US3086305A

US3086305A - Dredge

Info

Publication number: US3086305A
Application number: US132101A
Authority: US
Inventors: West Robert Dunham
Original assignee: Manitowoc Shipbuilding Inc
Current assignee: Manitowoc Shipbuilding Inc
Priority date: 1961-08-17
Filing date: 1961-08-17
Publication date: 1963-04-23
Anticipated expiration: 1980-04-23

Description

R. D. WEST April 23, 1963 DREDGE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 17, 1961 April 23, 1963 R. D. WEST 3,085,305

INVENToR. n

Rabez Wed an@ A TTOENE Y 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 n u n n u 1| nnuu u un 'lif] r ll R. D. WEST DREDGE Baber D. WasiL Filed Aug. 17, 1961 April 23, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 R. D. WEST April 23, 1963 DREDGE Filed Aug. 17, 1961 R. D. WEST April 23, 1963 DREDGE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 1'7. 1961 INVENTR. Robez' D. WEZ

0 m 6 a0 me M w u 1 o 6 ---l M, 1x11 l :1Q: o o o Q o o w @mxo o o o o o Z M M m rv H T TPNE Y United States Patent O 3,086,305 DREDGE Robert Dunham West, Manitowoc, Wis., assignor to Manitowoc Shipbuilding Inc., Manitowoc, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Filed Aug. 17, 1961, Ser. No. 132,101 19 Claims. (Cl. 37-73) This invention relates to a dredge which includes a barge having a crane unit mounted thereon, and more particularly to apparatus for enabling spuds carried by the barge to be moved and actuated by an assembly of the crane unit in order to maintain the dredge in a desired location.

Generally, the more conventional type-s of dredges, which include a crane unit mounted on a barge which is provided with spuds to maintain the dredge in a desired location in a body of water, are provided with a source of power for actuating the spuds with such source of power being `separate and independent of the power source for enabling the crane unit to perform its function. In most instances, the crane unit which is ernployed on a dredge is of the immobile or stationary type and consequently such combination of a stationary or immobile type of crane unit mounted on the barge creates certain definite disadvantages, -suchas the requirement for an additional, independent source of power for actuating the spuds of the barge into the desired positions in order to maintain the dredge at a working location, and that the immobile or stationary crane unit is limited in operation to functioning only when supported or mounted on the barge or some other type of supporting structure.

It has been found by actual practice that a mobile type crane unit, which is provided with a travel drive assembly for normally actuating crawler treads, may be mounted on a barge having movably mounted spuds for engaging the bottom of a body of water to effectively maintain the barge at a desired location, and the crawler treads of the crane unit may be removed therefrom and apparatus substituted therefor which enables the travel drive assembly of the crane unit to movably actuate the spuds of the barge and position the spuds as desired.

In this way it is possible to eliminate from the barge any need for additional special spud actuating means and it is also possible to employ the crane unit as a mobile type unit by merely replacing the crawler treads thereon so that there is a definite, desired advantage and unobvious result gained and acquired since such special additional actuating means is not necessary and may be eliminated from the barge and the crane unit may be effectively used and employed both on and off of the barge without requiring other types of supporting structure.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide apparatus for enabling a travel drive assembly of a mobile type crane unit to actuate and effectively move .spuds of -a barge on which the crane unit is mounted.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a dredge which includes a mobile type crane unit having a travel drive assembly and a barge having spuds movably mounted thereon for maintaining the dredge at a desired location with apparatus that enables the travel drive assembly of the crane unit to be employed to actuate the spuds of the barge, as required.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved dredge which includes a barge having movably mounted spuds for maintaining the barge at a desired location, a mobile type crane unit having a travel drive assembly mounted on the barge, and apparatus for enabling the travel drive assembly to effectively actuate and move the spuds, as required.

