US2545011A - Means for launching a ship's lifeboat, raft, or similar appliance - Google Patents

Description

March 13, 1951 A. VREUGDENHIL 2,545,011

MEANS FOR LAUNCHING A SHIPS LIFEBOAT,

RAFT 0R SIMILAR APPLIANCE Filed March 10, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 13, 1951 A. VREUGDENHIL 2,545,011

MEANS FOR LAUNCHING A SHIPS LIFEBOAT,

RAFT 0R SIMILAR APPLIANCE Filed March' 10, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 13, 1951 A. VREUGDENHIL 2,545,011

MEANS FOR LAUNCHING A SHIPS LIFEBOAT,

RAFT OR SIMILAR APPLIANCE Filed March 10, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 March 13, 1951 A. VREUGDENHIL 1.

, MEANS FOR LAUNCHING A SHIPS LIFEBOAT, I

RAFT 0R SIMILAR APPLIANCE Filed March 10, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. 40K/4A/us euaog/wv/L Patented Mar. 13, 1951 MEANS FOR LAUNCHING A SHIPS LIFE- BOAT, RAFT, OR SIMILAR APPLIANCE Adrianus Vreugdenhil, Amsterdam, Netherlands Application March 10, 1949, Serial No. 80,733

4 Claims.

This invention relates to means for launching a ships lifeboat, raft or similar appliance, and its principal object is an installation whereby said appliance can quickly and safely be launched even against a heavy list, in such manner as to be prevented from direct contact with the ships side, said arrangement being an improvement of the one disclosed by my prior U. S. specification No. 1,613,367 of January 4, 1927.

According to my present invention, the installation comprises, in addition to outwardly inclined trackways forming part of the ship's structure and disposed athwartship, a life boat, falls, boat supporting members associated with the falls, a carriage adapted to run on said trackways and composed of two wheels or wheel sectors having a diameter exceeding the greatest width of the boat to be handled and interconnected by an axle having a length exceeding that of the boat, parts supported by the axle and prevented from lengthwise movement relative thereto for guiding the falls about the axle, said parts being provided with elements for suspending the said boat supporting member therefrom, and means for checking downward movement of the carriage independently of the downward movement of the boat.

I am aware that it has alreadybeen suggested to provide a life boat, both fore and aft, with a wheel releasably attached thereto and having a diameter exceeding the greatest width of the boat. In this known arrangement, the boat interconnects the wheels so as to form an integral part of the carriage, whereas in my novel installation the boat is associated with a self contained carriage comprising two wheels interconnected by an axle.

In order that my invention may be readily understood by those skilled in the art, I shall now proceed to describe the same in further detail with reference to the annexed more or less diagrammatic drawing, :in which:

Fig. 1 is a front view of a life boat associated with a carriage in accordance with my invention, said parts being shown in different positions relative to a vessel provided with inclined runways for the carriage,

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of part of the vessel and also of the boat, suspended from its carriage, during the lowering operation,

v Fig. 3 is a side elevational view, partly in section-,"of' part 'of the boat and of its disengaging gear,

Fig. 4 is a cross section along the line IVIV in Fig. 2, on'an enlarged scale,

Fig. 5 is a front view of part of the device shown in Fig. 4,

Fig. 6 is a front elevation of a second embodiment of my invention, and

Fig. 7 is a cross-section similar to that shown in Figure 4, however, in another position during the lowering operation of the boat.

In Figs. 1 and 2, the numeral 1 indicates a pair of runways suitably spaced in the longitudinal direction of the vessel V and forming part of the superstructure thereof, the side of the vessel being designated by 8. The lower part of each runway i is substantially vertical and flush with the ships side 8, the upper part sloping towards the water and having a considerable'inclination of say SC-40. Inwardly spaced from each runway l is a vertical post or stanchion 9, also forming part of said superstructure, for instance, of a deck house, the distance of said stanchions from one another being substantially equal to that between the hooks or the like by means of which the boat is suspended from its falls and which will be referred to hereinafter.

Secured to the vessel intermediate between the stanchions 9 is a double barrelled boat winch H! provided as usual with a hand brake and a centrifugal brake. Secured to each barrel is the running part II of one boat fall, the standing part of which is indicated by H a.

From its barrel, each fall is passed around a sheave I2,- thence around a pulley I3 secured to the top of the corresponding stanchion 9, a sheave I4 and around the sheave of a boat block l5 (see.

also Fig. 4) back to a fixed point near the winch l0.

Sheave I4 is rotatably mounted on a substantially horizontal, tubular axle l6 having a length exceed ng that of the boat H to. be handled.

Rotatably mounted on' either end of said axle is .a wheel I8 having a diameter exceeding the greatest width of the boat. Each wheel I8 is pro-' being engaged by a cable 20. These cables are led around pulleys 2| and l 3a coaxial with pulleys !3 to a common small winch 22. The pulleys 2| are mounted on abar 23 interconnecting the bends of the runways '1. Alternatively, the winch 22 may be secured to the axle l6 as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2-.

