US2331567A - Towage of vessels and the like - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 12, 1943.

G. W. PETTIGREW'SMITH TOWAGE OFVESSELS AND THE LIKE Filed April 1, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 m I INVENTOQ.

Oct. 12, 1943. G. w. PE' ITI GREW'SMITH 2,331,567

TOWAGE OF VESSELS AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 "Filed April 1, 1942 ATmR/VEYS Patented Oct. 12, 1943 TOWAGE F VESSELS AND THE LIKE George William Pettigretv-Smith,

Westminster, ,Ilnglandv Application April 1, 1942, Serial No. 437,258 In Great Britain August 12, 1941 2 Claims.

For the towage of vessels and the like (hereinafter referred to as vessels) the towing vessel is usually provided with a fixed point of connection for the towing rope or the like (hereinafter referred to as the towing rope) the point of connection being usually arranged near the stern of the towing vessel. Should the vessel being towed be swung to one or other side of the longitudinal centre line of the towing vessel the towing rope turns about the fixed point of connection with the result that the pull of the towing rope is on the fixed point of connection and not on the centre of pullv of the towing vessel with the result that the manoeuvrability of the said towing vessel is adversely affected. The present invention has for its object to provide a point of connection for the towing rope which is capable of movement when the vessel being towed deviates from the longitudinal centre line, whereby the above mentioned disadvantage is overcome.

For this purpose, according to the present invention, there is provided on a towing vessel an arcuate runway and roller assembly having associated therewith a shock absorbing device to which a towing rope can be attached, the roller assembly being adapted to move within the runway, when the vessel being towed moves to one or other side of the longitudinal centre line of the towing vessel, to take up a position whereby the pull of the towing rope is on the centre of pull of the towing vessel.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 shows in side elevation, partly in section and Fig. 2 in plan one construction of runway and roller assembly with associated parts according to the invention. Fig. 3 shows in plan the arcuate runway arranged on the deck of a towing vessel.

Referring to the drawings, an arcuate runway I adapted to be carried by the stern portion of the deck 2 of a vessel comprises a casing of rectangular cross section formed so as to leave an opening l (Fig. 1) in its outer side, the casing I being held in position by means of a number of fillets or plates 3 carried by base plates 4 adapted to be secured to the deck 2 of the vessel, the fillets or plates extending around the casing of the runway to which they are secured. Arranged to move within the runway is a roller assembly comprising a link or member 5 having at each end and at the top and bottom thereof a roller 6, the four rollers being mounted on vertical spindles 1 so that they can rotate in contact with the front inner surface of the casing l forming the runway. The link 5 is also provided at each end at the top and bottom thereof with a roller 8 mounted on horizontal spindles 9 and arranged that the said rollers 8 rotate in contact with the upper and lower inner surfaces of the casing I. Secured to the link or member 5 between the pairs of rollers is a lever or rod ill, which may conveniently be screwed into the link and be welded thereto, adapted to extend through the opening I in the runway casing. The outer end portion of the lever or rod H3 has associated therewith shock absorbing means, which in the example shown, is of known construction.

As shown, the shock absorber comprises two pairs of'levers ll, I2 constituting in effect two levers, having convex surfaces adapted to roll upon each other, the normally adjacent ends of the pairs of levers being pivoted to oppositely arranged pins or trunnions l3 and I4 respectively, on adjacent blocks or distance pieces [5 and i6 mounted on a rod ll between an abutment !8 secured thereto, and a dish-shaped plate l9 that serves to support one end of a compression spring 29 surrounding the rod IT. The other and normally divergent ends of the levers II and l2 are pivoted to oppositely arranged pins or trunnions 2! and 22 respectively. The pin 22 is carried by one end of a pull rod or body member 23 and the pin 2| is pivoted to a sliding block 24 carried by a pair of plates 25, 26 and adapted to move within a slot formed in the body member 23. To the other ends of the plates 25 and 26 is secured a hook 21 for connection of a towing rope. The end portion of the rod I1 is extended outwardly beyond the abutment l8 and has pivoted thereto one end of each of a pair of links 28, forming in effect a single link, the other ends of the links 28 being pivoted to a pin 29 carried by the body member 23, the said links 28 preventing slipping of the levers II and I2 on each other during working. The body member 23 has secured thereto, as by rivets 38, a pair of plates 3| and 32 adapted to be secured to the lever or rod ID, as by means of a bolt 33 and nut 3 The outer end portions of the plates 25 and 26 are supported by and adapted to move along a rail 35 secured to the deck.

What I claim is:

1. Means for towing vessels, comprising an arcuate runway on a towing vessel, a roller assembly in said runway and comprising a body member, rollers mounted on vertical spindles at each end and at the top and bottom of said body member, rollers mounted on horizontal spindles at each end and at the top and bottom of said body member, said rollers being rotatable in contact with the inner surface of said runway, a bar carried by said body member extending outwardly from said runway, and shock absorbing means connected at one end to the outwardly extending end of said bar, said shock absorbing means having at its free end a hook for attach ment of a towing rope or cable.

2. Means for towing vessels comprising) an arcuate runway of rectangular cross section with a'longitudinal opening'in its outer side mounted on a towing vessel, a roller assembly in said runway and comprising a body member, rollers mounted on vertical spindles at each end and at the top and bottom of said body member, rollers mounted on horizontal spindles at each end and at the top and bottom of said body member, said rollers being rotatable in contact with the inner surface of said runway, a bar carried by said body member extending outwardly through said opening in said runway, and shock absorbing means comprising a pair of levers with convex surfaces, a spring device to which one end of each of said levers is anchored and load transmitting means to which the free end'of each convex lever is connected, said'load transmitting means being connected at one end to said bar carried by said roller assembly and said load transmitting means having at its free end a hook for attachment of a towing rope or cable.

GEORGE WILLIAM PETI'IGREW-SMITH.

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