Other objects and important features of the invention will be apparent from a study of the specification fols lowing taken with the drawing, which together show, describe, illustrate and disclose a preferred embodiment of the invention and what is now considered to be the best mode of practicing the principles thereof. Other embodiments or modifications may be suggested to those having the benefit of the teachings herein, and such other embodiments or modifications are intended to be reserved especially as they fall within the scope and spirit of the subjoined claims.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a dredge including a barge, a mobile type crane unit and employing apparatus of the invention to -actuate `spuds which are movably supported by the barge and illustrating various types of attachments which may be used with the crane unit; Y

FIGURE 2 is a diagrammatic plan view of the dredge shown in FIGURE 1 and illustrating certain optional equipment which may be employed therewith in dot dash-lines and showing the effective working areas of the crane unit for the various types of attachment-s;

FIGURE 3 is an elevational view of the forequarters of the dredge taken along line 3-3 of FIGURE 1 looking in the direction of the arrows; Y

FIGURE 4 is a front elevational schematic view of a travel drive assembly of the crane unit illustrated in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged partial sectional view, similar to FIGURE 3, with portions being broken away to better illustrate the apparatus of the invention;

FIGURE 6 is a plan view of FIGURE 5, with parts being broken away, to better illustrate the details of the apparatus of the invention, taken along line 6-6 of FIGURE 5 looking in the vdirection of the arrpws;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged partial side 'elevational sectional view of the apparatus together with certain mechanism of the invention taken along line 7--7 of FIGURE 6 looking in the direction of the arrows, and

FIGURE 8 is a partial side elevational sectional view of part of the apparatus of this invention taken along line 8-8 of FIGURE 5 looking inthe direction of the arrows.

Attention is noW directed to FIGURES l, 2 and 3 of the drawing wherein there is illustrated a dredge 10' which includes a barge 12 and a crane unit 14 mounted on the barge 12. The barge 12, as in normal conventional practice, is illustrated as being buoyantly supported by a body of water W having 1a water level WL and a bottom B.

The barge 12 is provided with a deck 16 and suitable mooring lines 18 for manipulating the dredge 10k with the mooring lines 18 being actuated by a winch 20 secured on the deck 16 of the barge 12.

Further, the barge 12 includes a plurality of separate and independent barge sections 22 which are secured together by suitable known securing means and as illustrated, the barge 12 is defined by certain ones, four as shown, of the Vbarge sections 22 being disposed fore and aft or extending generally longitudinally relative to the dredge 10 with the. sides thereof being secured together with other ones of the barge sections 22, two as shown, extending athwartships across the bow andl the stern rof the certain fore and aft extending barge sections 22.. Each of the. barge sections 22 may be provided with manholes 24 to enable access into the confines of the individual barge sections 22 for the purpose of maintenance, repair, etc.

-If deemed necessary or if required, the dredge 10l may be provided with suitable optional equipment,l such as pontoons 26, illustrated by dot-dash lines in FIGURE 2 of the drawing, which may be secured to the barge sections 22 and thus increase the capacity of the dredge 10.

The barge 12, as illustrated, is of the tri-spud type having a pair of spuds 28-28 located in the forequarters adjacent the bow of the barge 12 with the fore spuds 23-28 being disposed in spaced relationship to opposite sides of the longitudinally extending centerline A-A of the barge 12 with each of the fore spuds 28-28 being intermediate the line A-A and the associated gunwales 30--30 of the barge 12 and a single or additional spud 32 disposed in the aftquarters of the barge 12 along the longitudinally extending centerline A-A thereof.

'Ihe aft spud 32 is pivotally mounted to the barge 12 for pivotal movement about a generally horizontally disposed axis substantially along an extension of the line A-A between a generally vertically disposed position, as illustrated by solid lines in FIGURE 1, to inclined positions, one being illustrated by dot-dash lines in FIG- URE l, in a manner which enables the aft spud 32 to act as a motivating power source for facilitating the positioning of the dredge in a desired location in the body of water W. The aft spud 32 is movably supported and mounted to the barge 12 through a spud well 34 having an opening 36 extending therethrough which is substantially larger in cross sectional area than the aft spud 32 which enables the aft spud 32 to be tilted or pivoted, as required.

Means 38 in the form of a winch 40, a drum 42 and lines 44 are provided for actuating the aft spud 32, as desired, either through generally vertical movement toward or away from the bottom B of the body of water W or to pivot the aft spud 32, as explained above. The lines 44 may be in any suitable form such as cables, chains or the like, and are xed to each end portion of the aft spud 32 by suitable securing structure 46.