Each boat block l5 (Fig. 4), is provided with a suspension link a and with a transverse head l5b adapted to be engaged by a bifurcated hook shaped member 24 pivoted as at 25 to a housing 26 rotatably mounted on the axle l6 and accommodating the sheave 14 said housing being prevented from movement lengthwise on axle l6. Opposite pivot 25, member 24 is supported by the head 21a of a screw spindle 21 provided with a handwheel 21b and cooperating with a nut 28 pivoted as at 29 to housing 26, which also accommodates a sheave 30 for guiding the standing part Ha of the fall.

Head I51) is provided with a fin l5c adapted to enter into a slot l5d in the throat of the hook member 24.

Fig. 3 illustrates how the boat IT is suspended from the blocks 15. Each block I5 is provided with an eye i5a (Fig. 4) engaging a horizontal bolt 3| hinged to the boat about a transverse pivot 31a.

Mounted for rotation in the boat (see Fig. 3) is a longitudinal shaft 32, secured to which is a normally horizontal hand lever 32a. Secured to either end of said shaft is a coaxial bush 3213 having a longitudinal slot and adapted, in one position of the shaft, to straddle a bolt 3! adapted to swing about a transverse pivot am of the boat so as to prevent the bolt from upward swinging movement under the gravity pull of the boat, suspended, through the bolt, from link 15a, it being understood that said bolt in its horizontal position is in alignment with the shaft 32. If, however, the latter is rotated through 180 by means of lever 32a, both bolts 3!] are free to swing upward, through the slots provided in the bushes 32b, so as to disengage their eyes lea.

The drawin still shows guide pulleys 33 for the falls mounted on the bar 23, stationary chocks 34 at the upper ends of the runways and collapsible or removable chocks 35 near the lower ends of the sloping portions of the runways, releasable straps 34a being provided for locking the wheels 18 to the chocks 34.

In the stowed position, as illustrated by dotted lines in Fig. l, the carriage formed by the wheels [8 and the axle I5 is supported on the sloping parts of the runways l and locked, against movement on said ways, by the chocks 36, 35 and the straps 34a, whereas the heads I5b engage the throats of the hook members 214, with their fins I projecting through slots hid.

it is pertinent here to remark that in said position the standing parts Ila of the falls between sheaves !4 and pulleys I3 enclose only small angles with the horizontal, so that the pressures exerted by said parts on the sheaves 30 hold the housings 26 into such angular positions relative to axle It as to keep the throats of members 2G in engagement with heads 15?), which necessarily always remain vertically below the center line of axle IE.

In order to lower the boat, its gripes and lashings (not shown) are disengaged and the running parts of the falls are tightened by means of winch 1B, so that the wheels I8 are urged against the chocks 34, whereupon straps 34a can be released and chocks 35 collapsed or removed. If, now, the hand brake of said winch is released, the boat will descend, its descending speed being controlled by the centrifugal brake of the winch referred to above. Owing to the paying out of the falls, the heads 15b of the boat blocks l5 seat themselves on the hook members 24, which thereby are loaded by the full weight of the boat, so that the carriage l6, I8 is posi- 7 thereof.

4 tively compelled to follow the descending mov ment of the boat.

After having moved past the bends of the runways, the boat, together with the carriage, can be arrested at any desired level to allow passengers and crew to embark.

It will be understood that during the descending motion, first on its runways, thereafter on the ships side, the boat is kept in upright position and prevented from contact with the ships side, even if the ship should roll and pitch. If, owing to excessive rolling or to a heavy list of the vessel, the wheels should temporarily disengage the ships side, the resiliency of the wheels and the fact that the boat is suspended close to the axle t8 prevent the boat from being smashed against the ship when the wheels reengage the vessel on the reversal of the roll.

The vertical distance through which the carriage should follow the descending boat depends upon the height of the waves. Anyhow, the carriage is to be arrested, by means of the hand brake of winch 22, before the boat is waterborne. Under normal circumstances, the heads lib will then already have disengaged the hook members 2 2, owing to the considerable increase of the angles between the standing parts of the falls and the horizontal (see Fig. 4), so that the boat will continue to descend. If necessary, for instance in case of a sudden list of the vessel caused by inrush or water, the hook members 24 can be urged into disengaging position by means of the handwheels 211).

At the proper moment, the boat is disengaged from blocks 15 by means of handle 32a (Fig. 3).

As a matter of course, the hand brakes of winches i5 and 22 could, if desired, be operated by the crew in the boat by means of ropes, as exemplified by rope 36 shown in Fig. 2.

For hoisting the boat after the boat blocks l5 have again been fastened to the disengaging rear, the winch ill is to be actuated, whereby the heads !5b are urged vertically against the hook members 2 3, so that the carriage is compelled to follow the upward movement of the boat, which during said movement is again protected against contact with the ships side by the wheels i8. When the carriage passes the bends of the tracks i, the heads I512 again move into the throats oi the hook members 20. Thereupon, the wheels 18 abut against the stationary chocks 34, "when the collapsible or removable chocks 35 are put into locking position in any suitable manner, straps 34a are fastened to the wheels, the falls are given slack, and the gripes and lashings are engaged.

