US2728319A - Sectional floating dry dock - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 27, 1955 G. c. ENGSTRAND SECTIONAL FLOATING DRY DOCK 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed April 11, 1952 INVENTOR. Gunner C. Engstrond BY ATTORNEY 1955 G. c. ENGSTRAN-D 2,728,319

SECTIONAL FLOATING DRY DOCK Filed April 11, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

Gunnclr C. Engsrrond T BY ATTORNEY Dec. 27, 1955 G. c. ENGSTRAND 2,

SECTIONAL FLOATING DRY DOCK Filed April 11, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. FIGJO FIGJOQ FIG." FIGJIO so so 40 40 G gl a l 3 3 J37 FIG.|2

27 I I 5 A 33 FIGJZCJ. H FIG.9 13a FIGS 23 21 34 V/ Rx F|G.8c 7 4% V cf/[l 36L INVENTOR.

3 2 Gunnor C. Engstrond ATTORNEY Figure 6 is a top plan of the parts SECTIONAL FLOATING DRY DOCK Gunner C. Engstrand, Tottenville, N. Y., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Frederic R. Harris, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application April 11, 1952, Serial No. 281,757 5 Claims. (Cl. 114-46) My invention relates to an improvement in floating dry docks, especially connecting means for parts of floating dry docks which are built in separate sections,- all rigidly united to form a single structural unit.

' 'An important object of this invention is to provide the sections of a floating dry dock with connections which can easily be fastened securely and readily. dismantled, with the assistance of only such tools and implements as can be operated by hand. Hence the entire dock'can-beassembled and the sections fully joined by theregular dock crew in a comparatively short time, and the dock quickly completed forits intended use.

*Another object is' to provide a floating dry dock, made of transversely extending sections bearing partsof the side walls andparts of the hull of the complete assembled dock, said sections having identical members adapted to resist reversal of stress; said members being attached to said parts and so arranged that they will resist both the bending moments .of the dock and the shear thereon to which the connections may be subject between theassembled sections.

- -A further object isto provide fastening means which are carried by the sections at the opposed ends of the parts of the side walls thereon and the adjacent parts of the hull of each section; and having such form that the sections can be rapidly and firmly secured together and just as readily detached from one another. Each of the sections contains its own flooding compartments and pumping equipment, and should any of the sections be damaged, it can. be disengaged from the others and repairs speedily effected. I

' These and other objects and advantages are fully and clearly described herein, and the novel features are defined in. the appended claims. On the drawings a preferred embodient of the invention is illustrated, but changes of structure can of course be adopted without omitting or departing from the essential characteristics of my invention.

n the drawings: 0 Figure 1 is a perspective view of a floating dry dock consisting of sections extending crosswise of the clock, one or more sections at one end being omitted.

Figure 2 is an end view of part of one section showing a part of one Wing wall of .the dock, in end elevation, and the arrangement of the connections between the sections.

Figure 3 is an enlarged side elevation showing the opposed ends of parts of the wing or side walls of adjacent sections, bearing ledges and gusset plates for attaching connecting links to the sections.

Figure 4.is a side elevation of a pin-and-slot guide for attachment to opposed ends of the walls of adjacent sections.

Figure 5 is a transverse section thereof,.on line 5-5 in Figure 4. Y of a gudgeon and pintle guide also for the opposing ends adjacent sections.

of the walls on 2,728,319 Patented Dec. 27, 1955 Figure 7 is a top view partly in section showing how the ledge plates on the opposing ends of the walls of adjacent sections are united by links, the gusset plates appearing in horizontal section.

Figure 8 is an enlarged vertical section on line 8-8 in Figure 7.

I Figure 8a is a side elevation showing only the gusset plates that are part of the connections between the sections of the'dock, as said gusset plates appear in Figure 8; and Figures 8b and 80 show in vertical section the ledge plates, links and other parts for connecting adjacent sections of the dock.

Figure 9 shows in vertical elevation the gusset plates on the opposed ends of the walls made rigid by means of wedges; with the ledge plates in end elevation and the gusset partly in section on line 9-9 in Figure 3.

Figures 10 and 10a are respectively a side and front elevation of a wedge for tightening the connections.