The fore spuds 28-28 are disposed within respective spud wells 48-48 and are movably supportably mounted therein and actuated for movement in generally vertical directions between positions wherein the fore spuds 28-28 are disposed in upward positions which enable the barge 12 to be movably positioned in the body of water W to lower positions, as illustrated in FIGURE 1 of the drawing, wherein the lower portions of the fore spuds 28-28 engage the bottom B of the body of water W and maintain the dredge 10 in the desired location.

The crane unit 14 is preferably one of the mobile type which is usually provided with upper works 50 and crawler treads 52-52.

As illustrated in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3 of the drawing, the crane unit 14 is mounted on the barge 12 by mounting means 54 in the form of benches or some other suitable type of structure which supports the upper works 50 of the crane unit 14 in the forequarters of the barge 12 adjacent the bow thereof along the longitudinally extending centerline A-A and intermediate the fore spuds 28-28 with the crawler treads 52-52 of the crane unit 14 being removed.

As illustrated in FIGURE 1 of the drawing, the crane unit 14 is also provided with boom structure 56 which may be further provided with a selected one of the conventional types of attachments, such as a clipper stick 58 and a shovel 60, as illustrated by solid lines in FIGURE l of the drawing, a clam shell 62 or back hoe 64, as illustrated by dot-dash lines in FIGURE 1 of the drawing, or only a boom which functions as a liftcrane, not illustrated.

The mobile type crane unit 14 is further provided with a travel drive assembly 66, as illustrated in FIGURE 4 of the drawing, which includes a main drive shaft 68 driven by a power source, not illustrated, of the crane unit 14, with the main drive shaft `68 driving through clutch devices 70-70 and a bevel gear arrangement 72 which in turn drives through a spur gear 74, a slide pinion shaft 76 and a slide pinion 78 to a main travel gear 80 which is mounted for rotation with a vertical travel shaft 82 having a bevel gear 84 which is also mounted for rotation with the main travel gear and the vertical travel shaft 82.

An elongated horizontally disposed travel drive shaft 86 is provided, intermediate the end portions thereof, with a bevel gear 8S driven by the bevel gear 84 of the Vertical travel shaft 82 and adjacent each end portion of the horizontal travel drive shaft 86 there is mounted drive members 90, in the form of sprockets. A suitable clutch device 92 is provided on the horizontal travel shaft 86 intermediate the bevel gear 88 and each one of the drive sprockets 90; In conventional practice, the drive sprockets 90 are each drivingly connected to the crawler treads 52-52 through suitable crawler drive elements or chains 94-94 `and driven members 596-96, in the form of sprockets, with the clutch devices 92$2 being effective for usually controlling the actuation of the crawler treads 52-52 to steer the mobile crane unit 14 as desired.

FIGURE 4 of the drawing also schematically illustrates an arrangement of other assemblies which are normally employed in controlling the various different functions of the crane unit 14, such as a boom hoist assembly 93` driven through a pinion 100, a boom hoist shaft 102 and a worm gear 104 to rotate a boom hoist drum 106 having a hoist line 10S reeved thereon. The crane unit 14 may also be provided with a swing assembly 110 which includes a ring gear `112 engaging a swing pinion 114 secured to a swing shaft 116 having a swing gear 118. The boom hoist assembly 98 and the swing assembly are illustrated for the sole purpose of clarity and each may be of conventional construction and arrangement.

The fore spuds 28-28 are actuated by and effectively moved between the upper and lower positions by mechanism which includes a bodily iiexible elongated drive element 122, preferably in the form of a drive chain device for each of the fore spuds 28. Since the mechanism 120 is similar in structure for each of the fore spuds 28-28, and for the sake of brevity, the arrangement of the mechanism 129 will be described in detail with regard to a single one of the fore spuds 2S.

In each instance, the elongated drive element 122 has the opposite end portions thereof secured adjacent the opposite end portions of the respective fore spud 2S by suitable means 124 with the intermediate portion of the elongated drive element 122 extending longitudinally along the respective fore spud 23 and as illustrated in FIGURE 7 of the drawing, the elongated drive element 122 passes about idler elements or sprockets 126 and then to a driven member 128, in the form of a sprocket, which is mounted on an elongated horizontally disposed drive shaft with the driven sprocket 128 being rotatable with the respective drive shaft 130,

As illustrated in FIGURES 5 and 6 of the drawing, the drive shafts 130 are substantially axially aligned and spaced apart and extend generally athwartships or laterally relative to the barge 12 from subjacent the drive members 90 of the travel drive assembly 66 outwardly from the longitudinally extending centerline A-A toward the respective fore spuds 28-28 and terminate closely adjacent the respective Spud wells iS-48 with the drive shafts 136 being disposed below the deck 16 of the barge :12 within the confines of the barge section 22 which is disposed across the bow of the dredge 10.

