US2991750A

US2991750A - Boat beach apparatus

Info

Publication number: US2991750A
Application number: US817354A
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert G Letourneau
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1959-06-01
Filing date: 1959-06-01
Publication date: 1961-07-11
Anticipated expiration: 1978-07-11

Description

y 1961 R. 6. LE TOURNEAU 2,991,750

BOAT BEACH APPARATUS Filed June 1, 1959 CONTROLLER /5/ TO POWER SOURCE INVENTOR.

9h. W A fiffmwey United States v My invention relates to boat beach apparatus and more particularly to apparatus for aiding a boat or ship in moving on or off a beach.

Shallow draft cargo vessels of a type designed to load and unload on a beach are well known. However, such vessels often encounter difficulty in moving into a favorable unloading position onto the beach and also in moving oil? the beach after loading or unloading. Various apparatus and arrangements have been devised in the prior art of which I am aware to aid such vessels in moving on or E a beach, but none of these have proven to be entirely satisfactory.

It is accordingly the general object of my invention to provide improved apparatus and arrangement for aiding a vessel in moving on or off a beach.

Another object of my invention is to provide improved apparatus of the type above-mentioned, including powered outrigger pusher devices.

Another object of my invention is to provide improved mechanism andarrangement for handling said pusher devices above-mentioned.

' These and other objects are effected by my invention as will be apparent from the following description taken in accordance with the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic side elevational view of a single pusher device in accordance with a preferred embodiment of my invention;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the device of FIG. 1, partially in section, and showing in phantom a portion of a boat or vessel on which the device may be mounted;

FIG. 3 is a schematic side elevational view of the device of FIG. 1 shown in the carry position on a vessel;

FIG. 4 is a schematic side elevational view of the device of FIG. 3 shown in position for moving the vessel off a beach;

FIG. 5 is a schematic side elevational view of the device of FIG. 3 shown in position for moving the vessel onto a beach;

FIG. 6 is a schematic plan view of FIG. 3, showing both pusher devices in the carry position; and,

FIG. 7 is a schematic circuit diagram illustrating an electric control system for the pusher devices.

Referring now to the drawings it will be seen that the arrangement in accordance with one embodiment of my invention includes a pair of powered outrigger pusher devices 11 mounted at transversely aligned positions at opposite sides of a boat, ship, or vessel 13. The pusher devices are preferably located about halfway between the middle and the prow of the vessel. Each pusher device comprises a gear reduction 15 driven by an electric motor 17. The gear reduction 15 is fixed to the ship structure in any suitable manner, and has an output shaft 19 which extends outwardly beyond the vessel side and in the direction transversely of the vessel longitudinal axis.

Each pusher device 11 also includes a pusher leg 21 and a pusher leg support carriage 23. The support carriage includes a pair of parallel spaced heavy plate side members 25 journaled at their central upper end portions on the gear reduction output shaft 19 by means of conventional bearings 27 and held on the shaft by an end plate 29 which is secured to the shaft end by means of bolts 31. The carriage 23 also includes a pair of pusher leg support rollers 33 and four guide rollers 35. The pusher leg 21 is in the form of a beam made up of a base member 37, side members 39, and a rack 41. The

beam cross-section has the general shape of a truncated isosceles triangle with the base member 37 forming the base, the side members 39, the sides, and rack 41 at the apex region. The base member extends outwardly beyond the side members to form flanges 43. The side members are fixed by Welding to the rack and the base member. The rack is positioned so that a plane passing through the rack teeth and longitudinally bisecting the rack 41 is also a longitudinal perpendicular bisector of the base member 37.

The pusher leg support rollers 33 are journalled on the lower portions of the carriage side plates 25 with their axis of rotation parallel to that of the gear reduction output shaft 19 and equidistant from same. The outer surface of the pusher leg base member 37 is engaged by the said support rollers 33. The gear reduction output shaft 19 has an output pinion 45 centered thereon and in engagement with the pusher leg rack teeth. The carriage guide rollers 35 are journallcd on the carriage side plates 25 in axially aligned pairs which engage the flanges 43 of the pusher leg base member 37 on the side opposite the support rollers 33. Each pusher leg 21 is provided a foot portion 47 at each end thereof. The foot in each case may be a flat plate centered on and fixed with suitable bracing to the pusher leg end with a fiat plate being trans verse with respect to the pusher leg longitudinal axis.