Figures 11 and 11a are similar views of another tightening wedge. 1

Figures 12 and 12a are an end and side view, respectively, of a pin for the connections of the ledge plates.

Figures 13 and 13a are similar views of a third tightening wedge; and

Figures 14, 14a and 14b are, respectively, front, side and end views of another pin for the connections of the ledge plates.

Figure 1 shows a dock which comprises a number of transversely extending sections 1 assembled side by side. Each section has a pontoon hull 2 with upright walls 3, one extending across each end of the hull 2. When the sections are united the walls 3 on the sections are all in alinement and these parts then form the two side or wing walls along each side of the completed dock. The opposed end faces of the parts or walls on the sections 3 have pin-and-slot guide connections 4 adjacent the hulls 2, to prevent vertical movement of the sections while the coupling of the sections is in progress; and gudgeonand-pintle connections 5 near the tops 6 to prevent sidewise movement during the coupling operation. See Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5. The sections are thus held in position with the bottoms 7 and decks 10 of the hulls at the same level (see Figures 2 and 3), and the inboard faces 8 and outboard faces 9 of the walls 3 all in true vertical alinement, as indicated in Figure 7. The sections are securely connected by links 11, the ends of which are tightly pinned between horizontal projections or ledge plates 12 at the upper and lower portions of the ends of the walls 3; and adjacent each tier of ledges are vertical gusset plates indicated generally at 13 on said ends, the plates of one section being'made fast to the plates of the adjacent section. The entire structure when finished is rigid throughout.

The-pin-and-slot connections each include a pair of projections 14 on'the ends of some of the walls 3, supporting between them a horizontal pin or bit 15. See

Figures 4 and 5. On the ends 3 of each wall of a section opposite the projections 14 are heads 16 with open fixed jaws 17 separated by spaces only a little larger than the thickness of the pins or bits 15, so that when the sections are assembled, the draft of each being equal, the jaws 17 receive the pins 15 between them; and, the pins 15 and the middle of the space 18 between the jaws being located at the same height on the walls 3, the decks 10 of the sections are all maintained in flush position. The pins carry washers or shims 19 between the jaws 17 and the projections 14, and the outer ends of the pins 15, which protrude through the projections 14 bear cotter pins 20. The projections 14 and jaws 16 are affixed in any suitable manner to the ends of the walls 3. The

with openings for the cotter pins 20.

The gudgeon-and-pintle members comprise projecting fixed jaws 21 with a vertical opening 22 between them on the ends of some of the walls 3, and vertical guides 23, secured to the opposed ends of the remaining walls. See Figures 2, 3 and 6. The jaws and guides are located at the proper distances from the inboard and outboard faces 8 and 9 to maintain the walls 3 in a-lzinement. The members 4 and 5 are of course rigidly atfixed to the body or framework of the sections 1, and as the sections are moved so as to .lie side by side the connections 4 and 5 can be easily caused .to engage as required. This is indicated on Figure 3. The sections are then moored together and the assembly is finished by uniting the ledges l2 and gusset plates 13.. The guides 23 and recesses 22 have tapering sides to ensure a snug fit. ;See Figures 2., 3 and 6. The opening 22 forms a vertical socket to receive the guides 23. The bores in the projections 14 have straight top and bottom edges, to .keep the pins 15 and shims 15' from turning.

After the pin-and-slot members 4 and guide-andpintle members 5 are in engagement, the final stage :in connect ing the sections 1 by rigidly joining the ledge plates 12 and gusset plates 13 is begun. The ledge plates :are horizontal and are secured to the body or framework of all sections 1 inside the end faces of the walls 3. They have outer projections 24 extending from the .ends of the walls, and between these projections 24 as shown in Figures 7, 8 and 9 are the vertical ggusset plates 13. Figures 2 and 3 show the relative positions of the ledge and gusset plates and the members 4 and 5. Each plate '12 is preferably a single member from one end to the other.