In passing, it is to be noted that each of the spud wells 48-48 is provided with guide structures 132 for guiding the fore spuds 28*28 during the movement thereof on actuation by the mechanism 120. Each of the spud wells 438-48` is also provided with a guard housing `134 which encloses that portion of the elongated drive element 122 which extends from the driven sprocket 128 to the idler sprockets 126 with the idler sprockets 126 being rotatably supported to the respective guide housing 134 by stub shafts 136.

As described and disclosed above, it is preferable that the crane unit 14 be of a mobile type since certain delinite desired advantages and unforeseen unobvious results may be acquired if a mobile type crane unit is employed in combination with the barge y12 to create the dredge 10. For example, if a stationary or immobile type of crane unit is employed, then the owner or operator of Ithe barge 12 is limited in the use of the stationary or immobile crane unit since such crane unit can only be used in conjunction with the barge 12 or some other type of support. Further, such stationary or immobile types of crane units do not normally include an assembly such as the travel drive assembly 66 and it is then necessary :that some type of an additional source of power be used to drive or actuate the mechanism 120 to effectively move the fore spuds 28-28, as required.

There are now available mobile type crane units which have a rated capacity that makes such crane units highly desirable as components for use in combination with barges to create dredges which will have sufficient working capacity that will compare with the Working capacity of stationary or immobile types of crane units.

Accordingly, it has been discovered that the advantages and desired unforeseen and unobvious results, briefly mentioned above, may be acquired and the disadvantages of the other arrangements may be eliminated by securing the mobile type crane unit 14 on the benches 54-54 of the barge 12 and removing the crawler treads 52-52 from the crane unit i14 and eifectively employing the travel drive assembly l66 of the crane unit 14 to actuate the mechanism 1Z0l through apparatus 138 now to be described `and disclosed.

Having removed the crawler treads 52--52 and certain other parts associated therewith from the travel drive assembly 66 of the crane unit 14 and with the crane unit 14 being supported by the benches 54-54, the apparatus 138 is operationally interconnected between the horizontally disposed travel drive shaft 86 and each of the longitudinally disposed drive shafts 130` with the apparatus 13S including endless bodily flexible drive elements 140` in the form of drive chain devices which engage the respective drive sprockets 90 which are rotatably mounted on the horizontal travel drive shaft 36 and the respective driving sprockets 128 that are rotatably mounted for rotation with the drive shafts 130.

In actual practice it has been found that the drive members 90 and the crawler drive elements 94 of the travel drive assembly 66 may be employed andl used as the drive members 90 and the endless chain drive devices 140 of the apparatus 138. However, it is to be understood that if required'the drive members 90 and the drive elements or devices 94 and 140 maybe of diiferent structure.

The. benches 54--54 are provided with a recessed portion 142 for the purpose of clearance and a shaft support 144 depends therefrom below the deck 16 of the barge 12 with the Irespective shaft support 144 being provided witha journal 146 for one end portion of the respective horizontally disposed drive shaft 136y with the other end portion of the respective drive shaft 131i` being journaled in bracket structures 14S associated with the. respective spud well 48.

A take-up device 150 including an idler sprocket 152 is provided for each of the chain drive devices 140 with the idler sprocket 152 being journaled to and movably mounted below the deck 16 of the barge 12 by a depending adjustable bracket structure 154 which is movably mounted in a manner tok maintain the chain drive device 140 taut.

A suitable chain. device guide and guard housing 156 is provided for each of the chain drive devices 140 adjacent that portion thereof which. passes through the deck 16 of the barge 12.

Intermedia-te the end portions of each of the horizontally disposed drive shafts 13%), and as illustrated in FIP- 6 URES 5 and 6 of the drawing, positioned adjacent to the respective journal bracket 148, there is provided a suitable brake device 158 for controlling the rotation of the respective drive shaft during the actuation of the mechanism 12h in moving the fore spuds 28-28, as required.

