the dumping barge 30 in the vicinity of and substantially parallel to the dredging vessel 1. Subsequently, the crane body 61 is rotated sideways around axis A with the boom 62 and jib 63 in their fully retracted position, whereby one bushing 67a is confined in direction D into one slot 72a of the hook 70. Subsequently, the boom 62 and the jib 63 reach out towards the dumping barge 30, whereby the mooring cable 42a is paid out by the winch 42a under the pretension on the mooring cable 42a that is kept constant by the constant tension controller of the drum drive of the mooring winch 42a.

In this manner the mooring cable 42a is kept substantially straight between the abutment plate 66 and the engaged bushing 67a. The end cable 46a with the end ball 50a depend freely downwards from the shackle 45a, wherein the end cable 46a keeps the end ball 50a at a fixed distance from the hook 7 0 whereby it can be seen by the human operator from the cabins 6, 21 with oversight. At the last stage the operator maneuvers the end ball 50a from the open back side in direction E into the confinement chamber 92 of one of the catchers 90. Subsequently the boom 62 and jib 63 are retracted whereby the end ball 50a is further confined and the end cable 46a is slid in direction F into the straight slot section 94 in the front wall 95. The boom 62 and jib 63 are brought back to the fully retracted position, wherein the mooring cable 43a and the end cable 46b initially hang down loosely. By swing back to the centre position around axis A the bushing 67a is released from the hook 70. Subsequently the other mooring cable 43b with the end cable 4 6b is paid out in the same manner, whereby the mooring device 40 has installed two mooring cables 43a, 43b that spread out from the abutment plate 66 in a triangular configuration as shown in figure 2.

Subsequently, the second mooring device 40 installs in the same way one or two mooring cables 43a, 43b onto the dumping barge 30. By paying out at least three mooring cables 43a, 43b, the human operator is able to moor the dumping barge 30 gently in abutment with the flexible pads 11 along the dredging vessel 1 by hauling in the mooring cables 43a, 43b by means of the winches 42a, 42b. Moreover, the dumping barge 30 can be moved forwards and backwards with respect to the dredging vessel 1 while in abutment along the dredging vessel 1 by selectively paying out and hauling in the mooring cables 43a, 43b. This enables the human operator of the backhoe dredger 20 to distribute dredged soil materials over the entire length of the hopper 32. The dumping barge 30 can be released by reaching out the boom 62 and the jib 63 again with one of the bushings 67a, 67b engaged in the hook 70 to lift the end ball 50a, 50b out of the respective catcher 30.

By using the mooring devices 40 according to the invention, there is no need anymore to bring over a human operator to the side-deck 35 of the dumping barge 30 to receive a mooring cable. In particular, the side-deck 35 is a dangerous place to walk as there are always some slippery soil materials present that have missed the hopper 32. The end cables 4 6a, 4 6b are the most vulnerable part of the connection as regards wear. This part can easily be replaced at the shackle 45a, 45b.

It is to be understood that the above description is included to illustrate the operation of the preferred embodiments and is not meant to limit the scope of the invention. From the above discussion, many variations will be apparent to one skilled in the art that would yet be encompassed by the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Claims

A mooring device for mooring a first ship along a second ship or quay, wherein the mooring device comprises a base frame on the second ship or quay, a winch with a mooring cable connected to the base frame, and an end portion with a first mounting part connected to the opposite end of the mooring cable, a manipulator arm connected on one side to the base frame and connected on the opposite side to an engaging device of the mooring device for engaging the mooring cable, and a second mounting part for confirming cooperation with the first mounting part, wherein the mooring cable extends freely between the base frame and the engagement direction of the manipulator arm.

Mooring device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the winch comprises a drum drive with a constant voltage control, wherein the constant voltage control keeps the portion of the mooring cable between the winch and the gripping device under constant tension when the mooring cable is laid out.

Mooring device according to claim 2, wherein the mooring cable extends substantially straight between the base frame and the engaging device.

Mooring device as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein the base frame comprises a cable guide through which the mooring cable is guided or along, wherein the mooring cable extends freely between the cable guide and the engaging device from the manipulator arm.

Mooring device as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein the engaging device comprises a bush through which the mooring cable is slidably guided, and a hook with a slot for receiving and holding the bush.

6. Mooring device as claimed in claims 4 and 5, wherein the cable guide comprises a first stop and the mooring cable comprises a second stop, the first stop and the second stop locking the bush on its opposite sides in the fully overtaken position of the mooring cable.

Mooring device as claimed in claim 6, wherein in the fully retracted position of the mooring cable the bush protrudes freely from the first stop, the hook engaging the bush by rotation of the manipulator arm in its retracted position.

A mooring device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first attachment part comprises a protruding end stop part at the end part, and wherein the second fixing part comprises a catch for the end stop part.

The mooring device of claim 8, wherein the end stop member is a rigid body connected to the mooring cable, the rigid body having a thickness greater than the thickness of the mooring cable.

10. Mooring device as claimed in claim 8 or 9, wherein the end stop part is a metal ball.

The mooring device according to any of claims 8-10, wherein the catcher is configured to receive and enclose the end stop part, the end stop part coming into attachment stop with the catcher by pulling on the mooring cable.

A mooring cable according to any one of claims 8-11, wherein the catcher comprises stop surfaces which together define a slot for passing through the end section, wherein the end stop part comes into abutment with the stop surfaces.

13. Mooring device according to claim 12, wherein the stop surfaces together form a chamber for receiving the end stop part.

Mooring device as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein the end part hangs downwards from the engaging device with the first fixing part on the underside thereof.

Mooring device as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein the first fixing part hangs at a fixed distance from the engaging device.

A mooring device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the end portion comprises an end cable which is connected in series with the mooring cable, the first fixing part being located at the opposite free end of the end cable.

17. Mooring device as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, comprising two winches on the base frame, each with a mooring cable and a first fastening part, and two second fastening parts on the first ship, the second fastening parts being spaced apart about the mooring cables in a diverge triangle configuration from the base frame to the second mounting portions.

A mooring device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the manipulator arm comprises a series of rigid sections which are hinged to each other.

Mooring device according to one of the preceding claims, comprising a remote control for controlling the manipulator arm and the winch of the mooring device.