The ledge plates 12 extend across the ends of the walls preferably in two tiers adjacent the top 6 and two more adjacent the lower parts of the walls at the bulls 2. This is shown in Figures 2 and 3. Each tier comprises two plates, one above the other, with the outer projecv The gussetplates 131) are double plates, while the plates 27 from dropping out of the apertures 25. The shims 32 are presented to the straight transverse outer edges of the apertures 25. When wedges like the wedges 30 and 34 (Figures 7, l3 and 13a) are put through the links 11 into the space between the ledge plates on the opposed end faces of adjacent walls 3, the wedge 34 is inserted upward, and a lateral projection thereon goes in between the projections 24 of the "ledges '12 hearing the pin 27. Hence this wedge cannot drop out. The other wedge .30 is inserted downward and driven in till it is fast. The ledge plates on opposing end faces of' two adjacent side walls'are thus forced apart to draw the links '11 forcibly against the pins 26 and 27 and the end walls are rigidly uni-ted along the full length of the ledge plates 12. 'The wedges 34 have wide ends 36 which engage the sides of the links 11 on the lower faces when the projections 35 are in line with the spaces between the projections 24.

The gusset plates 13:: on the end faces of some will 3 have recesses 37 in their outer ends, and the gusset plate 13a on the opposing endfaces of the remaining walls 3-have projections 38 to match the recesses 37. The outline of these plates is indicatedin Figurc 8a.

13a are single (or vice versa) with a space between them.

See Figure 9. When the links 11 are made fast as above described, the plates 13a and 131) are in such positions that the recesses 37 and projections 38 are "in horizontal alinement, and the recesses '37 are on both-sides of the plates 13a. The projections 38 are of less height than the recesses '37, so that wedges 30 and 39 can be driven in horizontally between the projections 38 and sides of the recesses 37 to make each set of gusset plate: 130

tions 24 of each plate 12 directly over the projections of the other; see Figure ,9; but separated so that the links 11 can be inserted between the projections. The projections 24 of each pair of plates 12 have vertically alined apertures .25 {Figures 3, 7, 8 and .815), rounded at the extremities adjacent the ends of the walls 3, the opposite or outer transverse edges of these apertures being straight. See Figure 7. The links are attachedhy pins 2.6 in the holes of the projections of one pair of plates 12 and pins 27 in the openings of the projections of the plates atfixed to the opposed wall of an adjacent section. The links are made tight by means of wedges in the middle of the links, pressing against the outer edges of the projections 24 on the opposed ends of the walls 3 of adjacent sections 1, and wedges in some of the holes 25 as described below.

The pins 26 (Figures 14, 14a and 14b) are mostly cylindrical and have a handle 28, but have a flat side .29 extending at an angle, so that the thickness of the pin is less atone end. The handle is at the thinner end. This pin is dropped into the apertures 25 of one pair of projections with its round face engaging the rounded edges thereof and its flat face presented to the transverse straight edges of said apertures. The handles 28 are wide and serve asstops to prevent the pins 26 from dropping out of the openings 25. A wedge 30 is then inserted from above into the space between said flat face 29 and the straight transverse edge of each aperture 25 and driven home to make the pin '26 fast. The wedges have the form shown in Figures 1,1 and l la. .Into the apertures '25 of the opposite pair of projections 24 .on the adjacent Wei-1.3 the pin 27, also mostly .cylindrical, is inserted. This pin has a flat face 31cm one sideparal lel to the axis and on this face is a plate or shim 32 :se cured by cotter pins 33. (Figures 12 and 12a? The rounded exterior of the pins 27 engage the-hounded ends of the apertures receiving them, and the upper cotter pins 33, projecting at their ends, prevent the pins or slugs and 13b rigid with one another. See Figures "8 and! A long wedge like the wedge 30 is forced infrom one side, and a short wedge 39 is forced in from the opposite side under the long wedge. These wedges engage the upper and lower edges of the recesses 37 in the plates 13b and the upper and lower edges of the projections 38 V of the gusset plates 13a flanking the plates 13b. The long wedges 30 have slots 40 and the wedges 39 openings 41 for lock bolts 42 to keep the wedges 30 and 39 in place, as Figures 9, 9a and 10 show. Figure 7 indicates the position of a long wedge 39 with respect to thegusset plates 13a and 13b which it engages.