By providing the dredge 10 with the apparatus 138 which enables the travel guide assembly `66 of the crane unit 14 to actuate the mechanism 120` to move and maintain the fore spuds 2%-28 in a desired position so that the dredge 16 may be located to enable the crane unit 14 to operate in accordance with a job requirement, it is possible that ythe fore spuds 28-28 may be moved, positioned and controlled for independent movement either upwardly or downwardly from a common source of power, not illustrated, through the control of the clutch devices 92--92 and such independent movement in either direction may also be controlled by the operation of .a single level type of control, not illustrated. Not only may the fore spuds 28-28 be independently positioned and moved by a single control, it is also possible that the fore spuds 28-28 may be simultaneously moved in the same direction, i.e., either generally upwardly `or downwardly, by the single lever type of control since such movement will be in accordance with the engagement or disengagement of the clutch devices 9292. Actually, the fore spuds 28--28 may be movable in generally vertical directions in the same manner, relative to each other, as the crawler treads 52--52 may be rotated in a conventional type of mobile crane unit.

In operation, the dredge 10 is towed or otherwise floated to the vicinity of the desired working location and positioned by actuation of the aft spud 32. The power source, not illustrated, of the crane unit 14 drives the main drive shaft 68, which in turn drives the main travel gear S0 through the bevel gear arrangement 72, the spur gear 74, the slide pinion shaft 76 and the slide pinion 73. Rotation of the main travel gear 80i imparts rotation to the vertical travel shaft 82 which, through the bevel gears 84 and 88 rotates the horizontal travel drive shaft S6.

The selective engagement or disengagement through the controls of the crane unit 14 of the clutch devices 92-92 drives the respective drive shafts 136' through the respective drive members 90, the endless chain drive device 146 and the driven member 128 with the endless chain drive device being maintained taut by reason of the respective take-up device 150'.

The rotation of the drive shafts 130i imparts rotation to the respective driven sprockets 12S which in turn actuates the respective elongated drive chain `device 122 of the mechanism 120 to move the fore spuds 28-28 as desired or required, and the brake devices 15S may be employed as necessary in order to effectively position the fore spuds 28-28 in accordance with the operational requirements for the dredge 10.

While the. invention has been described in terms of an embodiment which it has assumed in practice, the scope of the invention should not be deemed to be liimted by the precise embodiment herein shown, described, illustrated and disclosed, such other embodiments or modifications being intended to be reserved especially as they fall within the scope of the claims here appended.

I claim -as my invention:

1. A dredge comprising, in combination, a barge having a pair of elongated spuds mounted thereon for movement in generally vertical directions between` a plurality of positions onev of which is effective to maintain the dredge at a desired location, said spuds being disposed onV the barge in spaced relationship to each side of the longitudinally extending centerline in the forequarters adjacent the bow, a mobile type cranev unit having crawler treads and a travel drive assembly, said travel drive as- `sembly comprising a pair of independently and simultaneously operable clutch devices for selectively enabling a pair of driving members to normally actuate the crawler treads, mounting means for mounting the crane unit onthe barge along the longitudinally extending centerline in the forequarters adjacent the bow and intermediate the pair of spuds with the crawler treads of the crane unit being removed mechanism for moving said spuds between the positions, said mechanism comprising an elongated bodily flexible drive element for each of said spuds, the end portions of each of the elongated drive elements being secured to the respective spud adjacent the end portions thereof, a pair of generally horizontally disposed elongated drive shafts rotatably journaled on said barge, said drive shafts being substantially axially aligned and spaced apart and extending generally athwartships in opposite directions from subjacent the travel drive assembly of the crane unit with each drive shaft terminating adjacent a respective one of the spuds, each of said drive shafts having a driven member secured thereto adjacent each end portion thereof for rotation therewith, one of said driven members being in driving engagement with an intermediate portion of the adjacent elongated drive element, and apparatus for enabling the travel drive assembly of said crane unit to drive the drive shafts and actuate said mechanism to move the spuds between the positions, said apparatus comprising an endless drive element for each of said drive shafts, each of said endless drive elements being in driving engagement with the respective other one of the driven members on the respective drive shaft and in driven engagement with one of the driving members of the travel drive assembly.