Each gear reduction electric drive motor 17 is equipped with an electromagnetic friction disc brake 49 of a type which is automatically released when the motor is energized andengaged when the motor is de-energized. The motors 17 are connected through a conventional type controller 51 to a suitable power source. The motors may be operated simultaneously from a single controller, or they may be operated independently from separate controllers.

Since the pusher leg support carriage 23 is journalled on the gear reduction output shaft 19, the support carriage as well as the pusher leg is free to rotate or swing on the output shaft 19. When the feet 47 of the pusher leg 21 are equidistant from the drive pinion 45, the pusher leg 21 and carriage 23 will balance with the leg longitudinal axis horizontal. Since the pusher leg 21 is suspended or supported by the carriage 23 below the output shaft 19, then when the pusher leg is moved a given distance olf center, that is, so that one foot 47 is further from the drive pinion 45 than the other, then the pusher leg will balance at a definite angle with respect to the horizontal. The distance from the center of the output shaft (carriage pivot shaft) to the leg and carriage transverse center of gravity is chosen so that with the distance from a foot which is to engage the beach bottom to the drive pinion being such that the foot extends to about the level of the vessel bottom, the pusher leg and carriage is balanced, with the leg making a desirable angle with respect to the horizontal. For good lifting and pushing action, the balance angle (the angle between the pusher longitudinal axis and the horizontal) for the conditions above stated, preferably should be in the range of 40 to 50 degrees. Suitable means (not shown) are provided to secure the pusher legs against pivoting movement when they are not 1n use.

In operation, assume that it is desired to beach the vessel. First, the forward end of the vessel is run aground onto the beach. Then the pusher legs are driven in the rearward direction sulficiently so that they assume a desirable balance angle just out of contact with bottom, and then they are driven into contact with the bottom, thus applying lifing forces to the vessel forward end and also thrusting it forward further onto the beach. When the pusher legs have been fully extended, they can if desired be retracted and the process repeated until the vessel has progressed the desired distance up onto the beach. To get 01f the beach, the pusher legs are driven in the forward direction until they assume the proper balance angle just out of contact with the bottom, and then they are driven into contact with the bottom, thus applying lifing forces to the vessel forward end and also thrusting it in the rearward direction oit the beach. The pusher legs can be retracted and the process repeated as required. The pusher legs can be used in a similar manner to move the vessel oft" sand bars.

While I have shown my invention in only one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible to various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof.

l claim:

'1. Apparatus for aiding a ship to move on or oil a beach, said apparatus comprising, a pair of pusher members each in the form of a rigid beam having gear teeth extending longitudinally thereof, and having an enlarged foot portion at each end thereof; a pair of gear reductions each having an output shaft, with an output pinion fixed to said shaft, said gear reductions being fixed to said ship at opposite sides thereof with their respective output shafts extending outwardly over the ships side; a carriage jour nalled on each said output shaft, each said carriage including means for supporting a respective pusher member beneath said respective output shaft for longitudinal reciprocable movement, with said output pinion engaging the gear teeth of a respective pusher member; and means for driving said gear reductions to control the longitudinal position of said respective pusher members;

2. Apparatus for aiding a ship to move on or ofl a beach, said apparatus comprising, a pusher member in the form of a rigid beam having gear teeth extending longitudinally thereof, and having an enlarged foot portion at each end thereof; a gear reduction having an output shaft, with an output pinion fixed to said shaft, said gear reduction being fixed to said ship with said output pinion extending outwardly beyond the ship hull; a carriage journalled on said output shaft, said carriage including means for supporting said pusher member beneath said output shaft for longitudinal reciprocable movement, with said output pinion engaging the gear teeth of said pusher member; and means for driving said gear reduction to control the longitudinal position of said pusher member.

3. Apparatus for aiding a ship to move on or off a beach, said apparatus comprising a pusher member in the form of a rigid beam having an enlarged foot at each end thereof; structure supporting said member for longitudinal reciprocable movement; means mounting said structure for pivoting movement in a vertical plane about an axis extending transversely of said ship, with said pusher member suspended beneath said axis, and means for driving said pusher member in either of its longitudinal directions. 4. Apparatus for aiding a ship to move on or off a beach, said apparatus comprising a pusher member in the form of a rigid beam rack having an enlarged foot at each end thereof; structure supporting said member for longitudinal reciprocable movement; means mounting said structure for pivoting movement in a vertical plane about an axis extending transversely of said ship, with said pusher member suspended beneath said axis, and means including an output pinion in mesh with said rack for driving said pusher member in either of its longitudinal directions.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS France Nov, 10, 1824