The sides near end faces of the" walls 3 have cat walks 43 for workmen above the gudgeon-and-pintle mem bers 5 under the lower tiers 12 near the top '6' and a full length vertical ladder 44, shown in Figures 21nd 3 from-each cat walk 43 to the upper tier of ledge and gusset plates near the tops 6 of the walls 3. The workmen can stand on these cat walks and lower and'uppcr tiers when inserting the links, pins and wedges. The

upper tiers of the plates near the lower ends of the walls 3 can be reached from the deck 10 and the tiers below the decks by means of a small barge 45. dock can be tilted to let the barge go "in "far enough, if-ncceasary. A floating dry deck of this type in seven sections,

for example, will have rigid connections able to Iithstand a shear of 4,300 tons and a bending moment of 215,000 foot tons acting on the dock.

The connections are thus easy to take apart andpu! in place and all parts thereof will be securely fastened. No'speeial hard-to-get material will be needed, but solely commercial steel can be used throughout, with a maximum stressing of 20,000 pounds per square inch. No jacks or winches are required but only man power block and tackle 'pull and for one-man weights; with ample clearance for working by several men at the same time. This entire dock can be assembled and taken apart in a daysworking time by the regular dock crew; 'Also' the sections are interchangeable and a variation'of in any direction for a member permissible and can be taken up without any special fitting. T All the horizontal vertically acting stresses are sosisted by the pins 26 and 27, the wedges'30 and the links 11, together with the vertical wedges 30 and34between the opposing edges of the ledge plates 12 on adjacent ends of the side walls 3, and by gusset plates 13 which are made tight by the horizontal wedges 30 and 39 secured by the bolts 42. These gusset plates are inter spersed in each tier between the links and the pin connections and are welded or otherwise made rigid'with the ledge plates 12 and the body of each section 1. Four men can take care of one quarter of the connections, and 16 men the whole section. All the connections can be readily made in one hour's time by 16 men, with the exception of the lowest gusset plate wedges, which can be driven in after the dock has been swung up on one side sufficiently for a boat to travel thereunder with men standing erect in the gap between the sections.

The connections for the sections are adequately secured at the top by means of a cellular steel beam system at the safety deck within the dock and not required to be illustrated, since such means is not a part of this invention.

The pin-and-slot guide at the bottom of the wings for horizontal adjustment and the gudgeon-and-pintle at the top constitute special fairing means for properly alining the sections at the beginning. The procedure is to tilt one section between 4 and 6 inches and pull it slowly towards another level section by means of block and tackle. The pin-and-slot guide device will ensure the horizontal fairing of the sections and the unobstructed entrance of the links 11 secured to one section into the space between the projections 24 of the ledge plates of an adjacent section. The links are all held at one end by the pins 26. The pins 27 in the lowest tier of plates 12 are now inserted through the holes 25 in the projections 24 of the other section and then this tilted section is leveled by pumping until the top vertical gudgeonand-pintle are pressed home. The sections are now properly matched and the wedging and pinning-up proceeds as previously described.

The ledge plates 12 may each be in one piece from end to end; or if desired in separate pieces, paired one above the other at the ends of the links 11. Both the ledge plates 12 and gusset plates 13 are rigidly inside the walls 3 to the framework thereof.

Also the lower wedges 39 for the gusset plates can be weldedvon at the lower ends of the recesses 37 and the top edges of the projections 38. Then all that has to be done is to put in and tighten the wedges 30, securing them with the bolts 42.

Thus the invention comprises the various members fully illustrated in operative positions on each of Figures 2 and 3, constituting means for uniting the opposed faces of adjacent sections; and by similarly equipping all the opposed faces of the various sections, the entire dock can be assembledand the various sections rigidly connected to one another.

Having described my invention what I believe to be new is:

1. Connecting means for a floating dry dock comprising sections placed side by side, said sections each having a hull and parts above the hull and having ends for alinement to form the side walls of the dock, said ends having opposed faces, said means including elongated horizontal ledge plates extending fully across the opposed end faces of said parts, on adjacent sections, vertical gusset plates intersecting said ledge plates and means comprising coupling links, pins and wedges for rigidly uniting the ledge plates and gusset plates on one section to the ledge and gusset plates of the adjacent section.