2. The dredge as set forth in claim l together with a brake device for each of said horizontally disposed generally athwartships extending drive shafts, said brake device being disposed intermediate the driven members on the respective drive shaft and eifective for controlling the rotation thereof.

3. The dredge as set forth in claim 1 wherein said generally horizontally disposed generally athwartships extending drive shafts are journaled and disposed below deck of the barge, and guide-guard housings are provided above the deck for that portion of each of the drive elements which may extend above the deck of the barge.

4. The dredge as set forth in claim l wherein said apparatus further comprises a take-up device for each of said endless drive elements, said take-up devices each comprise a bracket movably supported by the barge and an idler member rotatably carried by the bracket in engagement with the respective endless drive element.

5. The dredge as set forth in claim 1 together with an additional spud pivotally mounted on said barge for pivotal movement about a substantially horizontal axis, said spud being disposed on the barge along the longitudinally extending centerline in the aftquarters adjacent the stern for facilitating in positioning the dredge in the desired location.

6. The dredge as set forth in claim 1 wherein said barge is defined by a plurality of barge sections secured together with certain of said barge sections extending generally fore and aft relative to the dredge and with a single barge section extending athwartships across both the bow and stern of the dredge to define the fore and aftquarters thereof.

7. A dredge comprising, in combination, a barge having a pair of elongated spuds mounted thereon for movement in generally vertical directions between a plurality of positions one of which is effective to maintain the dredge at a desired location, said spuds being disposed on the barge in spaced relationship to each side of the longitudinally extending centerline in the forequarters adjacent the bow, a mobile type crane unit having crawler treads and a travel drive assembly, said travel drive assembly having a driving member for normally actuating the crawler treads, mounting means for mounting the crane unit on the barge with the crawler treads of the crane unit being removed, mechanism for moving said spuds between the positions, said mechanism comprising an elongated bodily tiexible drive element for each of said spuds, a pair of generally horizontally disposed elongated drive shafts rotatably journaled on said barge, each of said drive shafts having a driven member secured thereto adjacent each end portion thereof for rotation therewith, one of said driven members being in driving engagement with the adjacent elongated drive element, and apparatus for enabling the travel drive assembly of said crane unit to drive the drive shafts and actuate said mechanism to move the spuds between the positions, said apparatus comprising an endless drive element for each of said drive shafts, each of said endless drive elements being in driving engagement with the respective other one of the driven members on the respective drive shafts and in driven engagement with the driving member of the travel drive assembly.

8. A dredge comprising, in combination, a barge having a spud mounted thereon for movement in generally vertical directions between a plurality of positions one of which is effective to maintain the dredge at a desired location, a mobile type crane unit having crawler treads and a travel drive assembly, said travel drive assembly having a driving member for normally actuating the crawler treads, mounting means for mounting the crane unit on the barge with the crawler treads of the crane unit being removed, mechanism for moving said spud between the positions, said mechanism comprising an elongated bodily flexible drive element, the end portions of said elongated drive element being secured to the spud adjacent the end portions thereof, a generally horizontally disposed elongated drive shaft rotatably journaled on said barge, said drive shaft having a driven member secured thereto adjacent each end portion thereof for rotation therewith, one of said driven members being in driving engagement with an intermediate portion of the elongated drive element, and apparatus for enabling the travel drive assembly of said crane unit to drive the drive shaft and actuate said mechanism to move the spud between the positions, said apparatus comprising an endless drive element for said drive shaft, said endless drive element being in driving engagement with the other one of the driven members on the drive shaft and in driven engagement with the driving member of the travel drive assembly.