For a low vessel, wheel sectors may be used, the circumferential lengths of the rims of which being determined by the maximum length of the path through which the carriage has to accompany the boat during the descending motion As a matter of course, the diameter of said wheel sectors should exceed the greatest width of the boat to be handled. Reference is had to Fig. 6 of the drawing, which illustrates a boat lowering and hoisting installation fitted with such wheel sectors. In this installation, it is essential for the wheel sectors during their outward movement to be positively arrested the moment wherein they reach the end of the true rolling movement, since otherwise further downward movement would result in lateral movement of the axle towards the ships side, so that the boat would no longer be protected against contact with the vessel.

According to Fig. 6, in which like parts are indicated by the same reference numerals as in Figs. 1 and 2, each wheel sector l8 has connected thereto, as at 36, the end of a chain 31, the other end of which is secured as at 38 to the corresponding track 1, the length of said chain being such as to prevent further downward movement of the wheel when this reaches the end of its rolling movement. In this position, a projection 39 of the wheel rim engages a cup 40 secured to the vessel.

Fig. 6 also shows a rope 4|, one end of which is secured to the track as at 42, the other end being secured to the wheel rim as at 39. In the extreme lower position of the wheel sector, shown in full lines, the rope 4| is fully stretched. When the sector is being hoisted, the rope is wound thereon and is accommodated in a circumferential groove of the rim thereof, whereas chain 31 is hanging slack. It will be appreciated that rope 4| prevents the sector from slipping both during the lowering and the hoisting operation.

It goes without saying that the sector could also be prevented from slipping during its outward or its inward movement by other means, such as by a gear rim on the sector cooperating with a rack on the trackway.

It may be stated here that the term life boat in the appended claims is intended to include rafts and similar safety appliances, and that the term wheel sectors is intended to include sectors extending through fully 360.

What I claim is:

1. In an installation for handling a ships life boat comprising a pair of outwardly inclined trackways forming part of the ships structure and disposed athwartships, falls from which the boat is suspended, boat supporting members associated with the falls, a carriage adapted to run on said trackways and composed of two wheel sectors having a diameter exceeding the greatest width of the boat and interconnected by an axle having a length exceeding that of the boat, means supported by the axle and prevented from lengthwise movement relative thereto for guiding the falls about the axle, said means including elements for suspending the said boat supporting members therefrom, and means associated with said carriage for checking downward movement of the carriage independently of downward movement of the boat.

2. In an installation for handling a ships life boat comprising a pair of outwardly inclined trackways forming part of the ships structure and disposed athwartships, falls from which the boat is suspended, boat supporting members such as blocks associated with the falls, a carriage adapted to run on said trackways and composed of two wheel sectors having a diameter exceeding the greatest width of the boat and interconnected by an axle having a length exceeding that of the boat, two housings rotatably mounted on said axle but locked against axial movement relative thereto, a first sheave accommodated by each of said housings and rotatable about said axle for guiding one part of the corresponding fall, a second sheave accommodated by each of said housings and rotatably mounted therein for guiding the other part of the corresponding fallout of contact with the said first sheave, a hook member associated with each of said housings and adapted to engage the corresponding boat supporting member, and means associated with said carriage for checking downward movement of the carriage independently of downward movement of the boat.

3. In an installation for handling a ships life boat comprising a pair of outwardly inclined trackways forming part of the ships structure and disposed athwartships, falls from which the boat is suspended, boat supporting members such as blocks associated with the falls, a carriage adapted to run on said trackways and composed of two wheel sectors having a diameter exceeding the greatest width of the boat and interconnected by an axle having a, length exceeding that of the boat, two housings rotatably mounted on said axle but locked against axial movement relative thereto, a first sheave accommodated by each of said housings and rotatable about said axle for guiding one part of the corresponding fall, a second sheave accommodated by each of said housings and rotatably mounted therein for guiding the other part of the corresponding fall out of contact with the said first sheave, a hook member associated with each of said housings and adapted to engage the corresponding boat supporting member, means pivotally connecting said hook member to its housing, means associated with said housing and with said hook member permitting swinging movement to said hook member relative to said housing, and means associated with said carriage for checking downward movement of the carriage independently of downward movement of the boat.

4. In an installation for handling a, ships life boat comprising a pair of trackways forming parts of the ships structure and disposed athwartships at an interdistance exceeding the length of the boat, falls from which the boat is suspended, boat supporting members associated with said falls, a carriage including wheels adapted to run on said trackways and also including a substantially horizontal axle, extending lengthwise of the boat and having a length exceeding the length of the boat, spaced means supported by the axle and prevented from lengthwise movement relative thereto for guiding the falls about said axle, said means including elements for suspending the boat supporting members therefrom so as to keep the boat out of contact with the ship, and means associated with said carriage for checking downward movement of the carriage while allowing downward movement of the boat when said boat supporting members are disengaged from said elements.

ADRIANUS VREUGDENHIL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,289,046 Hall Dec. 24, 1918 1,389,869 Hall Sept. 6, 1921 1,613,367 Vreugdenhil Jan. 4, 1927

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