2. Connecting means for a floating dry dock comprising sections arranged side by side, said sections each having a hull and parts above the hull and having ends for alinement to form the side walls of the dock, said ends having opposed faces, said means including pairs of opposed-horizontal ledge plates on the opposed end faces of said parts on adjacent sections, the plates of eachpair having "overlying separated projections with vertically alined apertures, links having their ends between the pro jections of-' said opposite pairs extending betweenpsaid opposed endfaces, pins in said alined apertures passing through said'links at each end thereof to hold the latter in place, tightening wedges passing throughsaid links, at saidendsopposed vertical gusset plates ons'aid opposed end faces, and means for making said gusset. plates on one of said end faces rigid with the gusset plateson the other end face, one of said .pins for oneend of each link having a handle at its upper endwiderthan the aperture for said pin, and having a fiat lateral face inclined outward and downward, one of said wedges being in saidaperture and engaging said lateral face, other Wedges being tight between the outer edges of said opposite pairs ,iof projections on said opposed faces, one of the wedgesin each link having a lateral projection extending between the projections on said ledge plates at the other endsof the links.

3. Connecting means for a floating dry dock comprising sections arranged side by side, saidsections each having a hull and parts above the hull and having ends for alinement to form the side walls of the dock, said ends having opposed faces, said means including pairs of opposed horizontal ledge plates on the opposed end faces of said parts on adjacent sections, the plates of each pair having overlying separated projections with vertically alined apertures, links connecting opposite'iipairs of said projections,"pins in said apertures engaging the ends of said links, wedges passing through said links to tighten same and said pins, opposed gusset plates on said end faces, the' gusset plates on one of said end' faces being in duplicate and the plates opposed thereto being single, said opposed gusset plates having matched projections and recesses, and wedges engaging the side edges of said recesses and the last-named projections to make said gusset plates on one of said ends rigid with the gusset plates on the adjacent end.

4. Connecting means for a floating dry dock comprising sections arranged side by side, said sections each having a hull and parts above the hull and having ends for alinement to form the side walls of the dock, said ends having opposed faces, said means including pairs of opposed horizontal ledge plates on the opposed end faces of said parts on adjacent sections, the plates; of each pair having overlying separated projections with vertically alined apertures, links having their ends between the projections of said opposite pairs extending between said opposed end faces, pins in said alined apertures passing through said links at each end thereof to hold the latter in place, tightening wedges passing through said links, opposed vertical gusset plates on said opposed ends, said gusset plates being duplicate on one of said ends and single on the other, said gusset plates on one of said end faces having recesses and the gusset plates on the other end face having projections matching said recesses, and wedges engaging the side edges of said recesses and the last-named projections to make the gusset plates on one end face rigid with those on the other of said opposed ends.

5. Connecting means for a floating dry dock comprising section's arranged side by side, said sections" each having a 'hull and parts above the hull and having ends for alinement to form the side walls of the dock, said ends having opposed faces, said means including pairs of opposed horizontal ledge plates on the opposed end faces of said parts on adjacent sections, the plates of each pair having overlying separated projections with vertically alined apertures, links having their ends between the projections of said opposite pairs extending between said opposed end faces, pins in said alined apertures passing through said links at each end thereof to hold the latter in place, tightening wedges passing through said links, at said ends opposed vertical gusset plates on said opposed end faces, one of said pins for one end of each link amugue having 'a handle-at its upper end wider than athe aperture impin and-having a flat 'lateral faeeinclined outwaefi'anc'ifdmwnward, one of said wedges being iii-said ma engaging'said lateral face, other wedges being-fight between the enter edges of said :oppcsite pairs of projections on said opposed faces, one of the wedges in each il'mk havihga lateral pmjection extending between the proiections on said ledgeplates at the other ends of file Iinlcs,--said gusset plates being duplicate on one of said enfi feces and single on the other, said gusset plates in one of said end faces having recesses and the :gusset plates an the mher'end havingpr-oie'ctiuns matehing said messes, and wedges engaging-the side edges of said recesses and ihe last-named projections 40 make the gusset plaies on 0.06 and iig'id with zfhose an the 101112 05 Si opposed end faces. 7 v

References the 'fi-le hi this patent UNrrED-sTATEs PATENTS 2,605,733 :Smith .Aug. .5, 11952

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