9. A dredge comprising, in combination, a barge having a spud mounted thereon for movement between a plurality of positions one of which is effective to maintain the dredge at a desired location, a mobile type crane unit having crawler treads and a travel drive assembly provided with a driving member, mounting means for mounting the crane unit on the barge, mechanism for moving said spud between the positions, said mechanism compris ing a drive element for said spud and an elongated drive shaft, said drive shaft having a driven member secured thereto adjacent each end portion thereof for rotation therewith, one of said driven members being in driving engagement with the drive element of the mechanism, and apparatus for enabling the travel drive assembly of said crane unit to drive the drive shaft and actuate said mechanism to move the spud between the positions, said apparatus comprising a drive element for said drive shaft, said drive element of the apparatus being in driving engagement with the driven member on the drive shaft and in driven engagement with the `driving member of the travel drive assembly.

l0. A dredge comprising, in combination, a barge having a spud movably mounted thereon, a mobile type crane unit having a travel drive assembly, mounting means for mounting the crane unit on the barge, mechanism for moving the spud, and apparatus `for enabling the travel drive assembly of said crane unit to actuate said mechanisrn to move the spud.

1l. A dredge comprising a barge having a spud movably carried thereby, mechanism for urging said spud between a plurality of positions one of which maintains the barge in a desired location, a crane unit carried by said barge, said crane unit being provided with a travel drive assembly, and apparatus for enabling said travel drive assembly to actuate said mechanism to move the spnd.

12. In -combination with a barge having a spud mounted thereon for movement between a plurality of positions one of which is effective to maintain the barge at a desired location and mechanism for moving said Spud between the positions wherein said mechanism comprises a drive element for said spud and an elongated drive shaft having 1a driven member secured thereto adjacent each end portion thereof for rotation therewith with one of said driven members being in driving engagement with the drive element of the mechanism; a mobile type crane unit having crawler treads and a travel drive assembly comprising a driving member for normally actuating the crawler treads, mounting means for mounting the crane unit on the barge with the crawler treads of the crane unit being removed, and apparatus for enabling the travel drive assembly of said crane unit to drive the drive shaft and actuate said mechanism to move the spud between the positions, said apparatus comprising a drive element for said drive shaft, said drive element of said apparatus being in driving engagement with the other one of the driven members on the drive shaft and in driven engagement With the driving member of the travel drive assembly.

13. In combination with a barge having a .spud movably mounted thereon for maintaining the barge at a desired location 'and mechanism for moving said spud; a crane unit having crawler' treads and `a travel drive assembly, mounting means for mounting the crane unit on the barge with the crawler treads of the crane unit being removed, and apparatus for enabling the travel drive assembly of said crane unit to actuate said mechanism to move the spud.

14. In combination with a barge having a spud movably mounted thereon for maintaining the barge in a desired location and mechanism for moving said spud; apparatus for actuating said mechanism, said apparatus comprising a travel drive assembly of a crane unit, and means for mounting the `crane unit on the barge.

15. In combination with a barge having a spud movably mounted thereon for maintaining the barge in a desired location and a crane unit having a travel drive assembly carried by said barge; apparatus for enabling the travel drive -assembly of the crane unit to move the spud.

16. A barge having a spud mounted thereon for movement between a plurality of positions one of which is effective to maintain the barge at a desired location, a crane unit having crawler treads and a travel drive assembly, said travel drive assembly having a driving member for normally actuating the crawler treads, mounting means for mounting the crane unit on the barge with the crawler treads of the crane unit being removed, mechanism for moving said spud between the positions, said mechanism comprising a drive element for said spud, an elongated drive shaft having a driven member secured thereto adjacent each end portion thereof for rotation therewith, one of said driven members being in driving engagement with the drive element of the mechanism, and apparatus for enabling the travel drive assembly of said crane uni-t to dnive the drive shaft and actuate said mechanism to move the -spud between the positions, said apparat-us comprising a drive element for 'said drive shaft, said drive element of said apparatus being in driving engagement with the other one of the driven members on the drive shaft and in driven engagement with the driving member of Ithe travel drive assembly.

17. A bange having a plurality of spuds movably mounted thereon for maintaining the barge in a desired location, mechanism for moving said spuds, a crane unit carried by said barge, said crane unit having a travel driven assembly, and apparatus for enabling the travel drive assembly of the crane unit to actuate the mechanism for moving the spuds.

18. A barge having a spud movably mounted thereon for maintaining the barge in a desired location, a crane unit having a travel drive assembly carried by said barge, and apparatus for enabling the travel drive assembly of the crane unit to move the spud.

x19. In combination with a driving member of a travel drive assembly of a crane unit, apparatus for enabling the travel dri-ve assembly of the crane unit to actuate a mechanism and urge a spud movably carried by a barge havin-g lthe crane unit mounted thereon to move the Spud between a plurality of positions one of which maintains the barge in a desired ilocation, said mechanism comprising a drive element for said spud and an elongated drive shaft having a driven member secured thereto adjacent each end prortion thereof for rotation therewith, one of said driven members being in driving engagement with the drive element, said apparatus comprising a drive element for said drive shaft, said drive element of said apparatus being in driving engagement with the other one of the driven members on the drive shaft and in driven engagement with the driving member of the travel drive assembly of the crane unit.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,915,331 Nevelin-g Iune 27, 1933

Claims

1. A DREDGE COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A BARGE HAVING A PAIR OF ELONGATED SPUDS MOUNTED THEREON FOR MOVEMENT IN GENERALLY VERTICAL DIRECTIONS BETWEEN A PLURALITY OF POSITIONS ONE OF WHICH IS EFFECTIVE TO MAINTAIN THE DREDGE AT A DESIRED LOCATION, SAID SPUDS BEING DISPOSED ON THE BARGE IN SPACED RELATIONSHIP TO EACH SIDE OF THE LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING CENTERLINE IN THE FOREQUARTERS ADJACENT THE BOW, A MOBILE TYPE CRANE UNIT HAVING CRAWLER TREADS AND A TRAVEL DRIVE ASSEMBLY, SAID TRAVEL DRIVE ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A PAIR OF INDEPENDENTLY AND SIMULTANEOUSLY OPERABLE CLUTCH DEVICES FOR SELECTIVELY ENABLING A PAIR OF DRIVING MEMBERS TO NORMALLY ACTUATE THE CRAWLER TREADS, MOUNTING MEANS FOR MOUNTING THE CRANE UNIT ON THE BARGE ALONG THE LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING CENTERLINE IN THE FOREQUARTERS ADJACENT THE BOW AND INTERMEDIATE THE PAIR OF SPUDS WITH THE CRAWLER TREADS OF THE CRANE UNIT BEING REMOVED MECHANISM FOR MOVING SAID SPUDS BETWEEN THE POSITIONS, SAID MECHANISM COMPRISING AN ELONGATED BODILY FLEXIBLE DRIVE ELEMENT FOR EACH OF SAID SPUDS, THE END PORTIONS OF EACH OF THE ELONGATED DRIVE ELEMENTS BEING SECURED TO THE RESPECTIVE SPUD ADJACENT THE END PORTIONS THEREOF, A PAIR OF GENERALLY HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED ELONGATED DRIVE SHAFTS ROTATABLY JOURNALED ON SAID BARGE, SAID DRIVE SHAFTS BEING SUBSTANTIALLY AXIALLY ALIGNED AND SPACED APART AND EXTENDING GENERALLY ATHWARTSHIPS IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS FROM SUBJACENT THE TRAVEL DRIVE ASSEMBLY OF THE CRANE UNIT WITH EACH DRIVE SHAFT TERMINATING ADJACENT A RESPECTIVE ONE OF THE SPUDS, EACH OF SAID DRIVE SHAFTS HAVING A DRIVEN MEMBER SECURED THERETO ADJACENT EACH END PORTION THEREOF FOR ROTATION THEREWITH, ONE OF SAID DRIVEN MEMBERS BEING IN DRIVING ENGAGEMENT WITH AN INTERMEDIATE PORTION OF THE ADJACENT ELONGATED DRIVE ELEMENT, AND APPARATUS FOR ENABLING THE TRAVEL DRIVE ASSEMBLY OF SAID CRANE UNIT TO DRIVE THE DRIVE SHAFTS AND ACTUATE SAID MECHANISM TO MOVE THE SPUDS BETWEEN THE POSITIONS, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING AN ENDLESS DRIVE ELEMENT FOR EACH OF SAID DRIVE SHAFTS, EACH OF SAID ENDLESS DRIVE ELEMENTS BEING IN DRIVING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE RESPECTIVE OTHER ONE OF THE DRIVEN MEMBERS ON THE RESPECTIVE DRIVE SHAFT AND IN DRIVEN ENGAGEMENT WITH ONE OF THE DRIVING MEMBERS OF THE TRAVEL DRIVE ASSEMBLY.